Academicians Campus Tour: Professor Ngaiming MOK Guides Young Minds with Mathematical Beauty

2025-12-10

On the afternoon of December 4, 2025, the "Academicians Campus Tour”, organised by The Greater Bay Area Association of Academicians (GBAAA), was held at Buddhist Mau Fung Memorial College.

. 

The event invited Professor Ngaiming MOK, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, to deliver a mathematics-themed lecture titled "Starting from Plane Geometry and the Square Root of -1" to over 700 teachers and students at the school.

Drawing inspiration from “Heavenly Questions” (Tian Wen) of the Chu Ci — an ancient Chinese poem that probes fundamental queries about the cosmos, nature and existence, Professor Mo used vivid examples and accessible language to demystify abstract mathematical concepts. Through this process of questioning and reasoning, he enabled students to appreciate both the logical beauty and the creative joy inherent in mathematical thinking.

During the lecture, Professor Mo discussed not only the thought processes involved in mathematical research but also the value of integrating mathematics with other fields from an interdisciplinary perspective. Using rich illustrations and graphics, he visually demonstrated various mathematical concepts to the students and introduced them to his own research papers and findings on Riemann surfaces. This transformed complex mathematical formulas into an engaging "game of thought" full of exploratory fun, guiding the students to appreciate the wisdom of interdisciplinary integration while broadening their academic horizons.

The interactive session was lively, with students enthusiastically sharing their thoughts and raising questions. Professor Mo listened patiently and provided detailed responses, encouraging everyone to maintain their curiosity and passion for scientific exploration. When a student asked how to deal with setbacks in research, Professor Mo remarked, "Making mistakes is not a bad thing—the more challenging the problem, the more we learn during the process of correcting errors." He emphasised the importance of objectivity in academic pursuits, noting, "In scholarly work, one must be objective. Only by recognising where we went wrong can we find new approaches." He encouraged students to be bold in experimentation and to discover their own interests.

After the lecture, Professor Mo also engaged in one-on-one exchanges and guidance with some of the students, offering valuable advice on their academic inquiries to support their personalised growth.

About the GBAAA "Academicians Campus Tour" Initiative

As a pivotal platform for nurturing innovation and technology talents in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, GBAAA launched the "Academicians Campus Tour" initiative this year. The program invites academicians from both the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Chinese Academy of Engineering to visit campuses, delivering scientific knowledge and promoting the spirit of science among youth through thematic lectures and face-to-face exchanges. The "Academicians Campus Tour" not only allows students to experience the charisma of top-tier scientists up close but also provides them with deeper insights into the nation's latest achievements in fundamental sciences, engineering technologies, life and medical sciences, and sustainable urban development. This initiative helps broaden their horizons in cutting-edge technology, strengthen their confidence in innovation, and cultivates a new generation of talent to support Hong Kong’s vision of becoming an international innovation and technology centre.