News

RS Inauguration Ceremony 2021/22

RS Inauguration Ceremony 2021/22 The Inauguration Ceremony 2021/22 of RS was held on 25 August 2021 to welcome the approach of a new academic year with a new cohort of physiotherapy (PT) and occupational therapy (OT) students. Similar to our practice last year, the inauguration ceremony this year had to be held online due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Still around 320 participants, including guests, RS staff and students, joined the event to share the excitement in kicking off a new academic year. The ceremony began with the opening address by Prof. Hector Tsang (Cally Kwong Mei Wan Professor in Psychosocial Health, Chair Professor of Rehabilitation Sciences and Head of RS). He said although last year had not been easy for any of us due to the continuous spread of Covid-19 and its new variants, we were fortunate enough to have the opportunity to learn from tough times, and had indeed achieved notable success and breakthroughs in the aspects of teaching and learning, research and creation of knowledge, and community services. He was happy that we were ranked the top two positions among all academic departments in PolyU in terms of our performance on teaching and learning, as obviously reflected by the continually outstanding admission DSE scores of our PT and OT students as well as the numerous scholarships and awards they had won during their study at RS. Prof. Tsang also gave words of encouragement to the freshmen and reminded them to make the most of their learning opportunities in the coming four years, especially opportunities of local and overseas placements and exchanges.   Prof. Tsang’s encouraging opening address was followed by an informative speech by our officiating guest Dr Cissy Choi (Head, Primary Healthcare Office, Food and Health Bureau, The Government of the HKSAR). Dr Choi mentioned the recent developments of primary healthcare services in Hong Kong and affirmed the important roles played by physiotherapists and occupational therapists in primary healthcare.   Afterwards, there was the announcement and presentation of a series of awards and scholarships to our distinguished students, as well as the Outstanding Teaching Award 2020/21 to our colleague Mr Alexander Woo (Senior Clinical Associate) by our guest Miss Cally Kwong (Donor of Cally Kwong Mei Wan Psychosocial Health Endowed Professorship). After taking group photos, Prof. Hector Tsang drew the ceremony to a close with a few final remarks and a vote of thanks to the guests and all participants.

Elite Occupational Therapist Taster Programme (EOTTP) 2021

Elite Occupational Therapist Taster Programme (EOTTP) 2021 Occupational Therapy Student Ambassador (OTSA) was established in 2014, and this year marks its 7th anniversary. OTSA aims to promote OT profession to the general public through various activities. With secondary school students being one of the major promotional targets, RS of PolyU joined hands with OTSA again in organising the Elite Occupational Therapist Taster Programme (EOTTP) for students’ early exposure to the OT profession.   The 4th EOTTP was successfully held at PolyU on 10 August 2021 and attended by nearly 100 passionate participants from around 50 elite secondary schools in Hong Kong. It was our honour to have invited Prof. Hector Tsang (Cally Kwong Mei Wan Professor in Psychosocial Health, Chair Professor of Rehabilitation Sciences and Head of RS) to give an inspiring opening speech, which marked the start of the event. In order to provide the participants with a holistic perspective of the roles of occupational therapists, we prepared an array of activities, including a theory-learning class, a splinting workshop, and visits to teaching laboratories and the Rehabilitation Clinic. Thanks to the generous support from RS faculties, the participants were able to have a comprehensive understanding of the OT profession including OT theories and practices. After the opening ceremony, Mr Tony Wong (Clinical Associate) taught the theory-learning class in which he lectured on OT theories, concepts and models. In the group study session that followed, participants tried to conduct simple case analyses by applying their newly learnt theories and models, so as to experience briefly the process of assessing patients. The splinting workshop was conducted by Ms Josephine Wong (Senior Clinical Associate), Ms Bonnie Jim (Clinical Associate), Mr Kin-Chung Tang (Clinical Associate) and Mr Tony Wong. The four clinical associates demonstrated to the participants the steps of making hand splints, and instructed them to make a protective mallet finger splint by themselves. During the teaching lab tour, participants had a chance to visit the state-of-the-art teaching facilities, thereby deepening their understanding of various types of OT specialties. The visit to the Rehabilitation Clinic was led by Mr Johnny Lam (Clinical Associate), in which participants had a glance at the environment where occupational therapists worked and their different treatment media. Through this successful one-day programme, it is anticipated that the secondary school students could gain a better insight into the OT expertise and our OT undergraduate programme. Meanwhile, the service period of the 7th OTSA has come to an end. We would like to express our heartfelt gratitude to everyone who has supported us over the past year. Please stay tuned for the coming OTSA events!

