HKUSTours: Exploring Sustainability and Conservation at HKUST

HKUST has a superb campus on a hillside commanding a breathtaking view of the sea, adjacent to the beautiful and pleasant Port Shelter. The clear waters also provide the University with valuable research resources. Bernadette (in the white shirt), one of the docents, is a graduate of the master’s program at HKUST. She was deeply attracted to the University's waterfront when she enrolled. After graduation, she has been waiting for a suitable job vacancy at HKUST that matches her research background. Eventually, she successfully joined the University’s Ocean Research Facility as Technical Officer three years ago.

Bernadette (first left), who has great enthusiasm for the ocean, introduces participants to HKUST’s waterfront and the surrounding marine science teaching and research facilities. At the Research Facility, Bernadette introduces the history and current status of Hong Kong's marine ecology. She showcases various marine animals, such as starfish and horseshoe crabs, while inviting participants to observe and interact with them up close.

Bernadette says she feels fulfilled that everyone is getting excited, actively asking questions, and taking photos.

Participants visit the Ocean Research Facility.

Despite retiring last year, Edwin (in the white shirt), who served at the HKUST Library for over three decades since the University’s founding, still feels a strong sense of belonging to the campus. Edwin believes that the HKUSTours program is meaningful because it allows more people to gain a deeper understanding of the University and connects different individuals. Therefore, he signed up promptly when he saw the registration link for the event.

Having worked at HKUST for many years, the most memorable experience for Edwin was during the COVID-19 pandemic when he and his colleagues worked together seamlessly, ensuring that students could safely access library resources for their studies under various disease prevention measures. During that time, we faced many challenges that were not easy to overcome. He says, “After we retire from the University, our email domain will change to 'family.ust.hk,' symbolizing that HKUST is always my second home. I’m very much looking forward to sharing my HKUST stories with the public and with more people.”

Another tour, led by HKUST alumni, takes participants on a walk through the campus, introducing points of interest and their stories. Photo shows the Wisdom Stone, a large square rock situated at the Bridge Link connecting to the seafront. It is said that if students successfully jump over the Wisdom Stone, they will achieve excellent performance in their studies; but if they fail, their performance will drop, and they will get kicked out of the University.

The tour is pictured on the Resonance Bridge, another well-known spot at HKUST. The bridge connects Staff Quarters Black B and the exits of Lift 29–30 of the academic building. The bridge connects Staff Quarters Block B with the exits of Lifts 29–30 of the Academic Building. It is said that the bridge was built many years ago based on the design proposed in a Final Year Project by a student from the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering. The structure of the bridge is uniquely designed to match its resonance frequency. The Bridge has been given this name because of the resonance effect created whenever a vehicle passes underneath or someone jumps on the bridge and it vibrates.

HKUST's connection with Hang Hau is closely intertwined. Not only is Hang Hau a major route for students and staff returning to campus, but HKUST is also actively involved in various community initiatives there. For example, in July of this year, HKUST's South China Research Center collaborated with the Joint Association of Traditional Hakka Unicorn in Sai Kung and Hang Hau, Hong Kong, to hold a Hakka Unicorn Dance Training Workshop on campus. This workshop supports the preservation and promotion of the Hakka unicorn dance in Hang Hau, Sai Kung, which was inscribed onto the fourth national list of intangible cultural heritage in 2014. The tour is pictured in front of a mural depicting traditional Hakka culture and the Unicorn Dance in Hang Hau Village.

The tour also visits the Hang Hau Rural Committee, where they explore the New Town Development of Hang Hau and Tseung Kwan O. Through this visit, they delve into the rich culture and history of HKUST's surrounding areas.

The Sundial Sculpture at the Piazza has become the icon of HKUST since the University's founding. Officially called the “Circle of Time”, it is often called the “Red Bird”. Docents and participants are pictured in front of the “Firebird” before the tour concludes.