Wu Ta-you

Assimilation of science coming from the West has been the core of the conflict between China’s own immense inherited intellectual traditions and ideas from abroad. Nearly four centuries ago this struggle began when the first Jesuit scholar-missionaries won entry to the Forbidden Kingdom during the Ming Dynasty. At the Board of Astronomy in Peking and elsewhere they introduced an entirely new world view, challenging ancient Chinese classical precepts. 

While the past century saw the emergence of important modern universities in China, and many students eagerly imbibed the new learning, a scientific view of reality did not permeate popular attitudes. As the Manchu Dynasty began to collapse in the 19th century, wars and revolutions compounded the crisis of conflicting ideologies and until recently crippled education in mainland China. In Taiwan over the past 35 years Chinese civilization for the first time has been able to digest modern science and technology. 

TA-YOU WU came to his role of scientific innovator on Taiwan after an eminent career in physics as teacher and researcher. Born 77 years ago in Canton, WU began his study of physics at Nankai University in Tientsin and completed his graduate training at the University of Michigan before returning to a faculty appointment at Peking National University. In 1937 when Japanese aggression against China accelerated, WU joined other intellectual refugees at National Southwestern Associated University in Kunming. Between 1947 and 1978 he taught and engaged in research abroad at the University of Michigan, Columbia University, Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn and the State University of New York at Buffalo, and headed the theoretical physics section of the National Research Council of Canada. 

Although such foreign opportunities were absorbing, WU was concerned for his countrymen’s future and in 1958 proposed to leaders in Taiwan a plan for the formulation of science policies and their implementation. Decisive action was taken after 1967 when the late President Chiang Kai-shek asked WU to head concurrently the new Advisory Committee for Science Development of the National Security Council, and the National Science Council (NSC), which was a greatly strengthened successor to the earlier committee set up in response to WU’s proposal. In 1968 a 12-year science development plan was adopted for science education and the promotion of research in natural and applied sciences, the humanities and the social sciences. Today universities and research institutes throughout Taiwan are staffed by professors sent abroad for advanced study and Chinese scholars brought back from abroad under this plan. The NSC budget has risen from US$10 million to US$30 million annually to insure continuous invigoration of science education and research in the republic. 

WU led this effort and commuted between Taiwan and his professorial duties at the State University of New York in Buffalo from 1967 to 1978 when he returned permanently to Taipei. Eschewing retirement he was soon embarked, for the Ministry of Education, upon a complete review and reorganization of the science curricula of junior and senior high schools. Under his direction more than 100 professors and teachers are rewriting, and revising after trials, all the textbooks on mathematics, physics, chemistry, biology, earth sciences and engineering. This comprehensive project forms the basis for a new system of teaching science to young people and is leading toward a more dynamic society. As the electronic information industry becomes an integral part of Taiwan?s economy, there are well-trained new graduates to staff it and help it expand. 

For a person with a dozen scientific books and numerous pioneering papers on such subjects as molecular, astro and atmospheric physics to his credit, WU remains a man of simple habits, shunning material wealth. His attention to science education and research, for this and future generations, has won him the respect of his students?two of whom are Nobel Prize winners?and of the international scientific fraternity. Impatient for the improvements he seeks, he has set a standard for selfless service that invites emulation. 

In electing Dr. TA-YOU WU to receive the 1984 Ramon Magsaysay Award for Government Service, the Board of Trustees recognizes his designing Taiwan’s move toward the forefront of science in education and practice.

Dr. TA-YOU WU deeply regrets that illness prevents him from being; here this evening to receive this prestigious Award and has asked me to read to you his response as follows: 

It is generally agreed that in the last decade Taiwan has made considerable progress in economic development. It is also generally believed that the economic success is in large measure due to four factors: 1) social stability as a result of the land reform program carried out in the early 1950s; 2) the government’s policy of a free economy; 3) the policy of building up our agriculture and light industries before attempting heavy industries, and 4) the enterprising qualities of our people. But the important contribution made by our education program may not have been so widely appreciated. 

Today over 99 percent of our youth receive nine years of free education. As a result our literacy rate is one of the highest in the world. Our society, therefore, is receptive to new ideas and new technologies. 

I am a physicist by profession, but I have always been concerned with the general development of science in my country. In 1967 I was given an opportunity to map out a broad program of science development in Taiwan which covers, in addition to research in basic and applied science, science education at all levels, from high school through college, graduate and advanced study. In the last few years I have started and taken part in a project involving complete review and reorganization of the science curricula of our whole education system, and a rewriting of all science textbooks for our junior and senior high schools. I hope I am not too presumptuous in thinking that our science and education programs over the last 15 years have played some role in the industrial and economic development in recent years in Taiwan. It is my firm conviction that the essential steps toward modernization of a developing country are integration of basic science into education at all levels, and encouragement of basic science research, so that technology transfer and development can find hospitable roots. 

It is often said that the Asian region will be the most vibrant area of growth in the next few decades, and it has been my vital concern that in Taiwan we would build up a momentum for participation in this growth. 

Again, my sincere thanks to the Trustees of the Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation for their recognition and appreciation of my efforts and meager contribution to a better world consistent with the principles of the Philippine president whose memory lives on in this Award.