Resume (CV)

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Education

• JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY (JHU), MARYLAND, MD, USA
  • PhD, Psychological and Brain Sciences
  • SEP 2020 – DEC 2023
  • Dissertation defense committee: Dr. Marina Bedny, Dr. Colin Wilson, Dr. Janice Chen, Dr. Leyla Isik, Dr. Jason Fischer
• JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY, MARYLAND, MD, USA
  • Master of Arts in Psychological and Brain Sciences
  • SEP 2018 – JUN 2020
• NATIONAL TAIWAN UNIVERSITY (NTU), TAIPEI, TAIWAN
  • Master of Science in Biomedical Engineering
  • GPA: 4.05 out of 4.3
  • Concentration: Cognitive Neuroscience, Functional Brain Imaging, Psycholinguistics
  • SEP 2013 – JUN 2015
• NATIONAL TAIWAN UNIVERSITY, TAIPEI, TAIWAN
  • Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering
  • GPA: 4.08 out of 4.3
  • SEP 2009 – JUN 2013

Research Experience

• NEUROPLASTICITY AND DEVELOPMENT LAG, JHU
  • Postdoctoral Researcher
  • Advancing PhD research project on the neuro-cognitive basis of computer programming.
  • JAN 2024 – PRESENT
• NEUROPLASTICITY AND DEVELOPMENT LAB, JHU
  • PhD student
  • Advisor: Dr. Marina Bedny
  • Project: the neuroscience of programming code comprehension
    • Led a team of five experimenters to conduct a 3-semester long research project.
    • Administered 400+ behavioral experiment sessions with 60+ participants and 80+ MRI scanning sessions with 50+ participants.
    • Coordinated the schedules between experimenters and participants
    • Collaborated with course instructors of “Gateway Computing: Python” course opened by the Department of Computer Sicnece in JHU
  • Project: the neural effect of orthography processing during Braille reading in congenitally blind individuals
  • Undergraduate RA training
  • Assisted in data collection during the 2019 annual conference of the National Federation of the Blind
  • SEP 2018 – DEC 2023
• HASSON LAB, PRINCETON UNIVERSITY
  • Research Specialist
  • Advisor: Dr. Uri Hasson
  • Compiled and re-analyzed fMRI datasets collected by the lab over more than a decade
  • Improved the rank-based classification accuracy of fMRI time course segments by applying shared-response model analysis to inter-subject functional connectivity data, and projecting the time courses to the shared space.
  • Assisted in an intensive fMRI data collection project. Scanned 20+ participants every other week.
  • Contributed to a patch of the BrainIAK tool box developed by the lab
  • NOV 2017 – JUN 2018
• LAB OF MAGNETIC RESONANCE IN MEDICINE, NTU, TAIWAN
  • Research assistant
  • Advisor: Dr. Hsiao-Wen Chung
  • Explored the application of natural language processing to Mandarin Chinese using latent semantics analysis and Coh-Metrix
  • Assisted in undergraduate education and lab administration
  • SEP 2016 – SEP 2017
• BRAIN IMAGING LAB, NTU, TAIWAN
  • Master’s degree student
  • Advisor: Dr. Fa-Hsuan Lin
  • Project: Differential neural response to reading articles with different genres and translation styles
  • Assisted in visual error detection study using magnetoencephalogram (MEG)
  • Introduced inter-subject neuronal correlation analysis method to the lab
  • Conducted pioneering reading study using natural stimulation paradigm
  • FEB 2014 – JUN 2015
• CELL BEHAVIOR LAB, NTU, TAIWAN
  • Undergraduate research assistant → Master’s degree student
  • Advisor: Dr. Po-Ling Kuo
  • Assisted in the development of collagen-based 3D cell culture scaffold
  • Assisted in the study of shear wave imaging
  • Managed main experiment subjects such as melanoma cells, A549 cells, and 3T3 cells
  • SEP 2012 – JAN 2014

