In this post, Verena Sesin talks about her visit at the 2nd IIES Graduate Students Forum Asia themed “Soil Contamination & Remediation and Water Contamination & Management” in Hong Kong from November 1-3, 2018.
After such a great experience at the 1st IIES Graduate Students Forum Asia in November 2017, I was excited to catch up with everyone one year later at the 2nd forum of the International Institute for Environmental Studies (IIES). It was again hosted at the beautiful campus of Hong Kong University of Science and Technology with view on the ocean. With close to 40 graduate students attending from China, Europe and North America, this smaller-scale forum was a great opportunity to meet peers and chat with everyone about research and graduate student life in their country.
Group photo of the 2nd Graduate Students Forum Asia (photo by IIES)
Presenting some of my research (photo by A. Stubbs)
As scientific program, each student gave insight into their current research in a 10-minute talk. The talks covered various topics including heavy metal, organic pollutant, pesticide, pharmaceutical and pathogen contamination in water and soil, with focus on understanding the pollutant’s fate and finding promising remediation approaches. I shared some recent results of my studies looking at fate and persistence of glyphosate in water and sediment of experimental micro-wetlands. The talks were followed by a group discussion session, where everyone could share their experiences in how to write a good scientific paper, how to get along with supervisors, and how to manage time well – which lead to a lively discussion among students and professors.
Ocean view from campus (photo by A. Stubbs)
A huge thanks to our wonderful and generous hosts and the IIES for organizing this great scientific program, along with social activities such as a campus tour and a delicious seafood dinner on the famous Sai Kung waterfront promenade. It was again a wonderful experience in Hong Kong, with some extra time to discover new places in and around the city. Hong Kong is stunning and definitely worth the travel – so I am sure this will not be my last time here. I am already looking forward to seeing everyone again at the next IIES event!
You may also be interested in: