UW Students

Owen

I am a sophomore majoring in Biochemistry and planning on minoring in Oceanography. I currently help run UW's synthetic biology team- I am very interested in the connection between biosciences and public policy. In particular the application of plants and microbes to degrade pollution and restore ecosystems is fascinating to me (gardening is one of my hobbies). 

Hobby: Surfing

I am excited to visit Taiwan since I haven't been to this part of the world before! Especially interested in the program topics of agriculture and environmental policy. Looking forward to going on field trips and being in a place that is warmer and sunnier than Seattle. 

Jamie

I am a current sophomore at the University of Washington, majoring in Materials Science and Engineering. I grew up in New Jersey, but was born in Seattle, which is how I came to this school. Lately I’ve been trying to gain new experiences, and I’ve been going to more concerts, traveling on the weekends, reading, and learning Mandarin (although I haven’t gotten very far). I’m interested in sustainability and keeping the environment healthy, and I can’t wait to see how it compares to environmentalism in Taiwan! 

Hobby: Traveling and Hiking

I’m super excited to go to Taiwan and meet the NTU students. I want to learn more about the culture and how it differs from the US daily as well as environmentally. I’ve also heard a lot about the night markets, and I can’t wait to eat the food it has to offer! 

Tiffany (顏心悦)

I'm a sophomore majoring in HCDE (human centered design engineering) at UW Seattle. I’m from Kirkland, Washington and spent 5 years of my youth in Beijing, China. I speak English, Mandarin, and some Japanese and Spanish. I like fashion, dance, photography, badminton, anime, and music. I would describe myself as a social and talkative person who is expressive and humorous. In the future I want to work as a UX designer and also pursue a creative outlet such as content creation. This year I want to try vlogging my experience abroad.

Hobby: Fashion 

I'm excited to see new sights as we travel around Taiwan. I'm super hyped to see the activities and taste the food that Taiwan has to offer. I hope to learn new things with my study abroad cohort and the students at NTU and form friendships. 

Roy (柔奕)

I’m 2nd generation Taiwanese American from Colorado :) Currently a sophomore and an Environmental Studies major which has allowed me to explore my contrasting interest in sciences and art. I’m currently really interested in social sciences, earth sciences, and environmental justice. I’m pretty introverted but I love to meet and chat with new people! As a team oriented person I do my best when supporting others. 

Hobby: Baking, vexillology 

It’s been a while since I visited my extended family. I have a lot of memories of Taiwan, in fact it’s where my seedling of interest in environmental science was planted, but none of my memories were very independent since I was a kid. I can’t wait to explore more of the island and actively engage with the folks that are a part of our program partners! 

Sonali 

I'm a first-year student planning to major in Environmental Studies and Political Science and minor in Climate Science. I am especially interested in sustainable agriculture, sustainable design, environmental planning, and environmental policy. I call myself an eco-minimalist and love spending time outside, reading, improvising (with UW's comedy improv troupe), playing guitar, and learning. I also always love hearing about music or vegan food recommendations 😊 I would say I'm an ambivert, perhaps slightly more extroverted than introverted, and am excited to meet everyone and explore Taiwan this summer! 

Hobby: Portrait Photography 📸 

I am excited to be immersed in a new culture with different social, economic, and political contexts. I look forward to learning about how sustainability is seen in Taiwan and how environmental issues can be approached differently. I'm also very excited to eat Taiwanese food! 

Nancy (黎南汐)

I’m a first-year student intending to major in political science international security and minor in gender, women, and sexuality studies. I immigrated to Washington state from Vietnam when I was four and fell in love with the rainy and gloomy weather which is why I decided to stay in-state for college, but I love traveling—thus studying abroad and exchanges are my solution to wanderlust. During the pandemic, I discovered Chinese web novels and started learning Mandarin in 2019 on top of Japanese during high school. Cnovels introduced me to a lot of new genres that were different from Western books. My favorite novel is 小蘑菇 by 一十四洲. 

Hobby: Video Games 

I am excited (and nervous) for this program because it will be the first time I travel alone—internationally! I look forward to visiting the Guang Shan monastery, which I heard is the largest Buddhist temple in Taiwan. The sundry night markets are on my to-do list as I plan to try lots and lots of new food. Of course, I’m most excited about visiting the non-tourist areas to learn about environmentalism. 

