龍年生龍子, 龍年開龍花 (snapdragon blooms in the year of dragon)

Our snapdragon (also called dragon flower, 龍花) was a disappointment last year, but they have been blooming, exuding the vivacious beauty and rewarding our toil and sweat in the garden.  Katy was puzzled at what had made the difference; I tried to figure it out with the little analytic mind that I have.  It then dawned on me.   This is the year of dragon and thus the year of dragon flower.  龍年生龍子, 龍年開龍花(snapdragon blooms in the year of dragon).

Snapdragon derives its name from its resemblance to the face of a dragon.  One may have to stretch one’s imagination to make such a comparison.  It opens and closes its mouth when laterally squeezed, thus the ‘snap’.

Taiwanese and Chinese students got major awards in Intel International Science and Engineering Fair

The following is Katy’s report to the World Journal (世界日報).

2012 Society for Analytical Chemists of Pittsburgh Award ceremony

Professors Fu-Tyan (林富田) and Fu-Mei (富美) Lin and S.Y. Tzeng (曾士英) enjoy good reputation in their professional careers among Taiwanese American community, but few may be aware that they serve their professional society in leadership capacity.  Fu-Tyan Lin is the current Chair of SACP, S.Y. Tzeng the former.

Katy and I were privileged and honored to be invited as the Chairman’s guests to attend the 2012 SACP/ACS (American Chemical Society) Award ceremony, which was held at the Power Center Ballroom of Duquesne University in the evening of May 16.  It was an eye opener (大開眼界) for us.  Katy’s dispatch to the World Journal (世界日報) reporting this event was published today (May 19).

You may read directly the online version,

http://www.worldjournal.com/view/wjnjpanews/18655956/article-%E5%8C%B9%E8%8C%B2%E5%A0%A1%E5%8C%96%E5%AD%B8%E5%88%86%E6%9E%90%E5%8D%94%E6%9C%83-%E9%A0%92%E7%8D%8E%E5%AD%B8%E9%87%91-?instance=nj2

S.Y. Tzeng (the former Chair) presented the “Starter Grant” ($40,000) to Jenny Lockard, an assistant professor from Rutgers University, who demonstrated a financial need for a proposed research of considerable scientific merit and with a potential of making a positive impact on both graduate students and in the field of analytical chemistry.

Each year SACP and SSP (Spectroscopy Society of Pittsburgh) give out about $400,000 awards/grants to the high school and college students.  The SSP (chaired by professor Fu-Mei Lin) award ceremony will be held on May 21.

會長林富田教授（左起）與王軼時和戴子歆合影 （張瓊月／攝影）

曾士英（左一）頒新人化學研究獎給洛卡德博士並與她坐同桌。（張瓊月／攝影）

(The following is Katy's report)

匹茲堡化學分析協會 頒獎學金

 

【賓州匹茲堡訊】 世界新聞網 北美華文新聞、華商資訊

May 19, 2012 06:00 AM

匹茲堡化學分析協會（Society for Analytical Chemists of Pittsburgh） 及匹茲堡SSP化學協會， 是從全美化學協會（ACS）獲撥40萬獎學金，因此得以分發上述兩名獎學金。

此外有匹茲堡各地區的初中、高中、大學等學生與化學老師，分別獲得其他獎學金。今年得獎者有五位大陸來的華裔學生：九年級的原晨暉、十年級的汪玄哲、十一年級的王軼時與張莉莉、十二年級的戴子歆。

在 PNC 銀行工作的原峰說， 2004年他們自大陸來美國， 當時原晨暉五歲， 語言立刻跟上， 在黎巴嫩山高中（Mount Lebanon） 學校功課也不錯。 這次化學比賽組拿第一使父母很欣慰。 第二年組第一名戴子歆、第二名張莉莉、第三名王軼時。他們全部都就讀北阿勒堅尼高中，他們的化學老師 都是馬休戴維斯（Matthew Davis)。

戴子歆、汪玄哲另外還贏得全美化學奧林匹亞獎。他們是在4月21日在杜肯大學，經過五小時化學考試嚴格考驗，脫穎而出。

今 年高三畢業的戴子歆是唯一得到三個獎的學生， 他的第三獎是2萬元化學獎學金 分大學四年每年給5000元。 他爸爸戴一凡已回南京大學教生化，媽媽俞虹在 匹茲堡大學法律系圖書館工作。 照說他可以像他哥哥那樣上匹大學費全免， 但他選擇到費城上賓州大學；他說他PSAT考得不錯，得到全美國高三學生的科學績優 獎， 獲獎學金2000元。他一直都喜歡化學有可能大學仍然主攻生物化學。

