Tsay earned a doctorate in biological sciences at Carnegie Mellon University in the U.S. and is a distinguished research fellow in the Institute of Molecular Biology at Academia Sinica, Taiwan’s foremost scientific organization. Last year, she received the Taiwan Outstanding Women in Science Award for her decadeslong contributions to her field.
“I’ve loved forests since I was little. For whatever reason, I’ve always had a passion for plants. When I gained admission to Taipei First Girls’ High School, a friend of my father asked me what gift I’d like as a reward. My answer was a microscope. I was so eager to get a close-up look at all the things around me, including plant life. This foreshadowed the path I’ve taken in life.
Later, when I graduated from the Department of Botany at National Taiwan University [NTU], I was hesitant about whether I should pursue further studies abroad. You know, at the time, there was a popular saying on campus: ‘Come to NTU and then go to America.’ It was a trend for graduates to continue their studies in the U.S. and I thought seriously about doing that too. But in the end I decided to pursue my master’s degree in botany at NTU because I wanted to find out whether I was truly suited to spending lots of time conducting research in a lab. As it turns out, it was exactly the life I wanted, so I decided to go to the U.S. to earn my doctorate.
To a certain extent, my achievements as a scientist were prompted by my mom’s life experiences. She also graduated from NTU, which was quite rare for a woman back in the 1950s. She majored in psychology, but decided to quit her job at NTU Hospital when I was born so she could take better care of me and the rest of the family. Later in life, she kind of regretted giving up her career, especially when she saw her female schoolmates from NTU making their mark in their respective fields. I could feel she had high hopes for me, as she recognized that I had the capability to succeed.
As for my father, also an NTU graduate, he initially had little to say about my decision to go abroad. But as I was getting ready to fly to the U.S., he asked me: ‘Is there really any need for a woman to receive so much education?’ I remember these words so clearly even today. But I also understand that the comment was more about a father’s concern for a daughter living so far from home than about gender bias.
(Photo by Chin Hung-hao)
I’ve been working at the Institute of Molecular Biology since I came back from the U.S. in 1994. I’m pleased that there’s always been a strong female presence in the unit. Right now, there are an equal number of male and female researchers. Women can perform as well as men in science, but the sexes do differ in some respects. In my opinion, women manage labs better than their male peers because they’re more considerate, less self-centered. But they’re also more susceptible to frustration.
Another issue is that women, like my mom, tend to choose family over career even today. I think this explains why the proportion of women in senior academic positions is lower than the average at junior levels. If a married woman wants to pursue a career, her husband’s backing is crucial. Mine, also a researcher at Academia Sinica, is supportive, but subconsciously he’s not very progressive about gender equality.
Between 2009 and 2010, our whole family spent 11 months in the U.S. because my husband and I were doing research there. I was worried I would be torn between the lab and taking care of our children and the housework. His response was: ‘Don’t worry. I’ll help you out.’ That might sound sweet, but I had some reservations about the word ‘help.’ The implication was that these duties were still primarily my concern, but we’re equally responsible for the family. I didn’t discuss my misgivings with him, but I did tell other people about them back in Taiwan. To progress in their profession, women need to be especially dedicated because society expects us to also remain devoted to our families.
The most exciting moment of my career to date was my lab’s 2009 discovery of a new type of ion sensor protein called CHL1 in higher plants. This and its equivalent protein in rice are crucial to the mechanism in plants that regulates their responses to nutrients in the soil such as gene expression, root development and crop yield. This discovery could inspire scientists to find out how to manipulate this protein. For instance, it may be possible to make a plant bear fruit using less nitrogen fertilizer. That would benefit our environment since nitrogen fertilizers are pollutants and can cause eutrophication [the growth of aquatic plant life resulting in the depletion of dissolved oxygen]. Also, 1 to 2 percent of all power generated worldwide is used to make nitrogen and other fertilizers. Producing less of these substances would save a lot of energy.
Primarily for this discovery, I received the Taiwan Outstanding Women in Science Award last year. This program is significant because it encourages young women to take up science. As a recipient, I have a responsibility to communicate with students and inspire them. Last November, I went to my alma mater, Taipei First Girls’ High School, to share my professional experiences. Interestingly, I learned that many of the girls are concerned about striking a balance between a career and family life. They’re so young, but they’re already thinking about this. In May, I’m going to National Hualien Girls’ Senior High School [in eastern Taiwan]. I love this role. I want to see more women join me in deepening our understanding of the natural world.”
—interview by Oscar Chung
Write to Oscar Chung at mhchung@mofa.gov.tw