Scientific Research
Mentor: Dr. Felicia Liu
Hillary Tong
During my job-shadowing experience, I had the privilege of having Dr. Felicia Liu as my mentor and learning more about her career as a researcher and lecturer. We met via Zoom a total of five times, as her work is based at the University of York in England.
In our first Zoom session, we discussed potential future developments in sustainability and environmental science for a student like me, and set goals for what I hoped to achieve through the program. We decided to pursue a mini research project on the topic of media coverage of environmental issues caused by rare earths mining.
In our second and third sessions, Dr. Liu guided me through methods of organising data in an Excel sheet by sending sample papers and suggesting various coding techniques. We read through SCMP articles and recorded their titles in an Excel sheet, categorising them by publication year and thematic focus. In the end, we compiled a sheet with a total of 20 articles on rare earths mining, ranging from 2020 to 2025.
In our fourth and final sessions, Dr. Liu assigned writing tasks in advance for different sections of the paper, such as the introduction, literature review, and discussion. She then proofread them during our Zoom meetings, offering insightful feedback that made the writing more comprehensive and professional. By the end of our last session, we had completed the paper, and she also shared aspects of her personal life and introduced me to her current research projects.
This was truly a rewarding and unique experience that allowed me to gain deeper insights into a career in research and further broadened my interest in the field.
Mentor: Professor Kenneth Leung (Director of State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Health)
Belle Lai, Charlotte Li, Catherine Lo & Dorothy Ren
During our two-day job shadowing program, we had the invaluable opportunity to be mentored by Professor Leung. Not only did we gain insights into his daily research activities, but we also learned how he translates tangible conservation efforts into educational initiatives. Witnessing Professor Leung’s dedication to transforming complex toxicological data into actionable ecological and educational strategies was truly inspiring, and it significantly reshaped our understanding of marine environmental health.
On the first day, we participated in a workshop on eco-shoreline designs for sustainable coastal development. We acquired knowledge through a series of lectures on various sustainable and ecological movements—from eco-engineering and ecosystem restoration in sub-tidal zones to eco-shoreline development in Hong Kong. These initiatives are designed to enhance biodiversity and strengthen natural resilience against pollutants resulting from climate change. This workshop crystallised the concept that the future of marine conservation lies not in reactive measures, but in innovative, nature-based solutions—an approach that Professor Leung passionately advocates and implements.
On the second day of our job shadowing, we embarked on an exciting field trip to explore Hong Kong’s eco-shorelines. Our day began with a delicious traditional dim sum breakfast at Jasmine Cuisine in Domain Mall, providing the perfect cultural start to our adventure. Energised, we headed to Lei Yue Mun, where we examined innovative ecologically engineered features. We then travelled to Tung Chung, beginning with a visit to the CEDD East Office for an informative briefing that provided essential context for the sites we were about to explore. This prepared us for our visit to nearby mangrove, rocky, and vertical eco-shorelines, which were teeming with diverse clam species and crabs. The trip offered valuable insights into how innovative engineering in Hong Kong creates eco-shorelines that serve both as protective sea walls and as vital habitats for marine biodiversity.
Mentor: Ms. Jenny Chiu (Phase Scientific)
Merry Chan, Margaret Ho, Belle Lai & Dorothy Ren
During our three-day job shadowing program at Phase Scientific, we were introduced to the research and development of Phasify, along with foundational marketing principles. We were tasked with designing a new product using Phasify technology, culminating in a presentation on the final day.
Throughout this experience, we learned to seek evidence from research papers to support our technical R&D challenges. Additionally, we developed creative marketing strategies to effectively promote our product. The collaboration among our teammates was remarkable, enabling us to complete our presentation successfully. We received valuable feedback from our mentors, which not only highlighted our strengths but also provided insights for further improvement.
Overall, this opportunity enhanced our understanding of both the technical and marketing aspects of product development.
