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1. MPH concentration and expected graduation year Concentration: Public Health Practice Expected graduation year: 2019 2. Job title and Community Outreach Works Job: Manager, iDendron, Technology Transfer Office, The University of Hong Kong Responsible for running iDendron, HKU Innovation & Entrepreneurship Hub, to incubate HKU students and alumni early stage startups and promote innovation & entrepreneurship culture on campus Senior Resident Tutor, University Hall, The University of Hong Kong Taking care of the welfare and discipline of the residence and providing guidance to students Community Work/social service: Member, Basic Law Promotion Steering Committee, Hong Kong SAR Government Member, Committee on the Promotion of Civic Education, Hong Kong SAR Government 3. Tell us your story! How did you become interested in public health, and how does public health relate to your current line of work? I studied Politics, Public Administration and Social Policy in my undergraduate as I have been passionate about public affairs and policies to improve well-being (that is also why I took up the position of Students’ Union President of HKU few years ago!). From my work, I learn about medical technologies which brought impact on human evolution. I find that improving one’s health is the most direct way to improve well-being. That’s why I picked public health: it’s a combination of public policies, healthcare and medical knowledge. Some of the start-ups under my purview are medical technology start-ups, gadgets or solving some unmet healthcare needs. 4. How have you applied what you have learned within the MPH program to your line of work? The MPH program covers a wide range of topics, related to policy making, politics, medical science, statistics, research etc. The entire training is intensive and comprehensive. My work is about innovation, entrepreneurship and technology, which are not directly related to healthcare or public health sector. However, one of the core objectives of my work is to make use of technology to create innovative solution to solve problems or fulfil unmet needs in the world. We all know that there are many bottlenecks and unmet needs in healthcare setting. The program provides my perspectives and new problem settings to let me rethink what kind of technology and innovations could help improve our well-being. Meanwhile, the research and science training sharpen my understanding towards the emerging technologies in the world, which requires continuous learning and reading science journals. 5. What advice would you give to current MPH students who will be entering the workplace for the first time? There is no straight path to where you are going. So be open and humble. The knowledge we have learnt from college becomes obsolete easily when the world changes so fast. Try to find a way to say yes to things. Say yes to invitations to a new country, say yes to meet new friends, say yes to a new challenge or task, say yes to learning something new. When you look back, you can connect the dots. 6. Any other wisdom to share with the readers? Bruce Lee inspired me a lot and would like to share his quote below –  “Empty your mind. Be formless, shapeless, like water. Now you put water into a cup, it becomes the cup. You put water into a bottle, it becomes the bottle. You put it in a teapot, it becomes the teapot. Now water can flow, or it can crash. Be water, my friends.” Learn to adapt to any situation. Don’t be constrained by any one system or doctrine. Know a fellow HKU SPH student or alumni with an interesting story? Let us know! Email Ms Shereen Ayub (sayub1@hku.hk) to nominate your MPH peer for the next 'Meet Our Students and Alumni' blog series.

1. MPH concentration and expected graduation year Health Economics, Policy and Management, 2018 2. Job title and/or community outreach work involved in Publication Committee, Mental Health Association of Hong Kong Committee Member, Hong Kong Psychogeriatric Association Director, Hong Kong Brain Foundation Senior Manager (Redevelopment Project and Executive Support), Kwong Wah Hospital 3. Tell us your story! How did you become interested in public health, and how does public health relate to your current line of work? I am a psychiatrist by profession. I spent the first five years of my career on mastering psychiatry as a science, and the second five years on understanding psychiatry as a clinical service. Then I became intensely interested in knowing how the entire health care system can be best organized. I hope I may spur improvement in the health care system of Hong Kong by blending my clinical experience with the public health knowledge. 4. How have you applied what you have learned within the MPH program to your line of work? Do not expect the MPH program will give you a lecture on how the entire health care system can be best organized. However, the MPH program taught me ways to gather the right evidence and develop my own answer. Our health care system definitely needs a diversity of novel and unique ideas from different public health professionals to become a better system. 5. What advice would you give to current MPH students who will be entering the workplace for the first time? Apply the principles of public health always so that what you have learned can truly become your own views. Be brave to speak up. Point out the problems and propose your solutions. Your pair of fresh eyes will be more valuable to your workplace than you would ever expect. 6. Any other words of wisdom to share? “Learning is an experience. Everything else is just information.” -Albert Einstein Know a fellow HKU SPH student or alumni with an interesting story? Let us know! Email Ms Shereen Ayub (sayub1@hku.hk) to nominate your MPH peer for the next 'Meet Our Students and Alumni' blog series.

