KE Spotlight - Community Engagement - HKU Knowledge Exchange

HKU scientists found Hong Kong coral reef thriving despite pollution

A research team led by Dr David Baker of HKU's School of Biological Sciences found that marine life is thriving despite serious pollution caused by major developments at Hong Kong's busy harbour. The stronger types of coral species are holding on despite the unrelenting conditions, and the scientists are studying how they survive, which may offer hope to habitats under threat globally in the future.

Knowledge Exchange Awards 2015

The Faculty Knowledge Exchange (KE) Awards were introduced in 2011 in order to recognize each Faculty’s outstanding KE accomplishment that has made demonstrable economic, social or cultural impacts to benefit the community, business/industry, or partner organizations. Results of the 2015 Faculty KE Awards are now available.

HKU earth scientist collaborates with international experts to develop new laser-induced fluorescence techniques to uncover never-before-seen details in fossils

HKU Department of Earth Sciences' Vertebrate Palaeontology Laboratory Head Dr Michael Pittman has developed, together with eight international colleagues, a simple new technique to analyse fossils. The technique, called laser-stimulated fluorescence (LSF), utilises lasers to stimulate fluorescence in fossils that normally do not fluoresce under standard UV lighting, with the new view photographed through a camera lens. Each colour of laser emits a different wavelength of light, which excites the minerals that make up a fossil in different ways. LSF provides an instantaneous, non-invasive, geochemical fingerprint of fossilised bone, soft tissue, integument and the surrounding rock matrix. The ability to look for hidden specimens in a fossil's rock matrix used to be only possible using X-rays, CT scans and other high-cost imaging methods. With LSF, researchers can set up a basic station quickly and for around HK$4000.

HKU Stephen Hui Geological Museum launches exhibition to showcase 65 million years of climate change

The HKU Stephen Hui Geological Museum launched a permanent exhibition on "Cenozoic Climate Change" on Earth Day (April 22, 2015) to trace the history of climate change back 65 million years to the start of the Cenozoic Era – the advent of the age of mammals, which continues into the present. On display are a range of paleoclimate "proxies", from 3,000 year-old tree rings and marine sediments to fossilised marine micro-organisms and mammals, all of which serve as organic "records" of the planet's climatological past. According to Professor Zong Yongqiang of the HKU Department of Earth Sciences, a look into the earth’s Cenozoic past will reveal short-term "abrupt climate changes" when temperature and CO2 levels rise rapidly, sometimes causing highly disruptive effects including extinctions of certain species. Carbon dioxide concentrations have risen steeply since the beginning of the industrial revolution, which should be alarming to people that climate change should be taken seriously and that the climate could respond in an abrupt and unexpected way.

Knowledge Exchange Awards 2014

The Faculty Knowledge Exchange (KE) Awards were introduced in 2011 in order to recognize each Faculty's outstanding KE accomplishment that has made demonstrable economic, social or cultural impacts to benefit the community, business/industry, or partner organizations. Following the successful launch of the Faculty KE Awards, the KE Award (Non-Faculty Unit) was introduced in 2012 with the same objective for the independent centres, institutes and units of the University. Results of the 2014 KE Awards are now available.

HKU promotes light pollution awareness among students and within the community

HKU Department of Physics partnered with the Ho Koon Nature Education Cum Astronomical Centre and the Hong Kong Space Museum to organize the ''Light Pollution Awareness Community Engagement Project''. A total of 42 student teams from 17 secondary schools participated in the ''Light Pollution Project Competition 2014''. The University also held the ''Light Pollution Photography Competition 2014'' in which 154 entries were received. Outstanding projects and winning photographs from the two competitions will be on display for free at the Space Museum from July 9 to August 11 to further spread the message of night sky preservation and educate people the adverse effects of light pollution to the natural environment and our daily lives in Hong Kong. This project is supported by the HKU Knowledge Exchange Fund granted by the University Grants Committee.

HKU partners with Observatory and Space Museum to launch weather information for astronomical observation

The HKU Department of Physics has partnered with the Hong Kong Observatory and Hong Kong Space Museum to launch the "Weather Information for Astronomical Observation" website. This website provides star maps, sky brightness and weather information for star watchers among the general public. The information will also be provided to the University to study light pollution.