iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Steven Zhou, Ph.D. @szzhou4.bsky.social · 21/01/2026

Hey there Bluesky community — for better or worse, I need to consolidate where I'm posting content. So, moving forward, you can find me on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/szzhou4/ And public versions of content from my research lab, the STATS Lab: www.linkedin.com/company/stat... See you there!

linkedin.com

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Steven Zhou, Ph.D. @szzhou4.bsky.social · 12/12/2025

The latest lab newsletter has been released! Read & Subscribe: statslabatcmc.kit.com/posts/decemb... Thank you all for an amazing Fall semester here at @CMCnews — looking forward to the Spring! Have a wonderful break, & we'll be back in early January with our regularly scheduled programming 😉

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Steven Zhou, Ph.D. @szzhou4.bsky.social · 09/12/2025

** Recent Verified Purchase review from Amazon ** This book is INCREDIBLY helpful! The stories are varied, inspirational, and empowering. They are also really encouraging to read when life takes its turns on you. And above all, it's FILLED with PRACTICAL advice! Thx Laura for the positive review!

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Steven Zhou, Ph.D. @szzhou4.bsky.social · 09/12/2025

We interviewed 62 people about their stories finding their first job. Paired with a comprehensive review of research on career counseling, this anthology is meant to inspire readers as they navigate their own job searches.

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Steven Zhou, Ph.D. @szzhou4.bsky.social · 09/12/2025

Interested in our book, From First Job to Career? Check out this snippet from Wyatt's story in Chap. 5: a college dropout & food runner, turned mortgage lender! 🔗 www.statslabatcmc.com/career-book All proceeds go towards future student research in careers. #careers #booklaunch #newbook

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Steven Zhou, Ph.D. @szzhou4.bsky.social · 05/12/2025

VOTE NOW!!! We are a finalist for the Future of Work Research Competition! Our team will build a zombie-themed escape room to study leadership, teamwork, and human-AI interactions. Watch the finalists' videos and then vote! Your vote matters in determining who wins the research funding prize!

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Steven Zhou, Ph.D. @szzhou4.bsky.social · 02/12/2025

What IS leadership? Despite decades of research & practice, it's surprisingly hard to answer this Q. It's gotten to the point that scholars are beginning to question some of the foundations of leadership research. Read our latest blog post to find out more! www.statslabatcmc.com/blog/2025-11...

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Steven Zhou, Ph.D. @szzhou4.bsky.social · 27/11/2025

Happy Thanksgiving! Let’s play a game… what prompt did I give AI to generate this video?

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Steven Zhou, Ph.D. @szzhou4.bsky.social · 25/11/2025

So grateful to have been featured in @cmc.edu's homepage for a story on our research lab! Read the full story here: www.cmc.edu/newsfeed/pro... #research #lab #college #studentts

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Steven Zhou, Ph.D. @szzhou4.bsky.social · 19/11/2025

Missed last week’s webinar where I gave an overview of our STATS Lab research on the intersection of #leadership & #datascience? The recording is available on YouTube! youtube.com/watch?v=k4Dk... We hope this paves the way for future academia-industry collaborations & students getting involved!

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Steven Zhou, Ph.D. @szzhou4.bsky.social · 18/11/2025

I'd love to hear from you. What books shaped YOUR career journey the most? Why? Comment or RT to share your book! #careers #books #jobs #motivation

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Steven Zhou, Ph.D. @szzhou4.bsky.social · 18/11/2025

I'll start: in high school, Washburn's (2006) University Inc. exposed me to all the challenges (and opportunities) of higher education. Then in early college, Cain's (2012) Quiet laid the foundation for how I think about leadership and how I personally lead (yes, I'm actually quite introverted!).

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Steven Zhou, Ph.D. @szzhou4.bsky.social · 18/11/2025

I’m working on a grant studying how ppl develop a sense of vocational calling early on in their lives. How do parenting, school, cultural values, etc. impact calling prior to age 18? As we're ideating, we'd love to hear from YOU. What books growing up most influenced your career journey?

