On the 18th February 2014, Island School welcomed Mr. Terence Ng, a Post-doctorate Research Fellow at HKU to speak with Y12 students on his interesting and whimsical scientific research on the behavioral ecology of snails. Mr. Ng has earned many awards in his years as a research and has recently been awarded a research scholarship from The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, which will allow him to develop his research even further in Sweden.
Mr. Ng talked passionately about his childhood in a small fishing village in China, where he was able to immerse himself in the marine ecosystem around him and discover the beauty of snails, right at his doorstep. According to him, it was this early exposure to snails that allowed him to build a relationship with snails from a very young age and choose to study them in university.
Despite his parents urging him to consider other career options and telling him that studying a science subject won’t get him a job, Mr. Ng was firm in his love for biology and snails and followed his passion, coming to CUHK to study a BSc degree in Environmental Sciences and Management. Here, he was able to graduate with honors and jump straight into a PhD in Marine Biology at HKU, where he described his wonderful experiences conducting experiences and fieldwork, making friends from all over the world, teaching undergraduate students, and going to conferences in exotic places like Singapore, South Africa, and Russia. All these experiences were even more special, as he was studying a subject he truly loved.
Mr. Ng then shared the research that he has been doing these few years that had led him to win the Champion and People’s Choice Award at the Three Minute Thesis Competition (3MT) in HKU – the sex life of snails. He told us that although Darwin believed snails didn’t choose their mates, because they were less sophisticated than other mammals, he was able to prove through his research that larger female snails were more attractive to larger male snails – proving Darwin wrong! He also told us about how male snails followed the mucus trails left by female snails in order to “chase” them and mate, another finding of his that is a testament to the dedication he has to research and the intricacies of biology.
Mr. Ng’s final message was extremely positive and helpful, especially since Y12 is applying for universities this year. He told us to follow our passions, despite what other people may say about the job prospects of a certain career. After all, it is indeed passion that decides how much we enjoy what we do and how much effort we put into it. Ultimately, it is passion that allows us to succeed.
We wish Mr. Ng all the best as he goes to Sweden in April to start a new research position with a research focus on sea snails! His humorous, yet informative speech and inspiring message has made him a speaker that we’d definitely like to see return to Island School Speakers’ Hour!
Island School Speaker's Hour 