Po-Ju Chen, Ph.D.

Areas of Expertise

• Hospitality, Tourism and Recreation Management
• Service Management
• Social Media, Sales, and Marketing
• Social Entrepreneurship
• Tourism Management
• Tourism Marketing
• Tourism and Hospitality Human Resources Management and Training
• Tourism and Hospitality Strategic Management

Professional Summary

Po-Ju Chen, Ph.D., a two-time Fulbright Scholar who earned her graduate degrees from Pennsylvania State University. Prior to joining Texas A&M, she served as associate executive director of the School of Hotel and Restaurant Management at the W. A. Franke College of Business at North Arizona University. Before that, she was chair of the Hospitality and Tourism Administration Department in the School of Business at North Carolina Central University. Chen was a professor at Rosen College of Hospitality Management at the University of Central Florida in Orlando for sixteen years.

Chen’s primary research focuses on consumer behaviors and services management in hospitality and tourism. Her research focuses on tourism, meetings, incentives, convention and exhibitions, entrepreneurship, innovation, sustainability, and cross-cultural research. For applied research, Chen partners with various hospitality and tourism leaders and organizations, including destination management organizations, parks, restaurants, hotel companies and attractions/theme parks.

She has published articles in leading business and hospitality/tourism research journals and has received several research awards and recognitions for her academic contributions. She was invited as visiting professor to universities include Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Duy Tan University, University of Aruba, City University of Macao as well as Salzburg University of Applied Science in Austria.

Her teaching excellence earned her the John Wiley & Sons Award for Innovation in Teaching. She was the University of Central Florida Walt Disney World Continuing Education instructor in Guest Services Management and Leadership and Strategic Management.

Chen has also been active in developing industry partnerships and expanding community outreach on a national and international scale. Some of these efforts include serving as the 2016-2018 Florida Green Lodging Education liaison, 2015 president of the Professional Businesswomen Association and 2010 president of the Florida/Caribbean Chapter of Council of Hotel, Restaurant and Institutional Educators. From 2014-2016, Chen served as the primary data analyst for the Institute of Internal Auditors Body of Knowledge.

Chen is the Executive Editor of the Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Education and has served as co-executive editor of the Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Cases — both journals affiliated with the International Council of Hotel, Restaurant and Institutional Education. She is also a board director at large for of the International Society of Travel and Tourism Association.

Dr. Chen is the Chair of the Services Management Special Interest Group by ICHRIE.

Dr. Chen is the Vice President of International Society of Travel and Tourism Educators.