Yaheng Lu is the Senior Statistical Data Analyst. She is primarily responsible for the collection, organization, and management of quantitative and qualitative data. Yaheng is about to complete her PhD training in Educational Psychology and Research Methodology (Purdue University). She had worked as a project manager and research assistant for a large scale study (PI: Dr. Helen Patrick), funded by the U.S. Department of Education. Her work is focused on examining student outcomes and instructor effects across content areas by conducting interviews, observations, and surveys.
Yaheng is currently assisting Dr. Janice Hanson and Dr. Donna Jeffe in evaluating MERU and scholarship development at Washington University School of Medicine (WUSM). She collects data and assists in preparing the research protocol. In addition, Yaheng helps manage the Small Grants Program, which grants funding for education research and scholarship projects that are focused on teaching and learning at WUSM.
Yaheng is also in a supportive role for research projects in medical education. She is currently assisting a study to examine students’ reflections and to identify threshold concepts in professional identity development. This project is closely related to anti-bias and community engagement training, which are key components of the newly launched Gateway Curriculum. In addition, Yaheng is a member of the Program Evaluation and Continuous Quality Improvement (PECQI) Unit in the Office of Education. She collaborates with colleagues on the creation, implementation, and management of survey instruments that align with program evaluation needs. Yaheng performs statistical analyses and prepares presentations for both quantitative and qualitative data on various projects for the evaluation and advancement of medical education at WUSM.