Professors Awarded for Outstanding Math and Science Education, and Chemistry Research
On April 30, the National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) hosted its 112th Academic Research Awards Ceremony where two NTNU professors, Dr. Kai-Lin Yang from the NTNU Department of Mathematics and Dr. Hsin-Yi Chang from the Program of Learning Sciences, were honored with Outstanding Research Awards. Dr. Di-Yan Wang of the Department of Chemistry was also conferred the Ta-You Wu Memorial Award at the event, in recognition of his outstanding contributions through research.
Determined through a rigorous three-stage review of the candidates' research over the past five years, the NSTC Outstanding Research Award acknowledges excellence in the sciences. The Ta-You Wu Memorial Award, in memory of Mr. Ta-You Wu’s impact on science and technology and encourage young scholars, is presented to exceptional young researchers under the age of 42.
Presiding over the ceremony, NSTC Minister Tsung-Tsong Wu encouraged awardees to be mindful of humanistic values in their research, so that academic work remains connected to broader societal, economic, and environmental goals, which will contribute toward Taiwan becoming a resilient and sustainable nation.
In the field of mathematics education, Professor Kai-Lin Yang’s work has helped to enhance learning by focusing on the nature of mathematical understanding and sustaining learners’ motivation. Her innovative approach includes six primary design steps along three key processes: metaphorizing, scaffolding, and gamifying. His work not only offers a framework for foundational mathematics activities but also serves as a resource for teacher training workshops, establishing Taiwan's role in global mathematics education research.
Professor Hsin-Yi Chang has advanced the field of science education by developing the “meta-visualization theory,” a framework that enhances understanding through the integration of metacognitive processes and knowledge perspectives. Her research has significantly influenced science education, leading to widely utilized educational frameworks, models, and tools in science, STEM, and digital learning. Her team's efforts in creating effective online science learning environments have been recognized as advancing key 21st-century skills.
Professor Di-Yan Wang’s contributions to materials chemistry, particularly through his studies on material structure dynamics, have advanced the development of batteries, catalysts, and our understanding of perovskite crystals. His collaborative work with the Industrial Technology Research Institute and Stanford University to develop an ultrafast rechargeable aluminum-ion battery, overcame traditional limitations and garnered international acclaim, including publication in the prestigious journal Nature. His achievements have earned him several awards, including the Academia Sinica Early-Career Investigator Research Achievement Award and a ranking among the 'Top 2% of the World's Top Scientists in 2022.'