Ying Chen is an associate professor with research interests in game theory, information economics, and political economy.

Describe your primary research or scholarship, and tell us what is most exciting about your current project.

I am an economic  theorist and my research has studied various problems including bargaining, strategic communication, agenda setting, and information acquisition. A common theme of my current projects is exploring how institutional and political constraints shape the evolution of economic policy. The conceptual questions in the models that I study are exciting for an economic theorist; what I also find appealing is that I get to have a better understanding of the dynamics of the infrastructure or climate policy.     

Share a best practice or tip for successful teaching or mentoring.

This is more of an aspiration than a tip for mentoring: I’d like to cultivate independence without letting the students drown. I’m constantly asking seasoned colleagues (at Hopkins and outside) how to achieve this!   

What do you like to do outside of work?

I have always been an avid reader, and the pandemic gave me an opportunity to find joy in reading as a shared experience. Together with three friends, we have read Irish, Russian, Chinese, and Turkish literature over the last year and a half. It has been such a fun and nourishing journey.