Wayne State honors Wen Chen with President’s Award and Academy of Teachers induction
Wen Chen, professor of engineering technology in the James and Patricia Anderson College of Engineering, has been honored by Wayne State University with the 2025 President’s Award for Excellence in Teaching and inducted into the WSU Academy of Teachers. Both recognitions were announced during the university’s annual Academic Recognition Ceremony in April.
Chen joined Wayne State in 2009 as an assistant professor, was promoted to associate professor with tenure in 2016 and achieved the rank of full professor in 2023. He has taught a combination of undergraduate and graduate courses, developed new graduate courses, implemented innovative teaching methodologies, improved teaching laboratories, mentored students, and received multiple awards in recognition of his performance.
“Effective learning is a collaborative effort between faculty and students,” said Chen. “I am deeply committed to student success and always strive to create an engaging and supportive learning environment.”
Chen’s teaching philosophy is built on two foundational tenets: fostering students’ interest in learning and emphasizing experiment-based teaching. He employs two key methods to achieve effective teaching and learning, i.e. ensuring that students master foundational concepts and encouraging interaction, both between him and students and among students themselves.
Chen’s teaching impact extends beyond the classroom and transcends international borders through his NSF grant, “A US-France ASI for Industrial Risk Management in Active Diagnosis, Accurate Characterization, and Reliable Mitigation with Resilience.” Fourteen graduate students were recruited annually and participated in an intensive two-week training program hosted by a prestigious French university and a research institute. This project fostered cross-cultural collaboration, cultivated global perspectives in engineering practices, and highlighted Chen’s commitment to delivering impactful and effective teaching that reaches far beyond national boundaries.
Mukasa Ssemakula, professor and director of undergraduate programs in the Engineering Technology Division, nominated Chen for the Academy of Teachers. In his letter of support, Ssemakula described Chen as “an exceptional and forward-looking educator with a strong student-centered philosophy,” noting that his efforts “have had a demonstrable impact on student learning outcomes.”
Division Chair Ece Yaprak nominated Chen for the Excellence in Teaching accolade. She highlighted his influence on curriculum and lab development, writing that he “has enriched the division’s instructional programs, modernized our laboratories, and provided students with access to cutting-edge technologies.”
The President’s Award for Excellence in Teaching is one of the university’s highest honors for faculty, recognizing sustained commitment to innovative and effective instruction. Membership in the Academy of Teachers is awarded to educators who have made exceptional contributions to teaching and learning at Wayne State.