Dr. Zhang’s first major project is an ethnographic and historical study of artisanal labor in Tibetan capital city Lhasa, where handmade wool carpets are marketed as indigenous cultural exports. One of the main contributions of this project is its nuanced analysis of the linkages between gendered labor processes and the marketing of indigenous cultural goods under shifting political regimes. Research results have appeared in three peer-reviewed journals, one book chapter, and many academic talks. A forthcoming publication will appear in a book, called “The Tibetan Cultural Boom in the People’s Republic of China” (Lexington Books).

Dr. Zhang’s second major project uses “acrobatics” as an entry point to investigate the body as both a subject of labor and a cultural medium in the processes of nation-state building, international diplomacy, and cultural trade. This research has produced multiple presentations, two book chapters, and articles in academic journals, such as “The Journal of Early Popular Visual Culture”, “The Journal of International Labor and Working-Class History”, “The International Journal of Cultural Policy”, and “Feminist Media Studies”. Currently, she is working on a book project, investigating the intertwined politics of gender, race, precarious labor, and performing bodies by tracing the global circulations of “Chinese circus” across Asia, Africa, and Latin America.

Dr. Zhang’s Mitacs-funded study on gender and film production education has generated a virtual exhibition called “Women in Film Education: Participatory Photography at the Mel Hoppenheim School of Cinema” and a policy report, entitled “Take Us Seriously: Gender, Equality, and Inclusion in Film Production Education”. This project directly contributes to equity, diversity and inclusion in Canadian higher education by exposing female students’ challenges as well as their experiences of empowerment in film school.

(2019) "Women in Film Education: Participatory Photography at the Mel Hoppenheim School of Cinema". I produced and curated this digital exhibition in collaboration with ten women students from the film production program. https://www.concordia.ca/finearts/cinema/research/women-in-film-education.html

(2018) "The Flip Side: A Global Circus Story". I co-produced this film with Val Wang and participated in the planning and shooting. Winner of “Best Short Documentary” at the DisOrient Asian American Film Festival. Facebook @thefilpsidedoc

Film Festival Screenings
· The Art of Brooklyn Film Festival 2018, New York City, USA
· Asian American International Film Festival 2018, New York City, USA
· Boston Asian American Film Festival 2018, Boston, USA
· DC Asian Pacific American Film Festival 2018, Washington, DC, USA
· DisOrient Asian American Film Festival 2018, Oregon, USA
· Seattle Asian American Film Festival 2018, Seattle, USA
· Thunder Bay Vox Popular Media Arts Festival 2018, Thunder Bay, Canada

Conference and University Screenings
· Canadian Association for Theatre Research, Queens University, Kingston, ON, Canada (2018)
· Circus and Its Others, CIRQUEON – Centre for Contemporary Circus, Prague, Czech Republic
(2018)
· Circus Histories and Theories, Centre for Indian Studies in Africa, University of the
Witwatersrand, South Africa (2018)
· The Global Circus,
Social Science Festival, Vanier College, Montreal, Canada (2018)
· Bentley University International Film Series (Fall 2018)
· Tufts University Asian American Studies Series “Expression Across Boundaries: Asian American Women and the Multimedia” (2019)

(2006) "Talking to You with Mouth Full". Co-produced with Shanti Macfronton, Cassandra Savage, Benjamin Woo. Simon Fraser University, Vancouver, British Columbia. I participated in planning the documentary, shooting, and editing.

(2001) "Fiddling with the Arts". I wrote, directed, shot and edited this video with the support from the Centre for Art Tapes, Halifax, Nova Scotia. It was screened at the CFAT scholarship award evening.

(2000) "Return". I wrote, directed, shot, and edited this film with the support from the Atlantic Filmmakers’ Cooperative, Halifax, Nova Scotia. This short was screened at the AFCOO’s one-minute film award evening.