Dr. Hua Gong has joined the Rice University Department of Sport Management as an Assistant Professor where his area of specialization will be Sport Analytics.
Gong, who recently completed his Ph.D. at the University of South Carolina, previously served as a Statistical Analyst for the New York Knicks where he collected data, performed statistical analysis, and also built data visualization applications in order to help the team.
“Dr. Gong is a critical member of our faculty as our department has expanded our curriculum to place an increased focus on sport and business analytics,” Department Chair Dr. Clark Haptonstall said. “He has great experience working in the sport industry from his time with the NY Knicks and also the men’s basketball team at Texas A&M. Because he is a talented teacher and researcher, his knowledge will be extremely beneficial for our students.”
At Rice, in addition to conducting academic research in the area of Sport Analytics, Gong will also teach these three courses:
- Advanced Sport Analytics (SMGT 431)
- Sport Business Analytics (SMGT 440)
- Seminar in Sport Analytics (SMGT 490)
“I am excited to join the prestigious sport management program at Rice University. The first month has been really fun for me as I began to know more about the Rice community and my colleagues,” Gong said. “I am also glad to see many bright Rice students who have tremendous passions for sports and analytics. Their commitment to the sport management program motivates me to work harder to better help them build a successful career in the sport industry.”
In 2013, Gong graduated from the University of Nottingham Ningbo China with a bachelor's degree in International Business Economics. Two years later, he earned his Master’s degree in Sport Management from Texas A&M University.
Tia Grippo, a junior from Newport Beach, California, is majoring in Sport Management.