Office：  City Viva Hotel, 2nd Floor, Room VH203                                                              

Tel.：       85902585                                                                       

E-mail：  zxpiao@cityu.edu.mo

Academic Qualification

PhD of Hospitality Management,  University of Central Florida, USA

Master of Culinary & Foodservice Management, Kyung Hee University, South Korea

Bachelor of Mathematics and Applied Mathematics, Yanbian University, China

Working Experience   

From 2022/08 to 2026/07      Graduate Teaching and Research Assistant, University of Central Florida, FL, USA

From 2020/11 to 2021/10      Online Marketing Assistant Manager, Paris Baguette (SPC), Shanghai, China

From 2018/08 to 2019/12      Graduate Assistant, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, NV, USA

From 2017/12 to 2018/04      Front-of-House Receptionist, BARO by Chefs Society, New York, NY, USA

Teaching Area

Hospitality Financial Accounting

Hospitality Service Management

Wellness Management in Hospitality and Tourism

Research Area

Consumer Behavior

Sensory Marketing

Marketing Communications

Customer Wellness

Professional Certification and Awards

Best Paper Award (2nd Runner-up), APacCHRIE 2026

Graduate Dean’s Dissertation Completion Fellowship, UCF (2025)

Doctoral Research Support Award, UCF (2025)

Doctoral Finalist, Three Minute Thesis (3MT) Competition, UCF (2024)

Best Paper Nomination, 29th Annual Graduate Student Research Conference in Hospitality and Tourism (2024)

JHTC Best Work-in-Progress Award, 8th SECSA ICHRIE Conference (2023)

M.S. Thesis Award, Kyung Hee University, South Korea (2016)

Professional Society Membership

Association for Consumer Research (ACR), 2025

American Psychological Association (APA), 2026

Academic Publication

Journal Paper

• Chaulagain, S., Piao, Z., Farboudi, M., & Kang, J. (2026). Exploring the effects of trust, risk, and attitude on behavioral intentions toward medical hotels: a moderated framework of perceived value. Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights, 1-26. https://doi.org/10.1108/JHTI-08-2025-0916
• Kim, H., Piao, Z., & Kim, S. E. (2026). Conceptualizing virtual event quality: a mixed-methods approach to presence and continuance. Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Technology, 1-24. https://doi.org/10.1108/JHTT-07-2025-0624
• Piao, Z., Chaulagain, S., & Zheng, Y. (2026). Extending the health belief model to Gen Z hospitality students’ Help-Seeking: The role of self-efficacy and social support in a mixed-methods study. Journal of Hospitality, Leisure, Sport & Tourism Education, 39, 100620.  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhlste.2026.100620
• Park, J. Y., Okumus, B., Piao, Z., & Mistry, T. G. (2026). Scale Development on the Phenomenon of Quiet Quitting in the Restaurant Sector. Journal of Culinary Science & Technology, 24(3), 714-738. https://doi.org/10.1080/15428052.2025.2548432
• Harris, K. J., Murphy, K. S., Piao, Z., & Jahani, S. (2026). Restaurant Food Safety Violations Prior, During, and After the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Viral Impact on Florida and Predictions for the Future. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 134, 104536. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhm.2025.104536
• Piao, Z., Nguyen, T. N., Song, H. J., & Park, J. Y. (2025). Beyond “I am sorry”: Investigating the impacts of apology type and language style on customer forgiveness in service recovery. Journal of Business Research, 201, 115679. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2025.115679
• Piao, Z., Wei, W., & Zhang, L. (2024). How anthropomorphism shapes restaurant customers’ plant-based meat consumption. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 123, 103898. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhm.2024.103898
• Piao, Z., Kang, G. W., Kim, S. E., & Bai, B. (2023). A Donation-With-Purchase at a Restaurant: Perceived Authenticity in a Cause-related Marketing. Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Research, 48(4), 10963480231187874. https://doi.org/10.1177/10963480231187874
• Kang, G. W., Piao, Z., & Ko, J. Y. (2022). Effects of water types and roasting points on consumer liking and emotional responses toward coffee. Food Quality and Preference, 104631. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodqual.2022.104631
• Kim, S., Piao, Z., Kim, H. L., & Ma, Z. H. (2021). Understanding Chinese independent travel market to South Korea: A segmentation approach. Tourism Review International, 25(4), 385-401. https://doi.org/10.3727/154427221X16245632411935
• Kang, G. W., Piao, Z., & Ko, J. Y. (2021). Descriptive or Injunctive: How do restaurant customers react to the guidelines of COVID-19 prevention measures? The role of psychological reactance. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 95, 102934. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhm.2021.102934

Book Chapter

• Piao, Z., & Okumus, B. (2025). Time to rethink sustainability in food tourism: Designing waste-free experiences in destinations. In Kim, A., Aktaş, G., & Kozak, M. (Eds.), International Case Studies in Food Tourism (pp. 72-78). Routledge. ISBN: 9781003583547.

