1948年首届中央研究院工程学科院士遴选述略

An Overview of the Election Process for the First Academicians in the Engineering of Academia Sinica in 1948

李协、淩鸿勋、唐炳源、茅以升、王宠佑先后当选中央研究院1935年首届和1940年第二届工程学科聘任评议员,与当然评议员周仁组成评议会工程组“指导联络奖励”工程学科的发展。院士选举过程中,无论是茅以升、淩鸿勋提名候选人还是中央研究院最终确定的参考名单,与正式提名名单相比差距甚大,缺漏甚多,显现出个人提名与机构提名的不同。工程学科正式提名55人名列所有学科中第一,经两次淘汰,王宠佑等11人成为正式候选人,最终周仁、侯德榜、茅以升、淩鸿勋、萨本栋5人当选。当选比例低于总体当选率,也低于数理组其他学科,在一定意义上表明工程学科总体水平未能获得学界共同认可。从聘任评议员到院士选举,相对工程事业而言,更注重学术成就,在一定意义上也说明科学院之外设立工程院的合理性,将纯粹的学术与实践的事业予以区分。

The initial two terms of appointed councilors through elections of the Council of Academia Sinica had the same eligibility criteria as the first term of academician elections.Li Xie(Li Yizhi),Ling Hongxun(H.H.Ling),and Tang Bingyuan were successively elected as appointed councilors of the Engineering Discipline in the first council of Academia Sinica formed in 1935,collaborating with the ex officio councilor Zhou Ren(Jen Chow)to guide and facilitate the development of the engineering science through"Direction,Connection,and Rewards".After Li Xie passed away,Mao Yisheng(T.E.Mao)was elected in 1939 to succeed him.Ling Hongxun,Mao Yisheng,and Wang Chongyou(Wang Chungyu)were elected in 1940 for the second term of the Engineering Council and,along with Zhou Ren,actively participated in the selection of the first term of academicians.During the academician election process,whether it was the candidates nominated by Mao Yisheng and Ling Hongxun or the final reference list determined by the Academia Sinica,there was a significant discrepancy compared to the official nomination list,with many omissions,highlighting the differences between individual and institutional nominations.With 55 nominees,the Engineering Discipline ranked first among the 24 involved disciplines,which on one hand indicates the broad scope of the Engineering field with a large number of researchers,allowing for a wider range of nominations compared to other disciplines.On the other hand,it also demonstrates a certain lack of consensus within the engineering community.After two rounds of elimination,11 official candidates including Wang Chongyou,Wang Huzhen,Zhou Ren,Shi Jiayang,Hou Debang(T.P.Hou),Mao Yisheng,Ling Hongxun,Cheng Xiaogang,Cai Fangyin(Fang-Yin Tsai),Sa Bendong(A.Pen-tung Sah),and Luo Zhongchen were shortlisted,with an elimination rate of 80%,nearly 10%higher than the overall rate across all disciplines.Finally,Zhou Ren,Hou Debang,Mao Yisheng,Ling Hongxun,and Sa Bendong were elected,with a lower election rate than the overall rate and other disciplines in the Division of Mathematics and Physical Sciences.The number of official candidates and the final election ratio somewhat demonstrates that the overall development level of the Engineering discipline during the Republic of China era did not receive unanimous recognition from the academic community.Certainly,the process from the official nominations to the shortlisted candidates,and then to the final list of elected individuals,also characterizes the developmental state of the various sub-disciplines within Engineering to some extent.The transition from appointed councilors to academicians suggests a greater emphasis on academic achievements over engineering accomplishments,underscoring the rationale for establishing a separate Engineering Academy distinct from the purely academic focus of the Science Academy.