Welcome to my website!

My name is Ian Zhang, I’m a graduate student at the University of Toronto, currently working towards my masters in statistics, which I will obtain in June 2026. I recently received my Honours BSc in statistics and mathematics from UofT, from which I graduated with high distinction. In Fall 2026, I will starting my PhD in statistics at UofT, under the joint supervision of Joshua Speagle and Thibault Randrianarisoa.

My research interests lie mainly in asymptotic statistical theory and applications, Bayesian nonparametrics, and high-dimensional statistics. Some topics I’ve worked on include:

• Asymptotic statistical theory and stochastic convergence
• High-dimensional inference and regularized statistical learning
• Bayesian nonparametrics
• Variational inference for wide neural networks
• Heritability and adaptive variance component testing
• Spatial and hotspot testing (parametric and permutation-based methods)
• Deepfake detection with probabilistic machine learning models
• PCA-based subtype discovery in dementia research

I was previously a two-time Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada Undergraduate Student Research Award (NSERC USRA) awardee, conducting research under the supervision of Mike Kouritzin at the University of Alberta. Currently, I am researching variational methods for wide Bayesian neural networks with Thibault Randrianarisoa. I am also a graduate student researcher affiliated the Rotman Research Institute (RRI) at Baycrest, an academic health sciences center focused on geriatric care and dementia research, under the supervision of Malcolm Binns.