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Jingyuan Chen

Jingyuan Chen

Ph.D. Student University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Research Space 5080, 614 E Daniel Street

jc190[at]uiuc[dot]edu LinkedIn · ORCID · Google Scholar · GitHub · ACCESS

Education

MS MathematicsUIUC GC2025–2026 BA (Hons) MathematicsUC Berkeley L&S2022–2025 BA (Hons) StatisticsUC Berkeley CDSS2022–2025

Research Interests

Automated Deduction & Proof Assistants · Formalized Math · Stochastic Calculus & PDEs · Random Matrix Theory · Non-commutative Probability · Scientific Computing · STEM Education

Professional Interests

Contract Algebras · Optimization of Contracts · Catastrophe Models · Factor Risk Models · Shock Models · Fast Pricing

Current

Teaching Graduate Student Instructor for MATH 231 Calculus II (ADB/ADC) Research Core Graduate Student at the NSF-Simons AI Institute for the Sky (SkAI) Olympiads Test Organizer for the Intercollegiate Math Tournament (registration open!)
About

I'm a Ph.D. student at UIUC advised by Professor Matthew Turk, working on network problems, random matrix theory, and automated theorem proving for statistics.

Thinking about majoring in Statistics at Berkeley? Here's a heavily opinionated guide.

Updates
Dec 2026Obtained my master's in passing
Dec 2026Upcoming: attending the SkAI Chicago Gaia Relay for Gaia Data Release 4
Oct 2026Co-authored two papers being presented at COLM 2026, on clinical hidden-concern reasoning under partial observability and on personalized medical plain language summarization
May 2026Joining the quant team at Bloomberg for the summer
Mar 2026We're building a cool proof assistant in Prof. Ringer's class
Aug 2025Graduated from UC Berkeley! Headed to UIUC for my PhD
May 2025Selected as a Berkeley SURF Research Fellow!
Mentors, Friends & Cool People

Professor Steven N. Evans, Professor Andrew Bray, Professor Andrés R. Vindas Meléndez, Professor Lisa R. Goldberg, Professor Khalilah Beal-Uribe, Professor Emeritus Peter Zvengrowski, Professor Matthew Turk, Professor Talia Ringer, Dr. Jeffrey Nisen, Dr. Enrico Santus, Dr. Winston Yin, Elaine, Alex, Aisha, Aayna, Manahil, Arnav, Drisana, Nikita, Sophie, Mark, Yilin, Yiming (Clara), Cindy, Austin.

Al Madam, Sharjah
Al Madam, Sharjah

Current Research

Member of the Data Exploration Lab, National Center for Supercomputing Applications

Using the power of data, visualization, and computing to explore, from the byte to the big bang.

PI: Matthew Turk, Ph.D.

Core Graduate Student at the NSF-Simons AI Institute for the Sky (SkAI Institute)

Researcher at the UC Berkeley Consortium for Data Analytics in Risk

High-dimensional covariance estimation and factor counting.

PI: Lisa R. Goldberg, Ph.D.

Affiliate Graduate Student at the Laboratory for Computation, Data, and Machine Learning (LCDM)

Transfer entropy for information flow in financial networks.

PI: Robert Brunner, Ph.D.

Affiliate Graduate Student at the Illinois Theorem Provers Lab

Learning about proof assistants, programming languages, and automated deduction.

PI: Talia Ringer, Ph.D.

Past Research Assistantships / Fellowships

Research Fellow at the UC Berkeley College of Letters & Science

Graphons for information flow problems in neural networks.

Mentor: Steven N. Evans, Ph.D.

Researcher at Berkeley Economics

Research on risk networks of reinsurance.

Mentors: Elaine Shen, Thomas Rutter

Research Assistant at the Goldman School of Public Policy

Mathematically formalizing empirical work on the pivotal voter effect.

PI: Diag Davenport, Ph.D.

Research Assistant at Berkeley Economics

Simulations and statistical estimation for earned wage access technology.

PI: Luisa Cefala, Ph.D. · Mentor: Afras Sial

Research Assistant at Berkeley Law

Automating the extraction of net operating loss numbers from unstructured 10-K filings.

PI: Ofer Eldar, Ph.D.

Industry Experience

Quant Intern at Bloomberg L.P., working on MARS and DLIBSummer 2026

Mentor: Jeffrey Nisen, Ph.D. · Manager: Mario Bondioli, Ph.D.

