Dr. Hong Hocheng, president of National Tsing Hua University (NTHU), led a group of senior representatives to New Haven, Connecticut, on Monday, August 11, 2014. The reason for their trip around the world was to honor Dr. Peter Salovey by conferring upon him NTHU’s highest honor: an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree.
Peter Salovey was recognized for a lifetime of academic contributions and his respected leadership. He is known for his pioneering research in “emotional intelligence” and major contributions to the field of health psychology. Salovey has also led Yale University as its 23rd president since 2013 and previously as provost.
According to President Hocheng, NTHU honors those who are of global impact and prominence. By celebrating Dr. Salovey’s contributions and leadership, NTHU is embracing its core values and showing the world its global vision. This was NTHU’s first trip overseas to confer an honorary degree and a second ceremony will take place on August 18 in California, when Qualcomm co-founder Dr. Irwin Jacobs
will be awarded an honorary Doctor of Engineering degree.
Many were on hand to witness Dr. Salovey’s award conferral, including famed forensic expert Henry Lee and numerous Yale colleagues. Chinese-American Academic & Professional Society (CAAPS) Chairman Dr. Ping-Tsai Chung, TECO-NY Deputy Director-General Alex Fan, and Education Director Charlin Chang also made the trip to offer their ratulations.
NTHU was initially one institution specializing in nuclear science, but over the past fifty-seven years it has transformed into a comprehensive research university. The university is now comprised of eight different colleges, and consistently ranks among Asia’s best schools.
