Dr. Yukong Zhang holds degrees in computational modeling, computer science and civil engineering. Prior to his academic career, he worked as a civil engineer, software developer and IT consultant.  

He pursued his Master of Computer Science degree from Clemson University and his Ph.D. from Louisiana Tech University, where he studied Computational Analysis and Modeling. Making the switch from engineering to computer science was not difficult as he had a mathematical background and programming experience, which made it relatively easier for him to pick up coding.  

Dr. Zhang found computer science to be a fast-changing field, with many exciting technologies and innovations emerging each year. Additionally, he was drawn to the broad range of subfields that computer science covers, seeing many potential opportunities to discover new technology and learn more. He also felt his introverted personality aligned well with the nature of the work. 

At TXWES, Dr. Zhang received the G.E.M. (Going the Extra Mile) Award from former Texas Wesleyan University President Frederick G. Slabach, which recognizes those who go above and beyond to provide the best student experience spotlighting excellence. He also plays table tennis and loves competing against his students and is a wonderful photographer who has even taken graduation photos for many of his students. 

His proudest moments are watching students graduating from the computer science program. He attends the Super Computing Conference and local conferences annually to continue expanding his computer science expertise.  

Education

• Ph.D., Louisiana Tech University
• M.S., Clemson University
• B.A., Wuhan University

Research Interests

• Analysis of Algorithms
• Information Retrieval
• Scientific Computing

Teaching Interests

• Data Structures
• Algorithms
• Database Systems
• Web Programming
• Numerical Analysis
• Computer Networks 

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