I am an Assistant Professor in the Department of Supply Chain and Information Systems at the Smeal College of Business. Previously, I was an Assistant Professor of Marketing at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln College of Business (2020–2022).

My research focuses on business analytics, digital marketing, and operations management, while also examining the broader impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on business and society. I leverage methods and tools from machine learning, graphical models, network analysis, and optimization to enhance data-driven decision-making and drive business innovation.

Academic Positions
  • 2022 -- present. Assistant Professor, Department of Supply Chain and Information Systems,
    Smeal College of Business, The Pennsylvania State University.
  • 2020 -- 2022. Assistant Professor of Marketing, College of Business, University of Nebraska–Lincoln.

Education
  • 2020. Ph.D. in Marketing, The Pennsylvania State University.
    Advisors: Professor Wayne S. Desarbo and Professor Duncan K. H. Fong
  • 2012. M.Sc. in Statistics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN.
  • 2012. Master in Urban and Regional Planning, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN.
  • 2009. B.A. in Economics, Peking University, Beijing, China.
  • 2009. B.Sc. in Geographical Science and Remote Sensing, Peking University, Beijing, China.

Corporate Experiences
  • 2013-2014. Marketing Operations Manager, AvePoint Inc. (Microsoft Gold Certified Partner), Jersey City, NJ.
  • 2012–2014. Business Intelligence Specialist, AvePoint Inc. (Microsoft Gold Certified Partner), Jersey City, NJ.

Selected Manuscripts
  • Qian Chen, Yi-Jen Ian Ho, Pin Sun, and Dashun Wang (2024)
    "The Philosopher’s Stone for Science–The Catalyst Change of AI for Scientific Creativity."
    Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=4749118
    • Runner-up, INFORMS Information Systems Cluster Best Paper Award, 2024.
    • Winner, Best Paper in AI in Business and Society Track, Pacific Asia Conference on Information Systems (PACIS), 2024.
    • First Runner-Up, Best Completed Research Paper, Pacific Asia Conference on Information Systems (PACIS), 2024.
  • Zhong Zheng, Qian Chen, Ethan Fang, and Cong Shi
    "Online Learning for Inventory Control Problems under Random Yield."
    Available at SSRN: https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=5012366
  • Qian Chen, Qi Zhao, Yifan Zhang, Duncan Fong, and J. Andrew Petersen(2024)
    "Donor Relationship Management: Optimal Resource Allocation through Understanding Moderating Factors on Marketing Effectiveness at an Individual Level."

Selected Publications
  • Jun Tao, Qian Chen, James W Snyder Jr, Arava Sai Kumar, Amirhossein Meisami, and Lingzhou Xue (2024)
    "A Graphical Point Process Framework for Understanding Removal Effects in Multi-Touch Attribution."
    Accepted by Management Science.
    Available at: https://doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2023.00457
  • Qian Chen, Amal Agarwal, Duncan K.H. Fong, Wayne S. DeSarbo, and Lingzhou Xue (2024)
    "Model-Based Co-Clustering in Customer Targeting Utilizing Large-Scale Online Product Rating Networks."
    Accepted by Journal of Business & Economic Statistics
  • Danning Li, Arun Srinivasan, Qian Chen (co-corresponding author), and Lingzhou Xue (2023)
    "Robust Covariance Matrix Estimation for High-Dimensional Compositional Data with Application to Sales Data Analysis."
    Journal of Business & Economic Statistics, 41(4), 1090-1100.
  • Kevin H. Lee, Qian Chen (co-first author), Wayne S. DeSarbo, and Lingzhou Xue (2022)
    "Estimating Finite Mixtures of Ordinal Graphical Models."
    Psychometrika, 87: 83–106.
  • Wayne S. DeSarbo, Qian Chen (corresponding author), and Ashley Stadler Blank. (2017).
    "A Parametric Constrained Segmentation Methodology for Application in Sport Marketing."
    Customer Needs and Solutions. 4(4): 37-55.
  • Xinyu Cao, Qian Chen, and Sangho Choo. (2013).
    "Geographic Distribution of E-shopping: Application of Structural Equation Models in the Twin Cities of Minnesota."
    Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board. 2383 (1): 18-26.
  • Yingling Fan and Qian Chen. (2012).
    "Family Functioning as a Mediator between Neighborhood Conditions and Children’s Health: Evidence from a National Survey in the United States."
    Social Science & Medicine. 72(12):1939-1947.
  • Yingling Fan, Kirti V. Das, and Qian Chen. (2011).
    "Neighborhood Green, Social Support, Physical Activity, and Stress: Assessing the Cumulative Impact."
    Health & Place. 17(6):1202-1211.

Honors, Awards and Grants
  • 2025-2027. Small Research Grant, Smeal College of Business, Penn State University.
  • 2024. Runner-up, INFORMS Information Systems Cluster Best Paper Award.
  • 2024. Winner, Best Paper in AI in Business and Society Track, Pacific Asia Conference on Information Systems (PACIS).
  • 2024. First Runner-Up, Best Completed Research Paper, Pacific Asia Conference on Information Systems (PACIS).
  • 2020. Adobe’s Data Science Research Award.
  • 2019. Ossian R. MacKenzie Teaching Award, Smeal College of Business, Penn State University.
  • 2019. Fellow and Presenter, Haring Symposium, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN.
  • 2018-2019. Small Research Grant, Smeal College of Business, Penn State University.
  • 2018. Fellow, AMA-Sheth Foundation Doctoral Consortium, University of Leeds, UK.
  • 2018. Global Programs Graduate Student Travel Grant, Penn State University.
  • 2017. Fellow, Quantitative Marketing and Structural Econometrics Workshop, Washington University, St. Louis, MO.
  • 2017. Jerome E. Scott Memorial Scholarship, Smeal College of Business, Penn State University.
  • 2016. Fellow, INFORMS Marketing Science Conference Doctoral Consortium, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
  • 2016. Winner, American Statistical Association (ASA) Section on Statistics in Marketing Student Paper Competition.
  • 2016. Mu Sigma Rho National Statistics Honorary Society.
  • 2016. Jerome E. Scott Memorial Scholarship, Smeal College of Business, Penn State University.
  • 2012. John S. Adams Award for Excellence in Transportation Research & Education, University of Minnesota.
  • 2012. Transportation Research Board Travel Award, Center for Transportation Studies, University of Minnesota.
  • 2011. Transportation Research Board Travel Award, Center for Transportation Studies, University of Minnesota.
  • 2008. Founder Scholarship, Peking University.