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College of Liberal Arts & Sciences

Department of Statistics

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Statistics at Illinois

Title announcing the new data science minor.

Boost your data science skills and discover the new Data Science Minor for Illinois undergraduates now!

Upcoming Events

Career paths in statistics, title campaign for altgeld and illini halls.

The University of Illinois has embarked on a project to restore and renovate Altgeld Hall and replace its neighbor across Wright Street, Illini Hall, with a new building. An investment in these spaces will directly benefit thousands of students and faculty members. The renovation of Altgeld and a new Illini Hall will provide students and faculty collaborative spaces that are essential for learning and discovery in the 21st century and make both buildings accessible to all students.

Professor, Department of Statistics

Yuguo Chen Professor, Director of Illinois Statistics Office Department of Statistics University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign 725 S. Wright Street Champaign, IL 61820 USA Email: Phone: (217) 244-3932, Fax: (217) 244-7190 Office: 103D Illini Hall

Yuguo Chen is Professor at Department of Statistics , University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign . He is Director of Illinois Statistics Office . He is also affiliated with Coordinated Science Laboratory , Department of Computer Science , Information Trust Institute , Computational Science and Engineering , and Illinois Informatics Institute . Prior to joining UIUC, he was an Assistant Professor at the Institute of Statistics and Decision Sciences, Duke University , from 2001 to 2005.

2001, Ph.D., Statistics, Stanford University. 1997, B.S., Mathematics, University of Science and Technology of China.

Research Interests

Monte Carlo theory and methodology, and their applications to scientific problems Statistical inference on network data State space models and dynamic systems Bioinformatics and population genetics

Distinctions / Awards

Data Science Founder Professorial Scholar, 2019 Fellow of American Statistical Association, 2018 Charles Edison Lecturer, University of Notre Dame, 2018 Lists of Teachers Ranked as Excellent, 2010, 2013, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 Invited Lecture at the “Best of Computational and Graphical Statistics” session of Interface, 2015 ICSA Student Paper Award, 2001

Editorial Board

Associate Editor, Statistica Sinica , 2020-present. Associate Editor, Journal of American Statistical Association , 2014-present. Associate Editor, Journal of Computational and Graphical Statistics , 2007-present. Editorial Board, Journal of Algebraic Statistics , 2009-present. Editorial Board, ISRN Computational Mathematics , 2011-present.

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Undergraduate Admissions

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College of Liberal Arts & Sciences

What is Statistics?

Statistics is the science of modeling, summarizing, and analyzing data. With statistics, you can make predictions and decisions about uncertain situations. This branch of mathematics is applicable in any area involving quantitative measurement. In this major, you'll gain an understanding of statistical inference. You will also learn about applied statistical analysis. This includes experimental design, simulation, model selection, and validation.

Career Options

• Medical research

Post-Graduation Success 1

89% employed or continuing education

44% employed after graduation

45% attending graduate school

$57,962 average starting annual income

Sample employer destinations: Deloitte, Allstate Insurance Company, Epic Systems View All

Sample grad school destinations: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Columbia University, New York University View All

Program Resources

Review criteria, first-year major-specific criteria.

• Calculus preferred (if available at high school)
• Demonstrated understanding of and interest in the major

View All Review Criteria

Transfer Criteria

Graduation & retention 2.

4.1 years to degree

97% first-year retention rate

75% four-year graduation rate

75% six-year graduation rate

Annual Program Costs 3

Illinois resident.

• Tuition: $12,712
• Fees: $4,928
• Expenses: $18,222
• Total: $35,862

Non-Resident

• Tuition: $31,832
• Expenses: $18,562
• Total: $55,322

International

• Tuition: $34,280
• Total: $57,770

Related Majors

1 Post-graduate data was collected through the Illini Success initiative , which primarily relies on self-reported survey data sources. Statistics are aggregated from the past three years. Please note that total compensation may be greater than annual salary as other forms of compensation (e.g., signing bonus, commission, benefits) are not included. For more information on Illini Success data and methods, please visit the Illini Success website . For average wage or salary information five years after entry into an occupation, visit the Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes Explorer .

