Pinghui Sophia Yeh - 2018 SPIE Women in Optics Planner
Associate Professor
National Taiwan University of Science and Technology, Taiwan
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Country of Birth: Taiwan
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I loved reading novels when I was in elementary school, but ever since I took physics in junior high school, it has been my favorite subject because it explains how the universe functions.
I grew up in a patriarchal family. My mother and many women in Taiwan struggled to have a baby boy. But I believe we women have our own individuality, strengths, and values. Each of us is a person prior to being a woman. So I insist on being financially independent to maintain my freedom.
My first job after graduation was at SDL in Silicon Valley in the United States. Currently, I am an associate professor at National Taiwan University of Science and Technology. My team has demonstrated a GaN-based single-mode vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) that has a submilliamp threshold current and a record-low divergence angle.
In the male-dominated world of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics women are the minority politically. However, more women have been recognized for their contributions. Through persistent efforts, we are reshaping the images of women.
As long as you enjoy science or technology, a career in STEM is very rewarding, financially and spiritually. It brings me fulfillment and a thrill in my heart whenever a breakthrough occurs. It connects me with foreign people, cultures, and places. It arms me to be fearless in the high-tech modern world.