I am a Ph.D. candidate (2023 Cohort) in Psychology (Cognition and Cognitive Neuroscience) and Scientific Computing at University of Michigan, working with Dr. David Brang and Dr. Jonathan Brennan. My research focuses on language and auditory neuroscience, with particular interest in how multisensory information shapes speech perception. Currently, I use intracranial electroencephalography (iEEG) to study the neural mechanisms underlying audiovisual integration in speech processing. I also work on projects examining neural processing in tumor patients and building standardized iEEG analysis pipelines.

Before coming to Ann Arbor, I obtained a Master's degree in Psychology at New York University, under the supervision of Dr. David Poeppel. My thesis research focuses on the role of basic acoustic features in the perception of complex auditory signals. Combining computational modeling, behavioral experiments, and neuroimaging techniques, I study the mechanism of people's ability in extracting information from auditory inputs such as speech and music.

Before NYU, I was an undergraduate student in Spanish Philology with a double major in Psychology at Peking University, China. My undergraduate research was mentored by Dr. Yan Bao, focusing on the interaction between multisensory cognition and temporal perception. Seeking to gain additional experience in human neuroscience, I visited Dr. Biyu He's lab at NYU in the summer of my junior year, where I received training in electroencephalography (EEG) and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI).

I also spent a post-bac year in the Department of Cognitive Sciences at UCSD, working with Dr. Sarah Creel. I investigated how tone language experience influences pitch production in typically-developed adults, and also gained experience in working with children on phoneme acquisition.

Outside the lab, I enjoy reading, cooking, and exploring bubble tea shops. I grew up playing accordion, but I'm now starting on the violin.

Chang, A., Li, Y., Roman, I. R., & Poeppel, D. (2025). Spectrotemporal modulation: efficient and interpretable feature representation for classifying speech, music, and environmental sounds.

Li, Y., Oten, S., Hervey-Jumper, S. L., & Brang, D. (2025, Nov. 15-19). Altered information representation in tumor-afflicted auditory cortex during speech perception. [Poster presentation]. Society for Neuroscience, 2025, San Diego, CA.

Li, Y., Oten, S., Hervey-Jumper, S. L., & Brang, D. (2025, Sep. 12-14). Altered phonetic representation in tumor-afflicted auditory cortex during speech perception. [Poster presentation]. 17th Annual Meeting of the Society for the Neurobiology of Language, Washington, DC.

Li, Y., DeWitt, I., Cao, C. Z., Stacey, W. C., & Brang, D. (2024, Oct. 5-9). Congruent visual information enhances phoneme selectivity in auditory cortex. [Poster presentation]. Society for Neuroscience, 2024, Chicago, IL.

Li, Y., DeWitt, I., & Brang D. (2024, Jun. 17-20). Congruent visual speech enhances phoneme selectivity in auditory cortex. [Oral presentation]. 22nd Annual International Multisensory Research Forum, Reno, NV.

Li, Y., Chang, A., & Poeppel, D. (2022, Oct. 6-8). The Spectro-temporal Information Distinguishes between Speech and Music. [Poster presentation]. 14th Annual Meeting of the Society for the Neurobiology of Language, Philadelphia, PA.

Li, Y., Chang, A., & Poeppel, D. (2022, Apr. 29). The Role of Spectro-temporal Information in Speech and Music. [Poster presentation]. 26th Annual NYU Psychology Masters’ Research Conference, New York, NY.

Li, Y., & Creel, S.C. (2021, Jul. 28-31). Tone Language Enhances Consistency in Pitch Production Across Domain. [Oral presentation]. 16th International Conference on Music Perception and Cognition, Sheffield, United Kingdom.