CIVL UG Orientation 2023–24

Organized by the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the beginning of each academic year, the CIVL UG Orientation is a platform for students not only to connect with faculty members, fellow classmates and upper-year students, but also to receive useful information on their programs and the Department. This year’s UG Orientation was successfully held on 11 September.

The day kicked off with a warm welcome from Prof. WANG Gang, Associate Head of the Department. Also introduced by Prof. Wang was the prestigious Professor Wilson Tang Memorial Fund, before certificates were presented to this year’s eight recipients of the Professor Wilson Tang Scholarship:  CHAN Ho, CHANG Wing Lum, CHUNG Man Hin, LAI Long, LAI Man Hin, LEE Ching Wai, TSUI Yan Lam and YAU Long Kit, all of whom Year 2 CIVL students. Each recipient receives HK$20,000 for their excellent academic performance in their first year of studies. Congratulations to all the awardees!

Taking stage next was the Department’s outreach coordinator, Prof. Ben Chan, who introduced the Department’s student ambassador and peer mentoring programs, both of which outreach programs providing excellent opportunities for students to participate in community building as well as professional development. Certificates were then presented to the student ambassadors and peer mentors of 2022–23 for their tremendous contribution to the Department and its programs. A simple yet elegant appointment ceremony for the 2023–24 student ambassadors and peer mentors followed to conclude this part of the event.

The highlight of the day was a game of trivia hosted by CIVL UG coordinator, Prof. Anthony Leung. The purpose of the game was to let new students better understand their own programs, the Department, as well as industry trends and career opportunities, in an interactive, fun and engaging way, with an added element of competitive excitement. The students, divided into teams led by designated peer mentors, competed for the grand prize — a Kindle for each member of the winning team. Congratulations, of course, to all the winners, but, win or lose, the important thing was that everyone gained something useful regarding their future. Besides, the students’ enthusiasm was a delight to see.

The day concluded with insightful presentations given by representatives from the Civil and Environmental Engineering Alumni Association (CEEAA), the Civil and Environmental Engineering Student Society (CEESS), and the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE). Through these presentations, the students were offered valuable information on the various organizations and opportunities available to them, which will prove to be a very important resource as they embark on their professional journey.

All in all, the UG Orientation was a fun and successful event, but, more importantly, it provided the students with not just a deeper understanding of their programs and the Department in general, but also a taste of teamwork, networking, as well as a sense of the civil community.