Hall of Fame

Reflection on “Understand the Language of Life with AI”

By Ma Yuen Ming Stephanie, Tak Nga Secondary School

In this lecture, I have learnt to apply AI technology to DNA. With the use of supervised learning, connecting the input X with the label set Y will result in the training data D and thus can make predictions, more accurate diagnosis can be made. For example, the fitness of the virus and the type of virus that causes a symptom will be known. Therefore, it helps advance the technology to fight against the virus, collect more data, and improve the medical treatment of the virus.

I think that we can use the concept of supervised learning to decode the genomes of different types of viruses and classify them into groups of strong, medium and weak respectively for each similar type of virus. Hence, the doctors can determine if the patient will suffer from severe symptoms and thus decide its treatment. This may help relieve the medical burden in Hong Kong. Also, by decoding the genome of the virus, vaccines and medicines can be invented. Hence, the prediction of the AI helps to deal with the evolution of the virus and keeps improving the medication and treatments for them. It brings many advantages to the medication.

In addition, with the help of AI, DNA can be decoded. Thus, people are investigating the technology of GM babies. When the training data of a zygote is known, scientists can study how to rearrange the DNA to improve a better set of training data of the baby in order to eliminate the disinfection of the baby. Though this may lead to an enormous discussion on morality, this technology can advance our lives in other ways, like GM food or tell us what things we do will result in suffering from various diseases by decoding our DNA and matching the label set Y of different possible diseases that we may suffer.

Therefore, I think it is intriguing to learn the application of AI technology to our DNA as it helps advance our lives in different aspects.

Reflection on “Understand the Language of Life with AI”

By Wong Ka Hei, Christian and Missionary Alliance Sun Kei Secondary School

What I learned from this lecture is that we can use the DNA sequences applied to the technology. DNA, which is the language of life, contains all functions that make each of us unique.

Although I am a biology student, I never knew that the first human genome draft was published in June 2000, this is such a fun fact for me.

Moreover, I have learned that DNA sequencing can determine every base of the genome, which is so interesting. Also, by the size of that organism, the size of the genome will increase too. Like bacteria’s genome size is 170,000 bp and human’s genome size is 3.2 billion bp.

Ultimately, what I get from the lecture is that there are some common points between natural language and language of life. Not only do both of them have alphabets, for English it’s A,B,C,…,Z, for DNA it’s A,C,G,T, but also both of them have errors in spelling. For example, in English you may have a typo like’ there is a ‘warm’ of the ground’. In DNA, the variation in DNA will bring out diseases like Down syndrome.

This lecture let me know how AI can link to our life, especially nowadays we got COVID 19 this strong virus that keeps on changing into different forms. AI allows us to know how harmful it could be, and brings out the differences between virus and virus, like delta and omicron. I, as a biology student, think that this kind of information can really help the public to know more about the details of the virus in a most accurate way.

Reflection on “Understand the Language of Life with AI”

By Yuen Ching Yu, Holy Trinity College

Starting by explaining the language of life and the variation in DNA diseases, this lecture did allow me to get a better understanding of AI and the language of life. Following up by explaining the use of AI in finding the language of SARS and COVID-19, as well as introducing machine learning in AI, I have found the lecture inspiring and fascinating. Besides, before the lecture, I had no idea how the hand-writing board on my mobile devices worked, but having taught the handwriting digit recognition of AI in the lecture as an example, I have learnt how machine learning in AI works behind the recognition function. The use of algorithms and training data for machine learning are what I have learnt.

By the end of the online lecture, the speaker has also mentioned some useful online resources to search for further interest on these topics. I have watched those videos online, and I am keen on exploring more on the topic of the connectome and AI. Neuroscience has played a key role in the history of artificial intelligence. It has been an inspiration for building human-like AI. At the same time, neurologists are also investigating the human brain to get a better understanding of the neuron networks with the help of AI. How does consciousness arise? Researchers suspect that the answer to this question lies in the connections between neurons. Unfortunately, however, little is known about the wiring of the brain, so AI is being used in their investigations. It was stunning to me that we humans create AI but AI also allows us to understand ourselves deeper. I have found this interesting after being inspired by the lecture.

Furthermore, after having asked the speaker about her opinions on the future of AI in the Q&A section, I believed that AI would by no means be widely used in various industries in the future, as well as getting greatly involved in people’s daily lives. AI will surely make an enormous contribution and change to humans. No matter if it will be bad or good for society, I will still look forward to the future development of AI.

Reflection on “The Importance of Indoor Air Quality”

How does it feel when you have your meal in your bedroom or classroom, then left for a break, and go back to that room after 10 minutes? Smoky? Fishy? Nauseating? How does your bedroom smell when you wake up? Foul? Tangy? A bit pungent? These are all related to indoor air quality (IAQ).

Hong Kong citizens nowadays are not familiar with IAQ. Students are taught about outdoor air pollution but they lack knowledge of indoor air pollution. Ozone is emitted when using electrical appliances such as vacuum cleaners and refrigerators, which can cause chest pain, shortness of breath, or even damage one’s lungs.

Additionally, inferior IAQ is a time bomb. It may affect our health. Poor IAQ can lower sleep efficiency when one is exposed to elevated levels of CO2. This can contribute to sleep debt, which can deteriorate the functions of our brain and body.

Moreover, some companies such as HSBC pay IAQ testing companies to ensure that they are providing a clean and people-oriented working environment (some wish to earn the ISO Certificate for marketing). Indoor air can be five times more contaminated than outdoor air. Indoor air pollutants like tobacco smoke, household products, etcetera, can induce eye problems or even sick building syndrome, an illness that is caused by poor IAQ.

Furthermore, my neighbours smoke daily and my family is forced to smell the bad smell. We have to close all the windows frequently to block the smell! Third-hand smoke is as harmful as smoking and I find this extremely annoying.

Dr. Tso’s lecture taught me about IAQ, and therefore I did some online research. I thought of testing my home’s IAQ, to test the presence of particular matters, volatile organic compounds, and nicotine. And to see if we have to move out due to the detrimental substance(s). Eventually, I contacted SGS, CMA, and (A+A)*L laboratories but they said it is not beneficial to take the test for our case as the test cannot determine whether the IAQ brings negative impacts.

We should minimise any potential factors that may affect our health and well-being, especially during the pandemic. Maintaining IAQ is a shared responsibility among society. Taxes should be raised on tobacco products and teenagers should be educated to enjoy a 100% smoke-free world. I will definitely be a volunteer and promote the drawbacks of smoking to the society!

Reflection on “Metallic glass: Is it a metal or a glass? 淺談金屬玻璃”

By Yuen Ching Yu, Holy Trinity College

Writing chemical equations and calculating molarity concentrations, I often find chemistry classes at school boring. Staring at the screen for hours without having any laboratory experiments, we as students are dozing off more often during online lessons. However, this lecture was captivating and has reminded me of how fascinating chemistry can be as well as exposed me to a special material, metallic glass, which has not been taught at school.

Plastic is cheap but it bends easily and although steel is strong, it cannot be frozen into different intricate shapes, which limits the potential use of that metal. Their complementary disadvantages have forced scientists to come up with a material that can solve both problems, and that is metallic glass. The reasons and advantages for having metallic glass were introduced in the lecture. Secondly, I have also learnt the process of supercooling and acquired knowledge beyond the school curriculum, such as the fact that there is a minimum size for ice to form. Thirdly, having taught the history and method of making metallic glass and the applications of metallic glass in people’s daily lives, I have further understood what metallic glass is and how it can be used. I have found this fascinating. In the lecture, I remembered a photo of marbles packed randomly inside a glass bottle was shown to demonstrate the structure of metallic glass, which really made me understand easily and clearly.

Furthermore, the Alaskan wood frog was also mentioned in the lecture. The way Alaskan wood frogs freeze themselves in winter and come back to life in spring all on their own has astonished me as well as made me think of the future possibility for humans to undergo the same process in order to preserve lives. To conclude, this lecture has really broadened my knowledge.

The lecture has inspired me to further research metallic glass. There are various benefits of using metallic glass being mentioned on the internet as well as in the lecture. For example, metallic glasses are extremely strong, hard, and resistant to wear and corrosion, which makes them good potential candidates for engineering uses and medical uses such as surgical pins. From my point of view, despite these advantages, metallic glass is still in its infancy. In other words, more investigation and experiments are needed. Not to mention that metallic glass does cost a lot. I personally think that metallic glass has its disadvantages.

Nonetheless, experts have stated that there is potential for the metallic glass to be used in future aerospace and military materials. I am not trying to ban the advantages of metallic glass but instead, I am hoping to see more studies and discoveries to be revealed in the future. I will look forward to the development of metallic glass from now on.

Reflection on “Health Data Science, AI and Precision Medicine”

By Wong Sze Nam, St Mary's Canossian College

First of all, I have learnt a new phrase: “precision medicine” In the past, invented medicine was designed in population-based. Yet, human bodies vary a lot. Therefore, the effectiveness of the drug is not maximised. With AI, it can analyse the genetic behaviour, environment and lifestyle of each patient, thus adjusting the most suitable amount for them. Therefore, I think precision medicine is very useful in treating patients.

Secondly, I have a better understanding of the correlation between health and artificial intelligence. AI excels at analysing a colossal reams of health data in a blink of an eye. By naked eyes, it is difficult for medical professionals to notice abnormal cells and early diagnosis of diseases. With the help of AI, it can make accurate diagnosis and make early intervention. In this talk, the professor introduced various applications in the health industry which broaden my horizon.

One of my favourite sensor applications is the automated assessment tools. The kinect can identify the joints of a person and mark them as dots. By monitoring the movement of the dots, it can then put the data into a 3D graph. Therefore, we can measure the mobility of a person, especially elderly. I think this is very useful as I can use it to monitor the mobility and safety of my grandmother. When I see that she hasn’t moved for hours, I can remind her to do more exercise or walk in the house. This can maintain her health during the pandemic.

Also, I am impressed by the IEEE transactions on cybernetics. It uses a simple graph to indicate the relationships between different diseases. For example, if a person has alcohol dependence syndrome and thyrotoxicosis, there is a higher chance of one to commit suicide. With this graph, medical professionals can have early prevention that can stop the condition from deteriorating.

Last but not least, I think identifying real and fake faces is the most interesting part in the talk. In the talk, the professor showed us two photos of a human face, one was generated by the computer. In most cases, I cannot differentiate the two photos as the fake photo is very real. I was astonished by the advancement of AI as it can already confuse human beings.

Although there are a lot of challenges in AI health, I still hope that it can save people’s lives.

Reflection on “Health Data Science, AI and Precision Medicine”

By Yuen Ching Yu, Holy Trinity College

Starting from defining the health data science and introducing various health data types, followed up by applications of health data, and ending by talking about the use of AI, the lecture has greatly expanded my knowledge in health data and AI. I have also learnt about what precision medicine is. Aside from that, having been taught the uses of health sensors and health data in various fields like predicting diseases, detecting anomalies, recognizing sleeping patterns, etc. I was astonished by how helpful and beneficial it is in using those sensors in medical fields. Moreover, elaborating on the application of AI to Covid-19 detection, allows me to understand how AI is used in disease treatments more clearly. I like how Dr. Li relates AI to our daily lives, it has drawn my attention. When talking about medical imaging data, Dr. Li asked if we can figure out which photo is real and which is generated by computer algorithms, which makes the lecture fun and interactive. I also enjoyed a lot in the Q&A session which we as an audience could finally get a chance to ask questions and clear misconceptions. To conclude, having been given a passionate and engrossing lecture, I have found the knowledge taught by Dr Li fascinating and helpful as I kept focusing throughout the whole lecture. Besides, I have been captivated to explore more on those topics.

