NUK Sustainability Report

  
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October 21, 2026 — The 2026 Taiwan Science Train, organized by the National Science and Technology Council (NSTC), made its first-ever stop at Taiwan Railways’ Gangshan Station on October 21. Chin-Chung Yu, Associate Professor in the Department of Applied Physics and Director of the Center for Science Education at the National University of Kaohsiung (NUK), led the team coordinating the science outreach activities at Gangshan Station. Working with Gangshan Senior High School, industry partners, and science education organizations, the team organized 18 interactive science stations, transforming the railway station into a hands-on science laboratory.

From exploring combustion, heat transfer, and fermentation through Gangshan's famous local dish, lamb hot pot, to experimenting with smartphone sensors, intelligent autonomous vehicles, and flight simulation, the activities encouraged elementary school students to discover scientific principles through hands-on experiences connected to everyday life.

Under the theme “When the Train Doors Open, the Future Unfolds,” the 2026 Taiwan Science Train traveled across Taiwan from October 19 to 24, connecting 30 activity locations. The initiative was originally conceived by Mei-Hung Chiu, Professor at National Taiwan Normal University, in collaboration with Taiwan Railways. Chiu also attended the event at Gangshan Station.

Approximately 340 elementary school students from 11 schools in the Tainan area traveled by train to Gangshan Station to participate in science demonstrations and interactive activities. Meanwhile, students from the Gangshan area first explored the science stations before boarding the train to Kaohsiung Station. Performances by the dance club of Mituo Junior High School and NUK's Philharmonic Club added artistic and cultural elements to the event, enriching the students' overall experience.

Lien-Hui Hung, Professor in the Department of Physics at National Changhua University of Education and a former principal investigator of the NSTC Taiwan Science Train project, noted that the initiative has entered its 11th edition. More than 8,000 students were expected to ride the train during its six-day journey. Science learning takes place not only at railway stations but also aboard the train, where corporate partners organize educational activities during the journey. Upon arriving at Gangshan, students continued their exploration through science exhibits and interactive challenges, transforming an ordinary school excursion into an opportunity for scientific discovery.

Yu-Min Hu, Dean of NUK's College of Science, emphasized that emerging fields such as artificial intelligence, semiconductors, and smart healthcare all rely on foundational knowledge in physics, chemistry, mathematics, and life sciences. However, science education should go beyond memorizing formulas and answers. More importantly, it should cultivate students' abilities to observe, think critically, conduct experiments, and solve problems.

NUK's College of Science has long extended university educational resources to senior high schools, vocational schools, junior high schools, and elementary schools through science camps, hands-on activities, competitions, and interschool collaborations. These efforts aim to reduce disparities in access to science education caused by geographic location and differences in educational resources.

The Gangshan Station activities were coordinated by Director Yu and his team in collaboration with partners including Boston Technology, the Republic of China Air Force Academy, the Air Force Institute of Technology, and Gangshan Senior High School.

Yu explained that, in addition to coordinating cooperation among schools and industry partners, the team deliberately incorporated local culture into the science activities. One particularly creative example came from retired Gangshan teacher Ching-Wen Tuan, who used Gangshan's well-known lamb hot pot as the inspiration for a series of scientific experiments.

The cooking process was broken down into experiments involving fire ignition, temperature measurement, heat transfer, and fermentation. Students compared different methods of starting a fire, observed how heat energy is transferred, and explored how yeast fermentation produces gas. Through these activities, familiar local food culture became an engaging introduction to physical and chemical principles that often go unnoticed in everyday life.

Beyond the lamb hot pot experiments, NUK's Center for Science Education designed several interactive activities. The “Pocket Geomagnetic Navigation Station” used smartphone sensors and applications to help students observe changes in magnetic fields. The “Palm-Powered Heat Engine” demonstrated energy conversion by using the warmth of a person's hand to heat air inside a bottle, causing the expanding gas to move a flexible membrane.

Other stations featured intelligent sensor-guided autonomous vehicles, flight simulation, and biomedical technology. Through experimentation, observation, and questioning, students of different ages were encouraged to gradually develop their understanding of scientific concepts.

Cross-school collaboration was another highlight of the event. Yu-Ching Wang, Principal of Gangshan Senior High School, noted that the Science Train's first stop at Gangshan Station provided a valuable opportunity for the school to participate in science outreach. The school mobilized teachers and students to support the event, with physics teacher Chien-Chang Huang training 42 students to serve as science station facilitators and on-site guides.

Working alongside Director Yu's team from NUK, the high school students helped transform local food culture into engaging science experiments. They were required not only to understand the scientific principles behind each activity but also to explain them in language accessible to elementary school students. Through hands-on demonstrations and educational service, the students strengthened their ability to apply scientific knowledge, communicate effectively, and engage with younger learners.

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@College of Science · Department of Applied Physics · Center for Science Education | Activities