As part of its mission to implement the Ministry of Education’s USR Project and the National Science and Technology Council’s Popular Science initiative, National Pingtung University of Science and Technology (NPUST) brought a number of important figures together to discuss the local development and popularization of aerospace science and renewable energy education.
The meeting was convened by NPUST’s Professor Hudson Hsu on May 18th, 2023. Representatives from elementary schools, vocational high schools, universities and other related institutions gathered to explore the development of popular aerospace science and renewable energy education and discuss ways to transform local communities in ways that can benefit everyone.
The project will include such features as teacher training, science and education promotion, teaching aid production, industry-university forums, science exhibitions and competitions, online leaning, media production, publication distribution and more. The aim of the meeting was to exchange opinions and build a consensus on the establishment of an online “Agongdian River College” (阿公店溪學院)—a virtual setting where they can jointly develop aerospace and green energy science and education for the Kao-Ping area, and promote community renovation.
The Gangshan District in North Kaohsiung serves as a training base for Air Force pilots and technicians. Meanwhile, the screw industry in the surrounding area has the second largest output in the world, and the highest output in Taiwan. As a result, countless of the manufacturers in the area have upgraded their operations to become precision aerospace component factories or airplane engine maintenance shops for Hanxiang engines. To the north of Gangshan, National Cheng Kung University has an experimental aerospace field, and to the south, there is the Kaohsiung International Airport and the National Science and Technology Museum Aviation Exhibition Hall. Gangshan itself is also home to the Aviation Education Exhibition Hall. Considering that the area has already developed a culture of aerospace and science related business and education, it clearly has great potential to be further developed into an “Aviation City”.
NPUST, the Air Force Institute of Technology, and the Kaohsiung Education Bureau have been cooperating for many years on the “Dream to Flying Park” (飛夢園); and for a full decade, Professor Hsu’s team has been involved in the operation. During that time, they have organized no less than 100 aerospace science camps, teacher training activities, and large-scale competitions. In the future, with contributions coming from teachers and students at national education institutions and vocational colleges, great things are expected. In the past, the port city of Kaohsiung has been known as the “Ocean Capital”. Now, with the developments taking place in North Kaohsiung, it is gradually becoming an “Aviation City” as well—and home to the Southern Taiwan Dream to Fly Park!
