Theme: Rebirth

We’re only born… once. But, what if we had another chance? Would we make different choices, or fall back into the same patterns?

Rebirth - whether you see yourself as an observer in the endless chasm of existence, waiting for the spark of inspiration; or you’re currently undergoing your own process of rebirth, ardouring to complete your metamorphosis; or perhaps you’ve already gone through your own personal rejuvenation, experiencing the world through a new lens - every juncture, every challenge, every opportunity is a chance to reflect, redefine and be reborn, whether it is mentally, intellectually or spiritually.

Esther Lee Building Lecture Theatre 2
Chinese University of Hong kong
hong kong, Hong Kong
Hong Kong

Alvin Cheung

Entrepreneur

Alvin is the Co-Founder and CEO of HandyRehab (Zunosaki Limited), a health tech startup devoted to bringing affordable robotics to the rehabilitation industry. Alvin is responsible for the commercialisation of technology, business development and fundraising of the venture. He has an extensive understanding of community healthcare needs through working with various NGOs, medical professionals, and community-based healthcare service providers. Alvin grew up in Hong Kong and lived in London and South Carolina, USA. He loves playing sports and spending time in nature. He holds a Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration (International Business and Chinese Enterprise) from The Chinese University of Hong Kong. Alvin believes that business is a force for social good. He advised various social startups in Hong Kong while serving as a pro-bono associate at a local charity focused on venture philanthropy and impact investment.

Andy Wong

Assistant Dean of Business School, CUHK

Andy received his BBA and MPhil. in Marketing from the CUHK, and PhD in Marketing from the University of Southern California. Prior to his pursuit of an academic career, Andy was an award-winning creative director at major ad agencies including D’Arcy, FCB, JWT and M & C Saatchi. During his tenure as a creative director, he has won more than 60 awards at local and international award shows including the HK4As, Asian Advertising Awards, the London Advertising Festival and the New York Festivals. Currently, Andy’s research interest is in consumers’ perception of knowledge, stereotypes, and the use of consumption language. He has presented in major academic conferences including the American Marketing Association (AMA) Conference and the Association for Consumer Research (ACR) North American Conference, and published in influential academic journals including the EAA Advances in Advertising Research and the Contemporary Management Review.

Anthony So

Professor +

Anthony So first received his BSE degree in Computer Science from Princeton University. He then received his MSc degree in Computer Science and his PhD degree in Computer Science with a PhD minor in Mathematics from Stanford University. Joining CUHK in 2007, he is now the Associate Dean of Student Affairs in the Faculty of Engineering, Deputy Master of Morningside College, and a professor in the Department of Systems Engineering and Engineering Management. His research focuses on optimization theory and its applications in various areas of science and engineering, such as computational geometry, machine learning, signal processing, and statistics. He has received a number of research and teaching awards, including the 2016-17 CUHK Research Excellence Award, the 2010 CUHK Young Researcher Award, and the 2013 CUHK Vice-Chancellor's Exemplary Teaching Award, and Outstanding Fellow of the Faculty of Engineering at CUHK in 2019.

Bidhya Shrestha

Student, Gender Rights Activist

Bidhya Shrestha is a student at HKU and the founder and chairperson of Aama Ko Koseli, a non-profit organisation focusing on gender issues in both Hong Kong and Nepal through an intersectional lens. Aama Ko Koseli has initiated projects fighting against social norms in various aspects, including holding webinars raising awareness about the gender spectrum, holding exhibitions fighting against body ideals and Aama Ko Koseli has also conducted philanthropic work in Nepal to raise awareness about menstrual health and fight against menstrual stigma. Shrestha was appointed to the Zubin Foundation’s Diversity List 2020 in recognition of her work and skills in amplifying minority voices.

