What makes us adaptive and flexible in an uncertain world? It is essential to apply our knowledge appropriately, according to the current context. My research interests lie in the neural and computational principles underlying context-dependent adaptive behaviour. Specifically, I am curious about how human form context-dependent task knowledge via learning, and then infer contextual information to strategically apply their knowledge in response to changing demands. My approach combines behavioural experiments, neuroimaging techniques, and computational modelling.

I earned my bachelor’s degree in psychology at East China Normal University in China, followed by a master’s degree in cognitive neuroscience at the University of York in the UK under the supervision of Prof. Keise Izuma. I completed a research internship in Prof. Jeffrey Erlich's lab at NYU Shanghai, China. I then joined Prof. Senne Braem's lab at Ghent University in Belgium for my doctoral research, co-supervised by Prof. Tom Verguts. During my PhD, I also visited Prof. Michael Cole's lab at Rutgers University in the U.S., collaborating with Prof. Cole and Dr. Ravi Mill on a research project.

I am now a postdoctoral researcher, at the University of Würzburg in Germany, working with Prof. Mona Garvert.

In my spare time, you may find me on a basketball court, or simply lying in bed.

(from left to right: Senne Braem, me, Mengqiao Chai and Leslie Held)