Preventing Airborne Diseases: NSYSU ASRC Signs MOU with Taiwan Indoor Environment Quality Management Association

According to data from Taiwan's Environmental Protection Administration, people spend 80–90% of their time indoors. A large body of research indicates that airborne infectious diseases are far more likely to occur indoors than outdoors, with over 90% of COVID-19 cases transmitted in indoor settings. Aerosol transmission (also referred to as airborne transmission) has been confirmed as the main route of COVID-19’s global spread and is also a key mechanism for many other respiratory diseases, including influenza, measles, varicella, and tuberculosis—highlighting the critical importance of indoor air quality. To address this, the Aerosol Science Research Center (ASRC) of National Sun Yat-sen University (NSYSU) signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Taiwan Indoor Environment Quality Management Association. Through joint research, technology development, and policy advocacy, the two parties aim to improve indoor air quality and safeguard public health.

The signing ceremony also featured a demonstration seminar on improving indoor air quality in kindergartens with smart health solutions. Professor Chia C. Wang, Director of the ASRC, delivered a keynote speech titled "The Unbearable Lightness of Life: Indoor Air Pollution and Health." She outlined the various sources of indoor air pollution, the scientific mechanisms by which pollutants affect health or cause disease, and feasible preventive measures. Professor Wang emphasized that in recent years Taiwan's Ministry of Environment has prioritized kindergartens in its indoor air quality policies, aiming to improve children's health. Since young children have underdeveloped respiratory systems and weaker immunity against respiratory diseases, they are a high-risk group for airborne infections—along with elderly people who generally have weaker immune defenses.

Professor Wang further stressed that improving indoor air quality is essential for everyone's health and well-being. Given the diverse types of indoor environments—ranging from schools, workplaces, and healthcare facilities to public buildings, infrastructure, and mass transit systems—it is crucial for managers and authorities across sectors, disciplines, and institutions to collaborate in order to effectively implement measures for cleaner indoor air.

Dr. Feng-Sheng Wu, President of the Taiwan Indoor Environment Quality Management Association, remarked that this partnership represents a model of collaboration between academia and NGOs. He emphasized that both parties will work together to continuously improve indoor air quality and create a healthier living environment for the next generation. Distinguished guests attending the event to witness this milestone included National Policy Advisor Ming-Te Huang; Vice President of the Association, Fu-Yun Wu; Honorary President, Jen-Hsiung Cheng; Chairperson of the Chinese Montessori Foundation for Early Childhood Education Research, Nan-Chun Chou; and Vice President of the Wenshan District Branch of the New Taipei Association of Parent committee Chairs, Kai-Hsun Chang.

The ASRC at NSYSU is the only research center in Asia dedicated to aerosols and has been designated a featured research center under Taiwan's Ministry of Education Higher Education Sprout Project. Since its launch in 2017, the ASRC has advanced cutting-edge aerosol monitoring technologies and innovative aerosol research, playing a key role in air pollution prevention, climate change studies, and public health risk assessment. Through cross-sector collaborations with government, industry, and academia, the center bridges science and practice while raising public awareness, making significant contributions to safeguarding health and improving air quality. During the COVID-19 pandemic, ASRC Founding Director Professor Chia C. Wang published two landmark papers on aerosol transmission mechanisms in the prestigious journal Science. These papers corrected nearly a century of misconceptions about viral aerosol transmission, compelling the WHO and governments worldwide to acknowledge its importance. Ranked 2nd and 3rd in global impact among over 83,000 Science articles, these publications demonstrate the worldwide recognition of Wang's research and its pivotal role in enhancing both global public health protection and Taiwan's international visibility in aerosol science.