Zhouhan Chen’s Marathon Life: From Misinformation Research to Social Media Intelligence Entrepreneurship
Conversation: Xiao He (Founder of Mother of Success) × Zhouhan Chen (Entrepreneur, Researcher)
1. Opening & Self-Introduction
Xiao He:
I’m really glad you’re here for this interview today. Why don’t you start by introducing yourself to our readers?
Zhouhan Chen:
Hello everyone, my name is Zhouhan Chen. I’m building Safelink Network, a startup in Singapore focused on social media intelligence.
My background is in computer science. About ten years ago, I went to the U.S. for undergrad, then graduate school, and eventually a PhD. My doctoral research was in cybersecurity and tracking online disinformation.
The startup I’m working on now is closely related to some of that research. That’s a brief overview of my past ten years.
2. The Path to Computer Science
Xiao He:
At Rice University you studied computer science. I’m curious—did you already have programming experience in high school? Did you know early on that this was your path? You’ve gone from undergrad to grad school and then a PhD, all in computer science. How did you get started?
Zhouhan Chen:
When I first applied to college, my intended major wasn’t computer science—it was materials engineering. I had no background in computer science at all.
In my freshman year, I took a programming class where we wrote games in Python. I thought it was fun, so I switched to computer science.
Along the way I wanted to try research, but I didn’t have much experience. Luckily, I met a professor named Devika—she later became my graduate advisor, and we still collaborate today. She guided me into more research-oriented projects like social media analysis.
3. Why a PhD?
Xiao He:
Many computer science students head straight into industry after undergrad or a master’s. But after finishing both at Rice, you went on to do a PhD at NYU. Did you hesitate? Why pursue academia instead of industry?
Zhouhan Chen:
I was already interested in research during undergrad, but I wasn’t 100% sure about a PhD. I hadn’t published much, so applying directly for PhD programs was risky. In my senior year I applied for Rice’s research-based master’s program, and during that program I applied again, this time for PhD.
To me, a PhD offers several years of stable time to explore questions that might not have immediate commercial value, but that you’re really curious about. You get institutional support and some security. Industry jobs will always be there, but a PhD is both mentally and physically demanding—if you don’t do it when you’re young, it only gets harder.
4. PhD Life in New York & the Pandemic
Xiao He:
At NYU’s Center for Data Science, was your research direction the same as in your earlier studies?
Zhouhan Chen:
The center is very interdisciplinary—professors come from math, physics, medicine, political science, and more. In the first year there’s a rotation system, where you do projects with different advisors before committing.
At first, I did projects similar to my undergrad work—social media and big data analysis. I also tried more theoretical directions, like generative adversarial networks. But I wasn’t that into theoretical research. I preferred working with real data and extracting insights. So I wrapped up my theoretical work and chose the direction that better suited me.
Xiao He:
Looking back on your five years in New York, what was that time like personally?
Zhouhan Chen:
Very unique. In my second year, the pandemic hit. I was in Manhattan the whole time. The city was nearly empty, classes went online. For PhD students like us, the impact was relatively limited since we were doing independent research anyway.
But the pandemic did shift my research. Suddenly, everyone relied on social media for information, but misinformation was everywhere—especially around vaccines. Then came the U.S. election, which also drove my focus toward misinformation.
5. Internship Experiences
Xiao He:
During your PhD, you interned at Twitter, Google, and Amazon. Could you share some highlights and takeaways?
Zhouhan Chen:
In 2019 I interned with Twitter’s security team—the last in-person summer before the pandemic. Our team focused on platform health: account security, fighting bots. It was fascinating because these were real-world problems, requiring both algorithms and data analysis.
The way I got these internships was unusual. I discovered some inauthentic accounts on Twitter during my research, then reached out directly to the teams: “Hey, I found this problem.” In response, they invited me to apply for an internship. The same thing happened with Google and Amazon. I responsibly disclosed security risks I found, and they thought I could help, so they brought me on.
That experience taught me: if you can prove you are solving a company’s problems, you don’t even need a complicated interview process.
6. From Academia to Entrepreneurship
Xiao He:
You published well and had great internships, but after graduation you didn’t join a big company—you started a business. Why?
Zhouhan Chen:
First, one of my advisors influenced me. As I was finishing my PhD, he started his own company—he spent maybe half of his time at NYU, and half at his startup. Whenever I met with him to discuss research papers, he would switch topics and share with me how to incorporate a company, how to handle IP, things like that.
