UC Berkeley Commencement Speech Moves Many; Megan Teng Interview on Her 'Unbelievable Journey'
Megan Teng, a Taiwanese student, delivered a commencement speech at UC Berkeley's College of Engineering PhD graduation ceremony on May 21, 2024, which went viral. In an exclusive interview with CNA, she shared her story of transitioning from humanities to engineering, the support of her 96-year-old grandmother, and her belief that Taiwan's unique blend of tech and humanity gives it a crucial role in the AI era.
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- 📰 Published: June 5, 2026 at 11:27
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(CNA, San Francisco, 4th) Megan Teng, from Taiwan, delivered a speech at the UC Berkeley College of Engineering PhD commencement ceremony, sparking widespread resonance. In an interview, she expressed her hope to bring a positive impact to her beloved homeland. Having transitioned from the humanities to engineering, she believes that Taiwan is not only at the forefront of technology but also retains a delicate humanistic foundation. She believes this unique combination gives Taiwan an opportunity to play a more important role in the AI revolution.
Upon first meeting Megan Teng, besides her fresh and refined气质 and her bright, dark eyes, the first thing one notices is a long, thin braid hanging by her right ear. It is her tribute to the Padawan, the Jedi apprentice from "Star Wars." The braid is tied with blue and gold ribbons, representing UC Berkeley, and has become her unique personal mark.
On May 21st, she stood on the stage of the UC Berkeley College of Engineering PhD commencement ceremony to deliver the graduate address. College of Engineering Dean Mark Asta introduced her as being from Taiwan and having majored in International Business at National Taiwan University (NTU), but that the spaceships and mechanical worlds of sci-fi movies had always fascinated her, leading her to double major in Mechanical Engineering during her university years.
Dean Asta stated that Megan was not deterred by the word "impossible." After graduating from NTU, she pursued further studies at Berkeley, immersing herself in machine learning research, specializing in Micro-Electromechanical Systems (MEMS). She has earned numerous honors and demonstrated exceptional leadership.
● Berkeley Adds the Finishing Touch; Megan Teng's Story of Her Grandmother Strikes a Chord
Megan then delivered her speech, centering on the story of her bond with her 96-year-old grandmother. She illustrated the family support behind a degree and highlighted that an engineer's role is not just to create technology, but to be a force that illuminates society with responsibility, emotion, and care.
Her speech video went viral online within days, sparking widespread discussion. Many netizens said they were deeply inspired.
In an exclusive interview with CNA on the Berkeley campus on the 3rd, she smiled shyly, saying she had only applied to be the commencement speaker as a way to mark her student life and never expected it to attract so much attention. She was "really shocked" at first but is very grateful for the goodwill from all sides. She felt very proud when the dean introduced her as being from Taiwan, and she hopes to bring a positive impact to the place she loves.
Speaking about being selected to represent the graduates at UC Berkeley, which was founded 158 years ago, she humbly attributed it to "luck." However, getting on that stage to speak in front of many "big names" required passing through multiple layers of selection: writing a draft, recording a selection video, being reviewed by a faculty committee and a graduate student team, and after being selected, filling out a 7-8 page questionnaire and revising the draft with the help of a dedicated person.
Megan shared that the story of her grandmother originally had less weight in the draft. It was the College of Engineering that suggested she expand this emotional core and say "謝謝奶奶" (Thank you, Grandma) in Chinese. The university felt it was a very human aspect that would resonate with the audience.
● Megan Teng Jokes She's the Handywoman at Home; Grandma Watches Speech Video with Dinner
She rarely posts on social media. Before the graduation video was uploaded, her personal YouTube channel had only 2 subscribers. To ensure her grandmother, who couldn't attend, could see her speak, she recorded the speech and added Chinese subtitles. She said, "My grandmother was very happy and touched. Before, she used to watch TV dramas while eating, but now she watches my speech while eating."
