People

Sen Pei

Dr. Sen Pei is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Environmental Health Sciences at Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University. With a background in applied mathematics, network science, and complex systems, he studies environmental, social, and ecological determinants of infectious disease, aiming to better understand, predict, and prepare for recurrent and emerging outbreaks. Using a variety of data sources, he develops mathematical models and computational tools to advance surveillance, forecasting, and control of seasonal and emerging infectious agents. His recent studies focus on respiratory viruses and antimicrobial-resistant pathogens in healthcare systems.

Qing Yao

Associate Research Scientist

Dr. Qing Yao is an associate research scientist with a focus on the theories and application of complexity and network science. She is currently working on modeling infectious diseases spread and understanding the impact of human behaviour on this phenomenon. Prior to her current position, Qing conducted research at Beijing Normal University and Imperial College London. She holds a PhD in physics and a Master’s degree in financial statistics.

Victoria Lynch

Postdoctoral Research Fellow

Victoria (Tory) Lynch is a postdoctoral scientist in the Environmental Health Sciences Department at Columbia Mailman School of Public Health, where she also completed her PhD in August 2022. Her doctoral work examined the association between flooding and waterborne infectious diseases with a particular focus on Legionnaires’ disease. As a postdoctoral research fellow, she continues to study the effect of extreme events, namely cyclonic storms and large flood events, on a broader range of health outcomes and among vulnerable populations including outdoor workers and people in carceral facilities.

Han Yong Wunrow

Doctoral Student

Han Yong Wunrow began his PhD in Applied Mathematics in the fall of 2021. He received an MS in Applied Mathematics from the University of Washington and was a Post-Bachelor Fellow at the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, where he worked on the Global Burden of Disease study and the Future Health Scenarios forecasting team. He is interested in the science of transforming raw health data into actionable information through mathematical modeling and computational science. While at Columbia, he hopes to help solve some of the analytical challenges in combining statistical and mechanistic models of infectious disease dynamics.

Christine Kuryla

Doctoral Student

Christine Kuryla is working on her PhD in the department of Environmental Health Sciences. She holds an MPH from Columbia University, a Pre-medical Post-bac from Johns Hopkins, and a B.S. In Physics with a concentration in Mathematics from FIU. She is interested in using various types of data, including physiological time series, as well as omics, to characterize health states and quantify intrinsic health.

Fintan Mooney

Doctoral Student

Fintan (Fin) Mooney is a PhD student in Environmental Health Sciences at the Columbia Mailman School of Public Health. He holds an MPH in Environmental Health Sciences from Yale and both an M.A. in Community Development and Planning and a B.A. in Psychology with a concentration in Public Health from Clark University. His research focuses on spatial epidemiology and GIS methods, with an emphasis on health risks from fossil fuel infrastructure and climate change. His current work examines environmental determinants of highly pathogenic avian influenza outbreaks, as well as the health effects of evacuation and mobility during extreme weather events.

Yiming Cao

Master Student

Yiming Cao is currently an graduate student studying Data Science in the Department of Environmental Health Sciences at Columbia Mailman School of Public Health. He holds a B.S. in Statistics from the University of California, Davis. His work focuses on time-series deep learning modeling and the application of LLMs in public health, including the analysis of physiological signals and other health data. He is particularly interested in developing AI-driven tools to improve disease prediction, health risk assessment, and decision-making in public health practice.

Bohan Zhu

Master Student

Bohan Zhu is currently a graduate student studying Theory and Method in the Department of Biostatistics at Columbia Mailman School of Public Health. Before entering Columbia, he completed a B.S. in Statistics and a B.A. in Business at the University of Rochester. His interests include time-series modeling, Bayesian methods, and applying quantitative approaches to public health questions. His recent work spans entropy-based time-series change-point detection, clinical risk factor modeling, and the use of regression and machine learning tools for surveillance and analysis.

Nidhi Ram

Undergraduate

Nidhi Ram is an undergraduate student at Columbia College studying Mathematics and Middle Eastern, South Asian, and African Studies. She is interested in exploring the intersection of math and human rights. In particular, she hopes to apply mathematical modeling and quantitative methods to problems in public health and policy.

Claire Jong

Undergraduate

Claire Jong is an undergraduate at Columbia College studying Computer Science and Cognitive Science. She is interested in the intersection of technology and human psychology, especially exploring how cognitive biases emerge in technological environments, and how computational tools can support more informed and equitable decision-making. She hopes to apply mathematical modeling and AI-driven methods to tackle problems in these fields of human behavior, health, and policy.

Yuhao Xiao

Undergraduate

Yuhao (Jason) Xiao is an undergraduate student studying Applied Mathematics and Computer Science at Columbia’s School of Engineering and Applied Science. His interests include software engineering, machine learning, data analysis, and applying quantitative methods to model human behavior.

Yifeng Ke

Undergraduate

Yifeng (Athena) Ke is an undergraduate student at Barnard College studying Applied Mathematics and Statistics. She is interested in quantitative solutions to pressing public and population health concerns. She hopes to explore mathematical and statistical modeling in epidemiology as well as in various biological contexts.