On June 7, 2026, IMS Fellow Ching-Shui Cheng passed away. Following his PhD under Jack Kiefer, Cheng joined the Berkeley faculty in 1977 until his early retirement in 2013, when he moved to the Institute of Statistical Science (ISS) at Academia Sinica in Taiwan, serving two terms as Director.

Cheng was widely recognized as a rigorous scholar and a preeminent leader in experimental design. His research has had a profound impact on various fields, including agriculture and numerous scientific and industrial applications. He served as Editor of Statistica Sinica and was elected an Academician of Academia Sinica. As Director of the ISS, he provided forward-looking leadership, notably establishing a joint data science program with National Taiwan University and fostering international collaborations.

Ching-Shui was a kind and valued colleague who frequently welcomed international students and friends into his home.

You can read more at the Academia Sinica Memorial page: https://www3.stat.sinica.edu.tw/memcheng/index.html. A celebration of Ching-Shui’s life was held on June 19, 2026 in Lafayette, CA. A video recording of the event, which includes remarks from Ker-Chau Li, Boxin Tang, and Hsin-Chou Yang, is online at https://www.viewlogies.net/oakmont/PZoC_tcZC?pin=709494.