Kindling the flames of curiosity
By : Monday Ng
As the first Chinese female in the four regions across the Strait to be elected Fellow of the International Communication Association (ICA), Professor Christine Huang Yi-hui encourages young scholars to pursue personal goals with courage, determination and a childlike innocence, especially young females who might feel bound by social constraints.
“Keep your curiosity alive,” says Professor Huang, Chair Professor of Communication and Media and Associate Dean (Faculty and Research) in the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences.
“Curiosity drives the pursuit of knowledge. Listen to, and go by, your heart if you wish to achieve your dreams,” she adds.
One of her favorite books, The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho, reminds her to pursue her “personal legends” with all the above characteristics, says Professor Huang. “It’s written in the book that when you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it.”
Professor Huang earned the ICA fellowship for her outstanding academic accomplishments in the communication discipline.
“I would like to express my heartiest gratitude to all my colleagues and students at CityU for their support,” she says.
She hopes this recognition from academia will inspire young researchers to pursue their research with a spirit of adventure, because fundamental insights often come from curiosity-driven research.
Her glowing global recognition is due specifically to her research contributions in cross-cultural communication, strategic communication management, risk communication in health and technology, and crisis communication.
“The purpose of conducting health communication research is to build an established channel with the audience with a view to achieve the timely and comprehensive delivery of information,” she says.
Under the shadow of the Covid-19 pandemic, Professor Huang hopes to contribute to society by providing the government with suggestions for more effective policies for public health communication.
To do so, she believes it’s crucial for the release of information to be timely, proactive and consistent. Instead of merely promoting the benefits of vaccination, she suggests communication between the government and the public should be more proactive to clarify associated risks and fill the knowledge gap.
Wearing two hats as an educator and a researcher, this accomplished female scholar offers words of encouragement for our new generation.
“You will encounter a lot of challenges and judgments on your path ahead in the pursuit of knowledge. Always have confidence in your capabilities while staying humble. Remember your roots, stay focused and be prepared to make a positive difference in this world.”