NCKU professor unveils invisible beauty through microphotography
Tainan, Taiwan, February 21, 2014
Being able to integrate personal interests into professions may be a dream for many people but not for Dr. Tsyr-Huei Chiou, a professor from the Department of Life Sciences at the National Cheng Kung University (NCKU), southern Taiwan.
Dr. Chiou, who specializes in visual ecology of marine invertebrates, has an outstanding research experience as his journal articles are often published in internationally recognized academic journals.
However, he possesses unique skills unknown to many, including underwater photography and microphotography skills comparable to that seen in National Geographic Magazine. The marine organisms’ complex compound eyes, their microscopic body structure, fine hair and shimmering color are presented vividly through his camera lenses.
Yet, Dr. Chiou chooses to use his unique skills for research and self-entertainment, preferring to keep a low profile regarding his personal interests. That is why many people were amazed when one of his photographs was chosen as the cover page of a magazine.
“I was accepted into Doctoral program probably because of a picture of an ocean which I took,” Dr. Chiou joked while recalling some fond memories during his education life.
Graduated from NCKU Department of Biology undergraduate and Master’s degree program, Dr. Chiou applied for the Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) program at University of Maryland, Baltimore County.
According to him, his doctoral degree advisor, Thomas W. Cronin immediately accepted him as his research advisee after he presented a beautiful and professional photo of underwater organisms.
As a passionate diver, Dr. Chiou’s biggest dream was to wander within the Great Barrier Reef. After successfully receiving his doctoral degree in Marine, Estuarine and Environmental Sciences, he travelled to University of Queensland in Australia to continue post-doctoral research for 3 years at the Great Barrier Reef as well as another diver’s paradise known as the Lizard Island.
In 2012, Dr. Chiou returned to NCKU to take up the position as an associate professor at the Department of Life Sciences.
For Dr. Chiou, scientific research is a profession whereas scuba diving and photograph are personal interests. Hence, he thinks that to be able to combine both profession and personal interests is a blessing.
Dr. Chiou’s interest in scuba diving began when he was in high school. He started developing further interest in underwater photograph while engaging in diving. He said, “The longer I am under water, the more I wanted to do there, which naturally helped me develop my interest in underwater photography.”
During that time, Dr. Chiou also assisted his professors to collect samples and take photographs under the ocean. As time went by, more and more diving equipment, including wetsuit and underwater camera, were added into his collection.
In addition to his professional photography equipment, he currently also holds a diving license and a boat license, enabling him to wander around the ocean freely.
Specializing in visual systems for underwater organism research, Dr. Chiou uses various devices to study these organisms and the colorful world they live in which are largely unknown to mankind.
His professional photography skills have assisted in not only the understanding of such organisms, but also developing his own unique techniques while taking photographs of underwater micro-organisms.
For instance, Dr. Chiou is able to make small aquariums out of slides by connecting a microscope to photography equipment. In his own made aquariums, multiple shots will be taken when a micro-organism swims to the area captured through the camera lines. Dr. Chiou also frequently highlights the nature of these organisms under dark background by using polarization glass to filter sunlight entering his self-made device.
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Being able to integrate personal interests into professions may be a dream for many people but not for Dr. Tsyr-Huei Chiou, a professor from the Department of Life Sciences at the National Cheng Kung University (NCKU), southern Taiwan.
Dr. Chiou, who specializes in visual ecology of marine invertebrates, has an outstanding research experience as his journal articles are often published in internationally recognized academic journals.
However, he possesses unique skills unknown to many, including underwater photography and microphotography skills comparable to that seen in National Geographic Magazine. The marine organisms’ complex compound eyes, their microscopic body structure, fine hair and shimmering color are presented vividly through his camera lenses.
Yet, Dr. Chiou chooses to use his unique skills for research and self-entertainment, preferring to keep a low profile regarding his personal interests. That is why many people were amazed when one of his photographs was chosen as the cover page of a magazine.
“I was accepted into Doctoral program probably because of a picture of an ocean which I took,” Dr. Chiou joked while recalling some fond memories during his education life.
Graduated from NCKU Department of Biology undergraduate and Master’s degree program, Dr. Chiou applied for the Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) program at University of Maryland, Baltimore County.
According to him, his doctoral degree advisor, Thomas W. Cronin immediately accepted him as his research advisee after he presented a beautiful and professional photo of underwater organisms.
As a passionate diver, Dr. Chiou’s biggest dream was to wander within the Great Barrier Reef. After successfully receiving his doctoral degree in Marine, Estuarine and Environmental Sciences, he travelled to University of Queensland in Australia to continue post-doctoral research for 3 years at the Great Barrier Reef as well as another diver’s paradise known as the Lizard Island.
In 2012, Dr. Chiou returned to NCKU to take up the position as an associate professor at the Department of Life Sciences.
For Dr. Chiou, scientific research is a profession whereas scuba diving and photograph are personal interests. Hence, he thinks that to be able to combine both profession and personal interests is a blessing.
Dr. Chiou’s interest in scuba diving began when he was in high school. He started developing further interest in underwater photograph while engaging in diving. He said, “The longer I am under water, the more I wanted to do there, which naturally helped me develop my interest in underwater photography.”
During that time, Dr. Chiou also assisted his professors to collect samples and take photographs under the ocean. As time went by, more and more diving equipment, including wetsuit and underwater camera, were added into his collection.
In addition to his professional photography equipment, he currently also holds a diving license and a boat license, enabling him to wander around the ocean freely.
Specializing in visual systems for underwater organism research, Dr. Chiou uses various devices to study these organisms and the colorful world they live in which are largely unknown to mankind.
His professional photography skills have assisted in not only the understanding of such organisms, but also developing his own unique techniques while taking photographs of underwater micro-organisms.
For instance, Dr. Chiou is able to make small aquariums out of slides by connecting a microscope to photography equipment. In his own made aquariums, multiple shots will be taken when a micro-organism swims to the area captured through the camera lines. Dr. Chiou also frequently highlights the nature of these organisms under dark background by using polarization glass to filter sunlight entering his self-made device.
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