Professor Neal Tai-Shung Chung stands as a preeminent chemical engineer whose pioneering work in membrane science has reshaped global approaches to water purification and sustainable energy solutions. Currently serving as Honorary Professor at National Taiwan University of Science and Technology since 2019, he previously held the prestigious position of Provost's Chair Professor at the National University of Singapore for a decade. His academic journey began with a Bachelor's degree in Chemical Engineering from Chung Yuan Christian University in 1973, followed by a Master's from National Taiwan University in 1977, and culminated with a PhD from the State University of New York at Buffalo in 1981. This distinguished educational foundation paved the way for his transformative contributions to membrane technology and separation processes that have addressed some of humanity's most pressing environmental challenges.
Professor Chung's groundbreaking research has established him as a world leader in developing advanced membrane materials for clean water production, energy generation, and carbon capture applications. His innovative work on organic solvent forward osmosis for pharmaceutical concentration, published in Nature Communications in 2018, demonstrated a green process for solvent recovery with significant industrial applications. He has pioneered novel membrane architectures for hydrogen/carbon dioxide separation, as evidenced by his influential Advanced Materials publication in 2018, which has advanced the field of clean energy production. With over 24 journal papers published in 2021-2022 alone, including high-impact contributions to Progress in Polymer Science, his research continues to set new standards in membrane science and engineering for environmental sustainability.
Recognized globally as a top 0.083% scholar in water purification by Expertscape, Professor Chung's influence extends far beyond his laboratory through numerous honors including special symposiums dedicated to his lifetime achievements at the Pacific Polymer Conference and the AIChE Annual Meeting. His leadership in the membrane science community was further acknowledged when the 13th Conference of the Aseanian Membrane Society dedicated a three-day symposium to his contributions in July 2022. At NTUST, he has established advanced membrane laboratories focused on developing next-generation materials for hydrogen separation, seawater desalination, and organic solvent nanofiltration, while training the next generation of membrane scientists. As the field continues to confront global challenges in water scarcity and clean energy, Professor Chung's ongoing research promises to deliver innovative membrane solutions that balance technological advancement with environmental stewardship.
