Taipei, Nov. 18 (CNA) U.S. engineer Daniel Robert Vickery, who is in charge of energy systems at Gogoro, was awarded the Plum Blossom Card Sunday in recognition of his contributions to Taiwan's electric scooter industry.
The card is given to foreign nationals who have made special contributions to Taiwan, have high-level professional or technical skills needed by Taiwan, or who have invested over NT$15 million (US$487,650) in the country.
Card holders are granted permanent residency and also enjoy a simplified process should they wish to apply for Taiwanese citizenship, according to the National Immigration Agency.
Vickery, who has been working at Taiwan-based electric scooter company Gogoro since 2015, said at the award ceremony in Taipei that being granted the card affirmed his expertise.
He added that he will continue to recruit a new generation of energy engineers in Taiwan, as Gogoro aims to build safer, more efficient and more eco-friendly battery systems.
Born in 1988, Vickery grew up with a strong interest in engineering and obtained a master's degree from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology before moving on to work at software giant Oracle.
He moved to Taiwan in 2014 and joined Gogoro a year later. He currently leads a team of 60 engineers who develop battery packs for Gogoro scooters, and the battery swap stations where users exchange discharged batteries for fresh ones.
