Professor Chiu Huang-Jen, Distinguished Professor and Dean of Taiwan Tech’s Industry-Academia Innovation College, was recently awarded the National Industry-Academia Master Award and the NSTC Outstanding Research Award. In recent years, he and his research team have developed high power density energy conversion technology, supporting the comprehensive upgrading of Taiwan’s power supply industry through industry-academia collaboration and technology transfer.

Professor Huang-Jen Chiu, Dean of Taiwan Tech’s Industry-Academia Innovation College, receives the National Industry-Academia Master Award.

In terms of industry-academia collaboration, during his tenure as Vice President for R&D and Dean of Industry-Academia Innovation College at Taiwan Tech, Professor Huang-Jen Chiu actively promoted partnerships with industry, securing tens of millions of NT dollars in funding annually. The total funding for projects he led, including industry-academia collaborations and technology transfers, has exceeded NT$100 million. In the field of power electronics, he has been granted nearly 50 U.S. and Taiwanese invention patents and has cultivated hundreds of specialists in the field. His efforts have also led to over NT$20 million worth of equipment donations from industry, significantly improving the university’s teaching and research environment.

On the academic front, Professor Chiu has led his team in supporting the renewable energy sector through the development of high-performance power conversion technologies. His innovations, such as the high-efficiency solar micro-inverter and high-efficiency wireless charger, won first prize at the IEEE IFEC international competition for two consecutive years. These technologies have been successfully transferred and applied in electric vehicles, e-scooters, e-bikes, and automated guided vehicles (AGVs), earning recognition with the Future Tech Award from Taiwan’s Ministry of Science and Technology.

Additionally, his development of high-efficiency LED drivers for indoor lighting and streetlight applications has drawn attention across academia and industry. Professor Chiu noted that with the global rise of AI, he has already taken proactive steps to apply high-efficiency power design technologies to support AI - an energy-intensive field - and has begun cultivating talent to meet this growing demand.

Professor Huang-Jen Chiu, Dean of Taiwan Tech’s Industry-Academia Innovation College, receives the National Industry-Academia Master Award. Pictured delivering remarks at the award ceremony. (Photo courtesy of the event organizer)

Professor Huang-Jen Chiu expressed that receiving multiple awards is a reflection of staying on the right path - grounding himself in academic research, viewing industry-academia collaboration as the method, and focusing on talent cultivation as the ultimate goal. He expressed deep gratitude for receiving both the National Industry-Academia Master Award and the NSTC Outstanding Research Award and said he is particularly proud of having twice received the Taiwan Tech Outstanding Teaching Award, as nurturing talent remains his original and unwavering mission.

He noted that although he has been teaching for 25 years, he still actively prepares for his classes. By integrating research with industry collaboration, he ensures that his teaching stays closely aligned with real-world applications. Industry professionals often attend his lectures and raise questions, and he finds this mutual learning experience rewarding. Continuously updating course content to reflect the times is, in his view, a teacher’s responsibility. Professor Chiu also advised young faculty to find their passion within teaching, research, and service, and to plan their path accordingly. When interest and direction align, everything will naturally fall into place.

Professor Chiu Huang-Jen (front row, second from right), Dean of Taiwan Tech’s Industry-Academia Innovation College, was invited to deliver a keynote speech at the Indonesian Academy of Sciences.