Charleston Chia Hong

Hi! I’m Charleston. Before university, I studied along with the local educational pathway back in Taiwan. A bit more about my study background, I came from Jianguo Senior High School, one of the most prestigious local high schools in Taipei, famous for students’ high performance in college entrance tests and vivid club activities. In the following, I would like to share with you the reason I had set HKUST, in particular, its School of Engineering, as my priority choice among all other available program options in Hong Kong and Taiwan. 

Nurtured under an environment full of crazy thoughts and creative minds, as a solution-driven researcher in the Jianguo Young Physicists Club, I was crystal clear that engineering would suit me best for my future university studies. In the first two years of high school, besides academic studies, my society members and I had strived to investigate interesting physics problems based on a list of physics projects announced by the International Young Physicists Tournament (IYPT) website. Understanding that real world problems are very different from exam questions in terms of its complex nature, I was trained to be patient and creative while tackling complicated tasks. I remembered how fun it was frequently brainstorming with my colleagues about the re-design of experiments when seeing a mismatch between our simulation program and the experiment results. For this analytical, quantitative and persevering spirit, I was mentally prepared and confident for deeper training in future engineering-related studies.

Need not fear if one does not have research experience prior to university studies! At HKUST, state-of-art research program opportunities are available for all students in different study levels and fields. Moreover, due to its renowned academic relations, HKUST offers summer research programs not only via home schools, but also affiliated programs with famous universities overseas. Take my latest research experience as an example. I was enrolled in the POSTECH Summer Research Program in Korea. There, not only did I experience the essence of joint-field studies regarding smart farms, but also had fun immersing in the Korean culture accompanied by mentors from the lab. 

For students who are interested in math and physics, or those who are not against analytical and creative thinking, HKUST will get you covered in all aspects from thorough academic and research training to priceless cultural experience.