Shu Chien, the American physiologist best known for his work in the dynamics of blood flow in the human circulatory system, visited the Tang Prize Foundation in Taipei on Monday. Chien and his wife applauded both the prize and its founder Dr. Samuel Yin for their support of science and education, efforts that Dr. Yin has sustained for over 20 years. Aside from these philanthropic endeavors, the two were also impressed by the Tang Prize medal and diploma, and praised both masterworks for exquisite design and craftsmanship.
Chien was born in Beijing in 1931 and moved to Taiwan in 1949. He received his medical degree from National Taipei University before moving to the U.S. to pursue postgraduate studies at Colombia University. As a graduate of one of Taiwan’s most pre-eminent universities, he is a firm believer in improving Taiwan’s position in the global field of scientific research.
In addition to being awarded the National Medal of Science by President Barack Obama, Chien holds awards and memberships at a number of prestigious institutions in the U.S. and around the world. He has been an Academician of the Academia Sinica, the institute that handles the nomination and selection of Tang Prize recipients, since 1976. He is a member of the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Engineering, and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in the U.S., as well as a member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. Currently Chien is a professor at UC San Diego in bioengineering and medicine.
Chien comes from a long line of illustriousness, so it is not surprising that the accomplished scientist is surrounded on all sides by genius. His father Chien Shih-Liang served as provost of National Taiwan University and president of the Academia Sinica; in fact, father and son have both graced the list of Academicians of the Academia Sinica; and brothers Fredrick and Robert have both held positions in the upper levels of government in Taiwan.
The inaugural Tang Prize was awarded in September 2014 to wide-spread approval. In the interim, the Tang Prize Foundation will focus its efforts on educational promotion throughout 2015 and begin preparations for the second year of the Tang Prize in 2016. A book detailing the Tang Prize and its first round of laureates is slotted for release in March 2015.
