Science seen in new light

By his own admission, Professor Tang Ching-wan was an underachiever for much of his childhood. His failure to perform well in primary school meant he could not get admitted to a reputable secondary school. It was inconceivable that he would become a scientist, let alone the first Chinese recipient of the Wolf Prize in Chemistry, which he was awarded last year for his research into organic light-emitting diode (OLED) technology. The award is second only to the Nobel Prize in terms of world prestige.

Known as 'the father of OLED', Tang knows full well the importance of having a supportive learning environment and freedom to inquire in the classroom. He says he didn't necessarily dislike problem-solving in school, he just felt pretty hopeless. That was until his father moved him to a Yuen Long government school after Form Three. He still remembers the patient, inspiring teachers who instilled a desire to learn in him.

'My English teacher made me a good student. Another influence was my physics teacher, Chan Man-ying,' Tang says, following a recent talk at Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. 'He gave me the lowest grade in the subject, but he was very inspiring. That really was the turning point in my life. I became very serious in my studies, whereas before that I had spent most of my time on the soccer field.'

Tang's academic performance began improving dramatically and he earned credits in subjects such as science and geography in the now-defunct Hong Kong Certificate of Education Examination. He gained a place at the elite King's College for matriculation studies and was offered admission to the University of Hong Kong. 'If I had not gone to those schools, I might have missed the chance to do what I did in later life,' he says.

Instead of enrolling at HKU, he left to study for a chemistry degree at the University of British Columbia, in Canada in the late 1960s. This was followed by doctoral studies at Cornell University in the US. In 1975, he joined Eastman Kodak, where he stayed for 30 years, developing organic semiconductors and electronic appliances.

In 2006, he joined the University of Rochester as a chemical engineering professor.