University of Michigan-Ann Arbor · Mathematics & StatisticsThe Growth Lab
Wei Zhao · Ann Arbor, Michigan
Research Focus
Dr. Wei Zhao's lab at the University of Michigan focuses on understanding childhood development and health by collecting and analyzing data from children and their families. They are particularly interested in how factors like family decisions and the impact of events like the Covid-19 pandemic affect children's well-being over time. The lab's work involves long-term studies that track children's growth and experiences in various contexts, helping to inform policies that support families and children.
Child developmentLongitudinal studiesFamily dynamicsHealth outcomesCovid-19 impactEducationData collectionCognitive skillsNeighborhoodsImmigrant families
Research Aims
3AIM 01Conduct a new wave of child development data collection in 2023 focusing on children aged 0-17.
AIM 02Assess reading and math skills while collecting time use data on children and their caregivers.
AIM 03Process and distribute the collected data to support future research on childhood development and health.
Skills the Lab Values
Data collectionStatistical analysisSurvey designQualitative interviewsTime diary methodsData processingLongitudinal data analysisHealth assessmentsReading and math skill evaluationGenetic sample collection
Output against the department
Publications675top 6% of dept.8th of 131
this lab
most publishedleast published
Citations9.1ktop 45% of dept.59th of 131
this lab
most citedleast cited
Career totals from OpenAlex, compared against labs that share a department. A department spans everything from one paper to tens of thousands, so bar heights are on a log scale — otherwise the largest lab would flatten every other bar to a line.