1.MPH concentration and graduation year Public Health Practice concentration and graduated in 2006. 2.Job title and Community Outreach Works Job: Nursing Officer, Department of Health Community Work/social service: Vice-president, The University of Hong Kong Nursing Alumni Association Executive Committee Member, Membership Committee, The University of Hong Kong Public Health Alumni Society Committee member, Education Subcommittee, The Hong Kong Society for Public Health Nursing Committee member, Research Subcommittee, The Hong Kong Society for Public Health Nursing Grade IV Officer, Auxiliary Medical Service 3.Tell us your story! How did you become interested in public health, and how does public health relate to your current line of work? As I remembered it was the first year that Master of Public Health started over. Everything was novel and challenging - the curriculum, the academic staff, the teaching methods, and the classmates from various professions. It was 2004. It was a year after SARS. Since then, public health became a hot topic and the establishment of Centre for Health Protection drew my attention in pursuit of career in Department of Health. 4.How have you applied what you have learned within the MPH program to your line of work? As a nurse in public health field, one should not only focus on individual health, but also possess international perspectives with principles of public health embraced. Epidemiology, biostatistics, research methods disentangle and integrate data and information. Concepts, models, and strategies in health promotion and health education guide nursing actions and interventions. 5.What advice would you give to current MPH students who will be entering the workplace for the first time? When you start in, MPH knowledge helps understand guidelines and protocols; sooner you will realise how to orchestrate and better the service programme. Public health theories and ideas, indeed, can be utilised and adapted much more than you anticipate. So... think public health when you order a meal, think public health when you buy a birthday gift! (smile) 6.Any other words of wisdom to share? "The future depends on what you do today." – Mahatma Gandhi Know a fellow HKU SPH student or alumni with an interesting story? Let us know! Email Ms Shereen Ayub (sayub1@hku.hk) to nominate your MPH peer for the next 'Meet Our Students and Alumni' blog series.

1. MPH concentration and graduation year Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Class of 2019. 2. Job title and Community Outreach Works My day job is not related to public health (Researcher for corporate intelligence and due diligence), though I am actively looking to plunge back into the field of public health. My weekend/ afterwork involvement is more interesting – I’m enjoying the responsibility of being the President of the HKU Public Health Alumni society and looking for weekend volunteering opportunities. 3.Tell us your story! How did you become interested in public health, and how does public health relate to your current line of work? I’ve always been interested in the evidence and basic science of different fields, and a “big picture” type of person. It was while I was still training as a social worker that I came to understand how health (mental and physical) impacted on every aspect of a person’s subjective experience. I saw that interdisciplinary background and knowledge was valuable in public health and from there, the what’s, the why’s, and the how’s grabbed my attention – I’ve been down the rabbit hole ever since. 4.How have you applied what you have learned within the MPH program to your line of work? While I don’t work in the field, the lessons on how to think, evaluate evidence and present information stuck with me. It shows in my work process as being meticulous and structured. It’s also applicable in preventing biases you are dealing with inter-connected data sources and trying to create an automated aggregator of open-source information. 5.What advice would you give to current MPH students who will be entering the workplace for the first time? Look for a lifestyle that you want to build for yourself and structure your job search around that. Network to know what opportunities are out there and whether your expectations are founded. 6.Any other words of wisdom to share? I’ve found that cultivating empathy, and actively seeking to test stereotypes that I’ve learnt have led to the most fulfilling personal and professional developments in my life – take time to listen to understand, not just to reply. Also, I’d like to make a shameless plug for the Alumni Society – do write in and let us know what you’re interested in! Know a fellow HKU SPH student or alumni with an interesting story? Let us know! Email sphalumni@hku.hk to nominate your MPH peer for the next 'Meet Our Students and Alumni' blog series.

In light of the current coronavirus outbreak, HKU Master of Public Health Information Session (Feb), originally scheduled for this Saturday (29 February), will be postponed to 18:00-19:30, 4 March (Wednesday) and be hosted online as webinar. There will be time reserved for answering questions from webinar attendees. Please register in advance for this webinar. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar. For enquiries, please contact us at mphsph@hku.hk or 3917 6802. We look forward to seeing you.

Tuesday, 21 January 2020 HKUMed WHO Collaborating Centre for Infectious Disease Epidemiology and Control releases real-time nowcast on the likely extent of the Wuhan coronavirus outbreak, domestic and international spread with the forecast for chunyun. For details, please refer to https://sph.hku.hk/en/news/press-releases/2020/nowcasting-and-forecasting-the-wuhan-2019-ncov-outbreak. Professor Gabriel Leung, HKU Dean of Medicine (left) and Professor Joseph Wu, Professor, School of Public Health (right) present real-time nowcast and forecast on the extent of the Wuhan CoV outbreak, domestic and international spread.

