Are there any interesting fieldwork experiences or independent projects you can share with us? 有沒有一些有趣的考察經歷或項目可以與我們分享？ Cindy In recent years, I've focused on exploring how interactive technology can spark students' interest in ocean science. Classes can be much more interesting than just having a teacher explaining things at the blackboard. With the support of the University, we initiated a project called “Marine XR.” After putting on a virtual reality (VR) headset, students can explore from the sea surface down to the deep sea through this “immersive” experience, appreciating different marine organisms and learning more about marine ecology and conservation issues through mini games. Besides VR, we also worked with other universities to create a set of marine life trading cards that incorporate augmented reality (AR). Students simply scan a card with their phone, and then a three-dimensional marine animal pops up along with information on its habitat, conservation status and other relevant information. The advantage of VR is its strong sense of immersion: It feels as though you're really beneath the sea, especially valuable for students who can't swim or are afraid of water. However, in a large class that involves several hundred students, it's difficult to provide enough VR equipment for everyone, so we use the cards to reach a wider audience. In the future, we also hope to integrate artificial intelligence and add multilingual support to the system. Perhaps also introducing interactions between organisms in the game, making the learning of ocean science more vivid and engaging. 近年我專注研究如何利用互動科技提升學生對海洋科學的興趣。相比只由老師站在黑板前講解，我相信課堂可以變 得更有趣。 在大學鼎力支持下，我們開展了名為「Marine XR」的計劃。戴上虛擬實境裝置後，學生可以透過「沉浸式」體驗，從 海洋表面探索到海底，觀察不同海洋生物，並透過小遊戲認識更多海洋生態和保育議題。 除了虛擬實境之外，我們亦與其他大學合作，設計了一套結合擴增實境的海洋生物卡牌。學生只要用手機掃描卡牌， 畫面便會出現立體的海洋生物，以及其棲息地、保育狀況與其他相關資料。 虛擬實境的優點是沉浸感強，讓人宛如置身海底一樣，對於不諳泳術或怕水的學生特別有用。然而，在有數百名學生 的大型課堂裡，要為每個人準備穿戴設置並不可行，因此我們選用卡牌讓更多學生參與其中。未來，我們希望把人工智能 和多國語言加入系統。或許還可以在遊戲中加入生物之間的互動，令學習海洋科學更生動吸引。 Harun My final-year research project investigated the number and distribution of horseshoe crabs on a mudflat on Lantau. There are only four species of horseshoe crab in the world today, two of which can be found in Hong Kong. My study site was one of the few places where both species occur on the same mudflat. During one peak-season survey, I found around 40 juvenile horseshoe crabs, which was an encouraging number. However, the site is not a protected area, and activities such as digging for oysters and clams damage the seagrass beds and the habitat of juvenile horseshoe crabs. This research drove home to me that even when we know a species is already under threat, the actual conservation measures may still be insufficient. Another experience that left a deep impression on me was volunteering with a sea turtle conservation project in Malaysia. Because Hong Kong does have records of sea turtles appearing and laying eggs, there are relatively few opportunities for the public to take part in such conservation work. Many people therefore may not understand how sea turtles lay eggs, how the eggs hatch, and the survival threats the turtles currently face. I hope in the future Hong Kong can offer more opportunities like this, so that people can learn through practical experiences and become willing to take real action to protect marine ecosystems. 我的畢業研究是調查大嶼山一片泥灘上馬蹄蟹的數量和分佈。現時全球只剩四種馬蹄蟹，其中兩種可以在香港 找到，而我的研究地點正是少數能在同一片泥灘找到這兩個品種的地方。在一次繁殖旺季的考察中，我找到大約 40 隻年幼馬蹄蟹，數目令人鼓舞。不過那裡並非受保護地區，眼見一些挖蠔、蜆等活動，它們會破壞海草床，以及年幼馬 蹄蟹的棲息環境。這次研究讓我深深體會到，即使我們知道某些物種正面臨威脅，但實際保育措施可能仍然不足。 另一段令我印象深刻的經歷，是到馬來西亞參與海龜保育的義工工作。香港其實也有海龜出沒，甚至有上岸產 卵的紀錄，但一般市民能親身參與這類保育工作的機會相對較少，因此很多人可能不太了解海龜如何產卵，龜蛋如 何孵化，以及海龜目前正面對的生存威脅。我希望將來香港能提供更多這類機會，讓大眾透過親身體驗認識更多， 從而願意付諸行動去保護海洋生態。
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