Berkeley is full of talented people, and studying abroad can be tough. But whenever she returns to Taiwan and sees her grandmother, she always hears her praise enthusiastically, "How wonderful is my granddaughter!" Megan said that this unconditional love is sometimes the most important motivation.
On graduation day, Megan's mother and brother flew from Taiwan to Berkeley. They laughed and cried along with the entire graduating class as they listened to her speech. Seeing her family in the audience, witnessing the fruits of her long journey, she described that moment as making "everything worth it."
Megan laughed, saying her family might not truly understand what she researches. At home, she sometimes acts more like a "handywoman." "They might think, since you studied mechanical engineering, you can fix the toilet or the light bulb if they break."
Perhaps due to her dual background in the humanities and engineering, Megan Teng carries a non-stereotypical, humanistic aura. In conversation, nearly half the time is spent recounting the family and benefactors in her life—those who helped her at different stages and shaped "the person she is today."
● Megan Teng: Taiwan's Delicate Humanistic Foundation is a Special Force in the AI Revolution
"Teacher Zhao made me believe I could study science; Teacher Zhang gave me the strength to persevere; Teacher Lin encouraged me to study abroad; Teacher Sun wrote my recommendation letter for Berkeley..." Even the person who waited to close the office door until she finished recording her long, stumbling selection video was included in her list of thanks, like a movie credits roll.
Megan said that "people" are especially important to her, and the environment and education in Taiwan were crucial nutrients that shaped this delicate humanistic care. She shared that after coming to the US, she became more clearly aware of a particularity of Taiwanese society.
"People generally have a sense of participation in public affairs," Megan said. In Taiwan, most people tend to pay attention to what's happening around them. Even if not everyone actively discusses social issues, once a topic is brought up, most people can express their own views.
She observed that while outsiders might think Taiwanese education emphasizes STEM, this concern for the public and analysis of events differs from the American tendency to judge people and things based on overall feeling. This makes Taiwan "a society that has always retained a certain humanistic delicacy."
She believes that precisely because Taiwan possesses both technological strength and a humanistic foundation, it can play a more important role in the AI era.
Offering an interpretation distinct from a purely technical perspective on the advantages of Taiwanese people, she said, "We are a place full of warmth and humanity." She added, "If anyone can truly figure out how to face this great transformation, that person is likely to be Taiwanese." (Editor: Wei Shu) 1150605
Upon first meeting Megan Teng, besides her fresh and refined气质 and her bright, dark eyes, the first thing one notices is a long, thin braid hanging by her right ear. It is her tribute to the Padawan, the Jedi apprentice from "Star Wars." The braid is tied with blue and gold ribbons, representing UC Berkeley, and has become her unique personal mark.
On May 21st, she stood on the stage of the UC Berkeley College of Engineering PhD commencement ceremony to deliver the graduate address. College of Engineering Dean Mark Asta introduced her as being from Taiwan and having majored in International Business at National Taiwan University (NTU), but that the spaceships and mechanical worlds of sci-fi movies had always fascinated her, leading her to double major in Mechanical Engineering during her university years.
Dean Asta stated that Megan was not deterred by the word "impossible." After graduating from NTU, she pursued further studies at Berkeley, immersing herself in machine learning research, specializing in Micro-Electromechanical Systems (MEMS). She has earned numerous honors and demonstrated exceptional leadership.
● Berkeley Adds the Finishing Touch; Megan Teng's Story of Her Grandmother Strikes a Chord
Megan then delivered her speech, centering on the story of her bond with her 96-year-old grandmother. She illustrated the family support behind a degree and highlighted that an engineer's role is not just to create technology, but to be a force that illuminates society with responsibility, emotion, and care.
Her speech video went viral online within days, sparking widespread discussion. Many netizens said they were deeply inspired.
In an exclusive interview with CNA on the Berkeley campus on the 3rd, she smiled shyly, saying she had only applied to be the commencement speaker as a way to mark her student life and never expected it to attract so much attention. She was "really shocked" at first but is very grateful for the goodwill from all sides. She felt very proud when the dean introduced her as being from Taiwan, and she hopes to bring a positive impact to the place she loves.
