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Phi Tau Phi

The Phi Tau Phi Scholastic Honor Society of the Republic of China (simply Phi Tau Phi or ; ) is an honor society based in Taiwan. It was founded in 1921 at Peiyang University, China. The Society aims to encourage scholarship, stimulate research, reward scholastic achievement, and form bonds of intellectual and professional fellowship. It has recognized over 70,000 members in the past hundred years.

History

On May 25, 1921, Joseph H. Ehlers, then a professor at Peiyang University, proposed the idea to establish an honor society that encourages integrity and diligence across universities in Mainland China.

On May 4, 1922, the first general meeting was held at the Shanghai Youth Association. Fourteen nationwide university representatives, including those from Shanghai Jiao Tong University, National Southeast University, Yenching University, and others, attended the meeting. The first board of directors was then elected, with Ping-Wen Kuo serving as the president.

After the retreat of the government of the Republic of China to Taiwan, the society once suspended its activities. However, it was resumed in March 1964 at the call of the members. Multiple university chapters have since been established in Taiwan, including National Chiao Tung University, Soochow University, National Taiwan University.

Phi Tau Phi also has an affiliated organization, the Phi Tau Phi Scholastic Honor Society of America, divided into three regional chapters: East America, Mid-America, and West America.

Symbols

The Greek letters Phi Tau Phi were selected to represent Philosophia (the mother of all sciences), Technologia (applied science), and Physiologia (theoretical science), which collectively represent all disciplines of learning.

Membership

Membership is by recommendation only, by an established university chapter. Membership recognizes and honors those who are:

  • the top one percent of undergraduate graduates in each university based on the cumulative grade before the semester of graduation, as well as the excellence in moral conduct;
  • the top three percent of master’s graduands in each university who are excellent in academic performance as well as moral conduct;
  • the top ten percent of doctoral graduands in each university who are excellent in academic performance as well as moral conduct; or
  • one to three alumni of each university who have made significant contributions to academic research or social undertakings.

Chapters

Following is a list of Phi Tau Phi chapters.

See also

References