About Zhi

Dr. Deng is a Senior Associate Scientist, and Director of the Computational Neurostimulation Research Program in the Noninvasive Neuromodulation Unit at the National Institute of Mental Health. He earned the SB degree in physics, SB and MEng in electrical engineering and computer science, with a minor in economics, from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He received his PhD in Electrical Engineering, with a graduate concentration in Neuroscience from Columbia University. Dr. Deng completed his postdoctoral training at Duke University and subsequently a research fellowship at NIMH.

Dr. Deng is a leader in neuroengineering and psychiatric neuromodulation. His work focuses on three integrated areas: (1) the physics and biophysics of neurostimulation, (2) optimization and individualization of therapeutic dosing, and (3) the model-driven development of next-generation brain stimulation technologies. His influential contributions to electric field modeling for transcranial magnetic stimulation have shaped both scientific understanding and regulatory pathways, supporting the clearance and clinical adoption of TMS systems. He has built a multidisciplinary program at the interface of engineering, computation, and mental health, and is recognized internationally for advancing seizure therapy and precision neuromodulation strategies. He is a Senior Member of the IEEE, and has received numerous honors, including two NIMH Director's Awards for scientific innovation. His vision is to integrate engineering solutions into psychiatric practice, enabling a new era of personalized, effective mental health interventions.

He has an Erdős number of 4 (who doesn't?). When not working at one of his three jobs, he's performing magic or hanging out with his pets—who, by the way, have their own Instagram page. Feel free to follow for updates. Or, you could do something productive with your life... but that's not recommended.