Chen Wen-chang

Chen was born in Taichung on April 10, 1963.^[2] His father was a tricycle driver and his mother was a small business owner.^[3] He graduated from National Tainan First Senior High School.^[4]

After high school, Chen studied chemical engineering at National Taiwan University (NTU), where he was one of the highest-ranked students of his class (top 6%) and was twice awarded a dean's list scholarship. After graduating from NTU with a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in 1985, he completed two years of mandatory military service in the Republic of China Armed Forces.^[2]

In the fall of 1987, Chen went to the United States to complete graduate studies at the University of Rochester, where he earned a Master of Science (M.S.) in 1991 and his Ph.D. in 1993, both in chemical engineering.^[5][1] His doctoral dissertation, completed under chemical engineer Samson A. Jenekhe, was titled, "Small bandgap conducting polymers based on conjugated poly(heteroarylene methines)".^[2] As a graduate student, he won the university's Elon Huntington Hooker Fellowship.^[2]

Chen returned to teach in Taiwan as a professor at NTU and later became dean of the College of Engineering.^[6] In 2021, he was awarded a National Chair Professorship in engineering and applied science.^[7] Chen was one of nine candidates certified by NTU's Presidential Election Committee in July 2022 to contest the office.^[8] A subsequent vote reduced the number of candidates to six,^[1][6] and Chen won another round of voting in October 2022.^[1]