Passtimes August 2012

Circulation of Issue: 500 Copies

From Hong Kong to Imperial- Tips & Experience from HK students

Passtimes

Imperial College Public Awareness andSocial Service Society Presents:

August 2012 Edition

What is ICPASS?

Accomodation at Imperial

中港矛盾

Internship Experiences

洗腦教育？

PASSTIMES August 20122

Design & Editing:

Clarence ChengSheena CheungMonique HoJustin Ng

Article Contributors:

Angus Chan Yung Wing CheahSheena CheungIrisa ChiuJason Choi

James Fan Howard KwokTimothy LauAaron LeungJustin Ng

Jeffrey TamStella TsuiAnthony WongJim Jim YipKristy Yiu

Dear Reader,

First of all, hope you have a great summer, and congratulations to all the freshers! Getting into Imperial is not easy at all.

Just a quick introduction of ourselves: PASSTIMES is the official publication of ICPASS (Public Awareness and Social Services), providing a platform for the Imperial community to share and think.

The editorial team has made this, the first issue of academic year 2012/13, a special Freshers’ Edition, hoping to deliver the essence to you before starting your wonderful College life.

You will find a collection of articles on the halls of residence of Imperial College, and some personal learning experience on courses you will be doing.

On the public awareness side, we look into the environmental protection of Home and Home as well as the recent issue regarding National Education and ‘brain-washing’ in Hong Kong.

The session of internship experiences is of course an important element to achieve our belief --- 承傳薪火 (see the next column).

Before I end, I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to the former ICPASS committee members of 2011/12, who have sowed the seeds of accomplishment and planted the trees whose shades we sit under today.

Finally, may I wish you a fruitful journey in your quest of knowledge and wisdom at Imperial.

Best Regards,

Justin NgCo-editor in Chief

Hello there,

It is lovely to have you at Imperial. Believe it or not: the up-coming 3 or 4 years would be even harder. Are you up for the challenge?

As one of the top science and engineering institutes, it gathers very keen researchers and students. The focus of individuals goes to academic achievements and honours inevitably. However, should these be the only concern in our adventures in higher education?

Back to my time at Imperial, I took up the role of editor-in-chief and other commitments in the Union in my final year. They were exhaustive, yet rewarding. Nothing would work without the motivation: passing down experiences from one generation to another, providing the best mentoring to juniors if possible (承傳薪火). In the past 2 years, I have been involved with the production of 5 issues of PASSTIMES. The committee of 2011/12 was delighted to see the self-initiated revolution happen. We sincerely hope that the diligence will always be in ICPASS.

From now, it’s your show time! Explore and enjoy Imperial to the fullest: study, ICPASS (haha), other clubs, societies and student-led projects, volunteering, nightlife, even the 3 museums next door (I mean it!). I am sure you will learn more than you think!

Last but not least, an unfeigned gratitude to the ICPASS committee, editorial team, family and friends. A special thank you to all the typists for my Chinese scripts!

Enjoy PASSTIMES!

P.S. I never attempted to climb the closed Falmouth Gate when leaving Library after 11pm.

Best wishes,

Monique HoCo-editor in Chief, out-going (2011/12)

Words from the Editors


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What is ICPASS?

Our Steps: Timeline 2011-12

Event Review: Global X-perience - Refugee Run

From Hong Kong to Imperial- Tips & Experience from HK students

Accomodation at Imperial


Disclaimer: The contents published on PASSTIMES are created by individual authors, and do not represent the views of ICPASS or its committee members. Neither ICPASS nor its committee members are liable to any opinion expressed by contributors.

Copyright © 2012 Imperial College Public Awareness and Social Service Society. All rights reserved.

吃包包吃飽

中港矛盾

洗腦教育？

What is ICPASS?Established in 2008, the Imperial College Public Awareness and Social Service Society (ICPASS) is run by a group of enthusiastic Hong Kong students and focuses on promoting public awareness (PA) and organising social service (SS) activities. We are no extraordinary members of Imperial College. We are just a group of people who stem our roots in Hong Kong, and while furthering our studies overseas, we want to act as a bridge facilitating other members of the College to learn more about the culture, current issues and opportunities in China, especially Hong Kong. In addition, we hope to raise money for non-profitable charities through social service events.

Throughout the year, we organize a series of events that will help us reach our aims on both PA and SS. To promote public awareness, we organize regular discussion forums and debates on global issues or local affairs, some of which being co-hosted with PASS societies of other UK universities.

On the social service side, we raise money for various charities, such as the Crossroads Foundation (a non-profit organisation based in HK) and Makomborero (a Zimbabwean children’s education charity) by hosting food sales and other events. The Charity Concert hosted at the end of each summer remains one of our biggest annual events, and it gives opportunities for students from Imperial and other sectors of the society to perform and learn about charities, and most importantly, the PASS society itself.

Another important element of ICPASS is our PASSTIMES magazine, scheduled to be published 3 times per year. It covers the reviews of our activities, current affairs, campus issues, career internships, and most importantly, article contributions from Imperial students.


Support UsIt is one of our main aims to promote public awareness and social service activities to each and every member of Imperial College and the general public. We encourage you to join our events throughout the year, including discussion forums and career talks. Our committee promises you will enjoy and learn a lot from these activities! Most importantly, you will get the opportunity to make new friends!

Don’t forget about PASSTIMES! If you feeling like writing something about anything, whether it be discontent of social phenomena, applause of new policies, or free articles, please send them to [email protected]. We welcome all sorts of articles!

Last but not least, please visit our Facebook group ‘Imperial College PASS Hong Kong Freshers 2012-2013’, where future events and news will be updated.

Who are we?

05.11.2011 Warwick Asia Summit 2011

An annual opportunity where speakers from leading universities gather to share and discuss with students their studies and current issues, such as the North Korean nuclear proliferation, and economic structures of India and China.

10.11.2011 Discussion Forum - Poverty of China

19.11.2011 Cambridge Quiz

Annual 8-university trivia contest on questions ranging from current affairs, geography, sports,

Chinese culture, to science, music and art.

10.12.2011 Parliament Trip

Joint event with UCLPASS on this tour visiting the Palace of Westminster, followed by sightseeing at the Christmas Markets and Whitehall.

