On February 23, the Department of Civil and Construction Engineering at Taiwan Tech held the premiere of the short film “Stone and Heart: The Composition of Taiwan Tech’s Half-Century”, along with celebrations for the department's 50th anniversary. Over 1,200 faculty, staff, and alumni gathered to celebrate this significant milestone, showcasing the incredible unity and cohesion of the civil and construction engineering community.

Taiwan Tech faculty members and civil engineering alumni gathered to enjoy the premiere of the short film Stone and Heart: The Composition of Taiwan Tech’s Half-Century. (Provided by Taiwan Tech Civil and Construction Engineering Alumni Association)

The premiere was initiated by  You-Quan Lin, President of the Civil and Construction Engineering Alumni Association, who mentioned that the short film took over a year to prepare and shoot. The goal was to showcase the often unseen efforts and achievements of alumni through the power of imagery. The film is titled “Stone and Heart”, symbolizing how the construction industry, though often perceived as rigid, requires strong interpersonal relationships and communication skills, which are essential soft qualities. Through education at Taiwan Tech, alumni have been nurtured with solid professional expertise and a compassionate heart, shaping the unity and practicality of the civil and construction engineering alumni community.

Distinguished guests were in attendance, including former Taiwan Tech Presidents Shun-Tyan Chen (center), Shi-Shuenn Chen (center left), Vice President Tzu-Chuan Chou (center right), former Vice President Hsien-Heng Lee (second from right), and Chairman of CECI Engineering Consultants, Inc., Yi-Fang Shih (fourth from left), along with many outstanding alumni, all joining in the celebration. (Provided by Taiwan Tech civil and construction engineering alumni association).

The film meticulously documents the efforts, achievements, and influence of Taiwan Tech civil and construction engineering alumni in their professional fields. Many important national infrastructure projects and landmark construction initiatives have seen the outstanding contributions of alumni. During major disasters such as the 921 earthquake, they also played a key role in assisting the government with disaster relief, demonstrating the profound impact of Taiwan Tech’s education on the nation and society.

Taiwan Tech President Jia-Yush Yen congratulates the Department of Civil and construction engineering on its 50th anniversary.

The former chair of the Department of Civil and Construction Engineering and former Taiwan tech President Shi-Shuenn Chen mentioned in the film, “As Darwin said, the species that survive are often not the strongest, but the ones most capable of adapting to the environment. This is in perfect alignment with the essence and spirit of the Department of Civil and Construction Engineering.” President Jia-Yush Yen also stated that while building structures used to only face earthquakes, today they must also contend with issues like soil liquefaction and green building sustainability. The challenges are greater, but he is confident that we will see more outstanding work from civil and construction engineering alumni in the future.

Distinguished alumni guests, Shih Yi-Fang, chairman of CECI Engineering Consultants, Inc., and Chen-Yang Ko, Chairman of Taiwan Union Engineering Consultants, shared after the screening that they are proud to be Taiwan Tech alumni and deeply grateful for the professional knowledge and the correct attitude toward dealing with people that Taiwan Tech instilled in them. They expressed their joy at seeing the continuous improvement of the Department of Civil and Construction Engineering, with impressive performances from both faculty, students, and alumni in the industry, government, and academia. You-Quan Hsieh, General Manager of Zhongxin Industrial, believes that Taiwan's construction industry has undergone significant changes in recent decades, facing challenges such as labor shortages and sustainability issues. The industry can no longer work in isolation. Taiwan Tech alumni are excelling in various fields, and he looks forward to continued cross-disciplinary collaboration and the passing of the baton from one generation to the next.

Taiwan Tech’s Department of Civil and Construction Engineering celebrated its 50th Anniversary and attracted over 1,200 faculty, staff, and alumni, gathering together in a lively and enthusiastic atmosphere. (Provided by Taiwan Tech’s civil and construction engineering alumni association).

After the event, alumni from past years gathered to reminisce and share the glory and legacy of civil engineering, creating a warm and lively atmosphere. The event fully showcased the growth and development of the department of civil and construction engineering over the past fifty years. Faculty, staff, and alumni will continue to build on the solid foundation accumulated over the last five decades, moving forward with innovation into the next fifty years.

Microfilm: https://youtu.be/xi7q8mDcSak