PolyU Physiotherapy Summer Programme 2021

PolyU Physiotherapy Summer Programme 2021 The PolyU Physiotherapy Summer Programme 2021 was held successfully on 26 July 2021 and attended by over 100 secondary four and five students from local elite secondary schools. The programme aims to provide secondary school students with an authentic experience of being a physiotherapy (PT) student at PolyU. To kick off the PT Summer Programme 2021, Prof. Shamay Ng (Associate Head of RS) and Dr Shirley Ngai (Programme Leader of the BSc [Hons] in PT programme) welcomed the participants and introduced the programme. After an icebreaking game led by our current students, the participants started to go through the informative and intriguing experience of being a PT student and participated in different activities in small groups. The activities include: “Human Anatomy: Our Brain, Muscles and Skeletons” by Dr Stanley Winser (Assistant Professor [PT]) and Dr Sonata Yau (Associate Professor [PT]) “Cardiorespiratory System & Simulation Lab Demonstration” by Dr Alex Cheung (Research Assistant Professor [PT]) “Practical: Measurement of Upper Limbs Joint ROMs” by Dr Freddy Lam (Assistant Professor [PT]) “Rehab Clinic Tour: Knowing How We Treat Patients” by Mr Eugene Kwok (Clinical Associate [PT]) At the end of the programme, Mr Stanley Wu, Clinical Associate (PT) and person-in-charge of the programme, provided various types of useful information on admission requirements, interview skills and career prospects in the Q&A session. The participants enjoyed their one-day experience of studying PT. They reflected that they knew more about what and how they would learn in the PT programme now and that the Summer Programme had enhanced their interest in studying PT at PolyU, as they were impressed by everything around them that day, including nice helpers, kind professors and a great university.

Year-4 PT student Michael Ng won and broke Hong Kong swimming record at Hong Kong Short Course Time Trial I

Year-4 PT student Michael Ng won and broke Hong Kong swimming record at Hong Kong Short Course Time Trial I Ng Michael Yu Hin, a year-4 PT student, won and broke a Hong Kong record set by himself in the men’s 200m breaststroke event at the Hong Kong Short Course Time Trial I, held at Hong Kong Sports Institute on 11 July 2021. Michael’s new Hong Kong record now stands at two minutes and 09.14 seconds. We are proud of Michael’s achievement. His dedication to pursue his passion for physiotherapy and swimming also sets a good example for his fellow students. He would like to share below his experience of striking a balance between being a university student and a swimmer who competes internationally for Hong Kong:   “‘It always seems impossible until it’s done.’ This has been my motto since I entered university. When people around me knew I was going to study physiotherapy at PolyU, they started to ask whether I was about to quit swimming. But here I am, breaking my personal best again. Now, when people ask me how I manage my time and the pressure from the two aspects, I will tell them, ‘Be the best you could every day and think less, do more.’ It is always hard to accomplish something no one has done before since there will be a lot of doubts coming along. You must really trust yourself and believe the hard work you are doing every day will bring success. Constantly grinding is exhausting but is the fundamental of achieving something you badly desire. So, just hold on to your belief with confidence and perseverance, and you will reach your target soon!” Michael is currently receiving practical training at a private clinic in Central before finishing his study at PolyU. We hope he will continue to excel in swimming and his career as a physiotherapist.

