Howard Yau Ming

My engineering journey at HKUST has allowed me to find my own sense of belonging in the engineering field and further drive meaningful change through pioneering research.

Studying Civil and Environmental Engineering at HKUST has opened my eyes to urgent environmental challenges, including water and air pollution, and the depletion of our natural resources. What captivates me most is how engineering principles can transform these challenges into opportunities for innovation, and I am particularly drawn to the prospect of tackling these challenges while recovering valuable resources, creating multifunctional solutions that align with Hong Kong's sustainable development goals.

HKUST is a sublime platform for growth, offering seamless progression from undergraduate research opportunities through UROP and FYP to my current postgraduate studies. Here I have met like-minded individuals and benefited from diverse research experiences under the deliberation and guidance of various faculty members. During my undergraduate years, as part of the Sustainable Smart Campus initiative, I witnessed how civil engineering principles could revolutionize waste management. We transformed discarded masks, which were a significant problem during the COVID-19 pandemic, into functional campus benches using bio-resin. This hands-on project demonstrated to me that engineering does not merely solve problems, instead it reimagines what we see and expands the boundaries of what is possible.

Serving as an Engineering Student Ambassador has also been transformative. Through daily interactions with people from diverse backgrounds, whether advising nervous freshmen or organizing orientation activities with university staff, I have learned that the passion for engineering is genuinely contagious. I consistently go the extra mile to share my enthusiasm for engineering and student life, helping newcomers find their sense of belonging at HKUST, especially within the engineering community.

Thanks to the ESA program, the plethora of opportunities has not only equipped me with essential skills to become a well-rounded individual , but it has also reaffirmed my deep passion for engineering and continues to inspire me to make a positive dent in the world.