QIAN Kun, Queena

Student of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong
Exchange to University of South Australia, Australia

My thesis is entitled “Barriers to promote building energy efficiency - a transaction costs perspective”, which was awarded the “FCE Outstanding PhD Thesis Award 2011-12” by the Hong Kong Polytechnic University in 2012. This is an interdisciplinary research with an uprising attention to the energy and environment issues. Prior to applying for the Endeavour Australia Cheung Kong Research Fellowship, my research had been awarded the Fulbright Scholarship to conduct research at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory at UC Berkeley and Washington University in St. Louis in 2010. This overseas research experience has inspired me to apply for the prestigious Fellowship, which allows me to conduct research with my preferred host professor and research institute on the proposed topic of my interests. My research interests are sustainability, energy and environment issues in general. I am particularly interested in green building promotion, building energy efficiency, market incentives and transaction costs, etc.

For me, the best part of the exchange program is that it allows young researchers to dream boldly about the future. It provides wonderful opportunities to work with world famous Australian institutes and professors of your choice. Like an ambassador, the Endeavour program opens the culture and knowledge that exists in Australia to international researchers and students who are thirsting to see the world. It is a training arena for us to bravely adapt to a new environment, work with an international team and grow in confidence and independence.

During my exchange program, I took part in leading the research projects “A building oriented resource model - measuring resource consumption and waste management in various urban building scenarios”. I have completed a research report “Framework for Low Carbon Precinct Design from a Zero Waste Approach”, which has been published in international journal of waste management. My overseas research experience has enabled me to adapt to a multi-cultural working environment. I was trained to fit in a new project and research team, and make contribution from my research expertise.

After the exchange program, I was appointed as Co-Investigator of a joint project of UniSA (Australia), Tianjin University (China), University of Tibet (China) and The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (HK), entitled “Material flow, resource-efficiency and zero waste management" (HK$300,000s). Currently based in Hong Kong, I am also helping the development of the curriculum for a training programme: Public Service Training and Professional Development Certificate, ‘Training the Experts’ curriculum hosted by UniSA and the Tianjin University. The Endeavour Program keeps the collaboration possible and lasts.

I am currently working as a Post-Doc Fellow with Prof. Edwin Chan at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University. Thanks to the networks and expertise the Endeavour program brings to me, I am able to work closely with world prestigious professors and research institutes, and develop research outputs. Up to date, I have been lined up working across projects with professors in Australia, China, Malaysia, Indonesia on the confirmed collaborated research, as a Co-Investigator or leading researcher, with total grants equal to AUD$168,229, in year 2014-2016. My career goal at this stage is to apply for faculty post at Assistant Professor level, either in Hong Kong or other parts of the world.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank my family, especially my baby boy Noah who is the gift of my life. I would like to thank him for having taught me so much so far. I am blessed to have you in my life.

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