Six RS faculty members succeed in obtaining allocations from RGC GRF 2021/22

Six RS faculty members succeed in obtaining allocations from RGC GRF 2021/22 Over the years, academics and researchers at RS have spared no effort in achieving excellence in research in related disciplines. To support their impactful and translational research, they have made strenuous efforts to secure internal funding at the department, faculty and university levels as well as acquire external funding support such as that from the RGC General Research Fund (GRF), the RGC Early Career Scheme (ECS), and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC). This year RS has done very well in the highly competitive RGC GRF 2021/22 exercise. Out of the sixteen applications we submitted, six are funded, reflecting a success rate of 37.5%. This is the highest success rate among all of the five schools/departments in the Faculty of Health and Social Sciences. Congratulations to the six faculty members who have made a successful GRF application this year (please refer to the table below for more details). We are also grateful to all the colleagues who have rendered assistance in the process. Let us keep up the good work and achieve even better results next year. Principal Investigator Funded Research Project Prof. Marco PANG Using functional near-infrared spectroscopy to study the changes in brain activity during dual-task walking and the effects of structured cognitive-motor exercise in individuals with stroke Prof. Hector TSANG Unpacking the “mind” and “body” pathways of the antidepressant effect of qigong in older adults with chronic diseases Dr Benson LAU Light for major depression: Potential effect of photobiomodulation on neurogenesis and depression-like behavior by low-energy laser irradiation Dr Sai Kam HUI Neuroarchitectural recovery model of post-stroke patients Dr Thomson WONG The effects of attentional focus instructions on real-time conscious movement processing while walking in a challenging environment for older adults at risk of falling in Hong Kong: Implications for rehabilitation Dr Sunny CHAN Neurobiological mechanisms underlying the effects of mindfulness-based intervention and Tai Chi Chuan on sleep disturbance in older people

Four RS scholars have been ranked among top 2% of scientists in the world

Four RS scholars have been ranked among top 2% of scientists in the world We are excited to share the great news that five RS scholars (listed below) have been ranked among the world’s top 2% most-cited scientists. They were named, along with other 158 PolyU scholars, in the “Updated science-wide author databases of standardised citation indicators”, compiled by Stanford University. To group and rank top scientists across the world, the Stanford research team used an array of standardised citation indicators including information on citations, an individual’s scientific research output, co-authorship and a composite indicator for career-long citation impact up to the end of 2019. Congratulations to these four scholars whose determined efforts to conduct high-impact research have earned them global recognition they deserve!  Name of Scholars Subject Field Professor Gabriel Ng Rehabilitation Professor Marco Pang Rehabilitation Professor Hector Tsang Psychiatry Professor Benjamin Yee Neurology and neurosurgery  

Prof. Hector Tsang has obtained funding from Lee Hysan Foundation to support a project for promoting teachers’ wellness

Prof. Hector Tsang has obtained funding from Lee Hysan Foundation to support a project for promoting teachers’ wellness We are delighted to share the good news that Prof. Hector Tsang (Cally Kwong Mei Wan Professor in Psychosocial Health, Chair Professor of Rehabilitation Sciences and Head of RS) has succeeded in acquiring funding from Lee Hysan Foundation to support a 2-year project titled “Teachers Wellness MED Program”. Heavy teaching and administrative workloads, education reforms, preparation for peer observation or external school reviews, pursuit of further education etc have imposed a great burden on teachers that could adversely affect their physical and mental health, and consequently their work performance. On the other hand, appropriate support and help from schools and the government is limited. There is an urgent need to develop a holistic health programme to help improve teachers’ physical and mental wellbeing. As a matter of fact, the challenges and stress that teachers face at different stages of life and career development are varied, resulting in various levels of physical and mental health problems. In view of this, Prof. Tsang and his team aim to use a life-span approach to provide holistic and sustainable care to teachers. The Teachers Wellness MED Program (with “MED” standing for “mental health, exercise, and diet”) will be tailor-made to meet teachers’ various needs at different life and career development stages. The programme is “holistic” in the sense that it embraces three aspects, namely psychosocial wellness, nutrition, and physical health. Because of the involvement of diet, Prof. Wong Man-sau, an expert in nutrition from the Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology, PolyU, has been invited to serve as a co-investigator of this project. Each of the above three aspects will involve onsite and online means, such as onsite stress management skill labs, onsite nutrition talks, onsite exercise workshops, reflective journal, nutrition knowledge booklets, exercise video clips, peer support group, online FAQ/support such as Facebook page and Instagram account, etc.

