A Good Year of Accomplishments and Harvest

This newsletter marks a good year of accomplishment and harvest for our DSPS students and faculty members. We have a unique focus of integrating the analytical power of data science and the insights of policymaking which is quite distinctive from any hard science department and traditional social science programmes. Students sharing our vision are thriving with flying colors and you can learn about their accomplishments from this issue. Looking forward, we wish you would have a chance to become a part of our DSPS success through different modes of engagement and collaboration in the future. Happy reading and have a nice summer!

Embarked on becoming an interdisciplinary programme three years ago, DSPS have not only recruited major students but also attracted students from other programmes and departments. We are pleased to invite some of them who have fulfilled the requirements of our DSPS minor programme to share their experience and exposure from their studies in DSPS. We encourage students who echo with their words join us for exploring a new path of learning and career.

“Pursuing a minor in DSPS program has equipped me with the knowledge and skills that I can apply in building a career in social and public policy. It inspired me to harness technology and data to design public policies in an effective and responsible way.”

Elaine WONG, Major in Sociology (Class of 2022) and Master of Public Policy, University of Calgary, Canada (Class of 2023)

“I am a Non-DSPS student, this program really helps me explore different pathways and job opportunities. I also learned how to use various analytical frameworks to analyze different policies and cases. I have improved my research skills, and ability to think critically and write thoughtfully.”

Chloe CHONG, Major in Sociology (Class of 2022)

“DSPS programme gave me the opportunity to take a deep-dive in modern and more effective approaches in public policy making, hence empowered me towards different internship opportunities and awards in case competitions.”

Henry CHAN, Major in GPA (Class of 2022) and Champion of HKUST Inter-University Public Policy Case Competition 2021

DSPS taster workshops in collaboration with CLAP@JC School Hub were successfully organized for students from the following schools: Queen’s College, Wong Shiu Chi Secondary School, United Christian College (Kowloon East), St. Paul’s School (Lam Tin), DMHC Siu Ming Catholic Secondary School, and Po Leung Kuk Wu Chung College, in July 2022 in the Digital Scholarship Lab of the University Library. The workshops are effort to envision the younger generation with the great potential of data-driven and interdisciplinary learning. These taster events were organized/customized for a group of network schools from CLAP@JC project. CLAP@JC funded by the Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust, encourages youth to gain more experience in the sectors of education, business and community for better transition from school to work.

In the workshops, our DSPS team consisting of Professor Wilson Wong, Dr. Kelvin Lo and Professor Geoff Chan introduced the participants to DSPS Programme and shared their insights with respect to the innovative intersection of data science and public policy. In the meantime, our DSPS students (Ms. Nga Yin Fung, Ms. Zi Qi Li, Ms. Lok Man Ng, Ms. Ka Ying Yiu, Ms. Ching Yi Kwong, and Mr. Shing Kin Wong) led the participants to work with interactive dashboard and analyze the youth unemployment among major countries. Participants, thereafter, presented their findings and recommendations for alleviating youth unemployment.

Please refer to the following link for more information about CLAP@JC:

• CLAP@JC

DSPS Admission Talks and Showcasing of Students’ Case Studies were organized at the CUHK Information Day 2022 on 15 October 2022 (Sat), which was the first Information Day held in face-to-face mode since 2019. On the Day, we provided an overview of the Programme to students who have dual interest in data science and policy studies and participants were able to meet and talk to our teachers and students to learn about the DSPS learning experience.

The core of the DSPS Programme embodies and promotes data for social good by applying data analytics and data visualization to social research and policy innovation. In the meantime, our students are required to study overseas, take up internships, and address real-world policy issues in the capstone project. With international exposure of hands-on and real-world experience, we encourage students to make impactful changes in the society.

Please refer to the links below for more information about the DSPS Programme.

• Programme Overview
• News and Events

The CUHK Information Day will be held on 15 October 2022 for students who are interested in undergraduate studies at CUHK. Embarking the exploration in the interdisciplinary BSSc Programme in Data Science and Policy Studies (DSPS) and introducing the unique integration of power of data science and insights of public policy, our DSPS team and students will organize Admission Talk, Live Chat and interactive activities for the visitors. Details are as follows.

Date: 15 October 2022 (Sat)

Venue: Room 403, 4/F, Wong Foo Yuan Building, Chung Chi College

Event:

• Admission Talk (Link for registration)
  • • Session 1: 10:00am – 10:45am [English, with livestreaming]
  • Session 2: 12:00nn – 12:45pm [Cantonese]
  • Session 3: 2:00pm – 2:45pm [Cantonese]
  • Session 4: 4:00pm – 4:45pm [Cantonese]
• Chat with DSPS Students
  • 9:00am – 6:00pm

To learn more about CUHK Info Day and DSPS, please refer to the following links:

• CUHK Info Day
• DSPS

DSPS teachers and students paid a site visit to  the Xtreme Business Enterprises Limited (XBE) on 19 November 2022. XBE is an innovative corporate which aims to create impacts on industries and society through the use of technology. They offer solutions based on Web 5 technologies such as AI, blockchain and metaverse. Its management team is well-experienced in implementing NFT, DOT, spatial web and extended reality. The visit would be fascinating to students who are interested in the field of computational social science and eager in pursuing their careers in the new technology incubator.

