Dr. Zhengkun Long is a cognitive neuroscientist at the School of Psychology, Shenzhen University. He earned his Ph.D. in Cognitive Psychology from the Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, where he studied the neural mechanisms of mind wandering and its effects on motor control and semantic processing. His research combines EEG and behavioral methods to explore how spontaneous thoughts influence sensory-motor functions and brain dynamics. Dr. Long is skilled in programming, EEG/fMRI data analysis, and experimental design, and has published in leading journals such as PNAS, NeuroImage, and Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience.
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Dr. Zhengkun Long earned his Ph.D. in Cognitive Psychology from the Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (2019.09–2024.06), under the supervision of Prof. Xiaolan Fu. He completed his undergraduate studies at Wuhan University, obtaining a B.S. from the Economics and Management School (2012.09–2018.06). During his undergraduate years, he served two years (2015.09–2017.09) in an army unit of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army.
👨🏫Experience
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Dr. Long’s research focuses on the cognitive neuroscience of mind wandering, with particular emphasis on its effects on motor control, semantic processing, and brain dynamics. Since January 2024, he has been investigating the neurodynamics of on- and off-task thoughts using EEG-based metrics such as autocorrelation window (ACW), Lempel-Ziv complexity (LZC), and power-law exponent (PLE). He is also exploring how task difficulty and attention levels influence sensory and motor phase coherence during mind wandering. His previous projects (2020–2023) examined how mind wandering impairs motor control and affects the processing of Chinese compound words, particularly considering factors like movement difficulty and word familiarity
🤝Awards and Honors
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Dr. Long has published in high-impact journals, including the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America (PNAS), NeuroImage, and the Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience. His research has been co-authored with prominent neuroscientists such as Georg Northoff and Prof. Xiaolan Fu, reflecting the significance and collaborative nature of his scientific contributions.
💡Skills and Certifications
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Dr. Long is proficient in MATLAB, Python, and Unix for programming and experimental design. He has extensive experience in EEG data analysis, including time-frequency analysis, functional connectivity, and aperiodic signal analysis. He also has training in fMRI data analysis using FSL and is skilled in utilizing PsychoPy and Psychtoolbox for psychological experiment programming
🔬Research Focus
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Dr. Long’s core research interests lie at the intersection of attention, mind wandering, and neural mechanisms. He aims to understand how internally directed thought processes influence external sensory and motor functions. His work combines behavioral experiments with advanced neuroimaging techniques to uncover the temporal and functional architecture of spontaneous thought and its consequences on task performance
🌎Conclusion
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Dr. Zhengkun Long exemplifies the qualities of a Best Researcher Award recipient: intellectual curiosity, methodological excellence, and impactful scholarship. His forward-thinking research on brain dynamics and cognition makes a meaningful contribution to neuroscience and positions him as a rising leader in his field. He is highly deserving of this recognition.
📖Publications
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How mind wandering influences motor control: The modulating role of movement difficulty
Authors: Zhengkun Long, Qiufang Fu, Xiaolan Fu
Journal: NeuroImage
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Word Familiarity Modulates the Interference Effects of Mind Wandering on Semantic and Reafferent Information Processing
Authors: Zhengkun Long, Qiufang Fu, Xiaolan Fu
Journal: Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience
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Unpredictable fearful stimuli disrupt timing activities: Evidence from event-related potentials
Authors: Qian Cui, Mingtong Liu, Chang Hong Liu, Zhengkun Long, Ke Zhao, Xiaolan Fu
Journal: Neuropsychologia
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