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Exploring Italy’s Scientific and Cultural Heritage: A Journey from Trieste to Venice

Three PhD students, Min LONG, Menghan SONG, and Ting-Tung WANG, from the group of Professor Zi Yang MENG in the Department of Physics, embarked on a scientific journey at the Abdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical Physics (ICTP) in Trieste, Italy, last December. Below, they share their experiences of exchanging knowledge and exploring the rich history and culture of Trieste and Venice.   Trieste: A City of Borders and History Trieste is a port city that once served as the main sea gate of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Today, the empire is gone, and the city is Italian, but its unique identity persists. The architecture reflects its imperial past, with grand, sombre buildings from the Habsburg era facing the waterfront. The piazzas are wide and open to the sea breeze, and historic cafés invite you to enjoy coffee amid a blend of influences – more reminiscent of Vienna than Rome. The light is Adriatic, but the soul is mixed, reflecting a city of borders and changed maps. Sculpture in Piazza Unità d'Italia In December 2025, we visited the Abdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical Physics (ICTP). The Centre is a cluster of functional buildings on the outskirts of Trieste. Founded by the late Nobel Laureate Abdus Salam and Italian physicist Paolo Budinich, it is a hub for scientists from all over the world, especially those from developing countries. It is a tranquil place with plain corridors and a slow pace. Here, we participated in a two-week Advanced School and Conference on Quantum Matter. The event intertwined pedagogical lectures from the school and conference-style talks on Quantum Spin Liquids.   At ICTP, we had enriching conversations with research scientists Marcello Dalmonte, Yin Ran, and Cenke Xu. Topics ranged from cutting-edge hybrid Monte Carlo simulations of fractional quantum Hall states—platforms for quantum computation—to the intricate techniques of entanglement microscopy that reveal the deep organising principles governing many-particle systems. A highlight was the exploration of the Chiral graviton—a phenomenon akin to ripples in the emergent internal geometry of the electronic universe—and its realisation in the fractional Chern insulator. These fruitful exchanges have already led to our recent preprint, Chiral Graviton Modes in Fermionic Fractional Chern Insulator, and we anticipate further collaborations, including a forthcoming visit to HKU by an Italian scholar.   Many distinguished Chinese physicists, such as Xi Dai and Lu Yu, have worked at ICTP. They did important work and helped facilitate knowledge exchange with their home institutions. ICTP has served as a bridge, facilitating knowledge exchange through sustained, dedicated work. In the cafeteria, a dozen languages mingle, unified by the language of physics. It is a truly inspiring place.   The Grand Canal     The ICTP campus   From Trieste to Venice: A Coastal Journey From Trieste, we took a two-hour train ride along the coast to Venice. Venice is unlike any other city. Stepping out of the station, you are greeted by the water of the Grand Canal. There are no cars, only boats. The city is built on millions of wooden pilings driven into the mud of the Venetian Lagoon. Once a powerful maritime republic, its wealth is evident in landmarks like the Doge’s Palace and the Basilica, with gold accents and ornate ceilings. Yet, the true essence of Venice lies in its small details. While in Venice, we took a boat out to Murano, the island famed for glassmaking. Watching a master shape molten glass into a delicate horse in just minutes revealed the skill and artistry behind this ancient craft. Back in the city, the streets are canals. The sidewalks are narrow. We crossed small bridges and passed shops displaying traditional Venetian Carnival masks—some simple white, others gilded with long beaks. These masks were once worn during festivals to conceal identity, allowing people to step outside their usual roles. Today, they are mostly made for tourists, but they still carry a sense of the city’s old mystery.   From left: Menghan Song, Ting-Tung Wang and Min Long As the light faded, the crowds departed on their boats, and the city quietened. We could hear the water lapping against the ancient stones. We found a small place to eat—simple fare of fish, pasta, and house wine. The next day, on the return train along the coast, we reflected on the two cities. Trieste, solid and serious on its land, is focused on fundamental questions about the universe. Venice, floating on its borrowed time, stands as a beautiful relic of the past. Both are real, and both tell a true story. That, in itself, is enough.