2 Graduation and retention data comes from several majors within a similar interest area. Data may not yet be available for newly created programs. Years-to-degree data is only available for programs from which you can earn a degree. Retention and graduation rates are only available for programs that you can apply directly into. Retention rates reflect retention to the university, not necessarily retention within the major.

3 "Expenses" are estimated and include books, supplies, housing, and other living expenses. The exact amount you’ll pay depends on where you decide to live, the meal plan you choose, and your overall lifestyle. To learn more about costs, please visit the Office of Student Financial Aid website . To learn the average monthly student loan payment over a period of 20 years based on estimated cost, visit the Illinois College2Career website .

Employer List

Grad school list, want more info.

College of Liberal Arts & Sciences

Department of Economics

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Admitted Student Statistics

Number of applications.

We typically receive  over 300 applications   to our program each year, averaging 370 over the last three years .

Current Students

We have over 100 Ph.D. students at all levels of the program. Visit our Graduate Student Directory to find out more about our current students.

College of Liberal Arts & Sciences

Program of Actuarial and Risk Management Sciences

Phd in mathematics – concentration in actuarial science and risk analytics.

This PhD concentration is intended for students with strong quantitative skills who want to acquire advanced analytical tools for academic careers and research and development careers  in insurance, consulting, investment, pension, healthcare, banking and financial services .

The University of Illinois is an ideal place for education and research in actuarial, financial and risk management, due to its well-established system of interdisciplinary collaborations among various units. Highlights of the University’s achievements in these areas can be found  here . Based in the renowned Department of Mathematics, this program offers a unique blend of a world-class rigorous mathematical education with practical research and professional training in actuarial science, quantitative finance and risk analytics. Read more at our  poster for graduate studies in actuarial science and risk management .

PhD candidates cover most of the material for professional exams, and build on that foundation to receive in-depth education on modern techniques and challenges in the financial, actuarial and risk management professions through coursework, seminars, internships and research. Due to the interdisciplinary nature of actuarial and financial research, PhD candidates are encouraged to broaden their knowledge by taking courses in statistics, finance, insurance, risk management, data analytics, etc.

The Department of Mathematics offers a unique multi-year internship program where PhD candidates are encouraged and supported to receive internship experience in summer breaks during their PhD studies. More information can be found  here . There are also internship opportunities on campus at the  University of Illinois Research Park . Students are also exposed regularly to cutting-edge research development in industry and academia by attending and presenting at the  Actuarial Science and Financial Mathematics Seminar , where a wide range of prominent researchers are invited to speak and visit. In addition, students can participate in the seminar series on  Mathematical Finance, Risk and Uncertainty , jointly organized with the Department of Industrial and Enterprise Systems Engineering.

Our program offers opportunities for PhD candidates to work in a wide range of research areas, including stochastic analysis in actuarial and financial modeling, quantitative risk management of equity-linked insurance, pension and social security, industry solvency assessment, collective risk theory, Monte Carlo simulations, and more. The  Illinois Risk Lab  also provides a channel for practical research to address emerging problems from industrial partners and professional organizations.

Financial support is offered for up to six years to every student admitted to our PhD program, in the form of teaching assistantships, research assistantships and corporate-sponsored fellowships. We also provide full reimbursement of exam fees for those who choose to take professional exams. To help students develop communication and networking skills, we also provide financial support for PhD candidate to travel to research summer schools and conferences in related areas.

Admissions Requirements

Students with a Bachelor’s degree in any quantitative field can apply directly to the PhD program. Applicants are expected to demonstrate competence in real analysis, linear algebra, and probability and statistics, either through undergraduate coursework or by means of Graduate Record Examination (GRE) mathematics subject test.

Complete information regarding graduation requirements can be found in the  Guide for Graduate Students in Mathematics . The following list only serves as a summary for prospective students.

PhD candidates in this concentration are required to complete the core courses: MATH 540 (Real Analysis) MATH 561 (Theory of Probability I) MATH 563 (Risk Modeling and Analysis) STAT 510 (Mathematical Statistics I) One additional course from a list of approved core courses for all PhD students.

