Sandy Zhang is currently pursuing a master’s degree in Criminology at the University of Pennsylvania. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the University of California, San Diego, where she developed an interest in human behavior and the factors that shape individual decision-making.
Her academic interests span psychology, criminology, and criminal justice policy. She is particularly interested in how mental well-being, social environments, and interactions with legal institutions influence offending and victimization. At Penn, she hopes to develop stronger skills in research design, statistical analysis, and policy evaluation while exploring how psychological and criminological research can improve responses to crime.
By studying criminology, Sandy hopes to move beyond explanations focused solely on individual behavior and examine how social conditions and institutions affect criminal justice outcomes. Although she is still exploring her long-term career path, she is interested in opportunities involving research, policy analysis, and program evaluation.