During the visit, students had the opportunities to learn the principles and strengths of metaverse technologies, AI and 3D capabilities, as well as to watch the real-time demonstration of the AI and 3D applications, including the creation of avatars in the metaverse and virtual restoration of antiques.

You can visit below weblink for more information about XBE.

• XBE

The DSPS Capstone Student Team (Roche Project Team) consisting of Mr. Lucas Law, Mr. Yves Lee, Ms. Miky Fu, and Mr. Justin Ng, led by Dr. Kelvin Lo, Professor Wilson Wong, and Mr. Tony Wong will present their project findings in the Synthetic Healthcare Data Conference (Privacy, Algorithm, and Application in Hong Kong). In the conference, the student team will present the key findings of their systematic review on privacy issues related to synthetic data in healthcare.

The Synthetic Healthcare Data Conference would be organized on 8 December 2022, and co-hosted by our Programme, Artificial Intelligence Society of Hong Kong and Roche. Artificial Intelligence Society of Hong Kong devoted to the further development and adoption of AI technologies in Hong Kong. In the meantime, Roche as a worldwide biotech company commits to deliver the best personalized healthcare.

To provide personalized healthcare tailored to unique genetic profile and care needs of individuals, the effort on resolving the central dilemma between data sharing advancements and patient privacy preservation is inevitable. Synthetic data has the potential to maintain the value of data sharing without compromising the privacy of individuals. Experts from the industry, academia and an innovation ecosystem orchestrator will gather and share perspectives on synthetic data.

Details are as follows:

To learn more about Artificial Intelligence Society of Hong Kong, Roche and the event, please see the links below:

• Artificial Intelligence Society of Hong Kong
• Roche
• Event details

During 27~30 June 2023, a group of DSPS students and teachers visited several centers and labs in Taipei, to learn about data-informed applications in urban design and product development, including

• Taiwan Design Research Institute (TDRI)
• Taipei Urban Intelligence Center
• City Science Lab @ Taipei Tech
• NTU Center for Artificial Intelligence and Advanced Robotics
• NTU Computer and Information Networking Center

“Each place offered unique insights into the world of technology and innovation. From smart city solutions to captivating designs and groundbreaking research on VR/AR, social robotics, and explainable AI, I gained valuable knowledge and inspiration for the future.”
– Dr Alex Kwok, DSPS Lecturer

DSPS Programme was the first undergraduate programme in Hong Kong and one of the few in the world to integrate data science with policy studies. DSPS not only offers a comprehensive and balanced curriculum on fundamental aspects of data, statistical and machine learning knowledge, policy design and analytics techniques, it also equips students with hands-on experience with data science software and visualization tools. To further enhance interdisciplinarity of the Programme, a new DSPS curriculum is to be launched in 2023-24.

Under the new DSPS curriculum, students are allowed greater flexibility in designing their own specialization based on the interdisciplinary elective courses taken and also their experiences gained in capstone project and internship. At the same time, more up-to-date DSPS Courses are to be offered from 2023-24 in response to the diverse development in the related subject areas.

Welcome Future Data Scientists and Policy Makers!

Are you ready to embark on a journey where data meets policy-making? Join our Data Science and Policy Studies (DSPS) Programme and become part of a community that’s shaping the future!

Our current students are already making waves with their capstone projects. Check out what they’re working on:

1. “Exploring Attitudes, Facilitators and Barriers towards ICT Adoption Among Senior Adults in Hong Kong” – Delving into the digital world to empower our seniors.
2. “Exploring Facilitators and Barriers of the Grey Digital Divide: A Qualitative Study” – Bridging the gap for a more inclusive digital society.
3. “The Public Perspectives on the Influence of Generative AI and the Potential Social Impacts in China – Insights from Weibo” – Unpacking the buzz around AI through the lens of social media.
4. “Analysing the Perceptions of Generative AI from the LIHKG Forum” – Understanding community viewpoints on AI’s transformative role.
5. “Influencing Awareness of College Students on AI Ethical Issues: Use VR as an Educational Tool” – Raising ethical AI awareness with cutting-edge VR technology.
6. “The Nexus of ESG Performance, Enterprise Size, and Green Innovation in Chinese Listed Companies: An Empirical Analysis” – Understanding the relationship between green innovation and enterprise development.  
7. “Examining the Influence of Green Incentives on Electric Vehicle Adoption Levels in Hong Kong” – Using green nudge to enhance electric car adoption.  

Join us and be at the forefront of innovation and policy-making. Let’s harness the power of data together for a better tomorrow!✨ Let’s make a difference, one dataset at a time! Feel free to reach us at dsps@cuhk.edu.hk directly for questions.