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Steven Zhou, Ph.D. @szzhou4.bsky.social · 13/11/2025

Please consider joining us later today!!

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Steven Zhou, Ph.D. @szzhou4.bsky.social · 12/11/2025

New publication! We partnered with SIOP to ask #iopsych academics and practitioners to anonymously report their degree of usage of GenAI and what they used it for. 👉 Read the full article AND an **interactive dashboard** of all our data that you can explore: www.statslabatcmc.com/blog/2025-10...

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Steven Zhou, Ph.D. @szzhou4.bsky.social · 06/11/2025

Excited to be sharing about my research next Thurs 11/13 in a Zoom webinar w/ @cmc.edu! Whether you’re a student, parent, alum, friend, or community member… come learn more about how we’re exploring the intersection of leadership and data science! RSVP: events.cmc.edu/e/cmcconnect...

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Steven Zhou, Ph.D. @szzhou4.bsky.social · 31/10/2025

Apparently this is what AI thinks about “statistics is scary” on Halloween… Disclaimer: I promise you won’t run away screaming from my stats classes! Happy Halloween! #stats #halloween #aivideo #ai

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Steven Zhou, Ph.D. @szzhou4.bsky.social · 29/10/2025

We had fun being interviewed by Organizational Research Methods for our publication on forced choice measurement! Here’s a highlights reel… Full interview: m.youtube.com/watch?v=woXX... Read the paper: www.researchgate.net/publication/... #research #measurement #forcedchoice #personality

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Steven Zhou, Ph.D. @szzhou4.bsky.social · 28/10/2025

Agree or disagree? I’d love to hear your thoughts below. And if you’re an instructor, follow along: I’ll be sharing templates, rubrics, and materials soon. #HigherEd #Teaching #IOPsych #ActiveLearning

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Steven Zhou, Ph.D. @szzhou4.bsky.social · 28/10/2025

Students learn to research, reason, & argue with integrity. To understand both sides, not just defend their own. In my latest blog post, I share why debates are: • intellectually rigorous • engaging for modern learners • adaptable for ethical AI integration www.statslabatcmc.com/blog/2025-10...

statslabatcmc.com

Why we should argue more in class — STATS Lab @ Claremont McKenna

In this opinion piece, I discuss why I believe in the value of structured debate as a method of in-class assessment of student learning.

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Steven Zhou, Ph.D. @szzhou4.bsky.social · 28/10/2025

My inspiration goes way back. I founded my middle school debate team, became president of one of the largest high school teams in the US, and even coached for years. Debate shaped how I think, argue, and teach. Now I’m bringing that training full circle, into the classroom.

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Steven Zhou, Ph.D. @szzhou4.bsky.social · 28/10/2025

First, credit where it’s due: @chriswiese.bsky.social was the first I-O psych faculty I know to integrate structured debates into class. Thanks for generously sharing your materials when I started designing this!

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Steven Zhou, Ph.D. @szzhou4.bsky.social · 28/10/2025

This semester, I introduced structured in-class debates as a major part of students’ final assessment. They prepare to argue **both** sides of hot #IOPsych topics: – Should we use personality tests for hiring? – Should companies move to a four-day work week? Why debates? 🧵

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Steven Zhou, Ph.D. @szzhou4.bsky.social · 24/10/2025

So excited to get to teach this new class at @cmc.edu this spring! Literally one of the reasons why I was hired 😆 Find out more here: www.statslabatcmc.com/teaching

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Steven Zhou, Ph.D. @szzhou4.bsky.social · 20/10/2025

Prompt using Sora: generate a video showing a team completing an escape room research experiment to study leadership and teams as part of the STATS Lab (photo provided). Not too shabby! (PS: yep, we’re working on building this in real life! Stick around for more)

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Steven Zhou, Ph.D. @szzhou4.bsky.social · 17/10/2025

Also thrilled to have met many interdisciplinary scholars and practitioners advancing our understanding and practice of leadership — laying foundations for what I hope will be fruitful collaborations in research and consulting for my lab and our students! #leadership #research #conference

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Steven Zhou, Ph.D. @szzhou4.bsky.social · 17/10/2025

Had an amazing time attending the @theila.bsky.social Conference all the way in Prague! Thank you ILA and Jepson School for the Jablin Dissertation Award that enabled me to come present my research and talk about our new book!