Will

I am an Environmental Studies senior at the University of Washington, and I am thrilled to be a part of this program! Throughout my time at UW, I have become passionate about environmentalism that intersects the natural world with our own social identities. In my major I have taken courses focused on sustainability and environmental justice. Through my study abroad experience, I hope to deepen my understanding of both global environmentalism as well as the histories and cultures of Taiwan. 

Hobby: I enjoy long walks outside! 

I am excited to meet new students and build productive peer relationships. Through this program, I hope that I can incorporate what I learn from NTU student's perspectives into my work in the environmental field. I am also excited to explore Taiwan and its diverse ecosystems. 

Maymay (林宇眉)

I'm from New York! I'm currently a freshman intending to major in communications and business. At UW, I'm a part of a sorority and I'm also a campus tour guide. I’m a big musical theater fan and I play four instruments as well! I also am a part of UW’s Taiwanese Student Association (TSA) since my family is Taiwanese and I've grown up going to Taiwan at least once every year. Before the start of my freshman year, I did a study abroad program in Rome, Italy and I’m super excited for another opportunity to study abroad, and even meet local students, especially because my dad went to NTU! 

Hobby: Ski and Tennis

I'm excited for this program mostly because of its location. Even though I'm a little bias, I love every aspect of Taiwan. In Taiwan, I am always with my family or friends so I am excited to have the chance to collaborate with local college students. 

Jaemie (林靜微)

I graduated this past Spring at UW with a Public-Global Health major, but am now doing a post baccalaureate in Nursing! I grew up as a first generation student in South Seattle. I grew up speaking Cantonese and went to Chinese school to learn a little Mandarin. I hope to be able to speak and learn more!  

Hobby: I love outdoor activities ranging from hiking, snowboarding, ultimate frisbee, and traveling! I am interested in getting better at cooking, reading, and want to try painting! 

I have always been passionate in environmental sciences and sustainability. Additionally, I have always wanted to travel Taiwan. I am excited to visit different areas of Taiwan and see how Taiwan tackles environmental challenges. I am also excited to meet and learn from students from Taiwan as we tackle environmental issues from a Global Health perspective. 

Kitto

I am a Junior here at UW, majoring in Environmental Studies with a minor in Public Policy. I have a background in Business management and sales which has supported my interests in environmental management, planning, and policy making. I am curious about land use and sustainable development as a niche within those fields. Over the summers I am an instructor at Wilderness Awareness School, teaching primitive survival skills and animal tracking! Otherwise, I spend my time playing the Scottish banjo, reading, and socializing with friends! 

Hobby: Camping and concerts!

I am super excited to travel to the Taiwan! I have never been to that part of the world before and as an avid traveler I couldn't pass up the opportunity to go with UW. I also am very curious how different cultures and countries approach medians like sustainability, urban planning/design, and environmental policies. I think that our country has a lot to learn from other parts of the world in these areas. 

Sydney (賴昱年)

I'm a first-year majoring in Interaction Design and minoring in Digital Art and Architectural Studies. Some interests of mine are accessible design, biomaterials, video game development, and new media art. Outside of school, I enjoy brewing tea & kombucha, putting together Gundam kits, making art, casual dancing, and eating good food! I’m super excited about this program and I can’t wait to meet you all! 

Hobby: Making art

I’m excited to eat good food, see my family, practice my Chinese, discover more of my dad’s homeland, and apply what I learn from this program to my design practice. In particular, I’m interested in material ecology (biological augmentation of digital fabrication) and environmental design. 

Abby

I am a junior at UW studying International relations and taking Chinese language classes with the goal of having a career in international business or global supply chain. I was born and raised in Seattle, although I lived in China with my family for a couple years before starting kindergarten in the United States. Visiting friends and family in China since then has been very important to me, and I believe that my knowledge and interest in both my cultures will benefit my career along with my personal life. Although I haven’t been to Taiwan, I have family friends who are from there and have introduced me to the food and culture which I enjoy and am excited to learn more about. 

