Professor and Chair

Department of Biostatistics
University of Nebraska Medical Center
College of Public Health

Professional Summary

• 7/2019-present, Professor and Chair, Department of Biostatistics, University of Nebraska Medical Center
• 1/2014-6/2019, Professor and Director of Graduate Education, Department of Biostatistics, Indiana University
• 7/2010-12/2013, Professor, Department of Biostatistics, University of Iowa
• 7/2004-6/2010, Associate Professor, Department of Biostatistics, University of Iowa
• 8/1998-6/2004, Assistant Professor, Department of Statistics, University of Central Florida
• 9/1988-7/1991, Lecturer, Department of Mathematics, Fudan University

Education

• 1998, Ph.D in Statistics, University of Washington
• 1994, MS in Applied Mathematics, Florida State University
• 1988, MS in Computational Mathematics, Fudan University
• 1985, BS in Computational Mathematics, Fudan University

Research Interests  

Dr. Zhang conducts statistical methodology research in broad areas including non-/semi-parametric statistical inference, non-/semi-parametric models for panel count and interval-censored data analysis, causal inference, clinical and pragmatic trial design, statistical computing, and machine learning. He also actively collaborates with scientists in the fields of neurodegenerative diseases, neurosciences, cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, sports medicine and community health promotion by providing rigor in study design, statistical analysis plan and scientific interpretation of analytical results.     

Selected Publications

• Zhao, H^#., Zhang, Y., Zhao, X., and Yu, Z. (2019). A nonparametric regression model for panel count data analysis. Statistica Sinica. 29: 809-826.
• Zhu, L., Zhang, Y., Li, Y., Sun, J., and Robison, LA. (2018). A semiparametric likelihood-based method for regression analysis of mixed panel-count data. Biometrics. 74: 488-497.
• Lourens, S^#., Zhang, Y., Long, JD., and Paulsen, JS. (2017). Analysis of longitudinal censored semicontinuous data with application to the study of executive dysfunction: the tower task. Statistical Methods for Medical Research. 26: 865-879.
• Zhang, Y., Cheng, G^#., and Tu, W. (2016). Robust nonparametric estimation of monotone regression function with interval-censored observations. Biometrics. 72: 720-730. 
• Wu, Y^#. and Zhang, Y. (2012). Partially monotone tensor spline estimation of the joint distribution function with bivariate current status data. Annals of Statistics. 40: 1609-1636.
• Lu, M^#., Zhang, Y., and Huang, J. (2009). Semiparametric estimation methods for panel count data using monotone B-spline. Journal of the American Statistical Association. 104: 1060-1070.
• Wellner, JA. and Zhang, Y. (2007). Two likelihood-based semiparametric estimation methods for panel count data with covariates. Annals of Statistics. 35: 2106-2142.
• Zhang, Y. (2006). Nonparametric K-sample tests with panel count data. Biometrika. 93: 777-790
• Zhang, Y. (2002). A semiparametric pseudolikelihood estimation method for panel count data. Biometrika. 89: 39-48.
• Wellner, JA. and Zhang, Y. (2000). Two estimators of the mean of a counting process with panel count data. Annals of Statistics. 28: 779-814.

Professional Affiliations

• American Statistical Association (ASA)
• Eastern North American Region, International Biometric Society (ENAR)
• International Chinese Statistical Association (ICSA)