Text by NCKU News Center　Photos provided by NCKU News Center & Sheng-Sheng Yu

 

Associate Professor Sheng-Sheng Yu of the Department of Chemical Engineering at National Cheng Kung University (NCKU) specializes in polymer reaction engineering, green chemistry, biopolymer materials, and additive manufacturing engineering. His work focuses on the applications of deep eutectic solvents in polymer synthesis and 3D printing. This year, Prof. Yu received the National Science and Technology Council’s (NSTC) 2026 Ta-You Wu Memorial Award in recognition of his research achievements.

 

Prof. Yu’s academic path has been marked by unexpected interdisciplinary turns. “Polymers are everywhere in and around the human body. There are simply so many things you can do with polymers!” he said. With the same enthusiasm, he hinted that more turns lie ahead as he continues to take on new challenges and explore new research topics.

 

Prof. Yu is always eager to explore new ideas and try something whenever it is new. His eyes light up when he talks about research, and his passion is unmistakable. He explained that the clothes people wear are made of polymers: plant-based fibers are natural polymers, while synthetic fibers are synthetic polymers. Hair and nails, for example, are made of protein polymers, while DNA and RNA, which carry genetic information, are also polymers.

 

Polymers are not only found in the human body but are also present throughout everyday life, from food and clothing to housing and transportation, offering a vast range of possibilities to explore. Whether in terms of research challenges, future potential, or diversity, Prof. Yu believes that “there are still so many fascinating topics to explore in polymer research.”

 

Prof. Sheng-Sheng Yu of NCKU’s Department of Chemical Engineering

 

Prof. Yu’s pragmatic and rational approach is also evident in his decision to pursue a Ph.D. abroad without first completing a master’s degree, a choice he made for financial reasons. At the same time, he remains curious about new things and places a strong emphasis on critical thinking. He believes researchers should constantly question what they observe and actively seek to understand why things happen.

 

In research, he believes it is best to bring new ideas to the table, experiment with new approaches, and remain open to new possibilities and unexpected outcomes. “Interesting research findings often come about by accident,” he said.

 

The history of science is filled with fascinating discoveries made by accident. Interestingly, rather than following a more conventional path of building on a single line of inquiry, Prof. Yu’s academic journey has taken several unexpected turns, sometimes leading him far from where he originally intended to go and opening up entirely different possibilities along the way.

 

Prof. Yu said that he had originally expected to enter the workforce after graduating from college; neither studying abroad nor becoming a university professor was part of his original plan. Looking back, he said his path has indeed “taken several turns.” His undergraduate project and doctoral dissertation focused on different topics, while the subject he initially intended to pursue during his Ph.D. was completely different from the one that ultimately became his dissertation. Even after returning to Taiwan to join NCKU, the 3D printing applications explored in his laboratory have had little direct connection to his doctoral work.

 

Prof. Yu surprisingly revealed that he had never worked with 3D printing before returning to Taiwan. His decision to enter the field was sparked by a one-hour conversation with a labmate shortly before graduation. At the time, 3D printing technology had become a popular topic, and because he happened to be interested in it, he invited his labmate to talk it over.

 

Building a laboratory from the ground up meant figuring things out step by step. Prof. Yu admitted that nearly everything presented a challenge at first, and much of the time, he had no one but himself to turn to for answers. Fortunately, he said, the students he has met at NCKU have all been extremely dedicated. Looking back on his seven or eight years at NCKU, he considers this the period in which he has grown most rapidly in terms of his own capabilities. Having to work independently and take responsibility pushed him to learn new things, while shouldering these new burdens also helped him grow.

 

Prof. Yu poses with members of his laboratory during a lab outing.

 

Why did Prof. Yu choose to begin his academic career by venturing down a path he had never taken before? He believes that the interdisciplinary training he received during his doctoral studies gave him both the confidence and the ability to cross disciplinary boundaries. He explained that in his Ph.D. program in the United States, each graduate student was required to have at least two advisors, while manuscripts submitted for publication had to be reviewed by five professors. Although their opinions often conflicted, the experience taught him how to continually venture into different fields and learn about unfamiliar subjects.

 

From an investment perspective, Prof. Yu believes that “research is about doing what no one has done before.” An avid driver who finds the activity relaxing, he humorously borrowed an analogy from a scholar to describe his approach to choosing research topics: “First, don’t get on a crowded bus; second, remember to get on the bus.” With this advice, he encourages early-career researchers to have the courage to try new things and embrace different possibilities.

 

In his spare time, Prof. Yu enjoys video games, sports, and working out. For him, each shift in research direction is like an adventure into the unknown—a journey of taking on one challenge after another. He explained that once an adventure begins, there are many different ways to reach the destination. What matters is how one continues to build skills and grow stronger along the way.

 

When difficulties arise in research, Prof. Yu approaches them much like facing a difficult challenge in a game: if one can’t overcome it yet, the answer is to keep training and get stronger. This might mean reading more of the literature—the more familiar one is with previous research, the stronger a foundation it provides for evaluating experimental results. It might also mean developing new perspectives and learning to see a problem from a different angle.

 

Looking back on an academic journey marked by unexpected turns across disciplines, Prof. Yu expressed his gratitude for his family’s unconditional support, the generous guidance of senior scholars in Taiwan’s polymer research community, and the recognition and trust he has received from the NSTC and industry. He recalled that his journey began with his undergraduate advisor, who encouraged and helped him pursue further studies abroad, opening his eyes to other possibilities in life.

 

For this reason, he also reminds students, “Remember to show up for advisor-student gatherings.” For those interested in pursuing academic research, he encourages them to seek out scholarship opportunities whenever possible and attend conferences in different places to broaden their horizons, build academic connections, and maintain relationships within the research community.

 

Prof. Yu (left) with his two doctoral advisors during a visit to the United States in 2026.

 

Prof. Yu’s doctoral advisor, Prof. Martha Grover, was another important mentor in his academic journey, particularly through the time she devoted to discussing his writing with him. He recalled that when he first arrived in the United States, writing posed a major challenge because English was not his native language. When he was working on his first paper, Prof. Grover provided guidance not only on the research itself, but also took the time to go through the manuscript with him step by step, discussing how it could be revised and improved. Her thoughtful guidance on academic writing helped him significantly improve his writing skills, which continued to benefit him in the papers that followed.

 

Today, Prof. Yu passes on the support he once received from his mentors by being there for his own students. He often tells them, “As long as the lights are on in the lab, you can come and find me.” Beyond conducting research together, he frequently plays badminton with his students and takes road trips with them, sharing experiences beyond academic life.

 

Although Prof. Yu modestly describes himself as simply a colleague to his students—someone who works alongside them—the lab tells a different story. Souvenirs from students’ travels and thank-you gifts from graduates can be found throughout the space. Among them is a blue handheld sign made by his students bearing the phrase “游你真好,” a playful pun on his surname that sounds like “It’s so good to have you.” In just a few words, it captures how much Prof. Yu means to his students.