“I didn’t choose the field of entrepreneurship…
it chose me.“-Dr. John Chen
Originally from Taiwan, John Chen calls Huntsville, Alabama, his hometown. John’s education and career have allowed him to travel quite a bit, from California to Florida with several stops in between. Most recently, he has planted roots in Waco, Texas. And fortunately for the Baylor Entrepreneurship Department, John will be joining the faculty roster in Fall 2023 as an Associate Professor teaching Strategic Management / Business Policy.
John didn’t grow up in an overtly entrepreneurial household. He wasn’t the kid on the block washing cars, mowing lawns, selling lemonade or hustling classmates for snacks and treats. He loved math and engineering. That was his focus as an undergrad and that’s what guided him to a career in the high-tech industry. It was after he transitioned to a more business-oriented tech role that John learned about high-caliber management and entrepreneurship research.
As a junior scholar, John’s research focus was using computer simulation methods. However, there was a shift in thinking when John was connected with an established scholar who was interested in applying the computer simulation methods to entrepreneurship. What started as an implementation of a somewhat novel research concept, ended as a career-defining moment. John explains, “I didn’t choose the field of entrepreneurship… it chose me.”
John enjoys being a collegiate professor. He considers it a privilege to have the opportunity to build relationships with students and to share his academic expertise and his faith. After several conversations with Baylor Entrepreneurship Chair, Dr. Peter Klein, and a discussion with Dr. Walter Bradley, Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Mechanical Engineering, John felt that God was leaving not-so-subtle “breadcrumbs” leading straight to Baylor University.
John views Baylor as a new mission field and is excited to build relationships and share his expertise at an unapologetically Christian university.
Welcome to Baylor Entrepreneurship, Dr. Chen! Sic’ em!
For more information on Baylor Entrepreneurship, please visit our website at baylor.edu/business/entrepreneurship/.