Autumn term 2011Fund-raising Campaign for Makomborero

'Makomborero' (meaning 'blessings' in the local Zimbabwean language of Shona) is a UK-based charity that aims to reduce poverty in Zimbabwe through providing further education. Throughout the autumn term of 2011, ICPASS has organised

21.12.2011 Career Talk

This was a joint event hosted with the Imperial College Alumni Association Hong Kong

(ICAAHK).This year, we were delighted to have Mr. Adrian Sou and Miss Carmen Liu,

graduates of Civil Engineering of the College as our distinguished speakers. They shared their

experiences in the financial and consulting sectors respectively.

27.01.2012 Discussion Forum – Is money more superior than others?

Our Steps: Timeline 2011-12


a series of events to raise funds for this meaningful cause, including hotpot gatherings and Krispy Kreme sales within the College for a net profit of more than £100. We also co-hosted a joint-university Christmas Dinner with LSE, UCL, Exeter, and Oxford, involving over 120 students.

06.02.2012 Yuen Siu Festival Cake Selling

On Yuen Siu Festival ICPASS decided to organise a Chinese cake sale with Chinese

and English puzzles to remind people of this traditional Chinese festival. 24.02.2012 Discussion Forum – Hong

Kong/Mainland China Conflict

In light of the recent conflicts between China and Hong Kong at that time (including incidents such as 雙非嬰兒), a discussion forum was held for members to discuss their points of view.

29.02.2012 Debating Forum

In preparation for the LSE forum, the 2 teams representing Imperial did a practice debate.

Members turned up in support as audience, and during open session questioned the teams.

02.03.2012 ICPASS Fun Night

Approaching the AGM, a fun night was organised for PASS members to get together before the new committee is elected. The evening was spent in laughter and fun games.

03.03.2012 LSE Debate Forum

ICPASS put forward 2 teams to enter the annual LSE debate this year. Both teams had a lively

debate with other universities' teams regarding controversial current issues. 05.03.2012 Joint-PASS Boat Party

The first ever 'End-of-term' Boat Party was organised by IC and LSE PASS to celebrate the end of a fruitful PASS year. PASS members from IC, LSE and UCL attended, enjoying the night cruise along River Thames, where we spent a wonderful and memorable night with other PASS members we met.

07.03.2012 Annual General Meeting

04.2012 PASSTIMES - Spring 2012

04.08.2012 Global X-perience: Refugee Run

25.08.2012 IC Chinese Society Reception Day

07.09.2012 Annual Charity Concert 2012 – Voyage of Dream

With the aim of raising funds for charities and promoting PASS to the public, it has been included in our annual plan to organize a charity concert during the summer holiday of every year, in which we enjoy the performances of various bands, musical groups and singers.


18.08.2012 ‘Reflections’ Annual Youth Conference 2012

this wage, they themselves are in poverty, yet their leader has no money to pay them more. Instead they are told to use their guns. Is this fair to the refugee? No. But should the soldiers suffer in poverty even though they are defending their people? There is no right or wrong answer.

Another story that caught my attention was this man who said, “Sometimes, I wish we are still at war.” This statement is far from what you expect from someone whose country just returned to peace. His answer was heartbreaking - he said, “when we were at war, people care. When the war finishes, the world’s attention will soon be caught by more recent disasters, and forget about us.” It was a shock when I realized that I am one of the ‘world’. I didn’t think about how, after war, more support might be needed to re-establish their house and get the society back together. How long would it be before people get their house re-built? Before the children can go to school, or adults to go back to their job? Or will any of this even ever happened?

One of my favourite bit of ICPASS introduction is this phrase: to seek changes through small and seemingly insignificant acts. This event has reinforced this idea in my mind, and I hope that the charity concert will be able to help make a difference to those suffering in the world.

Yung Wing Cheah

In the promotion video Crossroad Foundation made for Refugee Run, a quote from an African Proverb appeared: “I cannot understand a man until I walked a mile in his shoes.”

This quote resonated with me as I watched the video. I have previously heard stories from my grandmother about her escape to Hong Kong from China during the 2nd World War when I was younger, but it was very different to what one might experience when they are actually the ones fleeing. However, this video gave me the opportunity to really experience what it must’ve been like.

I was in their shoes for half an hour.

Fear. Confusion. Lost. Stranded. Worried. Wondered if I can find my family again.

After the video, one of the staff from Crossroads Foundation sat us down. One of the questions he asked was: what’s the difference between you, and the refugee?

Circumstances. War happened to break out in their country, or a tsunami flooded their home. These are all unexpected events and who is to say that it won’t happen to us? These people do not want to be refugee, yet circumstances made them so.

He told us a few stories next. We all know, through news or other means, that soldiers are not always good. They take your belongings in exchange for you to cross the border or seek refuge in a camp. Why do they do this? Their wages are slim: 20USD per month. With


Event Review –Global X-perience: Refugee Run


Event Review – ‘Reflections’ Annual Youth Conference 2012Most of us when asked “Where are you from?” will undoubtedly answer “Hong Kong” without hesitation. Even though we are studying abroad, our identity as a 'Hong Kong-er' has not changed.

One of the talks in the Cambridge Conference that particularly grabbed my attention was 'The Golden 5 Years (2010-2014) and the Decline that May Follow...?' by Mr. Franklin Lam. He is a current member of the Executive Council and founded the think tank HKGlobal50 in 2011 to research the impact of the Golden 5 Years on the future developments of Hong Kong in the next 50 years.

His talk focused on the opportunities Hong Kong is receiving by the in-flood of tourists, especially from Mainland China. Most of my friends, myself included, regards the increase of tourists as 'annoying' at times as streets, shopping centers and public transport become more crowded. Apart from the sale sectors of Hong Kong, I haven’t thought about how the in-flood of tourists will benefit Hong Kong.

Mr. Lam's presentation shed a new light into this matter that I have not considered before. He used an example to illustrate his point: one of the favorite items tourists from Mainland China like to purchase in Hong Kong is designer handbags; this increase in sales will prompt the brands to set up more stores in Hong Kong, hiring more salespeople. This increase in stores within Hong Kong may also in turns lead the brands to set up offices here, thus hiring receptionists, accountants,

renting offices, buying furniture and more. I was too occupied thinking about how the increase in tourists have affected me, instead of digging deeper into the true benefit it has brought to Hong Kong.

