Yao Lu is Professor of Sociology and Faculty Affiliate at the Columbia Population Research Center (CPRC), the Weatherhead East Asian Institute (WEAI), and the Data Science Institute (DSI). Her research centers on the intersection of inequality, demography, and political sociology, with a focus on how demographic changes and inequality shape political processes. Her current work examines patterns and societal consequences of youth unemployment and underemployment in China and other global contexts. Her research has received support from the National Science Foundation, the National Institutes of Health, and the Russell Sage Foundation. Additionally, she has conducted two national surveys as part of a team. The first survey focuses on migration and families in China (2012-2013). The second survey investigates how the COVID-19 pandemic has shaped racial and ethnic attitudes in the United States (2020-2022).