Nice to meet you.

Born in San Diego, I have lived and studied across Southern California and the United Kingdom. I hold a B.S. in Psychobiology (UCLA) and an M.A. in Social Research Methods (Durham University).

My multi-disciplinary background has made me a systems-thinker, and has strengthened my ability to draw on diverse methods to tackle complex challenges.

Through research, I investigate the rhythms of the social world - integrating communication theory, sociology, data science, and psychology to inform platform design and policy. As a casual photographer, I aim to translate observation into art, capturing the textures of everyday life.

Currently: Learning how to play chess ♟️ / Strengthening my design chops 💡 / Finding analog photo booths in my new home (📍New York, NY!!)

Experience

2025-now

United Nations FCU

Member Insights Analyst

Education

2024-2025

finEQUITY

UX Researcher

2021-2023

Blue State

Strategist

2020-2021

UCLA Center for Scholars & Storytellers

Research Assistant

2024

Durham University

M.A. Social Research Methods (Social Policy)

2021

UCLA

B.S. Psychobiology

2019

University of Cambridge

Pembroke-King’s Summer Programme

Wanna chat?

✉️ zurismith99 [at] gmail [dot] com

💻 LinkedIn