Yuncheng’s Homepage

Ph.D. Candidate | Department of Mathematics, Statistics, and Computer Science
University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) — mscs.uic.edu

About me

I am a fourth-year Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Mathematics, Statistics, and Computer Science (MSCS) at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC), where I also serve as a Teaching Assistant. My research lies at the intersection of statistical methodology and complex data analysis, focusing on:

• Categorical and longitudinal data modeling
• Functional data analysis
• Nonparametric estimation and variable selection

I earned my Master of Science in Statistics from UIC in Fall 2022 and have since been deeply engaged in developing novel statistical tools for structured, real-world datasets.

I am passionate about advancing statistical methods to meet the challenges posed by modern complex data and committed to translating these advances into practical solutions in data science, biostatistics, and the social sciences.

Research

Ongoing & Completed Projects

• Nonparametric Interaction Selection
  Developing a new variable selection and estimation method for the two-way interaction additive model with nonlinear main and interaction effects using basis expansions and group lasso regularization.

• Predicting Epilepsy Risk After Subarachnoid Hemorrhage (SAH)
  Using longitudinal measurements of vital signs, laboratory results, and clinical assessments to build predictive models for post-SAH epilepsy, with emphasis on time-varying covariates and functional predictors.

• Multinomial Link Models (MLM) R Package
  Implemented the Multinomial Link Models proposed by Wang, Tong & Yang (2025), available at CRAN and GitHub. (In progress) 📄 arXiv Preprint

• Multinomial Conditional Link Models for Longitudinal Categorical Data
  Extending the MLM framework to handle more general longitudinal structures and dependence patterns. (In progress)

Professional Experience

• Research Assistant (Hired) — Spring 2023 – Spring 2024
  Supported by NSF grant DMS-2015366, focusing on nonparametric methods for interaction selection and estimation.

Teaching

• Fall 2024: Math 110 – College Algebra (Discussion Section)
• Spring 2025: Math 125 – Elementary Linear Algebra (Discussion Section)
• Fall 2025: Stat 362 – Elements of Statistical Computing (Lecture)