Reflecting on the Journey • Embracing the Future—50th Anniversary of the School of Science
It has been 50 years since the founding of the School of Science of Soochow University in Taiwan! To celebrate our 50th anniversary, the School of Science held a celebration ceremony on November 28, 2020, at Puren Hall on the Wai Shuang Hsi Campus, with an exhibition of our teaching and research achievements. On the day of the ceremony, President Pan Wei-Ta, Vice President Chao Wei-Liang, and Vice President Tung Pao-Cheng attended the event along with faculty, alumni, and more than 160 students, showing their support for the School of Science. President Pan participated throughout the entire ceremony. In his speech, he recognized the contributions and achievements of the School of Science over the past five decades; he also expressed his earnest hope that the School of Science would keep pace with the changes of the times and stand firm against the impact of the external environment.
Former President Liu Yuan-Tsun was also specially invited to attend the ceremony and give a speech. Former President Liu served as the third and fifth dean of the School of Science in its early years, where he witnessed and promoted its development. Under the theme “The Early Days of the School of Science of Soochow University,” accompanied by precious old photographs, former President Liu recounted the founding years of the School of Science, key milestones, and former deans, guiding the attendees on a journey back in time.
A video of interviews with former deans was shown during the ceremony, in which they shared the challenges and joys of running the School, serving as witnesses to its 50-year history. Alumni representatives from each department also offered their blessings, expressed their expectations for the School and departments, and provided advice and guidance for current students. Department heads also shared their visions, expressing their hope for a brighter future. At the end of the ceremony, the grand finale was a birthday fire and sky lantern designed by Physics Department Professor Chen Chiou-Min, showcasing the application of science and representing boundless hope and blessings.
In addition, from November 28 to December 1, the “School of Science Teaching and Research Achievements Exhibition” was held at the J. T. Tai& Co. Foundation conference room. It showcased research results from various departments, scientific teaching aids, patented achievements, and products from alumni’s companies. During the exhibition, the “patented Ganoderma” by Professor Liu Pei-Shan and product samples from the Microbiology Department alumni were provided free of charge, adding to the fun and excitement of the event.
The SCU School of Science has come a long way over the past half-century, thanks to the hard work of the countless faculty members and students. The School of Science faced numerous challenges in its early days, and even today scientific education is still full of difficulties. However, the spirit of hard work of our predecessors and the outstanding achievements of our alumni in various fields will continue to ensure that the School of Science will uphold the principles of seeking logical truth and engaging in its authentication, as well as a proactive and innovative attitude. We will continue to fulfill our educational mission of cultivating scientific talents.