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This diagram compares how charged particles enter the magnetic fields of Earth (left) and Saturn (right). On Earth, the entry region is centred and balanced, while on Saturn it is shifted to one side due to the planet’s rapid rotation. Image credit: Yan X

HKU Astrophysicists Find Saturn’s Magnetic Bubble Differ from Earth-Based Models, Appearing to be Less Symmetrical and Off-Centre

Latest research led by Professor Zhonghua YAO of the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences (DEPS) at The University of Hong Kong (HKU) has found that auroras on Saturn behave markedly differently from those on Earth, appearing uneven and shifted to one side rather than forming the familiar symmetrical rings around the poles. Analysing archival data from NASA’s Cassini mission, the team shows that Saturn’s rapid rotation fundamentally reshapes its magnetic environment, driving this off-centre magnetic bubble pattern. A Shield with a Systematic Shift Like Earth, Saturn is surrounded by a magnetosphere, a magnetic “shield” that protects it from the solar wind. However, near the poles, funnel-shaped openings called “cusps” allow charged particles to leak into the atmosphere along magnetic field lines, producing auroras. On Earth, these entry regions, similar to a magnetic bubble, are usually centred around noon—the part of the planet facing the Sun—so the magnetic bubble tends to form fairly symmetrical rings around the poles. At Saturn, the dynamics change dramatically. These regions are shifted towards the afternoon side, most commonly between about 1 pm and 3 pm, and sometimes extending towards evening. As a result, the auroras are not centred, but displaced to one side, appearing uneven rather than forming a balanced ring. This difference is linked to Saturn’s rapid rotation. A full rotation takes only about 10 hours, and this fast spin reshapes the planet’s magnetic field, pushing the particle entry regions away from the Sun-facing direction. The findings suggest that, for giant planets like Saturn, rotation and charged particles released by its moons may play a larger role than the solar wind in shaping the magnetic environment. By identifying where charged particles enter a planet’s magnetic field, scientists can better understand how energy is transferred into its atmosphere. This helps improve models of planetary magnetic fields and space weather, and provides insight into how effectively different planets can protect their atmospheres. “This discovery of an ‘afternoon-skewed cusp’ confirms that giant planets operate under a different magnetospheric environment than Earth,” said Professor Yao. “It fundamentally alters our models of how high-energy particles gain energy and move faster across our solar system”. The research, published in Nature Communications, draws on data collected by the Cassini spacecraft, which orbited Saturn from 2004 to 2017. By analysing data up to 2010, the team identified 67 instances of particle entry into Saturn’s magnetic field, allowing them to map these regions for the first time. The study’s first author is Dr Yan Xu, a former postdoctoral fellow of Professor Zhonghua Yao at HKU, now affiliated with the Southern University of Science and Technology in Shenzhen. For more details, please refer to the journal paper.    

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CFMES is led by Professor Vivian Yam (left) and co-headed by Professor Hongjie Dai from the Department of Chemistry

HKU Centre of Functional Materials for Energy and Sustainability Joins Third InnoHK Research Cluster