28位大學生化學獎學金。每位學生500元，他們就讀的學校也可得到300元獎勵金。但名單並沒有華人大學生得獎。另外也給化學老師研究獎1萬元。（張瓊月)   

華人之光, 後生可畏: Catherine Wong, a finalist in Intel International Science and Engineering Fair, got award and scholarship

While attending the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (Intel ISEF) at David Lawrence Convention Center at Pittsburgh, Katy focused on the 兩岸三地 (Taiwan, Hong Kong and China) finalists; I explored and looked for something that interested me.  I was amazed at the ingenuity and sophistication of the projects.  I saw several biological science projects that involve MAP kinase pathway (the finalist is from Taiwan) and tyrosine kinase receptor of the signal transduction.

The science of many of the 1,500 first-rate science projects is beyond me.  I am going to talk about the project by Catherine Wong (王安怡) from Morristown High School, New Jersey.  She is the granddaughter of our good friends, Sandra and Charles.

She constructs a machine from scratch, using Bluetooth-capable wireless cell phone to transmit electrocardiograph or EKG (see photos).  Familiar with the EKG though I may be, the engineering part of the design is beyond me.  It has a Bluetooth-enabled microprocessor board to process the analog EKG signal and instrumentation amplifier circuitry.  She even develops multiple prototype amplification circuits to minimize electrical noise interference.  A Java platform was developed in the receiver cell-phone to graphically display dynamic EKG output.  (I do not fully understand this part; does every cell-phone have a “Java platform”?)

This device targets an impoverished or inaccessible areas with limited medical care.  However, a cell-phone is almost ubiquitously available.  It allows a remotely-located physician to diagnose the cardiac rhythm disturbance based on the EKG transmitted by a cell-phone.  There are many potential uses of this technology even in the developed countries.

Catherine Wong was awarded $4,500 and the offer of scholarship.  A hearty congratulation for an invention that helps the care for the heart.

We feel mighty proud for her achievement just because we are the friends of her grandparents.  I cannot imagine how proud Sandra and Charles are!  It is no wonder that her invention won the top award at all levels of competition through regional, state and national, all the way to Intel ISEF!  
 

Please read the online version of Katy's dispatch to the World Journal (世界日報),

http://www.worldjournal.com/view/aUSnews/18657002/article--%E8%8F%AF%E4%BA%BA%E4%B9%8B%E5%85%89-%E8%8B%B1%E7%89%B9%E7%88%BE%E7%A7%91%E5%AD%B8%E7%8D%8E-%E8%8F%AF%E7%94%9F%E8%80%80%E7%9C%BC?instance=us2

華人之光! 英特爾科學獎 華生耀眼

記者張瓊月賓州匹茲堡報導 世界新聞網 北美華文新聞、華商資訊

May 19, 2012 06:01 AM

英特爾國際科學展(Intel International Science and Engineering Fair，簡稱ISEF) 本周在匹茲堡舉辦，18日會期最後一天頒獎。來自兩岸三地的學生及來自美國各地的華裔學生，得到多項大獎，表現亮麗。

這是目前全球規模最大、也是唯一針對全球初中與高中學生舉行的國際性科學賽事，來自全球50國的1500位青少年科學家一同角逐科學榮譽。

今年「英特爾國際科學展」，聚集全球的青少年科學家，分享理念、展示先進科學以及角逐獎學金。大會最大獎7萬5000元，由馬里蘭州的15歲美國學生傑克．安德拉卡(Jack Andraka) 以預測胰臟癌的研究獲獎。

第三大獎荷西巴克獎 [Dudley Herschbach Award--1986 Nobel Prize in Chemistry] 的三位得獎人，將獲免費前往參加諾貝爾頒獎觀禮，其中一位是紐約史岱文森高中華裔女學生范惠惠(Huihui Fan，譯音)。

多名華裔學生獲得獎項，包括新澤西州摩利斯城高中華裔學生王安怡(Catherine Wong)， 她以利用無線電手機傳播心電圖的設計，讓醫師可以遠距診斷心律不整，共得到4500元獎金。
 

