A team of researchers headed up by Dr. Chang-Hsien Tai, the president of National Pingtung University of Science and Technology (NPUST), is working on a “compressed-air energy storage electric generator” which is catching considerable attention. To handle the various technical challenges, including energy conversion, thermal energy storage, and micro-grid design, Professor Uzu-Kuei Hsu from the College of Professional Studies, Professor Yao-Nan Wang and Professor Chin-Lung Chang from the Department of Vehicle Engineering, and Professor Ming-sen Hu from the Air Force Institute of Technology were called on to serve as integral members of the team. Their invention was presented at the 2021 Da Vinci Invention Exhibition (USA) earlier in the year, where it won the gold medal prize. The innovative technology was also shortlisted for the upcoming Ministry of Science and Technology “Future Tech Awards”, which will be held at the Taipei World Trade Center from October 14th to 23rd.

This year the annual GreenMetric workshop (8/23-26) was hosted online by Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM). Dr. Riri chaired the event which was organized according to the theme of “Universities, UI GreenMetric and SDGs in the Time of Pandemic”. The theme was designed to bring together various elements of the COVID pandemic and the United Nations Sustainability Goals, and give participants an opportunity to share on related experiences according to the six subcategories of “campus infrastructure”, “energy” “water resources management”, “waste materials management”, “transportation” and “education”.

A sweet convention took place on Sept. 9th, when NPUST and the Forestry Bureau invited bee experts and operators of under-forest community farms from across Taiwan to share information related to under-forest beekeeping and honey production. Some of those present included Shiyang Chang, Consultant of the Taiwan Beekeeping Association; Chih-Tsung Wang, Director of Fengshen Organic Bee Farm; Yu-Wen Chen, distinguished professor of Yilan University; and Ben-Han Chen, researcher at the Miaoli Agricultural Research and Extension Station.

During the summer vacation (8/4), the NPUST Smart Media Research Center held teacher training for teachers at Linghe Elementary School in Tainan. With focus given to “computational thinking” the team put together the “Robot Maker Classroom” to train the teachers from the rural the elementary school how incorporate robots into their teaching plans and implement “maker education”.

Abbot Yong Yan and a number of other representatives of Fo Guang Shan visited the campus on August 11th to present the school with a“Smart Epidemic Prevention Gate”, a generous donation given inconsideration of student health. The delegation, also included Lecture Hall Supervisor Shizai Hsu, Supervisor Suli Jiang, and Lecturer Hsiangtan Zhuang Yue, each of whom wishes health and safety to the students and faculty in the upcoming semester.

National Pingtung University of Science and Technology (NPUST) has added a new element to its efforts in sustainable development research: On August 4th and 5th, the university’s College of Agriculture and the Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) linked up with Japan for the “Taiwan-Japan Online Seminar for Smart and Circular Agriculture”. The seminar was opened with a speech made by Mr. Huang Hsin-Chien, the executive director of the central branch of the ITRI. Following this, NPUST President Chang-Hsien Tai, welcomed all the distinguished guests from industry, government and academia and thanked them for their contributions to sustainable development. The Pingtung County magistrate, Mr. Pan Men-An, and the Director of the Economic Section of the Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association, Mr. Nobuyuki Shikasho, were also invited to speak. Hopes are that through the cooperation of industrial, academic, and research organizations in Taiwan and Japan, new applications of Smart technology will be used to help achieve Circular and zero-carbon production. The seminar attracted over 300 online participants.