Nan Gao

Associate Professor at Nankai University

Introduction

Dr Nan Gao is an Associate Professor at Nankai University.

Currently, I am an Associate Professor at College of Software, Nankai University. Previously,  I was the Shuimu Scholar postdoc researcher at Pervasive HCI Lab of Tsinghua University, working with A/Prof Chun Yu. I am also a Visiting Fellow at the University of New South Wales (UNSW), Australia. I am interested in ubiquitous computing, mobile sensing, and human-computer interaction (HCI). In particular, my research specializes in utilising unobtrusive sensing data to infer human behaviours and mental states (e.g., personality, emotion, learning engagement), to help improve self-awareness and promote human well-being.

I completed my PhD in Computer Science at RMIT University in 2022, under the supervision of Prof Flora Salim, Dr Wei Shao and Dr Mohammad Saiedur Rahaman. I obtained my Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from the Beijing Institute of Technology (BIT) in 2016 and 2018. I have published my research in top venues (e.g., PACM IMWUT/ UbiComp, Scientific Data), released public datasets In-Gauge and En-Gage, and won the IMWUT Distinguished Paper Award in Ubicomp 2021.

News

  • [Nov 2025] Our therapy chatbot paper was accepted by CSCW 2026!
  • [Oct 2025] Spoke on N2Women Panel Discussion “Women in Research: Navigating Challenges and Building Futures” at UbiComp 2026.
  • [Sep 2025] Invited as an AC for CHI ’26 on the Learning, Education and Families Subcommittee.
  • [Sep 2025] Invited as a TPC member of PerCom 2026.
  • [July 2025] Our family interaction analysis paper was accepted by IMWUT!
  • [June 2025] Welcome to submit papers to our UbiSense Workshop at Ubicomp/ISWC 2025.
  • [March 2025] A major career milestone – I officially start my new role as Associate Professor at the College of Software, Nankai University.
  • [Feb 2025] I serve as the Associate Editor of IMWUT journal!
  • [Jan 2025] Interviewed by ABC News about our recent research on AI companion/lover.
Click for more news

 

