Bio

I'm Pei Yuan Zhang (commonly known as Peipei). I'm a cognitive scientist and a documentary director.

As a scientist, I am currently a Postdoctoral Research Fellow in the Department of Psychology at New York University, where I earned my Ph.D. in Neuroscience from NYU. My research investigates the dynamics of decision-making and affect, with a particular focus on procrastination and how people navigate long-term goals.

As a documentary director and nonfiction writer, my films are character-driven and center on individuals whose lives unfold at the margins of social norms and institutions. I am drawn to people's lived experiences — especially the quiet turning points that reshape a life's direction. My nonfiction writing documents both the lives of others and my own. I am also the creator and host of the podcast To Be Seen, an interview series devoted to sustained, in-depth conversations with one guest per episode, exploring pivotal life moments with care and attention.

Before turning to the study of human behavior at age 26, I had my doctoral training in theoretical physics in Beijing. That early chapter was part of a longer process of searching — exploring different intellectual paths before finding my home in the study of human behavior and in telling people's stories.