Miss Mengzi Li (she/her)
School of Education
Doctoral Researcher
Full contact details
School of Education
The Wave
2 Whitham Road
Sheffield
S10 2AH
- Profile
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I am a Doctoral Researcher in the School of Education, University of Sheffield, exploring the transformative power of relationships between staff and students in higher education (HE). My work is deeply inspired by thinkers such as Jack Mezirow, Peter Felten, Martin Buber, Jacques Derrida, and Emmanuel Levinas, with a particular focus on dialogue, relational ethics, and encounters within the context of HE.
As someone who was once profoundly transformed by my teachers - from secondary school to university - I believe that education is not only about the transmission of knowledge and skills, but also about seeing, listening, and responding to the Other. My research is my way of seeking light, meaning, and connection - in the classroom and in the world.
- Qualifications
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BA Education, Culture and Childhood, University of Sheffield
MA Social Research, University of Sheffield
- Research interests
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Higher education; staff–student relationships; ethics and relationality in education
- Teaching interests
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I am particularly interested in teaching and learning in higher education, especially the role of meaningful relationships in processes of learning, dialogue, listening, and response.
I have worked as a Graduate Teaching Assistant (GTA), supporting undergraduate teaching in psychological research methodology, assisting second-year psychology students with coursework and SPSS-based data analysis. Previously, I also worked as a Sheffield Undergraduate Research Experience (SURE) Supervisor, supporting undergraduate students undertaking independent summer research projects within the School of Education.
I see my teaching not only as a pedagogical practice, but also as an ethical and relational space that continues to shape both my research and my understanding of presence in education.