AutumnOLYMPIAD
COLLECTION
RESEARCHED WITH AUTUMN
TZ

Tongyuan Zhao

Lecturer in Mathematics at China University of Petroleum (Beijing); enumerative combinatorist; IMO 2005 silver medalist for China
China University of Petroleum (Beijing) · Beijing, China · academic
cup.edu.cnarxiv.org
Silver Medal, 46th IMO 2005, Representing ChinaPhD In Pure Mathematics, Peking University (2015)Lecturer At China University Of Petroleum (Beijing) Since 2015Research In Enumerative Combinatorics: Lattice Paths, Permutation Statistics, Eulerian Polynomials

Tongyuan Zhao (赵彤远), born 1987, is a lecturer in the Department of Mathematics, College of Science, China University of Petroleum (Beijing), where he has taught since September 2015. He holds a BS in Statistics (2005-2009) and a PhD in Pure Mathematics (2009-2015) from Peking University's School of Mathematical Sciences. His research is in enumerative combinatorics - counting theory of lattice paths, permutation statistics and combinatorial polynomials - using combinatorial bijections and generating functions, with publications in journals including European Journal of Combinatorics and Ars Combinatoria. He represented the People's Republic of China at the 46th IMO (2005), earning a silver medal.

Born in 1987, Tongyuan Zhao studied statistics then pure mathematics at Peking University, completing a PhD in 2015, and joined the mathematics faculty of China University of Petroleum (Beijing) that same year. He works on enumerative combinatorics, especially lattice paths, permutation statistics and Eulerian-type polynomials. He teaches Calculus and Probability & Statistics and was recognized with a Beijing first prize in the inaugural national college mathematics teaching innovation event. As a student he won a silver medal at the 2005 International Mathematical Olympiad for China.

Details
LocationBeijing, China
Company sitecup.edu.cn
UniversityPeking University
Enumerative combinatoricsPermutation statisticsLattice pathsGenerating functionsEulerian polynomialsCombinatorial bijectionsCounting theoryPattern avoidance in permutationsBallot permutationsDyck pathsLog-concavity of combinatorial sequences
Notes
  • Represented the People's Republic of China at the 46th International Mathematical Olympiad (2005, Merida, Mexico), scoring 32 points (91%), earning a silver medal at rank 47.Jul 2005
  • Competed at IMO 2005 the same year he enrolled at Peking University (Sept 2005), entering its statistics program - an elite-competitor-to-academic trajectory within one institution.Jul 2015
  • Has stayed at China University of Petroleum (Beijing) since Sept 2015 as a lecturer - a decade at one institution in enumerative combinatorics rather than an industry move.
  • Received a CUP(Beijing) talent-introduction seed grant for 'Research on the theory of lattice paths' (2016.4-2019.4, 100k RMB), his only listed funded project - the lattice-path line is his self-identified core program.
  • Co-authored with a small combinatorics circle - Zhicong Lin, David G.L. Wang, Feng Zhao, Chao Xu, Rosena R.X. Du - the natural professional network for any introduction.
  • Born 1987 (~38-39 in 2026); still at lecturer rank after a decade points to a teaching-focused rather than tenure-track research career.
  • Publishes in mid-tier combinatorics venues (European Journal of Combinatorics, Ars Combinatoria, Discrete Mathematics) with a long backlog of 'submitted' co-authored papers - an active but not high-profile research output.2019
  • Referees for Enumerative Combinatorics and Applications and Acta Mathematica Sinica, indicating standing in the combinatorial community.
  • Teaches Higher Mathematics and Probability & Statistics, co-holds a Beijing first-prize teaching award and membership on the national first-class course Higher Mathematics A(I) - teaching is a real part of the profile, not just research.

Competition record

China · IMO

2005 · Silver · Rank 47