Through my investigations online, I have found that experts have said that the healthcare jobs most likely to be automated, in other words being replaced by AI, would be those that involve dealing with digital information, radiology and pathology for example, instead of those with direct patient contact. Despite the significant advantages brought by AI, AI is said to be unlikely to bring about a substantial change in healthcare over the next 20 years or so, as there are tasks that only humans can do and AI cannot do. For example, radiologists are unlikely to be replaced right now. Radiologists do more than just read and interpret images. Like other AI systems, radiology AI systems can only perform single tasks, similarly deep learning models in labs and startups are only trained for specific image recognition tasks. However, thousands of such narrow detection tasks are necessary to fully identify all potential findings in medical images, and only a few of these can be done by AI today. Not only does AI cannot fully analyze and apply related findings to treatments, AI is also unable to consult with other physicians on diagnosis and treatment like radiologists. Therefore, it is said that the penetration of AI into some healthcare fields like radiologists is likely to be slow.

To sum up, there are limitations in AI. Nonetheless, with a longer and deeper investigation on AI, I believe that AI will have an important role to play in the healthcare offerings of the future. In the form of machine learning, the primary capability behind the development of precision medicine will be sorely needed advance in healthcare. The challenges faced by AI will ultimately be overcome, taking a long time to do so, and the use of AI as well as data science in the medical field will be more and more mature. I will look forward to the development of AI.

Reflection on “Nanotechnology and its applications in electronics”

As nanotechnology becomes more prevalent, it has been widely used in technology, the economy, and our daily lives. Chips and CPUs, a typical example of nanotechnology, have made electrical appliances like smartphones more user-friendly. While some may not know, nanotechnology is also used to improve the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of solar panels.

First, a nanometer is about ten times the size of an atom. It is so small that you cannot see it even when you are using a light microscope, it can only be seen with unique, high-powered microscopes. Additionally, nanotechnology offers faster, smaller, and more portable systems. Remember the first computer ever made? It is more than 15 metres long, weighing five tons! Compared to Apple’s iMac nowadays, that sounds mad, isn’t it? \ Sophisticated, extraordinary, convenient. Apple’s iMac 24”, transformed by the M1 chip, weighs less than 5 kilograms. M1, the most powerful chip that Apple has created thus far, consists of 16 billion transistors. It was built on a 5-nanometer process by TSMC, the world’s dedicated semiconductor foundry.

Apart from electronic devices, nanotechnology is also used in other applications. For instance, energy crisis, catalysts, and self-cleaning. Nanotechnology can help solve the energy crisis by manufacturing hybrid cars, generating solar and wind energy, hydropower, etcetera. I remember having Geography classes where my teacher taught us about biofuels, which are renewable and can reduce CO2 emissions. Not only can nanotechnology help maintain energy supply, but also lower energy costs and save our planet.

Just like one would say, nanotechnology is found in our everyday lives, from electricity to medicines that save lives. It is more powerful than what we expect. Nanotechnology brings us painless drug delivery, imagine yourself taking jabs that do not bring pain when you were young, you wouldn’t have cried so hard, right?

Due to scoliosis, I had back pain for 6 months and it really affected my daily life. I used to visit the clinic weekly but the medicines did not work. Eventually, I tried applying hot packs to relieve the pain and my back recovered gradually. Looking back, those days were extremely tough...

Prof. HO’s lecture has broadened my horizon and made me know more about nanotechnology and medicines. One day I would like to break down nanos via top-down and bottom-up approaches and do plenty of research and experiments on medicines. Most importantly, preventing people from suffering from what I experienced again!

Reflection on “Invisible Armour: The Power of Sunscreen 隱形盔甲：防曬霜的力量”

By Lui To Thomas, Po Leung Kuk Choi Kai Yau School

I have learnt a lot more about the power of sunscreen after attending the lecture, and I realised that there are a few common misconceptions by us due to our incomplete knowledge of sunscreen. One example is about purchasing a suitable brand. As consumers, we would always opt for the brand with the highest protective ability by looking at the labelling and statistics shown on the sunscreen. Our misconception is that the higher the value showed the better it is. However, I understood that the SPF scale is not linear, and a SPF value > 15 implies that the sun’s UV light protection is negligible. Therefore, it is unnecessary to purchase a brand with a SPF value that is exceptionally high because it will be much more expensive but its function remains the same.

Moreover, I understood the reason to apply sunscreen before sun exposure. It is not because sunscreen requires time to be effective. It is to ensure the sunscreen binds well to our skin to resist rub-off and wash-off by water or sweat. As sunscreen may be easily washed off, reapplying is necessary every 2 hours. Another reason for reapplying is because the chemicals in sunscreen may not be photostable, its absorbance value of UV light will deteriorate over time, therefore, making it ineffective after a long time.

Furthermore, I did some internet research on the risk of skin cancer worldwide. In the lecture, I have learnt that the darker the skin colour, the higher levels of epidermal melanin, which increase the risk of suntan but decreases the risk of sunburn and skin cancer. Australia is a country with the highest skin cancer rate which can be explained by the following. Australia is located in the equatorial region therefore sun intensity is high throughout the year. Most Australians have a pinko-grey skin colour, which is light in colour because they have Anglo-Saxon or Northern European ancestry. This suggests that their epidermal melanin level is low and the risk of sunburn and skin cancer is much higher. I am aware that sun protection is much more important when visiting these areas with strong sun intensity and I should not only rely on sunscreen. However, sunscreen should not only be applied during summer. Instead, it should be applied all year which is a huge misconception by many of us nowadays.

Reflection on “Invisible Armour: The Power of Sunscreen 隱形盔甲：防曬霜的力量”

By IP Chun Hei, Catholic Ming Yuen Secondary School

在課堂中，我學習到一些紫外光或是一些防曬產品的知識。我認為一樣能稱為好的彩妝品不單要顧及效能，還要顧及安全性，因此涉及的不單是物理中的一些波長或是化學成分，而是那些會對生物造成影響的物質，而三者結合而成的產品才是對顧客最負責的。

當中我學到紫外線中的「UVA」和「UVB」，它們可以穿透臭氧層，並會造成一些影響。例如，佝僂病（軟骨病）和骨質疏鬆症，這些都會令人們的骨骼彎曲生長或是導致骨骼變得多孔、變脆及容易斷裂。

但其實同時我們也需要透過陽光獲得維生素D，雖說可以攝食三文魚或吞拿魚代替，但紫外光亦可以在醫學方面利用進行一些真菌類的皮膚病治療。由此可見，陽光中的紫外光也同樣重要。

防曬分為「物理防曬」和「化學防曬」，而通用的物理防曬成分有氧化鈦和氧化鋅。購買防曬產品時，我們可以留意「SPF」和「PA」，而原來SPF 15已有93%的防曬功能。「SPF」是指防止「UVB」的；「PA」是指防止「UVA」的。而隨著科技發展，人們亦關注皮膚問題，因此更有些防曬有著保濕的功能。

最後，皮膚的顏色越深，體內的黑色素便能更快吸收紫外光，而所需的「SPF」值便不用太過高。選擇適合的產品不但可以更便宜，還可以吸收些少陽光，維持身體健康。

Reflection on “Invisible Armour: The Power of Sunscreen 隱形盔甲：防曬霜的力量”

By WONG Hei Yu Zoe, Independent Schools Foundation Academy

Before the lesson, I thought applying sunscreen was unnecessary and a waste of time. Still, after learning about the damage ultraviolet rays can cause to our skin, I realized that sunscreen is crucial in reducing the chances of getting cancer. We should apply it when participating in outdoor activities to protect our skin.

First and foremost, the purpose of sunscreen is to block ultraviolet rays from entering our skin and damaging our DNA, potentially causing cancer. Although ultraviolet rays have positive effects, such as supplying us with vitamin D, we cannot absorb too much of them because they can cause severe damage to our skin. There are three types of ultraviolet rays: UVA, UVB and UVC, but the two major types we need to be aware of are UVA and UVB rays because these two types can enter the ozone layer, but UVC rays are filtered out. Sun protection factor, also known as SPF, is the quotient of the time spent under UVB rays with protected skin divided by the time spent under UVB rays with unprotected skin, and the higher the SPF is, the more time the user may be able to spend in the sun without getting sunburnt from its UVB rays. SPF 15 can already block 90% of the UV rays, so buying SPF 15 sunscreen is more worthwhile compared to buying SPF 50 or SPF 100 sunscreen.

Sunscreen can be sorted into two categories: physical sunscreen and chemical sunscreen. Physical sunscreen sits on top of the skin and reflects sunlight. In contrast, chemical sunscreen absorbs the UV rays into the skin while sacrificing themselves to reduce the energy inside the rays.

Reflection on “Invisible Armour: The Power of Sunscreen 隱形盔甲：防曬霜的力量”

By LAI Tsun Him, HKFYG Lee Shau Kee College

From this meaningful lecture, I have learnt that sunscreen and ultraviolet light play crucial roles in the protection of our skin from harmful solar radiation. Understanding the relationship between these two elements is essential for maintaining skin health and preventing long-term damage.

UV light, which is a type of electromagnetic radiation emitted by the sun, is divided into three categories: UVA, UVB, and UVC. UVC rays are largely absorbed by the Earth’s atmosphere and do not reach the surface as it is blocked by the ozone layer. However, UVA and UVB rays penetrate the atmosphere and have significant effects on the skin. UVA rays penetrate deeper into the skin and are primarily responsible for photoaging, which includes wrinkles and loss of skin elasticity. UVB rays, on the other hand, are responsible for causing sunburn and play a major role in the development of skin cancer.

Sunscreen is a protective product which is designed to shield the skin from the harmful effects of UV radiation. It works by either absorbing, reflecting, or scattering UV light. Sunscreens are formulated with active ingredients that can be classified into two main categories: chemical and physical. Chemical sunscreens contain compounds like avobenzone, octocrylene, and octinoxate, which absorb UV radiation and transform it into heat, which is then released from the skin. Physical sunscreens, containing ingredients like zinc oxide or titanium dioxide, create a barrier on the skin that reflects and scatters UV rays away from the skin.

The effectiveness of sunscreen is measured by its Sun Protection Factor rating. SPF indicates the level of protection against UVB rays, with higher SPF numbers offering greater protection. For instance, SPF 30 blocks approximately 97% of UVB rays, while SPF 50 blocks about 98%. It is important to apply sunscreen generously and reapply it every two hours, or more frequently if swimming or sweating, to maintain its protective benefits.

Regular use of sunscreen is vital for preventing skin damage, premature aging, and skin cancer. Other than sunscreen, other protective measures include wearing protective clothing, seeking shade during peak sun hours, and wearing sunglasses to protect the eyes from UV damage. By incorporating these practices into daily routines, individuals can significantly reduce their risk of UV-related skin issues and enjoy healthier skin over the long term. That’s why sunscreen is an essential product that is indispensable and we should share the importance of it to our friends and family.

