Sarah Y. Zheng

Sarah Y. Zheng, PhD, is a researcher, life coach, and author with expertise in data science, applied AI, and cybersecurity. With over a decade of experience, her work primarily focuses on human behaviour, online security, and the development of AI technologies to understand and predict future crime and security risks. She is currently a Research Fellow at University College London (UCL), where her research involves predicting crime and security risks facilitated by emerging technologies.
 

Dr. Zheng holds a PhD from UCL, where she studied why people fall for online scams and developed innovative methods to detect phishing scams. Her research is highly quantitative, employing machine learning and behavioural analysis techniques. She has worked with leading institutions such as JPMorgan Chase & Co., where she applied AI to detect suspicious email content, and Perseuss, where she improved fraud detection algorithms.
 

In addition to her academic pursuits, Dr. Zheng is the founder of Inzenity®, a life coaching business that helps individuals actualise their potential. Her coaching work is influenced by her personal experiences and focuses on overcoming challenges and personal growth.
 

Dr. Zheng is also an accomplished author, with her book "The Psychology of Cybersecurity: Hacking and the Human Mind" published in August 2025. The book addresses the human aspects of cybersecurity, such as why people become hackers, the vulnerabilities due to human error, and the importance of managing cyber risks from a human perspective.

Sarah Y. Zheng, PhD, was born in 1994 into a Chinese migrant family in the Netherlands. At a young age, her parents took over a local takeaway business in a small town, which provided her with a unique perspective on society. Growing up in a working-class family, she witnessed firsthand the struggles and resilience required to make ends meet. Her experiences with poverty, family trauma, and bullying shaped her later interest in understanding human behaviour.
 

Sarah’s academic journey began at Tilburg University, where she completed a Bachelor of Science in Psychology in 2015, graduating with top honours. During this time, she explored the relationship between motor attention and brain activity patterns. Following her undergraduate studies, she pursued a Master of Science in Neuroscience at University College London (UCL), where she excelled and graduated with distinction in 2017. At UCL, she received competitive scholarships and developed behavioural experiments to test perceptual sound processing deficits.

Sarah then began her research career, focusing on why people fall for online scams. This led to her doctoral research at UCL, where she used machine learning and advanced behavioural analysis to investigate phishing and fraud detection. Her work aimed to understand the psychological factors that make people vulnerable to scams, and it resulted in the development of new security methods. She completed her PhD in January 2024 under the supervision of Dr. Ingolf Becker and Professor Tali Sharot, funded by the Dawes Centre for Future Crime.
 

In 2024, Sarah began working as a Research Fellow at UCL, where she continues to research future crime risks facilitated by emerging technologies. Her work includes predicting crime trends and understanding how technologies such as AI and social robots might contribute to new security challenges.

Alongside her academic career, Sarah founded Inzenity® in 2024, a life coaching business aimed at helping individuals realise their potential. Her coaching draws from her personal experiences and her research in human psychology.
 

Sarah has worked with several organisations, including JPMorgan Chase & Co., where she used large language models to detect suspicious email content. She has also improved fraud detection algorithms at Perseuss and consulted for IBM in AI applications for public and private sectors. She has collaborated with the Dutch Ministry of Defence and provided cybersecurity expertise to major companies like Chanel and ABN Amro.
 

In addition to her research, Sarah is an author, having published The Psychology of Cybersecurity: Hacking and the Human Mind in August 2025. The book addresses the human side of cybersecurity, discussing why people become hackers, the risks associated with human error, and the importance of human factors in managing cyber threats.
 

Sarah is an active speaker, regularly presenting her research and insights at international conferences on AI, cybersecurity, and crime prevention. She has presented at events such as the AI Global Summit in London and the Annual Meeting on Risks of Future Crime in Istanbul.
 

Currently, Sarah is focusing on her research at UCL and continues to grow Inzenity®, helping individuals overcome personal challenges. She remains committed to bridging the gap between human psychology and emerging technologies to better understand and manage the risks they present to society.

Sarah Y. Zheng's vision is to create a future where technology and human behaviour work together to improve society. She aims to help people better understand the risks and opportunities that new technologies bring, particularly in areas like cybersecurity and crime prevention. Through her research and life coaching, Sarah wants to guide individuals and organisations in making informed decisions that protect their well-being. She is committed to using her work to bridge the gap between human psychology and emerging technologies to create safer, more fulfilling lives for everyone.

Sarah Y. Zheng has been recognised for her contributions to both the academic and professional fields. Her work on human behaviour, cybersecurity, and future crime risks has earned her multiple scholarships during her academic journey. She was awarded a fully funded PhD by the Dawes Centre for Future Crime at UCL. Sarah’s research has been presented at various international conferences, and her book, The Psychology of Cybersecurity: Hacking and the Human Mind, received praise for addressing the human aspects of cybersecurity. She has also been acknowledged for her involvement in AI and cybersecurity projects with global companies.