PhD candidates in this concentration must also demonstrate competence in three additional supporting courses: MATH 564 (Applied Stochastic Processes) STAT 425 (Applied Regression and Design) FIN 591 (Theory of Finance)

and in two of the following actuarial graduate courses: MATH 565 (Actuarial Models for Life Contingencies) MATH 567 (Actuarial Models for Financial Economics) MATH 568 (Actuarial Loss Models)

Although not required, many PhD candidates in the Actuarial Science and Risk Analytics Concentration take elective courses in functional analysis, partial differential equations, linear and nonlinear programming, multivariate analysis, statistical computing, macro and micro economics, portfolio management, predictive modeling, machine learning.

How to Apply

The application process for this concentration is the same as the regular Mathematics PhD program. Detailed instruction as well as general requirements can be found  here . Candidates should clearly identify the Actuarial Science and Risk Analytics Concentration on the application form, and in their personal statement.

Frequently Asked Questions

If I want to become a practicing actuary, should I consider PhD education in Actuarial Science?

The actuarial profession in North America highly values professional credentials obtained through passing professional exams with credentialing bodies such as the Society of Actuaries and Casualty Actuarial Society. A PhD education in Actuarial Science is not a necessary component for a career path as an actuary. Students who are interested in career paths in traditional actuarial roles should pursue our MS program in Actuarial Science. The PhD concentration prepares students for academic careers and research and development offices/departments in the insurance and financial service industries. For example, a graduate may find a tenure-system position in a university, work as a quantitative reinsurance analyst, a catastrophe modeling analyst, a quantitative strategy researcher in a proprietary trading firm, and so on.

What qualifications are you looking for in admissions?

A typical PhD applicant should have a bachelor’s degree or its equivalent in a quantitative field, including but not limited to pure mathematics, applied mathematics, statistics, engineering, quantitative finance, physics, etc. Students should take the GRE General test.

How much do GRE scores get weighted into the application of a prospective student? What other factors weigh the most in an application?

We consider the whole application to find students with sufficient preparation and motivation to succeed in our program. Applicants typically perform strongly on the GRE General exam (80th percentile and above on the quantitative portion, and we like to see good scores on the other sections too). Scores on the GRE Mathematics subject exam (if taken) vary quite widely. Coursework relevant to actuarial science and risk analytics is valuable. 

The transcripts from your bachelor’s and master’s institutions are important. We pay close attention to courses and grades. If you come in with an actuarial or financial mathematics background, we do consider your track record of passing professional exams. However, students in this concentration also come from other quantitative fields.

What funding is available to students ?

All admitted students are offered a full tuition waiver, and a teaching assistantship (the stipend is $20,000 for the academic year; most students get some summer funding too). The funding offer runs for 5 or 6 years, depending on your level of preparation. Fellowship and RA support is available to some continuing students who perform strongly in the program.

How do the requirements for those pursuing the Actuarial Science emphasis differ from those pursuing other fields of study?

Notably, students in the Actuarial Science and Risk Analytics Concentration are not required to take Math 500 Abstract Algebra. Instead, they take Stat 510 Mathematical Statistics I. The full requirements for students in the Concentration are listed  here .

What should be my focus to prepare for this program beyond admissions?

Take as much undergraduate real analysis as possible (called “advanced calculus” at some universities), and tackle the hardest problems you can get your hands on. Learn metric space topology, with normed vector spaces being an important example. Get familiar with spherical coordinates, the divergence theorem (Gauss theorem), and  Green’s first and second identities .

Real analysis lays the foundation for probability, stochastic processes, and differential equations, at the graduate level. If you are strong in real analysis, then you can learn and pass the material in the first year comprehensive courses in a PhD program like ours.

Statistics at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Featured statistics programs, statistics degrees available at uiuc, uiuc stats rankings.

Popularity of Stats at UIUC

How much do stats graduates from uiuc make, salary of stats graduates with a bachelor's degree.

Stats majors who earn their bachelor's degree from UIUC go on to jobs where they make a median salary of $63,699 a year. This is higher than $49,491, which is the national median for all stats bachelor's degree recipients.

