Meet Yan Ping, an SSIS alumna who graduated 11 years ago and visited us at the start of the school year! After graduation, Yan Ping studied at HKUST before becoming a marine ecology researcher. Let’s hear from her!
What are your thoughts after visiting the campus recently?
“Visiting SSIS felt like coming home. The SSIS community was extremely welcoming and hospitable. Memories flooded back as I revisited familiar places. I was also delighted to see SSIS expanding with many new facilities—a clear reflection of the growth of both the SSIS campus and family!”
What are some of your lasting memories from your time at SSIS?
“I made countless memories at SSIS, spanning from Primary School through to High School. I fondly recall the times when my best friends and I played hide-and-seek on campus during lunch breaks; had badminton practices after school; represented SSIS in inter-school competitions; and went on excursions to Vietnam and other cities in China.”
How did SSIS impact your personal growth, perspectives, or prepare you for college?
“The international environment at SSIS allowed me to develop an open-minded approach to different cultures and learn to interact with people from various countries. Furthermore, SSIS’s curriculum fosters critical thinking skills and offers rigorous training in academic writing, both of which have been invaluable in my university and career pursuits.”
Can you share a bit about your college experience and major?
“I studied BSc Environmental Science at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST). HKUST is renowned for its academic excellence and is also famous for its location right next to the sea—you get a spectacular sea view literally every day! In my major, I was taught a wide range of topics relevant to the environment, including urban pollution, waste management, ocean science, ecology, and atmospheric science. Learning about ecology and the ocean inspired my journey toward becoming a marine ecology researcher.”
What do you consider to be the most important skills for success in your field?
”I would consider critical thinking to be the most important skill for a scientific researcher. Critical thinking is integral at every stage of the research process, from identifying a research gap to designing experiments, conducting data analyses, and drawing meaningful conclusions from the work.”
Can you describe a typical day or week in your most recent/current role?
”Every day is different for me! It is a very dynamic work environment that involves lab and fieldwork alongside desktop work. For example, I could either be in the field conducting underwater surveys, in the lab examining coral skeletons, or writing up a manuscript for publication at my desk—or a combination of these activities in a single day.”
What advice would you give to current students who are interested in pursuing a major similar to yours?
”Marine ecology research can be either land-based (e.g., mangroves) or underwater (e.g., coral reefs). If you are interested in underwater ecosystems, obtaining a SCUBA diving license would be extremely helpful! Fieldwork for marine ecology can be demanding, whether on land in 40°C heat or diving in waters as cold as 14°C. But if you are ready for the challenge, go for it!”
What is the best way for SSIS students and alumni to engage with you?
”They can find me on Instagram with the handle “yp.loo.”
Thank you, Yan Ping, for sharing your insights with us! We’re proud of our alumni and their contributions to the world. Keep shining!”
