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Academician Sunney I. Chan (1936-2025), former Vice President of Academia Sinica and a world-renowned chemist, passed away in Taipei on May 5, 2025, at the age of 89. Elected as an Academia Sinica Academician in 1988, he returned to Taiwan in 1997 at the invitation of former President Yuan-Tseh Lee, and served as Director of the Institute of Chemistry and later as Vice President of Academia Sinica. In 2021, he was awarded the Presidential Science Prize. Current President James C. Liao remarked that “Academician Chan was a key figure in laying the foundation of Academia Sinica’s academic administration.” Throughout his life, Academician Chan made remarkable contributions to scientific research and education, building a solid foundation for Taiwan’s scientific development.

Born in San Francisco, USA, Dr. Chan earned his Ph.D. in Chemistry from the University of California, Berkeley, and spent four decades on the faculty of the Division of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering at the California Institute of Technology. Upon his return to Taiwan, he first served as Director of the Institute of Chemistry and was appointed Vice President in 1999. More than two decades ago—well before international student recruitment was a priority in Taiwan, he took the lead in founding the Taiwan International Graduate Program (TIGP), opening new pathways in Taiwan’s higher education by attracting global talent.

To honor his contributions and uphold his spirit of excellence and dedication to nurturing young scholars, Academia Sinica established the “Sunney Chan Lecture” in 2003, inviting an outstanding scientist to Taiwan each year. In 2013, while still teaching at UCLA, President Liao was invited by Academician Chan to deliver that year’s lecture. President Liao recalled that Dr. Chan was deeply committed to supporting young scientists and widely admired for his mentorship. When President Liao was elected in 2016, it was also Dr. Chan’s encouragement that prompted him to return to Taiwan and contribute to its scientific community—a gesture he remembers with deep gratitude. He expressed heartfelt sorrow at Dr. Chan’s passing.

Dr. Chan’s research was both profound and wide-ranging. He gained international acclaim for his groundbreaking studies on two benchmark systems: cytochrome c oxidase in mitochondria and particulate methane monooxygenase (pMMO) in methanotrophs. He was among the first to apply innovative spectroscopic and biochemical techniques to study membrane and metalloproteins, successfully revealing the structure and function of cytochrome c oxidase—then considered a “black box” in the scientific community—and becoming a global authority in the field. In the 1990s, he shifted focus to the efficient conversion of methane to methanol. His team discovered the catalytic mechanism involving a tricopper cluster and developed the world’s first biomimetic molecular catalyst capable of converting methane to methanol at room temperature—an important breakthrough in methane oxidation research.

In his youth, Dr. Chan once aspired to be both a clergyman and a science teacher. Throughout his life, he maintained a missionary spirit in both scholarship and mentorship. He received numerous academic honors, including the Presidential Science Prize, the Bioenergetics CBNet Award from the Biophysical Society of the United States, the William C. Rose Award from the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, and fellowships from the International Academy of Physical Sciences, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the American Physical Society, the Indian Chemical Society (Honorary Fellow), and the World Academy of Sciences. After the age of 60, Dr. Chan dedicated himself fully to Taiwan and Academia Sinica. In recognition of his lifetime contributions, the academic community will organize a memorial symposium to express their lasting gratitude and respect.

※Honoring and Remembering Academician Sunney I. Chan Memorial Symposium and Service Information： Link