Welcome! 



Qiongting is a creative technologist and interactive media designer based in Brooklyn, NY. Can be reached at voruin@gmail.com.

She honed her skills in creative coding and XR design @ NYU ITP. Her work centers around merging cutting-edge technologies like machine learning and AI with creative storytelling to create magical experiences that bridge the virtual and real worlds.

With a background in psychology and cognitive science, she is fascinated by the potential of technology to bring research and theories to life through interactive experiences. Her goal is to integrate interactive media technology into various aspects of daily life, healthcare, education, and more to enhance experiences and outcomes.


Thanks for stopping by. ◡̈ 
Resume ↓


Education


MPS | Interactive Telecommunications Program

New York University, NY
2021-2023

BS | The School of Psychology and Cognitive Science

East China Normal University, Shanghai
2016-2020

Exchange Program | Department of Psychology

University of California, Berkeley, CA
2018


Work Experiences


Chatbot Developer & Back-End Developer | Local Projects

New York
2023

  • Implemented the development of a text messaging chatbot utilizing Twilio, Python (Spacy and NLTK), and OpenAI API.

  • Managed AWS hosting and facilitated MongoDB database integration for streamlined data storage and scalability.

  • Enabled chatbot interactions with Unreal Engine via OSC and VPN in collaboration with cross-functional teams.

Project Manager Intern | Starry Night Chinese Multicultural Organization

Beijing, Hybrid
2021

  • Led field studies of Chinese minority cultures.

  • Guided a team of nine members from multiple backgrounds (including art, design, and marketing) in designing and selling culture and creative products. 

Assistant of Product Manager | NeuroSmart Co., Ltd.

Hangzhou
2020

  • Devised AR games for autistic executive function training, teaching handbooks and the framework of online platform.

  • Investigated user experience through data analysis, questionnaires, and interviews for autism rehabilitation training.

Psychometric Assessor | Shanghai Changning Mental Health Center

Shanghai
2019-2020

  • Conducted patient interviews and utilized clinical scales to assess the severity of symptoms.

  • Developed a specialized test to measure cost-benefit computation, a significant factor contributing to amotivation in schizophrenia patients.


Research Experiences


Research Assistant | Voluntary Choice and Effectors

Shanghai Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Psychological Crisis Intervention
Advisor: Xiaolin Zhou, Peking University
2020-2021

  • Orchestrated MRI, eye-tracking, and behavioral experiments, recruiting and managing hundreds of participants.

  • Conducted data analysis to discern meaningful patterns and trends, bolstering research outcomes.

Principle Researcher | Exploration of Functional Connectivity Biomarker in Schizophrenia

Shanghai Changning Mental Health Center
Advisor: Chao Yan, East China Normal University
2019-2020

  • Employed machine learning to classify resting-state functional connectivity (FC) in schizophrenia, their unaffected relatives, and healthy controls, identifying thalamic dysfunctions as a candidate endophenotype of schizophrenia.
  • Pioneered the application of dynamic FC in data analysis, enhancing classification accuracy.

Research Assistant | Social-emotional Competence Development of Children in China

Institute of Brain and Education Innovation, East China Normal University
Branch project of “Brain Science and Brain-Inspired Intelligence Technology” (“China Brain Project”), Ministry of Science and Technology of the People’s Republic of China and National Natural Science Foundation of China
2019

  • Compiled scales for children's cooperation, trust, and empathy competencies.
  • Created child-friendly interactive scales utilizing cartoons, dubbing, and interactivity.

Research Assistant | Center Bias in Heading Perception from Optic Flow

Li Perception & Action Lab
Advisor: Li Li, NYU Shanghai
2019

  • Developed a novel renotropic method using static, flickering chromatic radial checkerboard stimuli with logarithmic scaling to better localize early visual areas, approximating the cortical magnification function.

  • Researched and analyzed human recognition of various object motion patterns, uncovering greater sensitivity towards horizontal motion and higher precision in identifying diffuse motion, compared to other patterns.


Publications


Luo, X., Wang, L., Gu, J., Zhang, Q., Ma, H., & Zhou, X. (2023). The benefit of making voluntary choices generalizes across multiple effectors. Psychonomic bulletin & review. https://doi.org/10.3758/s13423-023-02350-x


Awards


Tisch School of the Arts Scholarships

2022-2023

Tisch School of the Arts Scholarships

2021-2022

National Scholarship

Top 1%
2019

National Training Program of Innovation & Entrepreneurship for Undergraduates

Team Leader, Top 10
2018/2019


Activities


Founder & Leader | “Stand By My Side” Mental Disorders Awareness Organization

East China Normal University, Shanghai
2019-2020

  • Established a non-profit organization focused on destigmatizing mental health and providing professional support for individuals dealing with mental health challenges.

  • Recruited and managed a team of 6 leaders and over 30 dedicated volunteers, ensuring efficient operations and organization of regular activities.

  • Promoted awareness about mental disorders through creative mediums such as comics, micro films, posters, souvenirs, and interactive activities, while also conducting educational lectures.




© Qiongting Zhang 2023