Yuanyuan Z.
About Yuanyuan Z.
Yuanyuan Z. is a co-founder of multiple companies, including Whova and Pattern Insight, and currently serves as a Qualcomm Chair Professor at the University of California, San Diego. With a Ph.D. in Computer Science from Princeton University, she has significantly contributed to academia and entrepreneurship, mentoring numerous successful students.
Work at Whova
Yuanyuan Z. serves as a Co-founder at Whova, a company she has been part of since 2013. Under her leadership, Whova has achieved significant customer traction on a global scale. The company focuses on event management solutions, enhancing attendee engagement and networking opportunities. Yuanyuan's role involves strategic oversight and innovation, contributing to the company's growth and market presence.
Education and Expertise
Yuanyuan Z. holds a Ph.D. in Computer Science from Princeton University, where she studied from 1994 to 2000. She also completed a Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science and Mathematics at Peking University from 1988 to 1992. Additionally, she studied Mathematics at the University of Virginia for one year in 1993-1994. Her academic background provides a strong foundation for her work in technology and entrepreneurship.
Background
Yuanyuan Z. has a diverse professional background, including her tenure as a Tenured Associate Professor at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign from 2002 to 2009. She has been involved in academia and entrepreneurship, co-founding three companies, two of which were successfully acquired by public companies. Currently, she is also a Qualcomm Chair Professor at the University of California at San Diego, a position she has held since 2009.
Achievements
Yuanyuan Z. has co-founded multiple companies, with her first two ventures being acquired by public companies. She led Pattern Insight to profitability before its acquisition by VMware in 2012. As an educator, she has graduated 18 Ph.D. students, many of whom have pursued successful careers as entrepreneurs or tenured professors. Her contributions extend to mentoring, particularly focusing on supporting women in the technology industry.
Current Roles and Contributions
In addition to her role at Whova, Yuanyuan Z. has been an Advisory Council Member at the Princeton University Keller Entrepreneur Center since 2018. She actively engages in mentoring and supports former graduate students in their entrepreneurial endeavors. Her work emphasizes addressing challenges faced by women in the technology sector, contributing to a more inclusive environment.