Dr Sam Lau
Principal Lecturer and Director, Research Management Office
School of Continuing Education
Contact
- 3411 3027
- samlau@hkbu.edu.hk
About
Dr Sam Lau’s research lies primarily in interdisciplinary research in the interactions between the environment and health, covering a range of topics such as linking nature connectedness to human health and well-being, environmental and wetland conservation, and nature-based education. He is also interested in research on teaching and learning, in particular active learning pedagogy, work-integrated learning and career readiness. Dr Lau is an Associate Editor of the journal Wetlands and has been awarded HK$22.5 million from various funding bodies, such as RGC, ECF, EDB and AFCD since 2016. Dr Lau believes that knowledge transfer plays a vital role in forging closer ties between academia and the community. Some examples of Dr Lau’s outreach to serve the society at large are:
Environmental and sustainability education for all – Dr Lau has organised/delivered training/workshops/ecotours/competition that reached more than 4,000 students, teachers and members of the public since 2017. He published three biodiversity picture books, namely “Dancing with Spotted Dove”, “Flying Tiger - Common Tiger” and “Chinese Banyan Treasure”, in 2022. The three large and bilingual books are first three books showcasing the nature biodiversity in Hong Kong with the augmented reality effects and original music pieces. Related teaching and learning resources are also developed for kindergartens in Hong Kong to promote nature education. He also shared his expertise with NGOs as an advisor and the general public in the form of writing or being interviewed for online and printed news platforms such as RTHK TV, Now TV.com, HK01 and Whiz Kids Express Weekly.
Science communication to enthuse young people about science – Dr Lau was selected as one of 12 scientists to join a science outreach programme run by the Croucher Foundation which reached a total of 12,500 students from 60 schools in 2018 and 2019. He also conducted a science workshop for the public at the Hong Kong Science Museum during HK SciFest 2018.
Sharing of teaching and learning practices – Dr Lau has conducted workshops to share new pedagogical strategies with local and overseas teachers and educators to help in engaging and motivating students. Recent workshops were given at the Learning & Teaching Expo in 2018, 2019 and 2020.
(https://learningandteachingexpo2018.sched.com/speaker/dr_sam_lau_.1yrc2859; https://lte2019.sched.com/speaker/dr_sam_lau_.203c3u8p; https://www.hkedcity.net/goelearning/en/resource/5fcf42060da87e0228b59dbf)
Achievements
- Awarded $22.5M from various funding bodies (e.g. RGC, EDB, AFCD, ECF)
- Keynote/invited speaker at international conferences and symposiums
- Invited reviewers for international conferences
- Associate Editor of Wetlands
- Certificate of Taiwan’s Wetland Conservation Honorable Advisor (for the exemplary achievements in wetland fields), Forestry Bureau, Council of Agriculture, Executive Yuen, Taiwan (2018)
- Best Poster Presentation Award, 2018 International Conference on Active Living and Health, Hong Kong (2018)
- Excellent Paper Award, 19th Cross-Strait Forum on Continuing Education - New Era, New Mission and New Ecology, Tianjin, China (2018)
- Certificate of Commendation, Secretary for Home Affairs, HKSAR Government (2015)
- The runner up Best Poster Award, Higher Education Research and Development Society of Australasia (HERDSA) Conference on Higher Education in a Globalized World, Hong Kong (2014)
Research Outputs
Recent journal articles and conference presentations
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Sam_Lau7
- KY Wong, Lau SSS* (2022) Parent-reported prevalence of adverse food reactions in Chinese schoolchildren and parental mental well-being. 24th IUHPE World Conference on Health Promotion, Montreal, Canada, 15-19 May 2022
- Hui T, Lau SSS*, Yuen M (2021) Active Learning as a Beyond-the-Classroom Strategy to Improve University Students’ Career Adaptability. Sustainability 13(9):6246 (*corresponding author)