Selected Research Outputs

Note: Please feel free to check my Google Scholar and ResearchGate for updates 😀

Publications

  • Gao, N., Liu, Y., Tang, X., Liu, Y., Yu, C., Huang, Y., … & Shi, Y. (2025). The Homework Wars: Exploring Emotions, Behaviours, and Conflicts in Parent-Child Homework Interactions. proceedings of the ACM on Interactive, Mobile, Wearable and Ubiquitous Technologies, 9(3), 1-37. [Rank A*, CCF A] [PDF]
  • Wang, Z., Yu, R., Wang, X., Ding, J., Tang, J., Fang, J., … & Wang, Y. (2025). Computing with Smart Rings: A Systematic Literature Review. Proceedings of the ACM on Interactive, Mobile, Wearable and Ubiquitous Technologies, 9(3), 1-54.
  • Gao, N., Yu, Z., Xu, Y., Yu, C., Wang, Y., Salim, F., Shi, Y. (2024). Leveraging Large Language Models for Generating Mobile Sensing Strategies in Human Behavior Modeling. In Adjunct Proceedings of the 2024 ACM International Joint Conference on Pervasive and Ubiquitous Computing and Proceedings of the 2024 ACM International Symposium on Wearable Computers (UbiComp ’24). [Workshop, Best Paper Award 🏆] [PDF]
  • Jing, X., Yu, C., Yue, K., Lu, L., Gao, N., Shi, W., Zhang, M., Wang, R., Shi, Y. (2024). AngleSizer: Enhancing Spatial Scale Perception for the Visually Impaired with an Interactive Smartphone Assistant. Proceedings of the ACM on Interactive, Mobile, Wearable and Ubiquitous Technologies, 2024, 8(3): 1-31. [Rank A*, CCF A] [PDF]
  • Ananthan, S., Gao, N., Salim, F. (2024). Understanding Physiological Responses of Students Over Different Courses., In Proceedings of the 2024 ACM International Symposium on Wearable Computers (ISWC ’24), New York, NY, USA, 104–110. [PDF]
  • Zhang, X., Zhang, Y., Si, Y., Gao, N., Zhang, H., Yang. H. (2024). A High Altitude Respiration and SpO2 Dataset for Assessing the Human Response to Hypoxia.  Scientific Data (Nature Portfolio), 11, 248. [SJR Q1, IF = 10.8] [PDF]
  • 汪聪, 张春红, 高楠, 金鑫，李国俊. (2024). 面向人工智能生成内容时代的图书馆服务适应与创新.情报理论与实践,1-10[2024-02-28]. http://kns.cnki.net/kcms/detail/11.1762.G3.20240220.1245.002.html.28(6), 1513-1542.
  • Tao, J., Gong, J., Gao, N., Fu, S., Liang, S., Yu, C. (2023). Human-Computer Interaction for Virtual-Real Fusion. Journal of Image and Graphics, 28 (06). 陶建华, 龚江涛, 高楠, 傅四维, 梁山, & 喻纯. (2023). 面向虚实融合的人机交互. 中国图象图形学报. [PDF]
  • Gao, N. (2022). Human Behaviour Sensing and Profiling in the Wild (Doctoral dissertation, Ph. D. Dissertation. RMIT University). [PDF]
  • Gao, N., Rahaman, M. S., Shao, W., Ji, K., & Salim, F. D. (2022) Individual and Group-wise Classroom Seating Experience: Effects on Student Engagement in Different Courses. Proceedings of the ACM on Interactive, Mobile, Wearable and Ubiquitous Technologies. 6(3), 1–23. [Rank A*, CCF A] [PDF]
  • Dong, B., Liu, Y., Mu, W. et al. A Global Building Occupant Behavior Database. Scientific Data (Nature Portfolio), 9, 369 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41597-022-01475-3 [SJR Q1, IF = 10.8] [PDF]
  • Gao, N., Marschall, M., Burry, J., Watkins, S., & Salim, F. D. Understanding Occupants’ Behaviour, Engagement, Emotion, and Comfort Indoors with Heterogeneous Sensors and Wearables. Scientific Data (Nature Portfolio), 9, 261 (2022).  [SJR Q1, IF = 10.8] [PDF]
  • Gao, N., Xue, H., Shao, W., Zhao, S., Qin, K. K., Prabowo, A., … Salim, F. D. (2022). Generative Adversarial Networks for Spatio-temporal Data: A Survey. ACM Transactions on Intelligent Systems and Technology,13, 2, Article 22 (April 2022). [SJR Q1, IF = 10.489] [PDF]
  • Gao, N., Rahaman, M. S., Shao, W., & Salim, F. D. (2021). Investigating the Reliability of Self-report Data in the Wild: The Quest for Ground Truth. In Adjunct Proceedings of the 2021 ACM International Joint Conference on Pervasive and Ubiquitous Computing and Proceedings of the 2021 ACM International Symposium on Wearable Computers (UbiComp ’21), 237–242. [Workshop] [PDF]
  • Gao, N., Shao, W., Rahaman, M. S., Zhai, J., David, K., & Salim, F. D. (2021). Transfer Learning for Thermal Comfort Prediction in Multiple Cities. Building and Environment, 195, 107725. [SJR Q1, IF = 7.093] [PDF]
  • Gao, N., Shao, W., Rahaman, M. S., & Salim, F. D. (2020). n-Gage: Predicting in-class Emotional, Behavioural and Cognitive Engagement in the Wild. Proceedings of the ACM on Interactive, Mobile, Wearable and Ubiquitous Technologies, 4(3), 1–26. [Rank A*, CCF A, Distinguished Paper Award 🏆] Presentation, Teaser Video, [PDF]
  • Kjærgaard, M. B., Ardakanian, O., Carlucci, S., Dong, B., Firth, S. K., Gao, N., … Salim, F. D. (2020). Current Practices and Infrastructure for Open Data based Research on Occupant-centric Design and Operation of Buildings. Building and Environment, 177, 106848. [SJR Q1, IF = 7.093] [PDF]
  • Li, D., Wang, S., Gao, N., He, Q., & Yang, Y. (2019). Cutting the Unnecessary Long Tail: Cost-Effective Big Data Clustering in the Cloud. IEEE Transactions on Cloud Computing, 1–1. [SJR Q1, IF = 5.679] [PDF]
  • Gao, N., Shao, W., & Salim, F. D. (2019). Predicting Personality Traits From Physical Activity Intensity. Computer, 52(7), 47–56. [SJR Q1, IF = 4.419] [PDF]
  • Li, D., Ye, D., Gao, N., & Wang, S. (2019). Service Selection With QoS Correlations in Distributed Service-Based Systems. IEEE Access, 7, 88718–88732. [SJR Q1, IF = 3.476] [PDF]

Released Datasets

 

The largest and most heterogeneous environmental and affect sensing dataset

 

