Internship

Justin CHAN

It is grateful to have a fruitful year in the Hong Kong Observatory for internship. Throughout this year, I have gained precious experience in research and learnt the operations and working routines of the HKO.

The project for my internship is to assess how people in Hong Kong are affected by heat-related health impacts by using various kinds of datasets from different departments and organizations. This aims to provide a risk-based foundation for setting up the second level of Hot Weather Services and for future study on heatwave. Through this project, I have learnt the physiology of human to adapt to hot weather, and how Hong Kong is affected by hot weather. As the analysis is carried out using statistical models, my programming skills are polished too.

During the internship, I have learnt a lot from my supervisors, especially about presentation skills and programming. The staff in the HKO are nice and supportive, and they provided brilliant ideas for the project. Also, as the pandemic is over, I can join the activities organized by the HKO such as visits to the automatic weather stations and the HKO Christmas Party. All in all, I really had an enjoyable time at this internship.

我十分高興和感恩能在香港天文台實習一年。在這年間，我獲取了寶貴的研究經驗，亦對於天文台的日常運作有一定的理解。
我的工作內容是以由不同政府部門和機構的數據，研究酷熱天氣如何影響香港市民的健康，為酷熱天氣警告系統的第二級和將來的熱浪研究項目建立以健康風險為本的基礎。通過這年的工作，我學習了人體對於酷熱天氣的反應機制，以及香港市民的健康受酷熱天氣影響的程度。因這個研究是以統計學模型進行，我的編程能力得到不少的進步。
在這年實習中，我從我的上司和同事中學習到很多東西，特別是解說、簡報和編程的技巧。他們亦十分友善，常提供寶貴又優秀的提議和想法，鼓勵和幫助我完成這個工作。此外，因為疫情結束，今年能夠參與更多的活動，例如參觀氣象站和聖誕派對，都是相當精彩的。總括而言，今年在天文台的工作和活動給了我充實而美好的一年。

Thomas HO

I was grateful to be one of the interns at the HKO. I have learnt a lot from this one-year placement programme.

My project was to train some AI models to enhance classifications of unique features in photos. One of the critical uses of the project was to extend the current usage of flooding monitoring stations, including but not limited to Tai O and Sai Kung which are hot spots for storm surges. An alert message will be displayed if the model detects the water level reaching certain thresholds.

From this placement, not only have I learnt relevant programming skills, such as Python and Markdown, and fundamental knowledge and applications about AI models, I have also gained a lot of insights from the internal reports and models, such as understanding the components and their implication of Numerical Weather Model and the conditions of issuing warning signals. I also further understood the purposes of different sub-departments in the HKO and their instruments through various internal visits.

Aside from understanding more about programming and weather, I joined some activities organized by the HKO and had an unforgettable experience with my colleagues and other interns. I am thankful to them for helping me address different obstacles that I have encountered. At the same time, I learnt more about myself and gained further insights on interpersonal relationships.

If you would like to gain some job experience during your university years, I believe that this HKO internship programme would be one of the best choices.

感謝中大給我一個機會到香港天文台實習，讓我學到很多。
我負責的項目是透過人工智能，改善目前模型辨別事物、特徵的能力及表現，從而得到有用的結論。其中一個是用來擴大目前水浸監察站，包括但不限於大澳、西貢等風暴潮黑點。模型會判別現時水位，如果有水浸風險，則會在天文台內部發出警示。
這個實習除了讓我學到不同程式語言及人工智能基本概念及如何應用之外，亦從天文台內部的報告、模型中理解到更多如何預測天氣，例如理解數值天氣預報模型不同圖表的意思，發出不同警告訊號的機制。透過天文台的參觀活動，我亦了解了不同部門的職責、不同儀器如何運作等。有時天文台都會舉辦不同活動讓實習生參與，讓我們有更充實的體驗。感謝身邊同事及其他實習生在這段時間在不同範疇上幫助了我，讓我能面對工作上的難關，同時讓我更理解到自己及待人處事的技巧。

Hayden LAW

During my time as a student intern at the HKO, I had the privilege of working in the Forecasting branch, where I gained first-hand experience in the daily operations of the HKO weather forecast services.

