Chiu Mei-hung (邱美虹), a professor emerita at National Taiwan Normal University's (NTNU) Graduate Institute of Science Education, has received a top research award from the US-based National Association for Research in Science Teaching (NARST), the university said today.
NARST's Distinguished Contribution Through Research Award makes Chiu the first academic of Chinese descent to receive the organization's highest honor since its founding in 1928.
Photo courtesy of National Taiwan Normal University via CNA
NARST is the world's oldest and largest academic body dedicated to advancing science teaching and learning through research.
NTNU said in a statement that the award recognizes academics with sustained contributions and far-reaching academic and societal impact.
Chiu, an NTNU chemistry alumna, earned her master's and doctoral degrees at Harvard University before returning to teach at her alma mater.
She retired in 2023.
The university said the recognition highlights both Chiu's achievements and NTNU's growing international standing in science education research.
During the award ceremony in Seattle on Monday last week, Chiu reflected on her 41-year journey, recalling her early struggles with language barriers — such as being unfamiliar with the term "BLT" — as a reminder that language should not limit a person's global contributions.
Chiu is specifically recognized for her pioneering work integrating artificial intelligence with science education.
Inspired by the US TV series Lie to Me, she and research partner Chou Chin-cheng (周金城) developed facial micro-expression recognition technology to analyze students' learning processes and conceptual shifts in real time.
In her remarks, Chiu encouraged young researchers, especially non-native English speakers, to stay confident and not let language limit their potential.
"If I could start from uncertainty and eventually find my path, you can too," she said.
NATIONAL SECURITY: Authorities are working to confirm the identities of the military personnel involved and investigating possible illegal conduct and regulatory violations Authorities are probing possible national security implications after Kinmen police and immigration officers on Sunday found a Chinese woman allegedly posing as a tourist while engaging in prostitution involving more than 10 military personnel. The woman, surnamed Chen (陳), has since been deported, authorities said, adding that investigators are still working to confirm the identities of those implicated, as the records only listed code names and aliases. The case stemmed from a report received by the Kinmen District Prosecutors’ Office on Friday last week from the Jinhu Precinct of the Kinmen County Police Bureau. On Sunday, police, along with the National Immigration
STAY COOL: The HPA recommended that people stay hydrated, use air-conditioning or fans while indoors, wear loose-fitting clothes and walk in the shade while outdoors Employers must implement measures such as installing cooling equipment, and providing drinking water and rest breaks for outdoor workers starting from Monday next week, the Taipei Department of Labor said on Sunday. Employers who fail to comply could face fines of NT$30,000 to NT$300,000 under the Occupational Safety and Health Act (職業安全衛生法), the department said. Businesses in Taipei employing fewer than 100 workers, as well as registered self-employed workers with labor insurance coverage, could receive on-site assessments and guidance from occupational safety consultants to help them apply for central government subsidies to implement or improve heat-protection measures, it said. Under the Ministry of
GLOBALGIVING: ‘ Caving to external pressure is not acceptable for an organization that has cultivated justice reform and human rights for 30 years,’ one NGO said A slew of non-government organizations (NGOs) have withdrawn from the GlobalGiving fundraising platform after it announced it would use “Chinese Taipei” instead of “Taiwan” from next month. The Taiwan Good Rice Association wrote on Facebook on Friday that it was informed on April 28 via a teleconference call of the change, which was made because the platform wanted to operate in China. Taiwan Good Rice is to terminate all cooperative relationships with GlobalGiving in response to the platform’s “unilateral and non-negotiable” decision to remove references to Taiwan, the NGO said. “Taiwan is in the official name of Taiwan Good Rice Association and the
Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairwoman Cheng Li-wun (鄭麗文) yesterday briefed her party’s Central Standing Committee regarding her scheduled visit to the US between Monday next week and June 16, saying that her purpose would be to persuade the US that the Republic of China (ROC) Constitution was a “one China” constitution that would foster stable and peaceful cross-strait relations. The ROC Constitution is the most important defense for all Taiwanese citizens, as it upholds our democracy and has contributed to our robust economy, which aligns with international and US interests, she said. “We would not be troublemakers and drag the US under,”
RSS