Excellent Teaching Assistant Award 2025-26

Since joining HKU as a PhD student in the Department of Mathematics, Jon has contributed to a wide range of undergraduate courses, from introductory courses such as Basic Mathematics for Business and Economics to higher-level courses including Topology and Algebra II. Across these courses, the objective remains the same: to cultivate curiosity in learners and inspire active engagement with mathematical techniques.

Jon is an enthusiastic teacher who prioritises flexibility and a bird’s-eye view of mathematics over rote application. In interacting with students, Jon strives to create an inclusive environment where everyone feels comfortable contributing. In problem-solving, wrong turns and dead ends are often necessary parts of the journey towards a solution. Jon therefore avoids presenting themselves as mathematically infallible, instead inviting students to suggest approaches and contribute to crafting the arguments.

Jon greatly values visual explanations, whether on the chalkboard or through graphing software, and aims to accompany key concepts with visual representations whenever possible. These often encourage students to contribute alternative or complementary interpretations of a problem. Jon regularly checks in with students and welcomes feedback on tutorials and course materials.

Jon strongly believes that mathematics is not a spectator sport. Knowing a solution is neither as important as the insight and understanding gained through working towards it, nor as important as the ability to communicate those ideas clearly and carefully to others. Mathematics, like any collaborative endeavour, is built through human interaction.  Teaching is how we pass on knowledge and sustain our academic communities, and Jon aspires to instil in students the same commitment to sharing knowledge with others.

Jon has had the privilege of contributing to TA training sessions in the Department. In addition to teaching, Jon has mentored students through the Twoples Mentorship Programme and the Hong Kong Scholarship for Excellence Scheme Scholars Association. Within HKU, they have also served as the Department’s RPg Wellness Ambassador, an Equal Opportunity Student Ambassador, and a Peer English Tutor. No one teaches alone, and Jon is grateful to fellow TAs, colleagues, and instructors who have made this journey possible.

In research, Jon’s work focuses on connections between algebraic geometry and representation theory. Jon is especially interested in combinatorial models for initial seeds of cluster algebras.