I grew up in Chengdu, China before moving to the United States for college in 2016. I had always been drawn to applied mathematics, so when I began my undergraduate studies at Columbia University, I chose Operations Research as my major. From 2016 to 2020, I immersed myself in this field, fascinated by how mathematical tools could be used to address practical problems. In 2020, I joined the MIT Operations Research Center, where I earned my Ph.D. in Operations Research in 2025. I was fortunate to work with Professor Daniel Freund, whose guidance and encouragement shaped both my research and my career path.
Broadly, my research focuses on platform operations and market design. Beyond theoretical projects on algorithmic analysis and applied probability, I also had the chance to work on real-world problems with Uber Eats’ Realtime Pricing team, where I studied the design of flexibility incentives for eaters. Those experiences showed me how OR methods can directly inform decision-making at scale. After MIT, I continued this line of work as a postdoctoral researcher at Waymo (2025–2026) on the supply optimization team, focusing on autonomous vehicle operations and fleet management. Looking ahead, I will join Stanford University as a tenure-track assistant professor in the Operations, Information, and Technology (OIT) area in 2026 fall. What excites me most about this path is the opportunity to apply algorithmic tools and optimization techniques to problems that directly shape the future of mobility and platform operations.
What made my time at the ORC so special was not just the rigorous training, but the people and the environment. The ORC has a uniquely large and diverse cohort of students—much larger than most doctoral programs in business schools—and I learned so much from peers who were equally passionate about pushing the boundaries of OR, but in very different domains ranging from healthcare to supply chains to finance. The faculty are equally remarkable: many of them not only push the frontiers of theory but also work closely with industry and nonprofits to make real-world impact. My advisor encouraged me to pursue projects with real-world relevance, and that balance of intellectual excellence and practical application made the ORC experience truly formative for me.
One of my fondest memories is the tradition of ORC’s yearly job market panels, where alumni and senior students share advice with those coming up behind them. I remember sitting in the audience as a second-year PhD student, feeling that the academic job market was both intimidating and distant. Over time, through the projects I worked on and the community I was part of, I learned to find my own career path. By the end of my Ph.D., I also served on one of these panels myself, offering advice to younger students who were in the same position I had once been. That culture of passing on knowledge and supporting each other is something I carry with me, and even after graduation, the friendships and collaborations I built at the ORC continue to shape my life and career.