After Mr. Lam's talk, I reflected on the changes that has happened over the last few years, and realized how many international companies have ventured into Hong Kong. For example, a lot of international clothing brands such as Zara, H&M, Hollister have expanded to Hong Kong, attracted by the inflow of tourists, as well as the openings of the new Abercrombie and Fitch in Central and the Eslite Bookstore in Causeway Bay. Opportunities will not always be obvious to us at the first sight, but they may present themselves to those who can further examine the situation and prepare for it.

A message was repeated by many speakers at this conference: I hope you will come back to Hong Kong. If you don't, please do not forget about her: help her out in the future if she's in trouble.

Being oversea students, it is normal to lose touch with Hong Kong, while preoccupied with studying, with friends and with life. Ask yourselves this question: “Will I go back to Hong Kong after graduation?” I personally don't know my answer yet. Hong Kong has a lot of problems right now, such as housing issues, inflation and its general fast-pace lifestyle. Yet it is still our homeland, and I hope that Hong Kong will remain the brightest city in the East.

From Hong Kong to Imperial- Tips and Experience from HK Students

AeronauticsIrisa Chiu

Our aeronautical engineering department offers highly specialised and necessary knowledge for those who are interested in designing aircrafts and related disciplines. This course is designed to prepare you as an all-rounded aeronautical engineer and various options are introduced in the 3rd and 4th year to cater your interests in certain field(s).

In the first year, our course structure is similar to that of mechanical engineering but less broad as we focus on aerodynamics rather than fluid dynamics. In my opinion the challenge of the course is that we are taught a lot of modules and each of them is condensed and has to be thoroughly revised and understood in a short time. A good organisation of time and revision schedule is required as it takes a lot more time and preparation than that of your A Level!

Enough said about the hard work, the merit of studying in the aeronautics department is that you will have some truly inspiring peers studying with you and they will make your projects less stressful and more fun. Moreover, our course is taught by talented experts in the field and

they are more than happy to share their work experience with you. On top of that, our supportive administrative staff will try their best to make sure your complaints brought by your year representative are heard and improvements will be made efficiently.

All in all, although the work is compact, you will be amazed by how much you have learnt throughout the year and you will graduate with a decent degree and equip yourself with valuable skills which could be learnt from nowhere else. Our department also maintains excellent collaborative links with related industry all around the world. If you are intrigued by Formula One or are wishing to pursue a career in aircraft industry, this is the exact degree you have been looking for.


Earth Science and EngineeringYung Wing Cheah

The Earth Science and Engineering department has the best student satisfaction in Imperial as well as the country. You will be amazed how friendly the lecturers are (They will know you by your name, I kid you not!). Being a relatively small department (although it has expanded from 50ish to about 80 students per year), the people within are very friendly and the members of staff are always there to help if you need any.

The timetable may not deviate much from high school: lectures are in bundles of 3 hours, usually consisting of lectures and

tutorial. Morning ones run from 9am to 12pm and afternoon ones from 2pm to 5pm. The timetable seems demanding, but I can assure you that it is much better than some other departments.

Field trip is a big aspect to the course, and in first year regardless of which course you are doing, all Earth Science and Engineering students will have 3 field trips. The first two field trips are both within England and are relatively straightforward. The final field trip to Spain is tougher as it lasts for 2 weeks and count towards your year. It is hard and you will often find yourself spending the whole day working, 9-5 in the field, in addition to exercise and mapping upon return. The good thing is, you get to learn so much during those two weeks, and you will know your course mates, lecturers and graduate-teaching assistants a lot better!


Materials EngineeringKristy Yiu

First of all, welcome to the Materials Department at Imperial - the oldest and largest department studying Materials Science in the UK.

The course covers the basic science subjects: physics, chemistry, a bit of biology and mathematics; and of course, structure and properties of materials. Also, this course provides you with a diverse spectrum of topics, such as crystallography. You might find yourself especially enjoying some of them.

Compared to the other engineering courses, our timetable is relatively chilled (approximately 20 hours of lectures/tutorial and a maximum of 5 hours of laboratory per week). Yet, it results in weekly laboratory reports.

Just manage your time well and I am sure that you will enjoy your first year in the Materials Department!

Civil EngineeringHoward Kwok

Welcome to the Skempton Building, one of the best nurseries for civil engineers in the world, alongside the challenges during the intensive four-year course. Indeed, Imperial College is always a challenging place to be. (Imperial is renowned of its workload yet it is bearable!) On the other hand, it is very rewarding to study civil engineering in Imperial and more importantly - it does not mean that you have to give up a vivid life.

Civil engineering is a comprehensive subject not only with theories but also full of practical skills. In other words, there are opportunities for us to go out of the classroom and visit various sites. I believe most people are not satisfied by just sitting in lecture halls, but would enjoy trips and practical works.

We were awarded the chance to take charge of a filming project even in the first week. To examine our engineering sense, we were shown numerous unique buildings in London. As a group, we discussed the features of the renowned structures in the video (in my case, the Lloyd’s Building, an innovative design with lifts, stairs and all kinds of facilities hanging on the exterior).

The design weeks were the highlight of my first year. The most effective way to learn is to practice on your own! The main objective of the design weeks was to revitalize a valuable site in central London, as well as to design an iconic bridge across the River Thames. Ranging from research, proposal, calculation and modeling, our work lasted for a week in January and another week in June. One of the privileges that Imperial students enjoy is that external lecturers from different professions are invited to give lectures and aid us in the design process. It enhanced our versatility in civil engineering when engaging in bridge

studies, preliminary master-planning and transportation research. By the end of the design weeks, you may find yourselves full of presentation skills, as well as drawing and modeling talent.

Immediately after the Easter holiday, there came another climax, the surveying week. It is often described as the most unforgettable week throughout the four-year course. In order to produce a map with high accuracy and precision, we learnt to master a total station (which is worth £10,000), strolled across the field in safety boots and defended ourselves and the total station against the rainstorm. Despite a hectic week, it was enjoyable to play around with the equipment, appreciate the natural beauty and play some rugby. At the end of the day, it was emotional to see your own masterpiece, a hand-drawn map of the site.

As an Imperial student, you just have to do the right things at the right time. You can get busy at times but there is always time to lay back. Do accept the old ‘work hard, play hard’ motto. A delicate balance between work and relaxation can be achieved only when you have a good attitude towards your life. After all, you will find your life in Imperial College fruitful and amazing.