Publications

• Journal articles:
  • Hauptman, M., Liu, Y.-F., & Bedny, M. (2024). Built to Adapt: Mechanisms of Cognitive Flexibility in the Human Brain. Annual Review of Developmental Psychology
  • Liu, Y.-F., Wilson, C., & Bedny, M. (2024). Contribution of the language network to the comprehension of Python programming code. Brain and Language
  • Liu, Y.-F., Rapp, B., & Bedny, M. (2023). Reading Braille by Touch Recruits Posterior Parietal Cortex. Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience
  • Nastase, S. A., Liu, Y.-F., Hillman, H., Zadbood, A., Hasenfratz, L., Keshavarzian, N., . . . Hasson, U. (2021). The “Narratives” fMRI dataset for evaluating models of naturalistic language comprehension. Scientific Data
  • Meshulam, M., Hasenfratz, L., Hillman, H., Liu, Y.-F., Nguyen, M., Norman, K. A., & Hasson, U. (2021). Neural alignment predicts learning outcomes in students taking an introduction to computer science course. Nature Communications
  • Liu, Y.-F., Kim, J., Wilson, C., & Bedny, M. (2020). Computer code comprehension shares neural resources with formal logical inference in the fronto-parietal network. eLife
  • Nastase, S. A., Liu, Y.-F., Hillman, H., Norman, K. A., & Hasson, U. (2020). Leveraging shared connectivity to aggregate heterogeneous datasets into a common response space. NeuroImage
  • Lin, F.-H., Liu, Y.-F., Lee, H.-J., Chang, C. H. C., Jaaskelainen, I. P., Yeh, J.-N., & Kuo, W.-J. (2019). Differential brain mechanisms during reading human vs. machine translated fiction and news texts. Scientific reports (co-first authored)
• Conference posters:
  • Liu, Y.-F., Chen, J., Wilson, C., Bedny, M. (2023). Neural Representations of Algorithms in the Logical Reasoning Network are Recycled for Programming Code Comprehension. Presented at the Conference of Computational Cognitive Neuroscience
  • Liu, Y.-F., Wilson, C., Lu, C., Wang, Z., Chen, C., Singh, S., Bedny, M. (2023). Introductory Programming Learning Outcome Predicted By Reasoning but Not Linguistic Aptitude. Presented at the Annual Meeting of the Association for Psychological Science
  • Liu, Y.-F., Bedny, M. (2022). Language system contributes to ‘gist’ extraction during code comprehension. Presented at the Annual Meeting of the Society for the Neurobiology of Language
  • Liu, Y.-F., Wilson, C., Bedny, M. (2022). The neural basis of logical reasoning is engaged during the comprehension of algorithms in programming beginners. Presented at the Annual Meeting of the Cognitive Neuroscience Society
  • Bedny, M., Liu, Y.-F., Kanjlia, S. (2020). Overlapping neural responses to symbolic math and formal logic in the intra-parietal sulcus. Presented at the Annual Meeting of the Cognitive Neuroscience Society
  • Liu, Y.-F., Bedny, M., & Wilson, C. (2020). Computer code comprehension shares neural resources with formal logic and math. Presented at the Annual Meeting of the Cognitive Neuroscience Society
  • Liu, Y.-F., Kuo, W.-J., & Lin, F.-H. (2017). Using inter-subject correlation to probe the neural response to article genre and readability during natural reading. Presented at the Annual Meeting of the Society for Neuroscience
  • Liu, Y.-F., Kuo, W.-J., & Lin, F.-H. (2015). Inter-subject neuronal correlation (ISC) during natural article reading. Presented at the Annual Meeting of the Organization for Human Brain Mapping

