Knowledge Exchange

Knowledge Exchange (KE), together with Teaching and Research, form the three pillars that underpin all the activities of The University of Hong Kong. The University defines KE as engaging, for mutual benefit, with business, government or the public to generate, acquire, apply and make accessible the knowledge needed to enhance material, human, social, cultural and environmental well-being. KE is a two-way process, and it not only includes technology transfer but also encompasses all disciplines, including the arts and humanities and the social sciences.

With the supports from the HKU's Knowledge Exchange Impact Project grants, we have been active in spreading the message of dark sky to the public and informing members about the impact of light pollution and its current conditions. We have:

  • set up this dedicated light pollution website to communicate our research results and educational materials to the public. Since its launched in October 2011, the webpage is one of the leading websites on light pollution issues in Hong Kong and in the world;
  • organized roadshows such as the Light Pollution Science Roadshow at the Avenue of Star in Tsim Sha Tsui during Earth Hour 2013 and I Love the Night Sky - Star gazing is Fun in 2017;
  • organized competitions for the public and school groups in 2013-14, 2015-16 and 2018-19;
  • arranged lectures, workshops, and exhibition for secondary schools and various professional groups and stakeholders, locally and globally;
  • participated in multiple years of the HK SciFest organized by the Hong Kong Science Museum.
  • established an online public directory of good and poor lighting installments in Hong Kong: Lighting Directory. The interactive map displays both the locations and photographs of both good and poor lighting fixtures to provide to the public knowledge of the lighting deployed in their neighborhood. The Directory accepts submission via an online interface. The Directory also encourages people to report cases of improvements of any existing lighting, allowing us to record any reduction of light pollution in the community;
  • co-authored the Chinese version of the brochure titled Light Pollution. The brochure introduces the global light pollution condition, the impact of light pollution to astronomy and human health, and the importance of dark sky protection. HKU is responsible for translating the contents into Chinese and for enriching the brochure with local conditions on light pollution in Hong Kong, including the scientific studies of light pollution conducted by HKU both locally and globally.

Awards

Our knowledge exchange efforts have received accolades:

  • team member received the Secretary for Home Affairs' Commendation Scheme 2021;
  • team members were named co-recipients of the 2018 Dark Sky Defender Award by the International Dark-sky Association, the leading global organization in preserving the dark sky, awarded in “appreciation and recognition of their exceptional efforts to promote and advance the mission and programmes of IDA to preserve night skies by promoting quality outdoor nighttime lighting to reduce light pollution and its environmental impacts”;
  • Faculty Knowledge Exchange Award 2013 of the HKU’s Faculty of Science for the ‘Dimming the "Bright Pearl" - Informing the Public on Light Pollution’ project.