Outstanding Young Scholar Spotlight: Associate Professor Jian-Jhih Kuo

　　As information technology continues to evolve rapidly, the new generation of scholars is taking on the challenge of exploring emerging research frontiers and shaping the future of the field. Associate Professor Jian-Jhih Kuo from the Department of Computer Science and Information Engineering at National Chung Cheng University has shown strong dedication and focus in his work. He has produced outstanding results in quantum networks, distributed machine learning, path planning, and traffic engineering. In recent years, he was honored with the prestigious Ta-You Wu Memorial Award, marking him as a rising figure in the computer science community.

Academic Journey: From CCU to NTHU, and Back Again to Grow Roots

　　After earning his bachelor’s degree in computer science from National Chung Cheng University, Associate Professor Jian-Jhih Kuo developed a strong interest in research. He recalls that during his undergraduate years, the excellent faculty not only helped him build a solid theoretical foundation, but also sparked his curiosity and strengthened his ability to solve problems. This period marked both his academic awakening and the beginning of his research journey.

　　He then pursued a Ph.D. at National Tsing Hua University under the guidance of Professor Ming-Jer Tsai. That stage of training was both challenging and deeply inspiring. Professor Tsai valued research freedom and encouraged students to take on forward-looking networking topics, while also pushing them to read difficult papers. More importantly, he constantly reminded his students to ask the right questions and to understand the mindset and reasoning behind each author’s research design. Under this kind of mentorship, Professor Kuo gradually developed his independence as a researcher and began thinking about technology and research value from a broader perspective.

　　After completing his doctorate, he joined the Institute of Information Science at Academia Sinica as a postdoctoral researcher, working with Professors Wen-Tsuen Chen and De-Nian Yang on software-defined networking. This experience exposed him to the high academic standards and dedication of senior scholars. Despite being close to 70 years old at the time, Professor Chen actively participated in every research discussion and never compromised on quality, leaving a lasting impression on Professor Kuo’s academic mindset. Professor Yang, on the other hand, often emphasized that “working hard is a given, but only real results count.” This helped shape Professor Kuo’s early-career perspective that academic work requires not only passion and persistence, but also concrete, visible outcomes.

　　With support from senior colleagues, including Professor Ren-Hung Hwang who hosted his job talk and helped facilitate his return, Professor Kuo eventually launched his academic career at his alma mater, National Chung Cheng University. Having started his academic path at National Chung Cheng University, returning to serve his alma mater carries special meaning and reinforces his dedication to teaching and research.

Academic Honor: Ta-You Wu Memorial Award

　　In 2025, Associate Professor Jian-Jhih Kuo was honored with the Ta-You Wu Memorial Award. To him, this national-level recognition is not only an affirmation but also a meaningful reminder. With humility, he emphasizes that this achievement does not belong to him alone, but to the many people who have supported him along the way, including his mentors, research collaborators, students, and family. Being able to continuously pursue both teaching and research, accumulate meaningful results, and ultimately receive such a prestigious award, has been an extraordinary journey.

　　For Professor Kuo, the true value of this recognition lies not only in affirming his past efforts, but also in inspiring future progress. He hopes the award will encourage more young scholars to stay true to their passion, embrace challenges with courage, and learn to give back and share as they strive for breakthroughs. He especially emphasizes, “Research is not only a personal achievement, but also a legacy to be passed on.” With this belief, upon returning to his alma mater, he has committed himself to guiding students in research projects, helping them develop skills in independent thinking, academic writing, and interdisciplinary collaboration.

Research Achievements: Bridging Theory and Application

　　Associate Professor Jian-Jhih Kuo's research focuses on three main areas, all centered around problem modeling and algorithm design, with a strong emphasis on connecting theoretical analysis with practical implementation:

1. Resource Allocation and Routing Optimization in Quantum Networks. As one of the first scholars in Taiwan to explore this emerging field, Professor Kuo's team addresses key challenges such as quantum memory limitations, fidelity degradation, entanglement swapping, and purification. They have developed approximation algorithms with theoretical guarantees and adaptive decision-making frameworks that lay the groundwork for future quantum communications.
2. Distributed Machine Learning and Security Defense. His work tackles critical issues including non-IID data distributions, malicious attacks, and model splitting. He has proposed low-overhead defense mechanisms, clustering strategies, and flexible deployment techniques to improve both the efficiency and robustness of learning systems.
3. Traffic Engineering and Path Planning Optimization. This includes multicast routing in software-defined networks, content caching and energy-aware scheduling in edge computing, as well as application-driven problems such as UAV data collection, battery swapping logistics for electric vehicles, and emergency communication support. By combining optimization theory with real-world needs, Professor Kuo has designed algorithms with provable guarantees or learning flexibility, validated through real-data simulations. These solutions strike a balance between theoretical rigor and practical relevance.

　　Since 2020, he has led several NSTC-funded projects and collaborated closely with leading research teams in Taiwan and abroad. His work has been published in over 40 papers across top-tier international conferences such as IEEE INFOCOM, GLOBECOM, and ICC, as well as prestigious journals including IEEE TMC, TSC, TVT, and COMST, receiving increasing recognition from the academic community.

Educational Mission: Inspiring Students and Nurturing Future Talent

　　As an early-career faculty member, Associate Professor Jian-Jhih Kuo deeply values the role and responsibility of education. He believes that the legacy of academic research lies not only in accumulated results but also in inspiring the next generation. He actively encourages undergraduate students to engage in research early on, guiding them through hands-on experience to learn how to raise meaningful questions, design methods, write papers, and deliver presentations. Through this process, students not only enhance their academic abilities but also develop the critical thinking and independent research skills that define their competitive edge.

　　He often says that the greatest sense of accomplishment for a teacher comes from seeing students shine on their academic or professional paths. He also expresses his gratitude to Professor Chih-Yu Wang for his early insights and advice, which helped shape his approach to mentoring undergraduates and building their problem-solving capabilities. Looking ahead, he hopes to cultivate more students with a global perspective, so that Taiwan’s research capacity can continue to grow and gain visibility on the international stage.

Looking Ahead: Research Vision and Global Collaboration

　　Looking forward, Associate Professor Jian-Jhih Kuo plans to continue advancing two core research directions. The first is quantum networking, with a focus on multiparty entangled states, integration of heterogeneous quantum platforms, and hybrid quantum network architectures that combine fiber, free-space optics, and satellite communications. The second involves traffic engineering and path optimization in classical networks, with practical applications in smart city infrastructure such as drones, electric vehicles, and next-generation communication technologies, bridging theoretical research with real-world implementation.

　　At the same time, he emphasizes the importance of international and inter-institutional collaboration. He is actively expanding his global research network to foster more cross-disciplinary exchanges and contribute to Taiwan’s continued growth in emerging technologies.

　　Associate Professor Jian-Jhih Kuo’s academic journey is one shaped by passion, perseverance, and a willingness to take on challenges. As a young scholar, he continues to push the boundaries of research, while as an educator, he shares his dedication to academic growth and responsibility with the next generation. His work not only marks him as a rising figure in Taiwan’s computer science community but also as a promising leader for the future.