Jacqueline Wong Po-kam, 23, is a biology student at Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. She specialises in environmental science and was at the 2nd Postgraduate Fair at the Exhibition Centre yesterday to look at the options for her future career.
What's on your mind? I want to do a Phd overseas. My top choices would be the US or the United Kingdom because they're famous for environmental management. Hong Kong is still very behind on environmental issues. People need to be greener here. They are not aware of the problems they create. It's a very crowded place and we produce far too much waste in our daily lives. I think the most important thing is to educate people and change their habits.
What do you want to do the Phd in? I may do it in sewage treatment because the water pollution problem is quite severe in Hong Kong. The Government needs to invest more in that area. In many foreign countries they treat water three times which makes the water much purer and cleaner. We only have secondary treatment here. In Europe and America they can drink the tap water, but people won't drink it here. Also, the quality of the waste water discharge in Hong Kong is still not very high. In the long term it could contaminate the sea, harm the ocean ecology and have severe effects on the eco-system.
Why do you want to go abroad? It would broaden my experience and give me a chance to see how other countries deal with environmental issues. I'm also interested in other cultures. But money is a problem, so I'm asking if there are grants or scholarships available.
What do you hope to do after your Phd? Even if I study overseas, I still want to come back to Hong Kong because the culture is Chinese and it is my home. I'm committed to the future of Hong Kong. My ideal job here would be to be a university lecturer.
What will you miss? I have a boyfriend here! But communications technology is very good now with faxes, e-mail and so on, so we'll be able to keep in touch. The phone bills may be a bit high though!
