Professor Wen was born in 1932 in Jiangxi Province of China and in 1955 graduated with a First Class Honours degree from Tsinghua University, where he was awarded the Outstanding Graduate Gold Medal. He remained at that University until in 1979 when he undertook tribology research at the Imperial College, London.
Returning to Tsinghua University he actively promoted the creation and development of tribology. His team engaged in research covering a broad range of topics from the traditional macroscopic tribology to the emerging nanotribology, which is closely related to Mechanical Engineering developments in China, especially the multi-scale approaches from macro to micro to the interdisciplinary research to mechanical engineering in future.
In 1956 he developed the conceptual framework of "Research on Friction, Wear and Lubrication in China" as part of the 12 year "National Scientific Development Plan". In 1982 and 1983 he played an important role in the National Science and Technology Commission and the Ministry of Education of China, drafting the guidelines in research and education of subjects in mechanical engineering, including tribology
In 1985 he presided over the establishment of the State Key Laboratory of Tribology at Tsinghua University.
Professor Wen has led national basic/key research projects of tribology in "China's Five Year Plan" since 1980, including "Tribological Mechanism Research" (1981 - 1985), "Satellite Bearing Lubrication and Life Prediction" (1986 - 1990), and "The Railway Vehicle Bearing Lubrication Design and Structure Optimization" (1986 - 1990) etc. The latest accomplished national key project led by Professor Wen was "Nano-Device Interface Behaviour and Control Research" (2006 - 2010). The result of this work made a profound impact on the research development of tribology in China. It is believed that the lunar landing of Chang'e in 2013 may not have been possible without development of tribology in China, in which Professor Wen had taken a leading role.
International connections have always been high on Professor Wen's activities. The International Tribology Group at the Tsinghua University founded by Professor Wen, of which he is an Honorary Director, continues to flourish and is becoming an increasingly major player in the world of Tribology research.
Professor Wen always had passion for the education and training of young researchers. He supported the exchange of research workers from a number of countries. In 1981 and 1986 he supervised the first PhD candidate and Post Doctorate in tribology discipline in China. Since then he has been the mentor of more than 100 postgraduates, who became the backbone and academic leaders in mechanical engineering in China, among them one Academician of the China Academy of Science, three Yangtze Distinguished Professors and five winners of the Outstanding Youth Award of NSFC.
In 1990 he edited "Principles of Tribology" reprinted 4 times, including an English version. It has become the most used textbook of tribology in China and played a great role in the extension of tribological knowledge and cultivation of professional talents.
During the past 50 years he has published over 600 papers, 8 books and received over 24 major scientific and technological awards including a National Natural Science Award and Prize of National Scientific and Technological Progress Award. In 2002 he was awarded the prestigious Science and Technology Progress Prize of "He Liang, He Li" fund. He received the Highest Achievement Award by the Chinese Tribology Institute in 2009 and in 2012 received the Chinese Society of Mechanical Engineering Technology Achievement Award. He is now Honorary Editor of "Friction" published in English by Tsinghua University and Springer.
Over the last 50 years Professor Wen has become a "father figure" of Tribology in China and a constant and effective advocate of tribology as an important subject in the areas of fundamental research and application. He is indeed a worthy recipient of the world's highest honour in tribology - the 2015 Tribology Gold Medal.