About Me

I am a PhD candidate at the City University of Hong Kong Department of Data Science conducting research in digital health and aging epidemiology. I am supervised by Dr. Xinyue Li and funded by the Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme (HKPFS).

Education

🎓 PhD in Data Science, 2025 (Expected)

The City University of Hong Kong

🎓 MSc in Health Data Science, 2021

University of New South Wales (UNSW)

🎓 BA in Statistics and Mathematics, 2019

The State University of New York at Buffalo (UB)

Research Interests

  • Digital health (wearable device data analysis)

  • Aging epidemiology

  • Physical activity

  • Sleep

  • Applied functional data analysis

  • Applied machine learning

Selected Publications

  • Sakal C, Chen T, Xu W, Zhang W, Yang Y, Li X. Towards proactively improving sleep: machine learning and wearable device data forecast sleep efficiency 4-8 hours before sleep onset. SLEEP (2025). https://doi.org/10.1093/sleep/zsaf113

  • Sakal C, Li T, Li J, Li X. Predicting poor performance on cognitive tests among older adults using wearable device data and machine learning: a feasibility study. npj Aging (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41514-024-00177-x

  • Sakal C, Zhao W, Xu W, Li X. Effects of caffeine on accelerometer measured sleep and physical activity among older adults under free-living conditions. BMC Public Health (2024). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-024-20115-6

  • Sakal C, Li T, Li J, Yang C, Li X. Association Between Sleep Efficiency Variability and Cognition Among Older Adults: Cross-Sectional Accelerometer Study. JMIR Aging (2024). 10.2196/54353

  • Sakal C, Li T, Li J, Li X. Identifying Predictive Risk Factors for Future Cognitive Impairment Among Chinese Older Adults: Longitudinal Prediction Study. JMIR Aging (2024). 10.2196/53240

  • Sakal C, Li J, Xiang YT, Li X. Development and validation of the Chinese Geriatric Depression Risk calculator (CGD-risk): A screening tool to identify elderly Chinese with depression. Journal of Affective Disorders (2022). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2022.09.034

Awards

 

Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme Award

— Research Grants Council of Hong Kong, Apr 2021

Chow Yei Ching School of Graduate Studies Entrance Scholarship

— City University of Hong Kong, Apr 2021

 

International Academic Excellence Award

— University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sep 2019

Summa Cum Laude

— The State University of New York at Buffalo (UB), Jun 2019

 

Excellent Scientific Presentation Award.

— Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Aug 2018

Elevator Talk Award.

— Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Aug 2018

Teaching Assistant Experience

  • Semester A 2024/25 - Python for Data Science (SDSC 2001), City University of Hong Kong

  • Semester B 2023/24 - Statistical Methods and Data Analysis (SDSC 2102), City University of Hong Kong

  • Semester A 2023/24 - Python for Data Science (SDSC 2001), City University of Hong Kong

  • Semester B 2022/23 - Data Visualization (SDSC 2004), City University of Hong Kong

  • Semester A 2022/23 - Python for Data Science (SDSC 2001), City University of Hong Kong

  • Spring 2018/2019 - Mathematical Analysis for Management (MTH 131), The University at Buffalo

  • Spring 2018/2019 - Linear Algebra (MTH 309), The University at Buffalo (Grader)

  • Spring 2018/2019 - Multivariable Calculus (MTH 241), The University at Buffalo (Grader)

Reviewer Experience

  • Journal of Medical Internet Research (JMIR)

  • JMIR Public Health and Surveillance

  • JMIR mHealth and uHealth

  • Scientific Reports

  • BMC Public Health

  • BMC Geriatrics

  • Annals of General Psychiatry

  • JMIR Aging

  • JMIR Medical Informatics

  • JMIR Formative Research

  • JMIR Research Protocols

  • Online Journal of Public Health Informatics

  • Aging Clinical and Experimental Research