Arieh Warshel first Nobel Prize winner to obtain Taiwan Gold Card

Taipei, Sept. 4 (CNA) Nobel chemistry laureate Arieh Warshel has become the first Nobel Prize winner to receive Taiwan's Employment Gold Card, the National Development Council (NDC) said Friday.

According to a statement, NDC chief Yeh Chun-hsien (葉俊顯) presented the card to Warshel, who received the 2013 Nobel Prize in Chemistry with Martin Karplus and Michael Levitt for their development of multiscale models for complex chemical systems.

Warshel, who holds dual citizenship in the United States and Israel, is currently a distinguished professor at the University of Southern California and a member of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences.

He was invited this year by Chen Kuan-neng (陳冠能), dean of the International College of Semiconductor Technology at National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, to serve as an honorary chair professor, the NDC said.

According to the NDC, Warshel is expected to work with Taiwanese researchers on talent development and research in semiconductors and other key technologies.

Launched by the NDC in 2018, the Employment Gold Card program aims to attract skilled professionals in 12 fields, including digital technology, finance, arts and culture, law, and science and technology.

The card combines a work permit, resident visa, Alien Resident Certificate and re-entry permit, allowing holders to seek employment freely. It also grants work rights to spouses, access to national health insurance for dependents, and tax incentives.