Taiwanese-American scientist Jacob Chung (莊念祖) has been honored with an award by NASA for advancing space exploration through his research on cryogenic fluid management.
The Exceptional Public Service Medal, the highest honor bestowed by NASA to non-federal employees, was awarded to the 77-year-old Chung at a ceremony on June 25. He was the only recipient this year.
Chung said in a recent media interview that he moved to the US at the age of 23 after graduating from National Tsing Hua University (NTHU) with a degree in nuclear engineering.
Photo courtesy of Chung via CNA
He earned a master’s degree in nuclear engineering at the University of Missouri and a doctorate in mechanical engineering at the University of Pennsylvania in 1979.
Chung credited NTHU for having provided him with a solid foundation in science and engineering, which he said made his studies in the US a relatively smooth experience.
At the time, there were only four departments at NTHU and their professors had mostly returned from the US to pass on their advanced knowledge, Chung said.
Since 1998, the scientist has been teaching at the University of Florida after 19 years on the faculty at Washington State University. He is the Andrew H. Hines, Jr/Progress Energy chair at the institute in Gainesville.
Chung has been conducting research for NASA since 1992 in the field of space thermal-fluid management technologies, which include methods to limit the vaporization of rocket fuel during storage and transportation.
By enabling rockets to travel further by using less fuel, his findings assist human exploration of the moon, Mars and asteroids.
The liquid fuels used in rockets must be stored at temperatures ranging from minus-250°C to minus-200°C, he said. The storage tanks for the fuel, as well as the pipes that transport the fuel from storage tanks to the engine combustion chamber, operate in ambient temperature conditions.
His research aims to discover effective methods to lower the temperatures of storage tanks and pipes, thereby reducing fuel losses caused by high-temperature vaporization, he said.
NASA said that he earned the medal due to his “exceptional, sustained and multi-faceted contributions advancing NASA’s in-space cryogenic fluid management science and technologies over multiple programs and 30 years.”
Although having only US$1,000 in his pocket when he moved to the US, Chung said he arrived in 1971 to chase his “American dream.”
Chung said he hoped to give back to the US, adding that the NASA recognition is the fulfillment of his dream.
Chung was born in China and moved to Taiwan at the age of two with his parents, who were from Jiangsu Province. Chung is married to a Taiwanese and has two sons.
He said he has no intention of retiring anytime soon.
“Our greatest joy is to make a discovery and help people with their knowledge,” he said, adding that there is still one thing that he wishes to do, which is to assist Taiwan’s electronics and computer companies in developing effective cooling systems for their devices.
From central processing units and graphics processing units to servers, microchips and quantum computers, they all require robust and efficient cooling systems to prevent overheating and achieve optimal performance, he said.
Chung said he hopes to expand his liquid cooling technology from the realm of rocket fuels to cover technology products, thereby helping Taiwan maintain a leading position in the global technology industry.
Chinese spouse and influencer Guan Guan’s (關關) residency permit has been revoked for repeatedly posting pro-China videos that threaten national security, the National Immigration Agency confirmed today. Guan Guan has said many controversial statements in her videos posted to Douyin (抖音), including “the red flag will soon be painted all over Taiwan” and “Taiwan is an inseparable part of China,” and expressing hope for expedited reunification. The agency last year received multiple reports alleging that Guan Guan had advocated for armed reunification. After verifying the reports, the agency last month issued a notice requiring her to appear and explain her actions. Guan
GIVE AND TAKE: Blood demand continues to rise each year, while fewer young donors are available due to the nation’s falling birthrate, a doctor said Blood donors can redeem points earned from donations to obtain limited edition Formosan black bear travel mugs, the Kaohsiung Blood Center said yesterday, as it announced a goal of stocking 20,000 units of blood prior to the Lunar New Year. The last month of the lunar year is National Blood Donation Month, when local centers seek to stockpile blood for use during the Lunar New Year holiday. The blood demand in southern Taiwan — including Tainan and Kaohsiung, as well as Chiayi, Pingtung, Penghu and Taitung counties — is about 2,000 units per day, the center said. The donation campaign aims to boost
A preclearance service to facilitate entry for people traveling to select airports in Japan would be available from Thursday next week to Feb. 25 at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport, Taoyuan International Airport Corp (TIAC) said on Tuesday. The service was first made available to Taiwanese travelers throughout the winter vacation of 2024 and during the Lunar New Year holiday. In addition to flights to the Japanese cities of Hakodate, Asahikawa, Akita, Sendai, Niigata, Okayama, Takamatsu, Kumamoto and Kagoshima, the service would be available to travelers to Kobe and Oita. The service can be accessed by passengers of 15 flight routes operated by
The Central Weather Administration (CWA) said a magnitude 4.9 earthquake that struck off the coast of eastern Taiwan yesterday was an independent event and part of a stress-adjustment process. The earthquake occurred at 4:47pm, with its epicenter at sea about 45.4km south of Yilan County Hall at a depth of 5.9km, the CWA said. The quake's intensity, which gauges the actual effects of a temblor, was highest in several townships in Yilan and neighboring Hualien County, where it measured 4 on Taiwan's seven-tier intensity scale, the CWA said. Lin Po-yu (林柏佑), a division chief at the CWA's Seismological Center, told a news conference
RSS