Biography

 MCChen
Professor Mu-Chun Chen is a theoretical particle physicist at the University of California, Irvine. She is researching the properties of the elementary particles and fundamental forces of Nature, which could help unveil what happened within a fraction of a second after the Big Bang. Currently, together with a diverse group of excellent students and colleagues, she is focusing on exploring possible  origin of neutrino masses and oscillation and answers to the following questions:

  • What is the origin of neutrino masses?
  • Are neutrinos their own antiparticles?
  • Is there a Grand Unified Theory that unified all the fundamental forces?
  • What is the origin of the matter-antimatter asymmetry?

Academic Career

Associate Dean, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, School of Physical Sciences, 2021 – present

Professor, Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of California, Irvine, 2016 – present

Vice Chair of Graduate Studies, Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of California, Irvine, 2019 – 2021

Inaugural Vice Chair of Inclusive Excellence, Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of California, Irvine, 2017 – 2019

Equity Advisor, School of Physical Sciences, University of California, Irvine, 2017 – 2021

DECADE (Diverse Educational Community and Doctoral Experience) Faculty Mentor, Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of California, Irvine, 2016 – 2018

Associate Professor, Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of California, Irvine, 2010 – 2016

Assistant Professor, Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of California, Irvine, 2006 – 2010

Research Associate, Fermilab, 2005-2006

Research Associate, Brookhaven National Lab, 2002-2005

Research Area

Theoretical High Energy Physics

Education

National Taiwan University, B.S. in Physics, 1996

University of Colorado at Boulder, PhD in Physics, 2002

AWARDS

2022   UC Irvine Office of Inclusive Excellence Spirit Award, “Celebrating Black in Physical Sciences”

2020    UC Irvine Office of Inclusive Excellence Spirit Award, “Conference for Undergraduate Women in Physics (CUWiP) at UCI”

2019    UC Irvine Dr. De Gallow Professor of the Year Award nominee

2019    Department of Physics and Astronomy Undergraduate Teaching Award, UC Irvine (Selected by the graduating class of Physics and Astronomy students as the faculty member who most inspired them in their undergraduate studies)

2019    School of Physical Sciences Outstanding Contributions to Undergraduate Education, UC Irvine

2015    Humboldt Research Fellowship, Alexander von Humboldt Foundation

2015    Carl Friedrich von Siemens Fellowship, Alexander von Humboldt Foundation

2012    School of Physical Sciences Outstanding Contributions to Undergraduate Education, UC Irvine

2010    Faculty Career Development Award, UC Irvine

2009    Erice Fellowship, Ettore Majorana Foundation and Centre for Scientific Culture

2008    Most Valuable Referee for Physics Letters B, Elsevier

1998    Graduate Tuition Fellowship, University of Colorado, Boulder

Contact Information
Frederick Reines Hall Room 3127
Office: +1 (949) 385-0246

muchunc-at-uci.edu