Why did you choose the Dr. Bing Zhang Department of Statistics?

"I chose the Dr. Bing Zhang Department of Statistics at the University of Kentucky mainly because it has a distinguished reputation for its academic excellence and research contributions in the field of statistics. Its commitment to cross-disciplinary research synergy is particularly appealing to me. Additionally, the department has a promising future of growth, especially with the introduction of statistical majors for future undergraduate students."

What is your favorite thing about the department/your position now that you have been here for a semester?

"My favorite aspect of being part of the department after a semester is the invaluable support from my colleagues. They have provided me with guidance and suggestions in various areas, including but not limited to teaching, research, faculty evaluations, and time management."

What are your research interests?

"My research interests include machine learning, privacy-aware decentralized learning, deep learning, statistical inference, model selection and diagnostics. You can find a summary of my research at https://scholars.uky.edu/en/persons/jiawei-zhang/publications/."

What is something you are looking forward to in your career?

"I am looking forward to solving cutting-edge research problems with machine learning techniques, either independently or through collaborations. I also want to enhance my ability in computing and mentoring students to streamline my research."

What is your favorite thing about Lexington so far?

"My favorite part is the moderate size of the city. On the one hand, shopping is as convenient as it is in a big city. On the other hand, the airport check-ins are quite efficient compared with some larger cities."