【92nd Anniversary】2023 National Cheng Kung University (NCKU) K.T. Li Technology and Literature Lectureships Awards are Presented to Honor Eight Scholars, including Professor Chen-Ching Liu in the Field of Electrical Grid
Written & Image credit to NCKU News Center.
(From left to right) Assistant Professor Wei-Hsuan Hsu, Professor Edward Lai, Professor Hsun-Ping Hsieh, Distinguished Professor Ju-Ming Wang, Distinguished Professor Ming-Jer Tang, President Meng-Ru Shen, Delta Electronics' Senior Vice President Shou-Feng Chin, Chair Professor Fong-Chin Su, Professor Yi-Bing Lin and Chair Professor Chen-Ching Liu.
The award presentation ceremony of 2023 National Cheng Kung University (NCKU) "K.T. Li Technology and Literature Lectureships" took place today (6th) at NCKU's Ge-Chi Hall. The event, co-hosted by the NCKU President Meng-Ru Shen and Delta Electronics' Senior Vice President Shou-Feng Chin, honored eight award-winning scholars. Among them, the "K. T. Li Chair Professor Award" was awarded to the renowned scholar in the field of electrical grid, Chair Professor Chen-Ching Liu at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, USA. Seven scholars at NCKU were respectively awarded the "K. T. Li Honorary Scholar Award", "K. T. Li Research Award", and "K. T. Li Gold Quality Award".
NCKU President Meng-Ru Shen made a speech to thank the affection and generosity of Mr. Bruce C.H. Cheng, the founder of Delta Electronics and an alumnus of NCKU, for his alma mater.
The award presentation ceremony, held in the historically significant Ge-Chi Hall, was graced by the speech of President Meng-Ru Shen. He expressed gratitude to Delta Electronics' founder, Bruce C.H. Cheng, an alumnus of the university, for his deep affection and generosity towards his alma mater. Mr. Cheng's contribution, made through the donation of shares, serves not only as a gift to the university but also as a motivation for himself, emphasizing that continuous hard work to ensure a steady stream of dividends is essential to sustain the support for the university. The initial donation of 1 million shares, along with the accumulated dividends, now exceeds 1.5 million shares. "Today, as we honor these distinguished scholars, we are deeply thankful for founder Cheng's visionary and far-reaching support."
Representing Mr. Cheng, Delta Electronics' Senior Vice President Shou-Feng Chin extended his heartfelt congratulations to all the awardees.
The "K.T. Li Technology and Literature Lectureships" was established by Mr. Bruce C.H. Cheng, the founder of Delta Electronics and a distinguished alumnus of NCKU and is now in its 22nd year. Representing Mr. Cheng, Delta Electronics' Senior Vice President Shou-Feng Chin extended his heartfelt congratulations to all the awardees, hoping that each scholar will continue to strive for excellence in their respective fields and make significant contributions to themselves, the university, society, the nation, and the world.
Chair Professor Chen-Ching Liu at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, USA, the awardee of the "K. T. Li Chair Professor Award" (middle)
The awardee of the "K. T. Li Chair Professor Award", Chair Professor Chen-Ching Liu at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech), USA, is a Member of the U.S. National Academy of Engineering. His research team has significantly improved the efficiency of power system restoration following major outages by integrating artificial intelligence technology with electrical grid automation. These technologies are operational in real power systems and serve as pioneering foundations for the development of smart grids worldwide. In response to the increased risk of cyber-attacks due to grid automation, Professor Liu successfully developed a testing platform to detect and mitigate the intrusion of falsified control commands into the electrical grid, thereby avoiding significant losses due to cyberattacks on the remote monitoring and control systems.
