After years of attempting to inspire more of the nation's youngsters to join the social science professions, the National Science Council (NSC) yesterday announced encouraging results after graduating 1,400 elite students from the council's High School Humanities and Social Sciences Summer Camp.
The annual camp was set up in 2000 by a former director of the NSC's department of humanities and social sciences, Cyrus Chu (朱敬一), camp director Chen Tung-sheng (陳東升) said.
Chen, who is a sociology professor at National Taiwan University, said Chu noticed that while the nation had been investing in producing scientists since 1983 with annual physics, mathematics and life science camps, such opportunities did not exist for those interested in the social sciences, and that those students ought to be offered similar opportunities to excel in their chosen fields.
Since its establishment the camp has attracted more than 1,000 high school students each year from the 318 high schools nationwide, Chen said. The application process sifts out only the top 200 students, with a female to male ratio of 7:3.
The students attend two intense two-week summer programs. The first is between their first and second years at high school, which gives them a "taste" of the eight subjects -- psychology, political science, spatial research, philosophy, economics, sociology, anthropology and history.
The second course is in the summer before the students attend college, where students select two of the subjects and attend classes and discussion seminars instructed by renowned academics, from 9am to 9:30pm daily.
"In the beginning the students cringed at the rigorous curriculum, but after two weeks many yearned for more," Chen said.
2001 participant Hsu Wan-ting (許宛婷) said the camp "changed her way of thinking."
"I've always wanted to follow in the footsteps of my favorite author Hou Wen-yung (侯文詠), who is a doctor-writer," the pharmacy senior at Taipei Medical University said. "I couldn't sleep most nights during the two weeks, thinking about the new things I was exposed to -- scientists should reinvent themselves and instill elements of the humanities in their specialized fields."
Among the 2005 summer camp participants, 65 percent said it improved their critical thinking skills and 100 percent said they would recommend the program to younger students, Chen said.
"In addition, 31 percent of the participants who are now college seniors said they would apply for jobs in academic research, while 60 percent said the camp influenced their career choices," he said.
The success of the camp has also led to the establishment of specialized classes for the social sciences at three of Taipei's elite high schools -- Taipei First Girls' High School, Chienkuo High School and Zhongshan Girls' High School -- "which indicated a change in society's perception of the importance of the fields," Chen said.
Quoting philosopher Hu Shi (胡適), Chen said: "To reap the sort of harvest you desire you must first cultivate your crops accordingly. Talent development sees no shortcuts; the council hopes that activities such as these will continue to bring more bright youngsters into the social sciences."
Palauan President Surangel Whipps Jr arrived in Taiwan last night to kick off his first visit to the country since beginning his second term earlier this year. After arriving at Taoyuan International Airport at around 6:30 pm, Whipps and his delegation were welcomed by Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍). Speaking to gathered media, the Palauan leader said he was excited and honored to be back in Taiwan on his first state visit to Taiwan since he was sworn in this January. Among those traveling with Whipps is Minister of State Gustav N. Aitaro, Public Infrastructure
President William Lai (賴清德) yesterday thanked Palau for its continued support of Taiwan's international participation, as Taipei was once again excluded from the World Health Assembly (WHA) currently taking place in Switzerland. "Palau has never stopped voicing support for Taiwan" in the UN General Assembly, the WHO and other UN-affiliated agencies, Lai said during a bilateral meeting with visiting Palau President Surangel Whipps Jr. "We have been profoundly touched by these endorsements," Lai said, praising the Pacific island nation's firm support as "courageous." Lai's remarks came as Taiwan was excluded for the ninth consecutive year from the WHA, which is being held in
RESOLUTIONS DEBATE: Taiwan’s allies said that UN and WHA resolutions cited by China and other nations ‘do not determine Taiwan’s participation in WHO activities’ A proposal to invite Taiwan to this year’s World Health Assembly (WHA) was rejected on Monday, resulting in Taipei’s absence from the annual meeting for a ninth consecutive year, although partners spoke up for Taiwan’s participation at the first day of the meeting. The first agenda item after the opening was a “two-on-two debate” on a proposal to invite Taiwan to participate at the WHA as an observer. Similar to previous years, two countries made statements in favor of the proposal, while two others expressed their opposition. Philippine Secretary of Health Teodoro Herbosa, president of the 78th WHA, accepted the WHA General Committee’s
At least three people died and more than a dozen were injured yesterday afternoon when a vehicle struck a group of pedestrians in New Taipei City’s Sansia District (三峽). The incident happened at about 4pm when a car rammed into pedestrians at an intersection near Bei Da Elementary School. Witnesses said the sedan, being driven at a high speed, ran a red light, knocking scooters out of the way and hitting students crossing the road before careening into a median near the intersection of Guocheng and Guoguang streets. The incident resulted in three deaths and 13 injuries, including the driver, a 78-year-old man
RSS