 Chen received a Bachelor of Engineering degree from MIT, and went on to undertake her PhD at the University of Minnesota in the area of surfactant self-assembly, including early work on microemulsion systems.In recent years, Chen's research has focused on membrane science and engineering, with specific focus on nanocomposite membranes, fouling and advanced separations.This has facilitated a number of industry collaborations with partners including BASF, Dairy Innovation Australia, Australian Low Emission Coal R&D, Bluescope Steel, Coal Innovation NSW, Beijing OriginWater Technology, Printed Energy, and Sydney Water.