Postdoctoral Scholar

XunFei Li

XunFei Li is a postdoctoral fellow in the School of Education at UC Irvine. Li's research employs diverse quantitative methods and leverages macro- and micro-level data to understand college pathways and mitigate educational inequality in higher education. Her research agenda evolves from this broad focus and includes three complementary strands: 1. Exploring the complexity of curriculum structures and developing metrics on how they affect students’ academic and social experiences using unique catalogue and student transcript data. 2. Applying a causal inference perspective to administrative and digital trace data to provide concrete evidence on how curriculum policies—instructional designs and developmental education reform—impact student outcomes. 3. Designing AI-powered classroom interventions that transform research insights into actionable practices to foster engagement.