Attitude is key to success
On the day of our interview Wang took us on a visit to his alma mater National Yang-Ming University (NYMU), a place that calls up countless warm memories for him. “In fact I continually faced frustration in school when I was young.” Wang, who was recently named a distinguished alumnus of Taipei’s Yanping High School, admits he was stymied in Taiwan’s academic system. He was always bottom of his class in middle school and it was only with difficulty that he got into Yanping High. Despite having a father who taught chemistry, Wang scored only nine out of 100 on the chemistry section of his joint university entrance exam. “All parents want their children to succeed, but mine said nothing and chose to give me my freedom.”
Freedom, however, also implied taking responsibility for choices and their consequences. After a year off, Wang tested into Tunghai University. “I almost failed out in my sophomore year and realized I couldn’t carry on just muddling through.” Professor Lin Chen-tung, chairman of Tunghai’s Department of Chemistry, was the mentor who inspired Wang to rethink his life. Hearing that chemistry could help fight cancer, Wang, always eager to help others, found his direction: biomedicine with chemistry as the foundation.
“I think the most important thing is attitude.” Wang straightened himself out and got an outstanding score on his graduate school entrance exam, after which he chose to attend the Institute of Biomedical Engineering at NYMU. “Professors Wang Yng-jiin and Lynn Ling-huei Huang had a huge influence on me.” They required him to perform his master’s project experiments so rigorously that they met the standards for PhD work. “The training I received in the laboratories at Tunghai and NYMU has stood me in good stead all my life.”
After entering the doctoral program at JHU, Wang encountered an emphasis on independent thinking and self-designed research. To meet his goal of becoming an outstanding researcher, he opened his mind to new knowledge from around the world. He discovered novel bio-inspired materials that could be used in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine and had broad applications in biomedicine, such as in diagnostic imaging and in targeted and controlled drug delivery systems. His excellent training established a firm foundation for his future career in biomedical engineering.
A vision for biomedical development
Wang is happy to train younger scientists and is very cordial to Taiwanese students who do internships at J&J. He encourages them to adopt a “responsible attitude” and keep their promises while taking responsibility for all consequences. He teaches them that only with tireless self-improvement can one stand out in the harshly competitive professional world.
Having grown up in Taiwan, Wang also wants to help his homeland. “There is great potential for development and cross-industry cooperation in biomedicine.” But it is only by having a firm grasp of as yet unmet medical needs that the biomedical industry can become more competitive. “I really hope to see Taiwan’s biomedical sector become internationally competitive.” It takes a lot of money, manpower, and time to develop a new product and get it approved for international sale, so there has to be strong support from government and big enterprises to get global attention.
“Although it is an honor to receive awards, my greatest joy lies in helping patients and doctors around the world.” As a devout Christian, Wang thinks only about putting in the work, and leaves the rewards up to God. He does not seek a perfect or wealthy life, but simply peace of mind.