Yingda Zhai

Yingda Zhai serves as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Information Systems and Analytics at the National University of Singapore's School of Computing. His academic foundation includes a Ph.D. in Economics from the University of Texas at Austin, an M.Sc. in Economics from Baylor University, and a B.A. in Finance from Shandong University.

His research spans Economics of Information Systems, focusing on digital transformation, platform innovation, and computational social science. Key interests include dynamic pricing mechanisms, queueing theory applications in cloud computing, information design in digital economies, and social media's impact on societal trust structures. His work bridges theoretical economics with practical IT industry challenges.

Analysis of his publications reveals a strong emphasis on resource allocation efficiency in cloud environments, with pioneering work on how large-scale providers mitigate demand uncertainty through market segmentation and strategic throttling. His research directly addresses real-world problems in cloud computing economics, particularly how providers optimize profits while managing unpredictable user demands.

• Faculty Teaching Excellence Award 2021
• Faculty Teaching Excellence Award 2022

Dr. Zhai teaches advanced courses including BT4212 Search Engine Optimization and Analytics and BT5126 Hands-on with Business Analytics. His research projects investigate critical digital economy challenges such as trust dynamics in online societies and optimal pricing strategies for resource-constrained digital platforms. Current work examines correlated internet traffic effects on cloud pricing during demand surges like those experienced during the pandemic.