About me

Hi! I’m Zumin :))

I’m currently a lab manager and study coordinator at Shen Lab at the Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill (UNC-CH). I am working directly with Dr. Mark Shen at UNC-CH, helping coordinate and conduct a longitudinal federal-funded neural and phenotyping study in infants with Angelman syndrome and Fragile X syndrome. We are still actively recruiting infants under 24-month-olds for our study- see our study flyer.

Generally, I’m interested in understanding typical and atypical neural and behavioral developments in children, and how environmental and contextual factors influence children’s development. I’m applying to graduate schools this upcoming cycle (2025 fall entry) and hoping to conduct research that will benefit children’s well-being and learning outcomes. I’m excited to apply multimodal MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) techniques with behavioral, cognitive, environmental, and other phenotyping measurements to tackle my research questions! I have worked with infants, toddlers, and school-aged children in research settings, conducting MRI and behavioral assessment visits.

I was born in Nanning, a small city in southern China. Growing up as the youngest of five siblings in a country where most of my friends were the only children was quite a unique experience. I’m grateful for this part of my identity, as having older siblings—whether they looked out for me or not lol! —shaped my perspective in unexpected ways. This dynamic sparked my curiosity about the differences in people’s behaviors and minds. I’ve come to believe that to truly understand human behavior and mind, we must first understand brain development.

At 17, I came to the United States alone as an international student to attend high school in Charlottesville, VA. Afterward, I enrolled at Boston College before transferring to the University of Virginia (UVA) to complete my undergraduate studies. It was through my academic and research experiences at UVA that I became certain of my passion for understanding neurodevelopment in children. This led me to pursue a master’s degree in Human Development and Education at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, where I received excellent training in educational neuroscience through both coursework and research.

Outside of the lab, I really enjoy making mixed beverages, including different milk tea, coffee, or cocktails. I am also a huge foodie as food is always my priority when I travel! I like oil painting (Bob Ross! Am I right?). Also, I like boxing as a way to exercise though not great at it : )