Chi-Wa Yuen earned his Ph.D. from the University of Chicago in 1991.  After teaching at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, he joined the School of Economics and Finance in 1995.  Chi-Wa has been visiting scholar at the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, and the University of Chicago.  Currently, he is honorary professor in the Guanghua School of Management, Peking University, and in the Institute for Advanced Economic Studies, Wuhan University, as well as senior research fellow at the National Center of Economic Research, Tsinghua University.

Chi-Wa's research interests fall into the areas of economic growth, international finance, and macroeconomic policy.  Under the supervision of Robert Lucas (chair), Lars Hansen, and Sergio Rebelo (external member), he wrote his doctoral thesis on dynamic optimal income taxation in a human-capital-based growth model.  His collaborative research with Assaf Razin has been focused on the interconnection among factor mobility, international taxation, and growth.  Through Assaf's connection, Chi-Wa has conducted joint work with Jacob Frenkel, Thomas Krueger, Prakash Loungani, Jonathan Ostry, and Efraim Sadka.  He has also been involved in joint research with Isaac Ehrlich on growth and inequality, with Danyang Xie on financial crisis, and with Michael Ka-Yiu Fung and Lijing Zhu on comparative economic systems and reforms.  His current research concerns a comparison between currency boards and currency bands in face of financial crises and macroeconomic fluctuations.

During his limited leisure time, Chi-Wa enjoys travelling, Web-surfing, and having a jaw with friends.  His character is best described by his Chicago nickname -- "Simon in the snow storm" -- if you know what that means.