INI Alumnus Hao-Wei Chen named 2024 Tartan on the Rise

Information Networking Institute (INI) alumnus Hao-Wei Chen (’13) was named one of Carnegie Mellon University’s 2024 Tartans on the Rise, joining INI alumni Rohyt Belani ('02) and Hooman Radfar ('04) in this honor. This award recognizes alumni whose leadership and innovation have left an undeniable mark on their industries. 

“We are so proud to see another INI graduate earn this university distinction,” said Dena Haritos Tsamitis, director of the INI. “Hao-Wei embodies the enthusiasm and combination of technical and business acumen that we look for in INI students. His leadership in security at Audible offers our current and prospective students a remarkable example of how they can apply their skills at the highest levels of industry.” 

Chen has been fascinated with hacking and defending against cyberthreats since he was a teenager. Growing up in Taiwan, Chen discovered the danger of these threats as he learned about cyberattacks against the government’s own website. This curiosity led Chen to develop the website Hacker.org.tw as a means to educate the public about these threats and how to defend against them. 

At the INI, Chen continued his exploration of information security through the Master of Science in Information Security (MSIS) program, which includes core courses in systems, networking and security in addition to electives in business and management. Like all INI programs, the MSIS prepares graduates to excel as technical leaders in the industry, equipped with business and policy insights to complement their engineering expertise. 

After graduating, Chen secured a role at Amazon and has continued to climb the ranks. Now he is the director of information security for Audible, the audiobook division of Amazon. Chen continues to give back by creating resources for Taiwanese students interested in entering the U.S. job market. He also contributes to various nonprofits including the NEX Foundation and the Taiwan International Foundation. 

You can learn more about the 2024 honorees in the Tartan on the Rise announcement.