Liu Liu, Ph.D.
Quantitative Methodologist
I develop quantitative methods and apply them to substantive questions in education and social research. My methodological work focuses on Bayesian multilevel and longitudinal modeling, psychometrics and measurement, and statistical decision making under limited information. Many of these questions emerge directly from applied studies, where design, measurement, or data limitations reveal gaps in existing quantitative guidance.
I am an Assistant Research Scientist at the Center on Human Trafficking Research & Outreach (CenHTRO) in the School of Social Work at the University of Georgia. I earned my Ph.D. in Measurement and Statistics from the University of Washington.
University of Georgia
Assistant Research Scientist
School of Social Work / CenHTRO
Faculty Affiliate · Owens Institute for Behavioral Research
liuuil@uga.edu
Methods for limited and complex data
Bayesian multilevel and longitudinal modeling; prior specification and calibration for small samples; psychometrics and measurement under sparse and imbalanced data.
Quantitative inquiry in context
Quantitative methods for measurement and program evaluation in education and social research, including large-scale assessment, causal evaluation, complex surveys, and human trafficking research.
Quantitative methods education
Multilevel modeling; Bayesian data analysis; applied measurement; quantitative research methods.
Applied problems motivate methodological questions
My research moves in both directions: applied studies expose methodological problems; methodological work then returns practical tools and guidance to applied research. This connection organizes three overlapping strands.
Bayesian Multilevel & Longitudinal Methods
Prior specification, variance components, small-sample inference, and longitudinal multilevel and dyadic models.
Measurement, Psychometrics & SEM
Sparse ordinal data, CFA/SEM, IRT, measurement invariance, differential item functioning, and model-fit calibration.
Applied Quantitative Research
Large-scale educational assessment, causal and computational evaluation, complex surveys, human trafficking measurement, and program evaluation.