Frying the Climate: Hong Kong's Cooking Gas Conundrum
Project Description
This UROP delves into the multifaceted impacts of Hong Kong's cooking gas sector on the environment/climate, public health, and energy consumption. As a densely populated urban center heavily reliant on gas for cooking, Hong Kong faces a critical need to transition towards cleaner and more sustainable cooking alternatives. The findings from this UROP will underscore the urgency of reducing Hong Kong's dependence on cooking gas in alignment with global climate goals and public health priorities. This UROP will also contribute valuable insights to policy formulation, highlighting the importance of incentives, regulations, and public awareness campaigns to facilitate Hong Kong's transition towards a more sustainable cooking landscape.
Supervisor
DELINA Laurence Laurencio
Quota
3
Course type
UROP1000
UROP1100
UROP2100
UROP3100
UROP3200
UROP4100
Applicant's Roles
The UROP students will conduct an extensive literature review of (1) the environmental ramifications of gas combustion, including GHG emissions and indoor air pollution, (2) the implications for public health, considering the adverse effects of indoor air pollutants emitted by gas stoves, and (3) the energy consumption patterns associated with gas cooking. UROP students will also explore the potential benefits of shifting to energy-efficient electric cooking technologies.
Applicant's Learning Objectives
This UROP will provide students the opportunity to develop a range of valuable learning outcomes:
Research Skills: You will enhance your research skills by conducting an extensive literature review on diverse topics related to the environmental, health, and energy aspects of cooking gas usage. This involves critically evaluating and synthesizing existing research.
Interdisciplinary Understanding: You will engage with multiple disciplines, including environmental science, public health, and energy studies to gain an interdisciplinary understanding of complex societal challenges and potential solutions.
Environmental Awareness: You will examine the environmental impacts of gas combustion to deepen their awareness of the link between energy consumption, GHG emissions, and climate change, fostering a sense of environmental responsibility.
Health Implications: You will gain insights into the health implications of indoor air pollutants emitted by gas stoves, improving your understanding of the intersection between environmental factors and public health outcomes.
Data Analysis Skills: In evaluating energy consumption patterns and potential benefits of electric cooking technologies, you will develop data analysis skills, including data collection, interpretation, and presentation.
Critical Thinking: You will refine your critical thinking abilities by evaluating the strengths and limitations of various research studies and methodologies, enabling you to make informed judgments.
Problem Solving: Exploring the potential benefits of transitioning to energy-efficient electric cooking technologies, you will learn to analyze complex problems and propose viable solutions aligned with sustainability goals.
Communication Skills: Through written reports and potentially presentations, you will hone your communication skills, learning how to convey complex scientific concepts to both technical and non-technical audiences effectively.
Policy Awareness: By uncovering the policy implications of the research findings, you will gain insight into the role of research in informing policy decisions for addressing societal challenges.
Overall, this UROP will provide you with a holistic learning experience that encompasses scientific inquiry, critical thinking, interdisciplinary collaboration, and an understanding of the societal implications of the project's research findings.
Research Skills: You will enhance your research skills by conducting an extensive literature review on diverse topics related to the environmental, health, and energy aspects of cooking gas usage. This involves critically evaluating and synthesizing existing research.
Interdisciplinary Understanding: You will engage with multiple disciplines, including environmental science, public health, and energy studies to gain an interdisciplinary understanding of complex societal challenges and potential solutions.
Environmental Awareness: You will examine the environmental impacts of gas combustion to deepen their awareness of the link between energy consumption, GHG emissions, and climate change, fostering a sense of environmental responsibility.
Health Implications: You will gain insights into the health implications of indoor air pollutants emitted by gas stoves, improving your understanding of the intersection between environmental factors and public health outcomes.
Data Analysis Skills: In evaluating energy consumption patterns and potential benefits of electric cooking technologies, you will develop data analysis skills, including data collection, interpretation, and presentation.
Critical Thinking: You will refine your critical thinking abilities by evaluating the strengths and limitations of various research studies and methodologies, enabling you to make informed judgments.
Problem Solving: Exploring the potential benefits of transitioning to energy-efficient electric cooking technologies, you will learn to analyze complex problems and propose viable solutions aligned with sustainability goals.
Communication Skills: Through written reports and potentially presentations, you will hone your communication skills, learning how to convey complex scientific concepts to both technical and non-technical audiences effectively.
Policy Awareness: By uncovering the policy implications of the research findings, you will gain insight into the role of research in informing policy decisions for addressing societal challenges.
Overall, this UROP will provide you with a holistic learning experience that encompasses scientific inquiry, critical thinking, interdisciplinary collaboration, and an understanding of the societal implications of the project's research findings.
Complexity of the project
Challenging