A clear understanding of the fundamental properties of chemicals and the characteristics of animals, plants and microorganisms, and how they interact with one another in the real world, is the key to improving our wealth, health and lifestyle. The Department of Biology and Chemistry is concerned with these aspects of our lives and its staff are actively engaged in teaching, research and consultancy activities to find solutions to environmental problems or support other chemical- and biological-based industries.

About the Department and Our Programmes

The Department of Biology and Chemistry strives for excellence in teaching and research, and is supported by top quality facilities and well-equipped laboratories.  Our educational philosophy is student-centred and aims to provide students with the ability to acquire, synthesize, analyze and utilize knowledge, equipping them to meet the new and ever-changing challenges in the future.

We provide quality education in biology and chemistry, as well as environmental science and technology.  An interdisciplinary approach is adopted in our teaching and research, with an emphasis on the integration of theory with practical experience.  At present, the Department offers three UGC-funded undergraduate programmes: the BSc (Hons) Applied Biology, BSc (Hons) Applied Chemistry, and BSc (Hons) Environmental Science and Management.  To provide opportunities for further education, we introduced the self-financed MSc / PGD in Environmental Science and Technology in 1995.  The programme has been revised in 2007 to include the new MSc / PGD in Environmental Science and Technology with Environmental Health and Food Safety, and aims to provide graduates with highly marketable specialist skills in key areas of environmental management. Postgraduate Certificate programmes are offered for students requiring expertise in particular specialist areas.

The Department also offers full-time and part-time postgraduate research degree programmes leading to the degrees of Doctor of Philosophy and Master of Philosophy.  The research strength of the Department is built on inter-disciplinary research between chemistry and biology, and focuses on the following two areas: environmental biology and chemistry; industrial biology and chemistry.  Staff members have expertise in ecotoxicology, analytical chemistry, bioactive compounds, ecology, spectroscopy, catalysis, microbiology, biochemistry and biotechnology, and have developed close relationships with the Hong Kong government and local industry through a number of consultancy projects.

Achievements

The Department's excellent teaching standards have been acknowledged. It has been twice selected to receive recognition under the Reward Scheme for Academic Departments organized by City University of Hong Kong to recognize demonstrated excellence in teaching. Based on our research output, the Department was ranked top in Chemistry in Hong Kong during the last Research Assessment Exercise conducted by the University Grants Committee (UGC). Our Centre for Coastal Pollution and Conservation, established in 1998 as one of the six Areas of Excellence in the University, aims to conduct and foster multidisciplinary research that will lead to more effective protection and management of the coastal environment of Hong Kong and the region.

Members of the Department play a leading role in the research work of the Centre of Marine Environmental Research and Innovative Technology Centre, (MERIT). The MERIT was set up in 2004 as an Area of Excellence (AoE) under the scheme administered by the UGC.

Scholarships

To nurture students' interest in research and their sense of belonging to the Department, we offer departmental scholarships and awards, such as the On-campus Service-learning Scheme based departmental scholarship and Departmental Outstanding Student Award. Some of our students have also received scholarships and prizes awarded by the University and some external organizations for outstanding performance.

Exchange Programmes

To enrich the educational experience of students, the Department encourages them to participate in exchange studies outside Hong Kong. Departmental sponsorships are provided to full-time undergraduate students selected for credit-bearing exchange programmes offered by overseas partner institutions, such as the University of British Columbia, McGill University, Purdue University, University of Western Ontario and Shanghai Jiao Tung University.

Student Mentoring Scheme

To help the first year students in their transition to university life, a Student Mentoring System was introduced in 1996-97. It aims to create a supportive mentoring relationship between alumni of the Department and its undergraduates, to facilitate the students' educational, social and personal growth.

Out-of-classroom Activities

In addition to organizing field trips and field camps for various courses, the Department also secured major funding to support out-of-classroom projects which aim to enrich our students' learning experience, and to stimulate their interest in learning. For example, study tours to Norway and Malaysia were organized for the students participating in the Project Based Mentoring Scheme. This scheme engaged senior students to act as mentors to lead and guide junior students to undertake an extra-curricula project with academic staff acting as supervisors.

Strong Connections with Industry

The Department encourages students to become involved in the Industrial Attachment Scheme run by the Faculty of Science and Engineering during summer each year. Through participating in this Faculty-Department-Industry Partnership Scheme, students acquire hands-on experience in a working environment and broaden their industrial exposure. We also prepare students to cope with future challenges by strengthening the linkage between the Department/Faculty and industries/corporations in South China, particularly in Hong Kong and in overseas corporations such as the USA and Australia.