Talks and Presentations

• “When Your Brain Gets a Code“
  • Presented at the 2023 Science Gong Show
  • Voted as the audience’s favorite talk
  • APR 2023
• “Neural Recycling of Logical Reasoning Network for Programming Code Comprehension”
  • Presented upon invitation during Dagstuhl Seminar #22402: Foundations for a New Perspective of Understanding Programming
  • OCT 2022
• “Neural Recycling of Logical Reasoning Network for Programming Code Comprehension”
  • In person symposium talk at the conference of the Cognitive Neuroscience Society
  • Symposium title: “Neural Recycling of Reasoning Networks by STEM Domains: Evidence from Studies of Math, Engineering, and Programming”
  • APR 2022
• “If either LOGIC or CODE then not (so much) LANGUAGE”
  • Guest lecture given at Foundations of Logical Thinking in JHU
  • Invited by course instructor Dr. Nicolò Cesana-Arlotti
  • FEB 2022
• “The Neural Basis of Code Comprehension”
  • Guest lecture given at Mind, Brain, and Experience in JHU
  • Invited by course instructor Dr. Marina Bedny
  • NOV 2021, APR 2020
• “The Involvement of Bilateral Supramarginal Gyrus in Orthographic Processing during Braille Reading”
  • Slide slam video presentation at the virtual conference of the Society for the Neurobiology of Language
  • Video available on YouTube
  • OCT 2021
• “The Neural Basis of Code Comprehension”
  • Invited talk in the lab of Dr. Uri Hasson in Princeton University
  • OCT 2020
  • Invited talk in the lab of Dr. Rebecca Saxe in Massachusetts Institute of Technology
  • SEP 2020
• “Computer Code Comprehension Shares Neural Resources with Formal Logic and Math”
  • Video presentation at the virtual conference of the Cognitive Neuroscience Society
  • Video available on YouTube
  • MAY 2020
• “Overlapping Neural Responses to Symbolic Math and Formal Logic in the Intra-Parietal Sulcus”
  • Video presentation at virtual conference of Cognitive Neuroscience Society
  • Video available on YouTube
  • MAY 2020
• “Thinking Animals, Thinking of Animals”
  • Guest lecture given at Introduction to Psychology in JHU
  • Invited by course instructor Dr. Chaz Firestone
  • NOV 2019
• “The Strangeness and Familiarity of Japanese”
  • Lecture presented at the learning salon held by the Taiwanese Student Association in JHU
  • FEB 2019
• “What’s Flying in the NeuroSky? Introduction to NeuroSky Technologies and Their Applications in the Hackathon Event“
  • Presented at the Hackathon even organized by HackNTU, Taiwan
  • 2015
• “Your READy Brain: The neuroscience of reading, from reading a character to a whole passage“
  • Presented at the Information Center, Ministry of the Interior, Taiwan
  • 2013
• “Virtual Immortality: The Spatial World Beyond the Cable Line”
  • Presented at the Information Center, Ministry of the Interior, Taiwan
  • 2013

Teaching Experience

• Teaching Assistant: Real World Human Data,JHU
  • Course instructor: Dr. Janice Chen
  • Mean evaluation score given by students: 4.90 / 5.00
  • SPRING2021
• Teaching Assistant: Research Methods in Psychology, JHU
  • Course instructor: Dr. Jeff Bowen
  • Mean evaluation score given by students: 4.19 / 5.00
  • Teaching intensive – Gave lectures every week on R programming and mathematical implementations of statistical theories
  • FALL 2020
• Teaching Assistant: Mind, Brain, and Experience, JHU
  • Course instructor: Dr. Marina Bedny
  • Mean evaluation score given by students: 4.50 / 5.00
  • Teaching intensive – Explained journal articles to one student per week to help the student prepare for in-class oral presentation
  • SPRING 2020
• Teaching Assistant: Introduction to Psychology, JHU
  • Course instructor: Dr. Chaz Firestone
  • Mean evaluation score not applicable: the scores for four TAs were pooled together
  • Heavy work load – 500 students in total, I was in charge of 125
  • FALL 2019
• Teaching Assistant: Linear Algebra, NTU
  • Course instructor: Dr. Mao-Chao Lin
  • SPRING 2017
• Teaching Assistant: Scientific Research and Academic Career, NTU
  • Course instructor: Dr. Hsiao-Wen Chung
  • Led discussion groups and helped curate course material
  • FALL 2016
• Teaching Assistant: Special Topics in Micro- and Nano-Biotechnology, NTU
  • Course instructor: Dr. Po-Ling Kuo
  • SPRING 2014
• Teaching Assistant: Introduction to Biomedical Engineering, NTU
  • Course instructor: faculties of the Graduate Institute of Biomedical Electronics and Bioinformatics
  • FALL 2013
• Tutoring experience:
  • Undergraduate physics: 1 student
  • Undergraduate calculus: 1 student
  • High school physics: 1 student
  • High school mathematics: 2 students
  • 5th grade English and mathematics: 1 student

