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  The World Academy of Sciences (TWAS) announced the election of one Academia Sinica Academician among its 2024 list of 47 new members. Academician Li-Chyong Chen, Chair Professor of the National Taiwan University, was elected as TWAS fellow in Physics, Astronomy & Space Sciences.

   Academician Li-Chyong Chen is specialized in synthesizing low-dimensional nanomaterials by physical and chemical vapor depositions (CVD), especially those involving highly energized process. Her core competence is in carbon and earth-abundant elements-based materials for optoelectronic and energy applications. They include: (i) Using microwave plasma-enhanced (PE) CVD to grow self-organized Au nanoparticle-peapodded-silica nanowires. Due to surface plasmon resonance, the Au-SiO₂ nanopeapod exhibits color-selective switching behavior (Nat. Mater. 2006). (ii) Developing electron-cyclotron-resonance PECVD (w/patent) to form moth-eye-mimicking Si-nanotips, which exhibit broadband (from UV to Terahertz), wide-angle (up to 70°) and polarization-independent antireflection properties (Nat. Nanotech. 2007). (iii) Developing single-atom catalysts (Energy Environ. Sci. 2012) for oxygen evolution reaction and 2D nanomaterials (Nat. Commun. 2018) for CO₂ reduction (namely, solar fuels), which is a killing-two-birds-in-one-stone approach for energy and environment.

  TWAS now has more than 1,400 members. Forty-seven new TWAS Fellows were elected into the membership in 2024 and 19 new members are women – an unprecedented 40% of the new class. The main mission of the academy is to promote scientific excellence and capacity in the South for science-based sustainable development.