Salary of Stats Graduates with a Master's Degree

Stats majors graduating with a master's degree from UIUC make a median salary of $86,086 a year. This is a better than average outcome since the median salary for all stats graduates with a master's is $85,100.

How Much Student Debt Do Stats Graduates from UIUC Have?

Student debt of stats graduates with a bachelor's degree.

While getting their bachelor's degree at UIUC, stats students borrow a median amount of $19,394 in student loans. This is not too bad considering that the median debt load of all stats bachelor's degree recipients across the country is $21,000.

Stats Student Diversity at UIUC

Uiuc statistics bachelor’s program.

For the most recent academic year available, 63% of stats bachelor's degrees went to men and 37% went to women.

The following table and chart show the ethnic background for students who recently graduated from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign with a bachelor's in stats.

UIUC Statistics Master’s Program

In the 2020-2021 academic year, 111 students earned a master's degree in stats from UIUC. About 45% of these graduates were women and the other 55% were men.

The following table and chart show the ethnic background for students who recently graduated from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign with a master's in stats.

Majors Similar to Stats

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Dept of Math, Stat, & Comp Sci

College of liberal arts and sciences, statistics at uic heading link copy link.

Welcome to the homepage of Statistics at UIC. We are an undergraduate and a graduate program within the Department of Mathematics, Statistics, and Computer Science. There are 8 tenured and tenure-track professors in our statistics program. The size is comparable to statistics departments in some other institutions. Faculty members have a diverse range of both teaching and research interests.

In terms of research, there is an intellectually stimulating working environment where many of the faculty members collaborate with each other and with doctoral students. Faculty research is well-supported by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute of Health, among other prestigious funding agencies. Together, the statistics program faculty members offer a nice array of research. The combined research areas include many cutting-edge statistics areas currently in high demand. They include but are not limited to, the areas of big data analysis, bioinformatics, design of experiment, empirical likelihood, financial mathematics, functional data analysis, high dimensional statistical inference, machine Learning, nonparametetric and semiparametric statistics, stochastic analysis, and many more.

The statistics program also provides a dynamic environment for teaching. The curriculum aims at making students ready for either a non-academic career or further study in graduate school depending on their interests. It is a fertile ground for both core research and collaborative research across disciplines. The faculty are well-known for excellence in research and teaching, and have received numerous honors .

At the undergraduate level, the statistics program offers a Bachelor of Science (BS) degree in Statistics with two possible tracks, or concentrations. The Statistical Theory and Methods concentration provides a classical training in statistics, ideally suited for students planning to attend graduate school in statistics or other data-focused disciplines. The Applied Statistics concentration is more interdisciplinary, allowing students to select an application area of focus, such as biology and economics, to complement their basic statistical training. This concentration is well-suited for students planning for a career in government or industry.

Looking to learn more about our alumni and how current and recent students chose Statistics as their major? Check out the LAS Career Development and Internships “ Explore My Major ” website. The “ What Can I Do with My LAS Major? ” page is particularly helpful when searching for job titles and industry clusters. If you have specific questions regarding the Mathematics and Computer Science major, feel to contact  Dr. Jennifer Pajda-De La O . Advising information should be directed to the Director of Advising, Outreach, and Math Placement or a member of the  Undergraduate Studies office .

At the graduate level, the statistics program offers several means for earning a Master of Science (MS) degree in statistics , as well as a rigorous program leading to a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree. The curriculum is updated on a regular basis to reflect industry trends. Each program offers a rigorous and up-to-date curriculum, emphasizing both theory and applications in order to train the students to become the best statisticians and future leaders for academia, government, and industry.

The Graduate College at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Professor's research assistant, organization, description, responsibilities, and qualifications.

Looking for Graduate Students to Assist in Journal Publication

My research group has multiple research projects with outcomes that seek quick publication to selected academic journals in timely preparation for external funding opportunities. The student assistant is expected to write, edit, and format a part/whole of journal manuscript while research contents are provided and communicated in full detail. The assistant may qualify for authorship if he/she contributes further to guided literature review or data analysis. Decent writing skills are important, and prior experiences with academic journal writing is preferred, but not required. I will work directly with the assistant to provide guidelines and feedback. Responsiveness and professional work ethics is crucial for timely publication within a few weeks.     

