Louis Chen Hsiao Yun

Louis Chen Hsiao Yun earned his BSc (2nd Upper Class) from University of Singapore in 1964 and completed his MSc as well as PhD at Stanford University in 1969 and 1971 respectively. In 1972, he joined the Mathematics Department of the then University of Singapore as a Lecturer. He was promoted to Senior Lecturer in 1977, Associate Professor in 1981 and Professor in 1989.

Professor Chen held several administrative appointments at the National University of Singapore (NUS). At the Faculty of Science, he was Head of the Department of Mathematics from July 1996 to June 2000 and Head of the Department of Statistics and Applied Probability from July 2002 to June 2004. He is also Director of NUS’ Institute for Mathematical Sciences, a post he has held since July 2000. Professor Chen was also a member of several University Boards such as the University Promotion and Tenure Committee and the Nominating Committee for Honorary Degrees and Emeritus Professorships. Most recently, he was awarded the prestigious Tan Chin Tuan Centennial Professorship in July 2006.

Research-wise, Professor Chen is considered to be the ‘Father’ of the Chen-Stein method of Poisson Approximation which deals with the probability that rare events will occur. This method and technique is widely applied in many areas ranging from molecular biology to computer science.

On the international front, Professor Chen served as a Council member of the International Statistical Institute from August 1997 to August 1999 and was the first Asian to be elected President of the Europe-based Bernoulli Society for Mathematical Statistics and Probability from August 1997 to July 1999. He also had the rare honour of being the first East Asian to be elected President of the Institute of Mathematical Statistics (U.S.A) based in California from August 2004 to July 2005.

Professor Chen has numerous local as well as international awards and honours under his belt. These include his election as Fellow of the Academy of Sciences for the Developing World in 2000; a Public Administration Medal (Silver) in 2002; and the conferment by the French Government of the title of Chevalier dans l'Ordre des Palmes Académiques in 2005 for his service to education.