Biochemist Wong Chi-huey (翁啟惠) yesterday assumed office as the ninth president of Academia Sinica, the top research institute in the country.
Wong, who was director of the institute's Genomics Research Center until Wednesday, has been recognized by world-class research institutes for his pioneering work on the elegant fusion of chemistry and biology for organic synthesis, especially of complex carbohydrates, glycoproteins and enzyme inhibitors.
Welcoming Wong as his successor, outgoing Academica Sinica president Lee Yuan-tseh (
PHOTO: CNA
Lee was a co-winner of the 1986 Nobel Prize in chemistry.
During a ceremony marking his appointment to the post, Wong spelled out four goals to help turn Academia Sinica into a research institute on a par with the world's best.
The four goals Wong put forward were: improving the institute's research environment, expediting academic exchanges between Academia Sinica and other research institutions in Taiwan and overseas, nurturing the institute's research personnel and using the institute to upgrade Taiwan's research capacity and standards.
Three other academics were also sworn in as vice presidents yesterday: Andrew Wang (王惠鈞), Liu Chao-han (劉兆漢) and Liu Tsui-jung (劉翠溶).
The Ministry of Education (MOE) is to launch a new program to encourage international students to stay in Taiwan and explore job opportunities here after graduation, Deputy Minister of Education Yeh Ping-cheng (葉丙成) said on Friday. The government would provide full scholarships for international students to further their studies for two years in Taiwan, so those who want to pursue a master’s degree can consider applying for the program, he said. The fields included are science, technology, engineering, mathematics, semiconductors and finance, Yeh added. The program, called “Intense 2+2,” would also assist international students who completed the two years of further studies in
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