SDG12
Prof. Yu-Chi Chang Won Honorable Mention in Sustainable Female's Innovative Talent Cultivation Contest & Dream Building Project
ASE Holdings, the leading semiconductor package company, organized the "Female Sustainable Innovative Talent Cultivation Contest and Dream Building Project" in 2022, with a total prize of 10 million NTD. The award ceremony took place on February 22, 2023, at Nan Zi park, where Assistant Professor Yu-Chi Chang from the Department of Engineering Science, NCKU, received a prize of 900,000 NTD for her "Edible Straw Product Development."
Prof. Chang stated that the European Union banned single-use plastic products in July 2021, and Taiwan also prohibited single-use plastic beverage cups in 2022. To comply with the plastic restriction policy, many materials have been developed to replace single-use plastic products. The market size of disposable straws is projected to continue expanding at a compound annual growth rate of 5.9% by 2029, and the market will reach US$4.3 billion/year in 2027.
The project aims to produce straws made of biomass, which possesses excellent properties, such as (1) consisting entirely of biomass without plastic, (2) having mechanical properties similar to plastic, (3) being waterproof and naturally decomposable after modification, (4) allowing customization of the straw's length and diameter through mold design, (5) being storable for more than 3 years under normal atmospheric conditions, and (6) withstanding temperatures up to 200 degrees.
According to Prof. Chang, the product's core value is its genuine environmental friendliness and competitive pricing. The biomaterial developed can be used to replace plastic, making everyday items such as non-toxic tableware, mother and child products, and toys sustainable. Plastic, straws, and other disposable plastic products may appear small, but they pose environmental risks. Through this project, we hope to bring together like-minded female scientists in the field of science and technology to promote the development of alternative disposable plastic materials, thereby eradicating plastic usage.
ASE Holdings aims to lead sustainability in semiconductor packaging and testing. Through the strategic theme of "Innovation Culture, Green Transformation, Partnering with Supply Partners and Social Value," they continue the spirit of Chang Yao Hong-Ying's "from society, to society" by promoting the concept of "日月傳承，永續創生" and implementing corporate social responsibility positively. They also encourage women to pursue their dreams through innovation.
According to Ming Chuan University, which hosted the event, 195 teams participated in the competition. After two stages of preliminary evaluations, many committee members evaluated and discussed the entries, finally shortlisting 15 teams for the final round. Mei-Yueh Ho, the national policy advisor, Pei-Di Shen, the president of Ming Chuan University, Shi-Kuan Chen, Mei-Ling Chen, and Huey-Jen Su, the president of National Cheng Kung University, were invited as finalists on that day.
Team Members:
Chang, Yuchih
https://www.scopus.com/authid/detail.uri?authorId=55638671500
Lin, Hsin Tien
https://www.scopus.com/authid/detail.uri?authorId=56268983100
Prof. Chang stated that the European Union banned single-use plastic products in July 2021, and Taiwan also prohibited single-use plastic beverage cups in 2022. To comply with the plastic restriction policy, many materials have been developed to replace single-use plastic products. The market size of disposable straws is projected to continue expanding at a compound annual growth rate of 5.9% by 2029, and the market will reach US$4.3 billion/year in 2027.
The project aims to produce straws made of biomass, which possesses excellent properties, such as (1) consisting entirely of biomass without plastic, (2) having mechanical properties similar to plastic, (3) being waterproof and naturally decomposable after modification, (4) allowing customization of the straw's length and diameter through mold design, (5) being storable for more than 3 years under normal atmospheric conditions, and (6) withstanding temperatures up to 200 degrees.
According to Prof. Chang, the product's core value is its genuine environmental friendliness and competitive pricing. The biomaterial developed can be used to replace plastic, making everyday items such as non-toxic tableware, mother and child products, and toys sustainable. Plastic, straws, and other disposable plastic products may appear small, but they pose environmental risks. Through this project, we hope to bring together like-minded female scientists in the field of science and technology to promote the development of alternative disposable plastic materials, thereby eradicating plastic usage.
ASE Holdings aims to lead sustainability in semiconductor packaging and testing. Through the strategic theme of "Innovation Culture, Green Transformation, Partnering with Supply Partners and Social Value," they continue the spirit of Chang Yao Hong-Ying's "from society, to society" by promoting the concept of "日月傳承，永續創生" and implementing corporate social responsibility positively. They also encourage women to pursue their dreams through innovation.
According to Ming Chuan University, which hosted the event, 195 teams participated in the competition. After two stages of preliminary evaluations, many committee members evaluated and discussed the entries, finally shortlisting 15 teams for the final round. Mei-Yueh Ho, the national policy advisor, Pei-Di Shen, the president of Ming Chuan University, Shi-Kuan Chen, Mei-Ling Chen, and Huey-Jen Su, the president of National Cheng Kung University, were invited as finalists on that day.
Team Members:
Chang, Yuchih
https://www.scopus.com/authid/detail.uri?authorId=55638671500
Lin, Hsin Tien
https://www.scopus.com/authid/detail.uri?authorId=56268983100
Prof. Yu-Chi Chang won 900,000 NTD for her "Edible Straw Product Development".
Prof. Yu-Chi Chang hopes to bring together like-minded female scientists in the field of science and technology to promote the development of alternative disposable plastic materials, so that we can "never use" plastic again.
