11.Sustainable Cities and Communities

As a result of globalization, information, tourism, and transportation are no longer limited by borders; however, people are still subject to language barriers. VM-FI, Inc., a startup tutored by NCNU, developed a translation system that integrates artificial intelligence (AI) and the 5G high-speed communication technology. VM-Fi has been recognized by the world's most technologically influential "CES 2022 Smart City Innovation Award." VM-Fi uses smart city 5G and AI to provide high-speed, real-time voice interpretation services. With VM-Fi, a speech given by one person on stage can be translated into a different language simultaneously for one hundred audience members, which removes language barriers instantly and achieves the goal of a smart city lifestyle.

Ambassador Eugene Chien (簡又新), Chairman of the Taiwan Institute for Sustainable Energy (TAISE) said that in the future, industries related to energy transition, such as electric vehicles, green energy (wind and solar), and zero-carbon buildings, will be new areas of knowledge with employment possibilities. He reminded NCNU students that in addition to developing independent thinking abilities, it is also necessary to establish a global perspective to consider the impact of climate change legislation on transportation, energy, agriculture, branding, international trade, fund investments, environmental litigation, carbon tax, and carbon fees after the current global climate change legislation is enacted.

Tsai Chih-ying (蔡姿瑩), a graduate researcher with National Chi Nan University's (NCNU) Department of Computer Science and Information Engineering, has created a tailored solution for banishing housing woes from the university community. For streamlining the data and user experience and creating suitable balances to check this recommendation-based system, the student developer received a research accolade from the Ministry of Science and Technology.

A lively green movement stirs in the serene and mountainous Taiwanese township of Puli. Since 2018, many busy shoppers at the Puli's Fresh Market 3 are politely rejecting vendors' offer of plastic bags, opting instead to use their own reusable carriers. Each plastic-free purchase comes with a point for their eco-card, which can then be redeemed for a variety of environmentally friendly items. The community-organized Puli PM2.5 Reduction Association (PPRA, 埔里PM2.5空汙減量自救會) has been tracking the worsening air quality and consumer reliance on plastic bags that stem from practices at the Puli's Fresh Market 3 since 2014. To address these behavior-driven pollution, the association partnered with National Chi Nan University's Shui Sha Lian Research Center for Humanities Innovation and Social Practice to transform the market into a pedestrian-friendly area with a low carbon footprint.

To address eco-protection, smart farming, agricultural recreation, tourism, long-term care services, social welfare, and rural education, NCNU has been the catalyst to forming transdisciplinary teams that urge academics to take on social responsibilities in regional development.

The NCNU Library is delighted to host a special exhibition on one of the iconic masters of a local specialty craft — Nantou's wood-fired pottery (南投燒). Ceramic Arts Association of Nantou (南投縣陶藝學會) Chair Wuu Chia-zhi (巫嘉智) is celebrating his 40th year as an artist by showcasing 40 of his large-scale, hand-sculpted art pieces on campus through June 6. President Dr. Dong-Sing Wuu (武東星) says that the artist's embracement of sustainability in both his art and on the environmental front stands testament to his creative drive and love for Taiwan.

Heeding the Executive Yuan's call for community empowerment and regional revitalization, National Chi Nan University (NCNU) is working with local alliances and grassroots groups in Nantou County's Ren'ai Township to transform the mountainous heart of Taiwan into a world-class stargazing destination. Taiwan is uniquely positioned on Earth, with latitudinal and longitudinal advantages that allow stargazers here to behold 82 out of the 88 constellations officially recognized by the International Astronomical Union (IAU). As such conditions are rarely met elsewhere, star-chasers from neighboring Singapore, Malaysia, and Hong Kong all fly to Taiwan.