Hi, I’m

Fatih.

Postdoctoral Researcher in Behavioral & Social Sciences at the University of Houston. PhD in Quantitative Methods, Baylor University.

CV

About

I’m Fatih Ozkan, a postdoctoral researcher in Behavioral & Social Sciences at the University of Houston, with a PhD in Educational Psychology (quantitative methods) from Baylor University.

My interests include item response theory, psychometrics, measurement invariance, structural equation modeling, and multilevel modeling.

I use this space to share code, course notes, and small research projects as I work on methods for large educational and behavioral datasets.

Tools I use a lot:
  • R
  • Stan/JAGS
  • Quarto
  • Git/GitHub
  • Mplus
  • SAS

Experience

Postdoctoral Researcher, Behavioral & Social Sciences - University of Houston
Aug 2026 - Present
Design and evaluate measurement models for behavioral and health science data, extending the bias-aware network psychometrics methods from my dissertation to applied research questions. Provide psychometric support across projects, including scale development and validation, measurement invariance testing, and structural equation and multilevel models for nested designs. Maintain reproducible R and Quarto pipelines so analyses, tables, and figures regenerate from source and hand off cleanly to collaborators.
Graduate Research Assistant - Baylor University
Aug 2019 - Aug 2026

Build reproducible analysis workflows in R, including simulation studies, model checking, and reporting that non-technical collaborators can actually use.

Applied experience in psychometrics and measurement, including IRT, measurement invariance, and reliability and validity evidence.

Comfortable with large-scale assessment style data, including plausible values and replicate weights when the design demands it.

2016 - 2019
  • Oversaw STEM programs.
  • Conducted teacher training.
  • Led curriculum development.
  • Managed community partnerships.
Science and Math Teacher - Ministry of National Education
2009 - 2016
  • Classroom instruction.
  • Lesson and assessment design.
  • Lab supervision.
  • Extracurricular mentorship.

Education

August 2026
Doctor of Philosophy, Educational Psychology (Quantitative Method)
Baylor University
Dissertation: Bias-Aware Network Psychometrics.
2021
M.A., Educational Psychology (Quantitative Method)
Baylor University
Thesis: Analyzing the Effect of STEM Education on the Academic Success and Social-Emotional Development of Gifted Students.
2017
M.A., Science and Mathematics Education
Erciyes University (Kayseri, Turkey)
Thesis: Determination of Misconceptions by Developing the Two-Stage Multiple-Choice Test for 7th Grade Digestive System.
2009
B.Ed., Math and Science Education
Erciyes University (Kayseri, Turkey)
Concentration: Math and Science Education.

Projects

Bayesian-Statistics
Bayesian R
Bayesian-Statistics
Course notes and code related to Bayesian statistics.
GitHub
PIRLS
Psychometrics R
PIRLS
Notes and analyses related to PIRLS-style large-scale assessment data.
GitHub
Partial-Measurement-Invariance
Measurement invariance Quarto
Partial-Measurement-Invariance
Materials and assets for working with measurement invariance.
GitHub

Publications

Bayesian Lasso Regression for Identifying Home and Parental Predictors of Reading Achievement: Evidence from PIRLS 2021 Türkiye
Ozkan, F. (2026). Practical Assessment, Research, and Evaluation, 31(1):12.
What Changed Since 1994: Educator Attitudes Toward Gifted Education
Ozkan, F., Ogurlu, U., & Ozbay, A. (2026). Journal of Advanced Academics. Advance online publication.
Rasch Investigation of the CogAT Form 8 Verbal, Quantitative, and Nonverbal Domains in Grades 3 Through 5
Torres, D. K., Lutz, L. A., Song, J., Ozkan, F., Spitsberg, T., Filippini, T., ... & Morgan, G. B. (2025). Journal of Psychoeducational Assessment, 07342829251381509.
Machine Learning Prediction of Opioid Involvement in Connecticut Drug Overdose Deaths: Comparative Performance of Penalized Regression, Random Forest, and Support Vector Models
Ozkan, F. (2025, September 9). PREPRINT (Version 1). Research Square.
The Use of Financial Incentives in Qualitative Research across Disciplines in the United States: A Methodological Review from 1995 to 2021
Toraman Turk, S., Meneses, J., Turk, M., Fàbregues, S., Dudu, S., Ozkan, F., & Ustun-Elayan, B. (2025). Qualitative Social Sciences, 7(2), 107-127.
Effects of STEM education on the academic success and social-emotional development of gifted students
Ozkan, F., & Kettler, T. (2022). Journal of Gifted Education and Creativity, 9(2), 143-163.
Application of Gamification Techniques in Well Control Training and Competency
Jensen, J. W., Kettler, T., & Ozkan, F. (2024, March). Paper presented at the IADC/SPE International Drilling Conference and Exhibition, Galveston, Texas, USA.
Opinions of Teachers on "This Is My Work" Project Competition
Ozkan, F., Oner Armagan, F., Bektas, O., & Saylan, A. (2015). Online Submission, 8(23), 211-243.

Get in Touch

My inbox is always open. Whether you have a question or just want to say hi, I’ll try my best to get back to you!
Mail me