Presentation for

ICSU Presidential Election

Yuan T. LeePresident Emeritus

Academy of Sciences located in Taipei

Personal Background (I)- Education -

Born in a small city in Northern Taiwan in 1936

B.S., National Taiwan University, Taiwan, 1959

M.S., National Tsing-Hua University, Taiwan, 1961

Ph.D., University of California, Berkeley, 1965

Postdoctoral Fellow,

University of California, Berkeley, 1965-67;

Harvard University, 1967-68

Personal Background (II)- Academic Appointment -

Assistant Prof. 1968-71; Associate Prof. 1971-72; Prof. of Chemistry, 1973-74, The James Franck Institute and Department of Chemistry, University of Chicago

Prof. of Chemistry, 1974-91; University Professor, 1991-94; University Prof. Emeritus, Department of Chemistry, University of California, Berkeley

Principal Investigator, Chemical Sciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, 1974-94

Returned to Taiwan in 1994, after 32 years of Academic career in the United States and assumed the position of the President of Academy of Sciences located in Taipei, 1994-2006, President Emeritus, 2006

Distinguished Research Fellow, Institute of Atomic and Molecular Sciences, Academy of Sciences located in Taipei, 1994-

Taiwan’s Education Reform

Chaired the national committee for education reform in Taiwan from 1994-96, and led a national organization for community empowerment from 1996-2000.

Established several new foundations and aided existing organizations that support educational and research activities.

Helped found Taiwan’s International Graduate Program sponsored by the Academy of Sciences and some research Universities.

Expertise

Honors Nobel Laureate in Chemistry, 1986 Member / Honorary Member of 12 Academies: American Academy of Arts and Science, 1975 National Academy of Science, 1979 The Academy of Sciences located in Taipei, 1980 Gottingen Academy of Sciences, 1988 Third World Academy of Sciences, 1994 International Academy of Sciences, 1994 The Korean Academy of Science and Technology, 1995 Indian National Science Academy, 1997 Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences, 2002 The Japan Academy, 2007 The Hungarian Academy of Sciences, 2007 Pontifical Academy of Sciences, 2007

35 honorary degrees by preeminent universities in various countries

International Scientific Experience (I)

Member, U.S. Pure and Applied Chemistry Delegation to the People’s Republic of China, 1978

Member, California Council on Science and Technology, 1990-94

Member of Scientific Advisory Board, Welch Foundation, 1988-

Member, Secretary of Energy Advisory Board, U.S. Department of Energy, 1990-92

Advisory Editorial Board, Chemical Physics Letters, 1986-2006

Member of Editorial Advisory Board, ChemPhysChem, 2000- Member of International Advisory Board, RIKEN, Japan, 200

0-, Vice Chairman 2006- Member of the International Advisory Board, Nagoya Univer

sity, Japan, 2005- Member of the International Advisory Board, Chemistry-An

Asian Journal, Germany, 2005-

International Scientific Experience (II)

Member of International Advisory Board, ChemSusChem, the Chemistry and Sustainability

Board of Trustees, Asia Pacific Center for Theoretical Physics, 2001-10

Member of International Scientific Council, Israeli-Palestinian Science Organization, 2006-

Member of Board of Governors, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology, 2007-

Special Advisor to the Director of Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, 2007-

Invited Participant, Science and Technology in Society forum, Tokyo, Japan, 2004-

Invited Participant, Petra Conference of Nobel Laureates, Jordan, 2005-

Chairman, Asian Science Camp Foundation, 2007-

Experience in Activities of ICSU and/or its affiliated bodies

Chair, National Committee of ICSU in Taiwan, 1994-2006

Fellow, Academy of Sciences for the Developing World, 1994

Chair, TWAS: Taiwan Chapter, 1994- Member, Standing Committee on Freedom in the Cond

uct of Science, 1999-2005; Standing Committee on Freedom and Responsibility in the Conduct of Science, 2005-06

Member, InterAcademy Panel on International Issues, 2001-06

Chairman, TWAS Chemistry Prize Committee, 2007-09

In cooperation with AATF (African Agricultural

Technology Foundation), NARO (National Agriculture

Research Organization) and IITA (International

Institute of Tropical Agriculture), Taiwan helps to

develop disease resistant banana strains for small

farmers in Africa.

- Signed a royalty-free licensing agreement with AATF

- Trained scientists from Kenya and Uganda for

capacity building in combating bacterial wilt in

bananas and plantains

Current Cooperation with Africa

ICSU – My Observations

Integration of the natural sciences has been successful, but efforts are still needed to integrate the social sciences and engineering. ICSU must further collaborate with its partners to solve the problems we face today.

In addition to UNESCO, cooperation with WHO and FAO is also necessary.

ICSU should seek cooperation with regional offices, such as regional offices in Africa, Asia and the Pacific, South America and the Caribbean, to educate researchers in science and technology.

ICSU – Current Activities

Urban health and well-being

Environmental hazards and disasters International Polar Year Global Change Programs

All of these are extremely important

subjects. We are delighted that ICSU

took up these challenges.

ICSU – Future Efforts The research and development of green (and clean)

energy, centering on cross-national cooperation

The production, preservation and global distribution of food, especially with the application of agricultural and genomic technology

The global cooperation in preventing epidemic diseases, especially emerging infectious diseases

The long term observation and effective surveillance of global warming and ecosystem changes, and international cooperation in the mitigation and prevention of natural disasters

The international cooperation in science, technology and higher education through the use of information technology and internet technology in developing countries to narrow the global digital gap

My Belief (I) With limited space and resources, the world is

“overdeveloped” in terms of the excessive consumption of natural resources and the damage done to our living environment. We must strive to find solutions to ensure that economic development is not incompatible with a sustainable environment.

It is very important that we work together to re-establish the intimate relationship between humankind and the biosphere. It is my strong belief that the ICSU should and will pave the way in this endeavor.

My Belief (II)

In addition to the shortage of energy resources and grave environmental problems which become worse every year, humanity faces a series of other problems. If in the increasingly interdependent world of today, the majority of humanity still lives in grinding poverty, is disease-stricken, illiterate, deprived of education, unemployed, and faces other problems of basic survival, this world will not be a safe world. ICSU might work harder to resolve the dilemma between global competition and global collaboration.

When Madame Curie was asked why she did not apply for patents for her discoveries, she replied that she did not do so because she believed scientific knowledge should belong to all mankind. It was this idealist way of life that attracted me to science when I was young, and it is with this ideal still burning strongly in my heart that I would like to humbly request your support to become the next President of the ICSU.

Your Support

Thank you very much.