Teaching | Robin Chen

The Professor's List · A Note of Recognition

Sun, 17 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

What is this?

The Professor’s List is a personal recognition I issue to students who showed up — not just attended, but joined the room, worked through the frustrating parts, and completed an original project from scratch. Each certificate is a note from me as an individual, not a UNI credential.

Every certificate is cryptographically signed with my Ed25519 private key and verified in your browser against my public key. Anyone can confirm that a certificate is authentic, unaltered, and issued by me — without trusting any third party.

How verification works

Each certificate carries a unique reference ID (like MHO-5F6A). When you visit the verification page, your browser:

Fetches the signed certificate JSON from this site
Fetches my public key from /.well-known/chen-pubkey.txt
Recomputes the canonical form of the certificate and checks the Ed25519 signature
Shows a green ✓ Verified badge if the signature matches, or a red ⚠ Tampered warning if not

This means you can verify the certificate entirely offline — download the JSON and the public key, and run the same check with any Ed25519 library.

What this is not

This is not a UNI transcript entry, grade modifier, or institutional credential. It does not replace or supplement any record issued by the University of Northern Iowa. It is a personal gesture — something to keep if it means something to you.

UNI Faculty Build Connections on the Basketball Court

Tue, 12 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

UNI Students Cited in Top-Tier Research Journal

Tue, 14 Oct 2025 00:00:00 +0000

ClassHub - Attendance & Peer Evaluation Platform

Thu, 01 Feb 2024 00:00:00 +0000

For: Team-based courses with presentations and group projects

Access ClassHub →

Overview

ClassHub is a web app that helps instructors manage attendance and peer evaluations in team-based courses.

Key Features

Feature	How It Works
Attendance	Generate time-limited codes; students submit via phone/laptop
Teams	Students create or join teams; instructors view rosters
Peer Evaluation	Anonymous teammate ratings on contribution (rank + score)
Team Rankings	Students rate other teams’ presentations (content, delivery, creativity)
Dashboard	Instructors see all data, manage records, export results

Problems Solved

Traditional Method	With ClassHub
Paper sign-ins (slow, fakeable)	Digital codes with timestamps
Free-riders in teams	Peer evaluations document contributions
Manual data entry	Automatic record-keeping
Scattered tools	One integrated platform

Benefits

For Instructors:

Save time on attendance and grading
Identify struggling students early
Data-backed grade adjustments for team members

For Students:

Fair recognition for contributions
Develop professional feedback skills
Mobile-friendly, instant sync

Technical Overview

Spec	Detail
Type	Web app (works on any device)
Auth	Firebase Authentication
Database	Firebase Firestore (real-time)
Hosting	Netlify
Cost	Free for typical class sizes
Capacity	200+ concurrent users

Quick Start

Instructor (one-time setup ~15 min):

Create Firebase project
Deploy to Netlify
Create class → share join code

Students:

Register with instructor’s code
Join class
Submit attendance / complete evaluations

Interactive Bond Pricing & Mortgage Calculator

Mon, 15 Jan 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Course: ECON2132 - Money and Banking | Chapters 4 & 5

Launch Calculator →

Overview

A web-based educational tool that transforms abstract financial formulas into interactive, visual learning experiences. Students can explore bond pricing, yields, and mortgage calculations with instant feedback.

Key Features

📊 Coupon Bond Calculator

Feature	Description
Bond Pricing	Calculate present value with adjustable inputs
Current Yield vs. YTM	Compare yield measures side-by-side
Price-Yield Curve	Visualize the inverse relationship
Interest Rate Risk	See how duration affects price sensitivity

📚 Other Bond Types

Simple Loan, Fixed Payment Loan, Discount Bond, Consol (Perpetuity)

🏠 Mortgage Calculator

Feature	Description
Affordability	“How much can I afford?” using the 28/36 DTI rule
PITI Breakdown	Principal, Interest, Taxes, Insurance + HOA + Closing Costs
Amortization	Monthly schedule with principal vs. interest charts
Loan Comparison	15-year vs. 30-year side-by-side
Extra Payments	Calculate savings from additional payments

Why This Tool?

Traditional Teaching	This Calculator
Static textbook examples	Unlimited interactive scenarios
Abstract formulas	Visual charts + instant results
Manual calculations	Immediate verification
Theory-focused	Real-world mortgage context

Benefits

For Instructors:

Live classroom demonstrations
Instant “what-if” analysis
Less time on arithmetic, more on concepts
Supports flipped classroom and assignments

For Students:

Understand — See relationships, not just formulas
Practice — Verify homework, prepare for exams
Apply — Connect theory to real mortgage decisions
Retain — Visual learning improves memory

For Learning Outcomes:

Deeper conceptual understanding → better exam performance
Real-world context → improved financial literacy
Hands-on practice → increased confidence with financial math

Access


Platform	Web browser (any device)
Cost	Free
Login	Not required