History of NTU Physics

The undergraduate program physics was established at National Taiwan University in 1946. The master program was established twenty four years later in 1960 and and the Ph.D. programs set up nine years later 1969. As the oldest leading institution in Taiwan which conducts physics teaching and research, the Physics Department played a key role in the development and growth of the physics community in Taiwan. Under the academic tradition of National Taiwan University, the Department has its own unique character,

and consistenly rank on the top in the physical sciences category of the nation-wide College Entrance Examination. Since its foundation, the Department has produced numerous outstanding alumni who have made significant contributions both within Taiwan and at the international level.

They excelled in both academia and industry. Building on a solid background, the Department strives to further the advancement of physics education in Taiwan. We hope to be able to provide the optimal environment in which future generations of physics students can continue to study and conduct research.

In order to enhance the diversity and depth of our research program, the Physics Department actively recruit faculty members. In addition, the department also interacts extensively with the NTU Center for Condensed Matter Sciences and numerous institutes within Academia Sinica including the Institute of Astronomy and Astrophysics, the Institute of Physics, and the Institute of Atomic and Molecular Sciences.Faculty members of the department also participate in the Ministry of Education's Program for Promotion of Academic Excellence of Universities and other National Projects.

In addition, faculty members also actively participate in international academic activities. The Department strives to build a top notch program both in the Taiwanese and the international physics community.

As the foundation of natural sciences, physics is a broad field aiming to study the laws of nature governing the motion and properties of matters. In addition, physics also lays the foundations for the new technological developments. A well-developed nation needs to have a solid foundation in physical sciences and technologies.

At the present, Taiwan is undergoing further transitions into a technology based society. We need to develop our basic physics research to enhance technological research and development. In particular, since nanotechnology is and will be a major part of scientific and technological developments internationally, a strong physics program in Taiwan is vital to our nanotechnological effort.

The NTU Physics Department is among the most well-established department in the country. We strive to help cultivate the national growth in the physical sciences and we hope that more young people will join us in this effort. The aim of the department is to gain a more thorough understanding of nature and find technological applications from such effort.

Chronicle of Department of Physics,
National Taiwan University

The predecessor of National Taiwan University is Japan Taipei Imperial University, which was founded in 1928. The pregenitor of the Department of Physics is the Class of Physics and Chemistry, which was founded in 1943. At that moment, there was no Taiwanese student.

1945 Taiwan restored; Japan Taipei Imperial University was converted to National Taiwan University.

1946 Department of Physics was founded in the spring, with only the undergraduate program.

1954 Prof. Jen-Lin Huang was the first Taiwanese who published a paper on the journal Physical Review.

1957 Prof. Chen Ning Yang and Prof. Tsung-Dao Lee won the Nobel Prize in Physics, and thus became the world-wide known physicists. Hereafer physics became the first-choice subject in university, and the Department of Physics, National Taiwan university the highest ranked department across the country.

1958~1972 During this period, the top 30 senior-high students across the entire nation all chose the Department of Physics, National Taiwan university as their first priority. They all went abroad for higher degrees after their Bachelor degrees. Studying abroad became a dream of young people.

1960 The program towards Master degrees was established.

1969 The program towards Doctorial degrees was established.

1980 The take off of the economy in Taiwan enhanced the development of fundamental science, especially the Physics.

1984~1990 The economy in Taiwan became even better, in contrast to the United States. In addition, given the increasing budget for fundamental research and the new governmental protection policy, more and more intellectuals and high-tech specialists started to flow back to Taiwan. At that moment, the exchange rate for the New Taiwanese Dollars and the United-States Dollars is 41 : 1. (While in 1992 it was 25 : 1, and now it is about 35 : 1)

1990~today The Department of Physics, National Taiwan university is still keeping the record of being the top-ranked department in natural science in Taiwan, and the top five among all the science-related departments. Since 2002, it has even become the thrid.

2000 The department moved into a new Condensed Matter Science and Physics Building, which hosts both the Department of Physics and Center of Condense Matter.

