Chemistry Summer Course in CUHK

Erinne, a Chemistry student from S5C was selected to attend a university-level Chemistry STEM Programme offered by the Science Academy for Young Talent at the Faculty of Science, Chinese University of Hong Kong.

The student gained valuable knowledge and experience that could prepare her for higher education. The course provided a more in-depth understanding of the Chemistry concepts and enabled the student to explore her academic interests further.

5C Erinne  &  Principal 

Student Reflection – Erinne Joelle Tiburcio 5C

During the summer holidays, I was selected to participate in a STEM program at CUHK, which focused on a chemistry journey towards a Low-Carbon Society. This experience allowed me to delve into innovative solutions for environmental challenges, engage with experts in the field, and collaborate with fellow students on projects aimed at promoting sustainability through hands-on experiments and interactive workshops!

On the first day, a speaker from the company BASF spoke about the importance of creating a sustainable future with the help of chemistry.

This is a chemical company which looks for ways to make society a healthier place by integrating chemistry in what they do. They produce a wide range of daily use products like plastics, crop protection products and chemicals which are safe for the environment as their carbon emissions are astonishingly low.

BASF SPEAKER

On the second day, I got a taste of what university lessons are like. I was fortunate enough to attend lectures just like normal university students. In these lectures they went more in depth with topics I have yet to learn.

For example, photocatalyst. This process helps the environment so much by breaking down pollutants in air and water by a chemical reaction which produces clean energy! What made this a little challenging was the fact that they were teaching it in Chinese! If you’re interested in joining this programme, make sure you can understand Chinese!

Now onto the most memorable part of the programme – the experiments. CUHK provided us a space to use their labs to conduct experiments! The experiments done were the lemon cell, photocatalytic activity and electrochemical cell dissections!

Specifically: Lithium-ion batteries, alkaline batteries and zinc-carbon batteries – the topics I just learnt in S5 Chemistry!

 LEMON- CELL EXPERIMENT

Although the instructions were in Chinese, whenever I had questions regarding the experiments, the teachers and lab technicians were always so willing to assist help to the point they would re-explain it in English whenever I did not understand.

All in all, do not be intimidated by the fact that its mostly Chinese-based. A lot of people are more than willing to help you if need it!

This program has been a lifesaver and an invaluable resource. My guides regularly involve us in solving previous chemistry DSE paper problems as a group during our free time. Each participant is required to contribute by responding to the questions.

 S6 QUESTION EXPLANATION

During these sessions, our guides share crucial advice that improves our comprehension and problem-solving abilities. They cover topics I have not yet studied in addition to the questions we are already familiar with. As we get closer to our DSE exams, this proactive approach helps us lay a solid foundation by giving us a preview of what lies ahead in our studies.

Overall, I learnt so much from this programme. Not just in the aspect of Chemistry but I learnt very important soft-skills. I was furthermore pushed to step outside of my comfort zone – I made a lot of new friends. We all connected so quick by our interest in Chemistry! As we all went through this programme together, we were all helping each other along the way. The knowledge I gained from this programme is extremely informative and helpful towards my DSE’s and the connections I made were very much valuable.

Finally, I would like to thank my Chemistry teacher, Mr. Haris, for allowing me the opportunity to join and experience this programme. The information and experiences I have gained will forever be treasured. I cannot thank you enough. Anyone that is reading – if you are interested in chemistry and want to make good and healthy change to society, do join this programme! You will not regret it!