Taiwan Tech recently held the 113th Outstanding Alumni Recognition Ceremony. Three alumni from different fields were selected: Ti-Chih Chu, Deputy Mayor of New Taipei City; Chau-Young Lin, General Manager of Chunghwa Telecom; and Kuan-De Wang, Chairman of Kunshan Wirop Metal Product Co., Ltd. They have made long-term contributions to their alma mater and have been highly recognized by the selection committee for their dedication.

The group photo from Taiwan Tech's 113th Outstanding Alumni Recognition Ceremony, from left to right: Heng-Shou Hsu, Executive Committee Member of the Outstanding Alumni Association; Kuan-De Wang, Outstanding Alumni; President Jia-Yush Jen; Chau-Young Lin, Outstanding Alumni; Ti-Chih Chu, Outstanding Alumni.

Ti-Chih Chu, New Taipei City Deputy Mayor, graduated from the Department of Civil and Construction Engineering's 2nd degree, as well as the master's and doctoral programs. With over 27 years of public service after graduation, many major projects in New Taipei City, including the An-Keng No.1 Road and the San-Ying No.2 Bridge, were completed during his tenure. Many projects won the National Excellent Construction Award. Ti-Chih Chu mentioned that the salary conditions in public service may not compare to those in the industry, but you can contribute what you have learned to help people solve problems. He recalled his time as Director General of the New Taipei City Public Works Department during Typhoon Soulik's devastation, where the bridge in Wulai was in danger of becoming isolated due to road base erosion. At that time, the roadbed was lost, and he could only walk more than ten kilometers into Wulai Fushan to investigate the disaster. He led a team to change construction methods and adjust existing practices, completing the clearance task in just one month which would typically take six months using traditional methods.

Ti-Chih Chu emphasized that an individual may run faster, but teamwork can endure longer and perform better. In the engineering field, teamwork is highly valued. During his studies at Taiwan Tech, he deeply understood the importance of mutual support and assistance among laboratory teams. Holding onto the belief of “maintaining a pure heart, facing all challenges and setbacks positively and optimistically”, he believes that not giving up on learning can transform adversity.

Chau-Young Lin, General Manager of Chunghwa Telecom, graduated from the doctoral program in the Department of Electronic and Computer Engineering and has served at Chunghwa Telecom for 37 years. He led a team of 600 people in undertaking the largest-ever Ministry of Finance project in Taiwan, the “Tax Information System Integration and Reconstruction”, which lasted three years and involved the redevelopment of 143 software systems and the writing of millions of lines of code. Chau-Young Lin stated that the doctoral program at Taiwan Tech emphasizes asking the right questions, finding systematic methods to solve problems, and focusing on the combination of theories into practice to achieve innovation, which are well-suited for application in the workplace. He constantly reminds himself to “treat people with sincerity, think from others' perspectives, and maintain curiosity”, seizing every opportunity with full dedication and embracing different experiences.

Regarding the cultivation of international talent, Chau-Young Lin emphasized the need to strengthen language abilities, emotional intelligence, empathetic thinking, and a historical perspective of humanities. He also recommended that students aspiring to enter the communications industry should not only focus on professional knowledge but also engage in interdisciplinary learning such as IT modernization, AI, systems thinking for solving complex problems, and business decision-making.

Kuan-De Wang, Chairman of Kunshan Wirop Metal Product Co., Ltd., graduated from the EMBA program in the Department of Industrial Management. He is currently a chairman of four companies, including Kunshan Wirop Metal Product Co., Ltd., and is the president of the East China Alumni Association. He stated that with an engineering background, he sought theoretical support for business decision-making, leading him to pursue an EMBA. Through case discussions and sharing experiences with classmates, he gained a clearer understanding of the company's future development direction and adjusted corporate governance content. He mentioned that without attending Taiwan Tech's EMBA program, he might not have known how to quickly respond to the U.S.-China trade war and actively develop markets in Thailand and Vietnam.

Kuan-De Wang mentioned that he went to work in mainland China alone and deeply felt the warmth of the alumni association. After becoming president of the East China Alumni Association, he proposed the slogan: “Cultivate oneself, harmonize the family, and thrive in the world”, organizing various sports events, family-parent activities, industry seminars, and establishing a business exchange platform to develop the alumni economic circle and provide substantive assistance to alumni in the East China region. Wang emphasized, “Every step leaves a mark”, cherishing every opportunity, even if it means taking the longer route, as it may reveal different scenery along the way.