Reflection on “The Afterlife of Smartphones”

By LEE Tsz Yiu Yoyo, Law Ting Pong Secondary School

After the lecture, I have learnt a lot about the current situation of electronic waste, the materials we can get out of a smartphone as well as better ways other than recycling. For example, the afterlife of smartphone depends on the condition of the phone, the regional policy on recycling as well as the economy of smart electronics. There is only 16% of smartphones are recycled, most ended up in landfill. The production of smartphone causes greenhouse gas emission. The mining involved in production also has serious environmental impact. Although smartphones are not well-recycled due to various factors, there are other environmental-friendly ways to deal with them to promote circular economy, such as turning them into security camera, activity monitor. Prevention is the best solution.

Through the lesson, I also understand an important concept, linear economy against circular economy. Linear economy only focus on profit other than environment while circular economy use the waste as a resource to form a cycle. It is sustainable and practical in the long run. In fact, not only smartphones, linear economy is also vital in energy supply.

Besides, the ‘afterlife of smartphones’ is closely related to my life. For instance, I know the environmental effects of production and use of smartphones, the electric devices used by us every day. I also know that there are many feasible ways to reduce pollution caused by disposal of smartphones, prevention, minimisation, reuse are ways that more favourable than recycling. What’s more, I’ve known an interesting fact that old phones are better than gold mines. Even the medals of the 2020 Tokyo Olympic are made from metals extracted from used smartphones.

In conclusion, the lecture is a very interesting lesson that widens my horizons about the afterlife of smartphones.

Reflection on “The Afterlife of Smartphones”

By LI Yuk Yin Nadia, Pooi To Middle School

Having attended the class, I have some insight, which I could not get from the classroom, but it is useful to me and closely related to our daily lives.

Firstly, this lesson is talking about smartphones. A smartphone is widely used by most people worldwide and this electronic gadget actually constitutes more than 70 sophisticated components. In fact, the production of smartphones needs to consume a lot of energy. However, people are used to changing their smartphones due to technological trend and advancement, which results in generating a lot of electronic waste (e-waste) continuously flowing into community landfills. As smartphone is currently not classified as one of the regulated electrical equipment under the scheme of Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WPRS), discarded smartphones will be treated as ordinary e-waste and exported to the developing countries such as Pakistan, Mexico, etc. Ultimately, it will make the landfills of these countries become more saturated and overburdened. This is neither a long lasting arrangement nor fair to those countries.

Secondly, the lesson also enlightened me that what is a linear economy and circular economy. A linear economy is about the company’s profit more than environment and a circular economy is opposite to the linear economy. I think we all have to change from a linear economy to a circular economy so that we can consume less energy, eliminate unnecessary waste and make ourselves more sustainable.

Lastly, people always say “recycle” but this is not the best choice for greening the earth. The best approach for greening is “prevention” and I think all of us should stop creating e-waste so that the earth can be saved and environmental issues can be improved.

Reflection on “The RNA World: Past, Present, and Future”

By JEON ChaeYeon, International School of Tianjin

From this lecture, I learnt the detailed history of RNA. I learnt that RNA and DNA are highly important components that contributed greatly to the emergence of life. The DNA sequence continues to evolve, and its change is influenced by external factors such as environment, mutations and infections.

Avery, McCarty and MacLeod identified that the transforming principle is DNA, not protein – by using heat-killed S cells and seeing if S cells reappear if different enzymes were added. Hershey-Chase ‘s experiment used bacteriophages whose DNA and protein coat was each labeled by radioactive 32P and 35S to infect the bacteria. Resulting that only 32P was found inside the bacteria. This has proved that DNA, not protein, is the genetic material. DNA’s composition was found by Erwin Chargaff, Maurice Wilkins, Francis Crick, James Watson and Rosaline Franklin.

RNA performs like an enzyme catalyst as it links different reactions. RNA folds into a complex structure when produced. Their unique structure is identified by the different cleavage sites. RNA can also perform bond formation by a ribosome, sensing by riboswitch, and storage of genetic information by RNA virus. The hypothesis is that once in history, only RNA existed and RNA mutated into DNA and proteins because proteins have greater diversity, thus can perform better. DNA just stores genetic information and protein produces DNA; however, RNA has both former and latter functions. Thus, the survival of the fittest is applied to RNA which can produce a stable protein.

Origin of life was explained by the primordial soup theory. There are many types of RNA, but only mRNA is a coding RNA. There are numerous non-coding RNAs. MicroRNA (miRNA) is useful as it regulates the targets across multiple signal transduction pathways, so is a useful therapeutic component; it interacts with different mRNAs to have more than one function. For example, miRNA inhibits translation and leads to less protein production. Long non-coding RNAs are used as diagnostic markers, risk genes, prognostic markers, and therapeutic targets.

Epigenetics means that the phenotype is changed not because the DNA sequence is changed, but because of the change in gene expression by DNA methylation, histone modification and non-coding RNAs. They can activate and deactivate genes. Only the activated DNA are expressed when they are read and transcribed into RNA, then translated into proteins by ribosomes.

Genetics and epigenetics are both important. RNA epigenetics allows the development of therapeutics. For example, there is a case where a 3-year-old kid was helped by the new drug, nusinersen which had the role of restoring functional proteins. RNA is also useful in making mRNA vaccines, diagnosis and treatment of cancer. Also, the genome project has promoted next-generation sequencing.

Reflection on “The RNA World: Past, Present, and Future”

By WONG Wai Ho Daniel, St Bonaventure College & High School

From high school, the definition of RNA, its structure, types and functions were studied. Dr. Kwok gave his RNA lecture in a historical perspective to discuss its past, present and future world which had been sounded very attractive.

First, Dr. Kwok let us know about the history of discovering DNA & RNA and I was surprised to learn that some relevant conclusions had been drawn by scientists as early as in 1944, followed by further ground-breaking discoveries and works by other scientists & Nobel Prize winners. Then, the central dogma of molecular biology was discussed with video which made the explanation of the flow of genetic information from ‘DNA–>RNA–>Protein’ more understandable. Afterward, RNA world hypothesis and Primordial soup theory were taught with another video which really inspired me to think about RNA, not DNA, as the origin of life.

Next, the lecture came to the present of RNA. It was amazing to find that there were 98% non-coding RNAs while mRNA contributed only 2%, and ncRNA genes actually produced functional RNA molecules rather than encoding proteins. Besides, there were so many nucleotides in long non-coding RNAs (>200) with many other functions and lncRNs were even used in the study of tumors. Moreover, the knowledge about ‘epigenetics’ was not only new but also astonished to me. By how advanced our technology had become to do the external modifications to DNA that could turn genes "on" or "off" by changing the gene expression caused by change in DNA sequence/DNA or Histone modification or non-coding RNAs.

Afterwards, Dr. Kwok discussed about how RNA could shape the advancement of chemistry, biology, and medicine in our eminent future, such as the invention of DNA drug ‘Nusinersen’ in SMA treatment, as well as CRISPR which allows genetic material to be edited at particular locations in the genome that can be used in different industries like agriculture, energy and medicine. Moreover, mRNA vaccines and RNA diagnostics were brought out, and I can’t imagine what would happen to our world if there were no mRNA diagnostics and vaccines to fight against COVID-19. Furthermore, he talked about Human Genome Project, and the next-generation DNA sequencing, with many possible applications in research and diagnostic settings, was also gone through.

In short, this lecture was indeed very useful which has both widened my horizons about RNA technology and inspired me to learn more about this very interesting topic.

Reflection on “Intelligent Air Transportation Systems for Future Mobility”

By FUNG Long Yiu, Diocesan Boys’ School

During my lesson, I learned about air traffic delay causes, such as why plane delays before boarding instead of when it is staying in the air. I learned about data clusters, and how machines have difficulties when trying to group up clusters. I also learned that excess fuel is loaded into planes to ensure safety, and that flight process recorders were added to ensure future flights become more stable and safer. There are two flight process recorders in a plane, one is black, and its data can be shown when the plane arrives at the terminal, while the other one, the red one also contains data about the flight, but it is only used during accidents, while no one can reach it, its data can be sent to the terminal wirelessly. I have learned that machine learning has weaknesses and that we should not heavily rely on computers. I think that learning all this will be helpful to me when I grow up because I now know the basic knowledge of data science and air transportation systems.

Reflection on “Intelligent Air Transportation Systems for Future Mobility”

By SO Ka Ying Kathy, Pui Kiu Middle School

How self-driving planes will help airlines?

Cargo charters tend to have amore complex navigation and flight control requirements, and when it comes to cargo charters, the number of pilots required will be reduced from three to one. This does not only save costs for airlines, but also solve the current global shortage of qualified pilots. Also by removing the pilot from the complex concerns about pilot error could also be quelled.

A resource-efficient and sufficient future mobility for improved well-being in world. Introduction and current dilemma of human mobility, historically, spatial mobility has been a crucial characteristic of human development (migration, the exchange of attitudes, values and knowledge or the spread of wealth) and civilisation. While mobility in its early stage was rather characterized by self-sufficiency, sustain ability and a low level of transportation, present mobility is usually the opposite. It may affect transportation, business, energy so we can use the intelligent to convenient.

Reflection on “Fire Risk at Your Home”

By LEE Chung Yan Daniel, St Paul’s College

“Fuel + Oxygen + Heat……” As one has heard in his science lessons, these are the components to start a fire. The above oxidation process releases heat and gives out light, sound, and products in the form of smoke.

Prof. Lee’s lecture kicked off by saying fire is a double-edged sword. Fire has been a significant part of our history and daily lives, from steam locomotives to lighting candles to cooking a meal. However, it can as well be the assassin to our memories, properties, and wildlife with fire accidents.

A statistic report from Fire Service Department in 2021 was shown in the lecture, highlighting that most of the fires reported throughout the year happened in domestic buildings and housing estates. Nowadays, interior designers proposed to renovate the protected kitchen to open kitchen for a more spacious area, ignoring the fact that hot gases may easily migrate to other areas while the radiation may also ignite other combustible items such as papers and cleaning products in the household. Residents living in sub-divided flats in HK do have to be more aware of the possible fire outbreaks in the kitchen, don’t they?

Prof. Lee also gave a detailed explanation of the fire dynamics and its physical concepts, which I found intriguing as it did explain some of the scenes filmed in some foreign fire television series. A fire has its growing stages, just like humans. As the fire plume emits radiation and heat, convections are formed since a cold layer of air from the surroundings moves in. The heated gas rises to the ceiling, gradually forming a thermal interface. Therefore, we should crawl on the ground during a fire to prevent the inhalation of toxic gases. A fire is said to be at its peak when it reaches the flashover period, equivalent to 600°C. A property can only be ventilated when the firefighters had completed their rescue since the temperature inside will abruptly rise to the flashover point upon contact with abundant oxygen supply from the outdoors.

Finally, Prof. Lee explained to us the timeline approach for fire safety assessment. The Required Safe Escape Time could be divided into detection time, alarm time, pre-movement time and evacuation time for calculations. Calculations could be made on a computer by computational fluid dynamics and simulations of the victim’s response time, average walking speed, evacuation routes, etc. Upon addition of a margin of safety, an Available Safe Escape Time, measuring the period from fire ignition to untenable condition (i.e. when the visibility is under 10m / temp.>65°C / CO concentration >1400ppm) could be determined for fire safety assessment. I think that these scales can be very beneficial despite some errors in the victim’s physical conditions during the escape.