Hobby: Food and cooking

I am excited to collaborate with students at NTU and learn their perspectives on environmental health and sustainability and make comparisons between Taiwan and Seattle regarding these topics. I am also looking forward to the field trips and being able to learn outside and experience Taiwan’s beautiful landscape. 

Katherine (陳敬謙)

I'm a third-year student at UW majoring in Political Science and Sociology, and minoring in Labor Studies. I was born and grew up in the Bay Area, California and moved up to Seattle for UW. I went to Chinese school when I was growing up, so I can read/write Traditional Chinese, but I would definitely like to be better at it! My dad was born and raised in Taipei (his family was originally from Shandong), and my mom grew up in Guangzhou. In terms of my studies, I am interested and involved in social justice movements surrounding the criminal legal system, reproductive/abortion rights, and labor organizing. For fun, I like to play to instruments/sing in my free time. I also enjoy listening to musical theater, RnB, indie pop, Kpop, and Mandopop! 

Hobby: Digital art

I'm excited for this program because I'm excited to learn about more about environmental sustainability in Taiwan, meet new people, and to just be in Taiwan! I would also love to learn more about different cultures in Taiwan, including Indigenous Taiwanese cultures. 

Jing Heng (陳敬恆)

Hi! I'm Kimberly (they/them) ~ you can call me Jing Heng (or Ah-Heng)! I'm a third year double majoring in Political Science and Gender, Women & Sexuality Studies with a minor in Labor Studies. I grew up in the Bay Area, California. My dad is from Taiwan and my mom is from Guangdong. The last time I went back to Taiwan was when I was little— I've always missed it a lot and I'm really excited just to finally return again. I'm really looking forward to getting to know more about everyone. 

Hoppy: Electric guitar and musical theater

Learning in a Taiwan academic setting is something I'm personally very excited for, as diaspora. I'm also really excited for all of the course content- although I'm not majoring in environmental sciences, I think Indigenous led movements for environmental sustainability are really at the center of all restorative work. I want to learn more about my positionality and ties to place as the descendant of Chinese settlers in Taiwan and what I can do to uplift environmental justice and movements for Indigenous sovereignty. 

Connor

I am currently a freshman at the University of Washington and have an intended major in business administration, specifically finance and information systems. I am a third-generation Chinese/Malaysian who enjoys playing basketball, chess, piano, and baking desserts. I was hoping to practice my Mandarin as I want to learn to become fluent in that language. I was born and raised in Los Angeles, California. I have traveled to Taiwan before in my freshman year of high school and excited at the opportunity to be there again! 

Hobby: Basketball

I am most excited about exploring the beautiful city of Taipei as well as the night markets that they have during the summer. I am also excited to interact with the people of Taiwan and practice my Mandarin as I wish to become fluent in the language. Overall, I am very excited about the field trips and going around Taiwan to learn about their food production and renewable energy. 

Jasmine (余俐穎)

My name is Jasmine and this will be my third year majoring in Environmental Studies at UW. I grew up in California, but Taiwan is like a second home to me. I love hanging out with my friends and family, going to amusement parks/concerts, traveling, listening to music, and sleeping. These past few years, I found myself wanting to learn more about Taiwan, and hope I can pursue a future with my major connecting to Taiwan. 

Hobby: Cooking

I'm excited to be back in Taiwan, meet new people, and explore different parts of Taiwan as well! I hope to learn more about Taiwan overall, and from the environmental perspective-see how Taiwan addresses their environmental issues. 

Sam

I am from Seattle, Washington. I like to play tennis and go to the gym. I am studying engineering at the University of Washington. I am only a first year student but I am thinking about doing civil engineering. In my free time I like to go swimming at lake Washington, listen to music, and try to tailor thrifted clothes. 

Hobby: Tennis

I am excited to explore and see what cities outside the US look like. I'm very excited to try new foods. I have never traveled to Taiwan before. I also am curious to learn more about the Taiwan environment and what engineering ideas have been put into place. 

Luke

My name is Luke Samford. I am a student at the University of Washington studying Environmental engineering. I like to spend my time outdoors, reading and listening to music. I am from Bend Oregon. 

Hobby: Writing short stories 

I’ve never traveled to Asia and am excited to see a whole new culture. I am also interested in how Taiwan interacts with the environment.