Dr. Chun is an educator at heart, currently serving as a Professor of Decision Science and the Cherie H. Flores Chair in MBA Studies at Louisiana State University, where he mentors graduate students through the intricacies of business analytics and managerial statistics.
An accomplished researcher, he specializes in the probabilistic modeling of managerial decision problems in operations and production management, finance, and marketing.
His curiosity extends far beyond the campus; as an avid traveler, he has explored the cultures and landscapes of more than 70 countries and 200 cities across the globe.
Dr. Chun earned his Ph.D. in Management Science from Krannert Graduate School of Management at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana, USA.
West Lafayette is a small college town with limited entertainment options, which means most of his time ended up being spent studying in the office or at the library.
His doctoral work included extensive studies in operations research, applied statistics, and quality control, complemented by a minor in management information systems with a focus on expert systems and artificial intelligence.
Under the guidances of Professors Herbert Moskowitz and Robert Plante, Dr. Chun completed his dissertation on the sequenctial decision analysis, a foundation for his career as a researcher.
Notably, Dr. Chun completed his entire Ph.D. program at Purdue in just two years and nine months. (He moved fast, but didn’t leave his brain behind!)
Upon completing his Ph.D., Dr. Chun joined the faculty at the D'Amore-McKim School of Business at Northeastern University in Boston, Massachusetts.
Two years later, he transitioned to the E. J. Ourso College of Business at Louisiana State University (LSU) in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, where he subsquently rose through the ranks to become an Associate Professor and then a Full Professor.
In addition to his role as a senior faculty member, he has held the Cherie H. Flores Endowed Chair of MBA Studies for more than a decade.
Dr. Chun is a cornerstone of college leadership, contributing as a member or chair of the Promotion and Tenure, Instructional Support and Development, and MBA Curriculum Committees.
At the university level, he curently serves on the Council on Research and has previously lent his expertise to the Graduate Council and the Advisory Council for the Centers for Excellence in Learning and Teaching (CELT).
As a dedicated member of the LSU Tiger family, Dr. Chun has enjoyed three national football championships during his tenure, led by coaches Nick Saban in 2003, Les Miles in 2007, and Ed Orgeron in 2019. (and Lane Kiffin in 20??)
With a background spanning five years in the military and two years in the corporate world, Dr. Chun eventually discovered his true calling: education.
To him, teaching remains the most challenging, intellectually stimulating, and rewarding career he has ever pursued.
As a dedicated educator, he has been actively involved in teaching a diverse range of graduate courses at LSU, including managerial statistics, operations research, data mining, business forecasting, and operations management.
He is also a key architect in the development of online curriculum for the MS in Analytics (MSA) program at LSU.
Although his courses involve rigorous quantitative analysis - often perceived as the most difficult in the business school, Dr. Chun has established a reputation as a patient and efficient instructor.
His exceptional teaching abilities have been recognized through various teaching awards, including Business Partnership Excellence in Teaching Award, Tiger Athletic Foundation Undergraduate Teaching Award, LSU Alumni Association Faculty Excellence Award, Erich Sternberg Foundation Excellence in Teaching Award, and LSU Distinguished Faculty Award, among many others
Most notably, Dr. Chun holds a distinction unmatched by any other faculty member: he was voted Professor of the Year by MBA student body 13 times over a 15-year period. (He suspects the students are just trying to keep him from retiring.)
Dr. Chun’s research interests lie in the application of Bayesian statistics and operations research to quality control, product reliability, security screening, and consumer search behavior.
He has published numerous single-authored articles in premer journals, including Operations Research, Journal of the Operational Research Society, European Journal of Operational Research, Journal of Quality Technology, IIE Transactions, IEEE Transactions in Engineering Management, International Journal of Production Research, The American Statistician, among others.
His scholarly impact was internationally recognized when his single-authored paper was named a runner-up for the 2021 Sir Goodeve Medal, awarded annually by The Operational Research Society in the United Kingdom. (press release)
Beyond his publications, Dr. Chun has been remarkably successful in securing competitive research grants from state and federal governments. As a sole principal investigator, for example, he was recently awarded a $75,700 grant from the U.S. Air Force for the reliability analysis of military aircraft in training and combat missions. (press release)
Thanks to his expertise in sequential decision analysis, Dr. Chun has never lost a card game played for stakes. (He simply knows how to make the right decision at the exact right time!)
As an avid traveler, Dr. Chun seeks out historical landmarks, the serene beauty of nature, and the rich tapestry of diverse cultures.
Among his many journeys, his most profound experience occurred on June 28, 2016, at Atatürk Airport in Istanbul.
Having departed just three hours before a tragic terrorist attack claimed 45 lives and injured hundreds, the event remains a defining moment for him.
It serves as a stark reminder of life’s unpredictability and reinforces his philosophy of cherishing every moment and every destination.
With more than 70 countries under his belt, Dr. Chun has mastered the skill of minimalist travel, relying only on a 40-liter backpack and a point-and-shoot camera. (A light bag makes room for a heavy adventure!)
Dr. Chun spends his spare time revisiting classic cinema, organizing his extensive collection of travel and family photos, and listening to a mix of classical music, vocal jazz, and popera.
He isn't afraid to get his hands dirty, whether he’s tending to his fruit trees, gardening, or tackling DIY projects around the house.
A dedicated fan of college football, he also stays active on the court, playing tennis weekly - or racquetball if the Louisiana rain interferes.
Originally from South Korea, Dr. Chun moved to the United States with his wife, Kay, and they raised two wonderful children, Raymond and Angela.
Both attended local public schools from kindergarten through high school, but they went on to earn scholarships to prestigious private universities, and eventually graduated from medical school. (What does that tell you about the quality of public education in Louisiana?)
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