APS March Meeting 2010
Volume 55, Number 2
Monday–Friday, March 15–19, 2010;
Portland, Oregon
Session T8: Panel Discussion: Emerging Scientific Powers in the East: China
2:30 PM–5:30 PM,
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Room: Portland Ballroom 255
Sponsoring
Units:
FIP FGSA
Chair: Noemie Koller, Rutgers University
Abstract ID: BAPS.2010.MAR.T8.1
Abstract: T8.00001 : Progress and Prospect of Physics Research and Education in Taiwan
2:30 PM–3:06 PM
Preview Abstract
Abstract
Author:
J. Raynien Kwo
(President, the Physical Society of Taiwan)
Started about two decades ago, the global trend of shifting
industrial
manufacture power from western developed countries toward developing
countries in Asia has in turn become the impetus in building up
physical
science and research in these areas. A very good example is the
remarkable
progress of physical research and education in Taiwan, in terms
of quantity
and quality. The continuous elevation of Taiwan's high education
into
graduate level plus the government's strong commitment to
research and
development on a level of 2.62 {\%} GDP have led to an impressive
physics
program with an annual budget $\sim $32 million USD from National
Science
Council in supporting 568 PIs. The investigation scope
encompasses high
energy and astrophysics, nano and condensed matter, and
semiconductor,
optoelectronic physics, etc. The former is vigorously conducted via
international collaborative efforts of LHC, KEK, ALMA,
Pan-STARRS, etc. The
latter is driven by vital Taiwan high tech industry mostly
semiconductor IC
and optoelectronics flourished during this period. The early
trend of
outflows of BS physics majors to western world for advanced
studies has
reversed dramatically. Nearly 80{\%} of the BS students continue
their MS
and PhD degrees in Taiwan, attracted by lucrative job markets of
high tech
industry. In addition, healthy inflow of high-quality science
manpower of
well trained PhDs and senior scholars returning to homeland has
strengthened
the competitiveness. Overall, the physics community in Taiwan is
thriving.
The annual Physical Society meeting is expanding at a rate of 6{\%},
reaching $\sim $1800 attendants and 1200 papers, and dedicated to
promotions
of female physicists and students. The publication quantity of
Taiwan in top
journals of PRs and PRL is ranked among top 20$^{th}$ for all
fields of
physics, and ranked the 6$^{th}$ in APL. Clearly Taiwan has now
emerged as a
strong power in applied science, not limited by its population size.
Concerted efforts on scientific exchanges are being taken to
connect to
international societies. The bright outlook of physical science
and its
vital power in Taiwan is anticipated to provide a stimulus to
benefit South
East Asia, and have far-reaching impacts on China and worldwide.
To cite this abstract, use the following reference: http://meetings.aps.org/link/BAPS.2010.MAR.T8.1