Compensation

GEO standard compensation, $16 / hour, up to 20 hours per week

Application Procedure

Email to Professor Kim at [email protected], with CV and demonstrated work(s) of academic writing. The selected applicant will be contacted for a Zoom interview within 48 hours. 

Application Deadline

Contact name, contact email, contact phone.

• MyU : For Students, Faculty, and Staff

CSE welcomes 26 new faculty in 2023-24

STEM experts from across the world join the University of Minnesota 

The University of Minnesota College of Science and Engineering (CSE) welcomes 26 faculty members this 2023-24 academic year—on its way to achieving its goal to hire 60 faculty in three years.

The expertise of this new group of CSE researchers and educators is broad. They range in areas such as hybrid intelligence systems, the reconstruction of past environments and climates, electric machines and magnetic levitation, reinforced concrete structures, and mathematical models to predict the electronic properties of novel materials. 

Meet our new science and engineering faculty:

Rene Boiteau is an assistant professor of chemistry.  He joins Minnesota from Oregon State University, where he held a joint faculty appointment in the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. Boiteau earned a bachelor’s in chemistry at Northwestern University, a master’s in earth sciences at University of Cambridge, and a Ph.D. in chemical oceanography at Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. Much of his work is focused on developing analytical chemical approaches, especially mass spectrometry.

Zhu-Tian Chen is an assistant professor of computer science and engineering.  He received his bachelor’s in software engineering from South China University of Technology and Ph.D. in computer science from Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. Prior to Minnesota, Chen served as a postdoctoral fellow at Harvard University and postdoctoral researcher at the University of California San Diego. His recent work focuses on enhancing human-data and human-AI interactions in both AR/VR environments—with applications in sports, data journalism, education, biomedical, and architecture. 

Gregory “Greg” Handy  is an assistant professor of mathematics . He comes to Minnesota from the University of Chicago, where he was a postdoctoral scholar in the Departments of Neurobiology and Statistics. As an applied mathematician and theoretical biologist, Handy’s research strives to use biological applications as inspiration to create new mathematical techniques, and to combine these techniques with classical approaches to examine the mechanisms driving biological processes. This fall, he is teaching Math 2142: Elementary Linear Algebra.

Jessica Hoover is a professor of chemistry. She joins the University of Minnesota from West Virginia University, where she has been a faculty member since 2012. Hoover’s interest in catalysis has been the focus of her work since her undergraduate studies. She graduated with a bachelor’s from Harvey Mudd College before arriving at the University of Washington to pursue her Ph.D. She was a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Wisconsin, Madison.

Harman Kaur  is an assistant professor of computer science and engineering—and a University of Minnesota alumna  (2016 bachelor’s in computer science). Her research areas are human-centered artificial intelligence, explainability and interpretability, and hybrid intelligence systems. She is affiliated with the GroupLens Research Lab, a group of faculty and students in her department that’s focused on human computing interaction. Prior to Minnesota, Kaur served as a graduate researcher in the interactive Systems Lab and comp.social Lab at the University of Michigan, where she received both her master’s and Ph.D. 

Yulong Lu is an assistant professor of mathematics.  He joins the faculty from University of Massachusetts, Amherst. Lu received his Ph.D. in mathematics and statistics at the University of Warwick. His research lies at the intersection of applied and computational mathematics, statistics, and data sciences. His recent work is focused on the mathematical aspects of deep learning. This fall, Lu is teaching Math 2573H: Honors Calculus III to undergraduates and Math 8600: Topics in Applied Mathematics, Theory of Deep Learning to graduate students.

Ben Margalit is an assistant professor of physics and astronomy.  As a theoretical astrophysicist, he studies the fundamental physics of star explosions, collisions and other examples of intergalactic violence such as a black hole passing near a galaxy and “shredding it to spaghetti.” As part of his job, Margalit works closely with observational astronomers in selecting the kinds of places to look for transient events. He holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, and a Ph.D. from Columbia University. 

