David Yao

David Yao is the Piyasombatkul Family Professor of Industrial Engineering and Operations Research at Columbia Engineering, Columbia University. He has been a faculty member in the Department of Industrial Engineering and Operations Research (IEOR) since 1983 and became a full professor in 1988. He is a DSI Member and serves as Co-Chair of Financial and Business Analytics at the Data Science Institute. His research spans stochastic modeling, optimization, and operations management with applications in supply chains, manufacturing, and information systems.

His research interests lie at the intersection of stochastic systems and decision-making under uncertainty. He specializes in stochastic modeling, queueing networks, production-inventory systems, and supply chain optimization. His work applies to high-tech manufacturing, semiconductor fabrication, computer and web-server scheduling, and logistics. He has pioneered the use of monotone structures in discrete-event systems and dynamic control of quality in production systems.

David Yao has received numerous accolades recognizing his scholarly impact, including:

• IEEE Fellow
• Outstanding Paper Prize (2003) from SIAM
• Franz Edelman Award (1999) from INFORMS
• Outstanding Technical Achievement Award (1999) from IBM
• Guggenheim Fellowship (1991/92)
• Presidential Young Investigator Award (1987–1992) from NSF
• George Nicholson Prize (1983) from ORSA

As a principal investigator on over two dozen research grants and contracts, he has led major projects in semiconductor manufacturing, supply chain logistics, and web performance optimization. He holds four U.S. patents in manufacturing and supply chain systems. He has authored over 160 refereed publications, three influential books, and edited multiple volumes. He currently serves as the Stochastic Models Area Editor for Operations Research and has served on editorial boards of leading journals in operations research and applied probability. While no specific students are listed, his long-standing role as a senior professor and grant leader implies extensive mentorship and academic advising.

David Yao is affiliated with the Data Science Institute at Columbia University, where he co-chairs the Financial and Business Analytics initiative. His work bridges engineering, data science, and financial applications, contributing to both theoretical advances and real-world systems optimization.