Tribute to Weihan Ding

Very sorry to hear this news. My sincere condolences to Weihan's family and friends. John

Weihain was one of my classmates during the Phd at LSE. We went together together to Atlanta and visited together the city. Although it was a very stressful time for all of us, he was always cheerful and was able to support everybody and made the atmosphere lighter. I will always remember with fondness the time we spent together. I was also impressed with his careful academic work, which I had the opportunity to discuss in one of the early job markets seminars. Although it was not my field, it was great to discuss with him and he was very eager to clarify and discuss all the aspects of his work. It was a very enriching experience for me. Weihan was a good friend, a careful scholar and he will be sorely missed. My thoughts and prayers go to his family in this terrible moment.

Weihain was a dear classmate. We went together together to Atlanta and visited together the city. Although it was a very stressful time for all of us, he was always cheerful and was able to support everybody and made the atmosphere lighter. I was also impressed with his careful academic work, which I had the opportunity to discuss in one of the early job markets meeting. Weihan was a great friend, a careful scholar and he will be sorely missed. My thoughts and prayers go to his family in this terrible moment.

Weihan and I were assigned to the same preparatory math class (EC400) at the start of our MSc in September 2012, and he quickly became one of my first and closest friends at LSE. We shared many good and difficult times during that year. I remember the anxiety around PhD and job application season, with all the uncertainty about what the future would hold for us. I also remember the day we wrote our last MSc exam together (EC428 Development and Growth). We were so happy! To celebrate, the two of us went back to his room at Grosvenor House and played some Pro Evolution Soccer (one of our favourite video games back then). I spent some time away from LSE between my master’s and PhD, but one of the most comforting things upon my return was knowing that Weihan was still there. We shared many more great moments together during the PhD, and he also got to spend many of those with my wife, who had not been living in London when we were doing our MSc. He was a truly incredible person - fun, kind, open-minded and smart. One of a kind. He was a wonderful friend to Jessie and myself, and his memory will always live on in our hearts. We are sending our love and condolences to Leyi and Yilun, Weihan’s parents and family. We hope you know how much of an impact he had on our lives.

I was fortunate to meet Weihan during the PhD at LSE. Later we became officemates and friends. We both shared research interests (state capacity, dev, org econ, overall political econ) and had promised to write together. People are alive but not many truly live their life. That was not the case with Weihan! He was drunk on life! He made the most of his passions, his knowledge, his intelligence, his love for his family and friends, music, and food. We discovered so many restaurants, so much history, so much econ all through him. One of my earliest memories of him were of him entering the school with a sandwich in his hand. Other times when he was not able to grab lunch in time, he would look for Claudio or one of the guys to go with him and grab cake/tea or lunch. He was social! He enjoyed every single one of his breaks and (at times) later complained it stretched from 20 min to 1.5 hours:) Even while I write this his images flash before my eyes. Not in one of those is he tired or bored. Always smiling. Always uplifting, cracking jokes even in stressful times like the job market. Such a confident soul he would crack jokes about his ability. But never would he joke about others. He was a theoretical genius. He particularly liked math. I remember his face would light up on the mention of a hard mathematical problem. He was very enthusiastic about helping others. At times he helped me, and it was hard to make his stop. He focused on the problem at hand as if it was his own paper. I remember feeling embarrassed that it took longer than expected, but he brushed my concerns aside, took a bite of his sandwich and kept going. I have so many pictures of Yilun! He was such a proud dad. So excited to share little moments, milestones. I remember him enjoying Biryani at Shamsher’s (my son) first birthday. He was very happy to be there and enjoy a nice day with his friends. Like Weihan I also had my kid during the PhD. Shamsher was a year older and it was a great joy to hand down some of his stuff to Yilun. My heart goes out to the family, Leyi and Yilun. May they find joy in the fact that in 31 years what Weihan drew from life, many wouldn’t even if they had a century to live. He lives on in each one of us he touched! May we have the grace to carry his legacy forward and be humble, passionate and joyful.

You leave some beautiful memories behind. Thanks for the wonderful park chats in Lincon's Inn Field and for introducing us to the best local Chinese dishes around LSE. We will miss your bright smiles and incredible enthusiasm and cheerfulness. You will always be part of some of my best Ph.D. memories.

I was devastated to hear about Weihan's passing. We first met during our microeconomics class in the MSc at LSE. His friendliness and positive attitude were contagious and we quickly became friends. We spent another six years together during our PhD being office neighbours and having countless discussions on the many research interests that we shared. Weihan's humour, kindness, and cheerfulness never failed to put a smile on my face. No matter how tough things were, he would always find the positive side and put everyone in a great mood. I remember how happy he was to become a father and my thoughts go to his wife and son in these difficult times. You will be missed dearly Weihan.

Weihan was an extraordinary human being. He was a loving son, a devoted husband, a responsible father, and a loyal friend. His kindness, generosity, optimism, and fun-loving spirit touched the lives of everyone around him. He was also a brilliant economist. His intelligence and passion for economics were inspiring, and his enthusiasm for learning was infectious. As a friend, Weihan was simply the best. He was loyal, supportive, and always there when you needed him. He had an infectious personality and a great sense of humor, and he could always be counted on to make his friends laugh and to lift their spirits when they were feeling down. He was a great listener and always had a kind word or a thoughtful piece of advice to offer. Our friendship began during our undergraduate studies at SUFE, and we continued to stay in touch throughout our time at LSE, in London, and beyond. Our conversations were always engaging, thought-provoking and entertaining, covering topics ranging from economics and global politics to family and personal matters as well as dark humor jokes. Weihan had a way of making everyone feel comfortable and valued, and his sense of humor and quick wit were always a source of laughter and joy. In fact, I still remember the days and nights spent with Weihan, and I miss him dearly. He was always so generous, sharing with me the latest notes, papers, and books he had come across and inviting me to attend his supervisor's lectures. He even introduced me to his friends, always going out of his way to make me feel included. Whenever he discovered a new delicious restaurant in London, he would immediately think of me, eager to share the experience with me and invite me to dine with him next time. And whenever I felt down or lost, he was always there by my side, providing comfort and encouragement. Even in the last few months before his passing, he remained so positive and optimistic that we had made plans to meet up for meals in Shanghai or Nanjing once he recovered. I still remember that summer night in 2019 after we submitted our dissertations, standing on the terrace of Weihan's apartment in Stratford, drinking and smoking, dreaming of the future ahead of us and reveling in the joy and beauty of our friendship. The memories are so vivid, but it's hard to believe that Weihan is gone. Weihan's passing has left a deep void in our lives, but his memory will live on forever. He was a wonderful human being and a beautiful soul, and he touched the lives of so many people with his kindness, intelligence, and generosity. Weihan was an extraordinary friend and person, and I will always cherish the memories we shared together. Rest in peace, my dear friend Weihan. You will be deeply missed, but never forgotten.

All my love to your family and to you Weihan. I am incredibly saddened to write these words. Your smile and positive energy was always contagious. Your thoughts were always deep and insightful. Your friendship was always a treasure. I will never forget our ski trips together, our competition to eat the last bite in the table, and our beers at the George. You are an amazing father, son, husband, and friend. I wish your family strength in these sad times. Even though you are not physically with us, you have lived a life full of purpose and you have given us many special moments to remember you for. Rest in peace my friend.

Rest in peace, Weihan. I will always remember your kind and joyful smile.