XUE Weiqi
ZENG Qian (left) and XUE Weiqi (right)
BX Alumnus Xue Weiqi is currently a PhD candidate at The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST). His company, INNOWAT Limited, was set up last year to help wastewater treatment plants produce sulfated polysaccharides (a valuable and widely used industrial feedstock) so that they can generate profit and reduce pollution at the same time. “Creating economic profit to compensate for operational costs during wastewater treatment is promising and important, especially for developing countries. The saved money can be used for the extension and upgradation of plants to improve the water quality,” explains Weiqi.
Through his AFLSP experience, Weiqi not only earned a degree in environmental engineering but also gained a broader perspective of water pollution issues in East Asia. “I think more cross-border collaboration and efforts are needed to control the problem in an economical way. Sacrificing our environment to achieve economic development is not sustainable,” he says.
Since early this year, Weiqi, along with his business partner and COO, Zeng Qian (also an Bai Xian Scholar from HKUST), has been busy working with wastewater treatment plants in Mainland China and preparing the equipment for large-scale operations. While Weiqi develops technologies for extraction, purification, and equipment scale-up, Qian works on technologies to manage the pre- and post-treatment of sludge. “I aim to install my equipment in five plants and achieve an annual production of 2000 tons of industrial sulfated polysaccharides (equivalent to a market value of US$ 5.5 million) by 2023. My goal is to advance the wastewater treatment industry not only by developing new technology, but also by adding economic value,” says Weiqi.
Shahara ALEXANDER
Shahara Alexander is the co-founder of GrowingSmart.HK, a project that aims to raise awareness of permaculture through programs, workshops, and volunteer activities. She reflects back on how she moved from a career in IT to a more ethical lifestyle that considers its impact on the world in a positive, sustainable way.
Prof. Katsuichi UCHIDA
Uchida Katsuichi is the president of Bai Xian Asia Institute. As professor emeritus of law at Waseda University and founding dean of Waseda’s School of International Liberal Studies, Uchida discusses how the focus of his career changed course over his 40 years in academia, and why scholars should embrace change and new opportunities.
Prof. James KONDO
James Kondo is a professor at Hitotsubashi University’s Graduate School of International Corporate Strategy (ICS). Having moved from the business world into the social arena early in his career, Kondo recalls the defining moment of his career when he was advised by a mentor to pursue his passions early in order to truly make an impact.
First AFLSP Annual Meeting Held at Kyoto University
Last month, 31 Kyoto University scholars from our 2015 to 2017 cohorts participated in the university’s first AFLSP annual meeting organized by Professor ZHAO Liang, where they gave presentations on their recent academic studies, social activities, and proposals for Sustainable Development Goals to a judging panel of professors and alumni. A big congratulations to DING Yu, MENG Weijie, and WEN Tianyu, who were commended for best activities!
Many thanks to all attending faculty including Professor Katsuichi UCHIDA, Professor Tsuyoshi KATO, Professor Shinsuke KAWAZOE, Professor Masao MITSUYAMA, Professor AN Lin, and Professor HAN Liyou, who contributed their valuable time and advice to benefit our scholars.
As one of our Anchor Universities, Kyoto University has cultivated 49 AFLSP Scholars to date across its 12 graduate schools. Thanks again for your continuous support of our scholarship program!
Marine THOMAS
Marine Thomas is the conservation project manager at The Nature Conservancy in Hong Kong. She reflects back on her lifelong passion for the environment and how she decided to leave her career in fashion to pursue a job in conservation. She believes that with determination, it is never too late to follow your dreams.
Prof. Harry HARDING
Harry Harding is a university professor at the University of Virginia, and a visiting professor of social science and senior advisor to the Institute of Public Policy at The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. He shares about how his curious nature and lifelong passion for learning and communication has shaped his career path over the past 40 years, guiding him towards his work in various fields including academics, policy analysis, and university leadership.
In Memoriam
It is with great sadness that we share the news of the sudden passing of our Board Governor, Professor Zhang Junsheng 张浚生教授, on February 19, 2018.
Professor Zhang had played a key role since the Institute’s early days, generously giving his time, support, and guidance in relation to the development of the Asian Future Leaders Scholarship Program (AFLSP). He provided us with invaluable advice, especially during the planning of our first Summer Program at Zhejiang University, and was instrumental in introducing the AFLSP to Zhejiang University’s Master of Public Administration Program. As a member of BXAI’s Board of Governors, Professor Zhang was passionate about raising up Asia’s future leaders. He was actively involved in the AFLSP scholar selection process by conducting interviews with students applying to our 10 Participating Universities.
We are deeply grateful for his contribution to the Institute, and express our deepest condolences to his family. He will be sorely missed.
LIN Yu-Fang
LIN Yu-Fang, an Bai Xian Scholar at Waseda University, reflects on how the BXAI Summer Program served as an effective platform for scholars from different academic and cultural backgrounds to openly discuss social issues and develop practical and sustainable solutions together.
