Exploring Career Aspirations - Finding your Passion and Career Planning
How do we tie our passion to our career aspirations? Hear from TEDx speaker and seasoned trainer, Mr. Gary Lo, who will share his insights on how to plan our career to achieve our long-term goals, at our upcoming Virtual Community Event on May 21.
Event Details:
Date: May 21, 2021 (Friday)
Time: 19:00 – 20:00 (HKT) / 20:00 – 21:00 (JST/KST)
Participants: Bai Xian Community
Mr. Gary LO
Managing Director and Principal Instructor of Glo Consulting
Mr. Gary Lo is the Managing Director and Principal Instructor of Glo Consulting. He is a TEDx Speaker and seasoned trainer with extensive corporate experience. He spent most of his career working at some of the most admired Fortune 500 companies including LVMH, Apple Inc., Unilever, GlaxoSmithKline and Nestle, with a scope covering the Greater China & APAC region. He was the former Head of Marketing & Admissions for the HKUST MBA Programs, and now serves as a Guest Lecturer for the HKU SPACE Institute for China Business and Nielsen University. He is a high impact presentation winner and has made over 1,000 public speeches in 30 different cities, and is also an Udemy Online Course Instructor with 50,000+ students globally.
Various top-tier corporates have invited him as an instructor, including J.P. Morgan, BlackRock, UBS, Google, Microsoft, Chanel, Bulgari, Intercontinental Hotels Group, L’Oreal, Johnson & Johnson, Bayer, Walmart, FedEx, Prudential, AIA etc. Gary holds an MBA degree from the HKUST Business School and also a Mastering Design Thinking Certificate from the MIT Sloan School of Management.
Gary’s TEDx Speech
The views, information, or opinions expressed by speakers during BXAI’s Virtual Community Events (the “Events”) are solely those of the individuals involved and do not necessarily reflect the position or policies of BXAI.
Presentations at the Events do not constitute an endorsement of the individuals’ views, information or opinions. BXAI does not make any warranty, express or implied, and BXAI specifically disclaims any legal liability and responsibility for the accuracy, completeness or usefulness of any information presented at the Events.
Any recorded videos of the Events are available for private, non-commercial use only. Advertising which is incorporated into, placed in association with, or targeted towards the content of any of BXAI’s virtual events, without the express approval and knowledge of BXAI, is forbidden. You are not allowed to edit, modify, or redistribute the recorded videos of BXAI’s Virtual Community Events without prior written consent of BXAI.
- Log in to the Zoom meeting at least 5 to 15 minutes before the start of the session.
- Be patient while waiting for approval to access the Zoom meeting room.
- Enter your login name as follows: Your full name + university/institute (E.g. Chen Dawen – Waseda University)
- Ensure you will not be interrupted or disturbed during the session.
- Minimize background noise if/when you are invited to speak during the session (preferably through the use of an earphone mic).
- Dress respectably and appropriately if you turn on your camera during the session.
- Be respectful and patient for the duration of the session.
Bai Xian Project Award: Great Tips from BX People
Ms. Jean Sung
Board and Executive Committee Member of BXAI
“It’s an opportunity to reimagine what education could look like for young people, and how future education can stimulate mind growth,” says Ms. Jean Sung, as she shares with us her thoughts on the new Bai Xian Project Award. In terms of finding a project area to focus on, Jean encourages participants to identify topical issues that spark their interest, challenge them, and promote better education. “The most important is to be honest with yourself. Chase your own goals, what you like more, and what you would like to get up to. If you like what you do, you’ll be excited to get going every morning!”
Prof. Takanori Kitamura
Board and Executive Committee Member of BXAI
When starting a project, “it’s very important to find like-minded teammates who share the same vision and objective, identify a starting point, and set achievable goals,” says Prof. Takanori Kitamura, who also suggests tapping into the BX network and its existing resources as a good jumping-off point for those interested in participating in the Bai Xian Project Award. To get your creative juices flowing, some initial ideas put forward by Prof. Kitamura include setting up English learning platforms with local high school students as a way to promote intercultural exchange, and exploring the challenges and opportunities in tourism in the post-pandemic era. We hope this offers you a spark of inspiration!
Ms. Yvette Yeh Fung
Board and Executive Committee Member of BXAI
Thinking about applying for the new Bai Xian Project Award? Ms. Yvette Yeh Fung advises participants to spend “A LOT of time” understanding their beneficiaries and stakeholders when initiating a new project, while also considering sustainability and their end goal. Some of Yvette’s project ideas include developing innovative solutions to benefit the elderly and designing an effective virtual platform for intercultural exchange (beyond Zoom). Most importantly, “be open-minded, transparent, and don’t be afraid of failure,” she says. “Learn from your experiences and success will come.”
