Wong How Man Centre for Exploration, HKU

香港大學x北京大學 燕園毅行計劃2025

原定的「樂施毅行者2025」百公里越野籌款活動，因受大埔火災影響取消。然而，香港大學與北京大學的同學們並未放棄初心，他們決定憑藉自身力量，以另一種方式為大埔災民伸出援手。為此，他們自主發起並完成了毅行活動，在36小時內徒步100公里，同時為災民籌募善款。

此次「燕園毅行」已圓滿結束。衷心感謝每一位參與同行、慷慨相助的朋友。活動的精彩記錄影片已上傳至YouTube平台，歡迎觀看。https://youtu.be/8BbemTizpzg

The University of Hong Kong x Peking UniversityYan Yuan Yi Xing (Trailwalker) Project 2025

The original Oxfam Trailwalker 2025, a 100 km fundraising trail race, was cancelled due to the unfortunate Tai Po fire. However, students from the University of Hong Kong and Peking University refused to give up. Staying true to their original mission, they took matters into their own hands and independently completed the full 100 km trail within 36 hours, all while raising funds to support the fire victims. The Yan Yuan Yi Xing project has now concluded. We extend our heartfelt thanks to every participant who walked the distance and to every supporter who contributed so generously. A highlight video of this inspiring journey is available on our YouTube channel. https://youtu.be/8BbemTizpzg

We’re incredibly grateful to Dr. Fion Ma for being our speaker at the Young Explorers Series: “The Science of Modern Dinosaur Research – Why Exploration Still Matters.” She shared insights into dinosaur research methods, how cutting-edge technology is revolutionising the field, and her inspiring journey as a palaeontologist – from studying at HKU to pursuing research positions around the world. We were also treated to thrilling stories from her expeditions in Inner Mongolia and Tibet, including the preparations and challenges faced in the field.

We are truly grateful to have Ms. Laurel Chor as our speaker for the Young Explorers Series. In her captivating talk, “From War Zones to the Deep Sea: What Exploration Teaches Us About Our Interconnectedness,” she shared her remarkable journey—from growing up in Hong Kong to becoming an independent journalist. She recalled how an interview with Dr. Jane Goodall ignited her passion for exploration, propelling her to report on critical global issues. Laurel encouraged students to step beyond their comfort zones, pursue their curiosities fearlessly, confront what scares them, and nurture deep connections to both nature and society.

Young Explorers Series: The Science of Modern Dinosaur Research: Why Exploration Still Matters

Speaker: Dr. Fion Ma — Vertebrate Palaeontologist

Dr. Fion Ma is a vertebrate palaeontologist from Hong Kong. She specialises in using digital modelling to study the anatomy, ecology, and evolution of vertebrate animals, including dinosaurs and pterosaurs. Her fieldwork has taken her to regions such as the Gobi Desert, Tianshan Mountains, and Gangdise Mountains. Her scientific discoveries and commentary have been featured in the BBC, National Geographic, and the New York Times. She has contributed to naming new species of extinct animals, including Kunpengopterus antipollicatus (‘Monkeydactyl’), a flying reptile notable as the oldest known animal with opposable thumbs. This discovery was selected as one of the ‘6 surprising records science set in 2021’ by Science News. She is also known for her work on ‘Baby Yingliang’, one of the best-preserved dinosaur embryos ever discovered, which was recognised by the Smithsonian Magazine as one of the top ten dinosaur discoveries of 2022.

Fion is a research associate at the Beipiao Pterosaur Museum of China and was formerly a postdoctoral researcher at the National Museum of Natural History in the USA. She holds a PhD in Earth Sciences from the University of Birmingham.

In this lecture, Fion will share how modern technology has transformed the field of dinosaur palaeontology and her experience from a recent expedition to the Qiangtang Plateau in Tibet, highlighting the vital role of exploratory fieldwork amidst the increasing focus on lab-based research.

Date: 28 November 2025 (Fri)
Time: 18:30-20:00
Venue: LE3, LG1/F, Library Extension Building, Main Campus, HKU

Language: English
Free admission
Registration is required (Limited spaces, First-come, First-served)
Registration: Scan QR code on poster OR click link below
https://hkuems1.hku.hk/hkuems/ec_hdetail.aspx?guest=Y&ueid=103556

Enquiries:
(Tel) 3917 3452
(Mail) [email protected]

The University of Hong Kong x Peking University
Yan Yuan Yi Xing (Trailwalker) Project 2025

Special thanks to the sponsorship from the Peking University Zhongyan Foundation. 13 selected HKU students will team up with PKU students to participate in the “Oxfam Trailwalker 2025” 100km off-road fundraising event, aiming to complete the 100km route within 48 hours.

After 6 months of intensive training, the students, led by Dr. Liu, Deputy Director of the WHMCE, recently traveled to Beijing to attend the event opening ceremony and underwent special training, including joint practice at the Mutianyu Great Wall. Let’s cheer together for the HKU and PKU students!

