Research Mixer: Charting your path to RGC Research Fellowships

To support researchers in developing stronger proposals, the Research Office hosted a Research Mixer on 27 August, where HKBU awardees of the RGC Senior Research Fellow and Research Fellow Schemes passed on insider tips and practical advice. 

Setting the tone, Professor Christy Cheung (Chair Professor in Information Systems and Digital Innovation Management and Director of Research Office), the first HKBU researcher to be made an RGC Senior Research Fellow, highlighted the fellowships awarded to the University since her achievement for the 2019/20 cycle. This year, Professor Gao Meng (Academy of Geography, Sociology and International Studies) and Associate Professor Han Bo (Department of Computer Science) have been selected as an RGC Senior Research Fellow and an RGC Research Fellow respectively, securing over HK$14 million in combined funding.

So as to understand first-hand the complex and challenging application process, Professor Cheung encouraged attendees to seek advice from past awardees like herself, to smooth their path to application success.
 

Professor Christy Cheung, Chair Professor in Information Systems and Digital Innovation Management and Director of Research Office

“It isn’t just your own research capabilities that matter; your students' capabilities matter just as much”, said Professor Zhou Changsong, Chair Professor in Physics and Complex Systems.

Named an RGC Senior Research Fellow for the 2022/23 cycle, Professor Zhou stressed an often-overlooked detail: incorporating the research achievements of supervised students into the proposal. He emphasised that mentorship track records, such as the number of students supervised, their post-graduation positions, and mentee publications, are as important as proving one's own research capability.

Professor Zhou also mentioned the importance of timing, advising candidates to apply when they have built up a substantial portfolio of quality research, gained extensive administrative experience, and can establish their strong future potential through past work.
 

Professor Zhou Changsong, Chair Professor in Physics and Complex Systems

“Am I ready? Can I extend my current work to the next level?”, Professor Wendy Huang (Academy of Wellness and Human Development) posed these key questions at the opening of her sharing, echoing Professor Zhou’s remarks on timing. 

Professor Huang was awarded the RGC Research Fellowship for the 2022/23 cycle. Before detailing practical advice for applicants, Professor Huang emphasised that the fellowship is more than an extension of the General Research Fund (GRF) scheme. Instead, awardees are expected to pursue higher-level research within their discipline over the five-year period. Hence, evaluating research readiness before applying is crucial.

A vital phase of the application process, the interview calls for careful preparation. Professor Huang summarised her recipe for interview success in three words: practice, preparedness, and passion. In addition to thorough preparation through mock interviews and rehearsed responses, she highlighted the need to demonstrate genuine enthusiasm for the proposal.
 

Professor Wendy Huang, Academy of Wellness and Human Development

Following the insightful sharing, participants seized the opportunity to ask questions and network with fellow researchers. Beyond an informative session on navigating the two fellowship schemes, the Research Mixer served as a casual gathering for our school and faculty research communities to meet up and discuss potential interdisciplinary collaborations.

Professor Guo Meiyu, Associate Professor, Academy of Geography, Sociology and International Studies

Professor Zhou Shuo, Associate Professor, Department of Communication Studies

Professor Gibert Lam (left), Associate Professor, Academy of Wellness and Human Development, with Professor Cheung

Professor Huang (centre) stays behind and chats with participants

Visit our event page for upcoming activities, and follow us on LinkedIn for the latest research news, insights, and stories from the HKBU community.