Selected Awards

  • 2024 Best Paper Award, Ubicomp Mental Health Workshop
  • 2023 HDR Computing Technologies Prize, STEM College, RMIT
  • 2022 Tsinghua Shuimu Scholar (Postdoc Fellowship)
  • 2022 DAAD AInet Fellowship
  • 2022 Chinese Government Award for Outstanding Self-financed Students Abroad
  • 2021 IMWUT Distinguished Paper Award, Ubicomp
  • 2021 People’s Choice Award, Three Minute Thesis competition, RMIT
  • 2021 Winner of Three Minute Thesis competition, School of Computing Technologies, RMIT
  • 2020 SCT HDR Research Achievement Award, School of Computing Technologies, RMIT
  • 2020 People’s Choice Award in CIDDA Research Day (CRdD’20), RMIT 
  • 2020 Best Presentation in Session 1C and the finalist of best talk award in Ubicomp 2020
  • 2019 Winner of Linfox Fuel Hackathon (Media Report), 5000 AUD Award
  • 2018 Stipend and Tuition Fee Scholarship of RMIT 
  • 2015 Future Stars of Software Scholarship of BIT 
  • 2014 Edifier Scholarship of BIT University
  • 2014 Gold Medal, International Genetically Engineered Machine Competition, Boston, USA
  • 2013 Outstanding Student Cadres Award of BIT

 

Funding

  • 2024-2026. “Enhancing Mental Wellbeing: Sensing and Early Intervention for University Students”. Young Scientists Fund of the National Natural Science Foundation of China (国家自然科学基金青年科学基金, Grant No. 62302252). Sole Principal Investigator (￥300k)
  • 2023-2025. “Interactive Perception and Intervention of Psychological Wellbeing”. China Postdoctoral Science Foundation (中国博士后科学基金第73批面上资助, Grant No. 2023M731949). Sole Principal Investigator (￥80k)

 

Teaching

  • 2025 Semester 1: Lecturer, Software Engineering, Nankai University
  • 2023 Semester 1: Tutor, Mind, Individual and Culture (10700073), Tsinghua University
  • 2021 Semester 2: Tutor, Foundations of Artificial Intelligence (COSC 2960), CSIT@RMIT
  • 2021 Semester 1: Tutor, Advanced Programming Techniques (COSC1076), CSIT@RMIT
  • 2020 Semester 1: Tutor, User-Centred Design (COSC2628), CSIT@RMIT

 

Talks

  • 2026. Invited Speaker by N2Women Panel Discussion “Women in Research: Navigating Challenges and Building Futures” at UbiComp 2026, Finland, Oct 14. 
  • 2025. Invited talk by HCI+ summar training program, Online. 31 Aug.
  • 2024. “Leveraging large language models for generating mobile sensing strategies in human behaviour modelling”. Invited talk by UNSW Sydney, Australia. Oct 15.
  • 2024. “Sensing human behaviours and mental wellbeing in real-world scenarios”. Invited talk by the University of Melbourne, Australia. July 23.
  • 2023. Keynote report (of Chinese side) at China-Japan-ROK Youth International Seminar (organised by Chinese Society of Astronautics, Northwestern Polytechnical University, “Belt and Road” Space Innovation Alliance, China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology). April 23.
  • 2022. Invited talk at Access Computing Summer Program (ACSP, a program sponsored by Global Innovation Exchange (GIX) by the University of Washington and Tsinghua University). August 10.
  • 2022. “Human psychological data acquisition, perception and modelling in real-world scenarios”. Invited talk at Institute for AI Industry Research, Tsinghua University, China. June 16.
  • 2022. “Suggestions for fresh PhD candidates”. Invited talk at the School of Computer Science, Northwestern Polytechnical University (NWPU), China. June 3.
  • 2022. “Human behaviour sensing and modelling in the wild”. Guest lecture at Practical Data Science Course, RMIT University, Australia. May 19.
  • 2022. “Insights about undertaking a research program to new candidates”, Invited panel speaker at the High Degree Research (HDR) orientation, RMIT University, Australia. April 6.

 

Services

 

Personal

  • Reading: I enjoy reading books from different areas, including but not limited to psychology,  physiology, philosophy, anthropology, sociology, ethics, and science fiction.
  • Backpacking: I was the leader and organiser of the largest outdoor club Fengxinzi at BIT.
  • Writing: I love writing popular science articles, although I often can’t help but mix some chicken soup for the soul :/
  • Believed Quotes: know thyself (know yourself). The saying was one of the Delphic maxims and was inscribed in the forecourt of the Temple of Apollo at Delphi.

 

Contact

Email: nan.gao@nankai.edu.cn

 

Location: Room 3-420, Nankai University, New Binhai Area, Tianjin, China


 

 

 

Others

There is an old saying in China, ‘To Have Friends Come from Afar—Isn’t That a Joy?’ (有朋自远方来，不亦乐乎) If you are interested, we can arrange a meeting to chat casually. I’m ALWAYS open to potential collaboration.