The Centre of Functional Materials for Energy and Sustainability (CFMES) of The University of Hong Kong (HKU) has been officially approved for admission to the third InnoHK research cluster, SEAM@InnoHK, which focuses on sustainable development, energy, advanced manufacturing, and materials. This marks an important expansion of HKU’s involvement in InnoHK, adding to the existing seven HKU research labs within the Health@InnoHK and AIR@InnoHK clusters.   CFMES is established as the premier SEAM@InnoHK Centre to advance breakthrough discoveries in functional materials to address energy and sustainability challenges; to advocate world-class research in the area; to enhance Hong Kong’s international reputation for leading-edge research and innovation in both basic sciences and technology-enabling translational activities; and to nurture next-generation leading academics/scientists.   CFMES will leverage on the unique strengths and competitive edges to address bottleneck challenges in advancing discovery of advanced battery materials and electric-enabled technology for energy storage, green conversion and sustainability applications, and innovative light-emitting materials, and light-enabled and responsive materials and technology for energy and materials conversion, and recyclable sustainability through international, national and local inter-institutional and industrial collaborations.   Led by Professor Vivian Wing-Wah Yam, Vice-President and Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Global Innovation Centre) (Interim), Philip Wong Wilson Wong Professor in Chemistry and Energy, and co-headed by Professor Hongjie Dai, Sapientia Eminence Professor, both Chair Professors at the Department of Chemistry of HKU, the Centre will work with renowned collaborators, including The University of Groningen, the Max Planck Institute, Peking University and Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, and The University of Tokyo.   Professor Yam highlighted the significance of the initiative, saying, “We are thrilled to be selected as a SEAM@InnoHK Centre, and we envision our CFMES as the premier Centre to provide solutions to important global real-world energy and sustainability challenges through innovative original research in advanced functional materials and processes. This will also serve as an international S&T hub to bring top talents both from academia and industry to Hong Kong and the GBA, to tackle the grand challenges, and to actively align with the National S&T strategy.”   Professor Stephanie Ma, Vice-President and Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Research) of HKU, said, “I would like to extend my heartfelt gratitude to ITC for its funding and unwavering support of HKU’s research initiatives. I would also like to warmly congratulate Professor Vivian Yam and for her vision for this new InnoHK Centre. With HKU’s outstanding research capabilities and distinguished scholars, together with the strengths of InnoHK’s world-renowned universities and research institutions, we are confident that these international collaborations will significantly accelerate the translation of research outcomes into real-world impact, bringing tangible and far-reaching contributions to a sustainable future.”   InnoHK is a major innovation and technology initiative by the Hong Kong SAR Government to develop Hong Kong as a hub for global research collaboration. Two InnoHK research clusters have already been established: Health@InnoHK focusing on healthcare technology, and AIR@InnoHK focusing on artificial intelligence and robotics technologies.    For details about InnoHK@HKU, please visit: https://www.hkuinno.com.hk  

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Exploring Italy’s Scientific and Cultural Heritage: A Journey from Trieste to Venice

Three PhD students, Min LONG, Menghan SONG, and Ting-Tung WANG, from the group of Professor Zi Yang MENG in the Department of Physics, embarked on a scientific journey at the Abdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical Physics (ICTP) in Trieste, Italy, last December. Below, they share their experiences of exchanging knowledge and exploring the rich history and culture of Trieste and Venice.   Trieste: A City of Borders and History Trieste is a port city that once served as the main sea gate of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Today, the empire is gone, and the city is Italian, but its unique identity persists. The architecture reflects its imperial past, with grand, sombre buildings from the Habsburg era facing the waterfront. The piazzas are wide and open to the sea breeze, and historic cafés invite you to enjoy coffee amid a blend of influences – more reminiscent of Vienna than Rome. The light is Adriatic, but the soul is mixed, reflecting a city of borders and changed maps. Sculpture in Piazza Unità d'Italia In December 2025, we visited the Abdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical Physics (ICTP). The Centre is a cluster of functional buildings on the outskirts of Trieste. Founded by the late Nobel Laureate Abdus Salam and Italian physicist Paolo Budinich, it is a hub for scientists from all over the world, especially those from developing countries. It is a tranquil place with plain corridors and a slow pace. Here, we participated in a two-week Advanced School and Conference on Quantum Matter. The event intertwined pedagogical lectures from the school and conference-style talks on Quantum Spin Liquids.   At ICTP, we had enriching conversations with research scientists Marcello Dalmonte, Yin Ran, and Cenke Xu. Topics ranged from cutting-edge hybrid Monte Carlo simulations of fractional quantum Hall states—platforms for quantum computation—to the intricate techniques of entanglement microscopy that reveal the deep organising principles governing many-particle systems. A highlight was the exploration of the Chiral graviton—a phenomenon akin to ripples in the emergent internal geometry of the electronic universe—and its realisation in the fractional Chern insulator. These fruitful exchanges have already led to our recent preprint, Chiral Graviton Modes in Fermionic Fractional Chern Insulator, and we anticipate further collaborations, including a forthcoming visit to HKU by an Italian scholar.   Many distinguished Chinese physicists, such as Xi Dai and Lu Yu, have worked at ICTP. They did important work and helped facilitate knowledge exchange with their home institutions. ICTP has served as a bridge, facilitating knowledge exchange through sustained, dedicated work. In the cafeteria, a dozen languages mingle, unified by the language of physics. It is a truly inspiring place.   The Grand Canal     The ICTP campus   From Trieste to Venice: A Coastal Journey From Trieste, we took a two-hour train ride along the coast to Venice. Venice is unlike any other city. Stepping out of the station, you are greeted by the water of the Grand Canal. There are no cars, only boats. The city is built on millions of wooden pilings driven into the mud of the Venetian Lagoon. Once a powerful maritime republic, its wealth is evident in landmarks like the Doge’s Palace and the Basilica, with gold accents and ornate ceilings. Yet, the true essence of Venice lies in its small details. While in Venice, we took a boat out to Murano, the island famed for glassmaking. Watching a master shape molten glass into a delicate horse in just minutes revealed the skill and artistry behind this ancient craft. Back in the city, the streets are canals. The sidewalks are narrow. We crossed small bridges and passed shops displaying traditional Venetian Carnival masks—some simple white, others gilded with long beaks. These masks were once worn during festivals to conceal identity, allowing people to step outside their usual roles. Today, they are mostly made for tourists, but they still carry a sense of the city’s old mystery.   From left: Menghan Song, Ting-Tung Wang and Min Long As the light faded, the crowds departed on their boats, and the city quietened. We could hear the water lapping against the ancient stones. We found a small place to eat—simple fare of fish, pasta, and house wine. The next day, on the return train along the coast, we reflected on the two cities. Trieste, solid and serious on its land, is focused on fundamental questions about the universe. Venice, floating on its borrowed time, stands as a beautiful relic of the past. Both are real, and both tell a true story. That, in itself, is enough.

