Student Sharing

‘Applied Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a perfect programme for me as I am interested in AI application in medicine, and am currently conducting research about building an AI classifier to perform cardiovascular disease early screening. Having a supportive community with top scholars and like-minded individuals also helps me go further; and there are also plenty of internship and research opportunities available to help us gain more experience.’ 

"The MSc in Environmental Management encompasses a broad range of topics thereby affording an excellent grounding in the environmental field. For this reason, as well as the University of Hong Kong’s reputation for excellence, I selected this master’s degree.

Completing this course has been challenging but, thanks to the challenge as well as the high level of tuition, immensely rewarding. With the knowledge and skills I have acquired and connections I have made I have the confidence to embark on a new chapter in my career incorporating the principles of sustainability into my work and engaging with experts in the fields I have been introduced to."

'HKU Science provides a wide range of undergraduate research opportunities. As a student enthusiastic about pursuing academic research, I benefitted significantly from participating the Summer Research Fellowship programme (SRF).

Last summer, Professor Quentin Parker from the Department of Physics offered me a place in the Laboratory for Space Research in Cyberport, where I spent two months working on a topic related to observational Astronomy – so called Planetary Nebula. Specifically, my project involved accessing data from extensive astronomical databases including the globally leading HASH database set-up by Professor Parker’s group.

Exposure to these research experiences greatly enhanced my problem-solving skills and my theoretical knowledge. Unlike striving for academic excellence in various courses during term-time, conducting actual research requires the ability to integrate multi-disciplinary knowledge such as programming, and to tackle real-life science problems.

As a student who had just finished the first-year study, my relevant knowledge was initially insufficient for conducting research or even understanding the content of background research papers, which was quite frustrating indeed. But after shifting my mindset, I started to devote more efforts by reading some extra reference papers and by “googling” every confusing phrase in the background papers. Perhaps that is the beauty of an early research experience, it encourages students to explore their interests and learn actively out of classrooms. 

I also learnt the importance of upholding academic integrity and manual checking on published data. We should be honest to admit the insignificance from the given data, which helps subsequent researchers to rule out same idea and direct them to draw the right conclusions. I also learnt to judge what is significant to be published as from my project.

All in all, this SRF provided me with a treasurable experience and an early taste of conducting scientific research. It definitely strengthened my determination to pursue academic research in my later studies as well as reinvigorating my curiosity in Physics – the study from the fundamental building blocks of the universe, to the gigantic stars and galaxies we see upon the sky.'

• Major in Geology; minor in Geotechnical Engineering
• Participant of regional field study entitled “Deconstructing the anatomy of the arc-continent collision system in Taiwan”

"Despite having frequently heard about hot springs and earthquakes in Taiwan from the media, this was the first time I was able to closely investigate the story behind them. As Taiwan lies in a special location — along the boundaries of two active plates, many unique rock features which are absent in Hong Kong can be found there. This experience was exciting, especially when we had the chance to look closely at a representing rock feature that I had only read about it in books yet had never seen before. This field trip has undeniably given me a valuable opportunity to integrate what I have learnt in lectures, enhancing my understanding of different geological processes. It also allowed me to learn through interactions with nature, to feel the genuine power and the beauty of our dynamic planet Earth, and provided me with knowledge beyond books."

'Earth Sciences at HKU cover a wide range of research aspects related to our planet and beyond, any themes from ancient Earth to planetary exploration to tectonic events to atmospheric processes, and we have access to a large array of experimental and computational infrastructures.

For my research, I work with my supervisor Dr Kono Lemke in looking at the solvation of geochemically-relevant species under volcanic and atmospheric conditions. Previously, we studied the solvation of ozone, which as we all know, is one of the most important molecules in the Earth’s atmosphere. Using state-of-the-art computational methods, Dr Lemke and I established that the ozone molecules can form stable complexes with water at low temperatures. We have also found that a previously theorized ring structure of ozone can co-exist with water, and this could guide future experimental endeavors. These findings have been published in the Journal of Chemical Physics.

My research experience at HKU has been smooth due to support from Dr Lemke. Graduate research students here are always encouraged to raise questions and discuss with supervisors. My supervisor and I often discuss exciting topics in science and other aspects, new exciting research ideas often come out from these conversations.

The 24/7 round the clock high performance computing facilities by IT service department here forms the backbone of my theoretical-based research. The support team is always helpful and responsive to help resolve any IT-related issues within my research.

HKU supports students doing graduate scientific research with an abundance of resources, you will be encouraged to carry out cutting-edge research, which would equip you with important problem solving and critical thinking skills; it would be an eye-opening experience for ones with the right minds and endurance.'

