CV

Professional Experience

📲 Meta, Data Scientist, Ads Ranking, May 2026 - Present

• Develop causal and quasi-experimental approaches to estimate the incremental revenue impact of ranking-system changes, and build reusable cross-team measurement frameworks to align evaluation across multiple ads platforms and inform revenue-driving investments.
• Design end-to-end metrics and evaluation frameworks for AI agents automating machine learning engineering workflows, measuring both workflow efficiency and output quality across feature development, validation, and deployment.
• Investigate how agent-assisted automation changes machine learning engineering workflows, develop monitoring and root-cause diagnosis frameworks to detect agent workflow failures, localize quality and efficiency bottlenecks across the automation pipeline, and identify opportunities to improve increasingly hands-off ML engineering systems.

👓 Meta, Data Scientist, Product Analytics Intern, May 2025 - Aug 2025

• Led end-to-end causal inference analysis on a large-scale new user cohort to estimate the impact of Ray-Ban Meta Glasses software updates and early quality experiences on retention.
• Developed a double machine learning framework with system-level and engagement covariates; applied inverse probability weighting to address endogeneity between engagement and update adoption.
• Built a feature-by-version release timeline and feature usage heatmap to reveal real-world adoption patterns, influencing PMs to incorporate quality metrics into release planning.

💻 IQVIA, Analytics and AI Solutions Intern, May 2024 - Aug 2024

• Developed an end-to-end machine learning pipeline for daily flu rate forecasting (LightGBM, XGBoost, Prophet, SARIMAX, RNN, and LSTM), improving MAPE, RMSE, and PCC against baseline models.
• Engineered 200+ features and selected 51 based on dimension reduction like PCA and NMF, correlation analysis, and predefined rules to enhance model performance.
• Simulated missing data using GLM and Prophet, and assessed effectiveness through time-series plots, comparing performance with baseline methods (3-day or 7-day forward filling).
• Optimized models through automated hyperparameter tuning and training data separation based on MSE, employing forward-chaining cross validation to prevent time-series leakage and improve robustness.

📱 Xiaomi Technology, Data Scientist and User Experience Intern, Sep 2018 - Feb 2019

• Designed and analyzed a large-scale usability survey (n = 8,745) using SQL and Pandas for data wrangling, cleaning, and reliability/validity checks.
• Conducted A/B tests, K-means user segmentation, NPS analysis, and ANOVA to diagnose user experience differences and guide product improvements.

Education

🎓 2021 - 2026, Ph.D. Quantitative Psychology, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, USA

🎓 2021 - 2024, M.S. Applied Statistics, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, USA

🎓 2017 - 2020, M.A. School and Education Psychology, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China

🎓 2013 - 2017, B.S. Psychology, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China

