On November 20, Columbia University’s Department of Electrical Engineering welcomed representatives from the Wei Family Private Foundation to recognize the 2024 recipient of its prestigious scholarship grant, Arthur Dell Yang, advised by Ken Shepard, Lau Family Professor of Electrical Engineering and Professor of Biomedical Engineering, and hear the research updates from the past award recipients. This annual event not only honors the memory of Dr. Chung Kwai Lui Wei and Mr. Hsin Hsu Wei but also highlights the impact of their foundation in supporting future leaders in science and engineering.
The meeting began with a greeting from Columbia’s Dean of Engineering and Applied Science, Morris A. and Alma Schapiro Professor of Electrical Engineering Shih-Fu Chang. Dean Chang expressed gratitude to the Wei Family Private Foundation for its unwavering support of students.
A Legacy Rooted in Education
The Wei Family Private Foundation was established to honor Dr. Chung Kwai Lui Wei, a trailblazer who became the first woman to earn a Ph.D. in Physics from Oregon State University in 1941, and Mr. Hsin Hsu Wei, a distinguished graduate of Columbia University with an MS in Electrical Engineering. Together, they embodied a commitment to higher education and the perseverance needed to overcome adversity.
Dr. Lui, who worked on the Manhattan Project and was named “Woman of the Day” by Eleanor Roosevelt, and Mr. Wei, a renowned electrical engineer at Westinghouse Electric Corporation, founded the Wei Family Private Foundation to provide financial assistance to students of Chinese heritage pursuing degrees in electrical engineering, physics, or mathematics. Today, their vision continues to inspire the next generation of scholars.
The Wei Family Private Foundation Fellowship supports high-achieving students of Chinese heritage in the Columbia Electrical Engineering Department.