2026 Tainan City Science Day and Science Escape Room Launch to Foster Innovation and Scientific Literacy Among Students-國立成功大學永續發展SDGs

The “2026 Tainan City Science Day” was held on May 25 at Sinsing Junior High School. Organized for the twelfth consecutive year by the Science Education Center of the College of Science at National Cheng Kung University (NCKU), this year’s event attracted more than 4,000 students from 23 junior high schools to participate in hands-on science activities. One of the highlights was the science-themed “Science Escape Room,” featuring ten science-related challenge stations. The VIP team participating in the first trial attempt took 20 minutes to successfully escape.

The opening ceremony for the “2026 Tainan City Science Day and Science Escape Room” was lively and festive, taking place on the afternoon of May 25 at Tainan Municipal Sinsing Junior High School. The event opened with performances by the school’s harmonica ensemble and “Tsai-Chi Duck (菜奇鴨),” the mascot of the Tainan City Government Market Administration Office. Distinguished guests included Wen-Ta Chien, Senior Executive Officer of the Tainan City Bureau of Education; Superintendent Hung-Yen Shih; Dean Chin-Chun Tsai of the College of Science at NCKU; Director Hsu-Cheng Hsu and Deputy Director Yu-Chen Shu of the NCKU Science Education Center; and Principal Ya-Li Cheng of Sinsing Junior High School, along with more than 20 principals from elementary and junior high schools.

Principal Ya-Li Cheng expressed gratitude for the continued support and partnership provided by the NCKU Science Education Center. This marked the third consecutive year the event has been hosted at Sinsing Junior High School. She noted that this year’s Science Escape Room featured a newly designed set of challenges and would remain as a permanent installation at the school for one year, welcoming other schools to bring students to participate. Senior Executive Officer Wen-Ta Chien emphasized that science begins with curiosity. Through deeper collaboration with the NCKU Science Education Center, the Bureau of Education hopes to ignite students’ curiosity and passion for science.

Dean Chin-Chun Tsai thanked grassroots schools and teachers for actively participating in the seed teacher and student training camp held in April. He praised their efforts to transform complex scientific theories into accessible concepts that could be promoted in schools. He expressed hope that the seeds of science would continue spreading to rural schools so that science could become integrated into daily life and practical application. NCKU also pledged continued support by sending faculty and students to local schools for science outreach activities.

This year’s Science Day lesson plans were jointly developed by the NCKU Science Education Center and teachers and students from Sinsing Junior High School. Four major hands-on activities were designed: the “Red-Blue Vision Box,” “Simple Speaker,” “Cloud Chamber,” and “Smartphone Microscope: Dissolution and Crystallization.” These activities simplified complex concepts in physics and chemistry, allowing students to explore optical color filtering, electromagnetism, vibration, and sound production through direct experimentation.

Following last year’s positive reception, the upgraded “Science Escape Room” returned this year under the title “Adventure into Another World with Duck Part 2.” Through scenario-based mission design, scientific knowledge was integrated into puzzle-solving challenges, encouraging students to apply observation and logical reasoning skills under time pressure. The activity aimed not only to enhance students’ motivation to learn, but also to cultivate teamwork and the courage to face unfamiliar challenges.

Senior Executive Officer Wen-Ta Chien and Dean Chin-Chun Tsai led distinguished guests into the Science Escape Room challenge. The science-themed escape room featured ten levels, each centered on scientific concepts. While the guests successfully cleared the first gate, they nearly became stuck at the second before receiving hints from students on-site, eventually unlocking the puzzle and escaping successfully to enthusiastic applause and cheers.

Director Hsu-Cheng Hsu noted that the Science Education Center has developed more than 60 science lesson plans to date. In addition to physical on-site activities, the center has also released four new educational videos through its official channels. The team further produced richly illustrated “experiment booklets” designed to encourage students’ independent scientific exploration beyond the classroom.

The impact of the “2026 Tainan City Science Day” is expected to continue. The Science Education Center plans to host the “Tainan Science Carnival” in early July, combining exciting science competition-style activities with a diverse science outreach fair. Through these hands-on experiences, students will have opportunities to strengthen their communication skills in science education and develop the innovative abilities and scientific literacy needed to face future challenges.