Shiyi Chen is a doctoral student in educational psychology in the Florida State University College of Education. She also has a master's degree in childhood development and family studies.

Shiyi’s research focuses on the quality of teacher-perceived relationships with children from impoverished backgrounds and their impact on children's learning, teacher job-related stress, and early literacy. Shiyi is very passionate about teaching young children. Through her experience as a teaching assistant at FSU, she gained a new outlook on teacher and student relationships, increased engagement in her classes, developed relationships with her students, and found new ways to motivate students to do work. Shiyi's mother, colleague, and best friend, Burcu, and advisor, Dr. Phillips, have been major influences during her academic journey. Her mother persuaded her to take the GRE and TOEFL exams and was a major influence in her decision to pursue academic studies in America. Shiyi enjoys nature and the wilderness and loves to do things that benefit the environment. Her proudest accomplishment is going to Alaska alone to hike and explore an ice cave.

Her advice for prospective graduate students is, “Ride your own wave. You have the ability to command your own life while riding your own wave. People will always talk. You can't control what goes through their mind. If you surf with the big wave, you can go really far. The wave symbolizes something that is really exciting, like your calling. If you feel the urge to do something, even if it seems irrational, just do it."