Dr. WAN Yau Ni Jenny
Assistant Professor
Chair, Departmental Research Committee
Departmental Treasurer
Departmental Representative, Academic Board
Member, Digital Humanities Research Cluster,
Mrs Dorothy Koo and Dr Ti Hua Koo Centre for Interdisciplinary Evidence-based Practice and Research
PhD in Applied Linguistics, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU)
B.A. (Hons) Language Studies with Business, PolyU
Visiting Scholar, University of Technology Sydney (UTS)
Courses Taught
Interdisciplinary Approach to English Studies
Guided Readings in English Studies
Language of Mass and Social Media
Intercultural Communication
Discourse Analysis
English Usage I & II
MPhil Supervision
Honours Project
Full Research Profiles and Academic Publications:
Research Areas
Systemic functional linguistics (SFL)
Corpus-assisted discourse analysis
Digital healthcare communication
Scientific and ethical discourse
Heritage tourism discourse
Core Research Interest
My research examines how language constructs and negotiates interpersonal meaning, attitudes, and care in digital and institutional discourses surrounding difficult human experiences.
Competitive Research Funding
- Faculty Development Scheme (FDS), Research Grants Council, Hong Kong
Wan, Y. N. (PI), Zeng, W. H. (Co-I), Li, W. O. (Co-I). Perceptual and experiential misalignment in digital visitor narratives: A triangulated analysis of Appraisal, Topic Modeling, and Sentiment in Hong Kong’s heritage transport discourse
(遊客數碼敘事中的感知與體驗偏差：香港歷史交通語篇的態度評價、主題建模與情緒三向分析).
2027 - 2028. HK$484,259.
Wan, Y. N. (PI). Anticipatory grief in digital communication: Narratives in hospice care centre websites and support group forums. (數位傳播中的預期性悲傷：寧養關懷中心網站與病人支援論壇中的經歷敘述).
2026 - 2027. HK$512,476.
- University Research Grant (URG), Hong Kong Shue Yan University
Wan, Y. N. (PI), Li, W. O. (Co-I). Medical research ethics in neurocognitive disorders: A corpus-based analysis of pediatric and older adult clinical research articles.
2026 - 2027. HK$29,525.
Wan, Y. N. (PI), Forey, G. (Co-I). E-care support: Comparing the communication strategies of Hong Kong and UK public hospice care centre websites.
2024–2026. HK$12,352.50 (Completed).
Selected Refereed Journal Publications
Wan, Y. N., & Zeng, W. H. (2026). Constructing digital support at end-of-life: A cross-cultural analysis of interpersonal engagement on hospice websites. Health Communication, 1-15. https://doi.org/10.1080/10410236.2026.2675708.
(SSCI Q1; 5-yr IF: 3.7)
Wan, Y. N., Forey, G., & Zeng, W. H. (2026). Digital framing in end-of-life communication: Constructing “good death” support in the discourse of hospice care institutions in the UK and Hong Kong. Healthcare, 14(9), 1187.
Wan, Y. N., & Li, W. O. (2026). Ethical positioning and interpersonal framing in pediatric neurocognitive research papers: A corpus-based discourse analysis. Ethics & Behavior, 1–15. https://doi.org/10.1080/10508422.2026.2717088. (SSCI Q2; 5-yr IF: 2.5)
Wan, Y. N. (2026). Digital visitor discourse on massacre memorials: Appraisal and collocational analysis in family and school learning contexts. Cogent Social Sciences, 12(1). https://doi.org/10.1080/23311886.2026.2686011. (ESCI, Scopus Q1: 5-yr IF:3.5)
Wan, Y. N. (2025). The evaluative language of dark tourism: Exploring visitors’ attitudinal meanings of Holocaust memorials. Current Issues in Tourism, 1–21. https://doi.org/10.1080/13683500.2025.2541063. (SSCI Q1; 5-yr IF: 6.0)
Invited Encyclopedia Chapter
Forey, G.,
Wan, Y. N., & Lockwood, J. (2026).
Language in call centres. In H. Nesi & P. Milin (Eds.-in-Chief),
International Encyclopedia of Language and Linguistics (3rd ed., Vol. 8, pp. 72-79).
Elsevier. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-323-95504-1.00387-2. (Scopus)
Selected Conference Presentations
Wan, Y. N., Li, W. O., & Zeng, W. H. (forthcoming). "Modelling heritage experiences: A digital humanities approach to Hong Kong’s transport heritage narratives". Paper given at Model/Making: Toward Generative Humanities Hong Kong Association for Digital Humanities Annual Conference 2027. The Education University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China, 21-24 January 2027.
Wan, Y. N. (forthcoming). “Anticipatory grief, emotional resilience, and adaptation in digital hospice narratives: Implications for end-of-life care in Hong Kong and the United Kingdom”. Paper given at APRU Global Health Conference 2026 Resilience & adaptation: Navigating the evolving landscape of global health in a changing world. The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong China, 7-9 December 2026.
