Chung Yuan Christian University (CYCU) is training top professors by emulating Singularity University, known as the world’s most intelligent and innovative institution, and achieving outstanding results! Dr. Li Cheng-Yu, an assistant professor from the Department of Chemistry, represented CYCU with his project on “Expanding Biochemical Sensing Technology” in Singularity University’s “Executive Program for Leaders” selection process. He stood out among global elites and was successfully accepted. In the future, his research achievements are expected to develop into practical applications, potentially leading to campus spin-off enterprises and driving innovation in technology and medical fields.
Singularity University, co-founded by Google and NASA in 2008, is a new-age institution not offering traditional degrees. It attracts top talent from around the world and is renowned for integrating elites from various fields, emphasizing interdisciplinary collaboration and the establishment of global networks. Alumni and participants come from diverse sectors, including finance, business, technology, manufacturing, and health, bringing significant long-term benefits. The university’s strict admission standards and high tuition fees make it a unique entrepreneurial program, with media often calling it “harder to get into than Harvard.”
Starting in October 2023, under the guidance of President Li Ying-Ming, CYCU launched the “CYCU to Singularity University” training program for faculty innovation and entrepreneurship talent. Organized by the Dean of the College of Science, Wu Tsung-Yuan, the program combines resources from the College of Engineering, the Office of Industry-Academia Collaboration, and the Office of Research and Development. Five faculty members from the Colleges of Science, Engineering, and Electrical Engineering and Computer Science have been selected for training. The program also invites distinguished external scholars from various fields to share the latest information and insights on innovation and entrepreneurship, aiming to form on-campus innovation and entrepreneurship teams. These teams will participate in Singularity University’s Executive Program, with the goal of materializing their research achievements and establishing campus spin-off enterprises.
Currently teaching in the Department of Chemistry at Chung Yuan Christian University, Li Cheng-Yu joined CYCU in February 2022. In 2019, while conducting postdoctoral research in the Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences at McMaster University in Canada, he applied to join the COVID-19 rapid test development team during the lockdown, gaining extensive practical experience. This time, he applied for the Singularity University Executive Program for Leaders, aiming to address potential issues in transitioning products from the lab to the market and to expand the application value of biochemical sensing technology.
Li Cheng-Yu points out that the goal of biochemical sensing technology is to use technology to lower the barriers, time, and cost of testing while improving accuracy and sensitivity. This allows untrained personnel to perform accurate and rapid screenings without the need for specialized equipment. However, the process of moving from the laboratory to commercialization still faces many challenges. The training program at Singularity University provides valuable insights to overcome these issues.
After undergoing the CYCU Innovation and Entrepreneurship Talent Training Program, Li Cheng-Yu submitted a proposal representing CYCU for the Singularity University Executive Program for Leaders, with an estimated acceptance rate of only 1%. Upon receiving the acceptance notification, Li Cheng-Yu was overjoyed and could hardly believe it. He is eagerly looking forward to the training program. He stated that participating in Singularity University will not only provide opportunities for collaboration and assistance across different fields, making it possible to turn learned techniques into practical applications, but he will also bring back these experiences to share with other faculty members at CYCU, turning more impossibilities into possibilities. In the future, he plans to continue developing more types of rapid tests, aiming to reduce the operational barriers and costs for users and increase the accessibility of medical diagnostics.