Furthermore, efforts have been put into trying to minimise the risks of fire accidents and to improve the accuracy of responding to real fires or false alarms. Last year, the FSD worked with the EMSD to enhance the fire alarming system in the FSD Service Academy. The system could alert members through mobile notifications with precise locations wherever smoke is detected. The system was also put in use in the Tuen Mun-Chek Lap Kok Tunnel and hotels. In addition, the UK has also recommended the installation of Arc Fault Detection Device in certain locations including houses to prevent electrical fires when there are loose connections of wires.

But after all, we, the citizens, should be the ones holding the biggest responsibility to prevent fire accidents from happening. Un-attended cooking, combustion with flammable materials, electricity overloading……can all be halted if we pay attention to fire safety.

What a lecture from Prof. Lee! I genuinely enjoyed it very much.

Reflection on “Hong Kong’s Climate Change”

By TSEUNG Chi Lam, Tak Nga Secondary School

Having gained a deeper understanding of the distinction between weather and climate, I now recognize that weather represents temporary atmospheric conditions, whereas climate is the average of the conditions over 30 years. This distinction is crucial in comprehending the broader impacts of climate change.

One key takeaway is that temperature is merely one component of climate. Global warming, characterized by rising global temperatures, is a significant aspect of climate change. The increase in the Earth’s surface temperature, which is primarily due to elevated carbon dioxide concentrations from human activities, has direct consequences, for instance, a higher likelihood of heavy rainfall, which can lead to flooding and other environmental challenges in Hong Kong.

The class has highlighted the importance of further research into carbon-climate feedback mechanisms to support the goal of carbon neutrality. Understanding these feedback loops is essential for developing effective strategies to mitigate climate change. If these mechanisms are not thoroughly researched, achieving carbon neutrality may remain an elusive goal.

In my daily life, I see the relevance of these concepts. For example, the increasing frequency of extreme weather events in Hong Kong, like typhoons and heavy rainfalls, can be linked to the broader patterns of climate change. This awareness has inspired me to adopt more sustainable practices, such as reducing energy consumption and supporting initiatives which aim at reducing carbon emissions.

The class has also inspired me to think about innovative solutions to combat climate change. One promising approach is forest management and restoration, which is a nature-based solution that can help sequester carbon and restore ecological balance. By protecting and expanding forests, we can create a natural buffer against the impacts of climate change.

To sum up, the class has deepened my understanding of climate change and its specific implications for Hong Kong. It has motivated me to take personal and collective actions to address this global challenge. The knowledge gained has not only enriched my perspective but also empowered me to contribute to a more sustainable future.

Reflection on “The Magical Small World: Why are Microorganisms Important to Us”

By FUNG Lok Yi Ally, Maryknoll Convent School (Secondary Section)

Upon attending the informative lecture delivered by the esteemed Professor Fu, I gained a deeper understanding of the beneficial and detrimental aspects of various bacteria that impact our overall well-being. My knowledge has been enriched with insights into the vital role that microorganisms play in our bodily functions, from the digestive system to immune defence mechanisms. Ultimately, it dispelled my stigma that all bacteria are harmful and has heightened my interest in the field of biomedicine.

An aspect of the lecture that particularly fascinated me is the impact of microbiota, a type of beneficial microorganism, on the process of digestion. Not only does it contribute to the breakdown of complex carbohydrates into short-chain fatty acids and metabolites, promoting the growth of beneficial bacteria and lowering cholesterol levels, but it also regulates the micronutrient levels in the gastrointestinal tract, influencing the absorption rates of vitamins and minerals. Connecting the dots, this newfound knowledge resonates with my internship at the same university, focused on AI-based image analysis of E. coli. As I draw connections from relevant research papers, it becomes evident that microbiota plays a crucial role in combatting the invasion of E. coli, and the ability of microbiota to outcompete pathogenic E. coli for nutrients and attachment sites on the intestinal lining can significantly reduce E. coli colonization and proliferation.

As an individual who has encountered persistent digestive issues and instances of food poisoning, these insights have equipped me with a transformative understanding of supplements and probiotics to support my gut health and enrich my expertise in this field. Moreover, the class has undoubtedly motivated me to innovate micro-products for emitting E. coli-related complications. One idea I have in mind would be inventing genetically engineered probiotics using microbiota to secrete bacteriocins that disrupt the cell membranes of E. coli and eliminate pathogens. Another possible innovation would include investigating the use of prebiotics that can selectively promote gut bacteria growth, antagonistic to E. coli, such as those that stimulate the growth of Lactobacillus species, a part of our gut microbiota, that help inhibit E. coli colonisation. Overall, the captivating realm of microorganisms holds great promise, and I am eager to delve further into this domain.

After all, the secrets of the microbial wonderland and the enchanting universe of microorganisms are awaited, and I can’t wait to unveil more chapters on the ‘magical small world’ as I embark on my future endeavours.

Reflection on “The Discovery of Chemical Elements”

By IP Chun Hei, Catholic Ming Yuen Secondary School

What is the originating principle of nature? A philosopher thinks that it is the change between ice, water and steam. The originating principle of nature was a single material substance – water.

After that, different philosophers have proposed different theories, such as air, earth and fire – the four elements theory. According to the different proportions in which these four indestructible and unchangeable elements are combined with each other, the difference of the structure is produced. These elements are connected by four main principles – wet, dry, cold, hot.

In his 1789 publication “Traité Élémentaire de Chimie” (Element of Chemistry), Lavoisier presented the first table of chemical elements, listing a total of 33 chemical elements divided into four classes. Also, the theories of many philosophers have shaped the development of chemistry in the current era, such as Dalton’s atomic theory proposed by the father of the periodic table and Moseley’s Law.

In addition, the naming origins of many elements are also interesting, for example, the elements named after geographical locations. Many ancient philosophers made our current research and development easier and laid important foundations for the development of chemistry.

Reflection on “Is Accounting Tool to Fool?”

By LEE Tsz Yiu Yoyo, Law Ting Pong Secondary School

Accounting will affect our investment. For example, we have to know the company’s accounting information, so that we can decide if the firm is optimistic about their business prospects and expect higher future sales and profits.

The professor has mentioned that using the same quarter of the financial statement for this year to compare with the previous year. Furthermore, a business and investors are complementary to each other. In a business, there are financial intermediaries to provide business. The savings of firms are helped by the information intermediaries.

There are some companies that fool and give illusion to the investors. Therefore the fraud triangle states there are portions that contribute to increasing the risk of fraud, opportunity, incentive and rationalisation.

In class, there are some accounting statements shown by the professor. I am fascinated by the accounting statements and the explanation of the professor in a moment due to my number sense. The class inspired me to think deeply about the story of financial statements behind. For example, everyone likes the companies, but they all have a loss. Why do investors still want it? Because of the PIE (price-earning ratio). I enjoyed the class so much.

Reflection on “Global Marketing”

By YING Zhihao, Chinese International School

Professor Zheng Xu presented numerous cases to help us fully understand global marketing. What impressed me most was that cultural differences in different regions led to significant variations in marketing plans and methods. Particularly, by vividly watching the different marketing plans of Snickers in various countries through videos, I noticed remarkable differences in language, culture, and the dissemination perspectives of marketing plans. For instance, in some cultures, visual elements play a dominant role, while in others, narrative and emotional connections are more crucial.

Some very interesting classroom interactions also helped us vividly enter the world of global marketing. The class content was very comprehensive, allowing us to have a thorough understanding of the concepts and elements of marketing and global marketing. Also, the point mentioned by Professor Zheng Xu that the challenges faced by global marketing are diverse has triggered my own thinking.

From this class, I learned the profound impact of culture on marketing. It relates closely to my daily life. When I see advertisements or purchase products, I now consider the cultural factors behind them. This course has stimulated my innovation. I started to think about how to adapt marketing strategies to different cultural contexts. For example, when targeting a market with a strong collectivist culture, marketing campaigns could focus on group benefits and shared experiences.

I find this topic extremely interesting as it reveals the complexity and diversity of the global market. It makes me realize that to succeed in global marketing, one must have a deep understanding of different cultures and be flexible in strategy formulation. A global marketing framework should include: market research to understand cultural nuances and consumer behaviours, localization of products or services to meet specific cultural needs, utilization of appropriate marketing channels based on local preferences, and continuous monitoring and adaptation to changes in the market and cultural dynamics. I will continue to explore and apply what I’ve learned in the future.

Reflection on “The Science, Law and Politics of Climate Change”

By Hannah Yan Wing Kwok, St Paul's Convent School (Secondary Section)

Climate change, I learnt a lot of that from school, of how the ice caps melt and sea level rises, but even if I knew it is all anthropogenic, I never thought of it from the perspective of law and politics, this course really opened a direction of thinking for me.

The science behind climate change truly shocked me. The statistics shown depict how we ruined a balance of more than 800 thousand years by causing a rapid rise in the greenhouse effect. Though most of us are aware of climate change, seeing the line in the graph rose rapidly in the last century hurts. A common concept is that whoever polluted most heavily should be responsible for fixing the problem, there were four graphs of the largest polluter using different methods of measurement, including polluters as a whole, per capita, cumulatively and per $1000, I didn’t even know there were so many ways to measure carbon emissions. The countries ‘dominating’ the leaderboards are the USA, the EU, China and Russia, the main developed countries. It’s ironic isn’t it, wealthy in resources and technology, yet the major culprits of climate change.

Many laws were implemented to combat climate change, but few proved useful, either lacking ambition or powerful participants. One of the international laws I remember most is the Kyoto Protocol, half the countries that participated reduced their carbon emissions significantly, but it did nothing to the global situation, this is solid proof that no matter how strong a country may be, we are weak against climate change. Since every country contributed the Earth’s sickness, every country shall work together to solve the problem we created, lead by the major developed countries, put aside all selfishness and instead put their technology and resources to good use.

I didn’t expect to get all this from a talk, but I’m glad I did. The main barricade is major countries, when balancing their economy and climate change, they often neglect the latter. Climate change is a global issue, and when it is too late, when tens of millions of people lose their homes to flooding, they won’t care about the economy. Action must be taken immediately, for the clock is ticking, it’s 100 seconds to midnight, yes, there is still time, but not very much.

Reflection on “The Science, Law and Politics of Climate Change”

By Yu Yan Eiza, Marymount Secondary School

In the morning lecture with Professor Michael, we’ve learnt about the ins and outs of policies and the hard truth about climate change. It is important to realize that global warming is a real issue backed up by evidence that proves our human activities caused temperatures to go up rapidly.

The greenhouse effect is good in moderation, it is used to keep the earth at a habitable temperature. However, the GHG concentration has gone up substantially due to many amounts of toxic gas emitted by burning fossil fuels and animal husbandry and deforestation that causes trees to release carbon dioxide.

With the rising global mean temperatures, ice caps are affected and therefore will melt, leading to the rise of sea levels. It has already risen about 80cm-120cm within the 21st century, soon enough in the future, it will flood cities with low sea levels, like Amsterdam, Copenhagen, and possibly Hong Kong.

Climate change intensifies extreme natural events to become more destructive and deadly. An increase in evaporation causes heat to transfer from the oceans to the air more frequently. As the storms travel across oceans, they pull in more thermal energy and water vapour. For example, the Philippines has recently been hit by the deadly tropical storm Megi on April 8, annihilating many homes and perishing over 100 victims. Usually, the typhoon season in the Philippines is between June and September.

