The Center for General Education (CGE) at Taiwan Tech hosted the “Social Lab – CGE Social Practice Week” from May 18 to May 22 under the theme “Re: Power – Design Innovation, Sustainable Practice, and Social Dialogue.” In collaboration with Taiwan Power Company (Taipower), the five-day event featured a series of nine activities, including exhibitions, lectures, field visits, and creative competitions. The program is expected to attract more than 1,000 participants and aims to help students and faculty re-examine electricity in everyday life while exploring the design thinking and social values behind the energy transition.

Group photo from the opening ceremony of the 2026 Social Lab – CGE Social Practice Week.

A five-day themed exhibition titled “Re: Power” was held at the Taiwan Tech Art Gallery. The exhibition covered topics such as energy literacy, the relationship between Taipower and daily life, reuse of retired utility materials, public art, award-winning entries from the Taipower Kilowatt Design Award, Taiwan Tech’s microgrid research projects, the “Spark Together: Walking Beside Me, Becoming My Partner” University Social Responsibility (USR) project in collaboration with the Tongmen Hydropower Plant in Hualien, and alumni working in the energy sector. Through visual displays, data presentations, and interactive design elements, the exhibition transformed complex energy issues into engaging and accessible learning experiences. Participants who completed designated exhibition tasks could redeem limited-edition Taipower cultural and creative merchandise, encouraging active participation and deeper understanding of sustainability beyond classroom learning.

Group photo of Taiwan Tech and Taipower representatives.

Taiwan Tech President Jia-Yush Yen stated that the university has long emphasized hands-on learning, social engagement, and sustainability education. He noted that students should not only acquire professional knowledge in classrooms but also develop an understanding of the relationship between technology and society through real-world examples. President Yen highlighted Taiwan Tech’s continued efforts in promoting microgrid technologies and smart energy applications. He emphasized that universities should serve not only as educational institutions but also as demonstration sites for energy transition and sustainable development. Through collaboration with Taipower, students have opportunities to learn directly from industry professionals and gain insights from distinguished Taiwan Tech alumni working at Taipower, many of whom play vital roles in Taiwan’s energy infrastructure and net-zero transition efforts.

President Jia-Yush Yen emphasized Taiwan Tech’s longstanding commitment to practical learning, social engagement, and sustainability education.

Sy-Ying Lee, Director of the Center for General Education, explained that “Social Lab” serves as an important platform for promoting social practice and public issue education. This year’s focus on electricity seeks to address a simple yet profound question: “Can electricity, an indispensable part of daily life, also become a medium for social communication and public education?” Director Lee noted that the event was designed as a complete learning cycle, combining exhibitions to build awareness, lectures to deepen understanding, field visits to connect with real-world contexts, and creative projects to showcase learning outcomes. Through this process, students are encouraged to understand issues, observe practical applications, and take meaningful action while developing interdisciplinary thinking and civic engagement skills.

Director Sy-Ying Lee delivered remarks at the event.

Three keynote lectures were organized during the week, featuring professionals from industry and design fields who discussed topics including “Using Design to Create Meaningful Social Communication”, “The Retired Electricity Meter Upcycling Project”, and “The Second Life of Materials”. These sessions explored how energy issues can be communicated through visual design, circular economy principles, and sustainable innovation.

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Taiwan Tech also organized two off-campus visits. One visit took participants to Taipower’s Energym, an interactive energy education center known as “Energym No. 1”. Through hands-on exhibits and an “Energy Poker” simulation game, participants explored energy generation options and their environmental impacts while learning about energy planning and decision-making. The second visit brought students to Taipower Headquarters, where they examined the connections between public art, architectural space, and corporate social communication.

To encourage students to think creatively about sustainability through circular reuse, the event also launched a pre-event creative design competition featuring retired electrical insulators provided by Taipower as the primary material. Students were invited to reinterpret and redesign these retired utility components. Selected works were exhibited during the event, and winning participants received gift vouchers as recognition of their creativity. By transforming discarded power-industry materials into artistic and functional creations, students demonstrated how energy-related materials can be given new value, making the concept of the circular economy tangible and accessible through design practice.

More than simply an exhibition, the event served as an interdisciplinary experiment integrating industry expertise, design innovation, and educational practice. Through its partnership with Taipower, Taiwan Tech transformed complex energy issues into approachable and meaningful learning experiences. The initiative demonstrated that sustainability is not a distant ideal but a practical part of everyday life shaped by individual choices and collective action. As electricity becomes more than a utility service and evolves into a medium for design, education, and social dialogue, “Re: Power” reflects Taiwan Tech’s commitment to addressing contemporary challenges through education and advancing a more sustainable future through meaningful action.

(Event URL: https://cla.ntust.edu.tw/p/406-1076-146474,r1476.php?Lang=zh-tw)