Publications

Journal Articles in English

• Wang, L., Yip, T., Fang, Y., Li, R., Lorenzo, K., Park, I. J. K., Valentino, K., Cruz-Gonzalez, M., Zhen-Duan, J., Alvarez, K., & Alegría, M. (2026). Careless responding in daily diary research: Detection and impact on intensive longitudinal data analyses. Journal of Behavioral Data Science, 6(2), 1-24. doi: 10.35566/jbds/wang2026
• Valentino, K., Wang, L., Li, R., Park, I. J. K., Zhen-Duan, J., Yip, T., Cruz-Gonzalez, M., Alvarez, K., & Alegría, M. (2026). Family cohesion and cultural socialization as buffers of the association between discrimination and internalizing symptoms across adolescence. Developmental Psychology. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1037/dev0002225
• Li, R. (2026). Towards fairer AI: Integrating psychological insights into gender bias testing. AI & SOCIETY, 41(3), 2181-2198. doi: 10.1007/s00146-025-02639-6
• Wang, L., Li, R.. (2025). Tobit modeling for dependent-sample t-tests and moderated regression with ceiling or floor data. Behavior Research Methods, 58(1), 23.
• Park, I. J., Wang, L., Li, R., Yip, T., Valentino, K., Cruz-Gonzalez, M., … & Alegría, M. (2024). A daily diary study of discrimination and distress in Mexican-origin adolescents: Testing mediating mechanisms. Child Development, 1-16.
• Li, R., & Wang, L. (2024). Investigating weight constraint methods for causal-formative indicator modeling. Behavior Research Methods, 1-13.
• Li, R., & Wang, L. (2024). An Analytical Comparison of Three Modeling Approaches for Longitudinal Mediation Analysis. Multivariate Behavioral Research, 1-3.
• Chen, Y., Li, R., & Liu, X. (2023). Problematic smartphone usage among Chinese adolescents: Role of social/non-social loneliness, use motivations, and grade difference. Current Psychology, 42, 11529-11538. doi: 10.1007/s12144-021-02458-0
• Li, R., Liu, H., Chen, Z., & Wang Y. (2023). Dynamic and cyclic relationships between employee’s intrinsic and extrinsic motivations: The evidence from dynamic multilevel modeling analysis. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 140, 103813. doi: 10.1016/j.jvb.2022.103813
• Li, R. (2023). Robust Bayesian growth curve modeling: A tutorial using JAGS. Journal of Behavioral Data Science, 3, 1-21. doi: 10.35566/jbds/v3n2/li
• Li, R., & Yao., M. (2022). What promotes teachers’ intention to leave? Evidence from a meta-analysis. Educational Research Review, 37, 100477. doi: 10.1016/j.edurev.2022.100477
• Li, R., Liu, H., Chen, Y, & Yao, M. (2022). Teacher engagement and self-efficacy: The mediating role of continuing professional development and moderating role of teaching experience. Current Psychology, 41, 328-37. doi: 10.1007/s12144-019-00575-5
• Chen, Y., Li, R., & Liu, X. (2022). Positive or negative: differences in self–other representations among Chinese social networking users. The American Journal of Psychology, 135, 301-311.
• Li, R., Liu, H., Chen, Y., & Yao, M. (2021). Why teachers want to leave? The roles of achievement goals, burnout and perceived school context. Learning and Individual Differences, 89, 102032. doi: 10.1016/j.lindif.2021.102032
• Chen, Y., Li, R., & Liu, X. (2021). The relationships among relatedness frustration, affiliation motivation, and WeChat engagement, moderated by relatedness satisfaction. Cyberpsychology: Journal of Psychosocial Research on Cyberspace, 15, Article 7. doi: 10.5817/CP2021-4-7
• Chen, Y., Li, R., & Liu, X. (2021). How relatedness need-satisfaction/frustration and motivation relate to well-being in social networking sites. American Journal of Psychology, 134, 201-216. doi: 10.5406/amerjpsyc.134.2.0201
• Chen, Y., Li, R., & Liu, X. (2021). Relatedness frustration and compensatory behaviors in social networking sites among Chinese college students: Role of self-control failure. Current Psychology, 42, 307-316. doi: 10.1007/s12144-021-01440-0
• Chen, Y., Li, R., Zhang, P., & Liu, X. (2021). WeChat engagement styles: Measuring the two processes of relatedness need, moderated by personality differences. Current Psychology, 40, 5445-5455. doi: 10.1007/s12144-019-00513-5
• Liu, H., Yao, M., Li, J., & Li, R. (2021). Multiple mediators in the relationship between perceived teacher autonomy support and student engagement in math and literacy learning. Educational Psychology, 41, 116-136.
• Li, R., Chen, Y., Liu, H., & Yao, M. (2020). Need satisfaction and frustration profiles: Who benefits more on social networking sites? Personality and Individual Differences, 152, 109854. doi: 10.1016/j.paid.2020.109854
• Li, R., Yao, M., Chen, Y, & Liu, H. (2020). Parent autonomy support and psychological control, Dark Triad, and subjective well-being of Chinese adolescents: Synergy of variable- and person-centered approaches. The Journal of Early Adolescence, 40, 966-995. doi: 10.1177/0272431619880335
• Liu, H., Yao, M., Li, R., & Zhang, L. (2020). The relationship between regulatory focus and learning engagement among Chinese adolescents. Educational Psychology, 40, 430-447. doi: 10.1080/01443410.2019.1618441
• Chen, Y., Li, R., & Liu, X. (2020). The moderating role of state attachment anxiety and avoidance between social anxiety and addiction to social networking sites. Psychological Reports, 123, 633-647. doi: 10.1177/0033294118823178
• Liu, H., Yao, M., Li, R., & Zhang, L. (2020). The relationship between regulatory focus and learning engagement among Chinese adolescents. Educational Psychology, 40, 430-447. doi: 10.1080/01443410.2019.1618441
• Li, R., Yao, M., Liu, H., & Chen, Y. (2019). Chinese parental involvement and adolescent learning motivation and subjective well-being: More is not always better. Journal of Happiness Studies, 21, 2527-2555. doi: 10.1007/s10902-019-00192-w
• Li, R., Yao, M., Liu, H., & Chen, Y. (2019). Relationships among autonomy support, psychological control, coping, and loneliness: Comparing victims with nonvictims. Personality and Individual Differences, 138, 266-272. doi: 10.1016/j.paid.2018.10.001
• Li, R. , Liu, H., Yao, M., & Chen, Y. (2019). Regulatory focus and subjective well-being: The mediating role of coping styles and the moderating role of gender. The Journal of Psychology, 153, 714-731. doi: 10.1080/00223980.2019.1601066. (* = equal contribution).
• Chen, Y., Li, R., & Liu, X. (2019). The relationships among parental psychological control/autonomy support, self-trouble, and internalizing problems across adolescent genders. Scandinavian Journal of Psychology, 60, 539-547. doi: 10.1111/SJOP.12573

Books

• Liu, H., Wang, L., & Li, R.. (2025). Longitudinal data analysis methods and their applications (追踪数据分析方法及应用). Beijing Normal University Press.

