← People
Dr. Ze Shi (Zane) Li

Dr. Ze Shi (Zane) Li

Principal Investigator

Email Scholar

Dr. Ze Shi Li directs the Synergy Lab in the School of Computer Science at the University of Oklahoma, where his research sits at the intersection of AI for software engineering and human–AI collaboration. He builds AI tools and systems designed to work for the people who use them. He aims to tackle the hard problems of efficiency, usability, trust, and adoption that determine how AI delivers positive benefits to end users.

He also serves as co-chair of OU’s Software Studio, the university’s premier engineering and entrepreneurship program, where students go from idea to launched venture.

Dr. Li earned his Ph.D. in Computer Science from the University of Victoria.

He is actively recruiting motivated students who want to help shape the next generation of AI tools.

Publications

Industry Practitioners Perspectives on AI Model Quality: Perceptions, Challenges, and Solutions

C. Wang, Z. Yang, Y. Lyu, Dr. Ze Shi (Zane) Li, D. Damian, D. Lo

EASE 2026 · International Conference on Evaluation and Assessment in Software Engineering · arXiv

Unveiling Inclusiveness-Related User Feedback in Mobile Applications

N. N. Arony, Dr. Ze Shi (Zane) Li, D. Damian, B. Xu

TOSEM 2026 · ACM Transactions on Software Engineering and Methodology · arXiv · DOI

Integrating AI and Entrepreneurship: Preparing CS Undergraduates for Startups and Innovation

Dr. Ze Shi (Zane) Li, S. Radhakrishnan

SIGCSE TS 2026 · ACM Technical Symposium on Computer Science Education

Invisible Strings of Developer Programming Behavior with AI

Y. Wu, Dr. Ze Shi (Zane) Li, K. T. Stolee, B. Xu

FSE 2026 · ACM International Conference on the Foundations of Software Engineering · DOI

How Do Developers Interact with AI? An Exploratory Study on Modeling Developer Programming Behavior

Y. Wu, Dr. Ze Shi (Zane) Li, K. T. Stolee, B. Xu

FSE 2026 · ACM International Conference on the Foundations of Software Engineering · arXiv · DOI

The Nature of Technical Debt in Research Software

N. Ernst, A. M. Awon, S. Hingmire, Dr. Ze Shi (Zane) Li

Preprint 2026 · arXiv

Objectifying the Subjective: Cognitive Biases in Topic Interpretations

S. Hingmire, Dr. Ze Shi (Zane) Li, S. Zeng, A. M. Awon, L. F. Guerra, N. Ernst

TACL 2025 · Transactions of the Association for Computational Linguistics · arXiv

Feature Noise Resilient for QoS Prediction with Probabilistic Deep Supervision

Z. Wang, X. Zhang, Dr. Ze Shi (Zane) Li, S. Huang, M. Yan

TSC 2025 · IEEE Transactions on Services Computing · arXiv

QoSBERT: An Uncertainty-Aware Approach Based on Pre-trained Language Models for Service Quality Prediction

Z. Wang, X. Zhang, Dr. Ze Shi (Zane) Li, M. Yan

TSC 2025 · IEEE Transactions on Services Computing · arXiv

REConnect: Participatory RE for Social Sustainability

D. Damian, B. Ghimire, Dr. Ze Shi (Zane) Li, K. Devathasan

Preprint 2025 · arXiv

A Region-Aware Dual Latent State Mining Framework for Service Recommendation in Large-Scale Service Networks

Z. Wang, X. Zhang, Dr. Ze Shi (Zane) Li, M. Yan

TKDE 2025 · IEEE Transactions on Knowledge and Data Engineering

AI Tool Use and Adoption in Software Development by Individuals and Organizations: A Grounded Theory Study

Dr. Ze Shi (Zane) Li, N. N. Arony, A. M. Awon, D. Damian, B. Xu

Preprint 2024 · arXiv

"Do You Have Time for a Quick Call?": Exploring Remote and Hybrid Requirements Engineering Practices and Challenges in Industry

Dr. Ze Shi (Zane) Li, D. Ly, L. Nagel, N. N. Arony, D. Damian

RE 2024 · IEEE International Requirements Engineering Conference

Software Engineering Through Community-Engaged Learning and an Inclusive Network

N. N. Arony, K. Devathasan, Dr. Ze Shi (Zane) Li, D. Damian

Book chapter 2024 · Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion in Software Engineering (Apress) · arXiv · DOI

