Teaching

 

Prof. Kwok has taught many courses in physics and astronomy, both at the undergraduate and graduate levels. These include Thermal Physics, Statistical Physics, Quantum Mechanics, Structure of Matter, Introduction to Astronomy, Fundamentals of Astronomy, Stellar Structure and Evolution, Stellar Atmospheres, Interstellar Medium, Observational Astronomy, Advanced Theoretical Astrophysics, Advanced Stellar Evolution, and Techniques in Computational Astrophysics.

His textbook "Physics and Chemistry of the Interstellar Medium" is the first astronomy textbook to have included extensive discussions on molecular and solid-state spectroscopy. This book is used as graduate level textbook in many leading universities in the world.

Prof. Kwok is committed to science education to laymen. In addition to the many public talks he has given in museums and amateur astronomy societies all over the world, he has designed and taught university courses such as "Relativity for Humanity Students" which introduced concepts of special and general relativity without the use of mathematics. In 2011, he designed a course "Our Place in the Universe" for the Common Core program of The University of Hong Kong and has taught this course every year from 2011 to 2018.

Prof. Kwok is interested in the integrated approach of science learning. He is a member of the Global Science Education Network and contributed to the Hong Kong Accord on Global Science Education. As part of the curriculum reform, he introduced the Science Foundation Courses for the Faculty of Science of The University of Hong Kong . The philosophy, rationale, and implementation of these reforms are described in an article in Nature Astronomy.

Video of the public lecture at Hong Kong Space Museum, June 2, 2018"

Highlights

MOOC course offered at EdX"

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Books

Physics and Chemistry of the Interstellar Medium Cosmic Butterflies The Origin and Evolution of Planetary Nebulae Organic Matter in the Universe Stardust: The Cosmic Seeds of Life Our Place in the Universe