Dr. Yanzhi Zhang has been named the inaugural Gary Havener Endowed Professor of mathematics and statistics at Missouri S&T. She is currently a professor in the department.

“Following a thorough review process and consideration of multiple external evaluations, we are pleased to award this new endowed professorship to Yanzhi,” says Dr. John Singler, interim chair and professor of mathematics and statistics at Missouri S&T. “Her accomplishments and dedication to students and the department are a real strength of the department. We are grateful that alumnus Gary Havener was able to generously fund this position to help us retain top faculty talent.”

Zhang’s research lies at the intersection of computational mathematics, scientific computing and data science. Her research focuses on the development, analysis and implementation of innovative computational algorithms to solve scientific and engineering challenges.

Her research areas include nonlocal and fractional partial differential equations (PDEs), Bose-Einstein superfluids, data-driven modeling for seismic waves, reduced-order modeling, and machine learning algorithms and their applications. Zhang’s research has been consistently supported by the National Science Foundation. In recognition of her contributions, she has received the Faculty Excellence Award and the CASE Innovative Teaching Award from Missouri S&T.

Zhang joined Missouri S&T in 2010 as an assistant professor, following positions as a postdoctoral research associate at Florida State University and a research fellow at the National University of Singapore. She was promoted to associate professor in 2015 and full professor in 2022. Zhang earned a Ph.D. in mathematics from the National University of Singapore and a bachelor’s degree in applied mathematics from Chongqing University in China.

About Missouri S&T

Missouri University of Science and Technology (Missouri S&T) is a STEM-focused research university of over 7,000 students located in Rolla, Missouri. Part of the four-campus University of Missouri System, Missouri S&T offers over 100 degrees in 40 areas of study and is among the nation’s top public universities for salary impact, according to the Wall Street Journal. For more information about Missouri S&T, visit  www.mst.edu.