'Studying at HKU Science is a unique experience. The dynamic and welcoming vibe has been of tremendous help with my research in Molecular and Cell Biology at the School of Biological Sciences. I am always aspired to make breakthroughs in cutting edge science ever since I entered HKU, and I was privileged to be exposed to the state-of-the-art technology on a variety of principles.

The fascinating journey that I embarked on here at HKU Science has really broadened my horizons and given me insight into the real world of science. The Faculty stresses on the wellbeing and overall development of its fellow students and is making every effort to help them thrive and fulfil their ambitions.

For example, the Faculty has commenced a collection of activities such as orientations, safety training and workshops to facilitate newcomers of research postgraduate students to undergo a smoother transition. The Faculty also invites prestigious scholars across the globe to give lectures on relevant topics.

I am also very grateful for all the support from my supervisor Dr Aixin Yan during my research on the pathoadaptation mechanisms of nosocomial pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The conductive communications I had with my supervisor has no doubt posed a significant influence on my skill development and given me a clear vision on my research objectives. It benefits me by getting me prepared for the future research work.'

We have always been taught that habitat loss – a known threat to our planet and its biodiversity – occurs gradually over many years. PhD student Vriko YU used to share that belief but was alarmed to witness first-hand a patch of coral off Hoi Ha Wan Marine Park disappear in just two months. Coral reefs are the ‘tropical forests of the sea’, known for their rich biodiversity which provides a highly complex habitat to support whole ecosystems of fish, plants and invertebrates.

‘Books have always said it takes decades for us to destroy the reef,’ Vrkio recalls, ‘but in reality, it can just be gone in the blink of an eye. That is when I started to think about what we can do to mitigate the impacts of climate change.’

Vriko’s love for diving started in her undergraduate studies, where she likened the excitement of finding and identifying the many sea creatures to a game of Pokémon Go. ‘What I like about diving is that I don’t know what I would get to see, like catching Pokémon! Typically when we dive, we go to hotspots which are where corals are.’ This made her realise that in order to continue conserving what we like to see underwater or foods we like to eat, first we need to rebuild the corals. ‘They are the foundation,’ she emphasises. This drive to protect coral reefs led Vriko to start her own social enterprise, archiREEF – an environmental social enterprise offering a one-stop solution for impact changers at corporation or government levels, or even individuals that want to be involved in making a difference.

Seamlessly blending manmade supports into nature

Vriko explains that traditional reef restoration uses more primitive materials like metal or concrete as a substrate for the coral, which does not mimic the natural environment well. To provide a better alternative, Vriko worked on producing 3D-printed reef tiles as part of her PhD research project at HKU, supervised by Dr David BAKER, Associate Professor at School of Biological Sciences. The reef tiles that mimic the surface of brain corals have seen much success.

They yielded a four times higher survivorship of local ‘super-corals’ – the nickname given to corals capable of growing in the harsh Hong Kong waters – as well as boasted significantly more commercial fishes and a higher biodiversity of coral-associated invertebrates on-site. Most excitingly, Vriko and her team even witnessed an apex predator making its home and laying eggs in the restored coral habitat. ‘The first time I saw the female cuttlefish, it was really exciting! She was huge and looked like a spaceship, but suddenly she flattened herself to catch a prey. The second time we saw her, we thought she was sleeping but when we got closer, we realised she was laying eggs under the tiles!’

Vriko reiterates the ultimate goal of restoration is to bring entire ecosystems back to their healthy states. This one charismatic cuttlefish residing and completing her life cycle in the reef tiles is a symbol of hope that coral reefs can be restored, along with their lost biodiversity recovered.

Growing into the international arena

To further promote coral reef conservation in the region, Vriko is currently serving as a non-official member on the Country and Marine Parks Board of The Government of HKSAR, as well as the Education Committee for WWF, where she shares her expertise on conservation with other stakeholders.

Yet, the protection of coastal reefs is a concern not only locally. Neighbouring regions also have sought Hong Kong’s support in this aspect. Vriko, who additionally serves as the Assistant Director and Eco Diver Instructor for Reef Check Hong Kong (RCHK), provides the necessary training alongside other volunteer instructors to ensure that their international counterparts too, are better equipped with knowledge on reefs and how to monitor their status.

For those of you who wish to follow in Vriko’s footsteps with a postgraduate degree, Vriko is very satisfied with the support that HKU provides PhD students such as herself.

‘I have to thank my supervisor, Dr David BAKER, for giving me the flexibility to decide what I wanted to do. It is not usual for students to have the autonomy to decide what they want to pursue, and have a supervisor fully supportive of them.’ With the additional help of travel grants, she was given opportunities to attend overseas conferences, gaining invaluable experiences outside of Hong Kong. One piece of advice she hopes all students can take is to be proactive. ‘In HKU, anything is accessible if you are willing to be proactive to ask. There are always channels to help!’ (Article by Kengie TANG)

Learn more about archiREEF

View interview with CNN