Yichen RAO 饒一晨

Yichen RAO is an assistant professor of cultural anthropology at Utrecht University. His academic journey includes serving as a Postdoc Research Associate in Comparative Media Studies at MIT, a Postdoc Research Fellow in Chinese Studies at the University of Michigan, and an Ernst Mach Fellow in Anthropology at the University of Vienna. Holding a Ph.D. in Anthropology and Science and Technology Studies from The University of Hong Kong, Rao’s research delves into the unintended impact of digital techno-fetishism in games, fin-tech, and infrastructure on human society. His insights are grounded in extensive ethnographic fieldwork, particularly focusing on treatment camps for youth internet addiction and uncovering digital Ponzi Schemes disguised as fin-tech platforms. From 2024 to 2027, Yichen serves as a council member of the Society for Social Studies of Science (4S).