Sustainability is an important trend internationally that has been implemented as a key performance index by many government agencies, corporate entities, higher education, and hospitals. Taiwan Sustainability Action Awards (TSAA), one of the award categories of Taiwan Corporate Sustainability Action Awards (TCSA) – the most authoritative awards of this kind in Taiwan, were conferred on October 13. NSYSU’s Aerosol Science Research Center (ASRC): Aerosols, Environment and People – One Planet, One Future won the bronze medal in the environmental sustainability group. NSYSU was not only conferred the Award for the second year in a row but also was the only university to be awarded TSAA this year. The Award corresponds to the UN Sustainable Development Goal no. 13: Climate Action.
Aerosol Science Research Center: Aerosols, Environment and People – One Planet, One Future won the bronze medal in the environmental sustainability group.
Director of ASRC, Professor Chia C. Wang said that aerosols are fine particulate matter suspended in the air. Because they are too tiny to be seen with the naked eye, their existence is often neglected; however, the particulate matter suspended in the air exerts a great impact on the ecosystem, global climate, and even public health, which spreads across borders, ethnicities, countries, and even species. For example, COVID-19 is mainly caused by the inhalation of virus-laden aerosols, which can be considered as an alternative type of air pollution leading to global health crisis. “We hope that by taking actions to reinforce sustainability, we can help everyone learn more about aerosols, protect the quality of the air we breathe and the environment we live in so that all species living on Earth can breathe clean and healthy air.” CEO of Social Engagement Center, Professor Ching-Li Yang pointed out that ASRC integrates scientific research with educational outreach activities, industry collaboration, and public health to substantially contribute to environmental betterment, not only carrying out the social impact locally, but also engaging in establishing international partnership, showing an extraordinary example of how to fulfill a university’s social responsibility.
Aerosol Science Research Center was awarded the Taiwan Sustainability Action Award. Deputy Minister of the National Development Council Chien-Hwa Yu (on the left) hands in the Award to ASRC Director Chia C. Wang (on the right).
ASRC Director Chia C. Wang (on the right) with the jury, the former Minister of Education Wu Ching-ji (on the left)
NSYSU stated that ASRC is a top international research center engaged in aerosol research that has developed many novel aerosol spectroscopic and PM 2.5 monitoring technologies, and implemented academic results into social practice. In terms of connections with the industry, ASRC cooperates with local enterprises, such as China Steel Corporation and Taiwan International Ports Corporation to help improve air pollution in the Kaohsiung metropolitan area by developing emission reduction technologies and air quality monitoring systems. By collaborating with local hospitals, ASRC is making efforts to better understand the regional distribution of PM2.5, their sources and corresponding physico-chemical characteristics to safeguard public health.
A special exhibition on PM 2.5 by ASRC (Image by NSYSU)
In terms of air quality and environmental educational outreach, ASRC has held a series of workshops to train K-12 seed teachers, and transformed advanced academic knowledge in the aerosol science into the language of popular science, curated aerosol-themed exhibitions on aerosols, developed creative teaching materials and educational board games to promote knowledge on air pollution among people of all ages and take care of the environment together. ASRC also actively collaborated with local businesses to promote plastic-free and low-carbon dining and air pollution reduction and launched a “no-trace dining map”, aimed at promoting environmentally-friendly consumption.
Board game created by ASRC – “Protecting Gaia: A Battle for Better Air Quality” (Image by NSYSU)
In terms of international cooperation, ASRC has invited internationally renowned scholars to set up international advisory committee, organized numerous international conferences and webinars, and collaborated with aerosol research teams in many countries, including the United States, Canada, Germany and Israel to make collective efforts to improve global air quality. In May 2020 and August 2021, Director Wang published two papers in the prestigious international journal Science, pointing out that SARS-CoV-2 and most respiratory viruses can be transmitted via airborne transmission pathway and examined the scientific mechanisms of airborne transmission in depth, which has contributed to the recent acknowledgement of airborne transmission of viruses by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the US – a great contribution to safeguarding the public health around the globe.
NSYSU continues to fully exploit its plentiful research capacity to transform the research result into a strong motive in social practice. NSYSU has released its first Sustainability Report this year, which has become an important element of the promotion of academic affairs. In the future, the University will continue to focus on five main axes to drive the development of Southern Taiwan towards a more sustainable future.