SOTY 2023/24: Scientist winner shows passions and dedication to the subject
The first-year university medical student won the Scientist/Mathematician category at the Student of the Year awards.
Megan Jane Kwok, 18, has graduated from St Paul’s Convent School and is now at university studying medicine. Photo: HandoutMegan Jane Kwok, an 18-year-old former student at St Paul’s Convent School, said she never knew she would be interested in science.
But she remembered her parents would buy animal organs from the wet market, such as pig hearts and ox eyes, for her to examine at home, something which she greatly enjoyed doing.
Her interest in human biology developed gradually, and she credits her secondary school’s Diversified Interests Programme (DIP) for further exposing her to research opportunities.
Kwok is now a first-year medical student studying MBBS (Medicine) at the University of Hong Kong.
She is also the winner of the Scientist/Mathematician category in the Student of the Year (SOTY) Awards 2023/2024, organised by the South China Morning Post and solely sponsored by the Hong Kong Jockey Club.
SOTY 2023/24: Darren Ng’s journey of leadership and innovation
Megan explained her award-winning research project: “After seeing horrifying images of chronic wounds and reading about the relationship between wound pH and infection risk, I came up with the idea with my teammates to develop a pH-sensitive wound dressing that indicates the risk of wound infections. Since then, I have developed a strong interest in biomedical research.”
The process of developing the dressing involved was a lot of work.
“The project involved a significant amount of research, experimentation, and collaboration with my teacher supervisor and teammates,” Megan said. “I had to lead my team in conducting extensive literature reviews, designing and carrying out experiments, and data analysis to develop and test our wound dressing.”
It was tough to balance her research with her normal classwork. “Juggling both schoolwork and the project was a challenge since working on the project and preparing for competitions required great dedication and time,” she explained. “Effective and flexible time management, problem-solving, and open communication with my teammates helped me overcome these challenges.”
Megan’s research even took her to the Geneva International Exhibition of Inventions.
“In terms of presenting my project at the exhibition, I was thrilled that the judges were interested in my ideas and eager to learn more,” she said.
Presenting her project to both professionals and the public taught her about communication.
“I realised that a great scientific discovery or invention would not benefit humankind if it could not be explained to a layman. Often, the questions which challenged me the most at exhibitions were from young children who wanted to learn more,” Megan explained.
“Since then, I have placed emphasis on making my presentations to the public easily understandable.”
Megan’s advice for aspiring young scientists is clear. “I believe that hard work will be rewarded,” she said. “I also believe secondary school students should not underestimate their potential and capabilities.”
Megan aims to contribute to society as a doctor and a scientist. “I want to serve the well-being of Hong Kong as a professional and compassionate doctor, contribute to the advancement of Hong Kong’s medical research and science, and showcase our discoveries to the rest of the world,” she said.