Kathy Chen

Kathy Chen is the Executive Director of the STEM Education Center at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI), with affiliations in the Department of Mechanical Engineering within the College of Engineering. She previously served as Professor and Chair of Materials Engineering at California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly) for over 15 years, where she led transformative diversity and inclusion initiatives and K–12 STEM outreach programs.

• PhD in Materials Science, MIT
• BS in Materials Science and BA in Chemistry, Michigan State University

Her research focuses on advancing equity in STEM education, particularly in supporting PreK–12 educators through inclusive pedagogy, teacher identity formation, and resilient leadership in under-resourced schools. She is deeply involved in community STEM ecosystems and systemic change in education. Her recent publications emphasize cohort-based support for underrepresented students, teacher development, and engineering outreach. These works reflect a strong trend toward equity, inclusion, and systemic reform in STEM education, often through NSF-funded initiatives and collaborative networks. She is actively involved in professional organizations including the American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE), American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), and the Association for Women in Science.

• Girls Inc. Worcester Outstanding Community Partner Award, 2023
• Best Diversity Paper in Pre-College Division, ASEE, 2020

Chen has led major grant-funded initiatives such as the NSF S-STEM PEEPS program and currently co-leads an NSF grant supporting low-income computer science students at WPI. She also directs the Research Experiences for Teachers (RET) program and leads the Central MA STEM Network. Her work bridges academic research with community engagement, emphasizing sustainable and equitable educational change. She mentors future educators and leads interdisciplinary teams focused on transforming STEM education from K–12 through higher education.