Overseen by Chairman Lee Lou-Chuang(center), acting president Wu Kuang-Chong(left), gives the official seal to the new president Chen Wen-Hwa at the inauguration ceremony

Dr. Chen Wen-Hwa was inaugurated as NARL's 3rd President on May 1. The inaugural ceremony was hosted by Dr. Lee Lou-Chuang , Minister of the National Science Council and Chairman of the NARL. Dr. Chen took office for a term of three years after a resolution by the NARL Board of Directors.

President Chen Wen-Hwa has received numerous honors in academic research in the field of solid mechanics (fracture mechanics, contact mechanics, acoustics, electronic packaging, nano/micro mechanics). President Chen received numerous prestigious awards such as Outstanding Research Award from Ministry of Education, five Distinguished Research Awards from National Science Council, Dr. Sun Yet-Sen Academic Award, Professor Sun Fang-To Mechanics Award, the Academic Achievement Award in Applied Science and Engineering from the Ministry of Education, and the National Chair from the Ministry of Education. He has been elected as Fellow by professional societies of the ASME (American Society of Mechanical Engineers), the STAM (Society of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics), and the CSME (Chinese Society of Mechanical Engineers).

President Chen has also been recognized for his outstanding administrative leadership. He has abundant experiences in interdisciplinary collaboration, coordination, and promotion across universities in Taiwan. President Chen served several important posts in the National Tsing Hua University: Department Head in Power Mechanical Engineering of, Director of Research and Development Commission, Dean of College of Engineering, Convener of Planning & Development Advisory Board, and Vice President of Academic Affairs. President Chen was appointed as Vice Chancellor of the University System of Taiwan.

During the ceremony, Chairman Lee praised President Chen for his persistent dedication and excellent achievements in research and administration in academia. In the meantime, Chairman Lee emphasized the four missions of NARL: to establish R&D platforms, to support academic research, to promote frontier science and technology, and to foster high-tech manpower. NARL was encouraged, under President Chen's leadership, to strive to strengthen its resources and integrate innovative technologies in order to attain its vision of establishing national laboratories of international renown.

In the inauguration speech, President Chen Wen-Hwa stated that, based on the achievements since NARL was established six years ago, he would try every endeavor to fulfill the missions. With these missions in mind, it would be essential to advance NARL's core technologies to international level. It was also stressed that the strategies would be: to encourage horizontal cooperation across the research institutes within NARL; to stimulate inteal competition; to bring up public awareness; to actively participate in international activities; and to promote research in sci-tech policies. Finally, President Chen encouraged the entire NARL staff to take a broad perspective in feasible undertakings in order to contribute to the society in Taiwan and around the world.