Professor Chen-Ching Liu specializes in the application of artificial intelligence to power systems. Traditionally, power distribution systems were designed based on reliability, which results in fewer outages and shorter durations. However, over the past decade, extreme weather events in the United States have caused severe damages to the power equipment, leading to catastrophic outages. Professor Liu notes, "Due to the painful experience, the new perspective is that the grid needs to be resilient, meaning that during and after major system outages, small and decentralized power sources must ensure the continuous supply of electricity to critical infrastructure and services." Currently, Virginia Tech is significantly increasing its solar energy capacity and planning utility scale energy storage facilities, aiming to achieve 100% renewable energy by 2030 while simultaneously enhancing the resilience of the electricity service. He also pointed out that Taiwan's large power and energy systems, facing risks of natural disasters as well as human-induced sabotage, should consider new power system and power electronics technologies to strengthen the resilience of the electricity infrastructure.
Professor Fong-Chin Su, the chair professor at the Department of Biomedical Engineering, NCKU and an awardee of the "K. T. Li Honorary Scholar Award" (middle)
The three awardees of the "K. T. Li Honorary Scholar Awards" at the university this year are Professor Fong-Chin Su, the chair professor at the Department of Biomedical Engineering, Professor Ming-Jer Tang, the distinguished professor at the Department of Physiology, and Professor Yi-Bing Lin at the Department of Electrical Engineering.
Dr. Fong-Chin Su, Chair Professor of the Department of Biomedical Engineering, has been committed to research in biomedical engineering and innovation, especially in medical devices. He has developed several innovative medical devices, which have been used in surgeries, diagnostics, and rehabilitation training in hospitals. He established the "NCKU Medical Device Innovation Center", a Center of Excellence sponsored by Ministry of Education. He built the core facilities for the development of medical devices and established medical innovation ecosystem by early engagement of clinicians in medical innovation, inspiring clinical unmet needs, initiating projects with significant industrial value, and closely collaborating with the Southern Taiwan Science Park Biotechnology and Medical Device Industries plan. This collaborations have constructed a high-end medical device research and development golden triangle, contributing significantly to Taiwan's medical device industry and fostering over 20 start-ups.
Reflecting on his past interactions with founder Bruce C.H. Cheng, Professor Fong-Chin Su admires his exceptional innovative leadership and wisdom, especially his profound humanistic qualities and broad-mindedness. He is particularly respectful of Cheng's establishment of the K.T. Li Technology and Literature Lectureships for its noble purpose. "I am fortunate to receive this honor, and apart from being grateful, it further motivates me to contribute my efforts in future smart healthcare technologies for the welfare of people."
Distinguished Professor Ming-Jer Tang at the Department of Physiology, an awardee of the "K. T. Li Honorary Scholar Award" (middle)
Distinguished Professor Ming-Jer Tang at the Department of Physiology established the International Center for Wound Repair and Regeneration (iWRR) and engaged in research and holistic care on Epidermolysis Bullosa (EB), commonly known as butterfly children. Dr. Chao-Kai Hsu, a member of the center, opened a specialized clinic for butterfly children to provide optimal genetic sequencing diagnoses for EB and initiated the first stem cell therapy in Taiwan, thereby raising awareness of rare skin diseases in society. Furthermore, the team of iWRR engaged in holistic care of EB by providing both wound care and psychological supports for EB patients and their families. They have established the holistic care platform which only provides therapeutics, but also exploits music and art charity activities emphasizing humanities. As a result, iWRR has been recognized to be contributing greatly to the university's social responsibility and sustainable development.
Professor Ming-Jer Tang, who just celebrated his 68th birthday, is the most senior K. T. Li Honorary Scholar at NCKU. He is profoundly grateful for this honor. "I am thankful to the university for approving my application for deferred retirement four years ago, allowing me to still be 'very useful' at this age," he said. On his recent birthday, his students prepared candles for an 18-year-old, reflecting his own youthful spirit, as 18 is the age of dreaming, and he continues to dream of contributing to society. He ambitiously declared, "After retirement, I plan to start a business, trying to establish a social enterprise or a non-profit company."
