Haoyun ZHANG

Principal Investigator

  • Place: Room 1004d, N21, University of Macau

  • Number: (853) 8822-9212

  • Email: haoyunzhang@um.edu.mo

Education

  • Ph.D., Psychology & Language Science Dual Title, Specialization in Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience, The Pennsylvania State University, USA

  • M.S., Fundamental Psychology, Beijing Normal University, China

  • B.S., Psychology, Shaanxi Normal University, China

Position

  • January 2022 –Present, Assistant Professor, Centre for Cognitive and Brain Sciences, University of Macau.

  • August 2019 – December 2021, Assistant Director of Human Imaging, Social, Life, & Engineering Sciences Imaging Center (SLEIC), The Pennsylvania State University, USA

  • August 2019 – December 2021, Assistant Research Professor, Social, Life, & Engineering Sciences Imaging Center (SLEIC), The Pennsylvania State University, USA

Course taught

  • Brain Simulation and Neuroimaging Techniques (University of Macau, 2022-present)

  • Human Learning and Cognition (University of Macau, 2022-present)

  • Introduction to Cognitive Psychology (the Pennsylvania State University, Spring 2017)

Research interests

  • Cognitive abilities, such as executive function and language production, decline with age. Older adults typically struggle to memorize items, inhibit irrelevant information, and/or produce fluent speech. These age-associated declines interfere with older adults’ successful communication and social interactions. To help alleviate these problems, my research investigates factors that contribute to age-related declines in language production, and their neural bases, mainly from four perspectives, 1) Phonological characteristics, 2) Cognitive control demands, 3) Functional connectivity, and 4) Bilingualism. I use various behavioral and neuroscience methods to investigate my research questions, including Electroencephalography (EEG), and Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI).

Current Research Support

  • The Science and Technology Development Fund, Macao S.A.R(FDCT)         2023-2026
    "Exploring cognitive assessment platform and cognitive training protocols for Macau older adults."       
    Role:  Principle Investigator.

  • National Natural Science Foundation of China(NSFC)        2023-2025
    "The effects of cognitive control on aging of language output function and its neural mechanisms:a multilevel, multi-approach, multi-population study."       
    Role:  Principle Investigator.

  • Multi-Year Research Grant, University of Macau (MYRG)        2023-2024
    "Effects of cognitive control on age-related differences in language production"       
    Role:  Principle Investigator.

  • Startup Research Grant, University of Macau (SRG)        2022-2025
    "The neural bases of lifelong bilingualism effects on age-related differences in language production and executive functions"       
    Role:  Principle Investigator.