Congratulations! Students supervised by Prof. Shao-Jung Wu (Department of Chemical Engineering) won awards at the 14th Asia-Pacific Chitin and Chitosan Symposium
About the Competition
The Asia-Pacific Chitin and Chitosan Symposium (APCCS) is the world’s largest platform dedicated to research and technological exchange on chitin- and chitosan-based materials. Since its first meeting in 1994 (Bangi, Malaysia), the symposium has convened leading scholars from more than thirty countries across Asia and beyond. Past venues include Bangkok (Thailand), Keelung (Taiwan), Yamaguchi (Japan), Singapore, Busan (Korea), Taipei (Taiwan), Nha Trang (Vietnam), Yonago (Japan), Kochi (India), and Osaka (Japan), reflecting its broad, cross-border impact.
Due to COVID-19, the meeting originally scheduled for 2020 was postponed and held in Jeju, Korea in 2023. Following the successful 13th APCCS, Taiwan is honored to host the 14th APCCS from August 26 to 29, 2025 at National Taiwan University (Taipei). The event is expected to bring together more than 300 researchers from around 20 countries. In addition to plenary and technical sessions, APCCS features student oral and poster competitions, offering young scholars a valuable international stage to present their work, engage with frontier science, and build global research networks that foster innovation and enhance scholarly impact.
Awardee Highlights
1) Mr. Lai — Poster Competition Award
Title: Development of Chitosan/Graphene Oxide Composites for Cu(II) Adsorption and Tetracycline Degradation via a Fenton-Like Process
This study focuses on high-efficiency treatment of organic pollutants. Through innovative materials design, the team synthesized a multifunctional chitosan/graphene oxide composite capable of (1) effective Cu(II) adsorption from aqueous media and (2) catalytic degradation of tetracycline in a Fenton-like reaction—demonstrating dual remediation capability with strong application potential for complex water-pollution scenarios.
Acknowledgments:We sincerely thank the APCCS judges for recognizing the project’s innovation and applicability. I am deeply grateful to Prof. Shao-Jung Wu for his guidance from concept and experimental design to data analysis, which enabled the team to overcome challenges and achieve these results.
Students' Testimonials︰I am deeply honored to receive a poster award at APCCS 2025. I extend my heartfelt thanks to the organizers and judges, and to Prof. Shao-Jung Wu, Director Chia-Hung Su, and Prof. Chun-Chong Fu for their sustained guidance—especially in preparing the English oral presentation. Prof. Wu’s academic insights and steady support helped me face challenges, attempt new ideas, and make breakthroughs. This recognition is both an encouragement and a motivation to keep advancing in research and contributing to the field.
2) Ms. Chang — Poster Competition Award
Title: Preparation and Application of Fe(III)/Graphene Oxide/Chitosan Composite Materials
This project develops a Fe(III)/GO/chitosan composite that integrates heavy-metal adsorption with catalytic degradation of organic pollutants. The material shows excellent performance in Fenton-like degradation of tetracycline, offering a practical and scalable solution for water treatment.
Acknowledgments: We thank the APCCS committee for affirming the project’s originality, application value, and data quality. We are especially grateful to Prof. Shao-Jung Wu for comprehensive guidance—from research planning and materials design to data analysis—which encouraged the team to tackle challenges and pursue excellence.
Student Reflection: It is a great honor to win an APCCS 2025 poster award. I wish to thank the organizers and judges for their recognition; Prof. Shao-Jung Wu for patient mentorship and steady encouragement; and Director Chia-Hung Su and Prof. Chun-Chong Fu for their insightful feedback during preparation of my English oral presentation. This award is both an honor and a powerful motivation. I will keep striving for excellence and contribute to the fields of environmental materials and pollution control.