Since the rapidly increasing rate of global warming is anthropogenic, we should be able to exert changes through laws and policies. States cannot act unilaterally because they damage the financial interests of their companies/citizens. International law consists of agreements between states. Climate agreements work as legal arrangements, but they are inefficient to solve the problem of Climate Change. “Shall” is an often misinterpreted in legal documents, as it is legally binding but not in terms of achieving the targets set. For example, the Paris Agreement nearly failed because the word "shall" had been approved instead of "should", meaning that developed countries would have been legally obliged to cut emissions.

Here is my take on the commitments of an agreement about climate change: All parties will cooperate to prevent the rising temperature levels from reaching the limit of 2 degrees Celsius. Funding should be moved away from fossil fuels and instead, to renewable energy sources instead. Companies and states should be evaluated to draft out suitable changes that they must abide by.

The climate change argument is full of political and emotional opinions. We, humans, are to blame for the lack of proper effective changes in the journey to reducing GHG concentrations. I hope that we can collectively put our greed aside and work together to protect our only home, Mother Earth.

Reflection on “The Science, Law and Politics of Climate Change”

By Lee Hong Ching, St Paul’s Convent School (Secondary Section)

After attending this talk, I have taken in plenty of enlightening knowledge about the relationship between climate change, science, law and politics. It corrected a lot of my inaccurate assumptions regarding this topic.

I have never thought about the relationship between law and climate change since they don’t seem to be affiliated, but once we think deeper, they are interlocked together in many different aspects.

The greenhouse effect is the reason why Global warming is happening, and unfortunately, human beings are responsible for creating an excess amount of greenhouse gases. Human activities such as generation of electricity, agricultural activities and industrial activities produce an immense amount of Greenhouse gases, leading to the deteriorating situation of climate change.

Back in 1992, leaders of countries realised that they must take immediate action if they wanted to minimise the impacts of climate change. Therefore they started formulating new laws and agreements. In 1992, the United Nations held the framework convention on climate change, focusing on avoiding dangerous anthropogenic climate change, this agreement was legally binding but it was rather ‘soft’. Therefore I think this was a rather flaccid agreement. Then, in 1995, there was the Kyoto protocol, legally binding emission reductions for 2008-2012, but it only applies to developed countries. The Kyoto Protocol can be considered successful, but compared to the worsening situation of climate change, this is clearly not efficient enough. The truth is, that politicians and many companies in the world do not wish to follow the laws minimising climate change. They will lose an abject amount of money and damage their financial and economic interest because they make their money out of fossil fuels or activities causing climate change.

If we really want to reduce the harm of climate change to planet earth, our generation should not hesitate to take action immediately. The fate of our Earth is in our hands and if we don’t take action, we will be the ones suffering from the consequences.

Reflection on “Work Relationships in the Gig Economy: Who is an 'Entrepreneur'?”

By Isabel Chan, St Paul's Convent School (Secondary Section)

After this seminar, I have broadened my horizons on the topic of the gig economy. Before the class, I had no idea how the gig economy runs or works. I then understood that companies such as Uber and FoodPanda only act as a medium between the buyer and seller. This is different from employees working under other companies since they are guaranteed a minimum wage by the law.

This made me realise that the difference between employees and independent contractors is that one is working under a business and one is an entrepreneur. Business employees have less freedom and will have to work more rigid hours while independent contractors are free to decide when and how much they work. However, business employees have contracts to protect their rights but independent contractors don’t seem to have them. They are easily exploited since there aren’t contracts to protect them by legal means.

Also, independent contractors working in the gig economy don’t have the capacity to earn more. For example, from the view of decision makers, “Uber assists the drivers to “grow” their businesses, but no driver is in a position to do anything of the kind, unless growing his business simply means spending more hours at the wheel.” I agree with this statement. Even if you show excellent service, the most you can receive is a five-star-review. Since there is no way to climb up the corporate ladder, there is little capacity to grow their business in the gig economy. These differences between employees and independent contractors allow me to make comparisons.

I came to conclusion that people working under the gig economy are more disadvantaged. This is because even if they have very flexible working hours, it is hard to earn a living from it. Income is unstable since demand fluctuates. Also, since there are no promotions or ways to earn a higher income for each transaction, income is likely to be low. Moreover, anyone able to drive a car is eligible to work for Uber. Low education level is acceptable, causing a surplus of workers who are willing and able to work. There may be competition between people to deliver an order.

In conclusion, it was interesting to discover the gig economy and I have a much better perspective on how it works after this seminar. Thank you!

Reflection on “Work Relationships in the Gig Economy: Who is an 'Entrepreneur'?”

In recent years, there has been an upsurge in gig workers in Hong Kong. While everyone can become a gig worker, from graphic designers to ride-hailing drivers, not all can qualify as successful ones. In their everyday life, they have to employ skills like establishing a strict routine, connecting with clients regularly, and leveraging their network. Being successful freelancers need to know how to promote themselves and their products through social media. They also depend on word of mouth to get more business.

While many people do so to enjoy the flexibility and extra earnings, it also comes with many drawbacks. The Foodpanda strike in last year is a recent example. A group of 300 couriers stopped working for two days as they were under constant pressure to meet unrealistic delivery times. As they went on strike, they mainly moaned about their work and the faculty company app. Food delivery workers are always exposed to occupational hazards like illness and injury while working. When they navigate busy traffic on city streets, they must meanwhile make sure the meals are delivered hot and fresh. Worse still, some difficult clients may still complain about their food got spilt during delivery. Financial insecurity, discrimination and loss of dignity at work, and the inability to climb a career ladder are also added to their woes.

The Foodpanda strike was not the first one in Hong Kong’s history. In 2020, more than 100 Deliveroo couriers in the city protested against a new pay policy that cut their minimum earnings. Although the strike was soon settled with the company giving in, it has raised the concerns grew over workers' rights. Not only in Hong Kong but court decisions in many European countries have also challenged the self-employment status of workers in the platform economy. Next time when we receive our food at home or office, don’t forget the riders are equal to us too.

Reflection on “”Equity” in Contract Law: Beyond What You Think It Means”

By MAK Long Yin, St Margaret’s Co-Edu English Secondary & Primary School

I am always curious about how contract law works in our legal system, and this seminar undoubtedly allowed me to have a deeper insight into how Hong Kong’s contract law operates. In this article, I will reflect on what I have learnt in the seminar and suggest how contract law relates to our everyday lives.

The professor provided us with different scenarios on how contract law relates to our daily lives. The examples given ranged from the “bubble tea” hypothetical case of a tenant trying to terminate his lease due to the economical impacts of anti-epidemic measures during the COVID-19 pandemic, to the “wedding dress” case which showed the importance of lawyers finding the best solution for its clients.

However, what inspired me the most is the case of United Eagle Ltd v Golden Achievement Ltd where the plaintiff agreed to buy a flat from the defendant and paid 10% of the purchase price by deposit, only to be 10 minutes late in completing it and the defendant forfeited the deposit. Although the majority will sympathise with the plaintiff’s situation, and the plaintiff claimed that the 10-minute delay should be overlooked and equity should intervene and grant specific performance, the Hong Kong courts and, on appeal, the Privy Council rejected the claim. The courts cited that it was clearly stated in the contract, that time was of the essence and the deposit would be forfeited for lateness.

This case taught me that the courts will always administer justice according to the law, and courts will also consider various legal principles when deciding the outcome of a case. In the common law, time is always of the essence unless stated otherwise, as we can see from cases similar to the aforementioned case such as Lombard North Central v Butterworth in the United Kingdom.

The frustration doctrine of the common law is used in the “bubble tea” case. I did some online research on this topic and found similar cases such as Taylor v Caldwell. In this case, the parties made a contract in which the defendants agreed to let the plaintiffs use the music hall for concerts on various specified dates. Before the concert could take place, the venue was destroyed by fire. After this, the plaintiffs sued for a breach but the defendants successfully pleaded frustration in their defence. Taylor v Caldwell had a very different outcome to the “bubble tea” case, as courts nowadays are reluctant to find frustration, and do so only in the most exceptional cases. As the courts cited that the “supervening event” must destroy a fundamental assumption on which the contract is based, the frustration doctrine should not be an escape route for a party to whom the contract has become a bad bargain.

Reflection on “AI Creators, Data Mining and Copyright”

By CHIU Cheuk Man, New Asia Middle School

Copyright laws are necessary for creators to protect their work, and to prevent people who would like to copy their works and sell them to others. Therefore we have laws to regulate the behavior of people, but how can the law regulate AI?

Regardless of whether the work is a human’s creation or the work of an AI, they all need copyright laws to protect their work. If AI-generated works are not protected by copyright laws, somebody might refer to the AI-generated works and copy them for their own gain.

However, copyright laws of AI-generated works should be stricter. Not only do AI-generated works produce faster than humans’, but their quality are also similar to humans. Presently, artificial intelligence can help humans create content more efficiently, but will there be one day when artificial intelligence completely replaces the need for humans? At that time, when employment opportunities will be left for humans?

After this lecture, I understand more about AI, copyright systems and the solutions for this problem going forward. I also recognise that copyright laws concerning AI are not easy to carry out, since many different factors need to be considered. Therefore, different countries may have different attitudes to this issue. For instance, the case on Creative Machine not being able to apply for copyright laws in the US due to its lack of human identity, and because of the way the Creative Machine creates content. The Creative Machine creates works based on data inputted into the MLAlgorithm that it takes reference from so it is not actually its own creation. On the other hand, Japan allowed literary works of an AI to be submitted to a story writing competition, implying that it recognises the right an AI should have when it produces new works. There is no right or wrong for this issue; what matters is when we approach a hands-on problem and we can design solution for each unique case.

Reflection on “Land Law? Who Cares?”

By TSE Ki Hin, LKWFSL Lau Wong Fat Secondary School

Hi, I am Ernest and I am going to introduce what I have learned in the CityUHK-Learning Classroom for Secondary School Students scheme. I joined the Land Law program and this inspired me to search for more information about law.

To begin with, the Hong Kong legal system is based on common law. Hence, everything is about evidence, evidence and evidence, for instance, in the aspect of land law, the deed is the receipt of owning the land. There are positive and negative deeds. Positive deeds require spending extra money or effort, such as paying the cost of repair, while negative deeds mean not committing an act of nuisance. Positive deeds will not be enforceable once the original covenantor transfers its interest. However, the original covenantor will remain contractually bound by a positive covenant.

In addition, the rights of private properties are protected to a large extent by the legal system. Certainly, this means that if you own that property, you may use, transfer or destroy it without consequences. However, for buildings older than 50 years, if 70% of proprietors agree to destroy the building, you are forced to sell your property.

Furthermore, several legal actions may be used to protect the property, for example, damages, injunction, and declaration. Any person who has any legal character or any legal rights as to any property by virtue of title deeds or otherwise may file a suit for declaration of those rights and for injunction against any person denying or interested in denying his title to such character or right. A mandatory injunction is mainly used to request others to remove the illegal structure of buildings.

Through this meaningful lecture, I have gained much legal knowledge which fulfilled my eagerness to know more about law. What is more critical is that this valuable lesson let me steady myself to chase my dream. I will put more effort into studying in order to accomplish better results in the HKDSE. In the future, if it is possible, I will definitely study at CityU’s School of Law due to my deep interest in law. Thank you for giving me this opportunity to join the lecture.

Reflection on “Psychology Encounter”

By Liu Him Yu, CCC Mong Man Wai College

Psychology: far from just feelings

Well, indeed. We all know this is true. The end.

