緬懷李哲夫教授/ Farewell, Tony

“哲人科研嘔心瀝血　夫子傳道春風化雨”王本榮校長以這二句話來形容李哲夫教授，雖然很希望能和大家一起繼續努力，但事與願違平易近人的李教授仍要先和我們道別了。
Devoting to research tirelessly, and guiding students wholeheartedly

李哲夫教授生於1942年，是位土生土長，熱愛台灣的花蓮人，自幼勤奮向上，進入台北醫學院就讀藥學系，再前往美國西維吉尼亞大學醫學院攻讀藥理博士。博士畢業後，如願申請到美國加州大學洛杉磯分校醫學院接受博士後研究員兩年訓練，之後便受南伊利諾大學醫學院藥理學科之聘，一路從助理教授開始，直到成為終身教授，於2002年以該校榮譽教授退休前的學術生涯，皆奉獻於南伊利諾大學醫學院。

李教授在參與慈濟辦理的一次學術研討會後，看到上人靜思語「知福、惜福、再造福」，有感身為花蓮人，雖離鄉背井至海外打拼多年，但永遠心繫故鄉，希望能在學術頂峰的黃金時期延續學術活力，再為花蓮及台灣學術界造福，同時心懷感恩，發願以提攜後進，教育英才為使命，因此李教授自美國退休後，便無縫接軌立即投入慈濟大學的教研行列，將其發光發熱的熱忱，影響慈濟大學的研究後進，並積極提升慈濟大學研究能量。

李教授在慈濟大學的2002年到2013年之間，一直擔任生命科學院的大家長，以生命科學院院長的身份提攜後進，給予生醫領域的年輕學者無私的教學與研究的指導，也無時無刻肩負著救援與應變的責任，而2006年代理神經科學研究所所長，以及2010年到2011年兼任生命科學系系主任。在學術的奉獻上，李教授曾擔任過日本藥理學期刊的北美區域主編，由於貢獻卓越，區域主編退任後日本藥理學期刊頒與李教授終身榮譽主編至今。同時李教授回到台灣任教以來，深受台灣學術界的愛戴，因此每每學會選舉理監事之際，皆以高票當選而擔任學會理監事，以貢獻其經驗。因此除了常任中華民國基礎神經科學學會理監事，並在2007年到2009年被推舉成為中華民國基礎神經科學學會理事長之外，從2004年起也一直擔任台灣藥理學會監事至今，無論在心血管相關科學、神經科學、或者藥理學的學術服務領域上，李教授都無私奉獻與指導。

台灣及國外的教授先進這陣子都一齊為李教授祈禱與祝福，感恩大家。
感恩您與祝福您，我們永遠的李院長，李教授，Tony。

文：慈濟大學醫學系生理學科教授／學務長 謝坤叡

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Professor Tony Jer-Fu Lee was born in 1942, and grew up in Hualien. After completing his undergraduate program in, Taipei Medical University, Department of Pharmacy, he pursued his advanced studies at West Virginia University, USA. Professor Lee went for two-year postdoctoral training at UCLA, and later joined Southern Illinois University, College of Medicine, Department of Pharmacology, as an Assistant Professor. Professor Lee served at Southern Illinois University until his retirement in 2002, as an Honorary Professor.

Professor Lee took part in a conference sponsored by Tzu Chi, and encountered Dharma Master Cheng Yen’s teaching that “We should be grateful for what we have, cherish it, and make best use of it to serve others.” Back then, he lived far away from his hometown of Hualien and missed his hometown. He thought about doing something for Taiwan and Hualien, to invigorate research capability and nurture students and faculty members, while he was still at his peak. In 2002, he decided to come back to Hualien, joined Tzu Chi University’s faculty, and devoted himself to teaching and research, with great enthusiasm. His great efforts have nurtured many researchers, and greatly expanded research capabilities.

From 2002 to 2013, Professor Lee served as Dean of the College of Life Sciences. He did his best to assist and encourage students, and guided younger faculty members in the biomedical field, both in teaching and research. Professor Lee was also willing to assist anyone, whenever he was asked. In addition to administering the College of Life Sciences, he served as Director of the Institute of Neuroscience in 2006, and from 2010 to 2011, he chaired the Department of Life Sciences.

Professor Lee was chief editor of the Japanese Journal of Pharmacology for the North American Region, and after retiring from that position, he was named Honorary Chief Editor by the Japanese Pharmacological Society for his outstanding contributions. Professor Lee was loved and highly respected in Taiwan, and he was elected to serve in numerous professional organizations. He served as a board member in the Neuroscience Society of Taiwan, and was elected that society’s president from 2007 to 2009. Moreover, Professor Lee has been a board member of Pharmacological Society in Taiwan. Professor Lee always gave of himself unselfishly in guiding others, in the fields of cardiovascular science, neuroscience, and pharmacology.

Professor Lee, we are deeply saddened by your passing. We are grateful to you, and wish you the best!

You will be our Dean forever. Farewell, Professor Lee!

Text: Kun-Ruey Shieh, Professor of Physiology, and Dean of the Office of Student Affairs
English version: Steve Lin 林學仁