Ph.D. student Department of Recreation, Park and Tourism Sciences College of Agriculture and Life Science Texas A&M University Curriculum Vitae Ying (Olivia) Xu 409A Agriculture and Life Science Building 2261 TAMU College Station, TX 77843-2261 xuying129@tamu.edu Education Texas A&M University Ph.D. in Recreation, Park & Tourism Science, August 2011-present Emphasis: community-based tourism planning and development, urban parks planning and their effects on local communities Academic advisor: Dr. David Matarrita GPA: 3.934 Western Illinois University M.S. in Recreation, Park & Tourism Administration, August 2009-July 2011 Emphasis: tourism management Master thesis: University students travel motivations in Spring Break Committee: Dr. Daniel Yoder (Chair), Dr. Dale Adkins, and Dr. Minsun Doh GPA: 4.0 Northwest University, China B.A. in English Language and Literature, September 2005-July 2009 Research Interest My current research interest focuses on people-park relationship in the urban context. It is argued that urban parks and open green spaces are of a strategic importance for sustainability of our increasingly urbanized society. A review of literature has suggested that there remains a great deal of work yet to be accomplished in mapping-out the social landscape regarding how people use and value the parks and greenery near where they live. Additional, in many cities, urban parks serve as tourist attractions as well. My
research will examine the complex relationships of nature, cities, and people. Specifically, it aims at providing better understandings on the social and ecological functions of urban parks in urban systems, park visitors feelings and emotions evoked in parks, their perceptions of urban parks values and services in urban life, and the contributions of urban landscape and place to residents levels of community attachment through: urban residents functional interaction with the park landscape (engagement of recreational activities), emotional interactions (e.g. place attachment, place meaning, or sense of place), social interactions within the parks (interactions with family, friends, other park users and tourists), and perceived tourism impacts on the urban parks.. Academic Appointments Fall 2014-Spring 2015 Teaching assistant in Department of Recreation, Park and Tourism Sciences at Texas A&M University Class being assisted: Fall 2014: RPTS 408 Spring 2015: RPTS 308 Teaching assistant in Department of Recreation, Park and Tourism Sciences at Texas A&M University Classes being assisted: Fall 2013: RPTS 201-501, RPTS 481-500 Fall 2012-Spring 2013 Spring 2014: RPTS 307-501, RPTS 481-500 Teaching assistant in Department of Recreation, Park and Tourism Sciences at Texas A&M University Classes being assisted: Spring 2013: RPTS 340-500, RPTS 308-500 Spring 2011 Fall 2012: RPTS 201-501, RPTS 304-900, RPTS 201-599 Teaching assistant in Department of Foreign Language and Literature at Western Illinois University Courses taught: CHIN 122 Elementary Chinese II, CHIN 224 Intermediate Chinese II Spring 2010-Fall 2010 Graduate research assistant in Department of Recreation, Park & Tourism Administration at Western Illinois University
Professional Appointments Student representative of Department of Recreation, Park and Tourism Sciences in Graduate Student Council (GSC) at Texas A&M University Graduate Student Seminar Committee Coordinator of Department of Recreation, Park and Tourism Sciences at Texas A&M University Fall 2012-Spring 2014 Graduate student representative of Department of Recreation, Park and Tourism Sciences at Texas A&M University Teaching opportunities September-October, 2014 Lectures: 1) History of United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), 2) USDA and Community Development, 3) Federal, State and Local Governments, and 4) Types of governments and Community Development. Presented to students of RPTS 408, Community Development and Supporting Institutions at Texas A&M University. October, 2012 Guest lecture: Social and cultural aspects of tourism. Presented to students of RPTS 201, Foundations of Recreation, Park & Tourism at Texas A&M University January 2011-May 2011 CHIN 122 Elementary Chinese II and CHIN 224 Intermediate Chinese II at Western Illinois University Internships July 2012-August 2012 Assistant in the planning department of Xi an Qujiang Tourism Management Committee in Xi an, China May 2010-August 2010 Marketing researcher for Geotrans Distance Learning in Chicago, U.S.A.
July 2007-August 2007 English Tour Guide and Interpreter in Terracotta Warriors and Horses Museum in Xi an, China Relevant Courses Conducted Theory-based: Introduction to Leisure Services, Community Tourism Development, International Tourism, Resort Management, Financial Management, Principles of Community, Community Organization and Institutions Building, Overview of Tourism, Recreation and Leisure Concepts, Heritage Tourism, Planning Theory and History, Structure and Function of Urban Settlements, and Social Impacts of Tourism Method-based: Social Research Methods, Seminar in Leisure Services, Measurement of Social Parameters, Analytic techniques in Recreation, Park and Tourism, and Qualitative Research Method Statistic-based: Measurement and Statistical analysis, Applied Tourism Recreation Statistics, Statistic in Research II, and Seminar in Sociological Research: Quantitative Method Publication in progress Xu, Y., Yoder, D., & Matarrita, D. University students travel motivations in Spring Break. Xu, Y., Matarrita, D., & Lee, J. Examining the relationship between national parks and host communities: an approach of understating community stakeholders perspectives.
Conference presentations Choe, Y., Matarrita-Cascante, D., Xu, Y., Sene-Harper, A., Schuett, M., & Barthel, G. Examining the relationship between national parks and adjacent communities: Understanding stakeholders perspectives. Presented at the 77 th Annual Meeting of the Rural Sociological Society. New Orleans, LA. August 1 st, 2014. Xu, Y., Yoder, D., & Matarrita-Cascante, D. University students travel motivations for Spring break. Presented at the 2014 Great Western Travel and Tourism Research Association Conference. Denver, CO. April 16 th -18 th, 2014. Tek, B. D., Xu, Y., Kayode, D. A., Joo, D., Walker, J. R., & Woosnam, K. Predicting Tourists Intentions to Revisit from Guest-Host Interactions and Emotional Ties in Galveston County, Texas. Presented at the 2014 Southeast States Travel and Tourism Research Association Conference. Lexington, KY. March 23 rd -26 th, 2014. Awards Fall 2014-Spring 2015 Texas Public Education Grant-International. Texas Public Education Grant-International. Texas A&M University. Amount Awarded: $2000 International Education Fee Scholarship. Texas A&M University. Amount Awarded: $1000 Population Studies & Rural Development Scholarship. Department of Recreation, Park & Tourism Science, Texas A&M University. Amount Awarded: $1000 Spring 2013 Member in Rho Phi Lambda (Beta Delta Chapter) National Honor Society Fall 2012-Spring 2013 Texas Public Education Grant-International. Texas A&M University. Amount Awarded: $2000
Fall 2012-Spring 2013 TAES Jake Hershey Fellowship. Department of Recreation, Park & Tourism Science, Texas A&M University. Amount Awarded: $1000 Technical Skills Microsoft office word Microsoft office excel Microsoft office PowerPoint SPSS JMP STATA