Cecilia Y. Sui

Hi! I am a PhD Candidate in the Department of Political Science at Washington University in St. Louis, co-advised by Prof. Jacob Montgomery and Christopher Lucas.

My research develops computational and experimental tools to improve measurement in political science, with a focus on political communication across modalities. I use techniques from machine learning and generative AI to construct tightly controlled experimental stimuli, enabling researchers to isolate the causal effects of communication features that are typically confounded in observational data.

Substantively, I study how political campaigns communicate in contemporary media environments, with a particular focus on short-form videos and their effects on voter perceptions and persuasion.

Outside of research, I enjoy hiking, bouldering, and spending time with my family. I also play the guzheng, a traditional Chinese string instrument, and am a big fan of karaoke.