— But wait, the story goes on! Why is this true? How do we know it? And what can we think about it?

Before diving into those doubts, I used to have a limited understanding of psychology. I always added the word ‘psychologically, …’ when discussing the emotional impacts of an issue in my writing. Until one day, a teacher circled my work and wrote, “Don’t use this word if you don’t really know what it is.” I was confused, starting to wonder what psychology really is.

This is when the lecture inspires me. From it, I learned that psychology is a wide study, and emotions are just a part of the entire picture. Its discussion covers from the young to the old, from genes to society. Moreover, before feelings emerge, we have our minds, which manage our subjective interpretation of the world we see. After that, we may have our behaviour to express our feelings. It is actually interesting that the same image appears in front of our eyes, but our brains integrate it with their senses. And this is what makes our cognitive thinking special, we understand things vividly — differing us from any other species on the planet. Therefore, psychology is far from just feelings.

And the evidence behind psychological studies is neuroscience. For instance, we can monitor the electro-encephalograph of our brains while sleeping to investigate our sleeping stages and biological clocks. And more importantly, these studies may help us understand consciousness, behaviours, interactions, etc. No wonder why psychology gains its nickname ‘applied biology’.

So at this moment, I was fascinated by the depth of psychology. But at the end of the day, this is a story of a bunch of biomolecules trying to understand themselves, mind-blowing, isn't it?

However, although such a complex mind gives us unique qualities, our thoughts are just the products of nerve impulses and biochemical reactions. What if, one day, we figured out a clearer picture, and AIs are able to simulate our thinking? (Actually they already can.) Will it replace our jobs and become a major part of human society? We are not sure, but it is just a matter of time. — Perhaps, while we are still unique, treasure our minds, treasure psychology.

Reflection on “Social Welfare and People Living under Poverty”

By Anonymous, Good Hope School

Many people nowadays confuse the words ‘poor’ and ‘rich’. They complain about not being able to live in mansions, dine in 5-star hotels, or have a ride in a Ferrari.

People who suffer from absolute poverty, an approach to define poverty that follows the concept of the subsistence minimum, are incapable to afford goods and services that are regarded as essentials in daily life. In other words, people under the absolute poverty line cannot meet their basic needs. On the contrary, relative poverty is social exclusion. It does not have specific fiscal outlines and changes over time. However, the concept of relative poverty works in relation to society.

Apart from absolute and relative poverty, the income approach is adopted by many regions. For instance, Hong Kong sets 50% of the median income in the population as the official poverty line. Yet, the proportion (i.e. 50%) is unavoidably arbitrary and subjective. The assessment does not fully take the actual consumption needs of the poor, such as meals, clothes, and washing machines, and the non-income benefits provided into account.

I once joined a program organised by a non-governmental organisation. I visited some solitary elderlies and gave them lunchboxes for free (the vegetables were bought by my team, then they were given to Mr Chan Cheuk Ming (明哥) to prepare the lunch boxes). They told us how it feels to live in subdivided flats. They do not even have a refrigerator in their ‘houses’, not to mention a computer. What is more, I saw people sleeping in McDonald’s that night, wearing only a single top and a pair of pants. It was heartbreaking.

To make things worse, the poor are usually discriminated against by middle-income people. Apparently, the rejection of the poor, is common, if not, in MDCs. The poor experiences social exclusion due to their low-education level and necessities deprivation. Moreover, there is this phenomenon called, ‘the poor getting poorer while the rich getting richer in Hong Kong. The gap between the rich and the poor in Hong Kong is widening gradually and thus the living standards of the lower-class people could not improve apparently.

Currently, there are various measures like the CSSA Scheme and Community Care Fund to mitigate the inferior lives of the poor. However, families only receive HKD$3,000 a month on average, which is definitely not enough to raise the children. Therefore, we should volunteer to help them.

Reflection on “Media Effects on Society”

By CHAN Hoi Yan, Helen Lang Memorial Secondary School (Shatin)

During the lesson, I have learnt about the development of the media effect with its increasing influence and several interesting theories on how media affects the public. For instance Hypodermic needle theory, the Two-step flow theory and the Agenda-setting theory. The most impressive aspect for me is the spiral of silence. It reminds me of a social psychological phenomenon: Group polarization.

As Dr. Kim said in the lecture, when we realize that we are in a minority position, we tend to become silent. I reckon that isn't only because we don't want to speak our voice, it depends on the whole internet environment and humanity. Take me for an example, before I send out my opinion, I would think twice. Others' comments, curses, and challenges, are the things I might meet. Especially since we are the minority, these will just be more but not less. On the other hand, people who belong to the majority will be more courageous in expressing their opinions. As a chronic effect, it creates an echo chamber at last.

It is obviously harmful for our information reception. Since nowadays we mostly rely on the internet for information sources, an echo chamber eliminates the opposite voice. It causes an illusion of truth for the public. Subsequently, the majority group will generate more extreme, emotional speculation based on this illusion. If in the end there is only one voice, that voice will be regarded as the ultimate truth, no matter how absurd or unreasonable it may be.

It seems horrible but actually it is happening every day. It is really difficult for people to keep a rational view in the current Internet environment. However, as long as one more person realizes this horror, perhaps this phenomenon will one day be changed.

Finally, I would like to thank City University for giving me the opportunity to attend this lecture and Dr. Kim's professional explanation. I really learned a lot from it.

Reflection on “Social Welfare and People Living under Poverty”

By LI Ka Yi Angela, Po Leung Kuk Ngan Po Ling College

I attended the lecture offered by the Department of Media and Communication at City University of Hong Kong and I benefited a lot from the informative and interesting lecture.

Media plays an indispensable role in the society nowadays and it provides large amount of information and entertainment for us. Social media, in particular, provides a lot of advantages and convenience to our everyday life; meanwhile, we have to acknowledge the negative effects of social media. Today, media leads and gathers people from all around the world, enabling us to discuss and express our opinions on political, cultural, economic, social aspects etc. I can’t even imagine a world without modern media.

In this lecture, I did not only learn about the media’s effects on the society, but also realized that we are very much engaged in it. What impressed me most is the media leader effect. On social media, influencers, youtubers, celebrities, political leaders etc., they are the leaders who may affect our decisions such as in elections or voting. As Aaldering et al (2018) pointed out that “Most voters actually never meet party leaders in real life, and therefore, they form their judgments about them mainly on the basis of their representation in the media ”. ⁱ

Another case is that people’s decisions can be affected by the celebrities they support or follow; they might follow them by supporting their stances. As explained by Dr. Kim, I realized that my decisions are often affected by the YouTubers I like, especially those of my age. When I learnt from social media that Kim Nam Jun from BTS delivered a speech at the United Nations, I listened to his full speech and agree to his opinion on #ENDviolence program to protect children and young people all over the world from violence.

Apart from the lecture, I also enjoyed the visit around the Department of Media and Communication. It’s a great opportunity to learn more about this field. The settings and facilities were really fascinating and interesting, I can feel the passion of the students there. It was an enjoyable experience listening to the lecture and exploring the department.

ⁱ Aaldering et al (2018). Mediated Leader Effects: The Impact of Newspapers’ Portrayal of Party Leadership on Electoral Support. Int J Press Polit. Jan; 23(1): 70–94. Published online 2017 Nov 28. doi: 10.1177/1940161217740696

Reflection on “Sustainable Development and the Future of Hong Kong”

By Leung Ho Chun Brian, Po Leung Kuk Ngan Po Ling College

After the sharing from professor Chen, I’ve learnt what it means and also how important it is to the society. I also learnt that it enhances transparency on the organisation’s impact and increases organisational accountability. After the lesson, I have been doing some researches about the topic, I found some information about a history timeline about the ESG regulations of Hong Kong. From HKEX issued the ESG in 2012, to Revised ESG Reporting Guide, All listed companies must publish ESG reports for fiscal years starting from July 1, 2020 in accordance with the revised ESG Reporting Guide, this whole timeline plus the informations provided in class makes me understand more about the topic. As a conclusion, I’ve learnt interesting knowledge from this class.

Reflection on “Sustainable Development and the Future of Hong Kong”

By Maurice Tsang, Korean International School

Nowadays, talk about sustainable development is common. Especially in the onset of climate change, people want to talk about a good way to move forward. However, many people don’t actually know what sustainable development really means and how to measure it. I was one of them. Thanks to Professor Linda Chelan Li’s lecture, I now understand what sustainable development really means, how to measure it and what it means for everyone.

Sustainability is the quality of being able to continue for a long time. That is the definition of the word “sustainability”. Sustainability also has three qualities, Planet, Profit and People. Planet means environmental sustainability, profit means economic sustainability, and people means social sustainability. The point in which these three pillars converge is where we find sustainable development.

All three pillars are equally important for a sustainable society. For example, if we ignore the “planet” pillar, we will ruin the natural environment that we need to live in. If we ignore the “people” pillar, many people will be overworked and underpaid, and if we ignore the “economy” pillar, there will be less money and good for everyone. As you can see, neglecting even one of these pillars can lead to unsustainable development.

Right now, Hong Kong has neglected both the “planet” and the “people” pillars. Hong Kong produces over 36.8 million tons of CO2 in 2022. Air pollution in Hong Kong is pretty bad, as for over 30 percent of the year, visibility is less than 8 kilometers. For the “people” pillar, it’s not much better either. Wealth disparity, unaffordable housing and decreased social mobility are all problems facing social sustainability in Hong Kong.

However, now that we know the problems that keep Hong Kong from truly being sustainable, we can try to fix them. For example, to reduce CO2 and attempt to attain environmental sustainability, we could implement laws to reduce pollution and encourage the development of “green” technologies. To attempt to achieve social sustainability, we could implement laws that make sure housing prices don’t rise to an unaffordable level and to encourage social mobility.

Overall I quite like this lecture as not only did it enlighten me on the topic of sustainability, but also made me think and redefine what I usually thought of sustainability. I also think we should start creating sustainability in our own lives, like using less plastic, recycling more and using less electricity.

Reflection on “Urban Health and Management”

By CHEN Andre, Kellett School

Urban environments can pose significant health risks to people living in that area including cardiovascular and pulmonary diseases, cancers, mental health problems, dementia, reproductive problems, or heat-related strokes and illnesses. This is because of the unhealthy, cramped working conditions and overcrowding in the city.

This is why urban health studies have become relevant among governments worldwide. It mainly focuses on the impact of urban development on the health of the population, encompassing factors such as equality and inequality, the effects of urban planning on the public, and rising levels of noncommunicable and communicable diseases.

Urban health management aims to analyse and understand the factors affecting the health outcomes of large populations in urban areas. These factors can include social, physical, and environmental conditions, as well as the urban resource infrastructure.

Modifiable Areal Unit Problem

When it comes to managing city health, the way we define urban areas can affect how we analyze and understand health patterns. If we use different boundaries for the city, we might see different patterns in the health data. For example, things like the number of jobs, housing, or how much people walk or bike can look different depending on how we define the urban area.

HKU Urban Environments and Management

The mission of the Urban Environments & Human Health Lab is to understand how and to what extent urban environments, especially urban green spaces, influence human health and wellbeing. Researchers in the lab are concerned with understanding and measuring the influence through multiple approaches including psychological, physiological, and hormonal measures of human health.

