UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Following a national search, Professor Jin Wen has been named head of Penn State’s Department of Architectural Engineering, effective Aug. 1. Wen will follow Professor Jim Freihaut, who has served as interim head since January 2023 and will step down June 1, and Professor Rob Leicht, who will serve as acting department head for the month of July. Wen will step down from her current position as interim vice dean for research, innovation and faculty advancement and professor of civil, architectural, and environmental engineering for the College of Engineering at Drexel University.
“We are thrilled to welcome Dr. Wen to the Penn State College of Engineering as the new head of the Department of Architectural Engineering,” said Tonya L. Peeples, the Harold and Inge Marcus Dean of Engineering. “Dr. Wen brings a wealth of administrative, research and teaching experience, a strong vision for the future and a deep commitment to academic excellence and innovation. I am excited for the leadership and energy she will bring to one of our most distinguished departments.”
Wen has an extensive background in smart building and energy fields. She earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in mechanical engineering from Beihang University, China, in 1995 and 1997, respectively, and a doctorate in mechanical and industrial engineering from the University of Iowa in 2003.
Wen said she is passionate about creating a sustainable and resilient built environment that fosters the well-being of both humans and the planet. She focuses her research on developing machine learning and artificial intelligence-based technologies to revolutionize building design, control and commissioning for grid-interactive efficient buildings.
“I am particularly interested in applying multidisciplinary research to address the challenges faced in the building sector,” Wen said. “My research integrates innovations in AI and sensing technologies while also incorporating methods and tools from non-engineering fields, such as social science, to better understand the human needs and behavior of occupants and decision-makers.”
Wen has published more than 70 papers in top architectural engineering journals with close to 6,000 citations, and her work has been funded by the U.S. Department of Energy, the National Institute of Standards and Technology, the U.S. National Science Foundation, the Department of Homeland Security and the American Society of Heating, Ventilating, and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE). Despite her success in research, she said her greatest achievements are the past and current graduate students she has advised.
“Watching them grow into leaders who are making meaningful contributions to our field has been the most rewarding part of my career,” Wen said.
Elected to the ASHRAE College of Fellows in 2024, Wen currently serves as the vice chair and rising chair of ASHRAE’s Research Administration Committee, which oversees and coordinates all ASHRAE research activities. She also served as a task leader for the International Energy Agency and serves on the editorial board of the journal Building Simulation. In 2019-20, Wen was selected as a U.S. Fulbright Scholar for Sweden.
In addition to her research and professional experience, Wen is an experienced academic administrator: She served as a graduate program adviser for Drexel’s architectural engineering program for more than 10 years; as associate dean for faculty advancement from 2022-23; as interim associate dean for research from January 2023 to September 2023; as associate dean for research and innovation from September 2023 to January 2025; and as interim vice dean for research, innovation and faculty advancement from January 2025 to the present.
Wen said she was drawn to the opportunity to serve as department head for Penn State architectural engineering because of the program’s legacy as one of the oldest and most respected comprehensive architectural engineering programs in the country.
“Over the years, I’ve had the privilege of collaborating with many faculty members from the architectural engineering department and have thoroughly enjoyed the experiences,” Wen said. “I have also been deeply impressed by the strong support from Penn State’s extensive AE alumni network, the collegial and supportive environment fostered by Dean Peeples, and the University’s top-tier programs and research centers that offer exceptional opportunities for collaboration and robust institutional support.”
As department head, Wen said she hopes to inspire a vibrant and supportive community that is innovative in all its endeavors while upholding the department’s legacy as a global leader in education and research.
“I strive to be a leader who has vision, integrity, empathy, accountability and humility, and I believe in servant leadership and shared governance,” Wen said. “I aim for the department to become the premier destination for industry partners seeking groundbreaking solutions and innovations. Through world-class education, workforce development and technological advancements, the department will exemplify Penn State’s land-grant mission, helping to drive economic growth and uplift local communities.”