Embracing the season of vitality

Scorching heat, thunderstorms and typhoons – these are the signs of summer. Walking under the golden sun can be a bit unbearable at times, but at the same time I see the promise of the season: a verdant campus where on a cloudless day, you can see a brilliant blue sky that stretches into infinity. The famous American novelist F. Scott Fitzgerald wrote in his masterpiece The Great Gatsby: “And so with the sunshine and the great bursts of leaves growing on the trees, just as things grow in fast movies, I had that familiar conviction that life was beginning over again with the summer.”

Summer is the season of vitality. Echoing the spirit of the season, we have many thrilling activities and exciting news to report for our faculty from the past few months. The year-long West Kowloon Community Art Creation Project jointly organised by the Department of Cultural and Creative Arts (CCA) and the Hong Kong Tourism Board was concluded with the “Journey to the West Kowloon” community art exhibition in June, at the Arts Pavilion of WKCD. It was a big success, and I am amazed by the incredible talent demonstrated by our students whose artworks about people’s lives in the neighbourhoods of Yau Ma Tei and Jordan were showcased at the exhibition.

The “Community Internship Programme” implemented by the Department of Social Sciences (SSC) in partnership with a secondary school in Tin Shui Wai is another community project equally worth mentioning. Five SSC students recruited under the internship programme acted as mentors for 18 students from the secondary school. Our student mentors taught them how to conduct community-based research projects, reaching out to the community with them to carry out fieldwork. This collaboration gave both our SSC students and the secondary school pupils the chance to discover more about their community, acquire and practise important academic skills through project-based learning, and learn more about themselves.

New developments regarding our faculty management abound as well. Dr Li Wai-chin started serving as Associate Dean (Quality Assurance and Enhancement) in January while Dr Prudence Lau began serving as Assistant Dean (Undergraduate Studies and Student Learning) in August this year. In this issue of FLASS FORWARD, they shared their vision and thoughts on their new roles, and their expectations on what students should acquire after their years of university education at FLASS and EdUHK.

Staff members, students and alumni of FLASS continue to shine on various occasions. A number of our scholars were awarded funding support from the Research Grants Council. Among them, Dr Chan Man-ho from the Department of Science and Environmental Studies (SES) and Dr Pei Qing from SSC were granted the Humanities and Social Sciences Prestigious Fellowship Scheme, enabling them to minimise their teaching responsibilities so they can focus on their research on Panentheism and Precipitation Reconstruction in mainland China, respectively, in the coming year.

This issue of the newsletter also brings you inspiring stories about our students and alumni. I was particularly absorbed by the story about Calvin Kwok Wing, who is now pursuing his bachelor’s degree at the Department of Health and Physical Education (HPE). Unfazed by his visual disability, Calvin defied all doubts and difficulties and showcased remarkable athletic prowess and determination that won him the world championship of lawn bowling. His tenacity won my respect. Tsang Lok-yan’s story drew my eyes as well; in her story, the music major alumna shared how her musical talents flourished under the care and advice of her CCA professors.

We see research as one of the pillars of this faculty. In this issue, Professor Keith Ho Wing-kei from SES shared with us his experience and passion for scientific research, and the importance of science education. Nurturing people is at the very heart of our commitment too. Dr Lawrence Ho Ka-ki from SSC has a big heart to motivate others to learn and change. He revealed what prompted him to devote himself to cultivating people and what it means to him to empower students.

In the knowledge transfer section of the newsletter, there are stories about how our scholars are spreading infection prevention awareness through website and social media tools, and how they are enhancing people’s interests and understanding about STEM education via animated educational videos.

 

Summer is said to be the season for nurturing and tending to things, so we can enjoy a sumptuous harvest in fall. I urge you to take in the spirit of the season and continue to embrace all the challenges and opportunities you can in the new academic year in teaching and mentoring, research and knowledge transfer, and community work. When the time for reaping arrives, we will celebrate the bounty of the harvest together.

Professor Li Wai-keung

Dean of Faculty of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences