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Gabby Wen '26

AIAR Alumni - Ph.D.
Zhiyu "Gabby" Wen completed her dissertation, "Echoes of Memories: Collaborative Storytelling through Person-Centered Music and Virtual Reality with Older Adults Living with Dementia" and graduated with her PhD in Spring 2026.
She is currently working at the Musical Instruments Museum (MIM) in Phoenix, AZ.
Gabby Wen
zhiyuwen@arizona.edu

Zhiyu "Gabby" Wen completed her dissertation, "Echoes of Memories: Collaborative Storytelling through Person-Centered Music and Virtual Reality with Older Adults Living with Dementia" and graduated with her Applied Intercultural Arts Research PhD in Spring 2026.

Research Interests/Topics: My research interest is to use digital storytelling techniques, such as virtual reality, documentary, and 3D scanning to develop creative aging approaches via the lens of ethnography for older adults across cultures and identities to promote their quality of life and advance their human rights. I also have an interdisciplinary minor that focuses on gerontology.

Arts Background: Majored in vocal performing during undergraduate studies at South China Normal University then switched focus to music and dementia for master's degree at Hong Kong Baptist University.

The AIAR program provides abundant opportunities that enable me to explore my research from multidimensional aspects. Its diversity and flexibility are most appealing to me.