• Website: calvinchengyx.github.io

Dr. Calvin Yixiang Cheng is a Postdoctoral Researcher in the Science Communication division at IKMZ. His research spans natural language processing (NLP), misinformation diffusion, and debunking strategies on social media platforms, leveraging computational methods to explore how we can communicate and correct misbeliefs in science and contribute to a more informed public.

He is particularly interested in how AI systems, combined with narrative strategies, shape science communication. He is currently working on three topics within the field of AI for science: (1) evaluating the validity of AI-assisted content analysis methods; (2) auditing AI systems in narrative persuasion, particularly in science-related conversations; and (3) leveraging AI as an effective channel for debunking scientific misinformation.

Calvin holds a DPhil in Social Data Science from the Oxford Internet Institute, University of Oxford; an MPhil in Communication from the Chinese University of Hong Kong; and a BA in International Communication from the University of International Business and Economics. He also worked as a data journalist at China Business Network for three years, covering the data science industry in China.

Cheng, C. Y., Quelle, D., & Hale, S. A. (2026). Language mutations and the persistence of COVID-19 conspiracy theories on social media. Computers in Human Behavior, 109137.

Cheng, C. Y., & Hale, S. A. (2026). Beyond English: Evaluating automated measurement of moral foundations in non-English discourse with a Chinese case study. In Proceedings of the International AAAI Conference on Web and Social Media (Vol. 20, No. 1, pp. 487-503).

Zeng, J., & Cheng, C. Y. (2025). Diasporic citizen journalism: exploring the discussion on the 2022 blank paper protests in the Chinese Twitter community. Journalism, 26(5), 1047-1066.

Quelle, D., Cheng, C. Y., Bovet, A., & Hale, S. A. (2025). Lost in translation: using global fact-checks to measure multilingual misinformation prevalence, spread, and evolution. EPJ Data Science, 14(1), 22.

Cheng, C. Y., & Zhang, W. (2023). C-mfd 2.0: Developing a Chinese moral foundation dictionary. Computational Communication Research, 5(2), 1.

Fang, K., & Cheng, C. Y. (2022). Social media live streaming as affective news in the anti-ELAB movement in Hong Kong. Chinese Journal of Communication, 15(3), 401-414.

Cheng, C. Y., Zhang, W. J., & Zhang, Q. (2022). Authority-led conspiracy theories in China during the COVID-19 pandemic–Exploring the thematic features and rhetoric strategies. Convergence, 28(4), 1172-1197.