Maru Sarazola is an assistant professor of mathematics. She joins Minnesota from Johns Hopkins University, where she was a J.J. Sylvester Assistant Professor. Sarazola received her Ph.D. from Cornell University. Her research is focused on algebraic topology—specifically, her interest lies in homotopy theory (a field that studies and classifies objects up to different notions of "sameness") and category theory (“the math of math,” which looks to abstract all structures to study their behavior). This fall, she is teaching Math 5285H: Honors Algebra I. 

Eric Severson is an associate professor of mechanical engineering—and University of Minnesota alumnus  (2008 bachelor’s and 2015 Ph.D. in electrical engineering). He returns to his alma mater after being on the University of Wisconsin-Madison faculty for six years. Severson leads research in electric machines and magnetic levitation, with a renewed focus in addressing grand challenges in energy and sustainability through multidisciplinary collaborations. His interests include extreme efficiency, bearingless machines, flywheel energy storage, and electric power grid technology.

Kelsey Stoerzinger is an associate professor of chemical engineering and materials science. She was on the faculty at Oregon State University, with a joint appointment in the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. She studies the electrochemical transformation of molecules into fuels, chemical feedstocks, and recovered resources. Her research lab designs materials and processes for the storage of renewable electricity. Stoerzinger holds a bachelor’s from Northwestern University, master’s from University of Cambridge, and Ph.D. from MIT.

Lynn Walker is a professor—and the L.E. Scriven Chair in the Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science.  Previously, she was on the faculty at Carnegie Mellon University. Her research focuses on developing the tools and fundamental understanding necessary to efficiently process soft materials and complex fluids. This expertise is being used to develop systematic approaches to incorporate sustainable feedstocks in consumer products. Walker holds a bachelor’s from the University of New Hampshire and Ph.D. from the University of Delaware. She was a postdoctoral researcher at Katholieke Universiteit Leuven in Belgium.

Alexander “Alex” Watson  is an assistant professor of mathematics—and former University of Minnesota postdoctoral researcher  in the School of Mathematics. Watson earned his Ph.D. at Columbia University. He works on mathematical models used to predict the electronic properties of materials, especially novel 2D materials such as graphene and twisted multilayer “moiré materials.” In summer 2022 and 2023, he presented at the U’s MathCEP Talented Youth Mathematics Program on topics related to materials research at the University of Minnesota. 

Anna Weigandt is an assistant professor of mathematics. She comes to Minnesota from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where she was an instructor. Weigandt completed her Ph.D. at the University of Illinois, and she was a postdoctoral assistant professor in the Center for Inquiry Based Learning at University of Michigan. She works in algebraic combinatorics, specifically Schubert calculus. This fall 2023, she is teaching Math 5705: Enumerative Combinatorics.

Michael Wilking is a professor of physics—and University of Minnesota alumnus (2001 bachelor’s in chemical engineering). He holds a master’s and Ph.D. from the University of Colorado. Prior to his return to the Twin Cities campus, Wilking served on the faculty at Stony Brook University. He completed his post-doc at TRIUMF, Canada's national particle accelerator center. Wilking was part of the Stony Brook research team honored with the 2016 Breakthrough Prize in Fundamental Physics.

Benjamin "Ben" Worsfold is an assistant professor of civil engineering —and a licensed professional engineer in both California and Costa Rica. His research interest lies in large-scale structural testing, finite element analysis of reinforced concrete structures, and anchoring to concrete. Worsfold earned his master’s and Ph.D. from the University of California, Berkeley, and bachelor’s from the University of Costa Rica.     

Yogatheesan Varatharajah is an assistant professor of computer science and engineering —and a visiting scientist in neurology at the Mayo Clinic. His research lies broadly in machine learning for health. Varatharajah earned his master’s and Ph.D. from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Prior to Minnesota, he was a research assistant professor of bioengineering at the University of Illinois and faculty affiliate for the Center for Artificial Intelligence Innovation with the National Center for Supercomputing Applications.