One of the key projects assigned to me was the development of an impact-based risk alert system for regional heavy rain and flooding. I evaluated its performance and worked on the applications of this system. The purpose of this system was to issue alerts to other government departments, enabling them to assess the risk of heavy rain and flooding in various regions and enhance their public services. As there were multiple instances of extreme heavy rain this year, there was high demand for smaller-scale risk alerts. Therefore, I also developed district-based risk alerts to scale down the risk alert from large regions into much smaller districts. Additionally, I evaluated the performance of the district-based risk alert. Throughout the project, I utilized multiple programming languages to fulfil tasks related to both frontend and backend development.

This valuable working experience not only allowed me to apply and refine my programming and data analysis skills but also provided me with the opportunity to broaden my horizons. I had the privilege of participating in and delivering presentations at the HKO ENMAF and HKO Technical Forum and engaging in meetings with representatives from other governmental departments. I have received consistent support throughout my internship. I would also like to express my gratitude to both the HKO and the University for providing me with such an unforgettable experience.

在香港天文台實習期間，我有幸在預測部門工作，親身體驗了天氣預報服務的日常運作。
我參與的一個重要項目是為分區大雨和洪水開發一套基於影響的風險警報系統，並評估其性能。該系統的目的是向其他政府部門發布警報，幫助評估不同地區大雨和洪水的風險，進一步提升公共服務能力。由於今年出現多次極端大雨，對小區風險警報的需求很高，因此我還開發了基於小區的風險警報，將大區域的風險警報縮小到更小的地區範圍，並評估其性能。在整個項目過程中，我運用了多種編程語言，完成了前端和後端開發的工作。
這次寶貴的工作經驗不僅讓我能夠應用和提升編程和數據分析技能，還為我拓寬了眼界。我有幸參與並在ENMAF和技術論壇上進行演講，並與其他政府部門代表舉行會議。我非常感激天文台的主管和同事們在整個實習期間給予的指導和支持。我也要向天文台和大學表達我的感謝，感謝他們提供給我這樣一個難忘的經歷。

CHAN Ho Yuen

I am grateful for the opportunity to work as a one-year intern at the Hong Kong Observatory. This experience allowed me to apply my knowledge, such as bulk air-sea fluxes and python and MATLAB programming to analyze and tackle problems.

My task is to enhance the performance of an operational marine forecasting system. I integrated an atmospheric model, namely the Weather Research & Forecasting Model (WRF), into the existing system to investigate the impacts of storms on coastal systems. To improve tidal predictions, I also developed a high-resolution local tidal model by OSU Tidal Inversion Software (OTIS). My supervisor Dickson Lau and my other colleagues were helpful and friendly. Through their ideas, experience, and insight, I successfully finished my project smoothly.

I am delighted to participate in several field trips. For example, I visited the Airport Meteorological Office and the Three Runway System. This experience is indeed an eye-opener for me. Thank you, Gabriel Fan (who was our programme alumni and now working at the HKO), for organizing. Overall, my year at the HKO was memorable and fruitful and allowed me to be more well-equipped for my future career.

我很感謝有機會在香港天文台進行為期一年的實習。這段經歷使我能夠運用我在課堂所學知識，如大氣-海洋通量和python/MATLAB編程和解決問題。
我的工作是提高一個海洋預報系統的性能。我將一個大氣模型–天氣研究與預報模型（WRF）整合到現有的系統中，以研究颱風對沿岸地區的影響。我還使用OTIS開發了一個高分辨率的本地潮汐模型以改善潮汐預測。我的導師 – 劉廸森總學術主任和其他同事都十分友好。通過他們的悉心的指導，我順利地完成了我的項目。
我也很高興參加了幾次實地考察。例如，我參觀了機場氣象所和三跑道系統，這一經歷確實讓我大開眼界。每一次旅行飛機升降時，我也會回想這次經歷。在此感謝范文熙科學主任組織這次考察活動。總體而言 ，在香港天文台的這一年是難忘的，它讓我為我未來的職業生涯做好了充分的準備。

Carmen CHENG

If you are interested in Atmospheric Science, the Hong Kong Observatory (HKO) may be your dream workplace. I was truly grateful for this one-year internship placement as it gave me valuable experiences.

