Associate Professor Yi-Chun Du of the Department of Electrical Engineering, Southern Taiwan University of Science and Technology, won the "National Special Award" in the 2017 Super Teacher Award," organized by the "National Federation of Teachers' Union." He has held on to the principle of "teaching and learning and is also willing to be both a friend of his students. In addition, he not only takes his students as his own family, but also helps them to develop and maintain high resistance against pressure. Prof. Du is seriously diligent, actively engaged in teaching preparation, and always alert to the latest current affairs and the latest technology related to the curriculum. He can further associates all that with future employment and work relevancy, triggering students’ learning motivation and interest. Prof. Du also encourages his students to apply their knowledge and develop their ability and habit of learning independently; his lively teaching methods always keep him in a close interaction with students. He offers all he has without any reservation.

【Prof. Yi-Chun Du of Southern Taiwan University of Science and Technology (second from left) directed his team in the work "Off-needle and Leak Detection Device," which won the Platinum Award In the 2017 Taipei International Invention & Technology Trade Show.】

Prof. Du has full power in teaching innovation, never rigidly adhering to traditional patterns; he is a great teacher of new generation, always keeping excellent interaction with his students; no matter it is teaching, counseling, research, production, his performance is always quite outstanding, especially when it comes to guiding students toward innovation and entrepreneurship. Prof. Du spares no effort in his teaching, always in line with the students of Southern Taiwan University of Science and Technology for educational purposes. It is easy to feel in Prof. Du’s great enthusiasm and vitality for education. He has repeatedly led his students to national competitions and helped them win many awards. It is worth mentioning that, under his guidance, the Department has for two consecutive years obtained the Ministry of Science and Technology Innovation Entrepreneurship Incentive Program award. For a total of more than four years, Prof. Du has trained more than 20 outstanding domestic and foreign students, won a total of 87 competitions ( with prize money exceeding 3.8 million NTD), and completed production and technology transfers with a total amount of more than 600 million. He has also served as the director of a number of science and technology programs (with more than 20 million NTD) and counseled students in setting up two South Taiwan University derivative businesses, with a paid-up capital of 7.5 million NTD and 1.5 million NTD, respectively. Prof. Du should be considered an innovative teaching in terms of industry and academia cooperation and research and development--indeed, an effectively integrated outstanding teacher.

【Prof. Yi-Chun Du of Southern Taiwan University of Science and Technology was explaining a project work in a competition.】

Over the past two years, Prof. Yi-Chun Du has been leading the engineering students to observe the situation of elderly care in Taiwan, trying to induce the sympathy of young students so as to make that the students understand the fact that each person will have to spend a few of his or her later years in the long-term care before the last day. Death is a way that no one can avoid. Through the actual observation of the needs of the elderly, he asks students to further reflect upon whether there is any opportunity to improve and optimize, through individual inventions, the daily life of the elderly, making their more convenient and placing their health care in greater safety. This year Prof. Du has begun his cooperation with Director Mei-Zhu Chen of Elder Care Program in Southern Taiwan University of Science and Technology, working on a plan called "Academia-industrial cooperation in fostering talents in the technology of elderly care. In addition to fostering the personnel of elder care, the program will also work together with the community, government agencies, and care institutions to build an elderly friendly community. It will integrate care institutions into the community as much as possible without leaving traces, preparing each elderly to enjoy their old ages in the communities with which they are familiar. The program was also granted the maximum subsidy of NT$ 4 million by the Ministry of Education's University Social Responsibility (USR) Sprouting Class B program. Prof. Du said that in the future he would continue to lead students to learn from and care for vulnerable groups and primary and secondary schools in remote areas, hoping that he could make his personal influence fully work and take full university responsibility for local communities.

【Professor Yi-Chun Du of the Department of Electrical Engineering, Southern Taiwan University of Science and Technology, won the "National Special Award" in the 2017 Super Teacher Award.】

【Winner of “National Special Award in the 2017 Super Teacher Award.】