Conference Paper

• Kim, S. E., Kim, H., Piao, Z, & Kim, S. (2026).Virtual Event Quality as a Presence-Driven Experience: A Mixed-Methods Investigation of Telepresence, Social Presence, and Continuance. Osaka, Japan: APacCHRIE 2026 Conference. Stand-up Presentation
• Piao, Z., & Fu, X. (2025). The Aesthetics of Moving Through: Experiencing Citywalks in Urban Cities. Chiang Mai, Thailand: APacCHRIE 2025 Conference. Stand-up Presentation
• Piao, Z., & Chaulagain, S (2025). Mental Health Perceptions and Help-Seeking Intentions Among Gen Z Hospitality Students. Chiang Mai, Thailand: APacCHRIE 2025 Conference. Stand-up Presentation
• Piao, Z., & Wei, W. (2025). From Plate to Palate: How Plating Aesthetics Shapes Mindful Food Choices through Scarcity and Healthiness. Houston, Texas: The 30th Annual Graduate Student Research Conference in Hospitality & Tourism. Stand-up Presentation
• Piao, Z., & Chaulagain, S (2025). Predicting Hospitality Students’ Support-seeking Behaviors: Health Belief Model Perspective. Houston, Texas: The 30th Annual Graduate Student Research Conference in Hospitality & Tourism. Poster Presentation
• Piao, Z., Nguyen, T. N., Song, H. J., & Park, J. Y. (2024). How to Tailor an Apology as a Signal of Sincerity to Foster Customer Forgiveness? Miami, Florida: The 29th Annual Graduate Student Research Conference in Hospitality & Tourism. Stand-up Presentation
• Piao, Z., Wei, W., & Zhang, L. (2023). Whimsical Whispers: How Anthropomorphic Prompts Boost Plant-Based Palates in Restaurants. Miami, Florida: The 29th Annual Graduate Student Research Conference in Hospitality & Tourism. Stand-up Presentation
• Piao, Z., Wei, W., & Zhang, L. (2023). Leveraging anthropomorphism boosts human-likeness while diminishing state reactance. Orlando, Florida: 7th World Research Summit for Hospitality and Tourism. Stand-up Presentation
• Piao, Z., Wei, W., & Zhang, L. (2023). Does "Personhood" of animals arouse empathy or reactance among restaurant consumers? Orlando, Florida: 8th Annual SECSA ICHRIE Conference. Stand-up Presentation
• Piao, Z., Park, J., & Okumus, B. (2023). Tired of working too hard: Quiet quitting in the restaurant industry. Los Angeles, California: The 28th Annual Graduate Student Research Conference in Hospitality & Tourism. Poster Presentation
• Piao, Z., & Okumus, B. (2022). Are you looking for gluten free or vegetarian food? Food Decisions Research Laboratory, Penn State University: 8th Online Interdisciplinary Research Symposium in Foodservice Decisions. Online Presentation

Research Project

• National Science Foundation: Decision, Risk and Management Sciences - DDRIG, Project Title: Evaluating the Effects of Digital Health Interventions on Nutrition Literacy and Engagement Among University Students, PI: Wei Wei, Associate Professor, Rosen College of Hospitality Management, UCF, Co-I: Zhenxian Piao, PhD Candidate, Rosen College of Hospitality Management, UCF (Not funded)
• National Institutes of Health: NHLBI Clinical Trial Pilot Studies (R34 Planning Grant – Clinical Trial Optional), Project Title: Implementation Planning for AI-Powered Dietary Tracking in Campus Wellness Infrastructures: Barriers, Facilitators, and Strategy Development, PI: Joanna F. Mackie, Assistant Professor, College of Medicine, UCF, Co-PI: Wei Wei, Associate Professor, Rosen College of Hospitality Management, UCF, Co-I: Zhenxian Piao, PhD Candidate, Rosen College of Hospitality Management, UCF (Not funded)
• University of Central Florida Pabst Steinmetz Creative Futures Awards, Project Title: AI for Connection: Reframing Food, Feelings, and Community, PI: Zhenxian Piao, PhD Candidate, Rosen College of Hospitality Management, UCF, Co-PI: Wei Wei, Associate Professor, Rosen College of Hospitality Management, UCF, Co-I: Joanna F. Mackie, Assistant Professor, College of Medicine, UCF, Co-I: Brook Miller, Associate Director, Center for Humanities and Digital Research, UCF (Not funded)