Speaking about being selected to represent the graduates at UC Berkeley, which was founded 158 years ago, she humbly attributed it to "luck." However, getting on that stage to speak in front of many "big names" required passing through multiple layers of selection: writing a draft, recording a selection video, being reviewed by a faculty committee and a graduate student team, and after being selected, filling out a 7-8 page questionnaire and revising the draft with the help of a dedicated person.
Megan shared that the story of her grandmother originally had less weight in the draft. It was the College of Engineering that suggested she expand this emotional core and say "謝謝奶奶" (Thank you, Grandma) in Chinese. The university felt it was a very human aspect that would resonate with the audience.
● Megan Teng Jokes She's the Handywoman at Home; Grandma Watches Speech Video with Dinner
She rarely posts on social media. Before the graduation video was uploaded, her personal YouTube channel had only 2 subscribers. To ensure her grandmother, who couldn't attend, could see her speak, she recorded the speech and added Chinese subtitles. She said, "My grandmother was very happy and touched. Before, she used to watch TV dramas while eating, but now she watches my speech while eating."
Berkeley is full of talented people, and studying abroad can be tough. But whenever she returns to Taiwan and sees her grandmother, she always hears her praise enthusiastically, "How wonderful is my granddaughter!" Megan said that this unconditional love is sometimes the most important motivation.
On graduation day, Megan's mother and brother flew from Taiwan to Berkeley. They laughed and cried along with the entire graduating class as they listened to her speech. Seeing her family in the audience, witnessing the fruits of her long journey, she described that moment as making "everything worth it."
Megan laughed, saying her family might not truly understand what she researches. At home, she sometimes acts more like a "handywoman." "They might think, since you studied mechanical engineering, you can fix the toilet or the light bulb if they break."
Perhaps due to her dual background in the humanities and engineering, Megan Teng carries a non-stereotypical, humanistic aura. In conversation, nearly half the time is spent recounting the family and benefactors in her life—those who helped her at different stages and shaped "the person she is today."
● Megan Teng: Taiwan's Delicate Humanistic Foundation is a Special Force in the AI Revolution
"Teacher Zhao made me believe I could study science; Teacher Zhang gave me the strength to persevere; Teacher Lin encouraged me to study abroad; Teacher Sun wrote my recommendation letter for Berkeley..." Even the person who waited to close the office door until she finished recording her long, stumbling selection video was included in her list of thanks, like a movie credits roll.
Megan said that "people" are especially important to her, and the environment and education in Taiwan were crucial nutrients that shaped this delicate humanistic care. She shared that after coming to the US, she became more clearly aware of a particularity of Taiwanese society.
"People generally have a sense of participation in public affairs," Megan said. In Taiwan, most people tend to pay attention to what's happening around them. Even if not everyone actively discusses social issues, once a topic is brought up, most people can express their own views.
She observed that while outsiders might think Taiwanese education emphasizes STEM, this concern for the public and analysis of events differs from the American tendency to judge people and things based on overall feeling. This makes Taiwan "a society that has always retained a certain humanistic delicacy."
She believes that precisely because Taiwan possesses both technological strength and a humanistic foundation, it can play a more important role in the AI era.
Offering an interpretation distinct from a purely technical perspective on the advantages of Taiwanese people, she said, "We are a place full of warmth and humanity." She added, "If anyone can truly figure out how to face this great transformation, that person is likely to be Taiwanese." (Editor: Wei Shu) 1150605
FAQ
Where can I watch Megan Teng's speech?
The article does not provide a specific URL, but the video was likely uploaded to her personal YouTube channel.
What was Megan Teng's research focus?
She specialized in machine learning and Micro-Electromechanical Systems (MEMS) at UC Berkeley.
Why did this speech attract so much attention?
Its heartfelt narrative centered on her grandmother, combined with a message linking Taiwan's humanistic values to its technological strength, resonated with a wide audience.