Yen Chen-hsing

In this Chinese name, the family name is Yen (閻).

Yen Chen-hsing
閻振興
President of National Taiwan University
In office July 1970 – July 1981
Preceded by	Chien Shih-Liang
Succeeded by	Yu Chao-chung
President of National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology
In office 1 July 1969 – 31 January 1971
Preceded by	Position established
Succeeded by	Tang Chun-po
President of National Tsing Hua University
In office 1969–1970
Preceded by	Chen Ke-chung
Succeeded by	Shu Shien-Siu
Chairperson of the Atomic Energy Council
In office 10 April 1981 – 1 June 1990
Preceded by	Chien Shih-Liang
Succeeded by	Hsu Yi-yun
In office 20 April 1966 – 5 December 1971
Preceded by	Huang Chi-lu
Succeeded by	Chien Shih-Liang
Chairperson of the National Youth Commission
In office 28 January 1966 – 9 July 1970
Preceded by	Position established
Succeeded by	Lee Huan
Minister of Education
In office 25 January 1965 – 1 July 1969
Preceded by	Huang Chi-lu
Succeeded by	Chung Chiao-kuang
President of National Cheng Kung University
In office August 1957 – December 1964
Preceded by	Qing Dajun
Succeeded by	Lo Yun-ping
Personal details
Born	(1912-07-10)10 July 1912
Died	7 January 2005(2005-01-07) (aged 92)
Alma mater	National Tsing Hua University (BS) University of Iowa (MS, PhD)

Yen Chen-hsing
Chinese name
Traditional Chinese	閻振興
Hanyu Pinyin	Yán Zhènxīng
Hokkien POJ	Giâm Chín-heng
Tâi-lô	Giâm Tsín-hing

Yen Chen-hsing (Chinese: 閻振興; pinyin: Yán Zhènxīng; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Giâm Chín-heng; 10 July 1912 – 7 January 2005) was a Chinese-born engineer, educator, and politician based in Taiwan.

Early life and education

Yen graduated from National Tsing Hua University in Beijing and moved to the United States in 1937 to continue his education. He earned a master's degree and doctorate from the Department of Mechanics and Hydraulics at the University of Iowa in 1938 and 1941, respectively.

Career

Upon graduation, Yen returned to China and helped construct the Burma Road. After World War II, Yen devised plans to dam the Yellow River. He joined the faculty of Henan University shortly before moving to Taiwan in 1949, along with Chiang Kai-shek's Nationalist government. In Taiwan, Yen became chief engineer of Kaohsiung Harbor before assuming the presidency of National Cheng Kung University in 1957. He stepped down in 1965 and was named Minister of Education.

The next year, Yen began concurrently serving as chairman of the National Youth Commission. As education minister, Yen extended the length of compulsory education programs in Taiwan from six years to nine years and helped establish many junior colleges. Yen left the Ministry of Education in 1969 and ended his tenure at the National Youth Commission the next year. He stepped down from the Atomic Energy Council in 1971, having held the position since 1966. Yen assumed administrative posts at several universities while working in the government, and also held party posts, namely membership in the Kuomintang Standing Committee from 1981.

While serving as president of National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology from 1969 to 1971, Yen was also president of National Tsing Hua University until 1970. He then led National Taiwan University from 1970 to 1981. Upon stepping down from NTU, Yen returned to the Atomic Energy Council from 1981 to 1990 and later served President Lee Teng-hui as a senior adviser. Yen was elected to the Academia Sinica in 1982 and awarded the University of Iowa's Distinguished Alumni Award for Achievement in 1984. In 1999, the University of Iowa inducted Yen into its Distinguished Engineering Alumni Academy.

Yen died in January 2005, aged 92. Following his death, the "Chen-Hsing Fluid Dynamics Lab" and "Chen-Hsing Memorial Hall" at National Taiwan University were dedicated in Yen's honor.