Sustainable Development Goals

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Central News Agency reporter Chen Chih-chung, Taipei, July 23) — The Ministry of Education and National Tsing Hua University have jointly organized the Food and Agriculture Scientists Summer Camp. This year, the program incorporated AI tools for the first time, guiding students to investigate scientific questions rooted in everyday life, such as why pineapples make your tongue feel irritated and how to prevent birds from pecking millet.

According to a press release issued by the Ministry of Education today, the three-day, two-night Food and Agriculture Scientists Training Program at National Tsing Hua University concluded on July 19. A total of 16 teams, comprising more than 60 teachers and students from across Taiwan, participated in the event.

For the first time, the camp adopted the teaching approach of Tsing Hua STEAM School and integrated AI tools into the curriculum. Students began by identifying food and agriculture-related issues from daily life, used AI tools to gather information, clarified and defined the core problems, designed research methodologies, and successfully completed their inquiry-based research projects.

For example, a team from Laicuo Elementary School in Taichung focused on an everyday dietary question: Why do pineapples make your tongue feel sore? Their research examined the effects of bromelain enzymes and the fruit’s cellular structure, while also investigating how salt and sugar influence the sensation and exploring potential sustainable applications.

Meanwhile, a team from Xinxing Elementary School in Taitung visited a local Indigenous community to study ways to reduce bird damage to millet crops and improve harvest yields. The students successfully transformed practical challenges from daily life and agriculture into rigorous scientific experiments, demonstrating strong enthusiasm for scientific inquiry and innovative thinking.

In addition to theoretical discussions, the camp also included hands-on activities, allowing participants to experience traditional rice harvesting techniques.

Following three days of intensive collaboration and evaluation, the outstanding teams selected from the camp will advance to the second phase, Scientific Inquiry Practice and Mentorship, which will take place from September to December this year. With guidance from experts, students will refine their initial ideas into research projects that meet the standards of Taiwan's national scientific inquiry competitions.

(Editor: Kuan Chung-wei)

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