Meta Research

I’m a UX Researcher with Meta’s Internet and Community Growth team. A sociologist by training, I use both qualitative and quantitative methods to understand the connections between Facebook users’ social networks and their experiences on the platform. Currently, I focus on understanding users’ motivations for making friends: who do people want to connect with, and how does that differ cross-culturally? Prior to joining Meta, I received my PhD in sociology from UC Berkeley, where I studied informal financial exchange within community networks in Ghana, West Africa. More broadly, my research has focused on the intersections between social networks (online and offline), economic exchange, and information and communication technologies, particularly in developing countries.

As a user researcher, I help product teams proactively understand user needs. I’m able to use my past experience in low-income contexts and emerging markets to help advocate for the needs of users who have often been ignored by more traditional tech services, and I work with a diverse team of stakeholders within the company to help them understand the value of research in guiding product development and implementation.

I’m also interested in bridging the gap between traditional social science research and applied or industry research.