Yen Chen-hsing

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In this Chinese name, the family name is Yen (閻).
Yen Chen-hsing
閻振興
President of National Taiwan University
In office
July 1970 – July 1981
Preceded byChien Shih-Liang
Succeeded by [zh]
President of National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology
In office
1 July 1969 – 31 January 1971
Preceded byPosition established
Succeeded by [zh]
President of National Tsing Hua University
In office
1969–1970
Preceded by [zh]
Succeeded byShu Shien-Siu
Chairperson of the Atomic Energy Council
In office
10 April 1981 – 1 June 1990
Preceded byChien Shih-Liang
Succeeded byHsu Yi-yun
In office
20 April 1966 – 5 December 1971
Preceded by [zh]
Succeeded byChien Shih-Liang
Chairperson of the National Youth Commission
In office
28 January 1966 – 9 July 1970
Preceded byPosition established
Succeeded byLee Huan
Minister of Education
In office
25 January 1965 – 1 July 1969
Preceded by [zh]
Succeeded by
President of National Cheng Kung University
In office
August 1957 – December 1964
Preceded by [zh]
Succeeded by [zh]
Personal details
Born(1912-07-10)10 July 1912
Died7 January 2005(2005-01-07) (aged 92)
Alma materNational Tsing Hua University
University of Iowa

Yen Chen-hsing (Chinese: 閻振興; pinyin: Yán Zhènxīng; 10 July 1912 – 7 January 2005) was a Chinese-born engineer, educator, and politician based in Taiwan.

Early life and education[]

Yen graduated from National Tsing Hua University in Beijing and moved to the United States in 1937 to continue his education. He earned a master's degree and doctorate from the Department of Mechanics and Hydraulics at the University of Iowa in 1938 and 1941, respectively.

Career[]

Upon graduation, Yen returned to China and helped construct the Burma Road. After World War II, Yen devised plans to dam the Yellow River. He joined the faculty of Henan University shortly before moving to Taiwan in 1949, along with Chiang Kai-shek's Nationalist government. In Taiwan, Yen became chief engineer of Kaohsiung Harbor before assuming the presidency of National Cheng Kung University in 1957. He stepped down in 1965 and was named Minister of Education.

The next year, Yen began concurrently serving as chairman of the National Youth Commission. As education minister, Yen extended the length of compulsory education programs in Taiwan from six years to nine years and helped establish many junior colleges.[1] Yen left the Ministry of Education in 1969 and ended his tenure at the National Youth Commission the next year. He stepped down from the Atomic Energy Council in 1971, having held the position since 1966. Yen assumed administrative posts at several universities while working in the government.

While serving as president of National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology from 1969 to 1971, Yen was also president of National Tsing Hua University until 1970. He then led National Taiwan University from 1970 to 1981. Upon stepping down from NTU, Yen returned to the Atomic Energy Council from 1981 to 1990 and later served President Lee Teng-hui as a senior adviser. Yen was elected to the Academia Sinica in 1982 and awarded the University of Iowa's Distinguished Alumni Award for Achievement in 1984.[2][3] In 1999, the University of Iowa inducted Yen into its Distinguished Engineering Alumni Academy.[4]

Yen died in January 2005, aged 92.[5][deprecated source] Following his death, the "Chen-Hsing Fluid Dynamics Lab" and "Chen-Hsing Memorial Hall" at National Taiwan University were dedicated in Yen's honor.[6]

References[]

  1. ^ "Dr. Chen-Hsing Yen". University of Iowa. Retrieved 31 January 2019.
  2. ^ "Chen-Hsing Yen". Academia Sinica. Retrieved 21 June 2020.
  3. ^ "Chen-Hsing Yen 38MS, 41PhD". University of Iowa. Retrieved 10 September 2017.
  4. ^ "UI inducts five new members into Distinguished Engineering Alumni Academy". University of Iowa. 12 February 1999. Archived from the original on 11 September 2017. Retrieved 10 September 2017.
  5. ^ "台灣大學舉行前校長閻振興追思會". Epoch Times (in Chinese). 24 January 2005. Retrieved 31 January 2019.
  6. ^ "NTU Fluid Dynamics Lab Christened in Memory of Former President Chen-Hsing Yen". National Taiwan University. January 2009. Retrieved 20 February 2019.
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