In today’s increasingly networked world, it has never been more difficult—or more important—to properly manage and control the flow of money, goods, services, and people, and to do so in a sustainable and socially responsible manner. Advancing both theory and practice in this critical field is Professor Ying-Ju Chen, HKUST Chair Professor and Crown Worldwide Professor of Business, who spearheads research at the interface of network economics, electrical engineering, marketing, supply chain management and more.

Professor Chen has previously studied the application of dynamic pricing and revenue management in different industries, exploring the interaction between sellers and customers with uncertain demands. The seller's objective is to maximize long-term average cash flow, while customers have the option to wait for better deals. This cat-and-mouse game between sellers and strategic customers is the focus of the research. Among them, Cyclic Pricing promotions are more characteristic of supermarkets and retail stores, and they often offer discounts on a pre-determined basis.

Fittingly, given the cutting-edge interdisciplinary nature of his research, Professor Chen’s Chair Professorship is a joint appointment between the School of Business and Management (Department of ISOM) and School of Engineering (Department of IEDA). Prior to joining HKUST, Professor Chen served as Assistant Professor in the Department of Industrial Engineering and Operations Research at the prestigious University of California at Berkeley. He obtained his Ph.D. in Operations Management from the Stern School of Business at New York University, and he also holds master’s and bachelor’s degrees in Electrical Engineering from National Taiwan University.

As the most productive faculty member in the School of Business (ranked by number of publications in top journals), Professor Chen is a worthy recipient of the Crown Worldwide Professorship of Business for his research record alone. To date, 60 of his journal papers have been published or accepted for publication in world-leading business journals, from Management Science to Information Systems Research. Several more of his papers have been published in major economics journals, such as the Journal of Economic Theory.

As well as receiving prominent external awards for his research, Professor Chen has won a series of research grants, including one Collaborative Research Fund grant and several General Research Fund grants, since joining HKUST in 2014. He is internationally recognized and respected within his field, as evidenced by his editorship of major journals such as Production and Operations Management.

However, Professor Chen’s contribution to HKUST, and to the wider academic and professional community, is not limited to research. No list of his accomplishments would be complete without mentioning his exceptional record of teaching and service. At HKUST, he has received the Franklin Prize for Teaching Excellence once and the Dean’s Recognition of Excellent Teaching Performance many times. His service extends from leadership roles in the departments of ISOM and IEDA to serving on conference committees and judging international paper competitions.

HKUST is delighted to reward the contribution of this pioneering scholar with a Named Professorship.