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Steven Zhou, Ph.D. @szzhou4.bsky.social · 09/10/2025

Interested in learning more about our recent book, From First Job to Career, published last month with @universitypress.cambridge.org? Listen to this excerpt from the intro explaining why we wrote this book! Find out more here: www.statslabatcmc.com/career-book #careers #jobs #newbook #booklaunch

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Steven Zhou, Ph.D. @szzhou4.bsky.social · 02/10/2025

Takeaway? We’re ranked almost at the top based on graduating talented students who find good-paying jobs that offset tuition costs quickly. That’s an encouraging reason to be at the top! 😁

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Steven Zhou, Ph.D. @szzhou4.bsky.social · 02/10/2025

So proud to be at @cmc.edu, where @wsj.com just ranked us #6 across **ALL** colleges & universities in the US! www.wsj.com/rankings/col... Just as important: their methodology. Rankings are weighted… 33% salary impact 20% graduation rate 20% learning environ. 17% yrs to pay off net $$ 10% other

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Steven Zhou, Ph.D. @szzhou4.bsky.social · 01/10/2025

I’m not on the search committee (I’m in the undergrad college, @cmc.edu), but my #iopsych & #obhr colleagues @ CGU are amazing, & I'm grateful to be on their extended faculty to work with their students. Feel free to msg me if you’d like my perspective on the Claremont colleges!

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Steven Zhou, Ph.D. @szzhou4.bsky.social · 01/10/2025

FACULTY JOB OPENING ALERT 🚨 @claremontgraduateu.bsky.social is hiring a tenure-track Asst. Professor of I-O Psychology (start: Jul 2026). Balanced teaching + research env., review begins Oct 31, 2025. Apply: dbossearch@cgu.edu More: ob.aom.org/discussion/j... #IOPsych #AcademicJobs #FacultySearch

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Steven Zhou, Ph.D. @szzhou4.bsky.social · 25/09/2025

6/ The market is exhausting, opaque, and full of mixed signals. But it’s also a chance to clarify your story, your values, & how your work connects with the world. 👉 For those recently on the market: what’s your tip or go-to resource for this year’s candidates?

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Steven Zhou, Ph.D. @szzhou4.bsky.social · 25/09/2025

5/ 🌱 Keep other doors open. The academic market is brutal. Many PhDs thrive in think tanks, nonprofits, industry research, or consulting (#altac). These are not “backup plans” — they’re meaningful paths, often with better pay & balance.

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Steven Zhou, Ph.D. @szzhou4.bsky.social · 25/09/2025

4/ ✍️ Research & teaching statements aren’t just essays. They’re marketing pieces. Show what’s distinctive, how you connect with students, & why your work matters beyond academia. It’s not “selling” — it’s articulating your value proposition.

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Steven Zhou, Ph.D. @szzhou4.bsky.social · 25/09/2025

3/ 📄 Public source docs help… and mislead. Job boards, anonymous tips, & interview updates give clues — but also stress & false info. Take w/ a huge grain of salt. Popular ones for #iopsych & #obhr: 👉 lnkd.in/eQQ6ESV2 👉 lnkd.in/eYkvHEfj

lnkd.in

This link will take you to a page that’s not on LinkedIn

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Steven Zhou, Ph.D. @szzhou4.bsky.social · 25/09/2025

2/ 🔍 Look up the school deeply. Course catalogs, press releases, local news, strategic plans, and even tenure criteria matter. If you can, talk to someone at (or formerly at) the school. Fit is about more than rankings.

