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Apple recently announced the winners of the 2025 Swift Student Challenge, with only 350 young developers worldwide receiving the honor. Among them, three were from Taiwan, including Jui-Lin Yu, a graduate of Feng Chia University's Department of Computer Science and Information Engineering. Yu impressed the judges with his interactive app "Forest Guardian," which integrates environmental issues with programming, showcasing his persistence and determination after three attempts at the competition.
The Swift Student Challenge is a prelude to Apple's annual WWDC (Worldwide Developers Conference), encouraging students to create innovative and technically sophisticated app prototypes using the Swift programming language. Yu's app, designed as an interactive storybook, allows users to simulate the role of a forest guardian, making choices in response to challenges like wildfires and pollution, ultimately influencing the story's outcome. He shared that the inspiration came from his participation in environmental volunteer activities during university, where witnessing human-caused damage to nature motivated him to explore how programming could contribute to environmental education.
Notably, "Forest Guardian" was developed in just one week. Yu utilized generative AI to create pixel-style images and leveraged ChatGPT to optimize programming logic and language. He admitted that this was his third attempt at the competition, having failed to be selected in the previous two years. However, he remained undeterred, continuously refining his direction and polishing his work. "Beyond luck, the key is consistent effort and learning," he said.
Jui-Lin Yu graduated from Feng Chia University's Department of Computer Science and Information Engineering. During his studies, he joined the student club iOS Club, where he gained app development experience. He is currently pursuing a master's degree in Computer Science and Software Engineering at the University of Washington in the United States. Yu previously interned at Yahoo and launched his first app, "DailyVal," in 2022, which he continues to update and manage.
Jui-Lin Yu, a graduate of Feng Chia University's Department of Computer Science and Information Engineering, fulfilled his dream after three attempts, winning an award at Apple's global developer competition with "Forest Guardian."
In recent years, Feng Chia University has excelled in the Swift Student Challenge, with several students from the Department of Computer Science and Information Engineering receiving recognition. These include Jun-You Shueh, Yu-Hsin Liu, Jing-Yuan Lu, and Kai-You Lin, who stood out among thousands of global participants in 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2024, respectively, earning spots among the 350 winners. Notably, Jun-You Shueh won the award for two consecutive years, demonstrating solid skills and consistent performance, reflecting Feng Chia's long-term dedication and outstanding achievements in mobile app development. This year, Jui-Lin Yu brought further glory to the university, showcasing his persistence and creativity while embodying Feng Chia's educational philosophy of encouraging students to apply technology to social and environmental issues.
"This is not the end but another beginning," Yu said. He hopes to go further next year, aiming to be among the top 50 Distinguished Winners of the Swift Student Challenge and visit Apple's headquarters, Apple Park, in Silicon Valley. He also looks forward to seeing more breakthroughs in AI technology at this year's WWDC, continuing to inspire the creativity of the next generation of developers.
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