Taiwan Talk

Professor Min Lee of National Tsing Hua University's Institute of Nuclear Engineering Science is our special guest this week. Professor Lee is a nuclear power advocate and campaigned to repeal an article in the Electricity Act that would have mandated the decommissioning of all nuclear plants by 2025. We discuss Taiwan's nuclear dilemma and the pros and cons of nuclear energy. -- Hosting provided...

Elias Ek is an entrepeneur from Sweden and a co-organizer of Dragon's Chamber, a pitch event for startup companies in Taiwan. ICRT's Trevor Tortomasi speaks to Elias about startups in Taiwan, competition in the Dragon's Chamber, impressing investors, and making connections. You can register to compete on the official website, or you can sign up to see the event for free! Signups close on September...

Why has Taiwan's birth rate declined at such a rapid rate? Can we do anything to ensure more people have children? This week we're joined by demography expert Doctor Alice Cheng from Academia Sinica's Institute of Sociology who helps answer these questions and delves deeper into Taiwan's fertility dilemma. -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

Stewart Glen is an accomplished actor and coach in Taiwan's performance community, who is helping actors in Taiwan prepare for the World Monologue Games. The World Monologue Games is a global event which invites thousands of performers to showcase their acting, in front of internationally acclaimed judges! You can read about joining the Taiwan Team here: shorturl.at/FG467 Sign up for performance c...

James Chien from state-run energy enterprise Taipower joins us this week to discuss hydropower. Professor Jian-ping Suen of National Cheng Kung University's Department of Hydraulic and Ocean Engineering is also at hand to give additional information. We discuss how hydroelectricity is generated and the future of hydropower in Taiwan. -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

Cindy Yang hosts the podcast Taiwanren, an interview show that focuses on Taiwanese innovators, makers, and advocates. ICRT's Trevor Tortomasi speaks with Cindy about her experiences with interviewing all kinds of people, raising awareness for mental health, and rediscovering what it means to be Taiwanese. You can find Taiwanren wherever you normally listen to podcasts… And you can follow Taiwanre...

Are you an avid bird watcher? Scott Pursner, director of international affairs at the Taiwan Wild Bird Federation, comes on the show to discuss how to track and treat birds you find in the wild, what issues wild birds are facing in Taiwan, and much more! -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

James Wong is a YouTuber living in Taiwan who has overcome some rare hurdles to become a content creator. James speaks about growing up with hearing loss, making bucket lists, and a momentous conversation with his father. See more of James' work on his channel: www.youtube.com/c/JamesWongLife And you can follow him on Instagram: @jameswonglife Thanks for listening! -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

Ciel et Terre is a French solar power developer specializing in floating solar panels. The company's Regional Business Development Manager Vivi Lee joins us to discuss how it is cooperating with existing industries, like fisheries, to not only increase Taiwan's capacity for generating renewable energy, but create a more stable business environment for these industries. -- Hosting provided by Sound...

Migrant workers from Southeast Asia often face adversity in Taiwan, and Lennon Wang of the Serve the People Association comes on the show to explain how his organization helps migrant workers get back on their feet after a difficult time at work. The association runs shelters for those transitioning between jobs and helps with legal troubles workers may face after raising a complaint about their e...

Lee Ching-chun (李靜君) is the Associate Artistic Director of the Cloud Gate Dance Theater of Taiwan. Trevor speaks with Ms. Lee about her performances with Cloud Gate, her sources of inspiration, and the long history of Taiwan's most prestigious dance studio. You can read more about Cloud Gate on their official website: https://www.cloudgate.org.tw/en/cg And once this epidemic is over, they'll be...

Nicole Huang is the Chief Operating Officer at SoundOn, Taiwan's largest podcast hosting platform. ICRT's Trevor Tortomasi speaks with Nicole about the explosion of podcasts in Taiwan, what makes a good conversation, and why people like gossip so much. SoundOn began with just 20 podcasts. Can you guess how many it's hosting now? If you'd like to start your own podcast, or even just listen through...

Co-chair of the European Chamber of Commerce Taiwan's Wind Energy Committee Bart Linssen discusses the perks of wind power in the second episode of our series on renewable energy in Taiwan. The government has set ambitious targets for Taiwan's wind energy output but what needs to happen in order to reach these goals? And what obstructions lie in the path to a greener future? Find out in this week'...

