At NPUST, Dr. Chao-Lin Tuan wears the hat of both Vice President of Administration and Professor of Agribusiness Management, and he is well regarded for his academic contributions. Recently, some additional light was shed on his work when he was nominated for review by the Taiwan Agricultural Society as a candidate for the “Commendation for Agricultural Academics”. This honorable recognition was ultimately awarded to him at the 2020 Convention of the Federation of Agricultural Associations Union, held on December 11th.
His work spans decades. In the 1980s, when the mechanization of Taiwan’s agricultural first got rolling, Professor Tuan began investing time in research on the operations and management of rice seedling centers. In the 1990s, large-scale agriculture took off, and he turned his focus to agricultural production and marketing team management. Meanwhile, with wealthier agriculture communities beginning to develop, he also participated in research that was orientated towards planning for rural areas. In the 2000s, leisure agriculture emerged in Taiwan—a new area of study to which Professor Tuan would turn his attention. During this period, he also spent time working on cross-strait research and exchange. His academic pursuits have kept pace with the times; always in step with the different phases of Taiwan’s agricultural development. As a result, his fruitful research has contributed much to the field, and has served as reference for government policies and business operations, alike.
When it comes to University Social Responsibility, Professor Tuan has also made a mark. In the three years that followed the Morakot Typhoon disaster of 2009, the academic devoted himself to work that focused on the rebuilding of indigenous communities in Pingtung County’s Taiwu, Laiyi, and Mudan townships. More recently, with the emergence of the corona virus, Professor Tuan took the lead in investigating the impact that responses were having on the operations of leisure farms, and provided suggestions on how to maintain sustainable operations.
Professor Tuan has over 260 journal and seminar publications, and has directed 114 research projects. He has also published three academic books on the topic of leisure farming.
Over the years, a number of associations have called upon Professor Tuan for leadership, including the Taiwan Agribusiness Management Association, the Taiwan Leisure Agriculture Association, and the Chinese Agricultural Development Association. He has also engaged in private sector agricultural research and counselling, and is currently providing guidance to NPUST on projects that focus on local “placemaking”.
Briefly stated, the commendation was well deserved.
