About
Jinkang (Derrick) Xiang
I am currently a Visiting Researcher at Mila – Quebec Artificial Intelligence Institute.
I recently completed my PhD in Computational Neuroscience at the University of Western Ontario in Canada, where I worked with Drs. Marieke Mur, Julio Martinez-Trujillo, and Jörn Diedrichsen.
My PhD research seeks to understand how the prefrontal cortex, the hub of intelligence, supports flexible cognition across diverse tasks. To address this question, I develop machine learning, statistical, and probabilistic modeling approaches to analyze large-scale monkey electrophysiology and human fMRI datasets. I am also interested in building open-source computational tools that make advanced analytical methods more accessible to the machine learning and neuroscience communities.
Before graduate school, I earned a BEng in Computer Science and a BSc in Mathematics from Sichuan University in China (2016–2020). During my undergraduate studies, I spent a wonderful semester as an exchange student at Feng Chia University in Taiwan (2018).
More broadly, I am interested in developing AI systems that advance scientific discovery and improve disease diagnosis and treatment. I am also fascinated by building more flexible, adaptable, and data-efficient AI systems inspired by principles of brain functioning.
I am currently exploring postdoctoral and industry research opportunities. If you think my background could be a good fit for your team, I would be happy to connect.
Outside of research, I enjoy painting, sketching, photography, playing the piano and guitar, traveling, camping, hiking, running, cycling, watching films, and reading. You can also find some of my artwork on instagram.