News--Welcome to National Chiayi University

　　As the Covid-19 pandemic continues to spread around the globe, and has severely impacted Taiwan this year, it has changed the way we used to live our lives. However, it does not affect the enthusiasm of the teachers of National Chiayi University to guide students to participate in research projects. This year, there were a total of 201 applications from NCYU for the College Student Participation in Research Projects of the Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST). Among them, 61 applications were approved, compared with 41 in 2020, which shows an increase of 20. Singled out from more than 3,000 applications, 200 students have been awarded with grants of the College Student Participation in Research Projects by MOST each year. In 2019 and 2020, 5 NCYU students won the College Student Research Creativity Award, including Mai Shu-Chi and Lu Yi-Zhen from the Department of Education, Li Jia-Yu from the Department of Physical Education, Health and Recreation, Cai Tang-Hui from the Department of Foreign Languages, and Cai Yi-Lian from the Department of Landscape Architecture. These were hard-earned successes indeed.

　　NCYU is the only national comprehensive university with the longest history and the largest scale in Chiayi City. The teachers are dedicated to teaching and professional research, and spare no effort to guide undergraduate students to apply for research projects. Despite restrictions or inconveniences caused by the pandemic, their enthusiasm for research is unabated. The teachers and students have been carrying out research work and discussions via telephone or online communication. This year, a total of 61 applications from NCYU were approved for the MOST College Student Participation in Research Projects. Grants were given to 10 students from the Department of Computer Sciences and Information Engineering, 6 from the Department of Food Science, and 5 from the Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Biopharmaceuticals. Their research covers a wide spectrum of domains, including smart beehives enhanced with edge computing, attack data sets construction and defense mode using virtual platforms and physical IoT devices, deep learning in automated tongue diagnosis and cutting applications, strengthening milkfish scale collagen using transglutaminase, analysis of functional components of soybean tempeh co-fermented by gamma-mutated Rhizopus and lactic acid bacteria, etc.

　　NCYU President Chyung Ay indicated that a teacher is one who could propagate the doctrine, impart professional knowledge, and resolve doubts. He expressed thankfulness to NCYU teachers who have been assisting undergraduate students in applying for professional research projects. During the 8 months of research, they have been offering selfless guidance to the students, who have learned from practice, and developed independent thinking as a researcher and problem-solving skills. He hoped to increase the visibility of the academic community of NCYU teachers and students through enhancement of research capacity.