Unveiling the Life Cycle of User Feedback: Best Practices from Software Practitioners

Dr. Ze Shi (Zane) Li, N. N. Arony, K. Devathasan, M. Sihag, N. Ernst, D. Damian

ICSE 2024 · International Conference on Software Engineering · arXiv

Leveraging Diversity in Software Engineering Education Through Community Engaged Learning and a Supportive Network

N. N. Arony, K. Devathasan, Dr. Ze Shi (Zane) Li, D. Damian

ICSE-SEET 2023 · ICSE Software Engineering Education and Training track

A Data-Driven Approach for Finding Requirements Relevant Feedback from TikTok and YouTube

M. Sihag, Dr. Ze Shi (Zane) Li, A. Dash, N. N. Arony, K. Devathasan, N. Ernst, A. Albu, D. Damian

RE 2023 · IEEE International Requirements Engineering Conference · arXiv

"Software is the Easy Part of Software Engineering": Lessons and Experiences from a Large-Scale, Multi-Team Capstone Course

Dr. Ze Shi (Zane) Li, N. N. Arony, K. Devathasan, D. Damian

ICSE-SEET 2023 · ICSE Software Engineering Education and Training track · arXiv

Understanding User Feedback in Software Ecosystems: A Study on Challenges and Mitigation Strategies

B. Ghimire, Dr. Ze Shi (Zane) Li, D. Damian

ICSOB 2023 · International Conference on Software Business

Leveraging User Feedback for Requirements Through Trend and Narrative Analysis

Dr. Ze Shi (Zane) Li

RE 2023 · IEEE International Requirements Engineering Conference, Doctoral Symposium

Narratives: The Unforeseen Influencer of Privacy Concerns

Dr. Ze Shi (Zane) Li, M. Sihag, N. N. Arony, J. Bezerra Junior, T. Phan, N. Ernst, D. Damian

RE 2022 · IEEE International Requirements Engineering Conference · arXiv

Ongoing Challenges and Solutions of Managing Data Privacy for Smart Cities

Dr. Ze Shi (Zane) Li, C. Werner

Book chapter 2022 · Smart Cities in Asia (Springer)

Towards Privacy Compliance: A Design Science Study in a Small Organization

Dr. Ze Shi (Zane) Li, C. Werner, N. Ernst, D. Damian

IST 2022 · Information and Software Technology

Uncovering the Benefits and Challenges of Continuous Integration Practices

O. Elazhary, C. Werner, Dr. Ze Shi (Zane) Li, D. Lowlind, N. Ernst, M.-A. Storey

TSE 2021 · IEEE Transactions on Software Engineering · arXiv · DOI

Continuously Managing NFRs: Opportunities and Challenges in Practice

C. Werner, Dr. Ze Shi (Zane) Li, D. Lowlind, O. Elazhary, N. Ernst, D. Damian

TSE 2021 · IEEE Transactions on Software Engineering · arXiv · DOI

GDPR Compliance in the Context of Continuous Integration

Dr. Ze Shi (Zane) Li, C. Werner, N. Ernst, D. Damian

Preprint 2020 · arXiv

The Lack of Shared Understanding of Non-Functional Requirements in Continuous Software Engineering: Accidental or Essential?

C. Werner, Dr. Ze Shi (Zane) Li, N. Ernst, D. Damian

RE 2020 · IEEE International Requirements Engineering Conference · arXiv

Continuous Requirements: An Example Using GDPR

Dr. Ze Shi (Zane) Li, C. Werner, N. Ernst

REW 2019 · IEEE International Requirements Engineering Conference Workshops

What Can the Sentiment of a Software Requirements Specification Document Tell Us?

C. Werner, Dr. Ze Shi (Zane) Li, N. Ernst

REW 2019 · IEEE International Requirements Engineering Conference Workshops

Can a Machine Learn Through Customer Sentiment? A Cost-Aware Approach to Predict Support Ticket Escalations

C. Werner, Dr. Ze Shi (Zane) Li, D. Damian

IEEE Software 2019