OT & PT undergraduates receive Innovation and Technology Scholarship 2020 & 2021

OT & PT undergraduates receive Innovation and Technology Scholarship 2020 & 2021   Four students from our BSc in Occupational Therapy and BSc in Physiotherapy programmes have been awarded the Innovation and Technology Scholarship 2020 & 2021. At the award presentation ceremony held at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre on 23 June 2021, the Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Mrs Carrie Lam, presented the certificates to them and other awardees. Prof. Timothy Tong, PolyU former President, also attended the ceremony and took photos with the PolyU awardees. The highly competitive Scholarship, jointly supported and sponsored by the Innovation and Technology Commission and HSBC, and organised by The Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups, selects 25 local undergraduates with enthusiasm in innovation and technology (I&T) from all UGC-funded universities every year. Each of them is awarded a scholarship of up to $150,000 with a full slate of support for acquiring cross-cultural experience. The aim is to help them explore their I&T potentials for pursuing a career in the field and contributing to Hong Kong’s I&T development, thereby reinforcing the city’s status as an international I&T hub. Let us give a round of applause to the four awardees (listed below) and the Scholarship Coordinators, Dr Yvonne Han (Associate Professor) and Dr Fadi Al Zoubi (Assistant Professor)!   2020 awardees: Chow Tsz Ching, Erina (OT) Tse Lok Yung, Alison (PT) 2021 awardees: Cheung Yin Chi, Meryl (OT) Ng Chit Yui, Jeffrey (PT)

7th Online Elite Alumni Seminar

RS elite alumni shared their success stories online The 7th Elite Alumni Seminar of the Department of Rehabilitation Sciences (RS) was successfully held online on 16 June 2021, during which two elite alumni were invited to share their success stories and precious work experiences with around 100 alumni, students and faculty members of the department. The event was graced by the presence of Prof. Wong Wing-tak, Deputy President and Provost of PolyU, who delivered an opening speech to welcome all guests and attendees and affirm the significance of the Elite Alumni Seminar series held regularly by RS. Prof. Wong’s speech was followed by the presentations of two guest speakers and elite alumni, Dr Raymond So and Dr Serena Ng. Dr Raymond So is a graduate from our physiotherapy programme and is now Director of Elite Training Science and Technology of the Hong Kong Sports Institute (HKSI). Dr So has been actively involved in research on sports training and sports medicine for many years. His major responsibilities in HKSI are to provide sports science, sports medicine and sports technology supports to coaches, assist in formulating suitable training programmes for athletes, and introduce innovative ideas to the abovementioned areas so as to systematically improve the performance of Hong Kong elite athletes. In his presentation, Dr So talked on the development of sports science and sports medicine support to the training of Hong Kong elite athletes. Dr Serena Ng graduated from our occupational therapy programme and is currently Centre Head of the Community Rehab Service Support Centre of the Hospital Authority. Her work focuses on driver rehabilitation, sexual counselling and rehabilitation, and advanced assistive technology for the disabled. All along, Dr Ng has impressed her colleagues with her foresight and sense of innovation in the application of evidence-based advanced technology in her department. She shared in her presentation about the experience of building a centre for knowledge translation and technology transfer in the Hospital Authority. After their presentations, the guest speakers engaged in active interactions with the attendees during the Q&A session. At the end of the event, Prof. Hector Tsang (Cally Kwong Mei Wan Professor in Psychosocial Health, Chair Professor of Rehabilitation Sciences and Head of RS) expressed his sincere thanks to Prof. Wong Wing-tak, Dr Raymond So and Dr Serena Ng. He believed that the two elite alumni’s sharing would help broaden the horizons of RS students, and looked forward to the next Elite Alumni Seminar in the near future.  

RS PhD student Bingbing Zhang received Eurasia-Pacific Ernst Mach Scholarship

RS PhD student Bingbing Zhang received Eurasia-Pacific Ernst Mach Scholarship   Ms Bingbing Zhang, RS PhD student under the supervision of Dr Georg Kranz (Research Assistant Professor of RS), has been recently awarded the Ernst Mach Grant, Eurasia-Pacific Uninet. The scholarship is offered by OeAD, Austria’s Agency for Education and Internationalisation. With this scholarship of HK$68,500, Ms Zhang will be able to conduct research in Austria for six months. She will work at the Neuroimaging Labs (http://meduniwien.ac.at/neuroimaging/) at the Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical University of Vienna.