| 2023 - Present | PhD in Computer Science, University of Victoria (UVic) | GPA: 9/9 or 100% average |
| 2021 - 2023 | MSc, Thesis in Computer Science, University of Victoria | GPA: 9/9 or 100% average |
| 2021 - 2022, 2023 - 2024 | NSERC Visual and Automated Disease Analytics (VADA) Graduate Training Program, University of Manitoba and University of Victoria | |
| 2018 - 2021 | BSc, Combined Degree in Computer Science and Health Information Science, University of Victoria | GPA: 8.71/9 or 97% average |
| September 2019 - December 2022 | Image Description Specialist | Centre for Accessible Learning, University of Victoria |
| May 2022 - August 2022 | Research Intern | Music-computer Lab, University of Victoria |
| May 2021 - August 2021; January - August 2020 | Full Stack Software Engineer | AOT Technologies, Victoria, BC |
| May - August 2019 | Quality Assurance Analyst Co-op | VertiGIS, Victoria, BC |
Yichun Zhao, Jingyi Lu, and Miguel A. Nacenta. 2024. Speech-based Mark for Data Sonification. In The 26th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS ’24), October 27–30, 2024, St. John’s, NL, Canada. ACM, New York, NY, USA, 5 pages. https://doi.org/10.1145/3663548.3688514
Cole J. Kennedy*, Yichun Zhao*, Mauricio A. Garcia-Barrera (*: Equal Contributions). (2024). "Meta-Analysis of Meta-Analyses on Non-Invasive Brain Stimulation for Post-Stroke Depression." Global Neuropsychology Congress. (conference oral presentation).
Zhao, Y., Nacenta, M., Somanath, S., & Sukhai, M. (2024). "TADA: Making Node-link Diagrams Accessible to Blind and Low-Vision People." Proceedings of the SIGCHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems. (ACM CHI, paper presentation and honourable mention).
Zhao, Y., Nacenta. (2024). "Tools and Tasks in Sensemaking: A Visual Accessibility Perspective." Proceedings of the SIGCHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems – Sensemaking Workshop. (ACM CHI workshop presentation).
Zhao, Y., Nacenta, M., & Somanath, S. (2023). "An Interactive Multi-Touch Audio Interface Makes Diagrams Accessible to People with Visual Impairments." ACM Graphics Interface Conference. (ACM GI, demo presentation, won Best Demonstration Award).
Zhao, Y., & Tzanetakis, G. (2022). "Interactive Sonification for Health and Energy using ChucK and Unity." Proceedings of the Conference on Sonification of Health and Environmental Data. 57-62. (SoniHED, paper presentation).
Zhao, Y., & Weber, J. (2021). "Detecting Fake Users on Social Media with a Graph Database." The Arbutus Review. 12(1): 49-56. (paper).
Zhao, Y. (2020). "Detecting Fake Users on Social Media with Neo4j and Random Forest Classifier." Computing Student Research Conference, Queen’s University; JCURA Research Fair, University of Victoria. (poster).
Shala, F., Wagner, E., & Zhao, Y. (2020). "An Educational Electronic Health Record with a Configurable UI." IF Multidisciplinary Care Conference. (poster, equal contributions).
| 2024 | Lilly Ko | Undergraduate Student. On-going Paper. | Computer Science, UVic |
| 2024 | Jingyi Lu | Undergraduate Honours Student. Poster Paper published in ASSETS 2024. | Computer Science, UVic |
| 2024 | Laura Paul | MSc Student. On-going Paper. | Computer Science, UVic |
| 2022 - Present | Teaching Assistant Consultant | Conducted teaching observations and consultations for TAs | Learning and Teaching Support and Innovation (LTSI), UVic |
| 2024 | Reviewer | IEEE VIS, Short Paper |
| 2024 | Reviewer | Cognition and Creativity [C&C], Poster |
| 2024 | Reviewer | ACM MobileHCI [MCHI], Full paper |
| 2024 | Student Volunteer | ACM Conference on Human Factors in Computing [CHI] |
| 2024 | Reviewer | ACM Conference on Human Factors in Computing [CHI], Late-Breaking Work |
| 2023 | Keynote Chair and Assistant to the Chairs | Graphical Interface Conference |
| 2023 - 2024 | Accessibility-related Community Engagement | Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB) Wireless Wednesday program Oak Bay Community Project Canadian Council of the Blind Annual General Meetings (CCB AGM) and Workshops CNIB Research UVic CanAssist |
| 2018 - 2020 | Various | UVic Computer Science Course Union (CSCU) Website Redesign Executive Member of Health Information Science (HINF) Student Union Executive Member of Women in Engineering and Computer Science (WECS) Let’s Talk Science and WECS’s outreach programs UVic Senior’s Program (helping seniors learn basic technology) Volunteer Organizer (Information Technology & Communications in Health [ITCH] Conference 2019) Volunteer Organizer (Hi-Tech Co-op Career Fair 2019) |
| 2024 | University of Victoria Graduate Awards | |
| 2024 - 2027 | NSERC CGSD Doctoral Award | $120,000 |
| 2023 - 2024 | UVic Graduate Fellowship Award (PhD) | $15,000 + $5,000 top-up |
| 2023 - 2024 | NSERC CREATE Visual and Automated Disease Analytics (VADA) Training Award (PhD) | |
| 2023 | 1st Prize Winner in UVic Pitch Competition (PitchIt) | |
| 2023 | University of Victoria Graduate Awards | |
| 2023 | Community Engagement Award: "Students in Community: Engaging Meaningfully" (two times) | $1,700 x2 |
| 2021 - 2022 | UVic Graduate Fellowship Award (MSc) | $13,500 |
| 2021 - 2022 | NSERC CREATE Visual and Automated Disease Analytics (VADA) Training Award (MSc) | |
| 2021 | Dean's list, Faculty of Engineering | |
| 2021 | Graduation with Distinction | |
| 2019 - 2020 | Ian and Sheila Barrodale Award | $2,150 |
| 2019 - 2020 | Audrey May McCormick Scholarship | |
| 2019 - 2020 | Michael Miller Scholarship (two times) | $1,710 x2 |
| 2019 - 2020 | Jamie Cassels Undergraduate Research Awards (JCURA) | $1,500 |
| 2019 - 2020 | B.C. Centennial Scholarship | |
| 2019 - 2020 | President's Scholarship | $2,138 |