- Lau SSS*, Wan K, Tsui M (2021) Evaluation of a Blended Career Education Course during the COVID-19 Pandemic on Students’ Career Awareness. Sustainability 13(6):3471
- Ip CY, Lau SSS* (2021) Preschool Teachers Perception and Knowledge of COVID-19, Influenza and Common Cold during the COVID-19 pandemic. 11th IUHPE European Conference on Health Promotion, Spain, 16 Jun 2021
- Lau SSS (2021) Engaging Quiet Students in Online Teaching. Pedagogy and Practice when Teaching Online. Digitally Enhanced Education webinars series, University of Kent, UK, 10 Jun 2021
- Lau SSS (2021) Embracing the Future of Education with Blended Learning What is your Unique Blend?, EdCity × CEATETA Teacher Professional Development Series: Webinar on Subject-based Curriculum Design for Blended Learning, Hong Kong, 21 May 2021
- Lau SSS (2020) Is Online Live Teaching Better than Pre-recorded Lectures and Face-to-face Teaching? A Practical Case Sharing during COVID-19. Learning and Teaching Expo 2020 Teaser, Hong Kong, 8 Dec 2020
Recent articles on knowledge transfer
無化學污染: 善用廚餘 自製環保酵素, Now News, Now TV.com, 28 September 2018
農業背後: 看不見的成本, Now News, Now TV.com, 5 August 2018
魚人同行, HK01 親子, 25 July 2018
我行我塑 , 兒童快報 通識達人 (Whiz Kids Weekly), 29 June 2018地球透支了 別成「資源大嘥鬼」!, Now News, Now TV.com, 31 May 2018
- Lam YY, Lau SSS* & Wong JWC (2019) Removal of Cd(II) from aqueous solutions using plant-derived biochar: Kinetics, Isotherm and Characterization. Bioresource Technology Reports (*corresponding author) https://doi.org/10.1016/j.
biteb.2019.100323 - Lau SSS (2019) Wetland wise use and compensation experience of Hong Kong, Invited Keynote Speech, 2019 Taiwan Wetland Research Camp – Symposium I: Wetland Conservation and Wise Use, Chinese Culture University, Taipei, 22 October 2019
- Lau SSS (2019) Diversified Orientation and Challenges of Hong Kong Wetland Education, Conservation and Ecotourism, Invited Keynote Speech, 2019 Taiwan Wetland Research Camp – Symposium II: Potential of Wetland Economic Industry, National Chung Hsing University, Tai Chung, 24 October 2019
- Wang X, Selvam A, Lau SSS & Wong JWC. (2018) Influence of lime and struvite on microbial community succession and odour emission during food waste composting. Bioresource Technology, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.
biteb.2017.07.091 - Chiu RWT, Lam WYY, Yasuhara M, Cronin TM, Kitamura A, Fujita K & Lau SSS (2018) Holocene shell geochemical and paleoecological records of a submarine cave in Okinawa, Japan. AGU Fall Meeting, Washington DC, USA, 10-14 Dec 2018 https://agu.confex.com/agu/fm18/prelim.cgi/Paper/424589
- Wu S, Duan YP, Lam CK & Lau SSS (2018) Relationships of Correlates, Risk of Falling and Health Outcomes among community-dwelling Hong Kong Elderly, 2018 International Conference on Active Living and Health, Hong Kong Baptist University, 24-25 Nov 2018
- Lau SML, Duan YP, Wu S, Lam CK & Lau SSS (2018) The Association of Fruit and Vegetables (FVs) Consumption and Depression in Elderly in Hong Kong, 2018 International Conference on Active Living and Health, Hong Kong Baptist University, 24-25 Nov 2018
- Mao M. & Lau SSS (2018) Dental Health and Active Living of Persons with Intellectual Disability (PID) in Hong Kong, 2018 International Conference on Active Living and Health, Hong Kong Baptist University, 24-25 Nov 2018
- Lau SSS (2018) Management and Conservation of Hong Kong Wetlands: Understanding the Threat Landscape, 2018 International Wetland Convention, Taipei, 19-23 Nov 2018
- Chiu RWT, Lau SSS, Cartwright SR, Owen RB & Wong JWC (2018) Evaluation of threats faced by benthic invertebrates in Hong Kong wetland using micropaleontological and neontological approach, 2018 International Wetland Convention, Taipei, 19-23 Nov 2018
- Lau SSS (2018) Active Learning Strategies in Science Teaching, Conference Proceedings of the 19th Cross-Strait Forum on Continuing Education - New Era, New Mission and New Ecology, p.13-24, Nan Kai University, Tianjin, China, 23-26 Oct 2018
- Lau SSS, Chiu RWT & JWC Wong (2018) Wetland Conservation in Hong Kong: Lessons of Invasive Species, The 9th Conference on Taiwan Wetland Ecosystems, Taiwan Wetland Society, 5 May 2018, Taipei