Professor Yi-Bing Lin at the Department of Electrical Engineering, an awardee of the "K. T. Li Honorary Scholar Award" (middle)
Professor Yi-Bing Lin, from the Department of Electrical Engineering, specializes in the Internet of Things (IoT), mobile computing, and system simulation. His self-developed IoT system, IoTtalk, is widely used in smart agriculture, smart education, smart campuses, and interactive arts. Particularly in the field of smart agriculture, the AgriTalk management platform is based on IoT architecture. It comprises six major AI management systems: pest prediction, disease prediction, water-saving irrigation, fertilizer control, temperature control, and light control. By gathering soil-related information through IoT sensors and integrating it with the environmental control system, the system automatically waters and fertilizes crops when certain parameters are met. This ensures the optimal growing environment for crops, significantly improving agricultural techniques and fostering sustainable, precise, and non-toxic agriculture.
Professor Yi-Bing Lin expresses gratitude to former President Huey-Jen Jenny Su for the opportunity to serve at NCKU. Implementing the concept of ICT Common Trench, he led the digital transformation of the campus. With support from distinguished alumnus Ted Chang, CTO of Quanta Computer Inc., he introduced the QOCA AI platform and IoTtalk IoT platform, establishing an AIoT architecture named MiinStore. His vision is to leverage and apply the big data generated by NCKU, focusing on the Miin Wu School of Computing, the College of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, and the Computer Center. He emphasizes, "In the future, the era of professors working in isolation in research will be outdated. Instead, by integrating and sharing the overall ICT resources of the university and applying massive data, we have a better chance of pushing our research to the forefront." He also acknowledges his wife for her understanding and support, which enabled him to achieve his current success despite frequent travel between the north and south.
Professor Hsun-Ping Hsieh at the Department of Electrical Engineering, an awardee of "K. T. Li Research Award" (middle)
The two scholars at NCKU who are awarded the "K. T. Li Research Awards" are Professor Hsun-Ping Hsieh at the Department of Electrical Engineering and Professor Edward Lai at the School of Pharmacy.
Professor Hsun-Ping Hsieh at the Department of Electrical Engineering specializes in artificial intelligence, digital urban governance, and big data analysis. In 2022, he was recognized by the renowned academic website AMiner as one of the top 100 most influential scholars globally in artificial intelligence and data mining over the past decade. He has served as a consultant for the Tainan City Government's SOA large project and digital governance lectures, leading the collaboration between NCKU and the Tainan City Government in producing numerous innovations in data governance and smart city development. Moreover, he has engaged in the nation's first large-scale collaborative research and development involving university students and public servants, resulting in over 30 R&D achievements adopted for municipal governance, enhancing administrative efficiency and improving citizens' welfare. He has also published high-quality papers and received numerous world-class and national awards.
Professor Hsun-Ping Hsieh commented, "Winning awards is certainly gratifying, but upon reflection, it's not something we deliberately pursue. Instead, honors naturally follow after doing many necessary things." He expressed his gratitude for the recognition of the K. T. Li Research Award, "It's not just a reward for our current achievements but also a great encouragement for us to do even better in the future." This award is just the beginning, and to live up to it, he will continue his efforts in research to contribute to NCKU and serve the society.
Professor Edward Lai at the School of Pharmacy, an awardee of "K. T. Li Research Award" (middle)
Professor Edward Lai at the School of Pharmacy is dedicated to pharmacoepidemiology research and has published a series of original papers in top world journals, including the official journal of the British Medical Association (the BMJ). His expertise lies in research methods that accommodate the concept of causal inference, improving real-world data analysis for the support of policy development, new drug approvals, and clinical guidelines. His research interests include the issue of polypharmacy in the old adult population and psychiatric disorders such as dementia, depression, and schizophrenia. He has established a privacy-protective big data analysis module for cross-national or cross-center studies, enhancing the international visibility of Taiwan's pharmacoepidemiology.
