穿著唐裝、背著香菇造型背包的羅南德（Roland Kirschner）教授，拿著放大鏡遊走在森林小徑，仔細觀察，觸摸每一片樹葉、每一塊樹根、每一寸土地，不放過任何一個真菌出現的痕跡。每當葉子或樹枝上有從未見過的斑點或缺角，羅南德教授便會小心地摘下樣本，放進夾鏈袋，鬼靈精怪地笑著對我們說：「這個我要拿回去研究！」。要認識這位熱愛生態及臺灣的森林系教授，便要從他的年少時期說起。
從大自然的愛好者到真菌學的生物學家 熱愛東亞文化的美
出生於德國南方的科技城—達姆施塔特（Darmstadt）的羅南德教授從小即展現對大自然及生物的熱愛。夢想著成為動物園管理員的他，兒時最喜歡前往鄉間樹林等自然環境觀察野生動物，認識不同生物的特徵。然而因家中長輩不允許飼養貓、狗等寵物的關係，羅南德教授漸漸將對動物的興趣轉為對昆蟲、植物的好奇，也終於在就讀達姆施塔特工業大學（Technical University of Darmstadt）時選擇他最愛的領域—生物學系，獲得學士學位的羅南德教授延續他的學術之路，於杜賓根大學（University of Tuebingen）完成他的碩博士學位，並在杜賓根大學及法蘭克福大學（J.W. Goethe-University）繼續著博士後研究員的學術生活。羅南德教授首先以昆蟲學做為研究專攻，但因無法找到適合的指導老師，他便聽從教授的建議將研究方向轉為昆蟲與真菌的交互作用，以樹皮甲蟲與真菌的多樣性及共生作為主題，研究過程他甚至發現宿主植物、樹皮甲蟲及真菌之間複雜的互動關係，這樣充滿挑戰的觀察開啟他踏上尋找未知真菌的道路。
After earning his Bachelor’s degree, Prof. Kirschner decided to stay in academia and continue his studies at the University of Tübingen and Goethe University in Frankfurt while exploring different research areas. Initially, he had a strong interest in insect diversity and ecology, but since he couldn’t find a suitable supervisor, he switched to fungal diversity and biology. Under the guidance of his new academic supervisor, he was able to combine his interest in insects with his professor’s area of expertise by studying the diversity of fungi associated with bark beetles. He even made some significant contributions by discovering new genera and species of microscopic fungi. This discovery added new insights into the complex interactions between the host plant, the bark beetles, and fungi.
求學階段除了展現對大自然的熱愛之外，高中時期的一堂美術課意外地開啟羅南德教授對東亞文化的興趣。課堂上美術老師展現的東亞水墨畫，大大地吸引羅南德教授的目光，看似單調的色澤，因為氣韻、筆法、筆墨創造出獨特的意境以及細緻的美感，這種古典繪畫的藝術形式及哲學，是羅南德教授從未見過的美學，進而激發他學習東亞藝術的熱忱。
羅南德教授在讀書期間除了專注於自己的學術研究外，他利用大多的空閒時間學習中文、水墨畫及書法，甚至嘗試學習太極拳。因為臺灣同學的鼓勵及邀請，1998年羅南德教授初次到訪臺灣並參加臺灣師範大學為期一年的中文課，除了學習中文外，他也學習篆刻、書法等東亞藝術文化，隨著越來越深地鑽研，羅南德教授越來越著迷於這別具特色的藝術風格及內涵。對於羅南德教授來說，臺灣正是學習中文、書法的最佳環境，這裡使用具備傳統造字美學的繁體中文，讓羅南德教授可以從書法練習中學習控制字的線條，表現漢字的方塊平衡及美感。往後的時間裡，他每年都會前來臺灣，與專業的老師學習書法及水墨畫，也會定期參加國際書法比賽。創作的時候，羅南德教授喜歡挑戰將非傳統繪畫題材（如：臺灣動植物）呈現在水墨畫之中，發展創新的風格，他也收藏許多來自日本及臺灣的書法和繪畫，透過欣賞這傳統且精緻複雜的藝術，透過沉浸於這流傳千年的美，他找到內在的平靜。
Being focused on his academic career in Germany, Prof. Kirschner had not lost his interest in East Asian culture throughout the years, dedicating most of his free time to calligraphy and language learning. These hobbies might have remained mere pastimes if not for an acquaintance with a Taiwanese fellow student who invited him to visit his home country.
He first came to Taiwan in 1998 to attend a one-year Mandarin learning program at National Taiwan Normal University, and as he told us, his first impression of Taipei’s cityscape was far from what he had imagined. A mess of dangling wires, busy traffic, and a mixture of smells wafting through the streets—none of it matched his imagination of Formosa which was mostly based on his study of traditional Chinese culture. However, this culture shock passed in a matter of weeks as he realized that he didn’t want to go back. The feeling of attachment to the place was so strong that he came to Taiwan every year for more than a decade to work with his former fellow student, Chee-Jen Chen, who by then had become a professor with his own laboratory at Southern Taiwan University of Science and Technology in Tainan.
