For the laboratory: The National Pingtung University of Science and Technology, which is located in Pingtung, has been known as the largest and most beautiful campus in Taiwan. It also has the reputation of being a “National Park University”. With this, we at Environmental Health and Risk Assessment (EHRA) laboratory, along with the assistance and supervision of our adviser, Professor How-Ran Chao, are concerned about the status of the environment. Therefore, the current project aims to invite professional students from Southeast Asia to join and become members of our team.

The concept of the Internet of Things (IOT) has been utilized in various industries and fields of research. In environmental engineering, IOT has been applied to a large number of data simulations to explore air pollutants. At the present, the laboratory has recognized the opportunity to develop technologies such as an air sensor device that will be connected to an IOT system to handle big data analysis and ultimately improve air monitoring and quality. This will help many government agencies to refine their current strategies for air quality checking.

Finally, we hope that students participating in the said project will acquire knowledge on international environmental protection, sustainable development issues, and environmental ethics which they can apply as solutions to the problems their country is facing today.

For the Center of Emerging Contaminants Research: The Center for Emerging Contaminants Research, which is headed by Professor How-Ran Chao, is oriented towards different contaminants analysis, chemical analysis and bioassays. Its recent projects include the establishment of various techniques for remediation of soil and ground water using novel green processing technologies. Electrochemical Advanced Oxidation Process (EAOP) is one of such treatments that have both high yield and economic efficiency. Specifically, the Center aims to develop the use of boron-doped diamond electrode (BDDE) and optical fiber photocatalyst (TiO2) advanced oxidation method which will be connected to the Internet of Things (IOT) system for real-time monitoring of groundwater during treatment.

With this in mind, the Center plans to invite students from Southeast Asia for study starting from January 1, 2019 to December 31, 2019 for participation in this project. The program aims to strengthen regional cooperation and academic linkages. They will experience on-site monitoring of soil and groundwater characteristics during EAOP treatment, understand the principle of EAOP utilizing BDDE and TiO2, and lastly, have the potential to improve the remediation ability of the chosen methods. In closing, students who will join the research project have a greater chance to work in various industries in Taiwan as soil and groundwater pollution are both major challenges that the country currently tries to resolve.