Chen is Hamer Professor of Materials Science and Engineering, Professor of Mathematics, and Professor of Engineering Science and Mechanics at Penn State University. He received his Ph.D. from MIT, M.S. from Stony Brook University, and B.S. from Zhejiang University. His research interests include thermodynamics and phase-field method of phase transitions and microstructure evolution in ferroelectric oxides, metallic alloys, as well as 2D, quantum, and energy materials. He is an awardee of MRS Materials Theory Award, TMS William Hume-Rothery Award, Guggenheim Fellowship, Humboldt Research Award, TMS Cyril Stanley Smith Award, TMS John Bardeen Award, ACerS Ross Coffin Purdy Award, and ASM Silver Medal. He is a Member of Academia of Europaea and a Fellow of TMS, MRS, AAAS, APS, ASM, and ACerS.