Yan WangView profile
Associate Professor
Yan Wang is an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology at the College of Fine Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Massachusetts Lowell, specializing in advanced quantitative methods for psychological research. Her expertise bridges statistical methodology and applied behavioral sciences through innovative modeling techniques. Her educational trajectory demonstrates interdisciplinary rigor: Ph.D. in Measurement & Research (2018), University of South Florida, with supporting area in Educational Psychology; dissertation: "Covariates in factor mixture modeling: Investigating measurement invariance across unobserved groups" M.A. in Curriculum and Instruction (2013), Boston College Dual B.A. in English Literature and B.S. in Economics (2011), Xiamen University, China Dr. Wang's research centers on quantitative psychology with pioneering work in finite mixture modeling, structural equation modeling, multilevel modeling, and Bayesian analysis . Her methodological innovations address critical challenges in measurement invariance testing, latent variable modeling, and longitudinal data analysis, significantly advancing psychometric theory while enabling robust applications across educational, clinical, and social domains. This dual focus on methodological rigor and practical implementation defines her scholarly impact. Analysis of her 15 most recent publications reveals a distinctive pattern: she consistently develops and validates statistical techniques through Monte Carlo simulations before applying them to substantive problems in cognitive aging, traumatic brain injury outcomes, pediatric injury prevention, and cross-cultural psychopathology. Her signature approach combines simulation-based method evaluation with real-world applications, particularly in educational measurement and developmental psychology contexts. Her scholarly excellence has been recognized through prestigious awards: Teaching Excellence Award (2022) from University of Massachusetts Lowell Leslie C. Robbins Dean’s Excellence Award (2016) from University of South Florida Conference Presentation Travel Grant (2015) from SouthEast SAS Users Group University Graduate Fellowship Award (2013) from University of South Florida Dean’s Scholarship (2011) from Boston College National Scholarship (2008) from Xiamen University As Co-Investigator on the NIH-funded "Virtual Reality-based Rehabilitation for Children with Traumatic Brain Injuries" grant (Eunice Kennedy Shriver NICHD, 2020), she provides critical statistical leadership for clinical translation. Her collaborative publications with graduate students indicate active mentorship in quantitative methods, though formal advisee lists aren't documented. Dr. Wang maintains strong professional engagement through presentations at major conferences including AERA, APA, and Florida Educational Research Association, establishing herself as a leading voice in quantitative methodology development.
