Ran Xu

Ran Xu is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Allied Health Sciences at the University of Connecticut, within the College of Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources. His expertise lies in applied statistics, computational social science, and systems science methodologies. Dr. Xu holds a PhD in Measurement and Quantitative Methods from Michigan State University (2016) and completed postdoctoral training in Industrial & System Engineering at Virginia Tech (2019).

His research focuses on two primary streams: (1) applying systems science tools like social network analysis, agent-based modeling, and system dynamics to address health-related challenges such as behavior change, disease prevention, and policy evaluation; and (2) developing novel statistical methods and technological tools (e.g., konfound sensitivity analysis package) to enhance causal inference and data-driven decision-making in health sciences.

Key areas of application include food environment policy analysis, health disparities, and the integration of digital technologies (e.g., AI-based image recognition) into health behavior research. His work bridges methodological innovation with substantive health issues, addressing topics like obesity, HIV prevention, and pandemic response through interdisciplinary lenses.

Dr. Xu teaches quantitative methods at undergraduate and graduate levels and actively mentors students in research and applied projects. His publications span high-impact journals in public health, statistics, and social sciences, reflecting his commitment to advancing both theoretical and applied research.