Edward Huang – Past President of North American Taiwanese Professors’ Association

Danville, CA

Who are you?

I was born in Taiwan. I attended a Japanese elementary school at the end of WWII in 1945. I experienced Taiwan’s rule under the Japanese and also the KMT-Chinese governments. The Japanese were very strict but followed the law. The Chinese were known to be corrupt, and did not go by the law. Under the KMT rule, there was always a way to win lawsuits with bribes. My parents’ generation, educated by the Japanese, went by the principles of honesty and integrity. I treasure these principles. I came to the US in 1960 to attend graduate school at Kansas University.

What do you do?

After I received a Ph.D. degree in chemical engineering from KU, I worked for US oil companies for 30 years. I was a research scientist working on improved methods to recover oil from oil reservoirs. Then I spent five years in Taiwan as an adjunct professor at  National Cheng-Kung University. In 2000, I joined a research team at the University of Colorado to work on micronization of drugs for pulmonary delivery. I retired in 2004 and settled in the SF Bay Area.

My wife and I have lived in many cities in the US. We are always active in the local Taiwanese community. In LA, at the invitation of Mr. Shih Chou, I attended a planning meeting to form the Taiwanese American Citizens League (TACL) in 1985. From 1991 to 1995, we were active in the committee of Great Performers From Taiwan. The purpose of this series was to promote composers and performers form Taiwan, such as Tyzen Hsiao, Cho-liang Lin, Nai-yuan Hu, etc. I am also active in North American Taiwanese Professors’ Association; I served as president from 2005 to 2006 (www.natpa.org). NATPA has been active since 2002, encouraging young Taiwanese scholars to attend our annual conference and become involved in the group. I currently serve as an at-large member of the Formosan Association for Public Affairs (FAPA) Board of Directors.

Why are you proud to be of Taiwanese heritage?

I am a first generation Taiwanese American. I am proud of the Taiwanese heritage, which is different from the Chinese heritage.

What does the future of Taiwanese America look like to you?

In the past 10 to 20 years, we have seen more and more young Taiwanese Americans become interested in joining Taiwanese American organizations. This is a very good phenomenon, as we need strong organizations like the Jewish Defense League or Japanese American Citizens League to speak up for their motherland.

Any additional information you would like to share?

My work done at University of Colorado can be viewed at www.aktiv-dry.com. Under “services,” there is a photo in the lab showing me with Professor Bob Sievers and a graduate student. You can also see my papers under “publications.”