An overview of the material physics and chemistry development in the ROC since 1980

The promotion of overall national science and technology development, support for academic research, and the establishment and administration of the science-based industrial parks are the three basic missions of the National Science Council (NSC) of the Republic of China (ROC). The NSC embarked upon its first large-scale national discipline planning effort in 1985. A second discipline and resource planning effort was undertaken in 1993. To ensure that the revised research areas conformed to national needs and international trends, a full-scale review and revision of discipline and resource plans was conducted in 1995. Prior to 1980, the primary interest of material research was in metals. With the establishment of several major materials research institutions and material physics and chemistry research initiatives during the 1980s, material research in Taiwan entered a period of greater diversity. The resulting growth in academic achievement can be exemplified by the steady increase in the number of academic papers included in the prestigious international database Science Citation Index, as well as Taiwan's relative rank. In this article, we review and summarize the major initiatives undertaken by the NSC and their impacts on material physics and chemistry development in Taiwan.