VOLUME 12, NO. 3     MAY 1999

History, partnerships, friendships in Asia

History was made, partnerships formed and friendships renewed when President Edward Alton Parrish, Development and University Relations Vice President John L. Heyl, WPI Board of Trustees Chair John M. Nelson and chemical engineering Professor Yi Hua (Ed) Ma traveled to Asia last fall.

Making history in Taiwan

On Nov. 7, Parrish awarded an honorary doctor of engineering degree to T. S. Lin, chairman of Tatung Company, principal of Tatung Senior High School in Taipei, Taiwan, and professor and president of Tatung Institute of Technology. The ceremony marked the first time WPI presented an honorary degree at a ceremony outside of the United States.

The Lin family's unique integration of a successful international business and a first-rate academic system began with the dream of Shan-Chi Lin, father of T. S. Lin, who established the Shan-Chi Business Association in 1918. Believing that talented, well-educated employees were a company's most important asset, the elder Lin concluded his business activities in 1942 and founded Tatung Schools-Company. He appointed his son teacher, president and chairman. T. S. Lin's son, W.S. Lin, who is president and CEO of Tatung Company, is a new member of WPI's President's International Advisory Board.

From left, Parrish, Nelson, honorary degree recipient T. S. Lin, Heyl

Prior to the award ceremony, Parrish helped T. S. Lin dedicate the Shan-Chi Education and Research Building to the memory of his father, who would have been 100 years old in 1998. The program also commemorated the company's 80th anniversary. [By coincidence, the research building was modeled after Thomas Jefferson's Rotunda at the University of Virginia, Parrish's alma mater.]

T. S. Lin was honored for dedicating his life "to managing the Tatung educational and industrial enterprise with the goal of serving the greater interests of Taiwan, providing employment for citizens of the Republic of China, and contributing to the growth and development of the nation's economy." The citation identified the similarities between Lin's company and WPI: "The history and philosophy of Tatung Schools-Company closely parallel those of an institution half a world away. Like the company, WPI was founded by leaders of business and industry who recognized the necessity for a new kind of educational institution to meet the needs of a changing world. And both institutions were predicated on the notion of merging theory and practice."

"WPI and Tatung Institute of Technology form an ideal partnership," says Parrish. "Although we are separated by geography and culture, we share remarkably similar histories and goals. WPI is honored to recognize Dr. Lin for his industrial and educational contributions."

Coming together in Hong Kong

WPI administrators joined alumni and friends from throughout the world for the second meeting of the President's International Advisory Board on Nov. 20 at The Peninsula hotel in Hong Kong.

Supawan Tantayanon with, from left, Jonathan Tripp, Brian Hagglund and Kevin King whose IQP focused on dust suppression on construction sites.

President Parrish, John Heyl, Provost John F. Carney III and Campaign Director Rolly E. Wester attended the event. They were joined by the following PIAB members: new WPI Trustee Carleton F. Kilmer '64 (see page 3), Vijay R. Kirloskar 74, Tarek Shawaf '55; Chartsiri (Tony) Sophonpanich '80, Henry M. Strage '54, Hok-Shou (Dennis) Ting, Glen Yee '74, and ex officio members Paul S. Kennedy '67 and WPI Trustees Chairman John M. Nelson. Jan-Chen Hong, dean of academic affairs and professor of chemical engineering at Tatung Institute of Technology, represented new member W. S. Lin.

The meeting was preceded by a reception on Nov. 19 at The Regent hotel for Hong Kong alumni, parents and friends, co-hosted by Ting and Parrish. Ting, chair of Qualidex and Kader Industrial Co. Ltd., is the father of four WPI graduates. He received an honorary doctor of science degree in 1997. The reception focused on WPI's 25 years of leadership in global technological education.

Renewing friendships in Bangkok

Prateep Ungsogtham Hata sponsored an IQP on improving educational opportunities for the handicapped completed by, from left, Kristina Goesch, Jerry Joseph and Jason Gleghorn.

After leaving Hong Kong, Parrish, Heyl and Carney traveled to Bangkok, where they renewed WPI's friendship with administrators at Chulalongkorn University, including Narong Yoothanon, dean of engineering and vice president for academic affairs, and Supawan Tantayanon, head of the Chemistry Department. WPI established its Bangkok Project Center in 1988. Since that time many Interactive Qualifying Projects have been completed under sponsorship of the university or the Duang Prateep Foundation, directed by Prateep Ungsogtham Hata. They also met with the acting president of the Asian Institute for Technology, a university dedicated to graduate-level work for students from throughout Asia.

Partners in education

Partly as a result of these recent visits to Asia, WPI recently entered into academic cooperative agreements with National Taiwan University and Tatung Institute of Technology in Taiwan and Asian Institute of Technology and Chulalongkorn University in Thailand. Signed by the presidents of the five universities, the compacts will further mutual interests in the fields of education and research. They will contribute to increased international cooperation and could lead to an exchange of students across many disciplines between WPI and these four universities.

According to Carney, "the partnerships will also make it possible for WPI faculty to engage in research at these universities for up to one year and for their Asian counterparts to come here. We also expect to develop joint research projects and courses of study."

In January 2000, a three-student Interactive Qualifying Project team will work at National Taiwan University on an environmental mudslide problem affecting the construction of residential buildings on hillsides. The team will be selected by Professor Ma, an alumnus of the university, who says the program will eventually be expanded to include Major Qualifying Projects.