Dr. Fu Shiang Chia, Professor Emeritus since 1993, passed away in hospital on Salt Spring Island on August 22nd, 2011.
Dr. Chia was a dynamic and energetic academic and scholar who's career research focus was on marine invertebrates and their developmental biology. He was appointed to the Department of Zoology in 1969 and eventually served as Chair of Zoology from 1978-1983. He went on to become Dean of the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research from 1983-1992 (FGSR named a doctoral scholarship, "FS Chia Doctoral Scholarship" in his honour), and was a key founding member and planner of what became the Bamfield Marine Station, eventually becoming President of the management unit of the Station.
Later on in his emeritus career he was actively involved in translating classic ancient Chinese poetry from the Shi Jing and presenting these works publicly here on campus. From U of A Press:
"Dr. Chia has previously edited numerous volumes on scientific topics. As a philosopher and poet he has previously published six books of prose and poetry in Chinese. His seventh book, the first trilingual translation of "Airs of the States" from the Shi Jing, is the product of five years' labour. These translations from Classical to Modern Chinese and English are also the first new, complete English version to appear in well over half a century. The "Airs of the Sates" gathers the most ancient lyric poems in human history, and stands as the headwaters of all known literary culture. Parts of the book date back at least 3,000 years."
(August 22, 2011)