Wen-Jang Huang Named College of Science Distinguished Alumnus

04-02-2007

Wen-Jang Huang, a 1983 Purdue University Department of Statistics Ph.D. graduate, was honored as one of ten distinguished scientists on Friday, April 6th at the College of Science Distinguished Alumni Awards program. The awards were established in 1990 to recognize outstanding achievement by Science alumni in professional and related fields of endeavor.

Wen-Jang Huang is the director of the Institute of Statistics, which he founded in 2003. He is the author of more than 35 research articles and nine books.

Huang is a member of the Institute of Mathematical Statistics, and a lifetime member of the International Chinese Statistical Association, the Chinese Institute of Probability and Statistics, the Mathematical Society of the Republic of China, and the Chinese Statistical Association. He is also a member of the Chung-Hua Data Mining Society.

From his time at Purdue, Huang remembers, "the warm and friendly atmosphere of Statistics department towards students, especially for foreign students from all over the world. Both the faculties and staffs took pleasures in helping the students in their school works and daily lives. The Statistics picnics and Christmas parties were also very memorable. Among others, Professor Cote and Ms. Norma Lucas are the two that I am very grateful for their help and kindness. The scene where Ms. Norma and other secretaries as well held the coffee pot and asked us if we would like to have a cup of it before the working day ends is as vivid as something just happened yesterday."

Huang lives in Taiwan with his wife, Mong-Na Lo (also with Ph.D. in Statistics from Purdue), and his daughter, Yen-Ning. His hobbies are hiking, watching movies at home, and writing essays. He says that some day he would like to write a novel about lives at Purdue.

Career Highlights

2004-2006 Vice President, National University of Kaohsiung
2005 Contribution Award, Chinese Institute of Probability and Statistics
2004 Founding Dean, College of Science, National University of Kaohsiung
2003 Founding Director, Institute of Statistics, National University of Kaohsiung
2001-2004 President, Chinese Institute of Probability and Statistics
2000 Founding Chairman, Department of Applied Mathematics, National University of Kaohsiung
1992?1993 Outstanding Research Award, National Science Council, Taiwan, R.O.C.
1987 Founding Chairman, Department of Applied Mathematics, National Sun Yat-sen University

Dr. Huang gave a talk titled, "Skew Symmetric Distributions" (PDF) on Friday, April 6, 2007 at 10:30 am in BRNG B222. A reception preceded the talk from 10:00-10:30 am in HAAS 101.

To read more about Wen-Jang Huang, read his Alumni Profile.

More information about Statistics Distinguished Alumni, can be found by visiting the Purdue Statistics Distinguished Alumni page.