About the Bai Xian Project Award
The Bai Xian Project Award is designed to support Bai Xian Scholars and Alumni in kick starting short-term projects across the areas of social innovation, intercultural exchange, and East Asia research. Apply by May 31, 2021 and take the first step in realizing your vision for change!
Steven YANG
Steven Yang
Bai Xian Scholar from Singapore, 2019 cohort
Candidate for master’s degree in philosophy and religion
Yenching Academy of Peking University
“The valuable opportunities afforded me by the AFLSP, such as the chance to co-lead a webinar with a fellow scholar, have showed me that every effort counts, no matter how small it may seem, and can help build bridges and bring us one step closer to a harmonious future. Being a Bai Xian Scholar has been an incredible learning experience that has equipped and empowered me to boldly forge ahead with my goals and aspirations.”
Meet a Changemaker: Mr. Kyle Obermann
Do you dream of putting your passion to work and making a difference in the world? Meet Kyle Obermann, an American conservation photographer and writer based in Chengdu, China, whose career/adventure began in 2014 when he started capturing beautiful scenes of nature in China and sharing his photographs with the world. His work today documents the evolution of China’s nature reserves, national parks, and grassroots environmental groups. In this session, you will hear about how Kyle pursued his passions for environmental conservation and photography, and the different obstacles and challenges he faced along the way.
Event Details:
Date: April 30, 2021 (Friday)
Time: 19:00 – 20:00 (HKT) / 20:00 – 21:00 (JST/KST)
Participants: Bai Xian Community
Mr. Kyle OBERMANN
Conservation Photographer
Kyle Obermann is an award-winning conservation photographer and writer based in Chengdu, China. Fluent in Mandarin, his work documents the evolution of China’s nature reserves, national parks, and grassroots environmental groups. He has worked with National Geographic, The Nature Conservancy, Conservation International, BBC, and Chinese National Geography. He was runner up for Adventure Photographer of the Year and Exploration of the Year in China in 2018 and 2019 as well as honored with an Outstanding Alumni Award by Peking University. He is the founder of Explore to Conserve, a movement dedicated to connecting China’s outdoor industry and environmental movement, and member of the International League of Conservation Photographers, Explorers Club, and conservation ambassador for Key Conservation and The North Face in China. In his spare time, he devours Sichuan food, attempts hip-hop, rants about going green on Chinese TV talk-shows, and delights his legs in ultra-marathons.
The views, information, or opinions expressed by speakers during BXAI’s Virtual Community Events (the “Events”) are solely those of the individuals involved and do not necessarily reflect the position or policies of BXAI.
Presentations at the Events do not constitute an endorsement of the individuals’ views, information or opinions. BXAI does not make any warranty, express or implied, and BXAI specifically disclaims any legal liability and responsibility for the accuracy, completeness or usefulness of any information presented at the Events.
Any recorded videos of the Events are available for private, non-commercial use only. Advertising which is incorporated into, placed in association with, or targeted towards the content of any of BXAI’s virtual events, without the express approval and knowledge of BXAI, is forbidden. You are not allowed to edit, modify, or redistribute the recorded videos of BXAI’s Virtual Community Events without prior written consent of BXAI.
- Log in to the Zoom meeting at least 5 to 15 minutes before the start of the session.
- Be patient while waiting for approval to access the Zoom meeting room.
- Enter your login name as follows: Your full name + university/institute (E.g. Chen Dawen – Waseda University)
- Ensure you will not be interrupted or disturbed during the session.
- Minimize background noise if/when you are invited to speak during the session (preferably through the use of an earphone mic).
- Dress respectably and appropriately if you turn on your camera during the session.
- Be respectful and patient for the duration of the session.
DAI Wei (David)
Dai Wei (David)
Bai Xian Scholar, 2019 cohort; candidate for MBA, Hitotsubashi University (ICS).
The opportunity to study abroad through the AFLSP has not only allowed David to discover the cultural intricacies that exist across East Asia, but has also transformed his perspectives on leadership, self-awareness, and mutual understanding.
David’s journey of cross-cultural learning began during his time as a product manager at an international kitchen appliance company. Responsible for overseeing the Greater China market, David was tasked to learn about the needs and demands of different consumers across the region, and realized that there were many cultural similarities between countries. This newfound understanding sparked an interest in him to learn more about East Asian cultures, which, combined with his career ambitions, led him to pursue an MBA in Japan with the AFLSP. “I have always strived to improve myself by stepping outside my comfort zone, and so I was naturally attracted to BXAI and its mission to provide intercultural opportunities for the next generation of leaders,” he says.
