Qianfan Zhang

Hi! I'm a fourth-year PhD student in Computer Science at Princeton University, advised by Matt Weinberg. My research has focused on theoretical computer science and algorithmic game theory, studying the design and analysis of algorithms under strategic incentives. More recently, I've been exploring LLM reasoning, and I'm currently a student researcher at ByteDance Seed.

Prior to joining Princeton, I completed my undergrad in Yao Class, Tsinghua University. During my undergrad studies, I worked with Aviad Rubinstein at Stanford, Hu Fu and Zhihao Gavin Tang at SHUFE, and Jian Li at Tsinghua.

Publications

(In theoretical computer science, the authors are listed in alphabetical order.)

The Communication Complexity of Combinatorial Auctions with Additional Succinct Bidders
Frederick Qiu, S. Matthew Weinberg, Qianfan Zhang
To appear in SODA 2026 [arxiv]
Truthful, Credible, and Optimal Auctions for Matroids via Blockchains and Commitments
Aadityan Ganesh, Qianfan Zhang
In EC 2025 [arxiv]
A Bicriterion Concentration Inequality and Prophet Inequalities for \(k\)-Fold Matroid Unions
Noga Alon, Nick Gravin, Tristan Pollner, Aviad Rubinstein, Hongao Wang, S. Matthew Weinberg, Qianfan Zhang
In ITCS 2025 [arxiv] [slides] [video]
Communication Separations for Truthful Auctions: Breaking the Two-Player Barrier
Shiri Ron, Clayton Thomas, S. Matthew Weinberg, Qianfan Zhang
In FOCS 2024 [arxiv] [slides] [video]
Sample-Based Matroid Prophet Inequalities
Hu Fu, Pinyan Lu, Zhihao Gavin Tang, Hongxun Wu, Jinzhao Wu, Qianfan Zhang
In EC 2024 [arxiv] [slides]
Practical algorithms and experimentally validated incentives for equilibrium-based fair division (A-CEEI)
Eric Budish, Ruiquan Gao, Abraham Othman, Aviad Rubinstein, Qianfan Zhang
In EC 2023 [arxiv]
Ordered \(k\)-Median with Outliers
Shichuan Deng, Qianfan Zhang
In APPROX 2022 [arxiv]
Oblivious Online Contention Resolution Schemes
Hu Fu, Pinyan Lu, Zhihao Gavin Tang, Abner Turkieltaub, Hongxun Wu, Jinzhao Wu, Qianfan Zhang
In SOSA 2022 [arxiv] [slides]
Random Order Vertex Arrival Contention Resolution Schemes for Matching, with Applications
Hu Fu, Zhihao Gavin Tang, Hongxun Wu, Jinzhao Wu, Qianfan Zhang
In ICALP 2021 [proceedings]

Teaching

Economics and Computation (Spring 2024), Princeton University
Teaching Assistant (Instructor: Matt Weinberg)
Advanced Cryptography (Fall 2023), Princeton University
Teaching Assistant (Instructor: Alex Lombardi)
Algorithm Design (Fall 2021), Tsinghua University
Teaching Assistant (Instructor: Jian Li)

Last updated: Dec 2025.