Civil EngineeringJim Jim Yip

Studying civil engineering is tough. You might not have much free time, but despite having said that, it is still a wise decision. The course covers all kind of knowledge and skills that would help you to develop your engineering mind. There are about 15 modules in total and about 10 exams at the end of the year.

Coursework-wise, you are not expected to hand in hundreds of them with no quality but one with high standard in each module (unless the modules are coursework based). Experiments will be demonstrated and technical reports are expected to be done afterwards.

Exam-wise, they are hard and not straight forward. However, if you can do it step by step and make use of all skills and knowledge that you have learnt in class, you are guaranteed a pass or even an upper second class.

Imperial College London has a very good connection with the industry. Although summer internships will not be provided, there will be a lot of chances to get in touch with these opportunities through lectures and career talks, of which many speakers and lecturers are within the related industry.

There is absolutely no need to worry. If you listen and follow what the department asks you to do, your future will be bright and promising. Good luck and have a good time at Imperial!

Biomedical EngineeringAaron Leung

The biomedical engineering department at Imperial College London is one of the newer ones, and runs a few 3 or 4-year undergraduate courses, as well as both taught and research MSc courses for postgraduates. It is based on the third and fourth floor of the Royal School of Mines building (RSM), but uses facilities ranging from Electronics and Electrical Engineering laboratories to Chemical Engineering lecture halls. As such, you’ll enjoy a bit of exercise between most lectures, moving to nearby locations.

All students take the same course, until the third year where you are split into the mechanical engineering or the electronic engineering stream, where the subject of bioengineering is approached from different directions. Group work is very important throughout the degree, with lab sessions in the first two years done in pairs, in addition to a group project in your third year which worth almost a third of the year’s marks.

The timetable for the year isn’t very crowded, with an average of 20 hours per week spent in labs, lectures, and problem classes. As this degree is very broad, it is advisable to brush up on all your sciences as well as your mathematics. Since the first year of your degree doesn’t count towards your final degree classification, there is quite a bit of time for extracurricular activities, but that is no reason to slack off!

Good luck on your examination results, and we will be welcoming you into our department in the coming October!


Mechanical EngineeringStella Tsui

‘Come on, relax! First year is nothing, it doesn’t count!’ You may hear a lot of this from despairing MechEng seniors later this academic year. This is true but don’t take it as an excuse for not working hard, as Mechanical Engineering is one of the most demanding subjects at Imperial after all.

I hate to put you off before stepping onto the plane to London so let’s talk about something nice. Being one of the largest and most advanced Mechanical Engineering departments in the world, Imperial for sure will provide the best education, experience and opportunity. To train you as a professional engineer, the course will be comprised of all sorts of diversities. Of course, the main thing would be lectures and tutorials, which the importance is reflected on your timetable. I personally find tutorials quite helpful as you can ask your tutor about problem sheets, examples or even fundamental theory. No attendance is taken for lectures, so you will be surprised at the end of the year, how many people whom you haven’t seen during term time will appear in revision lectures and exams. Oh yes, we have exams, although first year does not count to the degree. There are seven subjects to be studied and they are arranged into five papers. On the first week back from Christmas break, progress tests take place, which let you know roughly how well (or bad) you are doing in the first term. The grades are not significant but the better you do in progress test, the earlier you finish the workshop training in June and go home.

You will soon realise, after Easter holiday, everyone is talking about exams. Our department is rather lenient: even you attend no lecture at all, you are given the last chance to learn the topics at revision lectures and clinical tutorials. Exams usually last for two

weeks and Mechanical Engineering is one of the departments which finishes exams early, usually the end of May or early June. But don’t think you can pack right after the 1.5-hour Mechatronics exam because a workshop training session is waiting ahead. During the three days of ‘hardship’ under heat and workshop guys’ supervision, you will find it hard to move your arms at the end of the day, but nevertheless it is a really nice experience as Imperial is one of the few universities in the UK which provides such training.

One more thing I would like to add: even if you do Mechanical Engineering on someone else’s decision, or you find your interests gone somewhere else, as long as you are at Imperial, for your own sake, please study hard because the department will evilly reveal everyone’s results on a notice board, with names and grades, and arranged in rank order.


MedicineSheena Cheung

It doesn’t feel like too long ago that I nervously stepped into the Chinese Society reception before the start of term to look around for another medicine fresher. I remember my anxiety for the coming year – I didn’t know what I was getting myself into and was just hoping for the best. I am here to tell you that everything in my first year went great, that you have nothing to worry about either – here are my top 5 tips through your first year.

1. You are likely to have been a big fish in a small pond – among the brightest and smartest at your sixth form college – but you are about to dive head first into an environment where you will quickly become a small fish in a big pond. This change will take a little time to adapt to, as you will likely feel lost and anonymous in your first weeks in university as 1 in a lecture hall of approximately 280 other 18-20 year olds like yourself. I’m sure that you will, however, quickly find your niche and a like-minded group of friends because the university is a vast place with a great variety of people with all kinds of interests and personalities. Also, don’t be afraid to explore out of your usual friendship or culture circles to just speak to other people and get to know them better. As a medic, one of the key things you will learn about is communication. You will need to communicate with people of all races, genders, age and personalities when you step into your clinical practice, so it is best that you embrace it and get started early.

2. Don’t worry too much about studying. This is probably against the typical Asian ethos, but you don’t want to burn out too quickly. 6 years is a long time, so pace yourself with your clear goal in mind. You would want to attend your lectures, listen and try to understand the material, but save your time

sometime everyday with your friends, for a breather, or for a call home to your family for moral support. As long as you keep up with the material throughout the year and don’t try to cram it all in the last 3 weeks before exams, you will be fine.

3. There are so many resources available for us Medics. We are very fortunate to have academic officers responsible for giving guidance, organising revision tutorials and making notes available. Check out ICSMSU.com for the Medic’s notebank, your year’s Facebook group and ask your seniors for tips and notes.

4. Get involved! Whether it be ICPASS, or any Imperial College or even Imperial College School of Medicine (ICSM) clubs and societies, take advantage of the relative free time in your first year to get involved in as many things as you can manage. Don’t be afraid to explore new activities and make new friends – you will have plenty of time to decide if you want to stick with a certain activity or prioritise something else.

