Lu Chih-houng

Lu Chih-houng (or Lu Chih-hung, 陸志鴻, 1897-1973), courtesy name Youhai (筱海), was a Chinese educator, metallographist, material sicientist and engineer.

Biography

Lu was born in a dominant family in Jiaxing of Zhejiang Province. His family were descendants of Tang Dynasty Chancellor Lu Zhi (陸贄). His father was fomer President of Zhejiang Library (浙江省立圖書館).

Lu graduated No.1 from the Tokyo Imperial University (current the University of Tokyo) Engineering School. Lu went back to China after graduation in 1924, and joined the faculty of Nanjing Engineering College (root of current Southeast University). In 1927, Lu became a professor of civil engineering of the National Central University (in Mainland China, it was renamed in 1952 as current Nanjing University, but its offspring university in Taipei, Taiwan still continues this name). Lu was the dean of engineering faculty of the National Central University.

In 1945, Lu was sent to take-over the Taihoku Imperial University (root of current National Taiwan University in Taipei, Taiwan) after Japanese surrender of the World War II. In July 1946, Lu became the second President of the National Taiwan University (NTU), after Lo Tsung-lo.

Lu led the manufacture of first 99.9999999%-pure semiconductor germanium in Taiwan, helping build solid foundation for later successful semiconductor industries of Taiwan. Lu died in Taipei on May 4, 1973. A hall in the NTU is named after him, nearby there's a bronze stature built of his honor.

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