Title: Becoming an Education Researcher in Hong Kong: The Journey from PhD Application to Postdoctoral Research
Date: Thursday, November 5, 2026
Time: 5:00 PM to 6:30 PM (Hong Kong Time)
Format: Online in English
Registration Link: https://eduhk.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_wWVB5zliTgK1ZKovpP7SUw#/registration (Register to attend live or to receive the video recording of the session)
Following the journeys of five internationals, Inter-Conversations Forum 20 explores the academic and professional journey from PhD application to postdoctoral research. PhD students and postdoctoral fellows from EdUHK will share practical guidance on building an academic research career, alongside personal insights into living and working in Hong Kong. In the first section "Applying for a PhD," speakers talk about scholarship applications and expectations of doctoral studies. In the second section "Postdoctoral Research," speakers talk about opportunities after graduation and the transition to postdoctoral work. Come join us to learn what it takes to become an education researcher in Hong Kong!
Biography of Speakers
Born and raised in Hong Kong. Dr. Jerry Yeung obtained his bachelor's degree at The University of Hong Kong (HKU) and his PhD at The Education University of Hong Kong (EdUHK). Dr. Yeung is currently a Postdoctoral Fellow in the Department of Early Childhood Education at EdUHK. He was awarded a postdoctoral fellowship by the Hong Kong RGC Junior Research Fellow Scheme (JRFS). Dr. Yeung’s research focuses on children's creativity, arts education, curriculum and pedagogies, and teacher professional development, specifically within early childhood education settings. Trained as a preschool teacher, his research is informed by the notion of “Glocalization” (hybridization of global and local perspectives in education) and his working experience in preschools. Dr. Yeung has published articles in international academic journals such as Pedagogy, Culture & Society and Arts Education Policy Review. His work has been presented at international and local conferences.
Yue Yi Fan grew up between Shenzhen, China and Vancouver, Canada. She is currently a Year 1 PhD student in the Department of Early Childhood Education (ECE) at The Education University of Hong Kong. She holds a Research Postgraduate Studentship (RPGS), and her supervisor is Dr. Alfredo Bautista. Her research looks at creativity and AI, jazz pedagogies, and improvisational learning.
Before starting her doctoral studies at EdUHK, Yi Fan earned a bachelor's degree in Jazz Studies at the New England Conservatory of Music and a master's degree in Jazz Performance at the Manhattan School of Music. She has taught jazz fundamentals at a primary school in New York and given private music theory lessons to students with special needs. She is also an active jazz vocalist and has performed in New York, Boston, Hong Kong SAR and the Chinese Mainland.
Jelli (JEL-ee) Grace Luzano is a Year 1 PhD student from the Department of Curriculum and Instruction of the Education University of Hong Kong. Her teaching and research experience spans 10 years covering the field of Psychology, Counselling, and Research Methods. Before pursuing her doctorate, she was an Assistant Professor in Psychology at the Mindanao State University – Iligan Institute of Technology, Philippines, conducting research on mental health and well-being and giving lectures on personal growth, self-help, and psychological first aid. She is an awardee of the Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme (HKPFS) and the Belt & Road Scholarship, and she is aiming to contribute to the literature on teachers’ growth and development, as well as improving well-being in school ecosystems.
Cao Thi Xuan Lien comes from Vietnam and is a Year 2 PhD student at the Department of Curriculum and Instruction, The Education University of Hong Kong. She is the awardee of Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme 2025/2026 and 2026 HKSAR Government Scholarship Fund – Reaching Out Award. Her supervisor is Dr. Yang Lan Joy, and her research topic is about the integration of GenAI feedback in higher education. She is serving as a student representative at Faculty Higher Degree Research Support Committee at Faculty of Education and Human Development. Prior to her doctoral studies, Lien has worked as an English as a Foreign Language lecturer and a teacher trainer at University of Foreign Languages and International Studies, Hue University in central Vietnam.
Dr. Yuhan XIONG, originally from the Chinese Mainland, is currently a Postdoctoral Fellow in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction at The Education University of Hong Kong (EdUHK). She obtained her PhD from EdUHK and holds dual master’s degrees in educational leadership and Comparative and International Education from The Pennsylvania State University. Her research interests include formative assessment, educational technology, and AI-enabled learning across higher and secondary education. Her doctoral research mainly focused on teachers’ perceptions and practices of technology-mediated formative assessment, with particular attention to the role of teachers’ digital competence in its design and implementation. Her current research focuses on assessment and assessment reform in the age of artificial intelligence.
