Enze Chen

(photo credit: Cora Cliburn 💃🏽)

Hullo! 👋🏼

I am a Lecturer in the Materials Science and Engineering (MSE) Department at Stanford University. I teach a variety of undergraduate MSE courses spanning structure, characterization, energy, and computing. In my classrooms, you can expect to see a mix of lectures, active learning, digital tools, and professional skills development. I also wear advising and recruiting hats within the department, so I welcome any and all of your questions. I am grateful to work with the other Faculty and Staff to support our wonderful students!

Contact 📧

I’m always happy to chat with you, even if you’re not from Stanford or Berkeley. See the Advising page for some examples of what we can discuss and how to schedule a meeting.

The best way to reach me is by email, at enze [at] stanford.edu, and I will normally respond within 24 hours. If you’re feeling lucky, you can stop by my office in Durand 117.

Courses 📚

In AY 24–25, I will be teaching

  • Autumn: MATSCI 143, an undergraduate core course on materials structure and characterization. 🔬
  • Winter: MATSCI 122, a new undergraduate elective course on scientific visualizations in MSE. 🎨
  • Spring: MATSCI 156, an under/graduate elective course on energy materials (focus on solar cells, fuel cells, and batteries). 🔋
    Additionally, I will be teaching a second offering of MATSCI 131, our new essential skills course for undergraduates. 💡

Recent news 📰

  • 2024/10: Our collaboration on “Topological grain boundary segregation transitions” in the Ti–Fe system, demonstrating GRIP for binary alloys, is published in Science!

  • 2024/10: Those who have taken my classes know that I like to use Jupyter notebooks to create interactive learning tools, often with widgets. You can find all of my current notebooks on Google Drive.

  • 2024/09: Following some recent conversations, I decided to look more into Python-based crystal structure visualizations and deciphered some intracacies in OVITO!

  • 2024/08: The final chapter of my PhD on the GRand canonical Interface Predictor (GRIP) tool for “Grand canonically optimized grain boundary phases in hexagonal close-packed titanium” is published in Nature Communications! [code] [data]

  • 2024/03: Haoxue and I were recently featured by the MSE Department in our Community Spotlight series. I encourage you to check out hers and mine! 😊

  • 2024/03: Recent conversations with students have spurred not one, but two new blog posts! I’ve recorded some reflections and tips on what traits might make for a successful MSE Major and—something I continually reflect on—why I teach.

  • 2024/02: In my inaugural blog post as Lecturer, I gathered some thoughts about how students should consider sequencing their Stanford MATSCI courses.

Campus resources 💚

Stanford is heavily invested in your success and has established many resources to support your education; however, it may not be obvious to know where to go, particularly in a pinch. If things come up or you’re looking for proactive support, below are a few campus resources that are available to you. Please don’t hesitate to reach out and I’ll also do my best to help guide you.

  • Academic Advising - This is a centralized page where you can get in touch with undergraduate advisors at all levels for all functions. They can help you navigate the Stanford system and share resources that you may not have been aware of.
  • Academic Calendar - The quarter moves fast, and I always like to bookmark the academic calendar so I can stay apprised of University deadlines and plan accordingly. As students, it’s good to be aware of the various enrollment deadlines, e.g., enrollment opens, add/drop, withdraw.
  • The Bridge Peer Counseling Center - The Bridge is a program that offers anonymous 24/7 peer counseling to all members of the Stanford community. It’s run by trained undergraduate and graduate Stanford students and could be a good place to initiate a dialogue.
  • Confidential Support Team (CST) - Sexual/relationship violence and sexual harassment are never acceptable, yet they still frequently occur on college campuses. CST can help survivors through confidential, trauma-informed consultation, counseling, and outreach.
  • Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) - Mental health is just as important as physical health for thriving at Stanford. CAPS provides an array of mental health services available to students including clinical services and workshops. I can personally say CAPS at Berkeley was life changing for me and instrumental to my success in the PhD.
  • Centers for Equity, Community, and Leadership - This is the centralized page for several identity-based communities on campus, including the Asian American Activities Center, the First Generation and/or Low-Income Student Success Center, Women’s Community Center, and more. See the IDEAL initiative for more ways diversity is celebrated on campus.
  • Hume Center for Writing and Speaking - The Hume Center is an excellent resource for all of your communication needs. They offer free 1-to-1 tutoring sessions, regular workshops, and other resources.
  • Office of Accessible Education (OAE) - Students with learning disabilities are entitled to accommodations through OAE to make courses more accessible. Trained staff will work with you to issue a formal letter for instructors that can be the starting point for a discussion around accessibility.
  • Student Learning Programs - This is a centralized platform that links to a variety of services including tutoring, academic coaching, and support for learning disabilities like ADHD.
  • Student Organizations (SoE specific) - Stanford has hundreds of student organizations at all levels (undergrad, grad, professional) and you will no doubt find several aligned with your interests. These can be academic, athletic, social, pre-professional, service, and more. The School of Engineering page has several that are associated with departments and professional societies.
  • Student Tech Support (The Hub at Lathrop) - When accessible and used properly, technology can greatly enhance your learning. Whether you’re looking to borrow hardware (equipment) or install new software, The Hub at Lathrop library can help you get started.
  • Vaden Health Services - Vaden Health Services on campus is the go-to place for students for all physical/mental/emotional health needs. I advise stopping their first (in-person or online) to hear their suggestions for how to proceed with your particular situation.
  • Wellness at Stanford - This site contains courses, best practices, and online resources that promote wellness in your daily routine. With attention to your physical and mental well-being, you will be better prepared to take advantage of Stanford’s opportunities!