My project was about predicting the phase development of convective cells in satellite nowcasting. Hot weather in summer is favourable for convection. Rapidly developing convection highly affects the aviation industry. Therefore, the HKO is tasked with providing precise aviation weather forecast to ensure the safety of each aviation service unit. During my year of numerous attempts at my project, I was also invited twice to share my results in the HKO internal forum. Receiving suggestions from the senior officers, I finally built up a nowcast model with relatively high accuracy which could serve the forecasters in the future.

It was sometimes frustrating having to repeat some experiments occasionally. However, thanks to the guidance from my supervisor, assistance from my colleagues, and sharing from other interns, I improved a lot in programming and machine learning. In addition, it was my pleasure to visit the Airport Meteorological Office located at the Air Traffic Control Tower. It allowed me to understand more about aviation meteorological services. All memories were tremendously precious, motivating me to continue my meteorological studies.

只要你對大氣科學有興趣，入職香港天文台可能是你的理想。我十分感謝過去一年的實習機會，令我得到難能可貴的經驗。
我負責的研究項目，是利用衛星數據透過機器學習，以預測對流系統的發展。炎炎夏日有利於對流活動，急劇的對流發展十分影響航空業。因此，天文台需提供精準的航空氣象預測，以確保各航空交通服務單位的安全。這個項目經過一年的無數嘗試，途中參與兩次論壇，發表自己的研究成果，並從中吸納意見，最終建立了一個相對高準確度的預測模型，未來將提供給預報員使用。
過去一年的反覆嘗試儘管有時令我氣餒，但有賴上司指導、同事的協助和實習生的分享，令我在編程和進行機器學習等方面有所進步。除此之外，我們亦有幸前往航空交通指揮塔，並參觀機場氣象所，從而了解航空氣象的工作。這些珍貴的回憶，將化作我鑽研大氣科學的動力。

Victor LAM

It has been a great honour being a one-year intern in HKO in 2022. Despite taking a pause on my university campus life, what I have learnt and experienced this year at the HKO are far beyond words. My internship project was on the enhancement of risk-based storm surge forecast. I was able to access data from the ECMWF directly and calculate the probability of storm surge exceedance in tide stations. Plotting graphs such as risk matrix and maximum tide distribution was also one of the major tasks in product enhancement. Not only did we take part in our own project, we also had the opportunities to spend time with the HKO staff in activities such as participating in the Gamma-go workshop and visiting the airport control tower. The friendly HKO staff have also helped me a lot with my programming. Many thanks to them for always being helpful during my internship. These experiences have definitely broadened my horizons.

在過去2022年的天文台實習生涯，我為校園學習生活畫上一個休止符，卻開展了多姿多彩的新一頁。這一年，我主要負責優化現行的風暴潮預報系統。在課堂學習上，我們頂多能了解到風暴潮的原理和資訊。實習過程中，我們能夠掌握到第一身的風暴潮資料，製作相對應的概率圖表，為各單位評估及預警風暴潮的風險。除了參與自身的研究項目，我們還有機會參與其他與天文台相關的活動，例如參觀機場控制塔、參與gamma－go工作坊、上天文台總部天台觀看月食等等，皆讓我們獲益良多，收穫滿滿。 常聽說的天文台工作薪高糧厚固然不假，但在這裡工作一年後感覺到的卻是濃厚的人情味。每逢遇到電腦編程的問題時，同事們總會孜孜不倦地為我指導，無論工作內外都能與職員們打成一片，樂也融融。
感激天文台帶給我難忘且收穫豐富的一年，讓這休學一年之舉無悔。

Paco LAM

I was grateful to be a one-year intern at the Hong Kong Observatory. I polished my coding skills and also learnt more about the structure and daily duties of the Observatory.