James Frankel

Associate Professor of Cultural and Religious Studies, CUHK

Dr. James D. Frankel, attended the United Nations International School before going on to earn his Bachelor’s degree in East Asian Studies and post graduate degrees in Religion from Columbia University. He is currently an Associate Professor in the Department of Cultural and Religious Studies at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, where he is also the Director of the Centre for the Study of Islamic Culture. Within the field of Islamic Studies, his expertise is in the history of Islam in China. He is the author of numerous articles and book chapters and his scholarly interests include the comparative history of ideas, and religious and cultural synthesis. He has lived in China and has traveled extensively throughout the Asia-Pacific region, the Middle East, and Europe, where his research has included work with scholars and religious leaders of Muslim communities.

Karishma Samthani

Career Coach, Talent Management Professional

Karishma's journey has been a beacon for those who have been raised amdist domestic violence and marginalized opportunities in the ethnic minority community of Hong Kong. Presently serving as a Talent Management Executive at a leading financial firm and being recognized as a recipient of the Diversity List 2019: Youth to Watch is testimony to her long-standing engagement in upliftment of communities in need. With the ignited flame of a promising vision to see the youth of Hong Kong stand tall together irrespective of race, gender, and culture, and move forward as citizens united to embark harmoniously as the future torch bearers of Hong Kong, Karishma has bridged the intergenerational gap between senior executives and the younger generation.

Ronie Mak

Managing Director, RS Group

Ronie graduated from the University of New South Wales in Sydney with merit and a double degree in finance and marketing, Bachelor of Commerce, and is currently the managing director of RS Group, a mid-sized HK-based family office with aims to create a paradigm shift in people’s values and priorities so that economic growth will support, instead of jeopardize, human development and environmental sustainability. She led the launch of the RS Group Impact Report in 2016 and the incubation of the Sustainable Finance Initiative (SFi) in 2018, a private investor community platform that aims to drive demand and promote sustainable finance in HK. Prior to joining RS Group in 2014, she spent a total of 12 years at HSBC across various roles (CEO office, Strategy, Investment Banking). During this period, she also acted as the Secretary of the Hong Kong Association of Banks in 2012. Other prior roles included corporate finance positions within KPMG and UPS. R

Tjonnie Li

Associate Professor, Department of Physics, CUHK

Dr. Tjonnie Li received his BA and MSci in Natural Sciences from the University of Cambridge (2009), and a PhD in Physics from the Dutch National Institute for Subatomic Physics (2013). Since 2015 he has been an Associate Professor in the Department of Physics of CUHK, and prior that he spent two years at the California Institute of Technology as a Rubicon Postdoctoral Fellow. Tjonnie's research focus is gravitational-wave physics. He was involved in the Nobel Prize-winning detection of gravitational waves by the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory. His group is actively involved in the operation of current generation gravitational-wave detectors and studying the potential of future generation detectors. Tjonnie's personal awards include the 2017 RGC Early Career Award and the 2018 Croucher Innovation Award. As part of the LIGO team for the discovery of gravitational waves he has been awarded the 2016 Gruber Prize in Cosmology and the 2016 Special Breakthrough Prize.

Vincent Cheung

Associate Director of School of Biomedical Sciences, CUHK

Vincent is Assistant Professor at The School of Biomedical Sciences of CUHK. An MIT-trained neuroscientist and biomedical engineer, he is interested in how the human nervous system generates voluntary movement, and translating this knowledge into viable rehabilitative technologies for stroke survivors. His research findings have appeared in journals such as Nature Communications and PNAS. Vincent is a passionate teacher. The recipient of The Angus MacDonald Teaching Award at MIT (2006) and Teachers of the Year Award at CUHK (2021), Vincent directs courses in neuroscience and human anatomy at CUHK’s Faculty of Medicine. Beyond science, Vincent is an avid classical pianist. He is particularly proud of his recital series that featured the complete works for piano and strings by Brahms and Schumann. At RTHK Radio 4, he has co-hosted multiple music-related programs, one of which was a Bronze winner at New York Festivals for World’s Best Radio Programs (2017).