Dr. Sonya Zhang
Dr. Sonya Zhang is a Professor of Computer Information Systems at the College of Business Administration, Cal Poly Pomona. She received her Ph.D. in Information Systems and Technology from Claremont Graduate University, an M.S. in Computer Science, and an MBA from Illinois State University.
Sonya’s research work spans several interconnected domains, including 1) Data Science and Artificial Intelligence – specializing in data visualization, data mining, machine learning, and Natural Language Processing (NLP) using Python and no-code platforms, along with web and mobile analytics through tools like Google Analytics and Google Tag Manager. 2) Digital Product Management – exploring digital product ideation, product development, and strategic product management. 3) Web and Software Development – creating scalable, user-friendly web and software solutions using front-end and back-end development, cloud integration, and agile practices. 4) Internet Entrepreneurship – examining online businesses’ creation, growth, and sustainability in the digital economy. 5) Technology-Enhanced Learning – researching innovative methodologies for online education and educational technology, emphasizing transformative digital pedagogical approaches.
Sonya co-authored The Smarter Startup: A Better Approach to Online Business for Entrepreneurs. Her research has been extensively published in journals such as the Journal of Computer Information Systems, ACM Interactions, International Journal of Business Analytics, Journal of Management Analytics, International Journal of Social Media and Online Communities, International Journal of Mobile Human-Computer Interaction, International Journal of Healthcare Information Systems and Informatics, Journal of Information Systems Education, Journal of Information Technology Education, and conference proceedings such as Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences (HICSS), Americas Conference on Information Systems (AMCIS), and various IEEE conferences.
Sonya serves as the Director of Partnerships for nine research centers and initiatives within Cal Poly Pomona’s College of Business Administration. In this role, she leads strategic planning, highlights success stories, fosters strong, lasting community relationships, and connects centers, faculty, and students with industry partners.
Before transitioning to academia, Sonya spent over seven years as a software engineer in health informatics and higher education, contributing to ERP, Business Intelligence, CMS, eLearning, and eHealth projects. Her diverse academic background and industry experience enable her to offer unique insights, effectively bridging the gap between business and technology.