Bolstering Secondary Students-centered Experiential Learning Programs

HKUST Academy for Bright Future Young Engineers Receives Renewed Support from Bright Future Charitable Foundation and Promotes STEM Education with Electric Vehicle Summer Program

The students from five secondary schools, together with the cars they had built, pose for a picture with the judges and the HKUST student helpers.
The students from five secondary schools, together with the cars they had built, pose for a picture with the judges and the HKUST student helpers.  [Download Photo]

Forty-one students from five local secondary schools recently spent an unforgettable four days learning about electric vehicles (EV) and actually building and driving them!

This was made possible through the four-day EV Summer Program co-organized by the Academy for Bright Future Young Engineers of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) and CLP Holdings Limited (CLP). The Academy is funded by a donation from the Bright Future Charitable Foundation, which is founded and chaired by Prof Roy Chung.

The 41 participants came from five local secondary schools – Queen’s College, Tseung Kwan O Government Secondary School, Immaculate Heart of Mary College, St Mary’s Canossian College, and HKTA Tang Hin Memorial Secondary School. They were formed into four teams, each building a drivable car which competed with the others on aesthetics, engineering, and overall performance.

While most of the activities took place on the HKUST campus, there were visits to CLP’s EV fleet, and to CLP Power Low Carbon Energy Education Centre at City University of Hong Kong.

The award presentation was held in the afternoon on July 12, after the competition. Immaculate Heart of Mary College won the championship, while the runner-up was Queen’s College. St Mary’s Canossian College and HKTA Tang Hin Memorial Secondary School won the Aesthetic Award while the Engineering Award went to Tseung Kwan O Government Secondary School.

To enable the Academy to flourish, Prof Chung pledged an augmented donation of HK$4 million for another term of two years. The donation will support the Academy to further provide student-centered experiential learning programs, including competitions, courses, seminars, talks, visits and summer camps, and engage high school learners in authentic engineering experiences. It will also be used to drive a comprehensive study on STEM education development in Hong Kong, with the aim of providing recommendations on how best to support the city’s STEM education and innovation development.

HKUST Dean of Engineering Prof Tim Cheng said, “If you look at the past two decades, you will see the rapidly rising number of engineering corporations among the world’s top companies. So engineers do have a very bright future!”

Mr Chow Tang Fai, Senior Advisor – Strategy of CLP Power and Director of Smart Charge, said, “Engineering is not just calculation and finding solutions. It is ultimately the creation of products to make the world a better place to live in. A successful engineer is one who has a strong social mission and works hard to accomplish that mission.”

STEM Education
Electric Vehicles
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The four judges of the competition take a ride on the cars that the students had built – (from left) Prof Tim Cheng; Prof Roy Chung; Mr Chow Tang Fai; and Prof Ben Chan, Associate Professor of Engineering Education and Associate Director of the Academy for Bright Future Young Engineers.
The four judges of the competition take a ride on the cars that the students had built – (from left) Prof Tim Cheng; Prof Roy Chung; Mr Chow Tang Fai; and Prof Ben Chan, Associate Professor of Engineering Education and Associate Director of the Academy for Bright Future Young Engineers.
Prof Roy Chung (left) donates HK$4 million to the Academy, represented by Dean of Engineering Prof Tim Cheng.
Prof Roy Chung (left) donates HK$4 million to the Academy, represented by Dean of Engineering Prof Tim Cheng.
Prof Roy Chung addresses the audience at the award presentation ceremony.
Prof Roy Chung addresses the audience at the award presentation ceremony.
Students start assembling the parts onto the car frame.
Students start assembling the parts onto the car frame.
Bit by bit, the wheels and different systems are put together.
Bit by bit, the wheels and different systems are put together.
Students attend class on how to add the final touches to their vehicle.
Students attend class on how to add the final touches to their vehicle.
STEM Education
Electric Vehicles
Share