Professional Experience

• SUBSTITUTE MILITARY SERVICE TRAINING CENTER, NATIONAL CONSCRIPTION AGENCY, MINISTRY OF THE INTERIOR, TAIWAN
  • Carried out administrative chores in the Information Center
  • NOV 2015 – AUG 2016
• NEUROSKY COMPANY TAIPEI BRANCH, TAIWAN
  • Business Development Agent
  • Conducted data collection and analysis for a research on heart-rate variability (HRV) algorithm
  • Assisted in the development of a portable electrocardiography (ECG) measuring device
  • Collaborated with MacKay Memorial Hospital on the clinical trial of ECG device. The research resulted in a chip later utilized by ASUS Inc. to develop the “ASUS ZenWatch”
  • In charge of collaboration with Sony’s internet business unit, So-Net Entertainment Taiwan Limited and, Hack NTU, a non-profit platform facilitating nation-wide innovation and entrepreneurship
  • Promoted NeuroSky at Computex Taipei in both 2014 and 2015
  • JUN 2014 – SEP 2015
• ATP ELECTRONICS, TAIWAN
  • Project management intern
  • Rival company information analysis
  • White paper drafting and presentation
  • Data sheet revisal
  • JUL 2013 – AUG 2013

Other Experience

• Student; Brains, Minds, and Machines Summer School
  • AUG 2024
• Invited attendee, Dagstuhl Seminar, Germany
  • Seminar 22042: Foundations for a New Perspective of Understanding Programming
  • Organizers: Dr. André Brechmann, Dr. Bonita Sharif, Dr. Janet Siegmund, Dr. Westley Weimer
  • OCT 2022
• Symposium organizer, Cognitive Neuroscience Society
  • Symposium title: “Neural Recycling of Reasoning Networks by STEM Domains: Evidence from Studies of Math, Engineering, and Programming“
  • Invited speakers other than myself:
    • Dr. Marie Amalric (Harvard University)
    • Dr. David Kraemer (Dartmouth College)
    • Dr. Martin Monti (University of California, Los Angeles)
  • APR 2022
• Early Career Colloquium committee member, JHU
  • Faculty advisor: Dr. Kishore Kuchibhotla
  • Graduate Student Lead Organizers: Caitlin Corona-Long & Emily Sanford
  • Hosted speaker Asieh Zadbood in April 2023
  • Hosted speaker Kathryn Graves in April 2022
  • 2021, 2022, 2023
• Chief Editor, Sci’more Podcast, JHU
  • A derivation from Project Bridge, a student-led science communication organization at Johns Hopkins University
  • Edited more than 10 episodes, created the podcast trailer, and trained other editors
  • AUG 2020 – JUN 2023
• Homewood Campus Representative, Taiwanese Student Association, JHU
  • Organized online welcome party and other activities
  • SEP 2020 – JUN 2021
• Narrator, Center for the Advancement of Science Education, NTU
  • Narrated 12 approximately five-minute long podcast episodes
  • 2014 – 2015
• Volunteer, Eden Social Welfare Foundation, Taiwan
  • Cared for mentally challenged senior citizens
  • 2012

