Quantitative Psychology and Statistics Lab

 

Director
	Fengqing (Zoe) Zhang, PhD, is an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology. She obtained a PhD in Statistics from Northwestern University in 2014 under the supervision of Drs. Ji-Ping Wang and Wenxin Jiang. Her research focuses on using multimodal neuroimaging (e.g., MRI, DTI, fMRI, PET) to examine neurodegenerative diseases (e.g., Alzheimer’s disease) and psychiatric disorders (e.g., PTSD, eating disorders).  Additionally, she works on the statistical machine learning methods for informing real time individualized sequences of treatments (Just-in-Time Adaptive Interventions) and integrating multimodal data generated from wearables (e.g., fitness trackers, heart rate monitors) in the context of weight loss maintenance and eating disorders. Research Interests: Multimodal Neuroimaging; Machine Learning; Brain Development and Aging; Mental Health; Wearable Computing and mHealth Email: fengqing.zhang@drexel.edu | Faculty Profile | CV
Lab Members
	Ana Ferariu is a 4th year PhD student in the Applied Cognitive and Brain Sciences (ACBS) program at Drexel University. She earned a Bachelor's degree in Mathematics from Drexel University. She is passionate about Statistics and Data Science and she is looking forward to a career in one of these two domains. She is not only interested in psychological research, but also in other industries' data analysis. Ana is also part of Drexel's Women's Basketball team.
	Hansoo Chang is a 5th year PhD student in the Applied Cognitive and Brain Sciences (ACBS) program at Drexel University. He earned his BA at the University of Pennsylvania where he majored in Cognitive Science concentrating in computation and cognition. Before joining the Zhang lab, Hansoo worked at Bresslergroup, a product and design firm, where he used data-driven techniques to design and optimize medical products such as continuous glucose monitors. His primary interests include using machine learning and statistical modelling to quantify whole person health by integrating neuroimaging, biological, behavioral, and demographic data.
	Farima Sadeghi is a 1st year PhD student in the Applied Cognitive and Brain Sciences (ACBS) program at Drexel University. She earned her BS in Psychology from the University of Tehran and her MS in Psychology from West Virginia University. She enjoys working with large datasets and quantitative methods like longitudinal modeling and machine learning. Her research interests focus on using complex statistical models to study interconnected aging across organ systems, their relationship to brain aging, and where brain aging fits into broader multi-organ aging. She is interested in identifying contributing factors and translating the findings into real-world implications for successful aging. She aspires to pursue a career in data science within this field to further develop and apply her research skills.
	Alexandra Sahl is a 2nd year Psychology Master’s student at Drexel University. She earned her BA at Franklin and Marshall College where she majored in neuroscience. She is interested in the study of neurodegeneration, specifically Parkinson’s disease. She is also a dancer and choreographer.
	Kate Singer-Halstead is a senior undergraduate psychology student at Drexel University. She plans to pursue a PhD in clinical psychology with a concentration in children and adolescents. Kate first became interested in psychological research during her freshman year in the Pediatric and Child/Adolescent Psychology Lab, and has continued her interest in the Zhang lab for Quantitative Psychology and Statistics. Her interest include the development of personality disorders, differences in symptomology between females and males, and brain imaging in psychiatric disorders. In her free time, Kate enjoys crocheting, baking, music, and reading.
	Ashni Kumar is an undergraduate student majoring in Data Science at Drexel University. She is interested in exploring artificial intelligence and its applications across various disciplines, with a particular focus on using AI techniques to extract insights from data.
	Joshua Suh is an undergraduate BSBA Finance and Business Analytics major at Lebow College of Business. Josh is interested in statistical modeling and how it can support better decision-making in identifying answers or insights. He looks forward to becoming proficient in RStudio or other data tools to more effectively explore and analyze datasets.
Previous Lab Members
	Alexei Taylor graduated in 2024 with a PhD degree in the Applied Cognitive and Brain Sciences from Drexel University. He earned his BA at Rutgers University, studying the rodent dopamine system for his thesis. Before joining the Zhang lab, he worked at Columbia University investigating working memory and decision making in a systems neuroscience laboratory. He is interested in applying statistical modelling and data mining techniques to improve classification and treatment of psychiatric diseases.
	Brian Kim completed his Psychology Master's degree at Drexel University in 2022. He received his undergraduate degree in Computer Science at Columbia University. He is interested in the use of statistics and machine learning to analyze the brain, predict behavior and make conclusions about mental processes.
	Xin Niu graduated in 2021 with a PhD degree in Applied Cognitive and Brain Sciences from Drexel University. He obtained his master's degree at Beijing Normal University, where he studied the relationship between gray matter volume and working memory for his thesis. He is interested in examining the relationship between the functional and structural characteristics of the brain and its relationship with personality, intelligence and mental diseases.
	Riley Cook graduated from Drexel University in 2020 with an MS degree in Psychology. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Psychology from the Florida State University, with concentrations in both neuroscience and clinical psychology. She is interested in research areas regarding neurodegenerative disease and the rehabilitation progress in individuals with cognitive impairment due to traumatic injury.
	Jon Landrigan graduated in 2018 with a PhD degree in Applied Cognitive and Brain Sciences from Drexel University. His research focuses on two main tracts; the structure of semantic memory and data driven classifications of aphasia. To investigate these topics he has used a number of methods including; behavioral and eye-tracking studies, computational models, voxel-based lesion symptom mapping, and applied data mining and machine learning techniques. He has also worked on a number of other projects that have cut across multiple domains. In a recent collaboration he worked with colleagues to investigate food choice behaviors between athletes and non-athletes in a real world buffet setting and is currently working on a meta-analysis investigating the effects that resistance training has on cognition. Further given recent advances in data generation and collection he is very interested in applying data mining and machine learning techniques to various domains. More information could be found from his personal website.
	Tinashe Tapera graduated from Drexel University in 2018 with an accelerated BSc/MSc in Psychology . He is interested in machine learning and statistical modelling applications in psychological behaviour research, particularly diet and physical activity.