紐約布碌崙詹姆斯．麥迪遜高中的的黃駿達，也以研究二次字符和重複小數之間的關係，得到第二獎。

大會頒發各項獎金數額，第一名為3000元、第二名1500元、第三名1000元、第四名500元。得第一名的學生，就讀的學校另給1000元獎勵。

台北建中學生蘇子軒與商廣明，展示牛樟芝對人類乳癌細胞活性抑制研究，包辦醫療與健康科學兩項特別獎，及大會二等獎。獎金1500。北一女學生謝庭軒則以果蠅單眼的發育調控基因篩選，得到大會第二獎。台灣學生還得到多項特別獎。  

中國大陸學生中，安徽蚌阜徐玉華以研究蜜蜂如何避免農藥毒害，得到第一獎。

四川成都樹德中學郭晶晶、馮卓立與田園，在四川大學研究以電腦小晶片埋到土地，依濕度警告泥石流將發生的預警系統，得到第二獎。北京交通大學附屬中學的陳賓，研究用手機按鍵的文件保密櫃得到第二獎。

上海師範大學附屬中學雷鎮東，以研究分子排序和高選擇性甲烷探測器，以及上海美國學校浦西校區鑫凱文，以微生物學研究，分獲第二獎。另外，有多名學生得到第三獎、第四獎及特別獎。

香港獲獎者包括衛晉(禾康)、袁健康、雷逸文，以化學檢測酸鹼毒氣警告器得到第二獎。黃耀德、潘駿生、崔雍建以光合微生物紙狀燃料電池得到第二獎。另有學生獲得第三獎。 
   

  

Brian Su: Director, Press Division of Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in New York visited Pittsburgh

Katy’s dispatch to the World Journal (世界日報) reporting Brian Su’s (Director, Press Division of Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in New York) visiting Pittsburgh was published today (May 15, 2012).

Brian Su and press officer, Ashley Sun, visited Tribune-Review and Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, discussing the international affairs with the editors.  Su described Taiwan-China relationship as the “two M’s—money and missiles”.  They also visited the East Asian Library of University of Pittsburgh as well as Carnegie Mellon University and the leaders in the Taiwanese Americans community.

(The following is the online version of Katy’s report.)

蘇瑞仁訪匹茲堡 接受媒體專訪

【賓州匹茲堡訊】 世界新聞網 北美華文新聞、華商資訊

May 15, 2012 06:00 AM

駐紐約台北經濟文化辦事處新聞組主任蘇瑞仁與秘書孫立群上周訪問匹茲堡，拜會當地匹茲堡郵報與匹茲堡論壇報兩報社。

蘇瑞仁兩天行程包括參觀匹茲堡大學東亞圖書館，並與卡內基美隆大學及僑界會談等。蘇瑞仁原來在溫哥華任職五年，半年前調任紐約經濟文化辦事處。

他這次非常低調的首訪匹茲堡，期間與匹茲堡郵報三位主編會晤，該報國際新聞一位主編是退休外交官，對台海兩岸關係瞭若指掌。他們除了暢談兩岸關係，並談及台灣動態與現況。

翌日，匹茲堡論壇報派出康特（Andrew Conte）、魏強津（Mike Wereschagin）兩位記者專訪蘇瑞仁，並於12日在匹茲堡論壇報大篇幅刊出。

報導內容主要提到總統馬英九目前正在為5月20日第二個任期的就職做準備，並提到馬英九主張加強經濟文化交流，與中國保持溫和立場。

蘇瑞仁描述台灣與中國的兩岸關係如同兩個M，即金錢與飛彈（money and missiles）。為了防止飛彈對台灣的威脅，在軍購問題上，台灣需要美國的支持。他強調，台灣不願成為亞太地區的麻煩製造者，但至少必須有軍備來保衛自己。（張瓊月）

The Poppy in the Cloud and in our garden

Poppy has been used as a symbol of sleep, peace and death mainly because of opium extracted from it. Papaver somniferum is opium poppy (somni- means sleep).  Papaverine was discovered by George Merck in 1848.  He emigrated from Germany to U.S.A. in 1691, setting up the branch office of his family Co. that traced back to 17^th century.  It turned into the pharmaceutical giant as we know it.

Every so often I would see good quotes in Joy’s lecture Power Point slides; this one is from the lecture of “Pharmacology of drug abuse”—the opening lines of Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night,

If music be the food of love, play on;

Give me excess of it, that, surfeiting,

The appetite may sicken, and so die.

Emily Dickinson analyzed the flowers of her garden in her poems; to her flowers are symbols of things in life; not only do they represent aesthetic beauty or love, they may also represent death.  It is entirely appropriate to talk about the destruction of the world on Doom’s Day, likening a brilliant sunset to “The Poppy in the Cloud”.