Professor Edward Lai, who recently received the K. T. Li Research Award and was promoted to full professor, quotes a famous line from "Naruto": "Where tree leaves dance... one shall find flames... the fire’s shadow will illuminate the village... and once again tree leaves shall bud anew. When your most cherished ones are present, true strength will show." He thanks all his mentors, as well as his students, who are his most loved ones, for giving him the true strength that has led to his achievements today. He hopes to illuminate continuously, fostering new leaves to sprout at NCKU.
Distinguished Professor Ju-Ming Wang at the Department of Biotechnology and Bioindustry Sciences, an awardee of "K. T. Li Gold Quality Award" (middle)
The "K. T. Li Gold Quality Awards," given to NCKU faculty members for their outstanding achievements in patents, inventions, or technology transfer, has been awarded this year (2023) to Distinguished Professor Ju-Ming Wang at the Department of Biotechnology and Bioindustry Sciences and Assistant Professor Wei-Hsuan Hsu at the Department of Food Safety / Hygiene and Risk Management.
Distinguished Professor Ju-Ming Wang at the Department of Biotechnology and Bioindustry Sciences has been dedicated to basic research since joining NCKU in 2006. After being promoted to professor, he embarked on translational research, focusing on innovative teaching and drug development. He has been deeply involved in the study of anti-inflammatory drugs and has successfully transferred an anti-inflammatory antibody drug to the industry, assisting in its preclinical trial research and preparations. He has obtained grants for vaccine development and innovative translational projects, pushing forward the application of antibody drugs in the treatment of various cancers and fibrotic diseases, striving towards the goal of developing broad-spectrum anti-inflammatory drugs.
Distinguished Professor Ju-Ming Wang reflected on his connection with the K. T. Li Award. When he was younger, the first award he wanted to apply for was the "K. T. Li Young Researcher Award." However, the age limit for the application was 36, the same year he joined NCKU, and he missed this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. He humbly expressed, "I am very fortunate that the K. T. Li Gold Quality Award, without any age restriction this year, recognized my work. I am deeply grateful to the judges for their favor!"
Assistant Professor Wei-Hsuan Hsu at the Department of Food Safety / Hygiene and Risk Management, an awardee of "K. T. Li Gold Quality Award" (middle)
Assistant Professor Wei-Hsuan Hsu at the Department of Food Safety / Hygiene and Risk Management is dedicated to developing next-generation probiotics and their exosome functions. She has been awarded a young scholar grant by the Ministry of Science and Technology and has implemented the Einstein Cultivation Project. The excellent outcomes derived from this project have been transferred to the industry, aiding the food biotechnology industry in enhancing production technologies and developing innovative products. Her research on probiotics, gut microbiota, and health is significantly valuable for industrial applications. In recent years, numerous industry-academia collaborations and technology transfer cases have emerged, with continued investment from the industry in joint development of innovative technologies. She has also contributed her expertise to help companies producing probiotics and other microbial products, recycling and valorizing the large volume of waste liquid generated in the fermentation process and applying a diverse range of effective microbes and developing high-efficiency unique processes. She hopes to lead Taiwanese companies to become global leaders in the field of microbial fermentation technology.
Assistant Professor Wei-Hsuan Hsu is the first assistant professor to receive the K. T. Li Gold Quality Award and has been teaching at NCKU for four years. She said, "Being recognized with the Gold Quality Award at an early stage of my academic career as an assistant professor and being named alongside distinguished seniors is a great honor." She thanked her collaborators and students for their efforts and her husband for his support. They are her most important partner both day and night, who has contributed to her current success. She hopes her award will inspire other new faculty members to deeply engage in and develop at NCKU.
The "K.T. Li Technology and Literature Lectureships" aim to recognize research, inventions, innovations, or academic activities that benefit the technological and humanistic progress of the Republic of China and those who have achieved significant accomplishments, with the expectation of fostering a closer integration of technological development and humanistic quality.
Provider:
NCKU News Center
Date:
2023-11-21