Applications for September 2020 intake is now open! Information sessions are scheduled for January, February and March 2020, during which our Deputy Director (Education), Dr. Janice Johnston, will share information about admissions, financial aid and key aspects of student life. Please spread the word among your friends and colleagues! Online Registration: https://hkuems1.hku.hk/hkuems/ec_hdetail.aspx?guest=Y&ueid=68548 (18 January) https://hkuems1.hku.hk/hkuems/ec_hdetail.aspx?guest=Y&ueid=68549 (29 February) https://hkuems1.hku.hk/hkuems/ec_hdetail.aspx?guest=Y&ueid=68550 (28 March)

Want to explore more about the life sciences/biotech industries in HK and Mainland China? Eager to gain first-hand, valuable insights through one-on-one meetings? Join the Hong Kong Life Sciences Society Mentorship Scheme to network and set goals for your career in the industries! The Scheme is open to all undergraduate and postgraduate students who are studying life sciences or a related academic discipline. Learn more about the scheme at: https://www.hklss.org/programs-and-events/mentorship

Over the past two weeks, the HKU School of Public Health has been hosting a series of orientation activities to help students hit the ground running on the first day in MPH. Workshops and consultative sessions were offered to give students a clear picture of our curriculum and the career opportunities accessible to MPH graduates.

On 7 August, an Alumni Panel Discussion & Networking event was held with emerging public health leaders who are also alumni of #HKU School of Public Health sharing their career aspirations and insights with current students and alumni. Everyone enjoyed the evening by networking and mingling with professionals in different fields! #publichealth #hkusph #hku

The School of Public Health participated in the Hospital Authority (HA) Convention 2019 held at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre on 14-15 May 2019. The booth hosted by the School was well-visited by Prof John Leong, Chairman of HA, Dr P Y Leung, Chief Executive of HA and health care professionals, who had shown great interest in learning more about our education and training programmes. We would like to thank 13 MPH students who had volunteered to be our Student Representatives and devoted time and effort to share their study experiences with health care practitioners and the public.

Here are some photos our MPH student Caitlin Yeung took at the Prince Mahidol Award Conference (PMAC) 2019, in which she attended as the sponsored student accompany for Dr Margaret Chan, Director-General Emeritus of the World Health Organization. These are pictures Caitlin took with Dr Chan, Mr Naveen Rao, Managing Director of the Rockefeller Foundation, Prof Michael Reich of the Harvard TH Chen School of Public Health and Mr Tim Evans, Senior Director of the World Bank. Below are a few words Caitlin would like to share with you about her experience: This year, I was fortunate enough to be the sponsored student accompany for Dr. Margaret Chan, Director-General Emeritus of the World Health Organization, to the Prince Mahidol Award Conference (PMAC) 2019 in Bangkok, Thailand. PMAC is an annual policy-related international conference co-hosted by 20 international global health agencies, including the Thai Ministry of Health, World Health Organization, The World Bank and The Rockefeller Foundation. The theme this year was “The Political Economy of NCDs: A Whole of Society Approach”. Apart from her current duties of promoting development and health reform in China as a member of Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference and President of Boao Global Health Forum, Dr. Chan is also passionate about educating young people and building capacity for the next generation. In the months leading up to the conference, Dr. Chan repeatedly took time out of her busy schedule to chat and meet up with me, to share her insights, wisdom and political acumen she gained over her career as Director General of WHO, Director of Health in Hong Kong and her current work in China. We discussed the various landmark documents related to the conference from her tenure at the WHO, which allowed me to witness how global political attention NCDs has increased significantly over recent years. She also taught me how to write briefs for her speeches at the opening plenary and dinner dialogue on global health, and organize her schedule for the conference. Moreover, she answered many of my burning questions related to her work in WHO, and her views on China’s Belt and Road Initiative and direction on health reform. PMAC was definitely an eye-opening experience. Dr. Chan personally introduced me to many of her old friends, all of whom are pioneers and navigators at the forefront of global health. From attending the plenaries and side sessions, I gained a deeper understanding on how wide-ranging perspectives and concerns are drawn together at the top level to steer the direction of global policies, and listened to the experiences of people from all corners of the world on implementing these global policies to make an impact at the local level. From Dr. Chan’s dinner dialogue on Global Health, I witnessed her charisma and communication skills that convinces people from different walks of life to see things from her point of view. I also had the opportunity to visit Siriraj Hospital, the oldest and largest hospital in Thailand, where I observed how they provide personalized holistic care in diabetes with a multidisciplinary approach. Through engaging in thought-provoking discussions with people working at different levels, from global agencies such as the United Nations and top-tier academic institutions to local non-profit organizations, I learnt from their successes in the fight against NCDs and listened to the vexing challenges that will still need continuous efforts in the years to come. Furthermore, Dr. Chan took the time out during the conference to individually discuss what I learnt and share her views on the topics covered in the conference with me. Her teachings will stay with me for a lifetime, and I am forever grateful. Attending PMAC with Dr. Chan truly broadened my horizons, and allowed me to see the endless ways I could make an impact to health in my community and beyond. As she told me once during a conversation, “We need a whole of society approach: no matter which platform you are in, you can perform within your platform to make a difference.” Although I am still at the very early stages of my career, I will continue to strive to look at the big global picture, and work within my platform to try and make a difference in my community.