Journal Articles in Chinese

• Li, R., Liu, H., & Yao, M. (2019). The roles of autonomy support from parents and head teacher in adolescents’ subjective well-being and loneliness: A person-centered perspective. Psychological Science, 42, 827-833. In Chinese.
• Chen, Y., Li, R., Zhang, P., & Liu, X. (2019). Headmasters’ autonomy support, involvement, warmth, and adolescents’ internet addiction: A moderated mediating model. Chinese Journal of Clinical Psychology, 27, 306-310. In Chinese.
• Chen, Y., Li, R., & Liu, X. (2019). Adolescents’ social withdrawn, active coping, and internet addiction: Mediation of loneliness. Chinese Journal of Clinical Psychology, 27, 94-98. In Chinese.
• Li, R., Zhu, W., Liu, H., & Yao, M. (2018). How parental educational expectations influence student academic burnout: The mediating role of educational involvement and moderating role of family functioning. Psychological Development and Education, 34, 489-496. In Chinese.
• Li, R., Zhang, L., & Yao, M. (2018). Effect of Parental Involvement on Student Engagement: The Mediating Effect of Mastery Goal. Chinese Journal of Clinical Psychology, 26, 578-585. In Chinese.
• Li, R., Cao, S., Zhu, W., & Yao, M. (2018). The effects of the parental norm and the peer norm on volunteers’ engagement: The mediating effect of role identity. Chinese Journal of Special Education, 6, 84-90. In Chinese.
• Chen, Y., Li, R., Zhang, P., & Liu, X. (2018). The effect of peer attachment on adolescents’ internet addiction: A moderated mediating effect. Chinese Journal of Clinical Psychology, 26, 1091-1095. In Chinese.
• Chen, Y., Li, R., Zhang, P., & Liu, X. (2018). Parental psychological control, autonomy support, and externalizing problem behavior in adolescents: The mediating role of control motivation. Chinese Journal of Clinical Psychology, 26, 981-986. In Chinese.

Conference Presentations

• Li, R., & Wang, L. (2024). Comparing three approaches for modeling data with ceiling or floor effects. Oral presentation at 2024 International Meeting of Psychometric Society (IMPS). Prague, Czech Republic.
• Li, R., & Wang, L. (2023). Investigating weight constraint methods for modeling causal-formative indicators. Oral presentation at 2023 International Meeting of Psychometric Society (IMPS). College Park, Maryland, United States.
• Li, R., & Wang, L. (2023). An analytical comparison of the cross-lagged, latent growth curve, and latent difference score models for longitudinal mediation analysis. Poster presentation at Society of Multivariate Experimental Psychology 2023 Program. Iowa City, Iowa, United States.
• Li, R., Chen, Y., Liu, H., & Yao, M. (2019). Need satisfaction and frustration profiles and their relations with SNSs outcomes: A person-centered approach. Oral presentation at the XVI European Congress of Psychology. Moscow State University, Russia.
• Li, R., Chen, Y., Liu, H., & Yao, M. (2019). Why we use social media? The contributions of sensation seeking, shyness and loneliness on motivations. Oral presentation at the Twenty-Two Annual Meeting of the China. In Chinese.
• Li, R., Liu, H., & Yao, M. (2018). The roles of autonomy support from parents and head teacher in adolescents’ subjective well-being and loneliness: A person-centered perspective. Proceedings of the Twenty-First Annual Meeting of the China, 445-446. In Chinese.
• Chen, Y., Li, R., & Liu, P. (2019). How relatedness need-satisfaction/frustration and motivation relate to well-being in the domain of social network sites. Oral presentation at the XVI European Congress of Psychology. Moscow State University, Russia.
• Chen, Y., Li, R., & Liu, X. (2019). Adolescents’ social alienation and materialism value: A longitudinal study. Paper presented at the Twenty-Two Annual Meeting of the China. In Chinese.
• Chen, Y., Li, R., Zhang, P., & Liu, P. (2018). Parental psychological control, autonomy support and adolescents’ externalizing problem behavior: The mediating role of control. Proceedings of the Twenty-First Annual Meeting of the China, 706-707. In Chinese.