President, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology
Professor Chan’s scientific background is in Mathematics, Computer Science and Engineering. He received his PhD in Computer Science from Stanford University. He taught at Yale University before joining UCLA as Professor of Mathematics in 1986. He was appointed Chair of the Department of Mathematics in 1997 and served as Dean of Physical Sciences from 2001 to 2006. From 2006 to 2009, Professor Chan was Assistant Director of the Mathematical and Physical Sciences Directorate at the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF). Professor Chan was conferred an Honorary Degree of Doctor of the University by University of Strathclyde, United Kingdom in 2015.
Professor Chan is an elected member of the US National Academy of Engineering (NAE), an elected Fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) and an elected fellow of both the Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics (SIAM) and the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Professor Chan was one of the world’s most cited mathematicians.
Professor Chan is currently a member of the Board of Trustees of the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) in Saudi Arabia, President’s Advisory Council of the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Scientific Advisory Board of the University of Vienna, International Advisory Board of Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU) at Shanghai Jiao Tong University and the United States Committee of 100. Professor Chan is also a member of the Advisory Committee on Innovation and Technology of the Hong Kong Government. He was a member of the Selection Committee for the Shaw Prize in Mathematical Sciences in 2012 and 2013.
