For this Purdue math lecturer, every student deserves a chance to succeed
Kuan-Hua “Joe” Chen is a senior math lecturer at Purdue known for making content approachable for students. He’s also this year’s recipient of the Excellence in Instruction Award for Lecturers.
Kuan-Hua “Joe” Chen’s commitment to student learning earns him Purdue’s Excellence in Instruction Award for Lecturers
Kuan-Hua “Joe” Chen is the kind of math teacher every college student wishes they had.
Since 2010 the senior lecturer of mathematics in Purdue’s College of Science has been well-known among Purdue students in the Department of Mathematics for simplifying otherwise rigorous subjects, like linear algebra and calculus, and for being a friendly mentor outside the classroom.
“I think if I can do something to give math a second chance with these students, many of whom might not have had pleasant experiences with math in the past, maybe that would change something,” Chen says.
He explains that the key to helping students understand math’s simplicity is to first build a meaningful connection with them beyond teaching, especially during Zoom lectures and online forums.
For Chen, making that connection often starts with something that everyone can relate to, for example, by showing off his beloved cats, Kiki and Tali. That’s when his students light up the most. “All we have to do is reach out and make that human connection,” he says.
Chen’s empathetic, authentic approach to teaching and building rapport with students is among the reasons he earned the 2025 Excellence in Instruction Award for Lecturers, one of Purdue’s highest undergraduate teaching honors.
Every year the university presents this award to a lecturer or senior lecturer who has gone above and beyond for their students. Chen received a surprise presentation in his classroom from Purdue Pete, colleagues and former students, many of whom have expressed interest in teaching math themselves.
Chen was overcome with emotion and gratitude by the surprise honor because there was once a time he didn’t realize how much he liked teaching.
He started his educational journey as an undergraduate student and then became a graduate student in Purdue’s School of Aeronautics and Astronautics, later becoming a teaching assistant in the math department.
After encouragement from his uncle, who’s also a university instructor, he realized that teaching students was what he was meant to do.
Now Chen teaches about 400 students each semester and consistently receives outstanding course evaluations and student feedback. One of his main contributions as an instructor –– and a reason behind his popularity among students –– is his innovation “ChenFlix,” an online archive of his lecture videos and study resources, which his students “binge-watch” before exams.
With the help of BoilerCast, he’s recorded lectures for all his classes so that any student anywhere –– in Indiana, Texas, Antarctica and beyond –– can watch at their convenience. ChenFlix’s visitor counter recently showed over a million lecture views.
“As long as they’re learning, that’s all that matters to me,” Chen says.
Sydney Powell, one of his students, says, “It’s my first semester in Professor Chen’s classroom, but not my first time learning from him. ChenFlix has helped me so much.”
Chen also prioritizes engaging with his students outside his lectures. To name a few of his roles, he’s participated in Boiler Gold Rush, Boiler Cold Rush and Summer Visit Days and led high-demand Calculus I exam review sessions for students in the Don and Liz Thompson Minority Engineering Program.
“I firmly believe that everyone deserves a chance to succeed. If I can help in some way, then why not?” he says.
Beyond teaching, Chen is also an advisor for several student clubs, including Dungeons of Purdue, which is made up of students who love the famous fantasy role-playing game, and a faculty fellow for Shreve Residence Hall, which is where he stayed during his undergraduate years at Purdue.
His teaching track record is stellar, and his accomplishments are numerous, but those things are not what motivates him every day. Instead, Chen is inspired by his students’ learning journeys. Their successes and breakthroughs are what he remembers most.
He shares that years ago he ran into a former student on the bus. “I asked him how he was doing, and he told me, ‘Hey, it’s because of your class that I’m switching my major to math.’”
All we have to do is reach out and make that human connection.
Kuan-Hua “Joe” Chen
Assistant department head and senior lecturer of mathematics in the Purdue College of Science