5. Enjoy yourself! “Work hard, play hard,” is definitely a fitting motto for us medics. We have a career of lifelong learning ahead of us and will have incredible opportunities to interact and meet with people from different backgrounds, delve into leading research and help make people’s lives better and easier. Do work hard to pass your exams, but also do play hard as well to make your wonderful university years as fulfilling as possible! University is not just about education, but is also a life experience and is something you are unlikely to ever forget.

“Nothing worthwhile comes easily. Work, continuous work and hard work, is the only way to accomplish results that last.” – Hamilton Holt, American educator.



Chemical EngineeringAngus Chan

First of all, welcome to Imperial! If you ask me, I would say it is one of the wisest decisions you have made in your life to choose Chemical Engineering as your career. With one of the toughest entry requirements followed by a demanding course, graduates from Chemical Engineering have the highest average salaries among all engineering disciplines ( just after medics and dental).

There are 7 modules in the first year, including mathematics, fluid mechanics, thermodynamics, heat and mass transfer, chemistry, properties of matters and process analysis. It seems very hard at this stage but I am sure you will get used to it soon. Unlike the other courses, we have a special paper called mastery. It includes basic knowledge from most subjects with the passing score requirement being 80% (really high!). It’s one of the killers in the first year so make sure you get a good understanding on most of the topics rather than just focusing on a few. Another advice is try to boost up the marks in the mathematics module. The marks weight double, and compared to the other modules, mathematics is relatively easier, especially if you studied Further Math in your A-level.

You might also be concerned about laboratory sessions in chemical engineering. (You are at Imperial already so forget about those childish labs in the past 2 years.) The lab session takes place in the second term and it goes for a month. You will have 2 experiments each week, with each of them taking around 3 hours. Playing around with laboratory stuff might be fun, but afterwards it would take you a lot of effort and time to finish a report. Even worse, you may find your time burning away at some point during the year when you have to prepare for the spring test, finish off 2 projects and rush through the lab reports,

all at the same time.

To be honest, the time in my first year was tough, but it was particularly enjoyable to work with a group of passionate and outstanding students who share the same enthusiasm and interest in this subject. Don't skip the tutorial lessons which I found very useful. Studying at Imperial is not only about gaining knowledge in the field, but is also a platform which nurtures an intellectual and innovative personality. So join more activities organized by both societies and your hall, get a balance between academic and social lives, and yea, enjoy.

MathematicsJeffrey Tam

Hmmmm... People say this is one of the toughest courses at Imperial! So challenge accepted and here comes your mission! You have 8 modules to do in your first year with one computational project and an individual project during your summer term. Other than those annoying 8-in-a-row exams in mid-May (so you finish your exams earliest and get hated by most people), you are also given progress tests and assessment courses which accounts for 10% of your final score. In the first term, you even have to face a test consisting of four (very hard) questions every single week. We have the least hours of lectures per week, around 13 (which seems quite relaxing), but you have a personal tutor to meet once a week to discuss on your progress, so make sure you are prepared!

All our lectures and tutorials are centred in the Huxley Building, heart of the Mathematics Department.


Beit HallBeit HallYung Wing Cheah

Beit Hall has one of the best locations out of all the accommodations in Imperial. It is located right across the South Kensington campus and next to Royal Albert Hall, which means that even if you wake up 10 minutes before your lecture, you can still make it on time.

The Union is situated within the Beit Quadrangle; hence Beit is

Garden and WeeksStella Tsui

As suggested by its name, Garden and Weeks is comprised of two halls, literally Garden and Weeks, which are linked by a huge back garden. They are considered as one because the two are so close together and usually, events are co-hosted. Like Beit Hall, Garden and Weeks occupy one of the best locations in South Kensington: they are a 3 minute-walk from the college, 5 minute-walk from the tube station, and situated at the back-yard of the Victoria and Albert Museum/ Science Museum/ National History Museum. It is also right next to Ethos, the sport centre; most importantly, it is extremely close to Harrods, which I used to visit every month (don’t get me wrong, I went there purely for Vodafone top-up). Garden and Weeks are at the north of the lovely Prince’s Garden (but unlike South-side and East-side, we are seldom called ‘North-side’), where people eat, drink and chill during term time.

Garden is a beautiful 4-storey Victorian building with no elevator. Rooms are mainly shared (and a few single rooms), non-ensuite, but usually with a fridge and sink. The common room is particularly gorgeous, with a blocked fire place and a door to the back-yard garden which provides a second path to Weeks hall other than the pedestrian pavement.

So.. Where to go after lectures?

Main Campus

Weeks is newly refurbished with only single rooms. I’m afraid I cannot write too much about it as I’ve only been there once, but it is for sure decent. Hall events such as movie nights and beach parties are usually held in Weeks as there is a big common area, yet it is still not enough to accommodate everyone in the halls. Therefore, huge events such as barbeque take place at the back garden.

If you are lucky enough to get a place in Garden or Weeks, remember to pay a visit to the back garden. What I mean is not the apparent one with tables and chairs but the one at the further back through a shabby wooden gate. Let me know if you don’t manage to find it, I’m more than happy to point you the way and visit Garden and Weeks again.

constantly in a buzz of activities. You will never miss out on anything since most events in Imperial will be held within the proximity.

Beit is separated into corridors, and in each corridor there is at least one hall senior there to ‘look after’ you. You will often bond with people from your corridor, as you will be sharing the same kitchen, and it is a good way to meet people outside of your course. Usually there will be corridor events organized amongst yourselves or by your hall seniors such as cinema trips, eating out or ‘Come dine with me’.

One downside of Beit is that if your room faces the Union it could be noisy: ear-plugs will be a good investment and don’t worry, you will still hear the fire alarm!


Garden & Weeks

Garden and WeeksStella Tsui

As suggested by its name, Garden and Weeks is comprised of two halls, literally Garden and Weeks, which are linked by a huge back garden. They are considered as one because the two are so close together and usually, events are co-hosted. Like Beit Hall, Garden and Weeks occupy one of the best locations in South Kensington: they are a 3 minute-walk from the college, 5 minute-walk from the tube station, and situated at the back-yard of the Victoria and Albert Museum/ Science Museum/ National History Museum. It is also right next to Ethos, the sport centre; most importantly, it is extremely close to Harrods, which I used to visit every month (don’t get me wrong, I went there purely for Vodafone top-up). Garden and Weeks are at the north of the lovely Prince’s Garden (but unlike South-side and East-side, we are seldom called ‘North-side’), where people eat, drink and chill during term time.