The undergraduate program physics was established at National Taiwan University in 1946. The master program was established twenty four years later in 1960 and and the Ph.D. programs set up nine years later 1969. As the oldest leading institution in Taiwan which conducts physics teaching and research, the Physics Department played a key role in the development and growth of the physics community in Taiwan. Under the academic tradition of National Taiwan University, the Department has its own unique character,
and consistenly rank on the top in the physical sciences category of the nation-wide College Entrance Examination. Since its foundation, the Department has produced numerous outstanding alumni who have made significant contributions both within Taiwan and at the international level.
	They excelled in both academia and industry. Building on a solid background, the Department strives to further the advancement of physics education in Taiwan. We hope to be able to provide the optimal environment in which future generations of physics students can continue to study and conduct research.

In order to enhance the diversity and depth of our research program, the Physics Department actively recruit faculty members. In addition, the department also interacts extensively with the NTU Center for Condensed Matter Sciences and numerous institutes within Academia Sinica including the Institute of Astronomy and Astrophysics, the Institute of Physics, and the Institute of Atomic and Molecular Sciences.Faculty members of the department also participate in the Ministry of Education's Program for Promotion of Academic Excellence of Universities and other National Projects.
	In addition, faculty members also actively participate in international academic activities. The Department strives to build a top notch program both in the Taiwanese and the international physics community.

As the foundation of natural sciences, physics is a broad field aiming to study the laws of nature governing the motion and properties of matters. In addition, physics also lays the foundations for the new technological developments. A well-developed nation needs to have a solid foundation in physical sciences and technologies.
	At the present, Taiwan is undergoing further transitions into a technology based society. We need to develop our basic physics research to enhance technological research and development. In particular, since nanotechnology is and will be a major part of scientific and technological developments internationally, a strong physics program in Taiwan is vital to our nanotechnological effort.
The NTU Physics Department is among the most well-established department in the country. We strive to help cultivate the national growth in the physical sciences and we hope that more young people will join us in this effort. The aim of the department is to gain a more thorough understanding of nature and find technological applications from such effort.

The predecessor of National Taiwan University is Japan Taipei Imperial University, which was founded in 1928. The pregenitor of the Department of Physics is the Class of Physics and Chemistry, which was founded in 1943. At that moment, there was no Taiwanese student.
1945	Taiwan restored; Japan Taipei Imperial University was converted to National Taiwan University.
1946	Department of Physics was founded in the spring, with only the undergraduate program.
1954	Prof. Jen-Lin Huang was the first Taiwanese who published a paper on the journal Physical Review.
1957	Prof. Chen Ning Yang and Prof. Tsung-Dao Lee won the Nobel Prize in Physics, and thus became the world-wide known physicists. Hereafer physics became the first-choice subject in university, and the Department of Physics, National Taiwan university the highest ranked department across the country.
1958~1972	During this period, the top 30 senior-high students across the entire nation all chose the Department of Physics, National Taiwan university as their first priority. They all went abroad for higher degrees after their Bachelor degrees. Studying abroad became a dream of young people.
1960	The program towards Master degrees was established.
1969	The program towards Doctorial degrees was established.
1980	The take off of the economy in Taiwan enhanced the development of fundamental science, especially the Physics.
1984~1990	The economy in Taiwan became even better, in contrast to the United States. In addition, given the increasing budget for fundamental research and the new governmental protection policy, more and more intellectuals and high-tech specialists started to flow back to Taiwan. At that moment, the exchange rate for the New Taiwanese Dollars and the United-States Dollars is 41 : 1. (While in 1992 it was 25 : 1, and now it is about 35 : 1)
1990~today	The Department of Physics, National Taiwan university is still keeping the record of being the top-ranked department in natural science in Taiwan, and the top five among all the science-related departments. Since 2002, it has even become the thrid.
2000	The department moved into a new Condensed Matter Science and Physics Building, which hosts both the Department of Physics and Center of Condense Matter.