My project was to identify potential high-impact weather events, such as severe gusts and thunderstorms, from radar images. Since this was a brand-new internship project, there wasn’t much previous works or results from past interns for me to build up on. Therefore, I had greater degree of freedom on my research which helped me come up with some unique ideas. Whenever I struggled, I have learnt to take a step back and to look at the bigger picture. Vert often, this would allow me to find a new approach to the problem.

Thank you again for the instructions and suggestions from my mentors and colleagues at the HKO. Their guidance helped keep my product development aligned with the need of the operational forecasters. In addition, they also provided valuable insights for my career. All in all, I had a fruitful experience at the HKO this year.

我很榮幸能在天文台實習一年。在這一年裡，我除了增進了編程的技巧，還更深入了解到天文台的架構和日常運作。
我的工作是運用機器學習從雷達圖像上辨認高影響天氣，例如強陣風和雷暴。由於這是一個全新的實習課題，並沒有前任實習生的工作進度可以參考。正因為如此，我在研究的方向有更多自由，構想出獨特的主意。我亦從中學習到如果遇到某些難題，可以嘗試後退一步，以另一種思路達成目標。
很感謝上司和同事的指導和意見，不僅令我的項目更加貼合預報員的需要，當中也不乏他們對升學和未來發展的建議，使我獲益良多。

Peter LAU

Working at the HKO as an intern has been a fantastic experience for me. Being responsible for researching and developing a deep learning precipitation nowcasting model, I was given a lot of freedom and time to experiment with all sorts of unique ideas, allowing me to further develop my passion in computer programming and AI research. During the placement, I was able to work with the talented and experienced individuals not only from the HKO, but also those from other top universities in Hong Kong, which opened up new opportunities for my future studies and career. Moreover, I had the rare opportunity to visit the HKO Airport Meteorological Office at the Hong Kong International Airport and took a glimpse into the day-to-day operations in aviation meteorological services, which was a truly eye-opening experience. All in all, I was very grateful for my one-year internship at the HKO.

對我而言，在香港天文台作為實習生工作是一個非常寶貴的經驗。在研究和開發用於臨近降雨預報的深度學習模型的工作崗位上，我被給予了很大程度的自由去自行嘗試各種新主意，令我能夠進一步發展在編程以及研究人工智能的興趣。在實習的過程中，我亦透過與天文台和香港其他高級學府的人才合作，而拓展了更多未來在學習或事業上的道路。再者，我得到了參觀位於香港國際機場的機場氣象所的罕有機會，一睹航空氣象服務之日常運作，實在是大開眼界。最後，我很感恩自己能夠成為天文台的一年實習生。

Filson LEUNG

It was my honour to work at the HKO as a student intern. Working in the Forecasting branch, I experienced the daily operations of the HKO weather forecast services. As an enthusiast in meteorology, I felt really excited.

My project was to develop a product for an impact-based risk alert for regional heavy rain and flooding, and to also evaluate its performance. The alert would be issued to other government departments to help assess the risk of heavy rain and flooding in different regions, to further facilitate their public services. I underwent numerous case studies and systematic data analysis, to enhance the alert effectiveness. I also used a few programming languages to fulfil the tasks of webpage design and backend development.

This working experience improved my programming and data analysis skills and put my knowledge into practice. It also broadened my horizon as I was able to participate and present at the HKO Technical Forum, as well as at meetings with representatives from other governmental departments. I would like to give thanks to my supervisor and colleagues at the HKO for their guidance and help. I was grateful to both the HKO and the University for providing me with this unforgettable experience.