在臺大，羅南德教授成立「菌物資源研究室」，致力於研究植物病原性真菌（plant pathogenic fungi）、腐生真菌（saprobic fungi）、植物內生真菌（endophytic fungi）、環境真菌等主題，針對在臺灣野外環境取得的樣本進行分析，分解蕨類植物、木材、枯葉上的真菌，以及作物及海岸植物的內生真菌。羅南德教授以菌物的兩大棲息地—森林及海岸作為研究的主要場域，因此位於臺灣中部的臺大實驗林成為他授課及採集樣本的重要場所，每學期羅南德教授固定會帶領學生前往森林找尋樣本以及研究植物病害，藉由實際走訪森林，觀察周遭動植物的樣貌，他期許學生能因此成為獨立的研究者，在自然環境中找到自己的研究主題，發現更多的真菌物種並探究他們在生態系統中的功能，同時透過羅南德教授的因材施教，學生能在最大的學術自由下獲得適當的引導，找到並保持對研究應有的動力。
二十六年在臺灣
從一開始的每年的短暫駐留，到後來的定居，羅南德教授在這塊寶島上不停探索東方藝術文化的精隨，也繼續他在真菌界的學術研究。1998年首次訪台學習中文時，他不忘自己的學術專業，同時在臺大與植物學系陳瑞青教授共同從事菌物研究，後續多次來臺的時間裡，羅南德教授延續在杜賓根大學求學時所建立的緣分，與當時的博士班同學（後為南臺科技大學教授）陳啟楨老師共同研究生物多樣性及菌類的應用等主題。
到了2010年，羅南德教授正式於國立中央大學任教，由於當時學校教授生物學的老師不多，羅南德教授因此得到發揮教學的舞台，他教授廣泛的基礎課程（如：植物多樣性、植物解剖學、真菌學等），也在黃雪莉教授（時任中央大學生命科學系教授）的建議下，挑戰教授微生物學相關課程，尋找研究及教學的新突破，也從教學的過程中找到真菌在微生物環境中的新見解。2019年羅南德教授加入臺大森林環境暨資源學系，並調整他的教學方向，將教學重點放在森林生態系統中的植物及真菌，藉由過去博士時期的研究經驗，羅南德教授在教學上帶給學生基礎理論、專業應用、研究方法等不同面向的教學。
初次來臺至今已歷時二十六年，羅南德教授經歷臺灣的政治變革，看見臺灣的民主化進程，隨著政治氛圍及社會風氣的開放，臺灣的國際化發展大幅提升，外國人居留及在臺灣生活變得越來越容易。相較於德國的規則、秩序，對羅南德教授來說，臺灣則相對放鬆、隨性。有多元豐富的美食、完善的醫療系統以及便利的生活，這裡成為羅南德教授第二個家鄉。而臺大之於羅南德教授，是初訪臺灣的回憶，是豐富的學術資源，不僅有森林能實地探訪，圖書館裡的古老文獻、最新期刊更是他研究真菌的重要資源。平日他與學生共同踏遍校園尋找真菌足跡，繼續探索生態界的奧妙，假日則與專業老師一起鑽研書法、水墨畫及太極拳，他在臺灣找到自己的專業研究及終生志趣的平衡，成為他口中熱愛臺灣的新住民。
When talking about his teaching style, Prof. Kirschner told us that he tries to assign individual research topics for students, giving them as much academic freedom as possible. “In comparison to Germany, the number of people in a class here is significantly smaller, so it’s easier for me to use a personalized approach in teaching” he shared. “Since most Asian schools’ systems are quite rigid result-focused, it is extremely important to guide students in the beginning, so that everyone can find and maintain motivation for pursuing their research”.
走上333階的好漢坡，羅南德教授的腳步輕盈，快速地讓我們都跟不上，稍不注意，他已摘下某片葉子、某塊樹皮，觀察大自然的雙眼閃閃發光，無須言語，他的腳步及目光已說明他對世界的熱愛及好奇，在觀景迴廊從容地打著太極拳，那輕柔、舒緩且流暢的動作與森林的美讓周邊都安靜下來，伴隨著微風，我們因此短暫地逃離城市的喧囂，獲得內在的平靜與和諧。
Fungal Research at NTU
Outside of his work at NTU, Prof. Kirschner continues practicing calligraphy, attending classes every week. He becomes quite humble when discussing his achievements, emphasizing that he still relies on his teacher's instruction. However, he has actually won several local and international calligraphy contests. He also devotes time to Chinese ink painting during prolonged holiday periods. “I try to use images of plants and animals around me and represent them in my works, which is not a very traditional style in Chinese painting.” Tai Chi is another hobby he has cultivated since the student years, and has been doing it every day till nowadays. He says it helps him clear his mind and “charge the batteries” for the day.
It has been 26 years since Prof. Kirschner first came to Taiwan, and for 14 of those years, he has been living here permanently. When asked what it is about this place that attracts him so much, he simply answers that it now feels like home. “I have witnessed all the changes Taiwan has undergone over the last quarter of a century, how it has transformed into a more foreigner-friendly and, overall, more livable place in terms of quality of life, where people from different backgrounds can fit in. For Roland it includes a wide range of high-quality vegetarian food available almost everywhere, a highly accessible healthcare system, ‘all-inclusive’ convenience stores around every corner and many other things that improve his life.
One might be curious whether living in Taiwan for so many years has made Prof. Kirschner feel more Taiwanese in any way. He said that, although deep down he feels his German identity still prevails (especially when encountering the chaotic traffic in Taipei), a lot of what he has learned from Taiwanese people has changed the way he looks at things. “I am grateful to the people who live here for teaching me how to embrace a positive mindset, no matter what the external circumstances are. If you want to savor the present and enjoy life today, Taiwan is the right choice for you.”