I am a Marketing PhD Candidate (Job Market 2026-2027) at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (Kenan-Flagler Business School). I have a strong passion for generating data-driven and decision-making insights.

My research focuses on applying advanced quantitative methods and machine learning to marketing problems, particularly in social media, influencer marketing, e-commerce, and retailing. With a background in business consulting at Deloitte, I aim to bridge the gap between research and practice, leveraging innovative methods to solve real-world business challenges. I am motivated by the potential to make a tangible impact in this technology-driven world.

I am advised by Katrijn Gielens and also co-advised by JB Steenkamp.

Research Interests

• Quantitative Marketing
• Digital and Social Media Marketing
• Influencer Marketing and Creator Economy
• Retailing

Methods

• Econometric Modeling
• Causal Inference
• Machine Learning
• AI-Driven Content Analysis

Education

• Ph.D., Quantitative Marketing, Kenan-Flagler Business School, UNC (expected 2027)
• M.Sc., Business Analytics, Washington University in St. Louis (2021)
• B.B.A., Business Administration (minor in Accounting), Capital University of Economics and Business (2018)

Contact

• Email: Margaret_Cai@kenan-flagler.unc.edu
• LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/yimeng-margaret-cai

For full details, please see the CV page.