Statistical Consultant (Co-op) at Gilead Sciences2024–2025

Mentor & Manager: Ethan Yen

Summer Analyst, Wholesale Banking at ING Group N.V.Summer 2023

Education

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (2025 – 2029)

Graduate CollegePhD Applied Computing (Informatics Programs)Cognitive Science & Language Processing group
Data Analytics & Information Visualization group
Statistics minor · Advised by Professor Matthew Turk
Graduate CollegeMS Mathematics: Algorithms & Optimization

University of California, Berkeley (2022 – 2025)

College of Letters & ScienceBA (Hons) Mathematics
College of ComputingBA (Hons) Statistics

Select Coursework

Graduate College Coursework (Illinois)

ASTR 510 Spring 2027Computational AstrophysicsCharles Gammie, Ph.D.
ASTR 503 Spring 2027Observational AstronomyAthol Kemball, Ph.D.
MATH 595 Spring 2027Stochastic PDEsDaniel Cooney, Ph.D.
CSE 553 Spring 2027Computational InelasticityArif Masud, Ph.D.
CSE 461 Spring 2027Computational AerodynamicsBlaine Vollmer, Ph.D.
STAT 588 In progressCovariance Structures and Factor ModelsSteven Culpepper, Ph.D.
MATH 595 In progressIntroduction to Topological Data AnalysisYuliy Baryshnikov, Ph.D.
GGIS 527 In progressGeospatial Artificial Intelligence & Machine LearningYue Lin, Ph.D.
INFO 510 In progressResearch PracticumRobert Brunner, Ph.D.
CS 498SF In progressSoftware Foundations (Rocq)Talia Ringer, Ph.D.
MATH 595QLQuantum Learning TheoryJacob Beckey, Ph.D.
MATH 586Algebraic CombinatoricsAlexander Yong, Ph.D.
MATH 503Introduction to Geometric Group TheoryIgor Mineyev, Ph.D.
CS 555Numerical Methods for PDEsPaul Fischer, Ph.D.
CS 598TLRBuilding Proof AssistantsTalia Ringer, Ph.D.
CS 591BABiologically Plausible AIChengXiang Zhai, Ph.D.
IS 519Research DesignJessie Chin, Ph.D.
STAT 578Spectral Methods, Network Analysis & Nonconvex OptimizationJoshua Agterberg, Ph.D.
MATH 595RQTRepresentation-theoretic Methods in Quantum Information TheoryFelix Leditzky, Ph.D.
CS 576MComputer-aided Methods for Formal DeductionTalia Ringer, Ph.D.
IS 509History and Foundations of Information ScienceMichael Twidale, Ph.D.
INFO 590Proseminar in College TeachingAlaina Pincus, Ph.D.
TE 566Finance for Engineering ManagementBrian Lilly

Graduate Division Coursework (Berkeley)

ECON 217RiskLisa R. Goldberg, Ph.D.
STAT 244High Powered Statistical Computing in JuliaChris Paciorek, Ph.D.
STAT C205AMeasure Theoretic ProbabilitySteven N. Evans, Ph.D.
STAT 210ATheoretical StatisticsWill Fithian, Ph.D.
MATH 250AGroups, Rings and FieldsRichard Borcherds, Ph.D.
MATH C223Eigenvalues of Random MatricesVadim Gorin, Ph.D.
MATH 221Advanced Matrix ComputationsJim Demmel, Ph.D.

Selected Upper Division Coursework

ENGIN 183Engineering LeadershipCarrie Requist, MBA
ECON 157Health EconomicsRyan Edwards, Ph.D.
ECON 141Mathematical EconometricsDemian Pouzo, Ph.D.
ECON C110Game TheoryTyler Maxey, Ph.D.
INFO 190Skepticism in a Data-Driven WorldJevin West, Ph.D.
COMPSCI 169ASoftware EngineeringArmando Fox, Ph.D.
STAT H195Honors ThesisAdvised by Andrew Bray, Ph.D.
STAT 165ForecastingWill Fithian, Ph.D.
STAT 158Experimental DesignAndrew Bray, Ph.D.
STAT 134Concepts of ProbabilityAdam Lucas, Ph.D.
MATH 130Groups and Geometry: Matroid TheoryAndrés R. Vindas Meléndez, Ph.D.
MATH 128ANumerical AnalysisPer-Olof Persson, Ph.D.
MATH 113Abstract AlgebraDan-Virgil Voiculescu, Ph.D.
MATH 110Abstract Linear AlgebraOlga Holtz, Ph.D.
MATH 105Multivariate Analysis & Measure TheoryKhalilah Beal-Uribe, Ph.D.
MATH 104Real AnalysisKhalilah Beal-Uribe, Ph.D.

Lower Division Coursework

COMPSCI 61BData Structures (Java)Justin Yokota, M.S.
COMPSCI 61AProgram Structures (Python, Lisp)Satish Rao, Ph.D.
DATA C8Data Science FoundationsJoseph Gonzalez, Ph.D.
STAT 33BAdvanced R ProgrammingGaston Sanchez, Ph.D.
MATH 55Discrete MathematicsSylvie Corteel, Ph.D.

Prior Education

I did my high school at Dubai American Academy, junior high at Webber Academy (Calgary), and primary years at Jakarta International School.

