Yingying Fan, associate dean of the USC Marshall PhD Program, Centennial Chair in Business Administration, and professor of data sciences and operations, has been named a Fellow of American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), one of the highest distinctions in the scientific community. Fan is one of three USC faculty members selected for the honor.
Dating back to 1874, AAAS plays a key role in shaping public policy, advancing research, and influencing national and global perspectives on critical issues. The group publishes six peer-reviewed journals, including Science. Fan is among 500 scientists, engineers, and innovators named as Fellows in the 2025 class.
“This year’s AAAS Fellows have demonstrated research excellence, made notable contributions to advance science, and delivered important services to their communities,” said Sudip S. Parikh, AAAS chief executive officer and executive publisher of the Science family of journals. “These Fellows and their accomplishments validate the importance of investing in science and technology for the benefit of all.”
The associate dean and professor was recognized for her significant contributions to the field of statistics. Her research has explored statistical inference, variable selection, classification, networks, and nonparametric methodologies, particularly in the field of financial econometrics and computational biology. She is also being distinguished for her conscientious professional service, especially in regards to her commitment to her students.
“I am truly honored to be named an AAAS Fellow,” Fan said. “This recognition reflects the support of my collaborators, students, colleagues, and the broader research community. As data and AI continue to transform many fields, I look forward to advancing statistical methods that provide rigorous, interpretable, and reliable foundations for informed decision-making in the AI era.”
Fan received her PhD in Operations Research and Financial Engineering from Princeton University in 2007. She was lecturer in the department of statistics at Harvard University and received the Royal Statistical Society Guy Medal in Bronze and the Institute of Mathematical Statistics Medallion Lecture in 2023. She was named a Fellow of the American Statistical Association, the Institute of Mathematical Sciences, and the Asia-Pacific Artificial Intelligence Association.
A dedicated teacher, Fan has received a USC Mentoring Award for “[going] above and beyond what is expected, fostering an engaging, supportive, and inclusive academic environment through her mentorship of colleagues, graduate, and undergraduate students.”
Fan’s research is wide-ranging and has been published extensively in journals including specializing in statistics, economics, computer science, information theory, and biology.
