Students Actively Participated in the Lightning Detector Design Competition

25 May 2013

The award presentation ceremony for the Lightning Detector Design Competition was held today (25 May) at Rayson Huang Theatre, the University of Hong Kong. The competition was jointly organised by the Hong Kong Observatory, the Faculty of Engineering of the University of Hong Kong and the Hong Kong Meteorological Society; funded by the Knowledge Exchange Fund of the University Grant Committee under the project "Lightning Analyzer for Everyone".

Lightning is a severe weather phenomenon commonly seen in Hong Kong, especially in spring and summer. It can destroy electrical installations, cause fire and even result in death by electrocution. Therefore, timely observation and detection of lightning are extremely important. The competition can enhance younger generations' interest in meteorological and information technologies and knowledge of weather instrumentation.

A total of 380 Primary 4 to Secondary 6 students from 43 primary and secondary schools took part in the junior and senior categories to compete for the Most Creative Lightning Detector Award, the Most Attractive Lightning Detector Award and the Best Presentation Award. From November to December in 2012, through a series of talks, workshops and visits, the participating students gained a better understanding of the lightning phenomenon and the principles behind various detection methods.

Officiating at the ceremony, the Assistant Director of the Hong Kong Observatory, Mr Edwin Lai, was impressed by the enthusiasm and dedication shown by the students. He said, "Given the challenges in lightning detection, the participants should be applauded for spending much energy and effort in coming up with detectors that are both practical and reliable within just a few months."

Also officiating at the event, the Assistant Dean of Engineering at the University of Hong Kong, Dr Wilton Fok, praised the students for their creativity and talents in producing different kinds of creative lightning detectors. On the evidence of the meticulously designed and tested methods, well-integrated hardware with software, and excellent presentation skill, he was confident that the students would be engineers and scientists of the future.

Dr David Lam of the Hong Kong Meteorological Society, a member of the adjudicating panel, added, "Teachers and students must have spent a lot of effort on information gathering and research in the design of devices, demonstrating not only a methodology based on good science, but also a tool with application value for the society and users."

The list of awardees of the Lightning Detector Design Competition can be found at: http://www.cs.hku.hk/~light/AwardWinnerList-English.php

Fig. 1 Organisers and supporting organisations of the competition are pictured together at the award presentation ceremony.

Fig. 2 Professor K L Mak (first right) presents award to the champion of the Junior Category.

Fig. 3 Mr. Edwin Lai (first right) presents award to the champion of the Senior Category.