Alison Ka Ying

Creating my own piece of work has always been the most joyful experience to me, from writing scripts for drama during high school, to composing music with my friends. When creativity encounters physics and math, it goes beyond mental excitements or sensory delights. It is far more influential and beneficial. As a music and literature lover, I would not deny the influence of arts, which can touch the deepest part of a human heart. But creativity in engineering, inventions, can bring more tangible well-being to a wider audience of the public, not just people in theatres or those love reading.

I am grateful to have a great physics teacher in my high school, who was patient to answer all kinds of questions, and passionate to show me the wonderful world of physics - a world full of unknowns and beauty to be discovered. From then, I decided to embark on the adventure of exploring the universe, from humble materials on Earth, to the mysterious invisible waves. It would be even more exciting to learn and discover how to make use of them. The tailor-made discipline for me is engineering, which I know is worth devoting my life on.

Studying mechanical engineering in HKUST is a rewarding experience, and I am thankful to have many opportunities to explore different fields. During the summer in year two, I did an internship in a power plant, which I still could not forget how excited I was as I watched the generator so closely. Currently I have joined the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP), learning the fluid dynamics of a manta ray swimming, as well as a research group studying droplet icing. Mechanical engineering has constantly brought me surprises and excitements, and I am looking forward to discovering more in the future.