Li Junting Benjamin

Dr. Benjamin (Benjy) Li serves as Associate Professor and Assistant Chair for Undergraduate Studies at Nanyang Technological University's Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information (WKWSCI), where he leads research on communication technology's psychological impacts. His work bridges virtual reality applications and human behavior studies, with significant collaborations across healthcare and government sectors in Singapore.

Li's research centers on two transformative domains: virtual/mixed reality as digital intervention tools for health, empathy, and environmental behavior; and technology-induced fatigue phenomena like videoconference and information overload. His methodology integrates experimental design with real-world applications, often employing VR/AR to create embodied experiences that drive behavioral change. Recent work expands into AI-human trust dynamics and cross-cultural validation of fatigue measurement tools.

Analysis of his 15 most recent publications reveals a dominant focus on videoconference fatigue (60% of articles), establishing him as a leading authority in this emerging field. Concurrently, his VR intervention research demonstrates consistent application across health promotion and social cohesion contexts, with increasing interdisciplinary collaborations spanning computer science, psychology, and public health.

Key recognitions include:

• 2021 Social Science and Humanities Research Fellowship from Singapore Social Science Research Council
• Inaugural Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences Postdoctoral Fellowship (2014) at Stanford University
• Nanyang Education Award (School) in 2024 for teaching excellence

Li actively mentors four graduate students whose work extends his core themes into youth VR applications, organizational communication, and aging populations. His $9 million research portfolio features major projects like the Social Science and Humanities Research Fellowship ($877,552 as PI) on VR for intergenerational empathy and MOE grants addressing information fatigue. Strategic partnerships with Stanford Prevention Research Center, Singapore's Ministry of Health, and KK Women's Hospital enable real-world implementation of digital health interventions.

His lab operates through the WKWSCI research ecosystem, leveraging NTU's Immersive Journalism Lab and collaborating with Singapore's Health Promotion Board on VR-based behavioral interventions. Current initiatives focus on strengthening societal cohesion through VR and developing fatigue-mitigation strategies for educational settings.