Garden is a beautiful 4-storey Victorian building with no elevator. Rooms are mainly shared (and a few single rooms), non-ensuite, but usually with a fridge and sink. The common room is particularly gorgeous, with a blocked fire place and a door to the back-yard garden which provides a second path to Weeks hall other than the pedestrian pavement.

So.. Where to go after lectures?

Main Campus

Weeks is newly refurbished with only single rooms. I’m afraid I cannot write too much about it as I’ve only been there once, but it is for sure decent. Hall events such as movie nights and beach parties are usually held in Weeks as there is a big common area, yet it is still not enough to accommodate everyone in the halls. Therefore, huge events such as barbeque take place at the back garden.

If you are lucky enough to get a place in Garden or Weeks, remember to pay a visit to the back garden. What I mean is not the apparent one with tables and chairs but the one at the further back through a shabby wooden gate. Let me know if you don’t manage to find it, I’m more than happy to point you the way and visit Garden and Weeks again.

Hyde Park

Southside & Eastside HallsAngus Chan

Southside Halls of Residence have four adjoining halls, including Tizard, Falmouth, Keogh and Selkirk; Eastside has three, namely Wilkinson, Gabor and Linstead. As they are only established for a few years, everything inside is new and clean, and the atmosphere inside is tidy and relaxing. The ground floor and basement provide plenty of social space and the halls are very close to Essentials convenience store and the Eastside Bar restaurant.

All the rooms in Southside and Eastside are en suite, and you will have your own working area and cupboard as well. Compared to the other halls, our rooms are relatively smaller but honestly speaking, it is definitely enough for most people (ignoring those with hundreds of teddy bears or high-heel shoes).

Each floor has its own kitchen, and each student has his/her own food storage area. However, cooking utilities are not provided so you need to bring your own one. With a massive TV and large table, the kitchen is not only a place for cooking and having meals, but also a place for social gathering and having fun. In my own experience, most of my floor-mates spend more time in the kitchen than in their own rooms.

As Southside and Eastside are very modern halls, you don’t have any ‘key’ for access; instead, you use your own student ID card. So make sure you always have your own ID card with you. Each floor has a hall senior, so in case you get into any trouble or have any issues within the halls, he/she is the one you can approch and get help from.

Eastside & Southside


Main Campus

Pembridge Hall

Orient House

Evelyn Gardens

Reference - Satallite Images: 2012 Bluesky

Given the social amenities around Notting Hill, Pembridge Hall is certainly a nice place to live in, could be improved if it were located closer to the campus. A typical walk to the main campus takes about 25-30 minutes, when you may walk across the Hyde Park during daytime. It is closed during night-time, and students are not definitely recommended to loiter inside for their own safety. Alternatively, it is 10-15 minutes away on bus, where the campus is easily accessible by 3 bus routes.

Pembridge is comprised of 3 multi-storey Victorian houses linked together, so its exterior never reveals its own nature as an accommodation hall. Inside, it has all the necessities you might need for accommodation – a laundry facility, games room, TV room, and kitchens. The special thing about Pembridge is that the entire hall (about 100 students) shares only 2 kitchens, unlike other halls where a corridor (with less than 20) might share one. Although we get larger kitchens, they do get quite filthy especially during weekends when the cleaners are off duty. One of the pros is that you get to learn about tidying up things yourself, and the kitchen becomes a nice place to know your hall-mates who may never have appeared otherwise – however, you need to bear with a rather poor hygienic environment, as you could imagine.

Pembridge HallJustin Ng

Despite being one of the furthest halls away from the campus, Pembridge Hall is located at one of the most visited and popular districts in London – Notting Hill Gate. It is a corner’s throw away from Portobello Market, a famous place for selling antiques such as maps and furniture. If you are interested in antiques, history and culture, the Portobello Market stretching about a kilometer long is a worthwhile destination to while away some lazy weekend afternoons. A 2-minute walk from Pembridge hall brings you to a vast variety of food and restaurants, some of which are open until 2am.

Evelyn Gardensby Jeffrey Tam

Comprising of Southwell, Bernard Sunley, Fisher, Holbein and Willis Jackson, Evelyn Gardens is another area where quite a number of student residences are located. You will certainly enjoy living in these 20th century Victorian houses with just a 15-minute walk to the South Kensington campus, and with easy access to local shops around South Kensington, Gloucester Road and Fulham Road! Make sure you have your free brunches every Sunday and barbequed food every Sunday afternoon during summer term!

Most rooms in Evelyn Gardens are not en-suite so you don’t have our own bathroom, but the facilities there are quite new so it’s not that bad! You have televisions in the kitchens, but the fridges and cupboards are a bit too small... The common room is equipped with some really good stuff: a large TV, a Wii, a table tennis table, and a pool table where people socialise and have fun.


Main Campus

Evelyn Gardens

And those further away...Evelyn Gardensby Jeffrey Tam

Comprising of Southwell, Bernard Sunley, Fisher, Holbein and Willis Jackson, Evelyn Gardens is another area where quite a number of student residences are located. You will certainly enjoy living in these 20th century Victorian houses with just a 15-minute walk to the South Kensington campus, and with easy access to local shops around South Kensington, Gloucester Road and Fulham Road! Make sure you have your free brunches every Sunday and barbequed food every Sunday afternoon during summer term!

Most rooms in Evelyn Gardens are not en-suite so you don’t have our own bathroom, but the facilities there are quite new so it’s not that bad! You have televisions in the kitchens, but the fridges and cupboards are a bit too small... The common room is equipped with some really good stuff: a large TV, a Wii, a table tennis table, and a pool table where people socialise and have fun.

Orient HouseAnthony Wong

Although being regarded as one of the furthest halls from the main campus, after a year living in Orient House, it has been exceptionally enjoyable for myself. Located in the classy Chelsea Habour (one of the wealthiest regions in London), Orient House has provided a quiet yet fun environment for me to study. Travelling to the campus normally takes 40 minutes via public transport, but will only take 15 minutes if you are willing to cycle. However, taking the overground would be the easiest way of transport as the overground station is just a 2-minute walk away from the hall.