香港大學x北京大學 燕園毅行計劃2025

特別鳴謝北京大學中研基金會的贊助，13名獲選港大同學將與北大同學組隊，參加「樂施毅行者2025」百公里越野籌款活動，目標於48小時內完成100公里路徑。

同學們經歷6個月密集訓練後，早前在中心副總監廖博士帶領下，前往北京參加活動開幕禮，並進行特訓，包括在慕田峪長城進行合練。一起為港大和北大同學打氣！

Young Explorers Series: From War Zones to the Deep Sea: What Exploration Teaches Us About Our Interconnectedness

Speaker: Ms. Laurel Chor — Emmy-nominated journalist, photographer, filmmaker and National Geographic Explorer.

Laurel Chor is an independent journalist, photographer, documentary filmmaker, and National Geographic Explorer from Hong Kong. She covers the greatest threats to a thriving planet, focusing on conflict, authoritarianism, and the climate and biodiversity crisis. Her impactful storytelling spans writing, photography, audio, on-camera reporting, and documentary film, with her work featured in outlets such as National Geographic, The New York Times, HBO, VICE, Reuters, and The Guardian.

Currently, Laurel is directing a film on the war in Ukraine, as well as a documentary on human-manta ray relations, supported by the National Geographic Society. Previously, she served as executive producer for award-winning film Tigre Gente (2021), which premiered at Tribeca Film Festival and features her undercover investigations on the illegal jaguar trade in South America and Asia. Her work has been recognized with an Emmy nomination, TIME’s Top 100 Photos of the Year, an honorable mention for the IWMF Anja Niedringhaus Courage in Photojournalism Award and an Overseas Press Club of America award.

She holds an MPhil in Biodiversity, Conservation & Management from Oxford University and a BS from Georgetown University. She also represented Hong Kong at the 2017 Rugby World Cup.

In this talk, Laurel will share how an exploration mindset has driven her career as a journalist and storyteller, and what it’s taught her about our interconnected world.

Date: 14 November 2025 (Fri)
Time: 18:30-20:00
Venue: MWT6, Main Campus, HKU

Language: English
Free admission
Registration is required (Limited spaces, First-come, First-served)
Registration: Scan QR code on poster OR click link below
https://hkuems1.hku.hk/hkuems/ec_hdetail.aspx?guest=Y&ueid=103280

Enquiries:
(Tel) 3917 3452
(Mail) [email protected]

We are truly grateful to have Dr. Wilson Cheung as the first speaker for the WHMCE Young Explorers Series. In his captivating talk, “From Ice Caps to Insights: Lessons from Polar Expeditions and Glaciology,” he shared his remarkable journey from a Hong Kong to becoming a polar explorer and glaciologist, vividly illustrating how curiosity and bold steps can transform ordinary beginnings into extraordinary adventures. He encouraged students to seek out opportunities, embrace the uncertainty of paths that aren’t always linear, and dare to venture into the unknown while trusting our own decisions along the way. He also shared his research on glaciers, reminding us to protect the environment and safeguard these fragile wonders not just for ourselves, but for generations to come.

It is with deep gratitude that we honour the extraordinary life of the ethologist, conservationist, and educator Dr. Jane Goodall, who passed away peacefully on October 1, 2025, at the age of 91. We were profoundly fortunate to have invited her to be the inaugural speaker in our new Distinguished Lecturer Series last year, where she inspired us with her wisdom and shared her boundless passion for our world.

Dr. Jane Goodall challenged us never to lose hope, urging us to work every day to protect and preserve our precious environment.

珍同拱璧
古德流芳

Her light lives on in our actions. Thank you, Jane.

Wong How Man Centre for Exploration, The University of Hong Kong

[Trip]
Empowering Indigenous Populations: Oral Health Outreach in Remote Areas of Palawan, Philippines

Co-organized by Faculty of Dentistry & Wong How Man Centre for Exploration

Date: 28/2-8/3/26 (9 days; during the reading week)
Targets: BDS V-VI students
Fee: HK$8,000 deposit (BDS student will receive HK$5,000 subsidy from GHELF upon completion of the trip)
Application deadline: 17 Oct 2025 (students will be contacted for interview)
Enquiry: Contact Prof Mihai Tarce or Prof Phoebe Lam

Content: Providing oral examination to 200-300 indigenous tribe members and collection of oral health data

