Shu Shien-Siu
Encyclopedia
Shu Shien-Siu 1912–2001, was a Chinese/Taiwanese
mathematician
, engineer
and educator.
, Wenzhou
City, Zhejiang Province on Sep 12, 1912. Shu studied at Wenzhou High School. In 1935, Shu graduated from the Department of Mathematics of Tsinghua University
in Beijing and obtained B.S. in mathematics
. He worked as a teaching assistant
at the department after his graduation.
In 1944, Shu went to the United States to continue his study, and entered the Brown University
. Shu obtained his PhD in applied mathematics
in 1948, under the guidance of Charles Loewner
. In 1949, Shu worked in Princeton
, and in that summer went to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
to do his postdoctoral research. Shu was a professor of engineering science at Purdue University
, and the Chair of Purdue's AAES.
Shu was also an adjunct professor of National Taiwan University
(in Taipei
), National Chiao Tung University
, and the National Tsing Hua University
(both in Hsinchu
) in Taiwan
. In 1961, Shu founded the Department of Mathematics at the National Tsing Hua University (NTHU), and held summer mathematical seminar annually. From 1970 to 1975, Shu was the President of the National Tsing Hua University. In 1973, Shu invited Mao Gao-wen (毛高文) to be the Dean
of NTHU's engineering faculty, Shen Chun-shan
(沈君山) to be the Dean of science faculty, and Fung Yan-Hsiung (馮彥雄) to be the Dean of Nuclear Science and Technology. In Shu's office, National Tsing Hua University developed into a first-class comprehensive university of Taiwan.
From 1973 to 1980, Shu was in charge of the National Science Council
(under the Executive Yuan
) of Taiwan. From 1979 to 1988, Shu was the Chairman and Director-general
of the Industrial Technology Research Institute
. Shu advised to establish the world-famous Hsinchu Science and Industrial Park (HSIP), thus he is widely known as the "Father of HSIP".
and industry, especially Taiwan's high-tech. Shu received an honorary doctorate from Purdue University in 1993. Shu was also elected Academician of the Academia Sinica
in Taiwan.
(徐遐生), an astrophysicist, was born in Kunming
during the Second Sino-Japanese War
. Frank is former President of the American Astronomical Society
(AAS), and interestingly, former President of the National Tsing Hua University, the position which his father once held.
Traditional/Simplified Chinese courses:
Taiwanese people
Taiwanese people may refer to individuals who either claim or are imputed cultural identity focused on the island of Taiwan and/or Taiwan Area which have been governed by the Republic of China since 1945...
mathematician
Mathematician
A mathematician is a person whose primary area of study is the field of mathematics. Mathematicians are concerned with quantity, structure, space, and change....
, engineer
Engineer
An engineer is a professional practitioner of engineering, concerned with applying scientific knowledge, mathematics and ingenuity to develop solutions for technical problems. Engineers design materials, structures, machines and systems while considering the limitations imposed by practicality,...
and educator.
Biography
Shu was born in Yongjia CountyYongjia County
Yongjia County is a county in the southeast of Zhejiang province, People's Republic of China, located north of the city proper of Wenzhou, which administers the county. The Nanxi River Scenic Area is located within this county, and the river has been nominated on the tentative list of UNESCO...
, Wenzhou
Wenzhou
Wenzhou is a prefecture-level city in southeastern Zhejiang province, People's Republic of China. The area under its jurisdiction, which includes two satellite cities and six counties, had a population of 9,122,100 as of 2010....
City, Zhejiang Province on Sep 12, 1912. Shu studied at Wenzhou High School. In 1935, Shu graduated from the Department of Mathematics of Tsinghua University
Tsinghua University
Tsinghua University , colloquially known in Chinese as Qinghua, is a university in Beijing, China. The school is one of the nine universities of the C9 League. It was established in 1911 under the name "Tsinghua Xuetang" or "Tsinghua College" and was renamed the "Tsinghua School" one year later...
in Beijing and obtained B.S. in mathematics
Mathematics
Mathematics is the study of quantity, space, structure, and change. Mathematicians seek out patterns and formulate new conjectures. Mathematicians resolve the truth or falsity of conjectures by mathematical proofs, which are arguments sufficient to convince other mathematicians of their validity...
