Wei Zhang
Psychology
Summary
Wei Zhang, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Psychology, focuses on neurodevelopment, stress physiology, and mental health across the lifespan. Her research explores how early life stress, including prenatal exposures, shapes neurobiological and developmental outcomes, with particular emphasis on placental gene expression and psychophysiological processes.
Dr. Zhang’s work draws on advanced quantitative approaches, including multivariate analysis, structural equation modeling, meta-analysis, predictive analytics, and longitudinal designs. She also incorporates data science methods, such as sentiment analysis and topic modeling, to examine emerging questions in health, education, and community engaged learning.
Her research has been widely published, with work appearing in journals including Development and Psychopathology, Journal of Neuroendocrinology, and Journal of Affective Disorders, supported by funding from the NSF and NIH. Recent projects include a meta-analysis on community engaged learning and student thriving in higher education.
Research Interests
- Stress, Resilience, and Neurodevelopment
- Data Science Applications in Health and Behavioral Research
- Community Engaged Learning and Educational Innovations
Education
Ph.D., Cognition, Brain and Behavior, The Graduate School and University Center of the City University of New York
Additional Information
Select Publications:
Guanlao, R., Pax, J., Wei, Y., & Zhang, W. (2025). A meta-analysis of community engaged learning and thriving in higher education. In Frontiers in Education (Vol. 10, p. 1525176). Frontiers Media SA. https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2025.1525176
Yuksel, P., & Zhang, W. (2025). A brief report on making meaning of FoMO: Post-Covid mental health and wellbeing in Minority Serving Institute. Discover Mental Health, 5(1), 99. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12226436/
Zhu, X., Zhang, W., Rabaa'i, A., & Eljamal, E. (2025, Nov). The change of social perception on online learning: an analysis using Twitter (X) community. Decision Sciences Institute. Conferences Presentation. Orlando, FL.
Nomura, Y., Zhang, W., & Hurd, Y. L. (2022). Stress in pregnancy: Clinical and adaptive behavior of offspring following Superstorm Sandy. Development and psychopathology, 34(4), 1249-1259.
Zhang, W., & Velez, D. (2022). Effects of COVID-19 on physical activity and its relationship with mental health in a US community sample: Cross-sectional, convenience sampling–based online survey. JMIR formative research, 6(4), e32387. https://formative.jmir.org/2022/4/e32387/
Kofler, L., Zhang, W., & Gao, Y. (2022). Psychopathic Traits and Conduct Problems in Children: Effects of Collective Efficacy, Heart Rate, and Sex. Journal of Psychopathology and Behavioral Assessment, 44(1), 98-114.
Zhang, W., Finik, J., Dana, K., Glover, V., Ham, J., & Nomura, Y. (2018). Prenatal depression and infant temperament: the moderating role of placental gene expression. Infancy, 23(2), 211-231.
Zhang, W., Li, Q., Deyssenroth, M., Lambertini, L., Finik, J., Ham, J., ... & Nomura, Y. (2018). Timing of prenatal exposure to trauma and altered placental expressions of hypothalamic‐pituitary‐adrenal axis genes and genes driving neurodevelopment. Journal of Neuroendocrinology, 30(4), e12581. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29423924/
Zhang, W., Rajendran, K., Ham, J., Finik, J., Buthmann, J., Davey, K., ... & Nomura, Y. (2018). Prenatal exposure to disaster-related traumatic stress and developmental trajectories of temperament in early childhood: Superstorm Sandy pregnancy study. Journal of Affective Aisorders, 234, 335-345. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29614461/
Gao, Y., Zhang, W., Eisenbarth, H., Fung, A. L. C., Lu, M., Raine, A., ... & Li, X. (2018). P3 amplitude and psychopathic traits in youths: Distinct contributions of the grandiose-manipulative and daring-impulsivity traits. Personality and Individual Differences, 120, 87-94.
Zhang, W., & Gao, Y. (2015). Interactive effects of social adversity and respiratory sinus arrhythmia activity on reactive and proactive aggression. Psychophysiology, 52(10), 1343-1350.