KE Spotlight - Community Engagement - HKU Knowledge Exchange

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.

HKU holds Science and Art Crossover Programme for secondary students

Over 100 junior secondary students from 48 secondary schools took part in a workshop organised by the HKU Faculty of Science in January 18. The participants learned about the intertwining possibilities between science and art through drawing the spiral patterns in nature, making molecular gastronomy, folding paper Platonic solids, etc. Artworks of the participants are on exhibition at the University until February 17, and will be showcased at the Central MTR station in April.

HKU's artificial mussel technology helps fight marine pollution globally

HKU Director of School of Biological Sciences Professor Rudolf Wu Shiu-sun has developed a technology called artificial mussel to test water quality. Professor Wu has been invited by Partnerships in Environmental Management for the Seas of East Asia (PEMSEA) and International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to provide a two-month training scheme for scientists from Tunisia, Tanzania, Ghana, Thailand and the Philippines to learn how to use the technology to test for heavy metals that affect ecosystems and food chains.

Knowledge Exchange Awards 2013

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 2013 Faculty KE Awards are now available.

HKU academic urges less consumption of groupers which face extinction

A study conducted by HKU Biological Sciences Professor Yvonne Sadovy has found that at least 20 grouper species are facing extinction. Professor Sadovy said threatened species such as HK grouper and longtooth grouper, which were found in HK waters, should be protected by law. She has urged the government to protect them through legislation and tighter monitoring of grouper trade, and to set a good example by serving sustainably caught seafood in official functions.

Mineral treasures of China on display at HKU Stephen Hui Geological Museum

A special exhibition of mineral treasures of China will be held at the HKU Stephen Hui Geological Museum, in association with the Mineralogy Society of HK, until August 30, 2013. Over 50 world-class mineral specimens from private collection of Dr Guanghua Liu will be on display.