Wan, Y. N. & Li, W. O. (forthcoming). “Bioethical discourse in neurocognitive research articles: A pilot study of roles and voices”. Paper given at International Symposium on Language Science and Human Well-Being (ISLSHW 2026), City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong China, 14 November 2026.
Wan, Y. N. (2026). “Grieving in the digital space: A systemic functional linguistic study of anticipatory grief in hospice narratives”. Paper given at International Systemic Functional Congress 2026: Global Voices and Local Impacts: Advancing Language Education through Systemic Functional Linguistics, Hong Kong Metropolitan University, Hong Kong China, 11-16 July 2026.
Wan, Y. N. & Li, W. O. (2026). “Ethical considerations in health and care research: Analyzing Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) case reports in neurocognitive research”. Paper given at International Systemic Functional Congress 2026: Global Voices and Local Impacts: Advancing Language Education through Systemic Functional Linguistics, Hong Kong Metropolitan University, Hong Kong China, 11-16 July 2026.
Wan, Y. N. & Li, W. O. (2026). “Research ethics in scientific writing: Ethical discourse in pediatric neurocognitive disorder studies”. Paper given at Innovations in Language Education: Advancing Pedagogy, Practice, and Research, The Centre for Applied English Studies (CAES), The University of Hong Kong (HKU), and the Association of Hong Kong Language Centres (AHKLC), Hong Kong China, 2-3 June 2026.
Wan, Y. N. (2026). "Grief in words: Exploring emotional resilience in digital hospice narratives”. Paper given at the International Conference on Human Resilience: Navigating Life Changes & Challenges (HRCONF2026). Hong Kong Shue Yan University, Hong Kong China, 27-30 May 2026.
Wan, Y. N., & Zeng, W. H. (2026). “Digital healthcare discourse: A comparative study of public hospice websites across cultures”. Paper given at Symposium on Language Science (ISLS) 2026: Interdisciplinary Research and the Legacy of Yuen Ren Chao, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong China, 8-9 May 2026.
Wan, Y. N., & Forey, G. (2025). “Analyzing visitor reviews of heritage tourism: A case study of the Overseas Chinese Museum.” Paper given at ICLLS 2025 Seventh International Conference on Linguistics and Language Studies, Ningbo University, Ningbo, CHINA, June 6 - 8, 2025.
Research Mentorship and Publications with HKSYU Postgraduate Researcher(s)
Tse, T. P. J., & Wan, Y. N. (2027). "Recall our happy childhood memories": Generic stages and collective identity in online theme park reviews. In J. Pun & W. W. Xuan (Eds.), A Functional Approach to English Language Learning and Teaching: Perspectives from Asia. Springer Nature.
Tse T. P. J., & Wan, Y. N. (2025). Attitudes and language identities in Ocean Park Hong Kong online reviews. International Journal of Marketing Semiotics & Discourse Studies, 13, 1-35. https://ijmarketingsemiotics.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/ocean-park-hong-kong-appraisal.pdf. (Scopus)
Tse, T. P. J., & Wan, Y. N. (2025). “Analysis of social media reviews: A focus on Ocean Park Hong Kong.” Paper given at ICLLS 2025 Seventh International Conference on Linguistics and Language Studies, Ningbo University, Ningbo, CHINA, June 6 - 8, 2025.
Academic Recognition and Professional Service
- Invited Research Development Seminars
Wan, Y. N. (2026). “Looking back from the finish line: Insights from FDS layman summaries for future applicants”. Presentation at FDS Experience Sharing Session for RGC’s Competitive Research Funding Schemes (CRFS) for the 2027/28 Exercise, Research Office of the Hong Kong Shue Yan University, Hong Kong, China, 22 October 2026.
Wan, Y. N. (2026). “The ALPHA path: Structuring competitive FDS proposals”. Presentation at Seminar on CRFS 2027/28 Preparation, Research Office of the Hong Kong Shue Yan University, Hong Kong, China, 26 June 2026.
Wan, Y. N. (2025). “From seed to fruit: Language features and cross-sectional linkages in the objective, impact statement, and budget of FDS grant proposal”. Presentation at Preparing Impact Statement and Budget for RGC’s CRFS for the 2026/27 Exercise, Research Office of the Hong Kong Shue Yan University, Hong Kong, China, 21 November 2025.
- Invited Research Dissemination
Wan, Y. N., Zeng, W. H., & Li, W. O. (2026). "Understanding visitor experiences in the digital age: Language, AI, and tourism research". Invited presentation to the MSSCs in Smart Cultural Tourism Programme, Department of Sociology, Hong Kong Shue Yan University, Hong Kong, China, 10 October 2026.
Wan, Y. N. (2025) “Digital communication in dark tourism: Interpreting visitor narratives in China’s War of Resistance Museums and Memorials.” Invited presentation to「價值觀教育研討會」，香港樹仁大學田家炳孝道文化教研中心 Hong Kong, China, 21 December 2025.
- Invited Reference Work Contribution