The rooms at Orient are all single en suite, grouped in either 4 or 5 in a flat. A kitchen with a common area is shared in each flat, which means that either 4 or 5 students will share a kitchen, which is a lot better than most other halls, where a single kitchen is shared amongst 10 or more students. A television is also equipped in each flat, so that you can entertain yourselves while cooking with your flatmates. With the flat system of Orient House, it is important to bear in mind that you will most likely be living with your flatmates for a year, so don’t be shy, try to establish a good relationship with them, and they might just end up being one of your best mates at university.

Being one of the newer halls at Imperial, Orient House is very well equipped to compensate for the long distance from the main campus. Ranging from pool table to table football machine, there is just so much for you to do with your friends (though I find beating all my expat friends at table tennis the most enjoyable).

The surrounding environment is convenient and utterly pleasant, with Tesco just a stone’s throw away and numerous riverside restaurants nearby. Whether it be watching a movie at Fulham Broadway (10-minute walk away), or shopping at Westfield (3 overground stops away), you just might struggle to find the best way to spend the weekend.


就算是在97回歸之前，香港和中國大陸的矛盾在很多方面已經存在：香港是一個資本主義的城市，而中國大陸卻是社會主義的國家；香港人擁有高度的言論自由，反觀大陸人則受到各種審查…….這些問題在97回歸之後並沒有離去，一直潛伏在社會裡，當中的緊張和分歧亦隨著時間一直加深。

在北京大學任教漢學的教授孔慶東於一網上電視的發言引起了兩岸潛伏的分歧和熱烈的討論。他在內地「第一視頻」網絡電視台的節目《孔和尚有話說》裡道：「很多香港人不認為自己是中國人，總是開口就說我們香港啦，你們中國啦……這種人給人家英國殖民者當走狗當慣了，到現在都是狗，你們不是人。我知道香港人有很多是好人，但也有很多香港人，至今都是狗。」這個言論播出後，不但在香港牽起了民眾的爭議，在大陸的迴響也很高。有見及此，ICPASS決定對Imperial College裡的香港人進行問卷調查，從而進一步了解海外留學生對這個在香港引起極度爭議的話題有什麼看法。以下是我們調查所得的資料：

中港矛盾謝雍穎徐芷敏


就左頁的問卷調查結果來說，除了經濟之外，大部份人普遍覺得香港各方面尤其是言論自由都比如果沒有回歸差。不過，回歸之後CEPA的成立，以及和大陸更緊密的商業來往和旅遊收益對香港經濟的刺激增長，則是有目共睹。

雖然訂立了香港回歸50年不變的承諾，但是近年來中央政府有意無意的干涉，就如最近的國民教育，令到香港市民擔心中央政府對香港日後的發展有所影響。另外，自2003年大陸開放自由行到香港後，大量的內地遊客湧入，兩地的文化差異，及內地孕婦紛紛來港生子，導致香港醫療系統出現緊張，這一切一切都令香港人對內地產生反感。有見及此，政府已經開始處理事件，2013年開始全港私立醫院將停止接收雙非孕婦，讓我們觀望這些政策將來落實的成效吧。

除了這些負面影響，回歸後也有很多的好處，其中以CEPA為例，另亦可詳見文章 Event Review – ‘Reflections’ Annual Youth Conference 2012 (第8頁) 。

後記

1

製作這篇議題文章，令我想起了早前香港大學有關港人身份認同的調查。這調查每半年進行一次，訪問香港人認為自己屬於香港公民，中國公民或是兩者的組合。最近的結果顯示認為自己是香港市民的，是10年來新高，而選擇中國公民的，卻是過去12年來最低。與上述對英國留學生的調查一樣，它顯示了香港市民對中國大陸存在著一定的程度的不滿，並且有上升的趨勢。

有愛國者常強調香港和大陸屬於同一個國家，卻不斷譴責香港市民稱自己為香港人的行為。難道稱自己為香港人便是否定了中國人的身分嗎?

2

香港的殖民地歷史，是兩地人民生活方式的分歧和差異的原因之一。在英國殖民統治的156年中，香港市民可以接觸到不同的文化和意識形態，並且在中國改革開放之前呈現在國際舞台上。近年來，具有中國特色的社會主義慢慢成形，部份中國人財富急劇增加，這變化不止震驚了許多香港人，更震驚了世界，因此有「中國威脅論」的出現。部分的暴發戶來到香港，中港文化差異引起了許多不愉快的事情，亦影響了本地人的日常生活。

我不認為衝突和矛盾可以在短時間內解決，但由於兩地之間的合作越來越緊密和繁多，香港人可嘗試適應，或至少有所包容。


Jason CHOIYear 3 Mathematics

如果一個教育制度不是鼓勵學生去用自己的眼光分辨是非，不論教學是怎樣頂尖，都不會培訓到任何精英、人才。香港人，又或者中國人，喜歡把子女送到外國，部分是因為當地的教育較為開放，允許學生獨立思考，建立自己的想法。老師的角色只是提供啟蒙，不會進行干預。不過，不知從哪時起，留學生的父母才是精英：二十出頭在學的華人去倫敦 O X F O R D STREET、HARRODS，背着一兩個名牌手袋。英倫的「貴」氣，從「貴族氣」演變成「貴價氣」。現在我們討論的，真的只是教學內容的問題？實情可能只是一群以為自己有用腦去思考的人，跟着一群略懂皮毛的人，再去跟另一群胡亂猜度上面意思、以為自己上位得道的人在爭執怎樣去解救一群不用腦思考的人……真是奇情妙絕！很多香港父母都說：「書讀好，你一輩子就搞定了！」何解？一直以來，專業人士在本港社會有着崇高的地位，而要攀上這些階梯就必須成績優異了。香港人好像為「醒目」兩字定下了不太對勁的定義，沒怎麼分清究竟一個人是讀書多，還是用腦來思考。也許，專業人士的優越是來自社會對一定方面專才的渴求，從而令他們獲得較高的工資。所以，說到底，高財產是否會令一個人變成高級？「專業人士有職業操守嘛，又受過高等教育，高級是固之然喇！跟那些隨地大小二便的暴發戶怎會一樣呢！」