Otis Sheu (許泰銘) heads the operations division for Taichung's newly opened Mass Rapid Transit… And ICRT Taichung correspondent Donovan Smith adds some perspective as a longtime resident of the city. The Taichung MRT Green Line is the first step in a more closely connected Taichung City, with a Blue Line and an Orange Line slated for construction over the next decade or so. If you're in the area,...

Toi Windham is an activist and community event organizer hoping to bring people together over topics that we often find difficult to discuss. She comes on the show to discuss her latest project Community Convos - a bimonthly roundtable discussion with panel guests on topics that range from racism and cultural appropriation to life in the post-COVID world. You can find more information about the ev...

Starting this week, ICRT and the European Chamber of Commerce Taiwan join forces to look at environmental issues facing the country and renewable energy. Professor Chang-chien Le-ren of National Cheng Kung University's Electrical Engineering department is at hand to give us a general overview of Taiwan's energy dilemma. Check back at the same time next month for our next episode of Renewable Energ...

Eric Tsao (曹先紹) is the Taipei Zoo's current spokesman, and has been the face of the Taipei Zoo for many years, providing updates on its animals and projects to inquiring news agencies. ICRT's Trevor Tortomasi speaks with Eric about the zoo's efforts in conservation, research, and education, as well as the relationships he has formed with other zoos and ecological movements around the world. You...

Xiao Fei is an adventurer and YouTube blogger with a keen eye for secluded hot springs, waterfalls and hiking trails throughout Taiwan. Join correspondent Ryan Drillsma as he talks to Xiao Fei about his explorations and how he chronicles them in video blogs and on his website, where you can view all the places he recommends on a virtual map. Visit followxiaofei.com or search Xiaofei 小飛 on YouTub...

Carl Hill is the host of "The Black Expat Podcast", where he shares his and others' stories of adapting to life in Taiwan. ICRT's Trevor Tortomasi speaks with Carl about the wisdom gleaned from his life as a writer, a traveler, a bar owner, a teacher, and a coach, over the course of his decade in Taiwan. You can listen to "The Black Expat Podcast" on Spotify, or wherever you normally find Podcasts...

Dr. Chang-quan Chan is a professor at National Taiwan University's College of Public Health. He talks to ICRT correspondent Ryan Drillsma about his research and advisory roles during the pandemic and what a post-COVID world might look like. Will society ever go back to the way it was? Zhan gives his professional opinion on the matter. -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

Adam Hopkins is a travel agent, writer, and editor, who has found himself and his industry in some bizarre situations amidst the pandemic. Trevor Tortomasi speaks with Adam about domestic tourism, writing for VICE, and playing cricket on a global stage. Find awesome local tours at his agency: https://www.mytaiwantour.com/ Get helpful information on Taiwan living and travel: https://taiwan-scene.co...

Have you wondered what travel and quarantine might be like during the pandemic? Katherine Lu joins correspondent Ryan Drillsma to chat about how the pandemic changed her life and caused her to relocate back to Taiwan from the U.S. Katherine talks about her experience flying around the world during the pandemic and staying in one of Taiwan's quarantine hotels. -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

Douglas Habecker is not only a survivor of COVID-19, but was also one of the only 799 human beings to be diagnosed with the disease in Taiwan in 2020. ICRT's Trevor Tortomasi speaks with Doug about his experiences overcoming the virus, at a time when information surrounding it was still scarce. You can also read more from Doug's own account on Euroview: https://euroview.ecct.com.tw/category-inside...

Drag artist Elja Heights talks with ICRT's Ryan Drillsma about what it's like to be a drag queen in Taipei, where the art form of drag has seen a surge of popularity in recent years, meaning shows are held across the island every weekend. -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

Leroy Yau is the CEO and a co-founder of Taiwan Startup Stadium, the country's leading startup ecosystem builder, which showcases Taiwan's new companies to the world. ICRT's Trevor Tortomasi speaks with Leroy about his years of experience in the world of creating, investing, and consulting. Visit the TSS homepage here: startupstadium.tw You can find more of Leroy's wisdom on his website: https://w...