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HKU study reveals city's socially deprived exposed to more polluted air
An interdisciplinary research conducted by the HKU-Cambridge Clean Energy and Environment Research Platform (HKU-Cambridge CEERP) revealed that there is a statistically significant, positive relationship between ambient PM2.5 concentration and the Social Deprivation Index (SDI) in Hong Kong. The findings revealed the existence of air pollution-induced environmental injustice at the constituency area level in the territory. Professor Victor Li On-kwok, HKU Chair of Information Engineering and director of the platform said the findings confirmed quantitatively that those who were down and out were being affected by unhealthy air compared with those in better-off neighbourhoods. The platform’s co-director Dr Jacqueline Lam Chi-kei said the study highlighted the need for the city to develop more integrated, human-centric, location-based and justice-based environmental policies.
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HKU Faculty of Engineering organizes “Ultraviolet Radiation Measurement and Application Design Competition” together with Hong Kong Observatory and Hong Kong Meteorological Society for over 350 primary and secondary school students
Small amounts of ultra-violet (UV) radiation are beneficial to people and are essential in the production of vitamin D. However, excessive exposure to UV radiation may result in acute and chronic health effects on the skin, eye and immune system. The potential harm that overexposure to UV may bring should not be underestimated. Supported by the HKU Knowledge Exchange Fund, HKU Faculty of Engineering, Hong Kong Observatory and Hong Kong Meteorological Society jointly organized the “Ultraviolet Radiation Measurement and Application Design Competition” to raise public awareness on the adverse health effects associated with excessive exposure of UV and to encourage changes in behavior to reduce the exposure. Over 350 students from primary 2 to secondary 5 joined the competition. They were required to design and implement a device that could measure UV radiation and put UV radiation to good use. A series of talks, workshops and visits were organized in November and December 2017 to enhance the participants’ understanding of UV and its measurement, as well as hardware and software techniques to build UV measurement devices. An exhibition will be held in April/May 2018 to showcase the designs of the students.
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