Supervisors Sharing

Educators are torchbearers, and our mission is to become “the light of the world” (Matthew 5:13). As a supervisor of an HKPFS awardee, the experience brings immense satisfaction as I witness her transformative scholarship. From writing proposals to delivering conference presentations, my student has crossed various thresholds, navigated different trials, and will become an expert in her academic field. My motto is that students must stand on—and also look beyond—the shoulders of giants. The goal is not to become an academic star who gets cited the most, but to be a beacon of light that can ignite change in the world.

The first-year HKPFS student I am currently supervising has been exceptionally productive. Aiming to rewrite the narrative of abstractionism in ‘80s and ‘90s Chinese art, he has engaged with primary sources in local archives and drafted a rigorous thesis structure. This was facilitated by the financial and psychological security offered by the HKPFS award. Moreover, the award’s support for fieldwork and conference participation will further enable the development of his research career.

When asked for advice to prospective students interested in pursuing a research degree in Chemistry, Prof. Lui emphasised the importance of a strong foundation in chemistry, awareness of social and environmental issues, favourable personal characters like curiosity, keen observation and passion. As scientific research is often conducted collaboratively, candidates should also possess strong teamwork skills and align their research interests with those of potential supervisors.

Prof. Lui further advises that before preparing a research proposal, students should identify their research topics and connect with potential supervisors as early as possible to ensure a good match and more effective supervision. Conducting a thorough literature review and desktop research is essential to ensure the originality of the proposal and to gain a comprehensive understanding of the research field and current trends. This approach helps students to work on novel and unique topics, avoid overlap with existing research, and maximise their research impact.

Money. That was always my key concern as a student. But the HKPFS takes care of this—and then some. My present HKPFS student, a native of St Petersburg, Russia, does not have to dwell overmuch on what was my key concern as a student—and still even as a professor. During his 2.5-year tenure as a PhD student and then candidate at HKBU, this student has attended two or more conferences annually, in places as far-flung as Europe, Scandinavia, Russia, and the US, thus affording him, along with confreres and –soeurs from world-class institutions, opportunities to publish in topnotch journals. These activities and opportunities are the heart of academe.

It is a real pleasure to work with my current HKPFS student, as she is highly-motivated to take up challenges, and is tireless in exploring great opportunities to present and publish her works. In the past two years, she delivered more than ten presentations and published a few articles. She brings in fresh perspectives and mixes well with other graduate students on campus, as well as those in our sister institutions. I look forward to her graduation with flying colour on time, after she returns from an overseas attachment in UCSD in the coming year.