NCKU President shares her love of science with high school girls in Taiwan

National Cheng Kung University (NCKU) President Huey-Jen Jenny Su was invited by Taipei First Girls High School (TFG) to share her learning experience and reflection on being a female scientist in global community on April 14 in Taipei.

President Su talked to a roomful of young female students who were fully engaged in her talk and raised a lot of questions about having higher education, doing research, love for science and problems in life. TFG Principal Shih Ruey Yang extended her warm welcome to President Su saying, “Many of the students at TFG want to be scientists in the future.”

She also commented that President Su’s talk would definitely motivate students and enables them to view their life goals from another whole new perspective. In her talk, President Su told the students that acquiring the ability of critical thinking is essential to every one of us for critical thinking is the foundation for learning.

“Besides critical thinking,” she added, “we should also be able to obtain the insights into the challenges of our contemporary society, such as poverty, poor health, and hygiene.” She said, when we are well-prepared, we would be able to fix the problems and make a better world. “What worries me is that everyone seems to hold a rather passive attitude towards those existed issues that have to be solved,” she noted.

If one thinks others would take care of that problems and therefore keeps silent and ignores the problems, it is very likely that the problems would be worse day by day. President Su encouraged the students to stand up and speak out against the problem. “I hope someday when you are ready to contribute to the society, you would make a difference to the human race,” said President Su.

She also mentioned how much she value honesty. “What I have learned along my path to becoming a scientist is not to lie to others and not to take advantage of others.” “We may not foresee what would happen in the future. Only when we attain our goals step by step and always be honest would we realize the true meaning of our life,” she added.

At the end, President Su noted, “Female scientists are still in a relative disadvantage position among scientists in general. We still have a lot of challenges to take up and difficulties to face. Obstacles notwithstanding, a promising future for us is waiting ahead.”

Source: NCKU