. He worked as a teaching assistant
Teaching assistant
A teaching assistant is an individual who assists a professor or teacher with instructional responsibilities. TAs include graduate teaching assistants , who are graduate students; undergraduate teaching assistants , who are undergraduate students; secondary school TAs, who are either high school...
at the department after his graduation.
In 1944, Shu went to the United States to continue his study, and entered the Brown University
Brown University
Brown University is a private, Ivy League university located in Providence, Rhode Island, United States. Founded in 1764 prior to American independence from the British Empire as the College in the English Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations early in the reign of King George III ,...
. Shu obtained his PhD in applied mathematics
Applied mathematics
Applied mathematics is a branch of mathematics that concerns itself with mathematical methods that are typically used in science, engineering, business, and industry. Thus, "applied mathematics" is a mathematical science with specialized knowledge...
in 1948, under the guidance of Charles Loewner
Charles Loewner
Charles Loewner was an American mathematician. His name was Karel Löwner in Czech and Karl Löwner in German.Loewner received his Ph.D...
. In 1949, Shu worked in Princeton
Princeton, New Jersey
Princeton is a community located in Mercer County, New Jersey, United States. It is best known as the location of Princeton University, which has been sited in the community since 1756...
, and in that summer went to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology is a private research university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. MIT has five schools and one college, containing a total of 32 academic departments, with a strong emphasis on scientific and technological education and research.Founded in 1861 in...
to do his postdoctoral research. Shu was a professor of engineering science at Purdue University
Purdue University
Purdue University, located in West Lafayette, Indiana, U.S., is the flagship university of the six-campus Purdue University system. Purdue was founded on May 6, 1869, as a land-grant university when the Indiana General Assembly, taking advantage of the Morrill Act, accepted a donation of land and...
, and the Chair of Purdue's AAES.
Shu was also an adjunct professor of National Taiwan University
National Taiwan University
National Taiwan University is a national co-educational university located in Taipei, Republic of China . In Taiwan, it is colloquially known as "Táidà" . Its main campus is set upon 1,086,167 square meters in Taipei's Da'an District. In addition, the university has 6 other campuses in Taiwan,...
(in Taipei
Taipei
Taipei City is the capital of the Republic of China and the central city of the largest metropolitan area of Taiwan. Situated at the northern tip of the island, Taipei is located on the Tamsui River, and is about 25 km southwest of Keelung, its port on the Pacific Ocean...
), National Chiao Tung University
National Chiao Tung University
National Chiao Tung University is a public university located in Hsinchu, Taiwan. It is recognized as one of the most prestigious and selective universities in Taiwan and is renowned for its research and teaching excellence in electrical engineering, computer science, engineering, management, and...
, and the National Tsing Hua University
National Tsing Hua University
National Tsing Hua University is one of the most prestigious universities in Taiwan. The university has a strong reputation in the studies of science and engineering. Times Higher Education - World University Rankings is107in the world. Engineering and Science are the best in Taiwan...
(both in Hsinchu
Hsinchu
Hsinchu City is a city in northern Taiwan. Hsinchu is popularly nicknamed "The Windy City" for its windy climate.Hsinchu City is administered as a special municipality within Taiwan . The city is bordered by Hsinchu County to the north and east, Miaoli County to the south, and the Taiwan Strait...
) in Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
. In 1961, Shu founded the Department of Mathematics at the National Tsing Hua University (NTHU), and held summer mathematical seminar annually. From 1970 to 1975, Shu was the President of the National Tsing Hua University. In 1973, Shu invited Mao Gao-wen (毛高文) to be the Dean
Dean (education)
In academic administration, a dean is a person with significant authority over a specific academic unit, or over a specific area of concern, or both...
of NTHU's engineering faculty, Shen Chun-shan
Shen Chun-shan
Shen Chun-shan is a retired academic in Taiwan, most noted for his position as the former head of National Tsing Hua University...
(沈君山) to be the Dean of science faculty, and Fung Yan-Hsiung (馮彥雄) to be the Dean of Nuclear Science and Technology. In Shu's office, National Tsing Hua University developed into a first-class comprehensive university of Taiwan.
From 1973 to 1980, Shu was in charge of the National Science Council
National Science Council
The National Science Council is the main governmental promotion and funding body for science research in Taiwan, Republic of China. It is a governmental body under the Executive Yuan.-External links:* *...