One time my advisor asked me: “if you have 10 smartest people in the world (to work for you), and enough funding, what would you do”. Even today I do not know how to answer. But I kept thinking about this question.
The second influence is my wife and her classmates. At the time she was doing her MBA at Wharton. The MBA vibe is very different from PhD’s. Her classmates always ask me: “You are building interesting technologies. What’s your business idea?” That pushed me to start thinking and formulating my own business plans
I did have offers from several tech companies, but industry opportunities will always be there. The opportune moment to start something, though, can be fleeting. So I decided to try entrepreneurship first.
7. From the U.S. to Singapore
Xiao He:
Instead of moving to Silicon Valley, you and your wife chose Singapore. Why?
Zhouhan Chen:
One is family. My parents are in China. Her parents are in Myanmar and are getting older. After considering different locations, we decided to move to Singapore because it lies roughly midway between China and Myanmar! Asia also has a huge population and long-term development potential. Singapore has efficient, clean governance, and it’s safe. We felt it was a good place for long-term growth.
8. Startup Challenges & Opportunities
Xiao He:
After moving to Singapore, did your startup change?
Zhouhan Chen:
In the beginning, We had few connections in Asia. At the same time, the new administration in the U.S. cut research funding. Many collaborations ended. I had no choice but to expand into new regions.
In 2023, we partnered with Tortoise Media – a UK-based media organization – to investigate the Johnny Depp–Amber Heard case. We analyzed millions of tweets mentioning those two people, and found suspicious activities. For example, some accounts previously posted in Arabic but suddenly switched to pro-Depp content and deleted old posts. These signs suggested many pro-Depp content are inauthentic. Our collaboration resulted in a six-series podcast called Who Trolled Amber, which I recommend readers to check out.
We worked with Tortoise Media pro-bono to support serious journalism. The podcast did give us exposure – people contacted us after listening to the podcast because they understood what our technology could do.
9. Technology & the Media Industry
Xiao He:
Your technology could be used in many industries—brand monitoring, reputation management, influencer marketing. Why focus on media?
Zhouhan Chen:
In 2022 I joined a startup challenge with NYC Media Lab—the theme was supporting local news. In the U.S., many communities have become “news deserts.” Only big outlets survive while smaller ones disappear. That challenge was my entry point into the media.
I believe serious journalism is essential today. Even though the industry often can’t pay much, I still collaborate with them. For me, it’s a form of respect.
Actually now we have a broader focus. Other than media, we provide technology to universities, think tanks and private companies.
10. Running & Entrepreneurship
Xiao He:
You’re also an ultramarathon runner and have done many tough trail races. Do you see a connection between running and entrepreneurship?
Zhouhan Chen:
Yes. Startups are exhausting, so endurance matters. More importantly, running helps me think. Right after PhD graduation I felt lost, unsure what to do daily. During that time I was in Cupertino, I’d run in the nearby mountains in the morning, planning my tasks as I went. By the time I got home, things felt clearer.
Running also taught me to face uncertainty. In 2022 I joined Twitter’s global developer challenge and became the winner in the Content Safety Tools category. We signed a contract with Twitter, in which they promised to officially promote our technology. In October 2022 Elon Musk acquired Twitter The whole developer relations team was laid off and our contract was never fulfilled. Thanks to my runner’s mindset, I could accept the change calmly and move on.
11. A Recommendation for Readers
Xiao He:
Finally, could you recommend a book, podcast, or film for Mother of Success readers?
Zhouhan Chen:
I’d recommend the film Perfect Days. It’s a Japanese movie about a Tokyo toilet cleaner’s life. I won’t spoil too much, but it’s absolutely worth watching.
Closing
In this conversation, Zhouhan shared his journey from the U.S. to Singapore, from academia to entrepreneurship. We heard how a freshman programming class led him into computer science, how the pandemic shaped his research, how his findings opened doors to internships at Twitter, Google, and Amazon, and why he ultimately chose entrepreneurship. He spoke about collaborations with media, the influence of the Wharton MBA environment, cross-border life decisions, and how ultramarathon running shapes his mindset as a founder.
At Mother of Success, we believe each story is more than personal—it reflects how a generation of entrepreneurs navigates globalization and rapid change. Zhouhan’s story reminds us: technology can serve business, but more importantly, it can serve society. Entrepreneurship is a long run that demands endurance, resilience, and curiosity.
We thank Zhouhan for sharing, and we hope his story inspires readers who are exploring their own paths.