Siyun Peng

Overview

I received a dual-title Ph.D. in Sociology and Gerontology at Purdue University, where I also received a graduate certificate in Applied Statistics. 

My research focuses on three areas: (1) Social determinants of health and health disparities with a focus on social networks, Alzheimer’s Disease, and aging; (2) How temporal and social contexts shape patterns of social relations/networks; (3) Methodological innovation for Egocentric Social Networks and Ecological Momentary Assessments (EMAs).

My substantial teaching interests include social networks, health and aging, health and family, and biology of aging. I could also teach methods and statistics courses on categorical data analysis, linear regression and multilevel models, latent variable analysis, longitudinal analysis, introduction to statistics, and research methods.   

News

04/2026. TV interview on bird watching and cognitive aging. TAMPA BAY 28. ABC NEWS.

03/2026. Serve on the Journals of Gerontology: Social Sciences Editorial Board. 

01/2026. Serve on the Journal of Applied Gerontology Editorial Board. 

Grants

2024-29 National Institute on Aging (R01AG057739), “Social Networks in Alzheimer’s Disease 2.0”

Role: Co-I (PI Brea Perry). Award: $3,723,312

2024-29 National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (90DPCP0014), “Enhancing the Accessibility of Air Travel.” 

Role: Co-I (PI Shu Cole). Award: $2,499,997

2024-26 National Institute on Aging (R56AG089170) “Social Networks and Health among the ENMLA (elderly, never married, and living alone) Population.”

Role: Co-I (PI Lijun Song). Award: $1,359,657

2022-27 National Institute on Aging (R01AG076032), “Epigenetic mechanisms underlying the direct and moderating effects of social connectedness on complex diseases in aging.”

Role: Co-I (PI Brea Perry). Award: $3,562,131

2022-27 National Institute on Aging (R01AG078247), “Social mechanisms of cognitive health disparities in rural and urban older populations.”

Role: Co-I (PI Adam Roth). Award: $2,691,347

2019-26 National Institute on Drug Abuse (R01DA048876), “Geographic variation in opioid addiction treatment (GATE) study: Multi-level factors influencing MAT use, other treatment, & adverse outcomes among re-entering rural and urban prisoners.”

Role: Co-I (PI Carrie Oser). Award: $3,019,611

2020-21 National Institute on Aging (R24-AG065159), Pilot Grant, “Social networks and rural-urban cognitive health disparities.”

Role: Co-I (PI Adam Roth). Award: $9,914