Our Team.
Lo/Be Lab is powered by an interdisciplinary team of scholars, students, and collaborators committed to advancing reflective learning and identity development. Our members bring expertise from diverse fields—including education, psychology, cognitive science, and design—along with a shared dedication to learner-centered research and innovation.
Rooted in a participatory ethos, our team integrates multiple perspectives, research methodologies, and cultural backgrounds to co-create tools and frameworks that are both theoretically grounded and practically impactful. Undergraduate and graduate researchers work closely with faculty and practitioners through iterative design cycles, qualitative inquiry, and collaborative reflection.
Together, we foster a lab culture that values curiosity, equity, and experimentation. By modeling the reflective practices we advocate, our team not only contributes to the research landscape but also supports a broader mission of empowering learners to navigate their journeys with confidence, intention, and clarity.
Seth Looper
Founder & Research Director
Seth Looper is a designer, educator, and researcher whose work explores the intersection of identity development, reflective learning, and design-based methodologies. With a background spanning architecture, cognitive science, and education, he founded Lo/Be Lab to investigate how visual tools and narrative frameworks can support learners in navigating complexity and constructing intentional life paths. Seth currently leads interdisciplinary research initiatives focused on visual cognition, decision-making, and learner-centered design.
Lin Liu | UX Designer
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Lin Liu is a UX Designer and research contributor at Lo/Be Lab, where she works at the intersection of learner-centered design, educational technology, and cross-cultural decision-making. With an academic background in international politics and law, Lin brings a strong analytical and systems-oriented perspective to the study of how educational structures, policy contexts, and digital platforms shape student learning experiences. Her work translates qualitative and quantitative research—including interviews, surveys, learning artifacts, and policy data—into user insights, visual frameworks, and actionable UX strategies. Drawing from her experience in economic research, data analysis, and legal investigation, Lin contributes to projects that examine access, equity, and structural constraints within educational pathways, particularly for students in China. She is especially interested in using design research and visualization to make complex systems more transparent, navigable, and learner-centered.
Xiaoxi Tan | UX Designer
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​Xiaoxi Chen is a UX Designer and research collaborator at Lo/Be Lab, where she focuses on learner-centered design at the intersection of educational technology, decision-making, and cross-cultural learning. Trained as an architect at the Central Academy of Fine Arts (CAFA), Xiaoxi brings a strong spatial and systems-thinking perspective to the design of digital learning tools and research-driven prototypes. Her work translates qualitative and quantitative research—including interviews, surveys, reflective writing, and learning artifacts—into user insights, design frameworks, and actionable UX strategies. Drawing from her experience in both architectural practice and learning design research, Xiaoxi contributes to projects that examine access gaps, cultural context, and friction points in student learning journeys. She is particularly interested in how design research and visualization can support reflective learning, informed decision-making, and more equitable educational pathways.
Tianyi Tan | Research Assistant
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Tianyi Tan is a Research Assistant at Lo/Be Lab, where she contributes to cross-cultural research on student learning, decision-making, and the design of educational systems. With a background in economics, statistics, and UX design, Tianyi brings a systems-level perspective to understanding how learners interact with digital tools—particularly in environments shaped by structural inequality and algorithmic influence. Currently completing her B.A. in Economics with a Statistics minor at the University of Minnesota, she draws from experiences in academic research, platform analysis, and user experience design to explore how information systems affect visibility, support, and access for diverse learners. Her work at Lo/Be Lab includes qualitative and quantitative data collection, learning experience analysis, and design research translation, often focusing on students in China navigating complex educational decisions.
Hanjing Wang | Marketing Intern
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Hanjing Wang is a Marketing and Research Intern at Lo/Be Lab, where she focuses on the intersection of learning, identity, and student-facing design across global education contexts. Currently studying Interactive Media and Business at NYU Shanghai, Hanjing brings a combined perspective from marketing, consumer research, and creative media to examine how educational tools and narratives resonate with students, particularly in China. Her work translates research on psychology, identity development, and learning behavior into culturally responsive branding strategies, bilingual content, and user-centered storytelling. Drawing from experience in brand strategy, community engagement, and visual communication, Hanjing contributes to projects that bridge research insights with accessible, engaging learning experiences. She is particularly interested in how narrative design and marketing can support student agency, belonging, and informed decision-making within complex educational systems.