This year, the UD Alfred Lerner College welcomed several new faculty members into its community. Yushan Liu is an assistant professor of management information systems; she spoke with Lerner about her professional background and what inspired her research focus.
Lerner: What is your professional and academic background?
Liu: I hold a bachelor of science. and master of science. in electronic engineering, as well as a Ph.D. in decision science from Concordia University in Montreal. With five years of experience as an engineer, I have honed my technical skills and problem-solving abilities. In addition to my industry background, I have had the privilege of serving as an instructor at both Concordia University and the State University of New York at Plattsburgh, where I taught and mentored students in various subjects related to data analytics and machine learning.
Lerner: What is your research focus?
Liu: My research mainly focuses on the negotiation between human and computer agents. Imagine this scene in the future: when you shop online, you will have the opportunity to bargain with a computer agent over the product’s price and features. But what kind of agent will achieve better results? How can we define what a good result is? This is what I am interested in.
Lerner: What inspired you to work in your field/research/subject area?
Liu: I love shopping online. The rise of online shopping has made our lives more convenient. However, fixed prices may not satisfy all shopping needs. Introducing flexibility in online computer agents can add more human touch to the shopping experience and better meet customer demands.
Lerner: What is it about UD that made you want to work/teach/research here?
Liu: I spoke with a friend who works at UD, and he told me that he didn’t leave for another university, even when he was offered better compensation!
Lerner: What course are you most excited to teach at Lerner?
Liu: I’m excited to teach MISY 350: Business Application Development II and MISY 262: Fundamentals of Business Analytics. These courses provide students with essential tools that are highly valuable in today’s job market.
Lerner: What is something unique about you that may surprise your peers/students? (hobby, talent, experience etc.)
Liu: I almost pursued art and painting instead of science and engineering when I was in junior high school. I’m also good at snowboarding and I’m confident I can crush the CASI Level II exam!