Nobel Laureate Alain Aspect awarded “NTU Honorary Doctorate” and “Raymond Soong Chair Professorship of Distinguished Research”

On October 14, National Taiwan University (NTU) hosted a distinguished ceremony, during which President Wen-Chang Chen awarded an Honorary Doctor of Philosophy degree to Prof. Alain Aspect, an eminent French scholar and 2022 Nobel Laureate in Physics. As a highly influential scientist in the field of quantum physics, Prof. Aspect specializes in quantum optics, atomic optics, cold atom physics, and quantum computing. The honorable attendees of today’s event include the Director of the French Office in Taipei Franck Paris, Lite-On Technology Founder Raymond Soong, and top-level NTU executives. The ceremony was conducted with grace and warmth.

In his introductory remarks, President Chen emphasized Prof. Aspect's profound impact on the field of quantum physics and his pivotal contributions to the development of quantum optics and quantum information technologies. With the approval from NTU's Honorary Doctorate Review Committee, President Chen proudly confers upon the Honorary Doctor of Science degree upon Prof. Aspect. President Chen also expressed his hope that this visit will foster greater interaction with NTU, encouraging further scientific exchanges and cooperation between Taiwan and France.

Upon receiving the Honorary Doctorate, Prof. Aspect delivered the inaugural lecture of the “Raymond Soong Chair Professorship of Distinguished Research,” titled “From Einstein and Bell to Quantum Technologies: Entanglement in Action.” In the lecture, he delved deeply into the experimental evidence of quantum entanglement and its applications, tracing the journey from Einstein's “spooky action at a distance” to the violation of Bell's inequalities while sharing the advancement and potential in quantum technologies. Today’s event was also Prof. Aspect's first appearance at NTU following his September 2014 lecture at NTU’s Department of Physics, allowing the audience to witness his scholarly demeanor once more. Following the lecture, the audience enthusiastically engaged in discussions with Prof. Aspect, touching on the importance of both software and hardware in quantum computing as key areas for future development, emphasizing the need for collaboration between academia and industry in foundational research and technological advancement.

The “Raymond Soong Distinguished Research Professorship” awarded today was established through a generous donation of NT$200 million from Raymond Soong, Founder of Lite-On Technology. Mr. Soong believes that the most important asset of Taiwan is its people, and the key to nurturing talent lies in education. Therefore, from 2023 to 2032, he would donate NT$20 million annually over a 10-year period to help NTU invite international scholars with cutting-edge expertise in key technologies, profound legal proficiency, and Nobel laureates-equivalent academic standings to serve as short- or long-term visiting professors at NTU. These scholars will engage in deeper academic exchanges with NTU researchers, broadening the international perspectives of its faculty and students, as well as to deepen and expand their professional knowledge. This initiative aspires to achieve a lasting and positive impact on NTU’s academic development.

During his visit to Taiwan, Prof. Alain Aspect is accompanied by Prof. Jean-François Roch, Director of the Quantum-Saclay, the Interdisciplinary Center of the University Paris-Saclay. Earlier on October 7, Prof. Roch held a symposium with NTU faculty and other Taiwanese scholars in the field at NTU’s Department of Physics. The meeting focused on exchanging ideas and exploring ways to promote and deepen Taiwan-France collaboration and innovation in the fields of quantum physics and quantum technology.

Another lecture by Prof. Aspect took place on October 15, titled “Two Quantum Revolutions: From Concept to Applications,” where Prof. Aspect joined Prof. Yuan-Tseh Lee (1986 Nobel Laureate in Physics) for a joint forum between Nobel Laureates. They shared with the audience their insights into the current state and latest developments in physics, chemistry, and other related sciences.