She received her PhD in Marketing from Stanford University. Prof. Gao’s research interest centres on situational influences on consumers’ decision-making, goal-setting and self-regulations. Her research sheds light on the external determinants of goal-directed behaviours, promotes consumers’ self-control and well-being, and guides the design of effective marketing programmes. Prof. Gao’s research has been published in journals such as Journal of Marketing, Journal of Consumer Research, and Journal of Consumer Psychology.