Heavy Lifter

Research from William States Lee College of Engineering, as well as other disciplines across UNC Charlotte, is rising to the data science forefront, informing decisions and new directions that will determine future decision making across public and private sectors.

Globally, female data scientists make up just over 20% of all data scientists. As part of that 20%, Yuting (Tina) Chen, an assistant professor of engineering technology and construction management, is among a group of women at UNC Charlotte who are making a mark locally, regionally, nationally and internationally through research collaborations and groundbreaking work – and encouraging others to join them in this fast-growing field.

“Building a safer tomorrow means not just constructing structures but nurturing the mental well-being of our construction workers, researching railroad trespassing to prevent tragedies, and championing diverse voices, as every effort becomes a beacon of hope for a resilient and secure future.”

Tina Chen

Through her research, Tina Chen aims to enhance the resilience of construction companies to elevate their safety standards, and delves into the nuanced factors that influence the mental well-being of construction workers and crafts tailored interventions as solutions. She also addresses a dearth of research related to preventing pedestrian railroad trespassing. These multifaceted areas of research converge through the prism of data science, utilizing techniques such as statistical modeling, social media text mining and machine learning to drive impactful outcomes.