Professor Renee Chan
Professor Renee Chan graduated from the University of Hong Kong, majoring in Environmental Life Science. During her master's and doctoral studies, she focused on virology, specifically researching the interaction between respiratory viruses and respiratory cells. She joined CUHK in April 2015 and became a member of Shaw College.
Professor Chan took up the position of Associate Dean of Students this August. When she was asked about the interesting experiences in Shaw College, Professor Chan laughed and mentioned that during her first participation in college staff activities, she was mistaken for a student representative! She feels privileged to be able to serve the students of Shaw College and is eagerly looking forward to it.
Since 2020, Professor Chan has been serving as a member of the selection panel for "Make a Wish Scheme". Through the project, she has witnessed the determination, passion, and courage of students, which reminds her of her own student days. Professor Chan was a member of the school's athlete and volleyball teams when she was a student, so she looks forward to participating in sports with students of Shaw College, sharing their experiences and learning moments.
In the past few years, the structure of university students has been constantly changing. Apart from local students, there are also many exchange students from mainland China and overseas. Professor Chan believes that students with different backgrounds have different needs. Instead of designing activities specifically for certain student groups, it would be better to plan activities which benefit students, get to know each other, learn from each other, and appreciate each other. That would broaden their horizons and allow exchange students to get to know Hong Kong. Professor Chan understands that some students may have to do part-time jobs after school due to financial needs, which may cause them to miss out on campus life outside of classes. She hopes to assist those hardworking students and help them create good memories of their university experience.
The new student hostel would be built in 2 years, Professor Chan hopes that there would be better facilities, space and conditions to promote the communication among Shawers.
This article was originally published in the Newsletter of the College, Shaw Link in Sep 2023.