You’ll see the bright red Poppy in our garden is like a brilliant red sun.

It was a quiet seeming Day —

There was no harm in earth or sky —

Till with the closing sun

There strayed an accidental Red

A Strolling Hue, one would have said

To westward of the Town —

But when the Earth began to jar

And Houses vanished with a roar

And Human Nature hid

We comprehended by the Awe

As those that Dissolution saw

The Poppy in the Cloud         

         

A mother’s love story told at the Mother’s Day Dinner of Taiwanese American Association, Pittsburgh Chapter

Katy’s dispatch to the World Journal (世界日報) reporting the May 5 TAA Mother’s Day dinner event was published today (May 11).

You may read the online version,

http://www.worldjournal.com/view/wjnjpanews/18549508/article-%E5%8C%B9%E8%8C%B2%E5%A0%A1%E5%8F%B0%E7%81%A3%E5%90%8C%E9%84%89%E6%9C%83-%E5%88%86%E4%BA%AB%E6%AF%8D%E6%84%9B%E6%95%85%E4%BA%8B?instance=njnews2

匹茲堡台灣同鄉會新會長高秀璧（中）與財務幹事邱梅（左）與前會長張瓊月。（圖：張瓊月提供)

TAA president (高秀璧) announced that Katy Tsai (張瓊月, former president) visited Taiwan in April; she was honored as the overseas outstanding alumna by the National Chia-Yi Girls’ Senior High School (嘉義女中).  There are many 嘉義女中 alumni among TAA members, including 林富美、歐雪杏、謝雪子、黃秀碧、張瓊月、鄭素卿、許碧珊.

I told a story of mother’s love that can never end; nothing can stop it, not even death.  Professor Chuang (莊英煌教授) shared their unique experience of the 18 days cruise (their 8^th cruise) to Europe and Middle East that includes Egypt and Dubai.  His talk, along with the photos, showed us the beautiful scenery, architecture and culture of the cities along the route.  Mrs. Chuang (歐雪杏) was congratulated upon her winning the title of Dance Queen.  What made this cruise special is that there are forty some Taiwanese, coming from either the States or Taiwan.

We listened to many Taiwanese folk songs; my personal favorite was the 雨夜花 by 江蕙 and Placido Domingo (多明哥); it made us all 心酸 and homesick.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g_GhqD4ou68

There were many other activities, please refer to the TAA site for details, which was reported by TAA president (高秀璧).  I took the liberty of stealing some of the photos.                                               http://taa-pit.blogspot.com/

The following is Katy’s report to the World Journal (世界日報).

匹茲堡台灣同鄉會 分享母愛故事

【賓州匹茲堡訊】 世界新聞網 北美華文新聞、華商資訊

May 11, 2012 06:00 AM 


台灣同鄉會匹茲堡分會5日在新皇朝飯店舉行母親節慶祝活動，會上放映陳映真的短片「台灣女人的故事」、「父親的背影」、「江蕙 and 多明哥: 雨夜花」。

新任會長高秀璧回顧台灣同鄉會匹茲堡分會去年的活動照片剪輯，並報告同鄉動態。

高秀璧表示，匹茲堡同鄉有林富美、歐雪杏、謝雪子、黃秀碧、張瓊月、鄭素卿、許碧珊等多位嘉義女中校友。前會長張瓊月4月回台灣，接受前僑務委員會會長張富美頒發嘉義女中海外傑出校友獎。

張瓊月簡報參加嘉女90年校慶，及嘉女新教學大樓落成揭幕典禮。首位男校長鄭勝文說，在政府刪減預算聲浪中，他特別感謝張富美雪中送炭，捐給母校200萬元新台幣，供買新課桌椅與教室裝冷氣用，嘉惠學子。

高秀璧歡迎高雁鵬、蔡欣鈴再度參加台灣同鄉會活動，並請新會員江孟純、謝苑靜上台自我介紹。

會場並有猜謎活動、母親節歌曲帶動跳。蔡哲元講母愛的故事。

高秀璧恭喜歐雪杏勇奪遊輪跳舞皇后的頭銜，莊英煌教授放映旅遊照片並演講其第八次搭遊輪，3月去埃及、杜拜等地旅遊的心得。

他說這回很特別，因為船上有近40位華人遊客。他第一次聽到船長特別提到歡迎中國遊客上船，船上並有華裔女服務員，特別帶陸客參觀該船廚房。