Event Report | 2025 WIO Forum: Leadership for an Abundant Life

TWiST Editorial Team | Text and images compiled from event reports provided by Professor Yi-Hsin Lin of National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University and Professor Yu-Chueh Hung of National Tsing Hua University.

This was more than a dialogue about photonics. It was also a powerful reflection on resilience, leadership, and the value of crossing disciplinary boundaries. Two distinguished women leaders shared how resilience and technological expertise can open new possibilities for a fulfilling life.

TWiST News — Jointly supported by the Taiwan Women in Science and Technology Association (TWiST), the Taiwan Photonics Society (TPS), Academia Sinica’s Research Center for Applied Sciences, and Optica, the 2025 Women in Optics (WIO) forum, themed “Leadership for an Abundant Life,” was held at National Taiwan University of Science and Technology on December 6, 2025. The forum brought together 99 students, faculty members, and industry professionals—54 women and 45 men—to explore women’s leadership, interdisciplinary integration, and innovative applications of technology in finance.

Forum Highlights: New Perspectives for the Next Generation of Technologists

Keynote 1: Chairwoman Yu-Ling Fang, Pao Sheng Optical

Chairwoman Fang recounted her remarkable journey from insurance sales to leadership in the optical industry, showing how she turned setbacks into opportunities. She shared her personal formula for success: “Success = (willpower × action) ÷ limitations.” Her message emphasized perseverance, continual learning, and the courage to adapt in a rapidly changing industry. Beyond her business achievements, she has also devoted herself to equine-assisted therapy, demonstrating a leadership style that combines strength with compassion.

Student Reflections

• Resilient leadership — Student Chang: Chairwoman Fang demonstrated the resilience and adaptability of women leaders, reminding me to approach my future career with openness and courage.

• A leader’s perspective — Student Chen: Seeing an experienced leader dedicate herself to helping children with disabilities showed me that the shift from strength to compassion is the mark of true leadership.

• A growth mindset — Student Lin: Her three recommendations—perseverance, the ability to learn, and the ability to influence—offered a clear direction for becoming an outstanding leader.

Keynote 2: Vice President Chiung-Yin Lin, KGI Securities

Vice President Lin offered an accessible introduction to high-frequency quantitative trading (HFT), helping the audience understand modern finance from a physical and technological perspective. She explained how fiber-optic transmission speeds and low-latency hardware have become decisive advantages in today’s capital markets, where differences measured in microseconds can determine profits and losses. By translating complex algorithms into practical examples, she emphasized that the ability to integrate knowledge across fields is a core competency for the next generation in the AI era.

Student Reflections

• Interdisciplinary innovation — Student Huang: Technology and finance are inseparable—time truly is money. The spark created by combining disciplines makes science even more engaging.

• Strategic vision — Student Wei: This is a competition of perspective. To thrive in the AI era, we must expand our horizons and learn to shape the landscape instead of remaining constrained by existing rules.

• Quantitative practice — Student Yang: Learning how major companies profit from tiny differences in time gave me valuable new insight for both financial planning and future career choices.

International Connections and Sustainable Growth

Dr. Turan Erdogan, Vice President of Optica, and Meredith Smith also attended the forum and highlighted the continued effort required to advance gender equality in STEM. As one student observed, international organizations’ commitment to balanced 50/50 gender representation in leadership offers greater confidence and possibility for future careers.

“Life has no limits; crossing boundaries is how we create the future.” We thank every student, faculty member, and professional who participated. Together, may we continue building abundant lives through technology and leadership.