Te-Tzu Chang Explained

Te-Tzu Chang
張德慈
Birth Date:April 3, 1927
Birth Place:Shanghai, China
Nationality:Republic of China
Field:Agricultural science
Environmental science
Work Institutions:IRRI
Alma Mater:Saint John's University
University of Nanking (BSA, 1949)
Cornell University (MSc, 1954)
University of Minnesota (PhD, 1959)
Known For:rice
Author Abbrev Bot:T.T.Chang
Prizes:John Scott Award (1969)
Tyler Prize for Environmental Achievement (1999)

Te-Tzu Chang or T. T. Chang (; 1927–2006) was a prominent Chinese agricultural and environmental scientist.

Biography

Chang was born in Shanghai on April 3, 1927 to a "scholar-gentry" family. Chang's father graduated from the Saint John's University in Shanghai and won the Boxer Rebellion Indemnity Scholarship Program and completed his study in the United States. Chang had three (older) sisters and one (younger) brother.[1]

Chang finished his secondary education at the Saint John's School (a middle school afflicted to the Saint John's University) in Shanghai. Chang at beginning studied agricultural science at the Saint John's University in Shanghai, which was his father's alma mater. After about one year, Chang transferred to the University of Nanking in Nanjing and majored in agriculture and horticulture. Chang graduated from University of Nanking with BSA in 1949.[1]

After graduation, Chang worked for the Council of Agriculture in Guangzhou, the capital city of Guangdong Province. During this period of time Shen Tsung-han (1895–1980, 沈宗瀚, born Ningbo, Zhejiang; death Taipei, Taiwan) was one of his mentors. Shen was the second and former Director-general of the Council of Agriculture.[1]

In 1950, Chang moved to Taiwan and served as a technician in the Ministry of Agriculture. Recommended by Shen, in 1952 Chang went to study plant genetics at Cornell University which was also the alma mater of Shen (Shen received his PhD from Cornell). Chang obtained his MSc from Cornell in 1954 and continued his study at the University of Minnesota where he earned PhD in plant genetics in 1959.[1]

Chang went back to Taiwan in 1959. However, after two years of staying in Taiwan, Chang moved to Philippines and worked for the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) in Los Baños, Laguna. From 1962 to 1991, Chang managed the International Rice Germplasm Center.

The T. T. Chang Genetic Resources Center is named after him.[1]

Awards and honors

List of awards and honors received by Chang:[2]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 張德慈院士生平簡介(Brief Introduction to T.T. Chang's Life) . 謝兆樞 . . May 17, 2010. zh.
  2. Web site: Dr. T.T. Chang, Ph.D. . https://web.archive.org/web/20160303165331/http://abrc.sinica.edu.tw/upload/jgmb/20061130141523.pdf . dead . 2016-03-03 . Journal of Genetics and Molecular Biology . June 1, 2006 . 17 . 2 . 67-80 . May 17, 2010 .
  3. Web site: 1999 Tyler Laureates . . May 17, 2010 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110527000734/http://www.usc.edu/dept/LAS/tylerprize/laureates/tyler1999.html#chang . May 27, 2011 .