Yizi Zhang

New York, NY

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I’m currently in my third year of the Statistics PhD program at Columbia University, working with Professor Liam Paninski. My research spans two major areas:

  1. Computational Neuroscience & Brain-Machine Interfaces: I’m driven by the belief that these technologies improve the lives of individuals who, due to physical disabilities, face communication and interaction barriers. The prospect of enabling them to engage with the world fully and seamlessly inspires my research.

  2. Data valuation & Explainable AI: In the era of deep learning, the emphasis on predictive performance often overshadows equally crucial aspects of data quality and model interpretability. Explainable AI demystifies black box models and ensures that their behaviors align with human values. Moreover, the quality of data fed into AI models influence their outcomes, and it is essential to safeguard against biased or harmful information that may contaminate the AI system.

Fun facts:

  1. Besides research, I love snowboarding and love the powder snow in Salt Lake City.

  2. My photo is my cat, Wan Wan (万万) and she has 6 fingers :)