Zezhong Zhang

My research mostly sits on the applied side of mathematics, where I develop computational methods, often in collaboration with domain scientists, to tackle complex real-world problems. My work spans several interconnected topics, including scientific machine learning, data assimilation, uncertainty quantification, generative AI models and error analysis for the developed algorithms. 

I am currently looking for self-motivated PhD students. If you are interested in these research topics, please send me your CV by email. 

• 08/2026 — Honored to receive an NSF grant supporting research on amortized Bayesian inference for PDE-Constrained inverse problems. 

• 08/2026 — Organizing the ACM Seminar for Fall 2026. See the seminar page for the schedule and speaker lineup.

• 07/2026 — Gave a talk at SIAM Annual Meeting (AN26), Cleveland, Ohio.

• 04/2026 — Honored to receive the COSAM Faculty Travel Award.

• 03/2026 — Gave a talk at SIAM Conference on Uncertainty Quantification (UQ26), Minneapolis, Minnesota.

• 12/2025 — Gave a seminar talk at Auburn University.

• 11/2025 — Gave a colloquium talk at Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida.

• 08/2025 — Started as Assistant Professor of Mathematics at Auburn University.

Active Research Grants 

• Amortized Bayesian Inference via Exact Score-Guided Diffusion for PDE-Constrained Inverse Problems (DMS-2609189) 

NSF – Computational Mathematics Program, 2026–2029 (PI, $299,602) 

• COSAM Faculty Travel Award, Auburn University (2026) 

• Honorable Mention, ICLR Workshop, Vienna, Austria, 2024 

• Honorable Mention, SIAM Southeastern Atlantic Section, Virginia Tech, 2023 

• Travel Grant, Department of Mathematics, Florida State University, 2022