Academia Sinica academicians Chung Bon-chu, James C. Liao, and Lu Chih-yuan were among 36 new fellows elected to Italy-based The World Academy of Sciences Dec. 10, spotlighting their respective efforts in advancing human knowledge.
Chung, a distinguished research fellow in the Institute of Molecular Biology at Taiwan’s top research body, was selected for her achievements in delineating how steroids function in zebrafish and discovering the mechanism of neurosteroid actions. She is also a member of India-based Zoological Society of Kolkata and winner of a Ministry of Education academy award in 2006.
Academia Sinica President Liao was honored for his research on metabolic engineering of microorganisms to produce next generation biofuels, as well as his study on human obesity. A member of the U.S. National Academy of Engineering, Liao received the U.S. National Academy of Sciences Award in 2014.
Lu, president and chief technology officer of Hsinchu City-based Macronix International Co. Ltd. in northern Taiwan, was awarded for his work in semiconductor device physics, silicon integrated circuit development and integration technologies. He is also a member of the U.S. National Academy of Inventors, and was honored with the Frederik Philips Award from New York-headquartered Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers in 2012.
According to Academia Sinica, the result is recognition from their peers for the researchers’ personal achievements. It serves as further evidence of the country’s contributions to global science and technology R&D, the institution added.
Founded in 1983, TWAS has elected 1,278 fellows to date. New members are elected from fields such as agriculture, astronomy, chemistry, economics, mathematics, medical and social sciences, and physics. (YCH-E)
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