Rate My Professor Hang Chen

Hang Chen served as a Professor in the Department of Computer Science and Cybersecurity at the University of Central Missouri from 1992 until his retirement on May 31, 2025. He earned his B.S. from Fuzhou University in China, followed by his M.S. and Ph.D. from Western Michigan University. His doctoral dissertation, titled "Common Moment Sets of Complementary Graphs," was completed in 1992 under the advisement of Allen J. Schwenk. Upon obtaining his Ph.D., Chen joined the University of Central Missouri, where he progressed to the rank of full professor in 2001. University catalogs from 2007 and 2009 list him as Professor of Computer Science and Mathematics, highlighting his interdisciplinary contributions to both fields. Throughout his 33-year tenure, he was based in office WCM 205C and could be reached at phone (660) 543-8907.

Chen's research interests include combinatorics, graph theory, and VLSI design automation. He co-authored several publications with colleague Curtis N. Cooper, demonstrating applications of mathematical principles to puzzle-solving and recreational mathematics. Notable works include "n-Card Tricks," published in The College Mathematics Journal in 2009, which generalizes mathematical encoding techniques for card revelation tricks beyond the standard five-card variant. In 2017, they published "Solving Sudoku: Structures and Strategies" in the Missouri Journal of Mathematical Sciences (volume 29, issue 1, pages 12-18), analyzing structural properties and algorithmic strategies for completing Sudoku puzzles. Chen also co-presented "How Hard is Sudoku, Part I" at a meeting of the Missouri Section of the Mathematical Association of America. Additionally, he contributed Sudoku puzzles to the university's student newspaper, the Muleskinner. These contributions reflect his focus on combinatorial problems at the intersection of computer science and mathematics, influencing pedagogical approaches to algorithm design and graph-based problem-solving in academic settings.