ZHENGWU ZHANG

Associate Professor of Statistics

• 356 Hanes Hall, Department of Statistics and Operations Research, UNC Chapel Hill
• zhengwu_zhang@unc.edu

Research Interests: Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Data Integration, Object-Oriented Data Analysis, Computational Neuroscience, Financial Data Modeling

Potential students: I'm looking for self-motivated students with strong computing skills to work with me in AI, Machine Learning, Generative Models, and Financial Data Analysis. If interested, please send me an email with your CV and a short description of your research interests or directly visit my office hours (see an updated office hour schedule here.)

Short Bio

Zhengwu Zhang is an Associate Professor in Statistics and Operations Research at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and currently serves as an Associate Editor for Reproducibility at the Journal of the American Statistical Association and as an Associate Editor for Biostatistics & Epidemiology. He received his Ph.D. in Statistics from Florida State University in 2015 under the supervision of Professor Anuj Srivastava.

Zhang's research develops statistical and machine learning methods for high-dimensional data with low-dimensional structures, with applications spanning finance, artificial intelligence, and neuroscience. His group works on financial data analysis (predictive modeling, portfolio optimization, LLM applications), LLM reasoning (robust multi-step, causal, and mathematical reasoning), and human cognition and brain research (geometry-based connectome analysis, brain aging, cognitive training, and substance use). His work is supported by multiple NIH grants and reflects a broader mission to design efficient, interpretable, and practical tools for extracting knowledge from complex data.