Dr. Jiayi Ding
I took Professor Chen’s Advanced Statistical Quality Control class in Summer 2020 as part of my doctoral degree requirements. It was also the first time he taught the class in a fully virtual setting due to COVID-19. Although he was strict and held us to a high standard, he was also deeply supportive and patient with his students.
I received an A- in his class, partly because I made a fundamental mistake in distinguishing between samples and populations. After realizing my mistake, I redid the exam questions and scheduled a call with Professor Chen. He kindly took the time to review my answers and confirmed that I had understood the concepts correctly.
I later learned that we both came from Shanghai, China. One small memory that stayed with me was hearing Shanghainese spoken in the background during one of his virtual classes, which made that connection feel even more personal. He also suggested some classes for me to take to develop a better understanding about statistics and data science.
Professor Chen was a respected scholar, a disciplined teacher, and a supportive mentor. It is still difficult to accept that he passed away so soon after I completed his class. I am truly grateful for everything he did for me and for all of his students. Thank you, Professor Chen. RIP.
Jiayi Ding, PhD