Oliver Yao, dean of the University of Delaware’s Alfred Lerner College of Business and Economics announced the appointments of Bintong Chen to Chaplin Tyler Professor and Carlos Asarta to Bank of America Professor of Business. Their appointments were effective September 1, 2024.
The Chaplin Tyler Professorship recognizes exceptional accomplishment in scholarship and a profound commitment to graduate education. Chen’s work in optimization theory and its business applications has resulted in 67 scholarly publications, earning him 3,960 Google Scholar citations and an h-index of 36. Dr. Chen’s research contributions, including the widely recognized “Chen-Harker-Kanzow-Smale (CHKS)” smooth function, have established him as a leading scholar in supply chain management.
“Dr. Bintong Chen’s exceptional research achievements, impactful contributions to graduate education, and dedicated service make him an exemplary candidate for the Chaplin Tyler Professorship,” said Yao in making the announcement.
In graduate education, Chen, a full professor, has chaired nine Ph.D. dissertations, leading to successful placements in academia and industry. His students have secured positions as professors and senior data scientists at leading companies like Amazon and Meta. As the founding director of the Financial Services Analytics (FSAN) Ph.D. program, Chen has significantly enhanced its reputation and impact, achieving competitive acceptance rates, high student research output, and successful job placements.
Chen’s significant service contributions include initiating and establishing the Joint Data Science Institute between SWUFE and UD. His efforts in developing the FSAN Ph.D. and M.S. programs, in collaboration with UD’s College of Engineering and industry partners, further highlight his dedication to academic excellence.
The Bank of America Professor of Business is a testament to Asarta’s outstanding teaching, remarkable research contributions, and unwavering service to the UD academic community. Asarta, a full professor in the Department of Economics, has taught a diverse array of economics courses at various levels, impacting over 8,000 students since 2007. His teaching excellence has been recognized through numerous awards, including the 2022 Most Valuable Professor Award from UD Athletics and the 2015 Lerner College Outstanding Teacher Award.
“Dr. Carlos Asarta’s commitment to enhancing educational and institutional initiatives makes him an exemplary recipient of the Bank of America Professor of Business,” said Yao.
In addition to his outstanding teaching, Asarta has made significant contributions to economic education through his textbook, “Connect Master: Economics,” which has reached nearly 370,000 students. His leadership roles, including director of the master of arts in economics and entrepreneurship for educators (MAEEE) program and the James B. O’Neill Director of the Center for Economic Education and Entrepreneurship (CEEE), highlight his dedication to mentorship and educational innovation.
Asarta’s remarkable research achievements, including 60 published manuscripts and four national awards, further underscore his suitability for this distinguished professorship.