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Steven Zhou, Ph.D. @szzhou4.bsky.social · 25/09/2025

1/ Finishing a PhD means stepping into one of the strangest job markets out there: the academic one. I went through it last year, and here are a few things I wish more people said out loud. #academia #faculty #jobs

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Steven Zhou, Ph.D. @szzhou4.bsky.social · 22/09/2025

Thrilled to have 33 applications to join my research lab here at @cmc.edu 😮😮 I want to work with every one of them on every project, but there’s only 24 hours in a day 😭 Somehow I need to form a manageable set of teams to focus on just a few of the many projects proposed… wish me luck!!

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Steven Zhou, Ph.D. @szzhou4.bsky.social · 21/09/2025

Learn more: dscapstone.cmc.edu We’re looking for clients for Spring! Please repost, spread the word, and reach out if your organization is interested in partnering with us! #datascience #consulting #students #capstone

dscapstone.cmc.edu

CMC Data Science Capstone | Tackle you data challenges with the help of tomorrow's data scientists

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Steven Zhou, Ph.D. @szzhou4.bsky.social · 21/09/2025

💡 Great opportunity for companies & nonprofits to move forward on data projects that might otherwise sit on the back burner. For nonprofits or organizations with limited budgets, grants are available to cover the nominal program fee.

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Steven Zhou, Ph.D. @szzhou4.bsky.social · 21/09/2025

👩‍🏫 I’ll be serving as a faculty mentor on a future project. Partners get dedicated student teams working on analytics, prediction, or visualization projects that matter.

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Steven Zhou, Ph.D. @szzhou4.bsky.social · 21/09/2025

Each semester, @cmc.edu’s Data Science Capstone pairs talented student teams with organizations to tackle real-world data challenges. dscapstone.cmc.edu

dscapstone.cmc.edu

CMC Data Science Capstone | Tackle you data challenges with the help of tomorrow's data scientists

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Steven Zhou, Ph.D. @szzhou4.bsky.social · 09/09/2025

So yes, science communication is risky. It’s hard. It’s messy. It can get controversial. But it’s essential. Here’s the full post: 🧪 “Learning to speak in an alien language” 📚 statslabatcmc.com/blog/2025-07-0… #scicomm #research #academia

statslabatcmc.com

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Steven Zhou, Ph.D. @szzhou4.bsky.social · 09/09/2025

In the social sciences, this is even more urgent. Everyone thinks they’re an expert in leadership, work, or relationships. Meanwhile, the real experts? Often unread, unknown, or ignored. Enter: the rise of pop psychology. And the fading of real science.

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Steven Zhou, Ph.D. @szzhou4.bsky.social · 09/09/2025

And yet… I still think it’s worth doing. Because research that doesn’t reach people doesn’t change people. And if we really care about impact, we have to step outside our journals — and start speaking human.

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Steven Zhou, Ph.D. @szzhou4.bsky.social · 09/09/2025

I recently wrote about the 7 perils of science communication: 1. The writing style is different 2. The audience is different 3. You only get 800, maybe 1000 words 4. All op-eds are “wrong” 5. There’s no academic reward 6. You have to hustle like a marketer 7. You’re mostly on your own

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Steven Zhou, Ph.D. @szzhou4.bsky.social · 09/09/2025

Academia teaches you to write dense, caveated, 10,000-word articles. But science communication? It asks for the opposite: 🔹 Short 🔹 Clear 🔹 Actionable 🔹 Relatable You’re not writing for reviewers. You’re writing for readers.

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Steven Zhou, Ph.D. @szzhou4.bsky.social · 09/09/2025

🚨 Scientists, researchers, academics: You were trained in a language no one else speaks. You think you’re being clear. But outside the ivory tower… it sounds alien. A thread on why science communication is hard — and why it still matters 🧵

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