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This diagram compares how charged particles enter the magnetic fields of Earth (left) and Saturn (right). On Earth, the entry region is centred and balanced, while on Saturn it is shifted to one side due to the planet’s rapid rotation. Image credit: Yan X

HKU Astrophysicists Find Saturn’s Magnetic Bubble Differ from Earth-Based Models, Appearing to be Less Symmetrical and Off-Centre

Latest research led by Professor Zhonghua YAO of the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences (DEPS) at The University of Hong Kong (HKU) has found that auroras on Saturn behave markedly differently from those on Earth, appearing uneven and shifted to one side rather than forming the familiar symmetrical rings around the poles. Analysing archival data from NASA’s Cassini mission, the team shows that Saturn’s rapid rotation fundamentally reshapes its magnetic environment, driving this off-centre magnetic bubble pattern. A Shield with a Systematic Shift Like Earth, Saturn is surrounded by a magnetosphere, a magnetic “shield” that protects it from the solar wind. However, near the poles, funnel-shaped openings called “cusps” allow charged particles to leak into the atmosphere along magnetic field lines, producing auroras. On Earth, these entry regions, similar to a magnetic bubble, are usually centred around noon—the part of the planet facing the Sun—so the magnetic bubble tends to form fairly symmetrical rings around the poles. At Saturn, the dynamics change dramatically. These regions are shifted towards the afternoon side, most commonly between about 1 pm and 3 pm, and sometimes extending towards evening. As a result, the auroras are not centred, but displaced to one side, appearing uneven rather than forming a balanced ring. This difference is linked to Saturn’s rapid rotation. A full rotation takes only about 10 hours, and this fast spin reshapes the planet’s magnetic field, pushing the particle entry regions away from the Sun-facing direction. The findings suggest that, for giant planets like Saturn, rotation and charged particles released by its moons may play a larger role than the solar wind in shaping the magnetic environment. By identifying where charged particles enter a planet’s magnetic field, scientists can better understand how energy is transferred into its atmosphere. This helps improve models of planetary magnetic fields and space weather, and provides insight into how effectively different planets can protect their atmospheres. “This discovery of an ‘afternoon-skewed cusp’ confirms that giant planets operate under a different magnetospheric environment than Earth,” said Professor Yao. “It fundamentally alters our models of how high-energy particles gain energy and move faster across our solar system”. The research, published in Nature Communications, draws on data collected by the Cassini spacecraft, which orbited Saturn from 2004 to 2017. By analysing data up to 2010, the team identified 67 instances of particle entry into Saturn’s magnetic field, allowing them to map these regions for the first time. The study’s first author is Dr Yan Xu, a former postdoctoral fellow of Professor Zhonghua Yao at HKU, now affiliated with the Southern University of Science and Technology in Shenzhen. For more details, please refer to the journal paper.    

