Richeng (Ryan) Piao is an Assistant Teaching Professor in the Department of Economics at Northeastern University in Boston. His academic focus lies at the dynamic intersection of traditional economic theory, data analytics, and modern computational methods. He instructs a comprehensive range of courses—from foundational Principles of Microeconomics to advanced seminars in Game Theory, Applied Econometrics, and Statistical & Machine Learning. In the classroom, Ryan emphasizes experiential learning, bridging theoretical concepts with real-world applications by frequently utilizing tools like Excel and Python, alongside real-world datasets.
A passionate advocate for modernizing economic education, Ryan is deeply involved in integrating emerging technologies into the curriculum. He actively contributes to the university's AI in Pedagogy Committee, collaborating with faculty colleagues to design and implement forward-thinking AI training modules. He has also developed innovative instructional models, including the Foundations First, Expansion Second pedagogy and the P.R.I.M.E. Prompting Framework. These methodologies empower students to build rigorous manual coding skills before leveraging Generative AI to scale their economic analysis.
Beyond academia, Ryan brings practical, entrepreneurial experience to his work. He serves as the CEO of Sharon Group, LLC, and provides key operational support for his wife's culinary venture. His analytical mindset also extends into active stock market investing and the technical exploration of mobile app and video game development.
Outside of his professional and technical pursuits, Ryan enjoys 3D printing, flying FPV drones, and spending time at home with his wife, his daughter, and their two kittens — Nugget and Charcoal.