我十分榮幸能夠在香港天文台實習，在預報業務組工作讓我體驗到天文台在天氣預測服務的日常運作。從小對氣象充滿興趣的我，感到十分滿足。
我的工作項目是為一套基於影響和風險評估的分區大雨及水浸警報系統作出改良和發展產品，並評估其表現。這個警報為其他政府部門提供服務，協助他們評估區域性的大雨及水浸風險，讓他們的公共服務更為便利。期間我進行了大量個案研究和系統性的數據分析，提升警報系統的有效性，也接觸多種編程語言，完成網頁設計和開發後端程式。
這次實習經歷讓我能學以致用，編程和資料分析的能力也進步良多。我也能夠參與天文台的技術論壇和與其他政府部門的會議，實在大開眼界。感謝我的上司和同事對我的指導和幫助，也非常感恩天文台和大學給予我這次難忘的經驗。

Ivan WONG

I felt grateful to be an intern for a year at the HKO. I gained precious research experience and learnt more about the operations of the HKO, providing a solid foundation for my career path.

During this year of internship, I was tasked with improving the Very Hot Weather Warning. The extremely high temperatures in July 2022 broke the records again and became the hottest month in history, which made the present Very Hot Weather Warning seemingly insufficient at warning the public about hot weather. Therefore, my project was to set a second criteria for the warning. By making use of data from different government departments and organizations, such as the number of calls from the Senior Citizen Home Safety Association and the number of heatstroke cases reported by the Fire Service Department, and together with my programming skills, I searched for the most suitable warning threshold. While a definite consensus was not reached, I was able to learn a lot from working with my supervisor, in terms of data analysis and figures visualization. All in all, the people at the HKO were very nice and often provided me with useful suggestions. My programming skills have also improved greatly. This has been a very fruitful and beneficial year for me.

我很高興能在香港天文台進行一年的實習，不但獲得了寶貴的研究經驗，也對天文台的業務運作有更深的認識，為將來的事業道路打下堅實的基礎。
在本年實習，我有幸參與天文台對於酷熱天氣警告第二級標準的研究。由於2022年7再次打破記錄成為有史以來最熱的一個月份，以往的酷熱天氣警告發出的標準已不敷感用，我便要開始著手研究第二重標準應該要如何訂立。過程中，我利用編程和來自不同政府部門和機構的數據，例如長者安居協會求助個案和消防處中暑人數，去找出最適合的警告標準。雖然最後未有確實定案，但這段期間受上司的指導，進行數據分析，繪製圖表的過程中都令我獲益良多。總括而言，天文台的同事都十分友善，又會為研究提出實用的建議，而且今年自己的編程能力亦提升了不少，是個既充實又滿載而歸的一年。

Ken WONG

I was very glad that the HKO has offered me the opportunity to work with their experienced colleagues. My project was about the “Gamma-Go” radiation measurement programme, with the aim to educate secondary school students about radiation and the safety measures when dealing with nuclear accidents.

It was very different from the projects of other interns as mine involved little programming, but instead more soft skills such as effective communication and time management. It was occasionally challenging for me when I first started. Fortunately, my colleagues helped me solve some of my problems and provided me with useful information and directions, and I was able to finish the tasks and to learn from some of my mistakes too.

It was also very memorable to cooperate and study with the other interns. We shared ideas to tackle the difficulties we faced in our projects. We had a lot of meaningful communication, and I also learned a lot from them such as how to improve my presentation skills.

In addition, the internship provided me with field trips that increased my understanding of the daily operations at the HKO. It was fascinating to see in person how the tools and equipment, together with a wide range of computer software, operate together. Finally, I would like to give special thanks to the HKO Scientific Officer Gabriel, who often helped with the interns and also organized an educational site visit for us to the airport meteorological office.

