Dr. Frank Huang(黃崇仁), Chairman of the Powerchip Semiconductor Group, also an outstanding alumnus of the Physics Department of NTU, signed a contract with his alma mater on January 3rd, 2007, in which he agreed to donate funding for hiring faculty members and help NTU set up a graduate institute of Applied Physics. This donation act has a trailblazing significance in that it marks the first time that an industry in Taiwan promises to fund faculty hiring in a university on a long term basis. In addition to commitment to hiring three faculty members every year, the Powerchip Semiconductor Group also considers donating scholarships and assistantships to master and doctoral level students, for the purpose of aiding their research in Applied Physics. Any pre-launched research projects, or special R&D personnel overseas, if upon review revealed to be of significant help to the development of High Tech in Taiwan, Powerchip Semiconductor Group will also consider providing financial aid on a project basis.

The donation contract was cosigned by NTU’s President Si-chen Li and Frank Huang, Chairman of the Powerchip Semiconductor Group. In talking to the press, Frank Huang maintains that fundamental science is the basis for applied technology, and the so called technology industry is actually an industry of applied sciences. Therefore, helping NTU set up a graduate institute of Applied Physics should be instrumental in realizing the goal of high tech development in Taiwan under the slogan of “Knowledge Management Taiwan, Green Silicon Island.” President Si-dchen Li in turn says that Powerchip Semiconductor Group is an important representative of the high tech industry in Taiwan, the donation of funding for faculty hiring on the part of Frank Huang to his alma mater on a long term basis will instill a new force into the pool of fundamental R&D manpower in Taiwan’s high tech field, and is expected to have a lasting influence in the industry circle, leading others to follow, thereby creating a new ambience for the academic society in general.