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CFMES is led by Professor Vivian Yam (left) and co-headed by Professor Hongjie Dai from the Department of Chemistry

HKU Centre of Functional Materials for Energy and Sustainability Joins Third InnoHK Research Cluster

The Centre of Functional Materials for Energy and Sustainability (CFMES) of The University of Hong Kong (HKU) has been officially approved for admission to the third InnoHK research cluster, SEAM@InnoHK, which focuses on sustainable development, energy, advanced manufacturing, and materials. This marks an important expansion of HKU’s involvement in InnoHK, adding to the existing seven HKU research labs within the Health@InnoHK and AIR@InnoHK clusters.   CFMES is established as the premier SEAM@InnoHK Centre to advance breakthrough discoveries in functional materials to address energy and sustainability challenges; to advocate world-class research in the area; to enhance Hong Kong’s international reputation for leading-edge research and innovation in both basic sciences and technology-enabling translational activities; and to nurture next-generation leading academics/scientists.   CFMES will leverage on the unique strengths and competitive edges to address bottleneck challenges in advancing discovery of advanced battery materials and electric-enabled technology for energy storage, green conversion and sustainability applications, and innovative light-emitting materials, and light-enabled and responsive materials and technology for energy and materials conversion, and recyclable sustainability through international, national and local inter-institutional and industrial collaborations.   Led by Professor Vivian Wing-Wah Yam, Vice-President and Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Global Innovation Centre) (Interim), Philip Wong Wilson Wong Professor in Chemistry and Energy, and co-headed by Professor Hongjie Dai, Sapientia Eminence Professor, both Chair Professors at the Department of Chemistry of HKU, the Centre will work with renowned collaborators, including The University of Groningen, the Max Planck Institute, Peking University and Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, and The University of Tokyo.   Professor Yam highlighted the significance of the initiative, saying, “We are thrilled to be selected as a SEAM@InnoHK Centre, and we envision our CFMES as the premier Centre to provide solutions to important global real-world energy and sustainability challenges through innovative original research in advanced functional materials and processes. This will also serve as an international S&T hub to bring top talents both from academia and industry to Hong Kong and the GBA, to tackle the grand challenges, and to actively align with the National S&T strategy.”   Professor Stephanie Ma, Vice-President and Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Research) of HKU, said, “I would like to extend my heartfelt gratitude to ITC for its funding and unwavering support of HKU’s research initiatives. I would also like to warmly congratulate Professor Vivian Yam and for her vision for this new InnoHK Centre. With HKU’s outstanding research capabilities and distinguished scholars, together with the strengths of InnoHK’s world-renowned universities and research institutions, we are confident that these international collaborations will significantly accelerate the translation of research outcomes into real-world impact, bringing tangible and far-reaching contributions to a sustainable future.”   InnoHK is a major innovation and technology initiative by the Hong Kong SAR Government to develop Hong Kong as a hub for global research collaboration. Two InnoHK research clusters have already been established: Health@InnoHK focusing on healthcare technology, and AIR@InnoHK focusing on artificial intelligence and robotics technologies.    For details about InnoHK@HKU, please visit: https://www.hkuinno.com.hk  

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Six Global Icons Redefine the Frontiers of HKU Science

  There are years that simply pass, and then there are years that define. This past year has marked a historic milestone for the Faculty of Science with the arrival of six distinguished scholars whose expertise spans the most vital frontiers of modern discovery.   From unlocking the mysteries of the cosmos to pioneering new eras in medicine and mathematics, this new cohort brings a level of global leadership that will shape our Faculty’s trajectory for decades to come.   Meet Our New Global Leaders and Chair Professors: Professor Nicolas DAUPHAS (Member of US National Academy of Sciences 2024) Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences Expanding our understanding of the Universe and its origins through planetary sciences. Professor Sir Andre GEIM (Nobel Laureate in Physics 2010) Department of Physics The discoverer of graphene, continuing to push the boundaries of materials at the atomic scale. Professor Ferenc KRAUSZ (Nobel Laureate in Physics 2023) Department of Physics Pioneering attosecond light science to revolutionise early disease detection.   Interview Professor Bảo Châu NGÔ (Fields Medalist 2010) Department of Mathematics A transformative force in contemporary mathematics, bridging deep connections in number theory and geometry.   Interview Professor Hà Văn VŨ (Recipient of Delbert Ray Fulkerson Prize 2012) Department of Mathematics Utilising combinatorics and random matrix theory to address fundamental questions in AI and data science.   Interview Professor Bing ZHANG (Global STEM Scholar) Department of Physics A world leader in astrophysics and the founding director of the Hong Kong Institute for Astronomy and Astrophysics (HKIAA)   Interview     These scholars do more than strengthen their individual disciplines; they bring fresh ambitions that will lead the way into the Faculty’s next phase of intellectual growth. We invite you to learn more about their journeys and the future of science at HKU.

