Faculty/Staff

Tingting Zhang

Tingting Zhang

Associate Professor
tingtingzhang@usf.edu 
Campus: Sarasota-Manatee
Room: A313
Vita

Tingting Zhang is an associate professor at the University of South Florida, Muma College of Business, School of Hospitality and Tourism Management in Sarasota-Manatee.

Her research philosophy is rooted in the intersection of technology and business, with a particular focus on enhancing business success through innovative technological applications while promoting sustainability and human wellbeing. As an advocate for empirical and multidisciplinary approaches, she has dedicated her career to exploring the dynamic relationship between emerging technologies, customer experience, engagement, value co-creation, and their broader impacts on sustainable practices and human welfare.

Zhang has published 68 refereed articles, predominantly in SSCI-indexed journals, including one FT50 journal article (JMS, 2021), and her work has been cited 6,640 times according to Google Scholar, which attests to the visibility and impact of her research. Zhang secured nine grants as a principal investigator or co-principal investigator, with a cumulative sum of $132,825 out of 20 grant applications totaling $13 million. Zhang has experience applying for grants from large foundations such as the National Institutes of Health, National Science Foundation, and National Institutes of Justice. Recently, she was awarded a grant on an anti-human trafficking federal project by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Zhang has published one textbook, 12 book chapters, one book review, and one encyclopedia entry; received four “Highly Commented Paper Awards” from journals (JHTM, IJCHM. JOSM); two best paper awards from conferences; won first place in the Johnson & Wales Case Study competition from JHTC; and received the “Best Reviewer Award” from JHTC; serves as an editorial board member for three academic journals; serves as associate editor for JHTT; won an Excellence in Research award, Research Incentive Award and several top research publication awards at UCF (2016-2024). Zhang served as director of research at the UCF’s Center for the Study of Human Trafficking and Modern Slavery (2023-2024). 

Zhang is a renowned researcher, educator and a dedicated mentor. She regularly supervises PhD dissertations, undergraduate honors theses, and collaborates with students at all academic levels. Her mentorship helped many young researchers to receive recognition through conference paper awards and fellowships. Her guidance helped an undergraduate student secure a $10,000 grant from the Pelotonia Fellowship Program for an honors thesis. This commitment to fostering new generations of scholars was recognized with her nomination for the Undergraduate Research Mentor Award and receipt of the Excellence in Student Academic Advising award. 

Zhang earned a PhD and master’s degree in Consumer Sciences, with specialization in hospitality technologies from the Ohio State University. She also earned a master’s degree in Translation and Interpretation from Beijing Foreign Studies University, China, and a Bachelor of Science in Marketing with an emphasis on Hospitality and Tourism Management from Beijing International Studies University in China.

Teaching

  • HFT 3444 - Hospitality Information Systems
  • HFT 3443 - Event Technology
  • HFT3447 - Database Management and Internet Security for Hospitality and Tourism
  • HFT 4295 - Strategic Management in Hospitality
  • HFT 6446 - Hospitality and Tourism Information Technology
  • HMG 6556 - Digital Marketing and Big Data Management for Hospitality Professionals

Research

  • Value Co-creation and Customer Engagement
  • Applied Information Technologies in Hospitality and Tourism Services
  • Artificial Intelligence and Robotic Services
  • Sustainability and Wellbeing
  • Human Trafficking

Service

  • Director of Research, M3 Center
  • Associate Editor, Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Technology
  • Editorial board member, Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Education
  • Editorial Board member, Journal of Global Scholars of Marketing Science
  • Editorial board member, Journal of Global Business Insights