Starting in January 2024:

Emily Beverly is an incoming assistant professor of earth sciences. Prior to joining the University of Minnesota, she was on the faculty at University of Houston. She earned a bachelor’s from Trinity University, a master’s from Rutgers University, and a Ph.D. from Baylor University. Beverly was a postdoctoral researcher at Georgia State University and University of Michigan. Her research focuses on understanding environmental drivers of human and hominin evolution. Beverly uses stable isotopes and geochemistry to answer questions about past and future climates with a firm foundation in sedimentary geology and earth surface processes.

Alexander “Alex” Grenning is an assistant professor of chemistry.  He comes to Minnesota from the University of Florida, where he was a tenured faculty. Grenning earned a bachelor’s in chemistry and music from Lake Forest College, and a Ph.D. in organic chemistry from the University of Kansas. He was a postdoctoral researcher at Boston University. His work is focused on chemical synthesis and drug discovery.  

Rachel Gelhar is an incoming assistant professor of mechanical engineering. Her research focuses on developing and implementing nonlinear model-based control strategies for powered prosthetic legs, to improve generalizability of control methods across prosthesis users. She earned a B.S. 2016, Mechanical Engineering, University of St. Thomas., and both a master’s and Ph.D. in mechanical engineering from California Institute of Technology.  

Yu Cao is an incoming professor of electrical and computer engineering. Prior to Minnesota, Cao was a professor at Arizona State University. He holds a bachelor’s in physics from Peking University and a master’s in biophysics plus a Ph.D. in electrical engineering and computer sciences from the University of California-Berkeley. His research includes neural-inspired computing, hardware design for on-chip learning, and reliable integration of nanoelectronics. Cao served as associate editor of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers’s monthly  Transactions on CAD .

Edgar Peña is an incoming assistant professor of biomedical engineering—and a University of Minnesota alumnus (2017 Ph.D. in biomedical engineering). He is a neuromodulation scholar who is interested in vagus nerve stimulation. Peña earned his bachelor’s degrees in electrical engineering and biomedical engineering from the University of California, Irvine. During his doctoral studies at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities, he used computational models to optimize deep brain stimulation.

Seongjin Choi is an incoming assistant professor of civil engineering.  He received his bachelor’s, master’s, and Ph.D. from the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology. He was a postdoctoral researcher at McGill University. His work involves using data analytics to draw valuable insights from urban mobility data and applying cutting-edge AI technologies in the field of transportation.  

Pedram Mortazavi is an incoming assistant professor of civil engineering— and a licensed structural engineer in Canada .  His interests lie in structural resilience, steel structures, large-scale testing, development of damping and isolation systems, advanced simulation methods, and hybrid simulation. Mortazavi holds a bachelor’s from the University of Science and Culture in Iran, a master’s from Carleton University in Ottawa, and Ph.D. from the University of Toronto. 

Gang Qiu is an incoming assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering. He received his bachelor’s degree from Peking University in microelectronics and his Ph.D. in electrical and computer engineering from Purdue University. (He is currently a postdoctoral researcher at the University of California, Los Angeles.) Qiu’s research focuses on novel low-dimensional materials for advanced electronics and quantum applications. His current interest includes employing topological materials for topological quantum computing. 

Qianwen Wang is an incoming assistant professor of computer science and engineering. She received her bachelor’s from Xi’an Jiao Tong University and her Ph.D. from Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. Prior to Minnesota, Wang served as a post-doctoral researcher at Harvard University in the Department of Biomedical Informatics. As a visualization researcher, she created interactive visualization tools that enable humans to better interpret AI and generate insights from their data.

Katie (Yang) Zhao is an incoming assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering. Her research interest resides in the intersection between Domain-Specific Acceleration Chip and Computer Architecture. In particular, her work centers around enabling AI-powered intelligent functionalities on resource-constrained edge devices. Zhao received her bachelor’s and master’s from Fudan University, China, and Ph.D. from Rice University. (She is currently a postdoctoral researcher at Georgia Institute of Technology.)

If you’d like to support faculty research in the University of Minnesota College of Science and Engineering, visit our  CSE Giving website .

Join our winning team

Our unique combination of science and engineering within one college in a vibrant, metropolitan area means more opportunities for you. Learn about faculty openings.

Read more stories:

Find more news and feature stories on the  CSE news page .

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