The 2025 Australia-Taiwan Alumni Awards Gala Dinner successfully took place on 20 September 2025. Congratulations to the five awardees, and heartfelt thanks to all guests who joined us in celebrating this special event.
(Caption: Representative Fergusson meets the five awardees)
Meet the 2025 Australia-Taiwan Alumni Awards Awardees
Award Category: Health & Biotechnology: Dr. Vivienne Wu
Australian education: Queensland University of Technology, School of Nursing / PhD / 2006
Bio:
President Vivienne Shu-Fang Wu received her doctorate degree in Nursing from Queensland University of Technology, Australia. President Wu is currently the President of the Taipei University of Nursing and Health Sciences (NTUNHS) and held senior leadership positions over the last 10 years at NTUNHS include Vice President, Director of Research and Development Centre, Director of Research Centre for Healthcare Industry Innovation, Department Chair, and other academic and administrative director roles. President Wu has been recognised as 2019 Ten Outstanding Nursing Contribution Award in Taiwan, FAAN in 2020, and Stanford University Names World’s Top 2% Scientists consecutively from 2020 to 2023. President Wu developed the Chinese version of the “Diabetes Management Self Efficacy Scale”, which is widely referenced and utilised by more than 200 researchers across 20 countries, both domestically and internationally.
Award Category: Arts & Culture: Dr. Chun-wei Fang
Australian education: Australian National University/ PhD/ 2016
Bio:
Dr Chun-wei Fang is a Taiwanese anthropologist and the Associate Curatorial Researcher and Head of the Division of Exhibition and Education at the National Museum of Prehistory in Taiwan. He is also an Adjunct Associate Professor in the Department of Public and Cultural Affairs at National Taitung University. Recognised for his expertise in Taiwanese Indigenous communities, textiles, and the relationship between museums and Indigenous peoples. Dr. Fang has spent the past two decades conducting extensive research on Austronesian-speaking populations in Taiwan, Indonesia, and Fiji.
Since 2017, he has been deeply involved in the development of Indigenous museums and training initiatives in Taiwan. His work emphasises cross-cultural and comparative approaches to museology and cultural diversity. He has published widely on ritual practices, religious conversion, and emerging movements of cultural revitalisation among Taiwan’s Indigenous Bunun people. In addition, he has edited two volumes on Atayal weaving that have contributed to the preservation and reinterpretation of Indigenous textile traditions. Dr. Fang has curated major exhibitions, including First Wave: Contemporary Australian and Taiwanese Indigenous Fashion Exhibition (2022, collaborated with Bendigo Art Gallery, Melbourne, Australia), Austronesian Hall - Long-Term Exhibition (2023, National Museum of Prehistory, Taiwan), and the forthcoming Contested Frames: Taiwan's Indigenous Peoples Confronting the Colonial Gaze (2025, collaborated with Temple Anthropology Laboratory and Museum, USA).
In addition to his curatorial work, he has translated books into Chinese, including Pacific Histories: Oceans, Land, People (2020), Pathway of the Birds: The Voyaging Achievements of Māori and their Polynesian Ancestors (2024) and Sweat and Salt Water: Selected Works (2025).
Award Category: Civil Society: Jennifer Lu
Sydney University/ Master of Policy Study/ 2012
Bio:
Jennifer Lu is a Taiwanese human rights advocate with over two decades of experience in social movements. Trained in social work, she began her career in grassroots organisations, working closely with marginalised groups and LGBTIQ+ communities. These early experiences shaped her belief that meaningful change must come both from the ground up and through institutional reform. As her work evolved, she moved from frontline activism into policy and organisational leadership, learning to transform personal stories into broader advocacy. Today, she serves as Director for Asia Programs at Outright International, where she leads regional and international collaborations. Jennifer’s journey reflects a lifelong commitment to equality—driven both by the urgency of lived realities and by the vision of building lasting social change.
Award Category: Business and Entrepreneurship: Man Chi Leung
Australian education: University of Adelaide/ Bachelor of Science, Computer Science/ 2003
Bio:
Manchi, a senior technology leader with over two decades of experience, is currently making waves as the CTO of a Medical Technology start-up. His previous role was as the Senior Vice President of Engineering at Central Retail, Thailand's largest omni-channel retail company, leading a team of 200 engineers across offices in Bangkok, Ho Chi Minh, and Budapest. Before joining Central Retail, Manchi served as the Senior Director of Engineering at Digital River. His pivotal role in driving the Agile transformation and constructing a large-scale e-commerce platform was instrumental in the company's growth.
Award Category: Energy & Sustainability: Sarah Wang
Australian education: University of Melbourne / Master of Property / 2011
University of Melbourne / Master of English as an International Language / 2010
Bio:
Sarah Wang is a trailblazer in land development and offshore wind energy, whose career has been defined by strategic vision, technical excellence, and pioneering leadership. She began her professional journey at JLL Taiwan in 2012, quickly establishing herself as a trusted advisor to governments, developers and investors.
Sarah’s impact deepened with her transition to Ørsted, where she played a pivotal role in shaping Taiwan’s offshore wind industry from its earliest stages. As the lead for the Greater Changhua project, she developed and executed permitting strategies, managed complex consenting risks and budgets, and steered the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and consenting programs for multiple early-phase projects. Her work laid the foundation for some of Taiwan’s most ambitious renewable energy developments.
In recent years, Sarah has brought her expertise back to Gippsland, Victoria, where she is driving the development of offshore wind projects in Australia. Her return to familiar terrain marks a full-circle moment in a career that continues to push boundaries and deliver transformative impact in the global energy transition.