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Students examining marine organisms that have colonised an Autonomous Reef Monitoring Structure (ARMS).

HKU Swire Institute of Marine Science Launches Youth Programme to Cultivate Future Ocean Stewards

The Swire Institute of Marine Science (SWIMS) at The University of Hong Kong (HKU) has launched the Exploring Marine Biodiversity: Empowering Youth Ambassadors for Ocean Stewardship programme. Supported by the Environment and Conservation Fund (ECF), the programme immerses local secondary school students in marine science through hands-on training, empowering them as the next generation of ocean stewards. The programme was inaugurated at an opening ceremony on 30 January at the Rayson Huang Theatre at HKU, attended by Professor Jay SIEGEL, HKU Vice-President and Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Teaching and Learning); Professor David BAKER, Interim Director of SWIMS; Dr Eric Kam-chung CHENG, Chairman of the Environment and Conservation Fund Committee; and Dr Jim CHU, Assistant Director (Fisheries and Marine Conservation) of the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD). More than 100 students and teachers from 25 secondary schools in Hong Kong attended the ceremony. Student Lolan CHIU identifying marine species she found on an ARMS under a microscope. Hands-On Learning in Marine Science and Conservation Each participating school nominates five student ambassadors to take part in a four-day immersive training programme at SWIMS’ Cape D’Aguilar research facility, located adjacent to the Cape D’Aguilar Marine Reserve. The programme blends lectures, laboratory sessions, and field visits to key sites such as Hoi Ha Wan Marine Park, Telegraph Bay, and Tai Tam, covering diverse habitats including coral communities, rocky shores, and mangroves. Students gain firsthand experience with advanced research techniques used by marine scientists, including drone mapping of restored mangroves and environmental DNA (eDNA) analysis for species detection. The programme also focuses on building leadership and advocacy skills, enabling participants to share their knowledge within their schools and wider communities. Ms Janis MOK, Outreach and Strategic Partnerships Manager at SWIMS, explained the mission, “This programme unites Hong Kong’s schools, cboth local and international. We hope to achieve a cascading and multiplying effect, reaching beyond the students we teach. Already, 175 students from 39 schools have signed up, exceeding our expectations.” Dr Jim CHU, AFCD Assistant Director (Fisheries and Marine Conservation) emphasised the programme’s broader goal: protecting Hong Kong’s marine environment, “The most important message is to teach the general public to protect our oceans, how to enjoy nature while being its guardians, not just its guests.” Inaugural Workshop Engages Students in Biodiversity Discovery Dr Phil Thompson and an ARMS that he just retrieved from the sea. Participants in the Discovering Marine Biodiversity workshop at SWIMS   The first workshop of the programme, Discovering Marine Biodiversity, took place on 28 February. Students explored Hong Kong’s rich marine ecosystems and the importance of conservation, followed by interactive activities such as identifying marine organisms collected using an Autonomous Reef Monitoring Structure (ARMS). “The workshop was fantastic! The kids were super engaged, jumping right in, collaborating,” said Josh BLUE, Head of Education, Curriculum, Learning and Assessment Education at English Schools Foundation. He continued, “Hopefully, we will continue building on this message of sustainability, protecting marine ecosystems, and creating a better world.” SWIMS Outreach and Education Officer Dr Phil THOMSON agreed, “Everyone was very enthusiastic! The challenge is to identify the organisms they find on the ARMS, but this is the whole point of this exercise. The number of species, or biodiversity, matters for the health of the environment. That’s the important message from the course that the students will share with their peers.” One of the participating students, Lolan CHIU, a year 12 student at ESF Sha Tin College, said the programme gave her a glimpse into what being a real scientist means, “I want to become a marine biologist. I have already been to the Philippines to get my SCUBA diving license and Thailand to participate in CoralWatch. I was really surprised by how detail-oriented you have to be, looking at different species and carefully observing small details in their shapes and patterns! I cannot wait to share with my schoolmates what I have learned in this programme.” The programme represents a significant step in nurturing youth engagement in marine conservation and strengthening Hong Kong’s culture of environmental stewardship. About The Swire Institute of Marine Science (SWIMS) Part of the Faculty of Science at The University of Hong Kong, the Swire Institute of Marine Science (SWIMS) is one of the world’s leading marine research institutions. SWIMS specialises in the study of shallow coastal seas and the interaction between humanity and the ocean. Since its foundation in 1990, SWIMS has trained hundreds of scientists from around the world who now play leading roles in marine research and conservation.  

