Li Cai is an Assistant Professor
of Advanced Quantitative Methodology in
the Graduate School of Education and Information
Studies and Assistant Professor of Quantitative
Psychology in the Department of Psychology
at University of California, Los Angeles
(UCLA). He received his Ph.D. in Quantitative
Psychology from the L. L. Thurstone Psychometric
Lab at the University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill.
Broadly
speaking, Li’s methodological research agenda involves
the development, integration, and evaluation
of innovative latent variable models that
have wide-ranging applications in educational,
psychological, and health-related domains
of study. A key component on this agenda
is statistical computing, particularly
as related to item response theory (IRT)
and multilevel modeling. Starting from 2007, with initial
funding from NSF and Educational Testing
Service, Li has developed new algorithms
that can significantly improve the accuracy and
efficiency of parameter estimation for
multidimensional IRT models. These methods
now form much of the computational basis of Scientific Software
International’s
new IRT software program (IRTPRO), of which
Li is the lead statistical developer.
Li
also works on multilevel modeling and
has received funding from the Institute
of Education Sciences to develop new estimation
algorithms and software for nonlinear multilevel
latent variable modeling. Li collaborates
with substantive researchers at UCLA and
RAND on NIDA-funded projects examining
measurement issues in substance abuse,
treatment, and outcomes research. These
substantive collaborations provide the
much needed impetus and reality
check for Li’s methodological work.
Li is a member of the American
Educational Research Association, Association
for Psychological Science, National Council on Measurement
in Education, and the Psychometric Society.
He serves on the editorial board of Journal
of Educational and Behavioral Statistics,
and reviews for a dozen or so other quantitative
methodology
and statistics journals such as Psychometrika,
Psychological Methods, and Multivariate
Behavioral Research. |
