Jianli chen

CIVIL AND ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEER

Projects: Microgrid Kayenta, A Resilient Broadband Solution for Kayenta Chapter of the Navajo Nation

Jianli comes from a small town in China with boundless mountains and a Y-shaped river crossing the center of the city. The beautiful scenery and a tightly knit community with caring friends in Nanping sharply contrasts with the poor infrastructure conditions. In order to align the discrepancies in the physical environment of his city and others led Jianli to study civil engineering and build a better world. Scientists dream about great ideas. Engineers realize them. As a civil engineer, he is enthusiastic about building and power research to facilitate the indigenous communities in Navajo Nation to connect with energy transition. 

Currently, Jianli is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Civil Engineering at the University of Utah. It was his work on the Connected Community Project that brought him to Kayenta, Chilchinbeto and Dennehotso Chapters for the first time. As a building researcher, Jianli has performed extensive works on building sustainability, occupant comfort and health, and building and renewable energy integration. In idle moments, Jianli enjoys being idle, hanging out with family, friends, and wandering around the world.