The lab uses two types of experimental sites for research: virtual urban environments and real urban environments. Researchers will use the immersive virtual environments as surrogates of real urban environments. In a controlled lab setting, researchers will expose participants to a variety of stimuli while recording participants’ responses through a variety of physiological devices or psychological instruments. Researchers then can gauge and compare impacts of different environment features or conditions. Researchers will also conduct experimental research in the real urban environments by using mobile devices or instruments. The research will contribute to the body of knowledge on how to create appropriate urban environments to promote human health and wellbeing.

Projects of KU Urban Environments

Impact of exposure to green spaces and laptop use on students’ cognitive functioning

Although many studies have been conducted that demonstrate the restorative effects of green spaces, the conditions of these experiments are controlled in such a way that the participants have no distractions to direct their attention elsewhere. When taking a break from studying or working, many college students do not just sit quietly in a space. Technology is an easy medium to turn to when taking a break, and students may use it to surf the internet, watch TV, or play games. If a student is using technology in a restorative space, does it influence the restorative effects of nature? The goal of this study is to find out if the restorative benefits of being in a green space are in any way compromised by the use of technology, specifically a laptop. If laptop use predicts lower rates of recovery from stress and recovery of the ability to pay attention, then it may influence people to spend more time in nature without technology. However, if people can still recover in a green space more than in a barren space even while using their laptops, it may inspire people to use their computers to take a break in a more restorative space. This study may also give us a glimpse into how technology affects our perception of the world around us.

Based off of what we know about attention restoration, one would suppose that the condition of a restorative green space without the use of technology would be most restorative. The barren space with the use of technology is likely to be least restorative because the environment does not support restoration and the use of technology could itself be mentally fatiguing. The two remaining factors are harder to guess. Is it more beneficial in terms of attention restoration to be in a restorative space with the use of technology or to be in a barren space that is free of technology?

The outcome could also be dependent on what kind of technology is used. If the activity on the laptop requires more directed attention, it would have a greater mentally fatiguing effect, or would make recovery in a restorative space slower. By asking the students to record what kind of activities they engage in on their laptops, we can also analyze the data according to the types of applications used.

Through this study, we are learning how to better make recommendations for attention restoration. Is a green space just as restorative with the distraction of technology, or is it less restorative? By conducting this study, we are learning more about the mechanisms behind attention restoration. Is it required that people pay attention to the restorative space, or can restoration work through distraction or other avenues of hard fascination? This study also begins to prompt questions about what kind of activities done in restorative spaces affect attention restoration.

Reflection on “Decoding cancer: Path to find new treatments”

By Wong Wai Ho Daniel, St. Bonaventure College & High School

The lecture given by Dr. Rebecca Chin on the subject topic was excellent. Not only did she explain the extremely useful knowledge very clearly, understandably and systematically but she has also inspired me to explore further, particularly on two main areas, which are precaution against cancer and CAR-T cell therapy.

Regarding precaution against cancer, as mentioned by Dr. Chin, the most important thing is to prevent cancer from emerging and thus screening is needed for early detection of cancer. From the internet, I learnt that getting screening tests regularly may find breast, cervical, and colorectal cancers early when treatment is likely to work best. Therefore, by linking the four causes of cancer and screening together, for those people who are exposed more to radiation, have more contact on some kinds of chemicals, get infected by certain diseases or have cancer record of their family members, they are the high-risk groups that should do the screening test regularly to prevent emergence of those cancers.

As for some other cancers like ovarian, pancreatic, prostate, testicular and thyroid cancers that screening hasn’t been shown to reduce deaths from them, I hope that through my tertiary studies in Biomedical Science, I could be equipped with more solid knowledge and be able to find out more advanced screening method so that these cancers can be screened out effectively with related death rate being reduced.

The second main area to explore is on CAR-T Cell Therapy. Apart from reviewing again the video shown during the class, I found that there are useful websites providing relevant information such as the background of CAR-T cell therapies, different types of the therapies for different targeted diseases, how CAR-T cell is made, effectiveness & side effects, more targets and other usages by CAR-T cell. I can’t help highly appreciating Dr Allison and Dr Honjo for their pioneering research that led to novel approaches of cancer treatment by inhibition of negative immune regulation. Furthermore, I hope that I could deep dive my studies on this therapy in order to find out how to minimize severe side effects, including a mass die-off of antibody-producing B cells and infections, cytokine release syndrome (CRS), as well as its neurologic effects; and also what could be done to reduce the cost as the prices, which range from US$373,000 to US$475,000 depending on the specific drug and indication, are too high to make it widely applied.

Reflection on “Decoding cancer: Path to find new treatments”

We humans have encountered quite a number of challenges. Virus, like coronavirus-19, and other pathogens have threatened our survival and become a big issue left unsolved for centuries. They are foreign particles though – what if our cells attack ourselves? Cancer is a case in point, that develops in our own body and eventually kills the host. Sometimes I wonder why the cancerous cells have acted this way – this meaningless way that they cannot ‘win’ in the end. Without the host, where can they go? Perhaps we should treat them as an intelligent species. :p

Last Friday, I attended the talk (by Dr Rebecca Chin) regarding the treatment of cancer. I am a Form Four student studying Biology, and I think the talk is a bit difficult and have got lost for a few times. But I appreciated that the talk began with the news about Nobel prize awardees exploring the mysteries of cancer. Some may think technological or medical development have plateaued for a few years, but it is just that many scientists and researchers work quietly with devotion, and many of the achievements may not be publicized, let alone being the headline of the newspaper. Surely their commitment to the public, by both awardees or not, should be recognized and admired.

Dr Chin talked about why cancer develops (by mutation and oncogenes), how to define cancer (by Hallmarks of cancer) and the related method for diagnosis (e.g. CAT scan and X-ray) and treatment (by deleting specific genes or conventional methods). She also shared some of the lab researches with us (awesome cell videos!). Her effort and perseverance on investigating the cancerous cells is definitely what we students should learn from.

At the end of the talk, a student asked if there is an ultimate treatment for all types of cancer (that is what we really want!). I learn and understand that cancer is a group of more than 100 diseases. But who knows? Perhaps one day there will be. Austrian scientist Mendel also found out the secret of life (genetics) because of serendipity and his hard work. Before that, perhaps no one knows there is sequence and order guiding the organization of genes and division of cells. Optimism is one of the key that leads us to a perfect and fascinating solution for a age-old mystery.

I have joined another talk about earthquake and tsunami (by Dr Fok Wing Huen) a year ago. They are both very meaningful and informative. Here I sincerely thank for all the time and effort paid by lecturers and staff to organize such activities for secondary school students!

Reflection on “The Genetic Basis of Neurodevelopmental Disorders”

By CHAN Wan Sin Reesa, Law Ting Pong Secondary School

Since I first listen to Dr. Daniel discuss about trauma, I've been fascinated by the connections between our DNA and our parent’s trauma. For instance, if my parents, grandparents, or great-grandparents experienced trauma, my DNA would be altered. Epigenetics explains it. Today, I'll delve more into epigenetics; how the trauma experienced by our parents can change our genes.

Based on the website Science.org, "suffering causes changes in gene expression that last for generations. In animals’ exposure to stress, cold, or high-fat diets has been shown to trigger metabolic changes in later generations. Let me use a scientific example to illustrate: if mother mice are separated from their offspring and suffer from trauma as a result of the separation. When the mother and offspring are together, the mother frequently ignores the puppies. Then, three-month-old male offspring mated with untraumatized females. As a result of the six generations of breeding and lack of trauma, the children exhibit epigenetic and behavioral alterations.

Additionally, small studies on people who had traumatic experiences point to mild biochemical and physiological alterations in their offspring. This demonstrates the influence of the effects and suggests that we should clear our mental mess before having children if our experiences can have an impact on them or their offspring. If we don't, we'll start passing along that trauma to the next generation. When I first heard this, I was startled and terrified as well because I don’t want my trauma to leave a chemical imprint on my children's genes that could be passed on to future generations if I didn't get my trauma/mental mess healed. Although this changes how the gene is expressed, it does not result in a genetic mutation. This alteration is not genetic, but epigenetic. The biologist at Washington State University in Pullman also seems to agree "This is really scary stuff. If what your grandmother and grandfather were exposed to is going to change your disease risk, the things we're doing today that we thought were erased are affecting our great-great-grandchildren,"

I hope this sets as a reminder for you to heal your trauma so you won’t pass it on to the future generations. In addition, I also hope that you discover how trauma is linked to genes. Positively, "epigenetic inheritance" is becoming more widely acknowledged as a true phenomenon. It was more debatable than fifty years ago, but there are more experiments since it is shown to be true.

Reflection on “The Genetic Basis of Neurodevelopmental Disorders”

By WONG Wai Ho Daniel, St Bonaventure College & High School

The lecture of ‘The Genetic Basis of Neurodevelopmental Disorders (NDDs)’ was extremely interesting. Dr Zhu first gave the definition of what NDDs was, their types and how prevalent they were in different age group, gender, population, etc. Then, the cause of NDDs were discussed which were a combination of genetic and environmental factors that could be represented by P=G+E+(GXE), and I was astonished at how high the heritability % was among different NDDs. Besides, he explained how genetic factors could cause NDDs by letting us know the structure of the human brain, neuron connection, synapse and circuit, and how mutations could disrupt essential genes for brain function.

Afterward, different types of genetic variations were discussed, including point mutations and structural variations. Additionally, Dr. Zhu explained different sources of the genetic variations, which were genetic variations by transmission as well as De Novo and Somatic, and I was surprised to realize that mutations could occur in the egg/ sperm cells or during the embryo development (not in parents).

What’s more, I’ve learnt two models linking genetic variations to traits, namely Major Gene Model and Polygenic Model, and the models were also used to illustrate the genetic architecture of ASD. Furthermore, my previous misconception was corrected by learning that most genetic risk for autism actually resided with common variations and there were in fact a number of ASD-associated genetic variants enriched in brain development pathways.

In addition, Dr Zhu talked about his research work at CityU relating to mobile-element insertion with a focus on accurately detecting somatic MEIs by using Artificial Intelligence. I find it really great and meaningful as it will help improve the understanding of the genetic basis of neuropsychiatric disorders, which will shed light on novel treatment approaches.

Moreover, Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) was taught which allowed analysis of the genotypes done within a very short time period and at low-cost. Dr Zhu also showed us the application of genetic knowledge to personalized psychiatry and highlighted that early diagnosis and early intensive treatment had the potential to affect the outcome, and precision therapy was more effective than conventional therapy. Besides, the knowledge could be applied to fight stigma, all of which inspires me to continue my learning after the lecture.

Overall, I like this lecture very much. It was very useful and I would like to recommend it to all secondary school students with an interest on genetics and NDDs.

Reflection on “Veterinarian - A Profession Full of Opportunities and Challenges”

By CHAN Hei Yin, Po Leung Kuk Ngan Po Ling College

Some people may think that being a veterinarian is a simple job, just to safeguard animals’ lives. That is also what I have been thinking of. However, everything changes after I attended this lecture.

When Prof. Nikolaus Osterrrieder bought me into the world of veterinarian, I realized being a vet is not as simple as what I thought. Instead, it is an honorable job! Not only does vets heal our little friends, but they also ensure food safety as well as trying to strike a balance between animals, humans and the environment. These are what I have never thought of. I cannot imagine what the world would be without a vet, maybe I am already dead because of food poisoning! Here I would like to pay a huge tribute to all vets for their efforts.

