About the Players
Jimmy Wang
| {mosimage} | Jimmy, 21 years old, a native of Beijing, is in his 3rd year of a PhD program in Applied Mathematics at the University of Pennsylvania. He studies mathematical models of neurons (“computational neuroscience”) that can explain neurological and behavioral data. He learned bridge in high school and created an application for his tablet computer that allowed him to play bridge in class, without cards (and without being noticed). Jimmy represented the USA two years ago in the junior world championships in Philadelphia; he and his colleagues from Penn won the ACBL’s Collegiate Championship in both 2010 and 2011. |
Zizhuo Wang
| {mosimage} | Just before his 24th birthday this July, Zizhuo, a native of Beijing, will receive his PhD in Management Science and Engineering from Stanford, where he also earned a master’s degree in Mathematical Finance in 2010. His academic work focuses on the theory and applications of operations research. When he returns from the Junior World Championships in Taicang, he will start work as an Assistant Professor of Industrial and Systems Engineering at the University of Minnesota. He started to play bridge at age 11 when he was in high school (!) and was president of the Tsinghua Bridge Club from 2004-2006. In 2009, Zizhou was part of the Stanford team that won the North American Collegiate Championship. |
Erli Zhou
| {mosimage} | Erli, 20, is working toward a BS from the University of Southern California with a double major in Mathematics and Business (expected May 2013), after which he plans to enroll in graduate school. He learned bridge about a decade ago by reading his dad’s collection of bridge books and is excited to be playing in the world championships near his native Shanghai. Erli also enjoys traveling, video games, and racing cars. |
Lei Jin
| {mosimage} | Having finished high school in Shanghai and a dual BS degree from the University of Michigan (Biomedical Engineering) and Shanghai Jiao Tong University (Electrical and Computer Engineering), Lei, 23, is currently a PhD candidate in the Neuroscience Graduate Program at the University of Southern California. He has been playing bridge for four years and is looking forward to his first international event near his hometown Shanghai. |
Stephen Drodge
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Sean Gannon
| {mosimage} | Sean learned to play bridge from his parents and played duplicate initially with his father. One of his memorable bridge moments was a finish in the overalls for the IMP pairs in Orlando. Sean, almost 20, is now a sophomore at Wake Forest University, majoring in math. |