2023 NSRRC Outstanding Paper Award Honoring Scientific Elites
2023/10/24
The National Synchrotron Radiation Research Center (NSRRC) hosted its third “Outstanding Paper Award” ceremony on October 24th. This year’s award went to an international research team, led by NSRRC Associate Scientist, Dr. Yao-Chang Lee and Prof. Robert Reisz from the University of Toronto in Canada for their discovery of the “longest-preserved dinosaur collagen and its underlying natural preservation mechanism.” This finding received strong recognition from the NSRRC Outstanding Paper Award Review Committee, standing out amidst tough competition and earning them the prestigious award trophy along with a prize of NT$300,000.
Benefiting from steadfast support from the National Science and Technology Council, the team utilized "infrared micro-spectroscopy" and "transmission X-ray microscopy" at NSRRC for non-destructive, in-situ analyses of a 195-million-year-old sauropodomorph dinosaur rib fossil. The discovery of collagen type I within the fossil marked a significant breakthrough. It was the first time collagen preservation had been observed due to "hematite cementation," a process akin to how antiseptic and antimicrobial packaging works for food. This mechanism effectively shields collagen, preventing its decomposition by bacteria and other contaminants. These findings substantially enhance our understanding of the genetic connections between dinosaurs and modern animals, shedding light on dinosaur origins and evolution. The results were published in the esteemed journal Nature Communications in 2017.
It is noteworthy that the finding was also ranked 12th among the "Top 100 Science Stories in 2017" by Discover magazine. This achievement represents the first time in recent years that a study led by Taiwanese scholars has made it to Discover magazine’s global top 100 science discoveries list. The ranking is determined based on media coverage and search rates on major websites worldwide, highlighting the 100 most popular and significant scientific discoveries of the year. The research conducted by Dr. Lee’s team not only received substantial citations in the international academic community but also garnered extensive international attention for Taiwan's synchrotron radiation research achievements. The Outstanding Paper Award is indeed well deserved.
The NSRRC Outstanding Paper Award aims to advance science in the field of synchrotron radiation in Taiwan, as well as recognizing the high-impact publications resulting from using NSRRC experimental facilities. The award is divided into three categories: Applied Sciences, Life Sciences, and Natural Sciences. Applications for each category are accepted on a rotating basis every three years. This year's Outstanding Paper Award was organized by Deputy Director Der-Hsin Wei of the NSRRC. Distinguished domestic experts and scholars were invited to participate as members of the Selection Committee. Their role was to identify the exceptional research in the field of Natural Sciences that leveraged NSRRC facilities within the preceding eight years. Following a thorough selection process, which involved both internal and external reviews, the award was presented to the team led by Yao-Chang Lee.
In 2017, Academician Chien-Te Chen of the NSRRC was honored with the prestigious Presidential Science Prize. To encourage more scientists to engage in technological research and development, as well as scientific exploration related to synchrotron radiation, Academician Chen generously donated both the trophy and the award money to the NSRRC. His goal was to support and inspire Taiwan's synchrotron radiation facilities, urging them to excel and make significant contributions in the field of science. NSRRC used the donated award money to install roof solar panels and the surplus revenue generated by solar electricity has been used to fund the award.
