Dr. Hon Chim Chiu (BSc 2005, PhD 2011) is an education-focused academic specialising in geography education, with extensive experience in teaching field and laboratory components. He has taught at leading universities in Hong Kong, including The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Baptist University and The University of Hong Kong. His expertise lies in geomorphology and natural hazards, with research focused on coastal sedimentology and geomorphology, Quaternary monsoon evolution, and storm impacts on urban coastlines. He served as President of the Geological Society of Hong Kong from 2022 to 2024.

His research bridges physical and human geography, informed by professional practice. Key research interests include long-term coastal changes, reconstructing past storm events from sedimentary records, monitoring dune dynamics and modelling beach profile changes. He also engages in applied work in mapping, planning, and policy, particularly regarding wartime relics, tree farm planning under environmental change and the historical development of land-use planning and law in Scotland.

Who were the key mentors or experiences that shaped your decision to pursue a career in earth sciences?

My path into academia began during my final-year undergraduate project in geoarchaeology, supervised by Dr. Sue Donoghue, an inspiring mentor who showed me how earth scientists collaborate with archaeologists, chemists, and historians. She encouraged me to pursue postgraduate study, and her dedication to both teaching and research left a lasting impression.

Later, as a postdoctoral under the supervision of Prof. Lung Chan, I had the opportunity to work at world class institutions including Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, École Normale Supérieure, and Total Energy, focusing on coral systems and sedimentary basins. These experiences gave me excellent insight into international research practices and interdisciplinary collaboration.

One highlight was contributing to a prime-time documentary on water and environment, which took me to India in 2011. A decade later, it’s still remembered—proof of how powerful science communication can reach beyond academia.

Having taught in both Hong Kong and the UK, what similarities and differences have you noticed in how earth sciences are taught and learned? 

Having taught in both Hong Kong and the UK, I see far more similarities than differences in how earth sciences are taught and learned. Students everywhere are drawn to the subject by a love of nature, curiosity about how the Earth works, and a desire to understand our place in the world—often sparked by school-level geography, which is widely available and popular.

I often wonder: are we doing enough to support students who want to dive into science earlier? I’d encourage alumni to reach out to schools and support geography teachers—they’re key to inspiring the next generation.

At university, we face constant balancing acts: what to teach, what students want to learn, and what’s feasible within constraints. Ideally, we’d offer every possible pathway. Looking back, I’m grateful for my time at HKU, where inspiring teachers opened doors to diverse careers—academia, industry, education—and helped shape a positive vision of professional life.

The teaching culture I experienced there—characterised by passion, clarity, and strong mentorship—is very much alive at St Andrews.