Hsiao-Wei Yuan
Dr. Hsiao-Wei Yuan is a Professor in the School of Forestry and Resource Conservation at National Taiwan University (NTU). She earned her B.S. and M.S. degrees from the Department of Zoology at NTU and obtained her Ph.D. degree in Natural Resources from Cornell University, USA. As a pioneering scholar in the field of bird ecology, biodiversity, wildlife, and animal conservation in Taiwan, she has contributed her expertise and intellectual leadership to academia and society.
Currently, Prof. Yuan is Vice President for International Affairs and Associate Director of the Biodiversity Research Center at NTU. Over the past few decades, Prof. Yuan has received numerous awards and recognition for her research,
teaching, and service. Throughout her career as an advocate for international higher education, she served as Director for International Affairs of the National Applied Research Laboratories and the CEO of the Foundation for
International Cooperation in Higher Education of Taiwan.
Prof. Yuan has not only been the principal investigator as a trailblazer for numerous programs commissioned by the National Science and Technology Council and Forestry Bureau, but also received the recognition of outstanding contributions in forestry and nature preservation by the Council of Agriculture. Dedicated to cultivating future talents for forestry research and management, she also received the Distinguished All-English Teaching Award, Outstanding Teaching Award, Distinguished Teacher Award, and Distinguished University Service Award from NTU on many occasions.
Her PhD thesis investigated the population dynamics and conservation of Common Terns at Oneida Lake in New York State, USA. After returning to Taiwan, she teamed up with Dr. Shuihua Chen and Mr. Simba Chan to implement the action plan for the critically endangered Chinese Crested Tern since 2006. The Chinese Crested Tern was rediscovered nesting in a large Greater Crested Tern colony on the Matsu Islands, Taiwan, in 2000 by Chieh-Te Liang after 63 years when no confirmed sightings of the species were recorded. Programs for habitat restoration, colony protection, and social attraction for Chinese Crested Terns in the Matsu Islands have been undertaken since 2000. Ph.D. and Masters students have worked on this species for their thesis research under the direction of Prof. Yuan at NTU. Because of the leadership and research contributions that Prof. Yuan has brought to conservation efforts, the Matsu Islands remain a crucial site for the protection and restoration of Chinese Crested Terns.
Due to collective efforts in Taiwan, mainland China, and, more recently, South Korea, the population of Chinese Crested Terns has been boosted to well over 100 adults. Because Prof. Yuan spares no effort to advocate for the conservation of species and raise social awareness, numerous nesting habitats for the species have remained intact. The protection of this seabird species continues in order to mitigate threats, including natural disasters (e.g., typhoons) and human disturbance. Meanwhile, Prof. Yuan endeavors to collaborate with scientists across the globe to protect the species and other seabirds within shared habitats. Based on Prof. Yuan’s long-term research on Chinese Crested Terns, Director Chieh-Te Liang released the documentary entitled “Enigma: The Chinese Crested Tern” in 2021, drawing the public’s attention to the significance and life history of this charismatic seabird species.