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Nesting gentoo penguins (Pygoscelis papua) on Ardley Island. Image credit: Alexander Williams.

HKU Team Explores Ancient Pathogens in Antarctica

HKU researchers have returned from Antarctica after collecting sediment samples from penguin colonies to trace ancient pathogens and understand how environmental change shapes microbial ecosystems. The fieldwork brings together researchers from across HKU, including the School of Biological Sciences (SBS), and is led by the School of Public Health (SPH), with collaborators from the University of Nottingham. By analysing DNA preserved in layers of sediment rich in penguin guano, the team aims to reconstruct past microbial communities and identify potential pathogens associated with penguin populations. Collecting Clues from Antarctic Lake Sediments Fieldwork was carried out on King George Island and Ardley Island in Antarctica as part of the PathoPast project, led by Dr Alexander Williams (Postdoctoral Fellow, SPH), with contributions from Dr Martha Ledger (Postdoctoral Fellow, SBS) and Dr Roseanna Mayfield (Assistant Professor, the University of Nottingham). The team collected sediment cores from Antarctic lakes located near historic penguin colonies. These layered sediments act as natural archives, preserving biological material deposited over decades to centuries, including large quantities of penguin droppings, or “guano”. By analysing ancient nucleic acids preserved within the guano-rich sediments, the project aims to reconstruct past microbial communities and identify potential pathogenic organisms associated with penguin populations. Although Antarctica is often perceived as pristine and isolated, it is experiencing rapid environmental change. Shifts in temperature, wildlife distribution and human activity may influence microbial dynamics in ways that are not yet fully understood. “Sediment cores allow us to look back in time,” said Dr Williams. “By analysing the microbial traces preserved in lake sediments, we can reconstruct how they have fluctuated over time in response to environmental change. This helps us understand not only wildlife health in polar ecosystems, but also broader One Health dynamics, including how environmental shifts influence pathogen circulation across wildlife, ecosystems and potentially even human interfaces.” PathoPast field team in Antarctica (from left): Drs Martha Ledger, Alexander Williams and Roseanna Mayfield. Image credit: Martha Ledger. Fieldwork Under Extreme Conditions Fieldwork was conducted on Ardley Island and King George Island under challenging logistical and environmental conditions. The team carried specialised coring equipment and an inflatable dinghy, weighing a combined 70kg, across difficult terrain in cold, highly variable weather conditions, working within tight operational windows. “Antarctic fieldwork requires careful planning and resilience,” Dr Ledger added. “Weather conditions can change rapidly, and every sediment core extracted requires coordinated teamwork. But being able to recover these intact sediment records from such a remote environment is incredibly rewarding.” In addition to sediment cores, the team collected modern penguin guano samples to assess present-day microbial communities. These samples will be analysed at the HKU State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases and compared with the historical records preserved in the lake sediments. Antarctic research access is highly internationally competitive. The project benefited from transnational access to the Professor Julio Escudero Base, funded by the European Union’s Horizon Europe programme through the POLARIN project (Grant Agreement No. 101130949). At HKU, the project is conducted under the supervision of Professor Tommy Lam from SPH, with support from The Hong Kong Jockey Club Global Health Institute (HKJCGHI), which contributes to its conceptual design, laboratory work and data analysis.

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