Jason Pang

University of Hawaii at Manoa Civil and Environmental Engineering, Class of 2005

Hi my name is Jason Pang. I am a recent graduate of the University of Hawaii in civil engineering. I have known Dr. Chiu for the past two years through my involvement with Chi Epsilon. I have worked closely with him and have gotten to know him personally. Dr. Chiu was a role model and mentor to me. He has given me much invaluable guidance. The students and Chi Epsilon members can testify to the contributions he has made in their lives.

I traveled with Dr. Chiu to the past two Chi Epsilon Pacific District Conferences. At the last conference in San Jose, we had an icebreaker where everyone needed to name an animal that best represented them and explain why. We went around the room each saying our animal. Dr. Chiu stands up and says “I’m most like a dinosaur because amongst all of you I am old and ancient.”

To me Dr. Chiu was far from that. His youth bubble was always bursting with excitement about life. He was an active and hardworking man who put others first. He was always there for us and the Chi Epsilon chapter, taking an interest in our live. Conversation with him was always enjoyable and his “two cents,” as he called it, was always very valuable. He was there at almost every meeting to offer his advice and guidance. Known as the “grandfather” of Chi Epsilon, he dedicated his life to the society and it was his way to continue to educate young engineers. It was a tradition for him to interview each pledge and he made a point to know all the members personally.

Many of us would describe him as a “super cool guy” and our relationships with him often stretched beyond the professional realm. Each semester he opened his house to us for a potluck dinner and casino night on his patio. We had games and icebreakers and a lot of good food. Not only did he give us professional guidance, but he also gave us great advice to be successful at the craps table. Traveling to conference with him was a privilege as we were treated like VIPs. With his frequent flier membership, he got our group priority check in and we enjoyed food and drinks in the airline lounge. These are a couple of the fun memories we’ve had with Dr. Chiu.

I was not fortunate to have Dr. Chiu as a professor, but through our interactions he has had a tremendous impact in my life. His door was always open. If I needed to ask him advice about chapter business, graduate school, jobs, or just to talk story about his most recent cruise vacation, he was always there. For us young engineers, Dr. Chiu’s legacy will live on in the traditions of Chi Epsilon. His wisdom and all he stood for will certainly guide us towards greater endeavors as engineers. His life stands as a role model for us to be involved and to contribute meaningfully to the profession and society...just as he did. Thank you Dr. Chiu for all that you have done for us. You will not be forgotten.