Tian is a Senior Teaching Fellow with the Department of Electrical and Computer Systems Engineering in the Faculty of Engineering at Monash University in Melbourne, Australia. His research interests are in first year education, and in health informatics (digital health).

Tian's previous research impacts the fields of health informatics, contextual modelling and pain management. His previous work was the design and development of a clinical desicion support system for community health workers in collaboration with clinicians from The Alfred, where it bridged the gap between healthcare providers and rural populations, emphasizing preventive care and timely interventions. Previous works include his doctoral thesis which introduced a high frequency contextual data collection approach and model which helped identify multidisciplinary factors influencing low back pain.

His interdisciplinary approach combines data science, patient-reported outcomes and clinical expertise, and extends beyond academia, as evidenced by collaborations with industry partners and usability studies of self-management apps.

He has a background in systems analysis, design and development; systems administration (Windows / Unix) and some experience in corporate management.