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On July 24, Academia Sinica President Chien-Jen Chen welcomed a delegation from National Ilan University (NIU), led by former Legislative Yuan President You Si-Kun, who serves as University Advisor, and NIU President Wei-Jung Chen. Participants exchanged views on marine science, artificial intelligence (AI), autonomous vehicles, bioenergy, and talent cultivation. President Chen noted that Yilan is endowed with abundant marine, ecological, agricultural, and industrial resources, while NIU has established a strong reputation in regional revitalization and collaboration between academia and industry. He expressed hope that the two institutions would expand interdisciplinary research and joint talent cultivation to advance innovative research with distinctive regional strengths.

The meeting began with discussions on marine research and talent cultivation. Academia Sinica’s Marine Research Station offers advanced facilities for seawater intake system, aquatic biotechnology, and marine ecology research, while NIU has built extensive expertise in biological resource conservation and field-based education and research. The two sides discussed jointly planning research initiatives, co-supervising students, and exploring the feasibility of establishing joint master’s and doctoral programs, as well as international graduate programs, in marine science.

In the area of AI and autonomous vehicles, NIU is already collaborating with Academia Sinica’s Institute of Information Science, led by Director Hong-Yuan Mark Liao, to develop agricultural drone applications using YOLO real-time object detection technology. During the meeting, both sides discussed leveraging the expertise of the Institute of Information Science and the Research Center for Information Technology Innovation in image recognition, data analytics, and cybersecurity to promote broad applications of autonomous vehicles in agriculture, forestry, disaster prevention, and aquaculture.

The discussion also covered sustainable technologies. Earlier in July, Academia Sinica’s Institute of Biological Chemistry, Biodiversity Research Center, the College of Bioresources at NIU, and the Institute of Biology of the Mongolian Academy of Sciences signed a memorandum of understanding establishing a long-term collaboration on bioenergy research and production. Building on this partnership, both sides exchanged views on agricultural waste reuse, localized bioenergy production, and circular economy initiatives. With Yilan’s abundant agricultural by-products—including distillers’ grains, residues from specialty crops, and livestock waste—the participants discussed opportunities to apply Academia Sinica’s research through NIU’s field-based facilities, such as converting agricultural waste into biomethane and other renewable energy sources.

President Wei-Jung Chen stated that NIU has developed strong capabilities in agricultural and forestry biological resources, engineering, information technology, and industry collaboration, supported by a number of distinctive teaching and research sites. He expressed his expectation that NIU and Academia Sinica would establish a long-term partnership that combines their complementary strengths and advances cutting-edge research.

Former Legislative Yuan President You Si-Kun, who serves as University Advisor to NIU and has long supported higher education and regional development in Yilan, noted that the county possesses a strong foundation for scientific research and industrial development, including the National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University Hospital, the Yilan Science Park, and the autonomous vessel testing site at Su’ao Port. He also encouraged Academia Sinica to consider establishing a research base or campus in Yilan.

Academia Sinica participants included President Chien-Jen Chen, Vice Presidents Shin-Kun Peng and Yi-Fang Tsay, Distinguished Research Fellow Yu-Ju Chen of the Institute of Chemistry, Director Chi-Hon Lee of the Institute of Cellular and Organismic Biology, and Tzu-Ching Meng, Director of the Department of International Affairs. The NIU delegation included President Wei-Jung Chen, Dean of Academic Affairs Whai-En Chen, Vice President for Research and Development Kuo-Feng Hua, and Vice President for General Affairs Yi-Ta Wang. Also attending was Jen-Leih Wu, Distinguished Visiting Fellow at Academia Sinica’s Institute of Cellular and Organismic Biology and Honorary Chair Professor at NIU.