Ronnie’s Story

Young academic flourishes at UBC

Ronnie’s Story
CategoryStudent
NameRuiyuan (Ronnie) Chen
FromCoquitlam, Canada
ProgramCombined Honours in Computer Science and Mathematics
ActivitiesWilliam Lowell Putnam Mathematical Competition

 

Recent grad Ronnie Chen demonstrates that UBC is a place where young academics get the support they need to flourish. Graduating with a combined honours in Computer Science and Mathematics, Ronnie wrote his honours thesis on computer programming language theory and was on the UBC team who scored in the top ten for three years in the William Lowell Putnam Mathematical Competition — the main Mathematics problem-solving competition in North America.

According to his academic advisor, Professor Richard Anstee, Ronnie’s paper on forbidden submatrices proves conjectures of some well-known mathematicians and is “full-fledged research, not just a student paper.”

“A matrix,” Ronnie explains of his work, “is an abstract data structure, kind of like a simplified representation of a road network or a friendship network (e.g., on Facebook). We were interested in proving that such structures are very limited if they have to avoid certain small-scale features. For example, that’s kind of like saying that a social network must be very limited if no four people in it are mutual friends.”

Ronnie recommends UBC to prospective students citing UBC’s “large and extremely supportive community of diverse learners” as a draw. For fun, Ronnie reads and listens to music, and if you ask what makes him smile, he’ll tell you, “Walking down Main Mall and looking up at the brilliant cloud patterns on a nice day.”

 

Latest Stories

Previous
Hammad Jabr stands in road with a pack and water bottle.

Space to Grow

BA degree offers International Scholar Hammad a place to belong and find community.
alumni

Space to Grow

"I enjoyed the idea of taking courses from various disciplines while working towards my degree requirements. That has given me unique access to knowledge, skills, and experiences that have been invaluable for my growth and development." - Hammad J., Bachelor of Arts
Axel playing soccer, about to kick the ball

Commerce alum and soccer player Axel on the support he received at UBC as an international student athlete

alumni

Commerce alum and soccer player Axel on the support he received at UBC as an international student athlete

“From playing soccer at a national level, to having fun at the best ski-resort in the world, to traveling through Canada and working in Germany, all while studying at one of the best business schools in the world, I really could not have asked for more during my Bachelor’s degree.” - Axel L., Commerce
Richelle smiling on the stairs at UBC Okangan

Arts student Richelle on studying Indigenous Literature at UBC Okanagan

student

Arts student Richelle on studying Indigenous Literature at UBC Okanagan

"UBC has given me countless amounts of opportunities and support throughout my academic journey. Specifically, within the Indigenous Program Services Department where I was able to create community and connect with other Indigenous students." - Richelle A-B., Bachelor of Arts
Rahman sitting on stairs at UBC Okanagan

Manufacturing Engineering student Rahman on how his passions helped shape his university experience

student

Manufacturing Engineering student Rahman on how his passions helped shape his university experience

"The close-knit community of the campus fosters a very supportive learning environment. I find it very easy to get to know people here and have personalized interactions with both my profs and peers which have been very instrumental in my success so far. The natural beauty of the Okanagan has encouraged me to integrate more outdoor activities into my life, which I find helps my mental and physical health. Overall, the Okanagan campus has not only been a place of academic growth but also a source of personal development. The connections I've made and the skills I've developed here are invaluable and something I will be carrying with me for a long time in life." - Rahman G., Manufacturing Engineering

Global Resource Systems alum Julia on the benefits of a smaller faculty

alumni

Global Resource Systems alum Julia on the benefits of a smaller faculty

"My program, Global Resource Systems, was the perfect fit for me, as I got to apply my passion for sustainable food systems with environmental science, all while focusing on real-world action through an interdisciplinary lens. I was encouraged to take my learning outside of the classroom and apply my learning in other settings, and with so many options, it meant that I could create the exact right combination of experiences to fuel my aspirations and unearth new goals along the way." - Julia T.
Elleda standing in front of a concrete wall

Political Science student Elleda on why transferring to UBC was the best decision she ever made

student

Political Science student Elleda on why transferring to UBC was the best decision she ever made

"When I originally came to UBC as a transfer student, I was unsure of what I wanted my academic and career futures to be. I had just spent a year studying musical theatre in the United States, and realized it wasn’t the right path for me. After taking a campus tour of UBC Vancouver and speaking to the incredible student ambassadors, I knew transferring to UBC was a step onto the right path. Two years later, and it is the best decision I have ever made, though it was extremely scary and nerve-wracking at first." - Elleda S., Political Science
Noah reading a book in the Indigenous Centre

Supporting Indigenous students in higher education

Inspiring educator Noah on pursuing his passions to help Indigenous communities
alumni

Supporting Indigenous students in higher education

"My passion to support Indigenous educational methodologies allowed me to work with my local Syilx community building more connections between community and education for Indigenous youth. This passion drove me to build relationships across both campuses and use UBC’s vast web of connections across the globe to earn credits, work experience, and conduct research to shape my own unique educational experience." - Noah C., Bachelor of Arts
Peter I standing on stairs at UBC Okanagan

Transitioning from Nigeria to the Okanagan

A Computer Science student in the Faculty of Arts, Peter gets to pursue what he loves at UBC Okanagan
student

Transitioning from Nigeria to the Okanagan

"Coming out of high school, I knew I absolutely loathed physics, wanted to avoid math at all costs, and loved solving complex problems with computer science. As such, finding out about the Computer Science major in the Bachelor of Arts at UBC was monumental for me because it meant that I could tailor my degree to prioritize my strengths and help me avoid my weaknesses." - Peter I., Bachelor of Arts in Computer Science
next