The Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI), a leading international research organization, will see its next president appointed following the recent announcement by current president Edwin Liu that he will step down at the end of October. According to sources, the Executive Yuan and Ministry of Economic Affairs have approved Pei-Zen Chang, former ITRI vice president and currently a professor at National Taiwan University, to take over the role. Chang is widely recognized within ITRI as a well-qualified and respected candidate.
Edwin Liu, who has served as ITRI president since April 2018, has held the position for seven and a half years. At 67, he had received two consecutive extensions to his retirement, but issued an internal letter ahead of the Mid-Autumn Festival announcing his retirement after this month’s board meeting, explaining the reasons behind his extended tenure.
Pei-Zen Chang, who will succeed Liu, is currently the director of NTU’s Innovation Design D-School and a professor at the Department of Applied Mechanics, NTU. Chang has a long-standing working relationship with Tsung-Tsong Wu, chairman of ITRI.
Chang previously served as ITRI vice president starting in November 2016. During his appointment ceremony, Wu noted their years of collaboration, recalling how they brainstormed at the Executive Yuan Science Advisory Group to chart Taiwan’s future science and technology directions. It was then that Chang proposed the concept of “smart living,” emphasizing the integration of technology into daily life. Wu highlighted that Chang’s vision for smart living, developed more than a decade ago, laid the groundwork for Taiwan’s current technology landscape.
Chang holds a Ph.D. in Theoretical and Applied Mechanics from Cornell University, with expertise in microelectromechanical systems (MEMS), electromechanical systems, and superconductive mechanics. His prior roles include Deputy Executive Secretary of the Executive Yuan’s Science Advisory Group and concurrent technology advisor to the Ministry of Economic Affairs, as well as chairing technology project and industry-science advisory committees.
During his tenure as NTU professor, Chang also served as NTU’s chief secretary and spokesperson, established the NSC Northern MEMS Center, co-founded the NTU-ITRI Nanotechnology Research Center, and led the Industry-Academia Collaboration Center in the R&D Office. He also held acting executive positions in the Executive Yuan’s Science Advisory Group, giving him comprehensive experience across academia, government, and industry. Academically, Chang has published over 170 journal and conference papers, holds numerous domestic and international patents, and has received honors including Outstanding Engineering Professor from the Chinese Institute of Engineers and Excellent Teacher Award from NTU.
As ITRI vice president, Chang emphasized that innovation is key to Taiwan’s industrial development, particularly the critical link between basic research, applied research, and technology development. While academia primarily focuses on basic research, Taiwan’s economy is dominated by SMEs that often lack the capacity to absorb fundamental research outcomes. Applied research, bridging basic science and technology development, becomes essential for technology transfer. Chang advocates strengthening applied research at ITRI as a bridge between industry and academia, addressing gaps in the national science and technology development system to enhance Taiwan’s competitiveness.
Resource: 工研院院長將由前副院長張培仁出任
