About the Hong Kong Laureate Forum



Welcome to the June 2024 issue of the newsletter of the Hong Kong Laureate Forum!

The HKLF is proud to announce that the Hong Kong Laureate Forum will be held every other year. The second Forum will be held in the fourth quarter of 2025. The exact date, venue and open application details will be released in due course. Please stay tuned to our website and social media channels for the latest information. While we look forward to the next Forum, we also hope to sustain the connections forged between the young scientists who participated in the inaugural Forum. We have therefore established the "HKLF Alumni Community" and we will be organising events from time to time to bring these young minds together. The first gathering will be held on 30 August and we will extend invitations to the young scientists and Forum Ambassadors who have taken part in the inaugural Forum, creating opportunities for them to continue their valuable cross-disciplinary exchanges.

As we embark on the preparation work for the next Forum, we keep making every effort to promote science. The "HKLF Science Explorer Award Scheme 2023/24 for Secondary Students" that we specifically organised for the secondary school students in Hong Kong has concluded successfully. We are excited that over 30 secondary schools joined the award scheme and more than 70 students were awarded Gold and Silver certificates. These students were from CNEC Lau Wing Sang Secondary School, Diocesan Girls' School and HKFYG Lee Shau Kee College, etc. The award scheme started since June 2023, aiming to encourage the students to participate in science-related activities to broaden their horizons and get inspired. Congratulations again to the awarded students!

Moreover, the G3 Alliance, established by the HKLF, the Hong Kong Academy of Gifted Education and Centum Charitas Foundation, has jointly organised the "Young STEAM Talent Award". The top 10 finalists in the five categories were announced in mid-June and the Round 2 Adjudication will be conducted on 29 June. Subsequently, the Grand Final Adjudication, along with the Award Presentation Ceremony cum Luncheon, will be held on 6 July, where the prizes will be presented to the "Top Ten Young STEAM Talents Award", "Nominator of the Award Winners" and "Young STEAM Talent of the Year Award". The HKLF has invited Dr Lois Choy, Clinical Lecturer from the Department of Chemical Pathology of The Chinese University of Hong Kong, who was one of the young scientists who took part in the inaugural Forum, to participate in the chit-chat session during the luncheon. She will share insights and experiences from her scientific research journey with the attending students so as to motivate them to pursue the scientific research profession. In July and August, the award-winning students will undergo a nurturing programme, including celebrity talks, study visits and STEAM mentorship. We are eager to see these talented individuals equipped through the programme and fully unleash their innovative and scientific potential.

Apart from our effort to advance the scientific development in the community, the HKLF has maintained a consistent focus on the issue of climate change. This year, we have been a supporting organisation again for the Asia Solar Energy for Climate Change Conference (ASECCC) which is to be organised by CarbonCare InnoLab Limited. Under the theme "The Future of Renewables: Closing the Gap for Energy Just Transition in Asia", the conference will be held online between 26 and 28 June. ASECCC brings influential figures together from diverse sectors in the Asia Pacific region and focuses on topics such as renewable energy investment and carbon neutrality in Asian cities, with an aim to accelerate the energy transition and address climate change. For more information about ASECCC, please click here.

Last but not least, 14 May 2024 marked the 5th anniversary of the HKLF. Over the past five years, we have received full sponsorship from the Lee Shau Kee Foundation and great support from the Shaw Prize Foundation. We have also been supported by the individuals and organisations across a wide range of sectors, facilitating the seamless execution of our science-related events and enabling the successful staging of the inaugural Forum. Moving forward, we will actively prepare for the next Forum and maintain close collaboration with different sectors to collectively advance education and exchanges in the fields of science and technology in Hong Kong.