The Physical Society of Taiwan held the 2026 Taiwan Physics Annual Meeting from January 13 to 15 at National Chung Cheng University, during which major awards for 2025 were presented. Professor Hung-Chung Hsueh of the Department of Physics was honored with the Outstanding Physics Academic Award in recognition of his exceptional achievements in computational studies of strongly correlated quantum materials. Through innovative theoretical frameworks closely integrated with local experimental teams, he demonstrated outstanding scholarly contributions, becoming the first professor from a private university to receive this prestigious award. Meanwhile, Integrated Service Technology Inc. (iST), founded by Golden Eagle alumnus of the Department of Physics Wei-Bin Yu, was awarded the Industry Contribution Award for its commitment to cultivating talent across academia, industry, and research, providing platforms for industry–academia collaboration and practical training, and exemplifying strong corporate social responsibility that supports the sustainable development of Taiwan’s physics community.
Hsueh remarked that the honor belongs to all collaborators involved, including students, colleagues, and outstanding experimental and theoretical research teams at home and abroad. He emphasized that academic achievements are the result of long-term collective effort rather than individual accomplishment, describing the power of collaboration with the saying, “If you want to go fast, go alone; if you want to go far, go together.” He encouraged researchers that even within private university settings, identifying one’s professional strengths and actively engaging in cross-institutional and international collaborations can lead to meaningful impact at critical moments.
Among numerous collaborative projects, Hsueh has been primarily responsible for theoretical analysis and validation, providing key physical interpretations and quantitative support that elevate research outcomes to the standards of top-tier international journals. His long-standing focus on theoretical condensed matter physics and computational quantum materials leverages first-principles many-body excited-state methods to analyze electronic structures and interactions. He believes that impactful theoretical research should not only answer “why phenomena occur,” but also illuminate new directions for experimental exploration.
Hsueh expressed sincere gratitude to Tamkang University for providing a stable and flexible research environment that allows sustained focus on fundamental research. He highly values collaboration with students and young researchers, viewing the cultivation of the next generation of scholars as an essential part of academic work. In alignment with the university’s development visions of “AI+SDGs=∞” and “ESG+AI =∞,” he plans to further advance quantum materials research, explore applications of artificial intelligence and machine learning in materials theory, and encourage young scholars to build solid foundations and broaden forward-looking academic perspectives, confident that meaningful research will ultimately shine on the global stage.
Wei-Bin Yu has long supported his alma mater, including donating NTD 4 million to renovate the iST Reading Room, creating a high-quality learning environment for students. He also provides industry internships, scholarships, and research equipment for physics students. Reflecting on his student days, Yu shared that he once felt uncertain about his future career path, but with encouragement from mentors, he focused on his studies and steadily built his capabilities. To support himself financially, he once rode a scooter under the scorching sun, selling English audio tapes, gaining firsthand experience of the hardships of learning and work. Precisely because of this journey, after founding iST, he has sought not only sustainable business growth but also meaningful contributions to his alma mater and society, committing himself to the long-term vitality of the physics community.
