Date: 17 March 2023
Venue: Yeung LT-5 Mr and Mrs Lau Tat Chuen Lecture Theatre

‘Ghosts’ are all around us, and if you learn how to recognize them, your research will benefit.

That was the message from Dr Denver Li of the Department of Physics during his Featured Talk at an event arranged by the Talent and Education Development Office (TED). He was speaking to an overflowing crowd of CityU Tigers about ‘ghosts’ in his remarkable research journey. Dr Li, however, was not referring to flimsy, translucent phantoms like those popularized in movies. Rather, he meant being alert enough to recognize something of importance that would otherwise escape our attention or simply be discounted during the research process. ‘Ghost hunting’, he explained to his spellbound audience, includes perceiving how a careless mistake could lead to a ground-breaking discovery (like his own), or a sudden flash of insight (like his own about a material in electrochemistry), or a life-changing decision made during an unexpected career opportunity that can give fruitful second thoughts about one’s research (such as in his case). The audience was fascinated by Dr Li’s mini-course on ‘Ghost-Hunting 101’ and the importance of paying attention to details and spotting the ‘ghosts’ in our daily lives.

The talk was concluded with an interactive Question-and-Answer session, during which Dr Li offered great practical advice: Make self-reflection a habit; Look for the details; Ask yourself what are the solutions to your problems; Be bold and proactive.

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