Bolstered by over 13 years of professional experience, Dr. Chun Hsing “Josh” Chen is a noteworthy figure in the fields of science and academia. Since 2023, he has excelled as a research associate professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, having also served the university’s chemistry department as the director since 2018. Earlier in his career, Dr. Chen was an assistant scientist, associate scientist and crystallographer at Indiana University Bloomington between 2011 and 2018, having also spent time during this period as a technical editor for JOCC between 2012 and 2023. He commenced his career at Indiana University Bloomington as a postdoctoral fellow in 2010.
To prepare for his career, Dr. Chen pursued formal education at the University of Massachusetts at Dartmouth, receiving a Bachelor of Science in organic chemistry in 2004. He later earned a Doctor of Philosophy in physical chemistry from Brandeis University in 2010. To remain abreast of developments in his field, he has also remained active as a member of the American Crystallographic Association, where he serves as the chair-elect of SIG. Additionally, he is a member of the American Chemical Society and has volunteered in his community at local science fairs and book clubs.
Among the many highlights of his career, Dr. Chen is particularly proud of working in several disciplines of research, having looked fondly at his time spent at Indiana University Bloomington. During his tenure at the university, he studied minerals found on Mars while working with a professor in the geology department. Impressively, they discovered that a particular mineral from Mars also exists on Earth; therefore, they recreated Martian conditions to study how the mineral changes its form during Martian days and nights.
Looking toward the future, Dr. Chen intends to expand the capability of the chemistry department at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, which will expand its reach across the nation and, eventually, across the globe. To this end, he aims to offer services that are abreast of the latest technologies and collaborate with groups of like-minded individuals. He would also like to participate in more conferences to receive more exposure.