Ren Liu

Ren Liu is an Associate Professor in Behavioral Sciences Statistics at the University of California, Merced, affiliated with the School of Social Sciences, Humanities & Arts and the Department of Psychological Sciences. He serves as Statistical Editor for the International Journal of Behavioral Medicine and editorial board member of BMC Medical Research Methodology. His research focuses on advanced statistical and measurement methods in behavioral and social sciences, particularly psychometric theory applications in measure development and analysis.

Key research interests include psychometrics, causal inference, machine learning, and mixture modeling. He actively collaborates on applied projects across substance use, criminal justice, LGBTQ+ health, ADHD patient outcomes, and altruism in children. Previous professional experience includes roles at the National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME) and National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN), plus leadership in the National Council on Measurement in Education (NCME).

Notable recognition includes the Rising Star designation from the Association for Psychological Science. His work emphasizes translating innovative methods for applied researchers and promoting best practices in methodology.