Teaching Assistantships / Course Staff

* = Recipient of the Facilitating Learning Excellence (FLEX) Award

MATH 231: Calculus IIGraduate Student InstructorFall 2026
IS 203: Discrete Methods*Graduate Student InstructorSpring 2026
IS 445: Data Visualization*Graduate Student InstructorFall 2025
MATH 113: Abstract AlgebraReaderSummer 2025
MATH 105: Multivariate Real Analysis & Measure TheoryReaderSpring 2025
STAT 2: Introduction to StatisticsStudy Center Group TutorSpring 2025
MATH 53: Multivariate and Vector CalculusStudy Center Group TutorSummer 2024
STAT 20: Introduction to Statistics & ProbabilityGroup TutorSpring 2024
STAT 2: Introduction to StatisticsStudy Center Group TutorSpring 2024
DATA C8: Foundations of Data ScienceAcademic InternFall 2023

Course Development

Department of Mathematics Student Researcher IVSpring 2025

Developing linear algebra education tools for MATH 56: Linear Algebra (prototype here). Funded by the "Interactive Tools for Learning Linear Algebra" Instructional Technology and Innovation Grant.

Department of Physics Course DeveloperSpring 2024–2025

Developer for Nobel laureate in physics Saul Perlmutter's L&S 22: Sense & Sensibility & Science course's data science lab on bad science.

DSUS Modules DeveloperFall 2023

Developed ECON 148: Data Science for Economists' Prophet forecasting lab and converted IEOR 120: Engineering Economics' homeworks into autogradable notebooks.

Teaching Training & Development

CITL Cheelan Bo-Linn Teaching Excellence Certificate, UIUCIn progress
CITL Master Course on Online Teaching, UIUC2026
CITL Graduate Academy, UIUC2025
INFO 590: College Teaching, UIUC2025
STAT 375, UC Berkeley2024

Current Service

Undergraduate Affairs Committee Standing Member2026–present

Department of Mathematics, UIUC

Senator2026–present

UIUC Senate Council on Student Conduct Expectations and Accountability

Past Service

USAMO/USAJMO Grader2026

Mathematical Association of America (MAA)

Summer Camp InstructorSummer 2025

Department of Industrial Engineering and Operations Research, UC Berkeley

Mathematics Grievance Committee2024–2025

UC Berkeley

Contract Action Team2024–2025

UAW 4811

Officer2023–2025

Mathematics Undergraduate Student Association, UC Berkeley

Marketing & Recruitment Director2022–2024

Berkeley Math Tournament

Finance Lead & Avionics Engineer2022–2024

Space Technologies and Rocketry @ Berkeley

Somewhere in the Mojave Desert
Somewhere in the Mojave

Research Space 5080

614 E Daniel Street, Champaign, IL 61820

We’re a group of PhD students and candidates at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign studying computer and information science. Our working group develops intelligent systems that integrate machine learning, natural language processing, knowledge representation, and automated reasoning to discover, organize, and extract knowledge across diverse scientific domains, including mathematics, astronomy, chemistry, and medicine.

Joey Chan

Joey Chan

PhD Student, Computer Science (2025–present)

MS & BS Computer Science, Johns Hopkins

Amazon AI PhD Fellow

AdvisorsProf. Yue GuoProf. Jiawei Han
Research focus

Natural Language Processing, Knowledge Discovery, AI for Science

Previously

Applied Scientist Intern @ Amazon

Website · Google Scholar

Jingyuan Chen

Jingyuan Chen

PhD Student, Applied Computing (Informatics) (2025–present)

MS Mathematics, Illinois

BA Maths, BA Stats, UC Berkeley

AdvisorProf. Matthew Turk
Research focus

Random Matrix Theory, Free Probability, Proof Assistants, AI for Finance, Math & Science (Astronomy)

Previously

Quant Intern @ Bloomberg

Website · Google Scholar

Yikun Han

Yikun Han

PhD Student, Information Science (2025–present)

MS Data Science, Michigan

BS Information Management, Sichuan University

AdvisorsProf. Yue GuoProf. Halil Kilicoglu
Research focus

Large Language Models, Information Retrieval, AI for (Biomedical) Science, Natural Language Processing

Previously

Data Analyst Intern @ Tencent

Website · Google Scholar

Meng Li

Meng Li

PhD Candidate, Information Science (2022–present)

MS Big Data Analytics, Pittsburgh

AdvisorProf. Bertram Ludäscher
Research focus

Neurosymbolic AI, LLMs for Code, Machine Learning, Argumentation

Previously

Systems Engineer @ UPMC Cancer Center

Website · Google Scholar

Yilin Xia

Yilin Xia

PhD Candidate, Information Science (2021–present)

Final year

AdvisorsProf. Matthew TurkProf. Bertram Ludäscher
Research focus

Databases, Neurosymbolic AI, Graph Reasoning, Argumentation, Knowledge Graphs

Previously

Data Engineering Intern @ Airbus

Website · Google Scholar

© 2026 Jingyuan Chen