Mah Shao-qian, third from left, won in March the Scientist and Mathematician category of the South China Morning Post’s annual Student of the Year Awards, sponsored by The Hong Kong Jockey Club. He is flanked, from left, by second runner-up Wong Man-ho, Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corp chief executive Albert Wong Hak-keung, and first runner-up Cheng Nga-ting. Photo: Handout