Online Education

• LinkdeIn Learning courses
  • Intermediate SQL for Data Scientists – Certificate – Completed in SEP 2024
  • SQL for Data Analysis – Certificate – Completed in SEP 2024
  • SQL Essential Training – Certificate – Completed in OCT 2023
  • SQL: Data Reporting and Analysis – Certificate – Completed in SEP 2023
  • Audacity: Cleaning and Repairing Audio – Certificate – Completed in FEB 2022
  • NLP with Python for Machine Learning Essential Training – Certificate – Completed in JUN 2021
  • Delivering an Authentic Elevator Pitch – Certificate – Completed in MAY 2021
  • Learning Audacity – Certificate – Completed in APR 2021
  • Python for Data Science Essential Training Part 1 – Certificate – Completed in APR 2021
  • First Look: Python 3.9 – Certificate – Completed in MAR 2021
• Coursera: Principles of fMRI 1 & 2
  • Course instructor: Dr. Martin Lindquist, Dr. Tor Wager
  • Certificate of completion 1; Certificate of completion 2
  • Completed in JUL 2021
• Coursera: Applied Data Science with Python
  • Course instructor: Dr. Christopher Brooks, Dr. Kevyn Collins-Thompson, Dr. Daniel Romero, Dr. V. G. Vinod Vydiswaran, University of Michigan
  • A five-course specialization consisting:
    • Introduction to Data Science in Python
    • Applied Plotting, Charting & Data Representations in Python
    • Applied Machine Learning in Python
    • Applied Text Mining in Python
    • Applied Social Network Analysis in Python
  • Certificate of completion
  • Completed in SEP 2017
• Coursera: Computational Neuroscience
  • Course instructor: Dr. Rajesh P. N. Rao, Dr. Adrienne Fairhall, University of Washington
  • Certificate of completion
  • Completed in NOV 2016
• Coursera: Medical Neuroscience
  • Course instructor: Dr. Leonard E. White
  • Certificate of completion
  • Completed in AUG 2016
• Coursera: Machine Learning
  • Course instructor: Dr. Andrew Ng
  • Certificate of completion
  • Completed in JUL 2016

Awards and Funding

• G. Stanley Hall Scholar’s Award
  • Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, JHU
  • Awarded for my continuing research project on the neuroscience of programming code comprehension
  • 2023
• COVID Relief Dissertation Completion Award
  • Granted by Johns Hopkins University
  • 2023
• Special Conference Travel Award
  • Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, JHU
  • Funds my trip to the Dagstuhl Seminar held in Germany
  • 2022
• 3rd Place
  • Trainee research pitch competition, International Mind, Brain and Education Society
  • 2021
• Robert S. Waldrop Junior Investigator Award
  • Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, JHU
  • Awarded for my first-year research project on the neuroscience of programming code comprehension
  • 2021
• Alumni Choice Award
  • Three Minute Thesis competition, JHU
  • 2021
• Walter L. Clark Teaching Award
  • Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, JHU
  • Awarded for my performance as a TA of Introduction to Psychology, taught by Dr. Chaz Firestone
  • 2020
• Study Abroad Scholarship
  • Ministry of Education, Taiwan
  • 2019 – 2020
• 3rd Place
  • Three Minute Thesis competition, NTU, Taiwan
  • 2015
• Gold Medal Award
  • Long Story Short presentation competition, NTU, Taiwan
  • 2013
• President’s Award for Academic Excellence
  • NTU, Taiwan
  • Awarded 4 times during my 4 years of undergraduate study
  • 2009 – 2013

Skills

• Scientific techniques:
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) data collection and analysis:
    • General linear model (GLM) analysis with FreeSurfer software
    • Inter-subject correlation (ISC); inter-subject functional correlation (ISFC)
    • Shared-response model (SRM)
    • Representational similarity analysis (RSA) and other multi-variate pattern analysis (MVPA) techniques
  • Data analysis with machine learning algorithms; data science
    • Convolutional neural network (CNN) and recurrent neural network (RNN)
  • Magnetoencephalogram (MEG) data analysis with MNE software
  • Power spectral density analysis of electroencephalogram (EEG) data
• Software and programming skills:
  • Python, MATLAB, R, C++, SQL
  • Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint (especially proficient in PowerPoint)
  • Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, Acrobat
  • Corel VideoStudio
  • Audacity
• Language skills:
  • Mandarin Chinese (native)
  • English (almost native)
  • Japanese (proficient, JLPT N1)
  • French (primary)