“When one out of the ten things actually works, you’re like, oh, wow, this is so cool,” Professor Michelle Chen reflects on what drives her passion for research. “I get to study what I enjoy.” Now at Wesleyan as Assistant Professor of Chemistry, Chen channels this sense of discovery into both her pioneering research in renewable energy and her commitment to student mentorship.
Chen’s passion for chemistry began early, with hands-on research experiences starting in eighth grade and continuing through high school. At Dartmouth College, she double-majored in chemistry and economics, thriving in a liberal arts environment. Early participation in the Women in Science Projects program gave her access to research opportunities as a freshman, a formative experience that now shapes her drive to make research accessible to all students.
After earning her PhD in chemistry at Northwestern University and completing postdoctoral research, Chen joined Wesleyan, drawn by its blend of liberal arts values and robust research opportunities. “I really wanted to work with students of all different stages, from freshmen to PhD candidates,” she explains, seeing Wesleyan as an ideal place to mentor students at every level.
Chen’s research sits at the intersection of fundamental photophysics and real-world applications in renewable energy. She specializes in studying how electrons move in excited states of molecules, particularly organic dyes that are both robust and inexpensive. These materials are already used in products like car paint, but Chen sees their potential to advance solar technology.
A central focus of her lab is “triplet-triplet annihilation upconversion,” a process that could significantly improve solar cell efficiency. Traditional silicon solar cells can only absorb light above 1.1 electron volts (eV), losing lower-energy photons as heat. Chen’s work aims to capture this lost energy by combining two lower-energy photons (for example, 0.6 eV each) into one higher-energy photon (1.2 eV) that silicon can absorb, potentially revolutionizing solar energy capture.
What sets Chen’s lab apart is her ability to both synthesize new materials and use advanced spectroscopy to study their properties. With new laser systems, she and her students can observe electron behavior in real time. Her research focuses on solid films and polymers, making her findings directly relevant to practical solar applications. While her lab doesn’t manufacture solar cells, her research provides crucial insights that engineers can use to design more efficient devices.
Mentorship is central to Chen’s approach. She has already recruited undergraduate researchers and actively involves juniors and seniors through Wesleyan’s integrated lab series. By pairing students of different experience levels, she fosters a collaborative environment where upperclassmen guide newcomers, and everyone learns together. “Mentoring is such a key skill—you don’t really learn it until you have the opportunity to mentor someone,” she notes.
Her commitment to student engagement extends beyond her own lab. Chen is exploring participation in WesMaSS (Wesleyan Mathematics and Science Scholars) and other summer research programs that provide funding for students to conduct full-time research. She’s also collaborating with colleagues across campus.
As an Asian American woman in chemistry, Chen brings a deep understanding of the importance of representation in science. “I think it’s important for students to see female faculty in intro level courses,” she emphasizes, “because that just shows that we are present and that we don’t just teach, we can also do research.”
Chen’s commitment to diversity goes beyond visibility; she actively creates opportunities for underrepresented students. She’s planning to participate in the Wesleyan Science Camp run by Professors Sher and Taylor, and she believes strongly in the power of early intervention. “I think we need to do more outreach in K through 12 more, because it’s kind of a little bit late to show them when they’re like 18 when you could have showed them when they were ten or five,” she explains.
Ultimately, what drives Chen is the unpredictable nature of scientific discovery and the opportunity to share that journey with her students. “Research is unpredictable. It may or may not work. But when you find something really interesting, that’s what motivates me,” she says. At Wesleyan, Chen is building a community where curiosity, resilience, and diversity fuel both scientific progress and student growth.
Professor Chen’s Group Website: https://mchen.research.wesleyan.edu/