Chen Duan

Assistant Professor of Electrical Engineering

Chen Duan started at Kettering in 2022. His broad research interests are in the areas of Battery and E-Mobility Systems, including power electronics. Current projects focus on both Solar energy harvesting for battery balancing and the application of these techniques to electric vehicles. He is also passionate about advancing energy storage, electrified vehicle propulsion, and fuel cells. 

Through his research activities and collaborations across campus, Chen is a member of the Battery and Mobility Systems (BMS) Lab. In addition, Chen is the Faculty Advisor for EV Kartz Club, FSAE Electric team, and AutoDrive Challenge. 

Many Kettering students have surprised and inspired me through the way they blend creativity with practicality. Because of the university’s deep roots in cooperative education, students don’t just think theoretically—they constantly bring ideas from their co-op jobs back into the classroom and labs. I’ve seen students approach a project with limited resources and still develop ingenious solutions that rival industry-level work. Their ability to take ownership—whether it’s developing a custom battery management system for a competition vehicle, creating models to optimize powertrain efficiency, or tackling real problems in Flint’s community—often exceeds expectations.