As the interview team walked into the NTU Office of International Affairs (OIA), we were immediately struck by the chic and vibrant design of the office, where Vice President Yuan welcomes international visitors from all over the world. In this issue, we are honored to invite NTU’s Vice President for International Affairs, Professor Hsiao-Wei Yuan of the School of Forestry and Resource Conservation, to share her academic career and experience promoting international affairs at NTU.
A Zoology Major who aspired to Become a Zoo Director
Professor Yuan majored in the Department of Zoology (which has since merged with the Department of Botany and been renamed the Department of Life Science) when she studied at NTU. She chose this department because of her deep interest in biology back in high school. At first, not knowing much about the Department of Zoology, she thought could become the director of a zoo in the future. As she took courses in basic biology and biotechnology, she gained knowledge and skills in those areas. Among these courses, the animal anatomy lab left her with the deepest impression because students had to dissect living animals. Looking back now, she feels that the procedure was, in fact, somewhat brutal and inconsistent with animal rights guidelines.
When it came to thinking about her future career, Professor Yuan felt quite lost during her university years. In her junior year, she saw many classmates find an area of research which they enjoyed and excelled in. But while Professor Yuan joined both the cell culture lab and the fish illustration lab, she found neither of these topics inspired an enthusiasm for academic research. Fortunately, in her senior year Professor Yuan joined the Ecology lab led by Professor Yao-Sung Lin, where she developed a passion for wildlife studies and keen curiosity about animal behavior. Following her newfound passion, Professor Yuan decided to apply for graduate programs and earned the MOE Study Abroad Scholarship for to pursue a PhD in wildlife-related natural resources at Cornell University in the United States.
Realizing the importance of Field Education during Her PhD studies Abroad
"Back then, we had few opportunities to go out on field research as zoology majors; most of the studies took place inside the classroom," Professor Yuan explained. In an era when information was not yet widely accessible via the Internet, only a few illustrated books recorded Taiwan's flora and fauna, making it difficult for Taiwanese students to learn about, let alone recognize, the animals and plants in their surroundings. However, when Professor Yuan was studying abroad she found that her peers were much more familiar with the birds, animals, flowers, and trees in the environment and could name them without much difficulty. This realization is what inspired her to serve as the advisor of NTU Student Conserve Club, ever since her return to Taiwan. She hopes students can find a love of nature through freely exploring the outdoors.
Professor Yuan also noticed that elementary school students in Taiwan always go the amusement park on field trips and spend most of their time in an urban environment. "When I was a child," Professor Yuan said, "we would always visit nature on a field trip." In response, she recommended a book called Last Child in the Woods because she believes it is extremely important for children connect with nature at an early age.
After she returned to Taiwan and began teaching, Professor Yuan wanted to pass on her enthusiasm for wildlife to students at NTU. So, she started offering a general education course in English, "Exploring Taiwan: Natural Environment and Resources," every year. This course gives both local and international NTU students the chance to learn more about Taiwan’s ecological environment.
Professor Yuan focuses her own research on bird and wildlife populations. Together with her graduate students, she has accumulated a wealth of ecological information about places around Taiwan, including Taipei City and the offshore islands of Kinmen and Matsu. As a professor at the School of Forestry and Resource Conservation, Professor Yuan believes that the outdoor courses they offer are a distinctive feature of the school, allowing students to explore real-life environments and learn through hands-on experiences.
Based on her observation of changes in the student body over the years, Professor Yuan pointed out that the School of Forestry and Resource Conservation is no longer cultivating talents only in the forestry field. Now the students are pursuing diverse careers upon graduation, and she is more than happy to witness such changes. "We actually hope that a forest grows in each student's heart," Professor Yuan added.
With the foundation they gain at NTU, graduates of the School of Forestry and Resource Conservation can apply their skills to fields such as design, marketing, or architecture. In addition to her expertise in wildlife, Professor Yuan has also studied forest therapy, environmental education, and eco-tourism to integrate her professional expertise with other fields.
Dedicating Her Second Term as Vice President for International Affairs to Expanding NTU’s International Vision
As someone who likes tackling new challenges, Professor Yuan has served two terms as Vice President for International Affairs in 2011 and 2020, respectively. In her first term the trend of internationalization was just beginning, so Professor Yuan strove to create an international environment that gave local students the courage to travel abroad and made international students think of NTU as the top study abroad destination. At that time the OIA team had just over 20 employees. Now, that number has more than doubled, growing to over 50 dedicated members.
With passion and hard work, Professor Yuan and the OIA staff have managed many successful projects, including the Southeast Asia High School Alliance, NTU International Collaboration Seed Funding, the NTU International Mentorship Program, and the NTU Overseas Internship Program. Professor Yuan believes that as more students go abroad, the international experiences they bring back will stimulate more possibilities in classroom and research settings, creating a more diverse learning environment.
For her, the best part of being the Vice President for International Affairs is the constant exposure to an innovative and diverse learning environment. The OIA team often visits universities around the world, learning from foreign experiences and implementing them at NTU if applicable. Professor Yuan shared an example that impressed her during a visit to New York City. The local government was preparing to redevelop Roosevelt Island, which was formerly known for its garage disposal. They cooperated with Cornell University and private enterprises to accomplish this. For projects like this, Cornell provides teaching resources and students apply creativity and entrepreneurship to solve the problem. During this process, patented technologies can be developed and transferred to private companies, bridging academic research and practical applications. Through this practice, Cornell Tech has become one of the most well-known hubs for innovation. Similar projects are underway at NTU.
This past summer, OIA launched the NTU Overseas Internship Program, which offers subsidies for students pursue internships at international NPOs, research institutes, and private companies. One group of students went to Kew Gardens in London for a 12-week internship, where they were not only immersed in British culture, but also gained a deeper understanding of plant-related research.
In addition to developing more opportunities for students to go abroad, OIA has also proactively invited international organizations to come to NTU and exchange ideas in recent years. At the end of 2022, OIA invited L'Oréal Taiwan for a discussion on biodiversity and sustainable development. This year, they organized the NTU-ECCT (European Chamber of Commerce Taiwan) panel "Women in ESG Leadership: Shattering the Ceiling with Impact,” inviting an all-women panel of executives in ESG-related fields to share their experiences.
Professor Yuan believes that through events like these NTU can increase its international presence and apply the learning and research conducted at the university to practical situations. No matter what, OIA will continuously strive to create an international environment on campus. They hope more and more students will take advantage of these resources, together fostering a learning environment without borders.