Then, Professor introduced to me what research veterinarians have done and what current research vets are working on. I remember what he said, ‘As a vet, we will not stop, the world is changing drastically, we must not only catch up, but also make a few steps ahead.’ I totally agree with what he said. The world is changing. It is easy to be left behind. We are competing on a global level. That is why I have to work harder and hopefully I can be the pioneer in this industry.

Finally, Professor told me the key to become a successful veterinarian was ‘NEVER FORGET WHY YOU STARTED’. It seems as easy as what the word means, but how many people could actually carry this idea to the end? There are many reasons for vets to lose their minds, they may look for power, or crave money. I start to think about why I wanted to be a vet. Is it because of money? Or just because my parents want me to do so? I try to search the answer from my diary, hoping to find any evidence from scratch. In conclusion, the reason for longing to be a vet is neither money nor my parents, but enjoy spending time with animals, and to protect the ones I love.

I, a high schooler who wants to become a vet, garnered a lot of knowledge about a veterinarian through this lecture. Wishing future veterinarians not to give up and have every success in their future endeavors.

Reflection on “Veterinarian - A Profession Full of Opportunities and Challenges”

By SHAN Xenia, Holy Trinity College

A real doctor can treat all kinds, a veterinarian is definitely a profession I dreamed of being. Being the only bridge between animals, the ecosystem and humans, veterinarians need to overcome all kinds of challenges during their careers. Once they are able to solve problems and hence enrich scientific knowledge, challenges will eventually become opportunities. Veterinarians are not just animal doctors, they are scientists in general. Vets need to do research in different fields and become the matchmaker between humans and animals. However, everything changes at an unpredictable fast pace. Ongoing research is a very essential process to keep us up with the earth. For example, bacteria and viruses are always mutating to develop drug-resistant traits. In this case, veterinarians have a leading role to conduct research to develop new drugs or improve the effectiveness of old ones, to fight against resistant traits. There are a lot more varieties of research that veterinary teams have to look into, leading to the biggest challenge in their careers. Not only perseverance is needed, but most importantly an effective and global exchange of scientific knowledge between veterinarians is the key to success, which makes researching a demanding task for veterinarians’ career life.

Research is how veterinarians can challenge themselves and give them opportunities to improve our existing scientific knowledge about animals, from microorganisms to wildlife animals. These new discoveries benefit both humans and animals in many ways. To give an example, a lot of transboundary diseases are caused by animal bacteria and viruses. The well-known pandemic COVID-19 is caused by horseshoe bats. The emergence of these diseases is tragic. However, it also forces veterinarians to gain more understanding of nature. There is more research to study how the disease is caused and how it can be prevented. Moreover, the transfer of disease between animals can also be prevented after research and analyses, which protects animals as well. It is very sure that research is of utmost importance especially when it comes to resolving problems and improving the quality of creatures’ lives.

Veterinarians improve animals’ lives, and that may even lead to better health outcomes for humans through researching. Wanting to take part in this huge contribution to the world, I would try my very best to pursue this ambition to become a veterinarian and maintain my enthusiasm for all kinds of animals.

Reflection on “Application of Biomedical Sciences in our Daily Life”

By LEUNG Charlie, Renaissance College

After the lecture about the applications of biomedical sciences in our daily lives by Professor Kingston Mak, I walked out of the lecture theatre with a completely different and deeper understanding of the capabilities of biomedical sciences. Through this lecture, I was able to grasp basic understanding of scientific technologies, such as the PCR machine used to create multiple copies of DNA and the upcoming and developing CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing, and also understood how the rapid COVID test worked.

Knowing more about such technologies really widened my perspective and changed the way I looked at the pandemic which was a big challenge for humanity to overcome. To believe that scientists were able to develop a device to detect COVID-19 by just using a small amount of DNA is such a simple concept, yet very advanced upon a deeper dive. Learning this, it made me appreciate the scientists who work extremely hard to combat these global hallenges and improve healthcare every day.

Not only was I able to learn about the pandemic, but Professor Mak also shared with us the merits of genetic engineering. He shared that there is currently a person who has received a pig liver transplant, and is still alive due to the process of taking out pig genes and inserting human ones. This allowed me to gain knowledge about some of the many positive things that biomedical sciences are capable of and the significant role they play in the world of medicine and science.

During the campus visit, I was also able to have a tour of the laboratories and participate in practicals. This allowed me to gain a better understanding of biomedical activities and helped me gain insights into the biomedical science coursework at CityU. This practical experience assisted me in immersing myself into a biomedical science profession which I could potentially pursue in the future.

Looking back at the lecture, I was able to learn a lot about the everyday applications of biomedical sciences through this lecture. I was also able to foster appreciation for the simply complex yet mundane objects like the RAT COVID-19 test and further appreciate the scientists behind scientific breakthroughs, aiding humanity in its battle against diseases. I was even able to get an in-person look at a biomedical science work environment. Overall, I was able to have a very fruitful and knowledgeable experience.

Reflection on “Application of Biomedical Sciences in our Daily Life”

By LAU Hoi Ching Alicia, Harrow International School Hong Kong

What I learnt from the lecture “Application of biomedical sciences”. In this intriguing speech, I learnt about four main things that biomedical sciences can help with: molecular cloning, therapeutics, forensic examination and diagnostic tools needed.

Without a doubt, biomedical sciences have a very broad scope, ranging from human biology and physiology to medical microbiology. In addition, the applications of biomedical sciences are also considerably extensive, from disease treatments to diagnostic tools and technology. Overall, I found out that biomedical sciences mainly focus on trying to make the unknown pathogens and microorganisms known. To do so, they must go through the steps of the scientific method: making an observation, asking a question, forming a hypothesis, making a prediction based on the said hypothesis, and finally testing the experiment out.

I learnt about more in-depth things about biomedical sciences, such as animal cloning and genetic engineering. I learnt about knockout and transgenic mice, which were really interesting, and I found the transgenic mice being able to glow due to jellyfish bioluminescence to be fascinating. I also learnt about the genetically modified pig for organ transplants, and while it is riveting, it also raises some causes for concern in the philosophical and animal welfare department.

One thing I really enjoyed was the tour around the school campus lab as it gave me an overview of what to expect if I did choose a career path in this subject. There were many different pieces of special equipment and the most interesting piece was the machine for bioluminescence. I found that the images taken with the machine were not only really entrancing, but it really pushed me into researching it more. I also noticed how jellyfish bioluminescence was a recurring theme in this talk, and it was honestly very enjoyable as I myself have a special interest in jellyfish and marine biology. The way scientists are able to use a survival mechanism of the jellyfish and further use it to aid in their research to help humanity is a truly intriguing situation.

Overall, while the talk was quite mystifying and I found myself to be confused at some parts, I still really enjoyed it as it opened my eyes to more knowledge about biomedical sciences and it really challenged me to further research and learn more.

Reflection on “Antimicrobal Resistance, the Silent Pandemic”

By IP Chun Hei, Catholic Ming Yuen Secondary School

What’s more terrifying than the COVID-19 epidemic is antimicrobial resistance.

Antimicrobial resistance is microorganisms change or mutate over time and get to a point where they no longer respond to medicines previously used to treat them. Antimicrobials are the medicines used to prevent and treat infections caused by microorganisms in humans, animals and plants. But, an antimicrobial drug works against only one type of organisms, such as antibiotics, antifungals, antivirals and antiparasitics.

The antimicrobial resistance is growing because of overuse or misuse of antibiotics and spread through various routes. The effect of the growing resistance is treatment may become ineffective, posing serious risks to public health.

Antibiotic resistance happens when bacteria change and become resistant to the antibiotics used to treat the infections they cause, for example, overuse of antibiotics in livestock and fish farming and lack of hygiene or poor sanitation.

AMR is along the food chain, and infections caused by drug-refractory bacteria may be more difficult to treat than infections caused by drug-sensitive bacteria.

Now is the time for us to research and develop new products to replace antibiotics to reduce the impact and mortality caused by antimicrobial resistance. This is a fact that must be faced in this era.

Reflection on “A Day in the Life of an Equine Vet”

By IP Chun Hei, Catholic Ming Yuen Secondary School

I was honored to have taken this course because I really love animals, such as cats, dogs and some reptiles. But this was the first time I understood what a veterinarian does in a day and how to observe a horse’s body condition. This makes me become more interested in learning about the job.

I understand that veterinarians often need to decide on the criticality and severity of the problem themselves. Common symptoms include lameness, not performing well and diarrhea. Also, when the vet first sees the horse, he/she should check the vital parameters and attitude of the horse, and perform auscultation and some body examination. Then, we should know which parameters are abnormal and how abnormal they are. Also, we should identify where the problem is coming from.

In addition, we should know which tests to do to better investigate the problem, such as taking samples and performing X-rays, ultrasound and blood tests. Moreover, the newborn foal have a “1-2-3-hour rule”. The newborn foal should stand within 1 hour, nurse within 2 hours and the mare should pass the placenta within 3 hours.

There are things that are difficult to know in real life. The class not only gave me more relevant knowledge, but also helped me understand how to distinguish abnormalities in animals.

Reflection on “A Day in the Life of an Equine Vet”

By LEUNG Wingyat, St Paul’s College

The lecture given by Prof Celine Loubiere on “A Day in the Life of an Equine Vet” was outstanding and astonishing. Her compelling storytelling skills and extensive expertise on this subject matter contributed to a captivating presentation, which kept the audience engaged throughout. She vividly illustrated both the challenges and rewarding moments that define an equine veterinarian’s daily life in reality. Moreover, her ability to combine technical information, first-hand experiences, and insights into physiotherapy and equine behavior was remarkably impressive!

Throughout the class, I gained a wealth of specific biological and physiological knowledge related to equines, which includes horses, donkeys, mules, and hinnies. Prof Celine Loubiere clearly organized the jobs of an equine vet into 3 major categories: routine examination, medical appointments, and emergency. More specifically, regarding medical appointments in clinics, I learned about various specialized tools and tests, including gastroscopy, endoscopy, radiography, X-ray, ultrasound, and blood and pathology testing. In terms of urgent cases, the speaker mentioned premature foaling as a striking illustration of the actual circumstances that an equine veterinarian could encounter at any time of the day.

Among all the things I learnt from the class, the discussion of physiotherapy & neurological disorders stood out to me the most. Given that animals possess no verbal abilities to convey messages or pain to a vet like we do, it is vital that a vet is diagnosing an animal with extreme care and professionalism. For instance, regarding the case of a little horse displaying specific symptoms, such as lameness, unbendable legs, abnormal head gestures, asymmetric standing posture, or body weight distribution, in actuality, this could be attributed to a wide variety of illnesses, from muscle stiffness, osteoarthritis (degenerative joint disease), to spin rotation, or even neurological disorder.

Her lecture was an absolute masterclass and her passion shone through her words, which inspired me to carry out further research and innovations. I am particularly interested in discovering the subtle bonding and relationship that develops between an equine vet and a horse – the Human-Animal Bond. During my research process, I have even learned that some horses are properly trained and work for equine-assisted occupational therapy to offer patients companionship and stress relief, according to a TED Talk by Dr Rustin M. Moore, Dean, College of Veterinary Medicine, The Ohio State University. How amazing it is!

All in all, the class was such a huge success and had given me lots of new insights and intrinsic motivation to investigate further into the topic. I am eager to participate in more veterinary-based classes in CityU in the near future!