• August 31, 2022

    Alumni Spotlight: Chen Chen

    PacTrans comprises a diverse cohort of people hailing from a variety of places, institutions and backgrounds. Our stories bring us together and give us the opportunity to get to know each other better. We want to take a moment to look back at some of our previous student researchers and see where those alumni are today. 

    Chen Chen graduated from Oregon State University with a PhD in Transportation Engineering in 2021. He is currently a postdoctoral research fellow for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and will very shortly step into a new role as an Assistant Professor of Fire and Emergency Management at Oklahoma State University.  Here are a few words from our conversation Chen:

    Q. What is one of your best college memories?

    A. My best college memory is when I was grouping up a team to represent Oregon State University to attend a student competition in the Netherlands. My colleague and I worked very closely for two month finishing a vehicle safety design. I really enjoyed the collaborations and each task we conquered together during that time.

    Q. How did PacTrans help prepare you for what you’re doing today?

    A. I really appreciate the fundings to support my project and the travel and presentation opportunities in conferences. These experiences helped me grow and I accumulated knowledge to be able to do research and teach. I received two best presentation awards during my graduate school journey, which I attribute to those opportunities that PacTrans afforded me.

    Q. What is your greatest professional accomplishment?

    A. I had the distinct honor to collaborate with others and published 14 high impact peer-reviewed journal articles during my graduate school journey.

    Q. What advice would you give current students or recent graduates interested in pursuing a career in transportation?

    A. If you like a major or subject, try it out. Don’t worry too much about failure, because you can also start from the beginning.

    In his free time, Chen says fly fishing is his hobby of choice. His most memorable experience happened while fishing on the Gardner River in Yellowstone National Park when a group of Elk walked by.

    Stay up-to-date on Chen’s career by connecting with him on LinkedIn.