Lee Yuan-tseh
30-second overview: Lee Yuan-tseh (born November 19, 1936), a chemist born in Hsinchu. In 1986, he shared the Nobel Prize in Chemistry with Dudley R. Herschbach and John C. Polanyi, honoring his breakthrough contributions to the dynamics of chemical reactions. His crossed molecular beam technique allowed scientists to "see" chemical reactions for the first time; he is Taiwan's first Nobel science laureate.
Lee Yuan-tseh was born on November 19, 1936, in Hsinchu City, Hsinchu Prefecture, under Japanese colonial rule (today's East District, Hsinchu City). His father, Lee Tse-fan, was a renowned watercolor painter and elementary school principal; the artistic and educational family background cultivated his keen powers of observation. As a child, he loved taking apart radios and alarm clocks to understand how they worked — that curiosity would later change the world of chemistry.
The Academic Path: From Hsinchu to the World Stage
Lee Yuan-tseh already showed intense interest in mathematics and science during his years at Hsinchu Senior High School. In 1955, he entered the Chemistry Department at National Taiwan University; although the curriculum at the time focused primarily on analytical chemistry, he organized his own reading groups to study physical chemistry, even learning German and Russian to read foreign literature.
In 1959, he entered the Institute of Nuclear Science at National Tsing Hua University for his master's degree, specializing in molecular spectroscopy. In 1962, he received a scholarship to study chemical kinetics at the University of California, Berkeley, completing his doctoral degree in 1967.
The real turning point came at Harvard University. From 1967 to 1969, Lee Yuan-tseh conducted postdoctoral research under Nobel laureate Dudley R. Herschbach, and the two collaborated to develop the revolutionary "crossed molecular beam technique."
Crossed Molecular Beams: A Breakthrough in Chemistry
Traditional chemical reaction research was like observing crowds in a bustling night market — molecules constantly colliding, moving chaotically, with no clear view of what was actually happening. The crossed molecular beam technique that Lee Yuan-tseh developed was equivalent to making two beams of molecules collide at a specific angle and speed in a high-vacuum environment — like using a high-speed camera to capture a "slow-motion replay" of a chemical reaction.
This technique allowed scientists for the first time to "see" each step of a chemical reaction at the molecular level: how reactants transform into products, how energy transfers between molecules, the three-dimensional structural changes of the reaction. For chemical kinetics, this was a revolution from "guessing" to "observing."
In 1974, Lee Yuan-tseh returned to Berkeley as a professor in the Chemistry Department, continuously refining the technique. He studied seemingly simple reactions such as the fluorine atom and hydrogen molecule (F + H₂ → HF + H), discovering many unexpected phenomena. These studies became classic cases in chemical kinetics textbooks.
1986: Taiwan's Nobel Moment
On October 15, 1986, the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences announced that the Nobel Prize in Chemistry would be awarded to Herschbach, Lee Yuan-tseh, and Polanyi, honoring their "contributions to the dynamics of elementary chemical processes, enabling a more profound understanding of how chemical reactions occur."
When news of Lee Yuan-tseh's award reached Taiwan, the island erupted in celebration. This was Taiwan's first Nobel science laureate — proof that Taiwan was capable of cultivating world-class scientific talent. Lee Yuan-tseh immediately donated one of his medals to his alma mater, Hsinchu Senior High School, saying: "The Nobel Prize was not won by me alone — it was Hsinchu Senior High School that made me."
Interestingly, Lee Yuan-tseh's nationality at the time of the award was American. But this in no way diminished Taiwanese pride — they knew that this child who had grown up in Hsinchu, speaking Taiwanese, carried Taiwan's nourishment in his blood.
1994: The Promise to Return Home
In 1994, at the peak of his academic career, Lee Yuan-tseh made a decision that shocked the international academic world: he resigned his Berkeley professorship, renounced his American citizenship, and returned to Taiwan to serve as President of Academia Sinica (1994–2006).
This decision was full of controversy. Critics argued he was wasting his influence on the international stage; supporters argued he was realizing the ideal of the scholar serving the nation. Lee Yuan-tseh's own reason was simple: "I hope to use my experience to make Taiwan an Asian center of science."
During his twelve years as Academia Sinica President, Lee Yuan-tseh promoted organizational modernization and established an internationalized research evaluation system, founding multiple new institutes including those for information science, biomedical science, and genomics. He recruited internationally renowned scholars including Chi-Huey Wong (翁啟惠) and Richard Lerner back to Taiwan, injecting new vitality into Taiwan's scientific community.
Controversial Participation in Education Reform
Lee Yuan-tseh was not only a scientist but also an advocate for education reform. In the 1990s, he participated in planning the nine-year integrated curriculum, arguing for cultivating students' thinking ability rather than rote learning.
But the results of the education reform triggered intense controversy; critics argued it lowered learning standards, and Lee Yuan-tseh bore considerable pressure as a result. He later reflected: "Education reform is more complex than scientific research — it involves all aspects of society."
This experience gave Lee Yuan-tseh insight that even a Nobel laureate, stepping out of the laboratory to face social issues, does not necessarily find standard answers.
Environmental Pioneer and International Reputation
Lee Yuan-tseh was one of the earliest scientists in Taiwan to focus on environmental issues. His research team invested in atmospheric chemistry, ozone layer depletion, and climate change, providing a scientific basis for environmental policy.
He served as President of the International Council for Science (2011–2014), promoting global scientific cooperation. He currently serves as Honorary President of the Institute for Advanced Research at Nagoya University, remaining active in the international academic community.
Lee Yuan-tseh's academic papers have been cited tens of thousands of times, and many of the students he trained have become renowned scientists. But what he is perhaps most proud of is demonstrating that a "Taiwan child" (台灣囡仔) can also shine on the world stage.
The Transmission of Scientific Spirit
Lee Yuan-tseh frequently says: "Curiosity is the most important driving force of scientific research." He encourages young people to question, think, and innovate — rather than memorize by rote.
He also emphasizes the social responsibility of scientists: "Scientific knowledge cannot stay confined to the laboratory; it must be returned to society to address the problems humanity faces."
Continuing Influence
Even approaching 90 years of age, Lee Yuan-tseh still follows scientific developments and social issues. He has witnessed Taiwan transform from an agricultural society into a technology island, and personally participated in that transformation.
From the son of a Hsinchu watercolor painter to a scientific giant on the Nobel stage; from the laboratory at Berkeley to the office of Academia Sinica President — Lee Yuan-tseh's life trajectory is a microcosm of Taiwan's scientific development.
His most important legacy is not those scientific discoveries, but what he proved to the world: Taiwan is capable of cultivating talent that changes the world. This child from Hsinchu, using the crossed molecular beam technique, redefined what was possible in chemistry — and redefined Taiwan's position on the world scientific map.
In an era before the phrase "Taiwan's pride" (台灣之光) even existed, Lee Yuan-tseh was already the brightest light.
Further reading:
- Wu Ta-you — Lee Yuan-tseh's predecessor as Academia Sinica President, who laid the foundations of Taiwan's scientific research system and nurtured two Nobel physics laureates, Chen-Ning Yang and Tsung-Dao Lee