洗腦教育？


喔，我懂了！三十年前不夠一成的人上大學，現在「高級學生」在遍地大學生的情況下，還要求跟以前大學生有平等待遇的，就真的是非常非常高級了！較早前看了一集《新聞透視》，探討大陸戶籍制度。在我們活在爸媽編排的密密麻麻的活動裏時，那些所謂「沒受過外國教育」、「沒文化」的人曉得都為自己生活去和前途打拼，那怕他們是多無禮。一直信奉的「讀書讀個出頭天」在現代社會再不通行，突然間，輸贏是看在起跑線上。在給別人比下去、權益受威脅的情況下，香港人發窮惡了：不願想辦法在這遊戲裏把對手技術性擊倒，但求改變規則、制度。換個角度來看，相等於兒子不夠爸爸厲害，下象棋的時候哭着要爸爸讓雙炮、雙車。自己應幹的還未做好，遇上到小小挫折便放棄，仗還沒打就喊讓賽。那即使大家站在同一起跑線上，亦難以跑出吧。說回國民教育，吳美蘭老師在城市論壇裏面說過「凡事功過也要看」。對，凡事要兩面看、要中肯，任何一面倒的言論都並不理智。看看在不遠處搖旗吶喊的人，除了反對外，又有沒有明確和有建設性的方案、大計呢？要特首下台，然後呢？專制的成功，必需要有厲害、客觀和本着為人民謀福祉的執政者。我去掉詳細的嘮叨，看看旁邊的新加坡好了。同樣地，民主制度要成功，需要有一群有客觀和獨立思考的人民。

所以，如果現在要一人一票選特首，我想我應該會立即辦理移民手續。

編者的話...

以上的「一人一票選特首」令我想起了9月9日的一人兩票立法會選舉。ICPASS是政治中立的團體，無論大家有任何政治意見，亦鼓勵你當日前往票站，行使香港居民享有的權利。


NAME: James Fan

SUBJECT: Materials Engineering, Year 3

COMPANY: BP

The company hosted the interviews in a Holiday Inn. On the day, I received a 45-minute competency interview followed by a 1.5-hour technical interview. The interviewers have set up a very amicable atmosphere, which aimed to get the most out of the candidates. Preparations revolve around the company’s recent developments or projects would be ideal (catch up their latest news and financial reports etc.). Interviewers from the HR department would be impressed if you associate all your competencies with their core values (in the case of BP, there are five: courage, safety, one-team, excellence and respect).

The interviewer of the technical session happens to be my current project supervisor. I was given three questions with very different scenarios, which were heavily related to materials performance and corrosion mechanisms. Appreciation of the oil & gas upstream production systems was also crucial. Interviewers usually led through the problems with useful hints, therefore don’t get fed up when you are a little bit stuck in the case studies: be positive!

As a materials and corrosion engineering intern, I am currently working in the company’s Sunbury office complex, which is located right next to the Heathrow airport. My role is to conduct a feasibility study on new subsea repair technologies. To do so, I have contacted dozens of vendors in the industry and have

asked for their technological capabilities. This can be quite tough from time to time, as they are fairly reluctant to share their “secrets”. Nevertheless, the fame of BP has attracted a lot of senior personnel (e.g. Managing directors, chief engineers etc.) to come into touch with me. With the obtained specifications, I have assessed various technologies’ practicality and recommend solutions to BP, which will ultimately help to formulate the company’s future subsea repair strategies. I am also assigned a few more side projects and have experienced various flavours as a Materials and Corrosion engineer at BP.

The company is very eager to allocate resources on intern and graduate training. Some interns are sent to Aberdeen and even Australia for weeks of on-site training. In my case, I was offered a short course in Scunthorpe on corrosion coating training.

I am still in the course of my internship, and I may know if I am given a return offer at time of printing. A review presentation on my work and a fast-track internal assessment centre will count towards the decision of the offer. This assessment centre will be compulsory for most of the current intern students, which will have an identical format to the ones used in their graduate recruitment scheme. We will need to complete a group discussion and a presentation on an unknown (hopefully not too surprising) scenario. I was told that there is nothing I could prepare for. Wish me luck on the day!



NAME: Timothy Lau

SUBJECT: Year 2, Mechanical Engineering

COMPANY: Hong Kong Electric

Growing up in a technically-advanced century with fascination for mechanical engineering, I have always been interested to know what it is like to be an engineer. Needless to say, graduates from Imperial College are more than equipped to excel in the engineering sector. Yet, little did I know about the actual work of a professional engineer, until last summer when I enjoyed a challenging and rewarding one at the Hong Kong Electric Company.

As the selection process for an internship position, interviews are becoming more and more common. A phone interview and a group interview were conducted three months prior to my HEC internship. A thorough understanding of the company's current position and its future projects is critical in a successful application. Complementary questions and basic technical questions are to be expected, but a general interest and passion in the field is also a crucial ingredient to stand out in the crowd.

Hong Kong Electric supplies electricity to all of Hong Kong Island. During my eight weeks of internship there, I worked with the Renewable Energy Group under Project Division - Mechanical Engineering Department. My supervisor assigned me a research project on the regulation scheme of the world's largest wind farms. The objective of our research was to study the effect of the potential 100MW offshore wind farm in Southwest Lamma Channel on marine ecosystems. Analysing environmental impact reports of each overseas wind farm may sound tedious, since not all the information can be found easily on the internet. Further, they might be inaccurate, especially since some producers in the Netherlands and China may consider certain information as private assets.

Fortunately, following email enquiries, most of them were willing to share their protection measures. With the overwhelming supports from my team and one month of hard work, I felt extremely glad that my work was praised by the senior engineer.

Besides my research project, I had the opportunity to participate in formal meetings with local fishermen on a solar energy project. This project certainly interested me since I was given the chance to speak to the clients, and I was involved in the project from planning to implementation. The most enriching part of all was finding yourself as one of the company representatives in a press conference. Through our team effort, hundreds of fishermen in Hong Kong are now saving 100 pounds worth of electricity each month after installing solar panel systems. This was the first time I felt that being an engineer can truly make a difference in our community, and I am glad to be one of them.

It is inevitably true that engineers may not earn a great respect from the society. Although I shared the same feeling in the first place, my appreciation gradually went to all the efforts and hours of work they put in to ensure sustainable electricity around us today. Eight weeks of internship didn't only give me insights into the engineering field and the opportunity to sharpen my competitive edges, but also gave me something invaluable - friendship. The friends that I met gave me full support in all different aspects, whether in or out of office. I am glad to have met a bunch of friends, who share the same enthusiasm in the subject, and we are still keeping in touch now.

Participating in any type of internship is very important and meaningful to utilize your summer, so all the best for those who are applying in the coming years!

Passtimes August 2012

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Transcript of Passtimes August 2012