Yen Chen-hsing (; 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 National Tsing Hua University (NTHU) is a public research university in Hsinchu, Taiwan. It was first founded in Beijing. After the Chinese Civil War, president Mei Yiqi and other academics relocated with the retreating Nationalist government to ...

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 The University of Iowa (U of I, UIowa, or Iowa) is a public university, public research university in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. Founded in 1847, it is the oldest and largest university in the state. The University of Iowa is organized int ...

in 1938 and 1941, respectively.

Career

Upon graduation, Yen returned to China and helped construct the

Burma Road The Burma Road () was a road linking Burma (now known as Myanmar) with southwest China. Its terminals were Lashio, Burma, in the south and Kunming, China, the capital of Yunnan province in the north. It was built in 1937–1938 while Burm ...

. After World War II, Yen devised plans to dam the

Yellow River The Yellow River, also known as Huanghe, is the second-longest river in China and the List of rivers by length, sixth-longest river system on Earth, with an estimated length of and a Drainage basin, watershed of . Beginning in the Bayan H ...

. He joined the faculty of

Henan University Henan University (HENU; ) is a provincial public university in Zhengzhou and Kaifeng, Henan, China. It is affiliated with the Province of Henan and co-funded with the Ministry of Education. The university is part of the Double First-Class Const ...

shortly before moving to Taiwan in 1949, along with Chiang Kai-shek's Nationalist government. In Taiwan, Yen became chief engineer of

Kaohsiung Harbor The Port of Kaohsiung (POK; ) is the largest harbor in Taiwan, handling approximately 10.26 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEU) worth of cargo in 2015. The port is located in southern Taiwan, adjacent to Kaohsiung City, and surrounded by ...

before assuming the presidency of

National Cheng Kung University National Cheng Kung University (NCKU; ) is a Public university, public research university located in the East District, Tainan, East District of Tainan, Taiwan. Founded in 1931 during Taiwan under Japanese rule, Japanese rule as an engineering ...

in 1957. He stepped down in 1965 and was named

Minister of Education An education minister (sometimes minister of education) is a position in the governments of some countries responsible for dealing with educational matters. Where known, the government department, ministry, or agency that develops policy and deli ...

. 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 The Nuclear Safety Commission (NSC; ) is an independent government agency of the Executive Yuan of the Republic of China (Taiwan) which is responsible for atomic safety, development and regulations. It also conducts research and development into ...

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 National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology (NCSIST; ) is a Taiwanese state owned corporation, formerly part of the Ministry of National Defense's Armaments Bureau, which is active in the development, manufacturing, support, and ...

from 1969 to 1971, Yen was also president of

until 1970. He then led

National Taiwan University National Taiwan University (NTU; zh, t=國立臺灣大學, poj=Kok-li̍p Tâi-oân Tāi-ha̍k, p=, s=) is a National university, national Public university, public research university in Taipei, Taiwan. Founded in 1928 during Taiwan under J ...

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 Lee Teng-hui (; pinyin: ''Lǐ Dēnghuī''; 15 January 192330 July 2020) was a Taiwanese politician and agricultural scientist who served as the fourth president of the Republic of China, president of the Taiwan, Republic of China (Taiwan) unde ...

as a senior adviser. Yen was elected to the

Academia Sinica Academia Sinica (AS, ; zh, t=中央研究院) is the national academy of the Taiwan, Republic of China. It is headquartered in Nangang District, Taipei, Nangang, Taipei. Founded in Nanjing, the academy supports research activities in mathemat ...

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.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Yen, Chen-hsing 1912 births 2005 deaths Chinese Civil War refugees Chinese mechanical engineers Engineers from Henan National Tsing Hua University alumni University of Iowa alumni Academic staff of Henan University Academic staff of the National Cheng Kung University Academic staff of the National Tsing Hua University Republic of China politicians from Henan Presidents of National Taiwan University Senior advisors to President Lee Teng-hui Taiwanese mechanical engineers Ministers of education of Taiwan Taiwanese people from Henan Chinese expatriates in the United States Members of Academia Sinica