Sun Kexin, a 2015 graduate of UIC's Environmental Science (ENVS) Programme, assisted the organisation of a forum session of the 15th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP-15) on the Convention on Biological Diversity held in southwest China's Kunming city.

Sun Kexin in COP15

Kexin received further education at Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) and obtained a master's degree in Environmental Science and Management. After that, she has been working at the Southern China Institute of Environmental Studies (SCIES). At COP-15, Sun Kexin worked in a team that organised the forum themed on ecology in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.

At UIC, Kexin learned about different aspects of biodiversity at Whole Person Education (WPE) courses and summer programmes. These experiences led to her currently working for ecological and environmental protection.

Learning about biodiversity in class

The Environmental Science Programme of UIC has launched a free elective course, Biodiversity and Extinction Crisis. It aims to discuss biodiversity's impacts on human beings and sustainable development from five perspectives: economy, culture, psychology, healthcare and environmental development. Students will hypothesise about species extinctions, analysing and giving solutions to the problems.

A discussion of biodiversity's impacts on human beings and sustainable development in class

In addition, ENVS Programme also offers other courses in biodiversity, including Diversity of Life and Laboratory, Conservation Ecology, The Ecology and Bioconservation in China, Practical Biodiversity Conservation, etc.

The WPE Environmental Awareness courses aim to raise students' awareness of species conservation. The curriculum includes biodiversity conservation, providing students opportunities to access nature.

Students in Environmental Awareness courses

Since 2018, UIC staff and students have researched biodiversity near the campus and summarised the results into UIC Nature Observation Photo Guide, demonstrating the ecological environment at UIC. In addition, the WPEO-Environment and Development Centre (EDC) made a Zhuhai Ecological e-Map using the data collected by UIC students and staff. The e-map raises public concerns about the surrounding environment and biodiversity, encouraging more people to participate in surveys on species and create shared data.

UIC Nature Observation Photo Guide

Zhuhai Ecological e-Map

UICers contributing to biodiversity

Mr Cui Tenghui

ENV Graduate 2013

Cui Tenghui is a project manager in Zhuhai Bird-watching Society. In his final year at UIC, he chose to research birds as his final year project. After graduation, Cui Tenghui engaged in ecological protection and its promotion.

By joining field projects, he provides first-handed data support to environmental research projects.

Cui Tenghui participates in a bird-watching contest in Zoige, 2018

Wang Xiaomao

ENVS Graduate 2018

Wang Xiaomao started her research on Zhuhai's seagrass bed in college. Jishanqiao, located in Tangjia, is the only known area on the west bank of Pearl River estuary where the tropical seagrass bed of Halophila beccarii Asch grows, considered internationally endangered. Wang Xiaomao and her classmates cooperated to preserve the seagrass bed from being destroyed by an artificial beach restoration project. After graduating from UIC, Wang Xiaomao took a dual master's degree in ecology and evolutionary biology and natural resources and environment at the University of Michigan.

Wang Xiaomao works in the Centre for Integrative Conservation at the Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden (XTBG), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Yunnan.

Wang Xiaomao (Right) and Associate Professor and Programme Director of ENVS Dr Tsim Siu-tai studying the seagrass bed

Dr Tsim Siu-tai

Associate Professor and Programme Director of ENVS

Dr Tsim is concerned about the impact of urban development on biodiversity. He suggests adhering to environmental protection in daily life, such as consuming more sustainable products.

Dr Tsim believes that education on environmental conservation is significant to solve ecological problems and realise sustainable economic and social development. With this mindset, he expects more students to take action to protect biodiversity.

Ms Li Fanghua

Instructor of WPEO-Environment and Development Centre

Ms Li Fanghua says that biodiversity is a concept for researchers, and sometimes people might feel distant hearing it. In her classes, Ms Li leads students to think about how they can act to conserve biodiversity. She also hopes that the general public can learn about biodiversity in various ways.

Zhang Hui

ENVS Graduate 2015

According to Zhang Hui, who currently works at the Hengqin Urban Planning & Construction Bureau, people should develop habits of consuming lower energy, which is significant to biodiversity. Biodiversity is not something that's very far from us human beings. She thinks that encouraging people to choose a lower carbon-consumption lifestyle is more realistic than asking people to participate in environmental protection projects.

From MPRO

Reporter: Du Jiewen

Editors: Deen He, Covee Wang