CHANG XU

I obtained all three of my degrees at Carleton University, earning a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Mass Communication in 2008, a Master of Arts in Developmental Psychology in 2013 and a Ph.D. in Developmental Psychology in 2018. After graduating with my doctorate, I continued my research at Carleton University in Ottawa, Canada, as a postdoctoral research fellow. In September 2022, I was appointed as a Lecturer in Developmental Psychology here at Queen’s University Belfast. 

Broadly, I am interested in cognitive developmental psychology, with a focus on mathematical cognition. My research aims to further understand the development of children’s mathematical skills and related cognitive processes. In particular, I focus on understanding the developmental course of number integration, that is, the process of making connections between number concepts and symbols, which is central to children’s construction of higher-level mathematical understanding. I am also interested in investigating the development of mathematical skills for children who are learning mathematics in a second language, as well as developing accessible mathematical interventions aimed at improving cognitive and educational outcomes for children.

I thrive to conduct multidisciplinary research in developmental psychology. If you are interested in collaborating with me, please contact me at c.xu@qub.ac.uk