Shangyun Zhou is a rising 4th-year PhD student in the Counseling Psychology Program at UAlbany. After receiving his bachelor’s degree in Psychology at South China Normal University in China, Shangyun traveled to the United States to obtain further education and completed his master’s degree in Clinical Psychology at Teachers College, Columbia University. Before coming to UAlbany for his doctoral degree, Shangyun has worked multiple jobs as a counselor at the NYC-Well crisis hotline, a Geriatric Care Specialist at Hamilton-Madison House in downtown NYC, and a research associate at NYU Langone Health - Center for the Study of Asian American Health.

Shangyun receives training both as a researcher and a psychotherapist. As a student researcher, Shangyun is involved in multiple projects on suicide and suicide prevention. He is currently conducting research on the impact of COVID on college student wellbeing outcomes (such as psychological distress and suicidal ideation) at the Center for Behavioral Health Promotion and Applied Research. Shangyun is also conducting research on suicide-related outcomes in both clinical and non-clinical populations related to issues such as hospital admission/readmission and childhood violence exposure. For his dissertation, Shangyun is interested in studying the effect of perfectionism and interpersonal factors on suicide and suicide prevention in Asian college students in the US. As a psychotherapist in training, Shangyun is currently being trained at the Counseling and Psychological Services Center of UAlbany, offering short-term treatment for students in need of services.