Physicist and former minister of education Wu Maw-kuen (吳茂昆) did not press Academia Sinica to hire his son, Phillip Wu (吳孟真), as a visiting academic, the institution said yesterday after media reports that Phillip Wu won the post due to nepotism.
A distinguished fellow at Academia Sinica’s Institute of Physics, Wu Maw-kuen became minister of education on April 19 last year, but resigned on May 29 after questions arose about a visit he made to China several years ago.
The Chinese-language China Times yesterday reported that Wu Maw-kuen has been trying to secure a research position for Phillip Wu in the physics institute, but failed, as the institute was not satisfied with Phillip Wu’s research.
To smooth Phillip Wu’s way to becoming a researcher, Academia Sinica would next month transfer Wu Maw-kuen from the institute to its Research Center for Applied Sciences to avoid the appearance of a conflict of interest, the report said, citing academics who spoke on condition of anonymity.
The physics institute’s Web site yesterday listed Phillip Wu, who received a doctorate from Duke University in Durham, North Carolina, as an academic visiting from Sept. 1 last year to Aug. 31, but did not specify which institution he represented.
Academia Sinica secretary-general Peng Shin-kun (彭信坤) told a news conference that the report was false, as Wu Maw-kuen did not exert any pressure on the physics institute.
There is no space for such pressure, as Academia Sinica selects its personnel in accordance with strict standards, Peng said.
Phillip Wu started work with the physics institute when he was still in the US and is a visiting academic hosted by research fellow Chen Chii-dong (陳啟東), Peng said, adding that he is not paid.
Institute of Physics director Chang Chia-seng (張嘉升) said he did not receive any reports about Wu Maw-kuen’s transfer and researchers who are not qualified would not be employed.
Phillip Wu’s home institution was left blank because he is not a paid visiting academic, Chang said.
The inspection equipment and data transmission system for new robotic dogs that Taipei is planning to use for sidewalk patrols were developed by a Taiwanese company, the city’s New Construction Office said today, dismissing concerns that the China-made robots could pose a security risk. The city is bringing in smart robotic dogs to help with sidewalk inspections, Taipei Deputy Mayor Lee Ssu-chuan (李四川) said on Facebook. Equipped with a panoramic surveillance system, the robots would be able to automatically flag problems and easily navigate narrow sidewalks, making inspections faster and more accurate, Lee said. By collecting more accurate data, they would help Taipei
STATS: Taiwan’s average life expectancy of 80.77 years was lower than that of Japan, Singapore and South Korea, but higher than in China, Malaysia and Indonesia Taiwan’s average life expectancy last year increased to 80.77 years, but was still not back to its pre-COVID-19 pandemic peak of 81.32 years in 2020, the Ministry of the Interior said yesterday. The average life expectancy last year increased the 0.54 years from 2023, the ministry said in a statement. For men and women, the average life expectancy last year was 77.42 years and 84.30 years respectively, up 0.48 years and 0.56 years from the previous year. Taiwan’s average life expectancy peaked at 81.32 years in 2020, as the nation was relatively unaffected by the pandemic that year. The metric
TAKING STOCK: The USMC is rebuilding a once-abandoned airfield in Palau to support large-scale ground operations as China’s missile range grows, Naval News reported The US Marine Corps (USMC) is considering new sites for stockpiling equipment in the West Pacific to harden military supply chains and enhance mobility across the Indo-Pacific region, US-based Naval News reported on Saturday. The proposed sites in Palau — one of Taiwan’s diplomatic allies — and Australia would enable a “rapid standup of stored equipment within a year” of the program’s approval, the report said, citing documents published by the USMC last month. In Palau, the service is rebuilding a formerly abandoned World War II-era airfield and establishing ancillary structures to support large-scale ground operations “as China’s missile range and magazine
Passengers on Taiwan High Speed Rail (THSR) will be required to use headphones and make phone calls in gangways under new “quiet travel” rules starting Sept. 22. THSR Chairman Shih Che (史哲) told media that THSR will run a three-month promotional campaign to ensure widespread adoption of the new rules. Those repeatedly ignoring the guidance face the potential termination of their transport contract, which can result in them getting escorted off the train, according to THSR. Shih shared his hope to cultivate an environment conducive to rest and reading for the train’s passengers, stating that these changes aim to “promote self-discipline” among passengers
RSS