TSMC International Biodiversity Forum and Award Ceremony: Empowering the Future of Conservation Talents
Inaugural Event Recognizes 22 Outstanding Proposals, Unlocking Diverse Opportunities for Ecological Restoration
TSMC values environmental sustainability and established its "Eco Plus! Ecological Harmony Program" as a key platform for promoting nature and protecting biodiversity. The Company views talent development as a vital bridge connecting conservation efforts with a sustainable future, and partnered with the Taiwan Biodiversity Research Institute of the Ministry of Agriculture and the Taiwan Society of Plant Systematics in 2025 to launch the "TSMC Biodiversity Scholarship and Proposal Grant." This initiative aims to encourage outstanding students and scholars to engage in biodiversity conservation in Taiwan. The inaugural event attracted 55 domestic and international submissions from industry, government, academic, and research institutions. A panel of 130 judges selected 22 entries, which were honored at the first "TSMC Biodiversity International Forum and Award Ceremony" held on September 27th. The ceremony not only recognized the awardees but also brought together local and international experts and scholars in the ecology for cross-disciplinary exchanges, adding new momentum into the vision of mainstreaming biodiversity.
Cultivating talent is an indispensable part of advancing conservation efforts. By establishing the Biodiversity Scholarship and Proposal Grant, TSMC hopes to energize more efforts to coexist with nature, and we hope that future collaborations will continue to drive change and protect biodiversity with practical action.
Three Awards Foster Eco-Talent; Recycled Trophies Embody Sustainability
The Eco Plus! Ecological Harmony Program promotes biodiversity conservation across three dimensions: habitat, species, and knowledge. For the habitat and species dimensions, the program leverages TSMC's Taichung site - a site with a long-standing commitment to ecological restoration. By promoting eco-friendly farming, creating ecological corridors, and establishing Other Effective Conservation Measures (OECM), the Taichung site has achieved critical species conservation. This approach also led to the successful designation of the ecological pond at Fab 15A in Taichung as a conservation site for the endangered Squalidus banarescui. The knowledge dimension focuses on developing citizen science and AI-powered species identification tools. It also features the "Biodiversity Scholarship and Proposal Grant," designed to discover talented individuals and promising research through its New Talent, Elite, and Proposal Award categories. These awards provide monetary rewards as well as trophies and certificates, not only recognizing achievements but also actively helping awardees put research into practice. In addition, this year's trophies were crafted from copper pipes recycled from TSMC's waste copper sulfate. Their design, featuring the infinity symbol, powerfully symbolizes the perpetual life force of biodiversity, flourishing through the collective efforts of all stakeholders.
The honor of receiving the TSMC Biodiversity Scholarship and Proposal Grant has enabled the issue of stray cats and dogs, which I care about deeply, to achieve greater public awareness and expedited promotion. I hope my research will provide substantial support for Taiwan's scientific data in this domain.
Insects, as the most biodiverse group of organisms, hold undeniable importance. We are deeply grateful for the TSMC Biodiversity Scholarship and Proposal Grant for allowing us to showcase the fruits of our long-term efforts and raise greater public awareness about the value of insect conservation.
Diseases have historically received less attention in biodiversity research, which is why we define them as an "invisible crisis." This event has provided us with a valuable opportunity to share our research and foster collaboration across industry, government, academia, and research sectors, enabling academic research to be transformed into practical applications.
Igniting Conservation through Keynotes and Cross-Sector Forums
In addition to recognizing outstanding award-winning projects and presenting their achievements, TSMC has specially invited Professor Takashi Gojobori, Yushan Fellow at National Cheng Kung University, and Distinguished Professor Yu-Chung Chiang from National Sun Yat-sen University, to deliver keynote speeches on "Biodiversity in the AI Era" and "Biodiversity Conservation and Sustainable Resource Management," respectively. Academician Chang-Hung Chou of Academia Sinica also moderated an interdisciplinary forum, bringing together scholars and experts from fields including ecosystem and environmental research, conservation and habitat governance, and sustainable soil management. Distinguished participants included Director Jia-Dong Yang of the Taiwan Biodiversity Research Institute of the Ministry of Agriculture and Academician Chiu-Chung Young of Academia Sinica and National Chair Professor at National Chung Hsing University. The forum promoted the deep integration of knowledge across diverse fields, setting a new milestone for the “Eco Plus! Ecological Harmony Program”.
TSMC is committed to advancing United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 15: "the conservation and sustainable use of ecosystems to protect biodiversity." Through its "Biodiversity Scholarship and Proposal Grant," the Company cultivates talent and drives innovations. In its second year, the "In-depth Cultivation Award" will support non-governmental organizations, non-profit organizations, research institutions, and other groups to take action on conservation. TSMC seeks to catalyze more innovative research and solutions for biodiversity protection, envisioning a sustainable future where technology and ecology coexist and thrive.
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