Lijun (Mio) Zhang

Profile

Lijun Zhang is a doctoral researcher in Management and Organisational Behaviour at Leeds University Business School (LUBS), University of Leeds. He holds a BSc in Applied Psychology and an MA in Applied Psychology of Music. His interdisciplinary research explores the relationships between music, wellbeing, behaviour and social connection, with particular interests in workplace music, AI-generated music, cultural participation and inclusive community experiences. His work draws together perspectives from organisational behaviour, psychology of music and applied social research.

Alongside his doctoral research, Lijun is involved in applied evaluation, community-engaged research and public engagement. He has contributed to research and evaluation projects with NHS partners and Barnardo's, addressing areas including staff wellbeing, workplace experience, service delivery, family support and inclusion. He also has practical experience in human resources and currently works as a part-time music teacher and as a community musician and workshop facilitator with the Business Confucius Institute at the University of Leeds. Through school workshops, community outreach and intercultural activities, he uses participatory music and the guzheng to support engagement, cultural exchange and social connection across diverse communities.

Research Projects & Grants

Lijun has developed a portfolio of interdisciplinary and applied research spanning organisational behaviour, music and wellbeing, community engagement, and health and social-care evaluation. His work combines academic research with practical collaboration across university, healthcare, charitable and community settings.

Sonic Belonging: Co-Designing Community Music Spaces for Well-being and Social Inclusion

Project Lead & Grant Holder | Healthy Buildings Network, University of Leeds | 2026

Lijun secured competitive ECR-led funding from the Healthy Buildings Network to lead Sonic Belonging, an interdisciplinary arts-and-wellbeing project exploring how culturally meaningful music, dance and shared sonic environments can support wellbeing, belonging and social inclusion. The completed project comprised three workshops across university and community settings in Leeds, moving from a restorative music experience on campus, to engagement with the local Chinese older-adult community, and finally to a cross-cultural collaboration bringing together Chinese traditional music and Indian classical dance. Lijun coordinated university services, community organisations, musicians, dancers and participants, and synthesised participant and stakeholder reflections into accessible public-facing outputs and practical insights for more welcoming, inclusive and music-friendly shared spaces. Project outcome: Read the Sonic Belonging project summary and reflections

Leeds Community Mental Health Transformation Staff Evaluation

Research Assistant | University of Leeds and NHS Partners | 2026

Lijun contributes to an applied evaluation of the Leeds Community Mental Health Transformation, which brings together multiple organisations and professional groups to develop more integrated and responsive community mental health services. The evaluation focuses on staff experiences of the transformed service, including wellbeing, engagement, satisfaction, workplace culture and experiences of new ways of working. Lijun supports questionnaire-based research and the analysis of qualitative and quantitative staff feedback, helping to translate findings into evidence for organisational learning and service improvement. The project also connects with broader interests in inclusive organisational practices, cultural competence and addressing health inequalities.

Evaluation of Barnardo's Neurodevelopmental Family Navigator Service

Research Assistant & Evaluation Report Co-author | University of Leeds and Barnardo's | 2024–2025

Lijun contributed to a mixed-method evaluation of Barnardo's Neurodevelopmental Family Navigator Service in West Yorkshire, which provides needs-led support to parents and carers of children and young people awaiting neurodevelopmental assessment. Working as part of the University of Leeds evaluation team, he contributed to participant engagement, questionnaire and interview-based research, qualitative and quantitative analysis, and the development of evidence-based recommendations for service improvement. The evaluation examined family wellbeing and empowerment, service accessibility and experience, person-centred support, equity and inclusion, multi-agency collaboration, and the service's wider contribution to health, education and social-care systems.

Research interests

Lijun Zhang's research explores how music and cultural participation influence wellbeing, behaviour, social connection, and inclusion across organisational and community contexts. His doctoral work focuses on workplace music and AI-generated music, examining their effects on attention, emotion, employee experience, and behaviour. His broader research interests also include community wellbeing, intercultural engagement, and the role of participatory arts in creating more inclusive and connected environments.

Qualifications

• MA, School of Music, University of Leeds
• BSc, Hubei University of Education,China