Dr. Yan Li got her Ph. D from Department of Agricultural Education at Texas A&M University in August, 2004. Since September 2004, Dr. Li has been working in College of Education, Zhejiang University. She is the Director of Research Center for AI in Education and Director of Department of Curriculum and Learning Sciences, College of Education, Zhejiang University. She is also the Director of the Institute of Educational Science and Technology at Zhejiang University, Joint Director of the National Intelligent Social Governance Experimental Base at Zhejiang University, Deputy Director of the National Research Center for Educational Materials at Zhejiang University, Deputy Director of the Education Informatization Committee of the Zhejiang Computer Society, Secretary-General of the Zhejiang University Undergraduate Informatization Teaching Steering Committee, and Zhejiang Supervisor. Her research interests include web-based distance education, science and technology education in K-12 schools, AI in education, diffusion of educational innovations, and etc.
In recent decades, she has presided more than 15 international-, national- and provincial-level research projects and has published series of academic papers or books in area of educational technology. You may find her papers in international journals such as Computers & Education, British Journal of Educational Technology, International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education, Educational Technology Research & Development, Thinking Skills & Creativity, International Journal of STEM Education, International Journal of Human-Computer Studies, Education and Information Technologies, International Journal of Human-Computer Interaction, Journal of Educaitonal Computing Resarch, Asia Pacific Journal of Education, Social Behavior and Personality, International Journal on Emerging Technologies in Learning, and etc. Also, Dr. Li published more than 100 papers in Chinese journals.
In 2011, Dr. Li was awarded as "Distinguished Young Scholar" of Zhejiang University. In 2013, Dr. Li was awarded as "Distinguished Young Social Scholar" of Zhejiang Province. In 2014, Dr. Li was enrolled in Zhejiang Province 151 Talent Project "Second Level" Training Personnel. In 2018, Dr. Li won the First Prize of Excellent Teaching Award of Zhejiang University. In the same year, she was awarded as National Excellent Mentor of Master of Education (M. Ed.). Dr. Li won Scopus 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025 and 2026 Most Cited Chinese Researchers.