History and Mission

The Chinese-American Engineers and Scientists Association of Southern California (CESASC) was founded in 1962 as a non-profit professional organization. Its mission is to serve as a platform to enrich their competence through technical conferences and workshops, to showcase their accomplishments through its annual Achievement Awards, to broaden their career perspectives through global and local networking, and to protect their interests and rights through organizational efforts. In 2011, CESASC was honored by the Chinese American Museum (CAM) as the recipient of the Excellence in Science and Engineering Leadership Award in CAM’s 15th Annual History maker’s Awards Ceremony.

CESASC Achievement Awards

Since 1969, CESASC has presented Achievement Awards to recognize the individuals who have made significant contributions to engineering and science, or those with distinguished professional career in the United States. Our previous award recipients included Nobel Laureates, members of US National Academy of Sciences, National Academy of Engineering and Institute of Medicine, Corporate and University executives, members of Committee 100, as well as public officials.

Technical Symposiums

In an effort to promote technology advancement for its members, CESASC has sponsored annual Technical Symposiums pertaining to various technical areas since 1986. These conferences have provided a forum for top researchers around the world to exchange ideas and findings about the latest advancements in science and technology. In 2010, CESASC further co-sponsored with UCLA to host an International Symposium on Materials for Enabling Nanodevices (ISMEN). The success of this conference enabled CESASC to establish models for future collaboration with academic institutes in the United States.

Scholarship, STEM, LEAP, and Youth Programs

The enrichment of youth program has been our important goal for many years. The CESASC Scholarship Foundation was created as a companion charitable non-profit organization to CESASC for raising funds for scholarships and educational programs. The Foundation has enabled CESASC to award scholarships annually to undergraduate and graduate students. The scholarship recipients have also been invited to participate in and present their research work in Technical Symposiums. In 2012, the CESASC launched a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) program for local middle and high school students to promote science and engineering education. In 2013, CESASC started a LEAP (Leadership, Excellence, Aspiration, and Platform) program working together with college student organization to provide career-related guidance, education, mentorship and opportunities to help young generations for their professional development.

Industrial Relations

CESASC brings together all segments of engineering and science by reaching out prominent industrial companies in Southern California. Through its technical symposiums, leadership programs, and seminars, CESASC has been able to broaden the base of its membership, expand networking platform, and provide needed services to its members. The support and sponsorship from the industry have made CESASC as one of the most influential Chinese-American professional organizations in the US.

International Advancement Cooperation Programs

Since the late 1980s, CESASC has organized numerous global cooperation activities to promote information exchange among professionals. During the past years, CESASC has accomplished mutual visits for government officials, university and industry leaders from the Pacific Rim countries or areas including China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore and Thailand. In acknowledgement of the contributions to these international cooperation programs, CESASC was recognized by the late Congressman George E. Brown, Jr., former Chairman of the House Committee on Science and Technology of the US Congress, during his Keynote address at CESASC’s Technical Symposium in 1994.

---

南加州中華科工學會（CESASC）成立於1962年,為一非營利專業團體，並係南加地區歷史最悠久、組織最完善的華美科技專業學會之一。這個由任職於南加州多所大學及高科技企業公司的華裔專業人士聯合組成的科技組織，多年來致力於會員間的專業互動、科技交流、會員及團體權益福祉的維護，以及就業與教育相關資訊分享。2011年本會更榮獲華美博物館 (Chinese American Museum) 第十五屆歷史締造者傑出科學暨工程獎 (Excellence in Science and Engineering Leadership Award)。

年會是科工會的年度重要活動，會中的專題演講人及成就獎得主均為一時之選,包括諾貝爾獎得主楊振寧博士、李政道博士、丁肇中博士、李遠哲博士及高錕博士﹑美/中/台兩岸三地國家科學/工程/醫學學院及中科院和中央研究院院士吳健雄博士、吳耀祖博士、錢煦博士及朱經武博士、以及美國前勞工部趙小蘭部長、加州大學伯克利分校校長田長霖博士、加州大學聖巴巴拉分校校長楊祖佑博士、1996年“時代”雜誌年度風雲人物何大一博士等。此外，中/港/台科技界著名科學家及政要多人亦曾應邀出席本會學術交流活動及在年會中發表專題演講。

本會於1986年首度推出大型科技研討會,為日後成立的華美科技組織樹立了楷模。研討會囊括的範圍甚廣，從航空太空到資訊科技、從環保運輸到生物醫學、從光電、建築到電子商務、以及近來益受重視的管理科學、奈米科技等項目均令與會者受益良多。年度研討會中也常邀請主流公司以演說﹑座談﹑展覽等方式為參加者提供科技界的最新動態。為加強與美國學界的合作交流，近年來本會更與加州大學洛杉磯分校聯合主辦 “奈米材料和應用元件國際研討會” (International Symposium on Materials Enabling),深獲好評。

鼓勵青少年的參與是本會成立至今的主要目標之一,1987年科工會成立了獎學金基金會,在會員及社區熱心人士的慷慨捐助下,定期為大學部或研究所的在學學生頒發績優及清寒獎學金,得獎同學並應邀在科技研討會中就其科研成果展示或發表演說。此外，本會亦多次舉辦青少年科工競賽,獲得學子及指導教師的大力支持。值得一提的是，1986年獎學金得主布朗大學的大二生廖敏妃同學(現為加州大學洛杉磯分校醫學院的教授及腦腫瘤項目的主任)，更於2006年以其在醫學界的傑出表現榮獲本會成就獎，給予本會及獎學金基金會莫大的鼓勵。

八十年代末, 本會曾致力於全球合作計畫,藉以推展科技交流。歷年來，屢為太平洋地區的中﹑港﹑台﹑星﹑泰及美國的產﹑官﹑學界專業人士組成科技互訪團。此外, 為培育科技人才並發展科技教育，本會亦曾協助吳家瑋校長籌集資金與網羅人才, 創辦香港科技大学。美國前國會議員及國會 House Committee on Science and Technology 前主席 George E. Brown, Jr., 曾在本會1994 科技研討會的專題演講中，特別表彰科工會對亞太地區科技交流所做的貢獻。

科工會的活動歷年來獲得多個主流公司企業及基金會的大力贊助,方能在全體理﹑幹事羣策羣力下, 藉由科技研討會﹑獎學金計劃﹑領導才能培訓及專題討論會等活動,積極吸收新血，拓展交流平台，並逐步發展成為南加州甚具影響力的華美科技組織。

科工學會在2013年最新推出了LEAP (Leadership, Excellence, Aspiration, and Platform) 項目，對大學生和研究生熟悉和進入職場提供幫助。首次在加州大學洛杉磯分校舉辦的職業發展研討會受到熱烈的歡迎。2012-13啟動的另一個項目是為中學生舉辦的STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) 科技征文比賽，也得到了社區的積極響應。

今后,科工會將進一步積極參與主流社會的活動，加強和其他社團的合作，更多地為年輕學子們提供咨詢和服務,大力促進美中在科技及學術上的合作與交流。