Sisi Tang is an academic visitor at the Oxford Institute of Population Ageing from October 2026 to March 2027. She is a PhD candidate in Fashion Design at the School of Fashion and Textiles, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University.

Her doctoral research explores dignified mobility in later life, focusing on the experiences and unmet needs of older adults living with degenerative lower-limb conditions, particularly knee osteoarthritis and hallux valgus. Drawing on inclusive design and human-centred research, she examines how non-medicalised adaptive apparel and textile-based support might contribute to mobility, comfort, independence and social participation.

She is particularly interested in how everyday routines, care environments, perceptions of ageing and individual preferences shape older adults’ attitudes towards and acceptance of wearable support. Her work considers not only physical needs but also the social and emotional dimensions of adopting assistive technologies in everyday life.

During her visit to Oxford, she aims to situate her research within broader discussions of population ageing and ageing in place. She hopes to deepen her understanding of the social and behavioural factors that influence mobility needs and technology acceptance in later life, and to inform more inclusive, evidence-based approaches to supporting autonomy and dignity as people age.

She holds an MA from the London College of Fashion, University of the Arts London, and a BA from the China Academy of Art. Alongside her doctoral research, she works part-time in research translation and implementation at the University of Hong Kong, and she is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts (FRSA) and a member of the Gerontological Society of America (GSA).