The American Academy of Arts and Sciences (AAAS) recently announced its newly elected members, with one of them being Shanghai Jiao Tong University's very own Wei Chen, a 1988 bachelor's graduate in Mechanical Engineering from the SJTU's School of Mechanical Engineering.
Wei Chen
- Bachelor's in Mechanical Engineering, Class of 1988, Shanghai Jiao Tong University
- Member, U.S. National Academy of Engineering
- Wilson-Cook Professor of Engineering Design, Northwestern University
- Full Professor and Chair, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Northwestern University
- Director, Integrated Design Automation Laboratory
- Director, Predictive Science and Engineering Design Group
Wei Chen is a member of the U.S. National Academy of Engineering and a full professor and chair of the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Northwestern University, where she also holds the Wilson-Cook Professorship in Engineering Design. She serves as director of both the Integrated Design Automation Laboratory and the Predictive Science and Engineering Design interdisciplinary group.
Chen graduated from SJTU in 1988 and earned her Ph.D. from Georgia Institute of Technology in 1995. She joined Northwestern in 2003 and was elected to the U.S. National Academy of Engineering in 2019. In August 2020, she became chair of Northwestern’s Mechanical Engineering Department.
Her research has made significant contributions to the development and practical application of simulation-based uncertainty design theory. She has helped integrate statistical analysis and probability theory into engineering design practices.
Chen’s professional roles include:
- Fellow, American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME)
- Associate Fellow, American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA)
- Editor-in-Chief, Journal of Mechanical Design
- Executive Committee Member and former Chair, International Society for Structural and Multidisciplinary Optimization (ISSMO)
- Executive Committee Member, ASME Department Heads Committee
- Member, U.S. National Academies’ Board on Mathematical Sciences and Analytics
She has also served as:
- Chair, ASME Design Automation Executive Committee
- Chair, ASME Design Engineering Division Executive Committee
- Advisory Board Member, International Society for Design Science
Her numerous awards include:
- ASME Pi Tau Sigma Gold Medal
- SAE Educational Excellence Award
- International Intelligent Optimal Design Award
- NSF CAREER Award
- ASME Design Automation Award
- NSF BRITE Fellow Award
- U.S. Association for Engineering Science Award
- ASME Charles Russ Richards Memorial Award
About the Academy
Founded in 1780, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences (AAAS) is one of the oldest and most prestigious honorary societies in the United States. It promotes excellence in a wide range of fields, including mathematical and physical sciences, life sciences, social sciences, humanities, public affairs, business, and administration. Each year, the Academy elects the most accomplished and influential leaders of the day. Its membership includes around 4,000 members and international honorary members, among them over 250 Nobel laureates.
Notable Chinese members or international members of the Academy include Qian Xuesen, Tsung-Dao Lee, Samuel C. C. Ting, Yuan Tseh Lee, Shing-Tung Yau, Yigong Shi, Feng Zhang, Chunli Bai, Jie Qiao, Ning Yan, Fei-Fei Li, Zhenan Bao, Hao Wu, and Lihui Cai.