[Trip]
🏔️Heaven and Himalayas: Exploring Tibet
藏北阿里珠峰行

Date: 8 October 2025 (Thurs) to 19 October 2025 (Fri) (Round trip in group)
Open for：HKU Full-time students (UG preferred)
Fee: $9600 (Including Accommodations/ meals/ Everest tent/ Border Pass/ teaching materials/ ticket/ insurance)
Subsidies: 4 flights, Hotel in Shenzhen, Shenzhen-Hong Kong return, high-altitude supplies
Application deadline: 18 September, 2025
Result Announcement: Late-September
Enquiry：Ms. Lau ([email protected] / 39177286)
Content：
Venture to the world’s highest monastery, admire Mount Everest’s sunset, circumambulate Mount Kailash, and explore the Buddhist pure land.
Visit the Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple; visit the Karola Glacier, climb the Naiqinkang Sang and Jiacuo La sacred mountains.
Cross the snowy region of Tibet: Visit Yamdrok Lake, the Namtso sacred Lake. Explore the Tashilhunpo Monastery and the Sera Monastery.
Application link: https://hku.au1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_0vqHob0yWow9ArQ

日期：2025年10月8日（三）至19日（日）須隨團往返
對象：港大全日制學生 (本科優先)
自費：$9600 (西藏酒店/用餐/交通/珠峰帳篷/邊防證/教材/門票/保險)
津貼：學校津貼4程機票、深圳酒店、深圳返港及高原物資
截止報名日期：2025年9月18日
結果公佈日期： 9月下旬
查詢：劉小姐（[email protected] / 39177286）
內容：
勇闖全球最高寺廟、共賞珠峰落日、轉山岡仁波齊、探索佛國淨土。
布達拉宮、大昭寺；訪卡若拉冰川、登乃欽康桑神山、嘉措拉神山；
橫跨西藏雪域：臨羊卓雍措、納木錯聖湖。日客則扎什倫布寺、扎葉巴寺
報名：https://hku.au1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_0vqHob0yWow9ArQ

在過去的暑假，中心舉辦了三次深度探險考察，首先是帶領港大學生探索絲路及北疆，考察中哈邊境。

其後舉辦「師法天地、問道探奇——雲藏教育行」，帶領新晉老師深入雲南及四川藏區高原，參與傈僳族弩弓節、藏民賽馬節，並與活佛對談，共同探討教育真意、良師品質。

八月中旬，與西湖大學合作，共同舉辦「雲藏高原生態行」，深入雲南藏區高原，考察滇金絲猴、黑頸鶴等瀕危物種。

During the past summer, the centre launched three in-depth exploration programs. First, we led HKU students to explore the Silk Road and Northern Xinjiang, unraveling the wonders of the China-Kazakhstan border.

Next, our “From Educator to Explorer: Inspire Teaching Practices” immersed new teachers in the vibrant Yunnan and Sichuan Tibetan Plateau, where they participated in the Lisu Crossbow Festival, cheered at the Tibetan horse racing festival, and engaged in dialogues with Tashi Rinpoche (living Buddha) to uncover the heart of education and the qualities of inspiring educators.

In mid-August, in collaboration with Westlake University, our “Ecological Discovery: Exploration to the Yunnan-Tibetan Plateau” ventured deep into the Yunnan Tibetan Plateau, offering close encounters with endangered treasures like the Yunnan snub-nosed monkey and black-necked crane, revealing the secrets of highland ecosystems.

Young Explorers Series:
From Ice Caps to Insights: Lessons from Polar Expeditions and Glaciology
Speaker: Dr. Wilson (Wai-Yin) Cheung — Glaciologist & Polar Explorer; one of The Explorers Club’s “World’s 50 Greatest Explorers” (2022)

Hong Kong–born glaciologist and polar explorer Dr. Wilson Cheung has devoted his career to understanding glacier dynamics and climate change. Recognized by The Explorers Club as one of the “World’s 50 Greatest Explorers,” he has logged 1,000+ days in the Arctic and Antarctic, skiing to the South Pole twice and advising international teams in extreme, remote environments.

A Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society and member of The Explorers Club, Wilson co-chairs the 4th International Conference on Arctic Research Planning (ICARP IV) research priority team under the International Arctic Science Committee (IASC) and contributes as a Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR) expert, helping shape international polar research agendas. Beyond the field, he founded education program, mentoring the next generation of Asian alpinists and polar explorers, and delivering engaging talks across Asia to advance polar literacy and conservation.

In this lecture, Wilson will share research and fieldwork from Baffin Island in the Canadian Arctic (Auyuittuq & Sirmilik National Parks)—including snowline and mass-balance studies—and from Antarctic deep-field campaigns, highlighting expedition logistics, safety, and what glacier change reveals about our climate.

Date: 3 October 2025 (Fri)
Time: 18:30-20:00
Venue: CBC, Main Building, HKU

Language: English
Free admission
Registration is required (Limited spaces, First-come, First-served)
Registration: Scan QR code on poster OR click link below
https://hkuems1.hku.hk/hkuems/ec_hdetail.aspx?guest=Y&ueid=102771

Enquiries:
(Tel) 3917 7286
(Mail) [email protected]