(under the Executive Yuan
Executive Yuan
The Executive Yuan is the executive branch of the government of the Republic of China , commonly known as "Taiwan".-Organization and structure:...
) of Taiwan. From 1979 to 1988, Shu was the Chairman and Director-general
Director-general
The term director-general is a title given the highest executive officer within a governmental, statutory, NGO, third sector or not-for-profit institution.-European Union:...
of the Industrial Technology Research Institute
Industrial Technology Research Institute
The Industrial Technology Research Institute is a non-profit research institute located in Taiwan under the supervision of the Republic of China Ministry of Economic Affairs. It conducts research and development in applied technologies to advance private sector growth...
. Shu advised to establish the world-famous Hsinchu Science and Industrial Park (HSIP), thus he is widely known as the "Father of HSIP".
Contributions and honors
Shu made great contributions to Taiwan's education, especially to its mathematical education and higher education. Xu contributed greatly to the development of Taiwan's economyEconomy of Taiwan
Taiwan has a developed capitalist economy that ranks as the 19th largest in the world by Purchasing power parity and 24th in nominal GDP of investment and foreign trade by the Republic of China government which governs Taiwan. In keeping with this trend, most large government-owned banks and...
and industry, especially Taiwan's high-tech. Shu received an honorary doctorate from Purdue University in 1993. Shu was also elected Academician of the Academia Sinica
Academia Sinica
The Academia Sinica , headquartered in the Nangang District of Taipei, is the national academy of Taiwan. It supports research activities in a wide variety of disciplines, ranging from mathematical and physical sciences, to life sciences, and to humanities and social sciences.Academia Sinica has...
in Taiwan.
Family
Shu's son, Frank ShuFrank Shu
Frank Shu , is an astrophysicist, author and professor of astronomy at the University of California, Berkeley and University of California, San Diego and the university president of the National Tsing Hua University....
(徐遐生), an astrophysicist, was born in Kunming
Kunming
' is the capital and largest city of Yunnan Province in Southwest China. It was known as Yunnan-Fou until the 1920s. A prefecture-level city, it is the political, economic, communications and cultural centre of Yunnan, and is the seat of the provincial government...
during the Second Sino-Japanese War
Second Sino-Japanese War
The Second Sino-Japanese War was a military conflict fought primarily between the Republic of China and the Empire of Japan. From 1937 to 1941, China fought Japan with some economic help from Germany , the Soviet Union and the United States...
. Frank is former President of the American Astronomical Society
American Astronomical Society
The American Astronomical Society is an American society of professional astronomers and other interested individuals, headquartered in Washington, DC...
(AAS), and interestingly, former President of the National Tsing Hua University, the position which his father once held.
External links
English courses:- Purdue UniversityPurdue UniversityPurdue University, located in West Lafayette, Indiana, U.S., is the flagship university of the six-campus Purdue University system. Purdue was founded on May 6, 1869, as a land-grant university when the Indiana General Assembly, taking advantage of the Morrill Act, accepted a donation of land and...
: Outstanding Aerospace Engineer Awards – 1999 Recipients: S.S.Shu - Taiwan Today: Astrophysicist wins 2009 Shaw Prize
- Taipei Times: Archive about S.S.Shu
- The Mathematics Genealogy Project – Shien-Siu Shu
Traditional/Simplified Chinese courses:
- 淺談前校長徐賢修先生 (A brief biography of S.S.Shu), by ZHANG Zhong-wei
- 苗日新：西院33号新竹清华大学校长徐贤修故居- 水木史苑- 紫苑网 (The old residence of S.S.Shu at National Tsing Hua University in Hsinchu)
- 徐贤修- 浙江学科网 (S.S.Shu from ZJSci)
- 永嘉籍台湾清华父子校长（父） (National Tsing Hua University President from Yongjia)
- WenzhouWenzhouWenzhou is a prefecture-level city in southeastern Zhejiang province, People's Republic of China. The area under its jurisdiction, which includes two satellite cities and six counties, had a population of 9,122,100 as of 2010....
EncyclopediaEncyclopediaAn encyclopedia is a type of reference work, a compendium holding a summary of information from either all branches of knowledge or a particular branch of knowledge....
: 徐贤修 (S.S.Shu)