Alumni Profile: Dr Bill Chang

Degree: Arts/Engineering (Honours) 1999, PhD (Engineering) 2005 Current Position: Assistant Research Specialist and Manager of Bioinformatics Core Facility, Institute of Plant and Microbial Biology, Academia Sinica, Taiwan Dr Bill Chang's time as an undergraduate and postgraduate student at the University of Melbourne enabled him to pursue a very diverse range of academic and social interests. Having completed his PhD in the field of bioinformatics, he now works as a researcher at Taiwan's prestigious Academia Sinica.

My full name is Bill Chia-Han Chang and I work as a bioinformatics research specialist in the Institute of Plant and Microbial Biology at Academia Sinica in Taiwan. The bioinformatics core facility was established in 2007, and together with my assistants, I provide bioinformatics consultation and programming assistance to the entire institute. We also conduct advanced research in collaboration with highly respected researchers in the plant science and genomics field. The job is challenging as well as interesting since we are always facing new biological problems.

I graduated from the University of Melbourne in 2005 with Bachelor’s degrees in Arts and Engineering and a PhD in the field of computational biology. The Engineering course gave me not only the fundamental engineering theories, but it also provided me with essential time management and problem solving skills. The Arts degree, on the other hand, enriched and broadened my knowledge in areas like psychology, philosophy, language, religion and architectural history. And without a doubt, the PhD training I received from Associate Professor Saman Halgamuge at the Engineering faculty gave me a leading edge in the highly competitive research field.

Outside of studies, the University also provided me with a lot of relaxing and fun activities. During my stay, I joined the Taiwanese Students’ Association, the Chinese Theatre Group, the Table Tennis Club and the Squash Club, as well as swimming and playing social badminton and basketball at the Sports Centre. 

Overall, the University of Melbourne has given me an invaluable experience and it truly provides a well rounded study environment that is essential for any fresh graduate entering society.