As he wraps up his second year of study, David reflects back on some of his biggest personal takeaways from his AFLSP experience. “Purpose alone, values alone, and vision alone aren’t enough to make a consistent and effective leader. It all starts with our worldview, which requires self-awareness,” he says, highlighting the fine line between understanding oneself and obsessing about oneself. “I used to be quite hesitant to share my opinion or lead a team, but the AFLSP has enabled me to overcome my self-doubt by not thinking less of myself, but by thinking of myself less,” says David. “This is when I truly experienced the benefits of being part of a community.” Through collaborative research projects at the end of his first year at ICS, David also learned that empathy is an important component of leadership. “As a leader, you must make the choice to listen to and care about the people around you,” he muses. “As I explored topics of East Asian politics, economics, finance, education, and media alongside fellow scholars, it was easy to see that a lack of empathy between people caused all kinds of macro-level problems.”
Studying in the midst of the pandemic, David is grateful for the valuable opportunities he has had to participate in numerous online events, network, and engage with influential leaders and experts. He looks forward to attending a short exchange program at Seoul National University before graduation, and believes his cross-cultural experiences will prepare him well for a rewarding career as an APAC-focused product manager in the near future.
A Good Read by Prof. Uchida Katsuichi
University Strategies in the Age of Uncertainty: Globalization of Japanese Society and the Roles of Universities
by Prof. Uchida Katsuichi, President of BXAI
Comprising nine chapters, this book discusses strategies for the development of universities within the context of contemporary Japanese society, which has witnessed three major trends:
1. Explosion of world population and decrease in population of Japan
The world population will rise from 7.7 to 9.7 billion by 2050, while Japan’s population will drop from 126 to 100 million due to a continued decrease in birth rate.
2. Globalization of Japanese society
The proportion of foreigners in Japan is growing and will soon account for over 10% of its overall population – a phenomenon known as internal globalization. As Japan evolves into a more multicultural and multiracial nation, the harmonious coexistence of people from different cultures and backgrounds will become increasingly important.
3. Rapid development of science and technology
Contemporary society is characterized by artificial intelligence, robotics, the Internet of Things, biochemical engineering, gene recombination, genetic engineering, and information technology, and while the development of science and technology should be encouraged, it is also critical to ensure adequate regulation to avoid abuse and exploitation.
The effects and consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic on contemporary society are also discussed.
Based on how Japanese society is evolving in “an age of uncertainty”, Prof. Uchida examines various university strategies across topics of education and research:
- Development stages and different types of universities
- National importance of science and technology advancement
- Importance of developing higher education in national language
- Intense global competition among universities in terms of research and education
- Academic mobility of students and researchers beyond national border
- English as a common university language
- Internationalization and globalization of university
- Importance of liberal arts education
- Legal study as liberal arts
- Governance and finance of globalized universities
- University and society after the COVID-19 pandemic
PHAM, Thi Thuy Duong
PHAM, Thi Thuy Duong
Bai Xian Scholar from Vietnam, 2019 cohort
Candidate for master’s degree in politics and international relations
Yenching Academy of Peking University
“Thanks to the AFLSP, my interests in reconciliation of post-conflict Asian societies and enhancing collaboration between Asian countries have evolved into concrete academic works. In addition to having the chance to conduct my own research and connect with like-minded scholars, I am most grateful for the opportunity to organize virtual events alongside fellow Bai Xian Scholars where we are able to openly discuss important Asia-related topics.”
The Bai Xian Project Award is Now Open for Application!
Do you envision yourself as a future changemaker? Don’t miss this opportunity to bring your ideas to life! Apply to the new Bai Xian Project Award for a chance to receive funding of up to USD 4000 to kickstart your project. BX Scholars and Alumni are encouraged to work together in teams and develop ideas for short-term projects related to one of our designated project areas.
Apply by May 31, 2021 and realize your vision for change!
Announcement: BXAI Summer Program 2021
The health and safety of our scholars remain our top priorities, and with continued uncertainties caused by the ongoing pandemic, BXAI has decided to host the 2021 Summer Program virtually from August 6 to 15. We look forward to offering scholars a fun, interactive, and unique online Summer Program experience, with many valuable opportunities to broaden perspectives, take part in meaningful, cross-cultural dialogues, and build community. Stay tuned for more details on our 2021 virtual Summer Program!
Tina RUAN
Tina Ruan
Bai Xian Scholar from China, 2019 cohort
Candidate for MBA, Hitotsubashi University ICS
“I deeply treasure the opportunities I have had, through Bai Xian’s virtual events and my MBA program, to collaborate with people from a wide range of cultural backgrounds. These experiences showed me that the commonalities we share as human beings far exceed our perceived culture gaps – a newfound awareness that has inspired me as I contemplate my future role as a bridge between Japan and China.”