我很高興香港天文台為我提供與經驗豐富的同事合作的機會。我的項目是“伽馬線報”輻射測量計畫，其目標是讓中學生正確認識地輻射，並提供應對核事故的安全措施。
與其他人的項目不同，我的項目不涉及太多的編程技巧，反而是更多的軟技能，如溝通和時間管理。一開始對我來說並不容易，在第一周我便犯了很多錯誤，幸運的是，我的同事幫助我解決問題，並提供有用的資訊和指導來完成任務。
另外，與其他實習生合作和學習的經歷也很難忘。我們分享想法，試圖解決我們在項目中的困難。因此，我們進行了很多有意義的交流，我也從他們身上獲益良多。
天文台還為我們提供了實地考察的機會，讓我們更了解天文台的日常運作。能親身看到那些工具和設備及一些軟件的運作是頗有趣的。在此特別感謝科學主任Gabriel，他多次為我們提供幫助並特意帶我們到機場考察。

Ron CHANG

I am delighted to work as an intern in 2021 at the Observatory. My main duty was to work on the development of urban weather stations. Collaborating with friendly HKO mentor and colleagues, I was able to apply my knowledge of meteorology, data analysis and computer programming, acquire new skills like 3D printing and electronic engineering, and enhance my understanding on weather observation and meteorological instruments. Apart from the main duty, I have also learnt more about the Observatory’s work through involvement in various education outreach activities, the production of Cool Met Stuff, and visits to the operational automatic weather stations. Overall speaking, the year-long journey in the Observatory exposed me to a whole new world and the experience was fruitful.

我很高興能在2021年到香港天文台實習一年。我的工作主要是協助微氣候監測站網絡的發展，除了需要運用過去學習的氣象知識、數據分析及編程經驗外，在天文台的導師及同事的指導下亦讓我習得不同新技能，例如電子工程及立體打印，及增進我對氣象儀器及觀測的認識。除了天文台的主要工作，我亦參與天文台的教育活動、氣象冷知識拍攝，及有幸到自動氣象站參觀，加深對天文台業務工作的了解。過去一年在天文台的實習經歷實在令我獲益良多。

Martin CHUI

I am very grateful for the chance to get involved in the Hong Kong Observatory during the one-year placement internship such that I can know more about its operation and have a deeper understanding of Earth Science. Whenever there are typhoons hitting Hong Kong, the very first thing the public is concerned about is the wind power of the typhoons instead of the potential destruction due to the storm surges. Throughout the placement, my duty mainly includes assisting the development of the forecast and risk assessment system for the storm surge. As the main purpose of this placement is to automate the overall system, the knowledge used differs largely from my undergraduate degree curriculum, which benefited me a lot. Besides, since numerous typhoons occurred in autumn and winter last year, it provided me many opportunities to test the system and the process is really unforgettable.

I am also very grateful to my mentor and colleagues at the Observatory for their guidance and help such that I can complete this placement smoothly. They also provided me with different opportunities to understand Hong Kong Observatory from different perspectives, for instance, visiting the radar and seismic stations other than those at the headquarter, which then allowed me to understand the duties for different positions. Overall, I am very thankful to Hong Kong Observatory for such a fruitful placement experience which strengthened my passion and understanding towards the Earth Sciences.

很感謝天文台給我一年實習的機會，讓我能了解天文台的運作及對地球科學有更深的認識。每當有颱風影響香港，大家都比較關注颱風帶來的風力，然而風暴潮帶來的破壞亦不容忽視。在過去一年內，我的工作主要是協助開發風暴潮的預報及其風險評估。

此次實習目的是令整個預報及評估系統能自動化運作，因此需要用上的知識與於課堂上學到的有很大差別，這從而令我獲益良多；此外，因為過去一年都有颱風分別在秋和冬季影響香港，間接令我可以有更多機會去測試預報系統。我亦十分感激在實習期間上司及同事，他們的指導和幫助令我能順利完成這一年的工作。他們亦提供不同機會及渠道讓我認識天文台，例如到總部以外的雷達站及地震站等的設施，了解天文台不同崗位的工作。最後再一次感謝天文台，令我有一個充實的實習及使我對地球科學有多的了解。

Alex HUI

Ever since I was a child, I have been interested in meteorology and curious about the industry of weather forecasting. I am therefore grateful and honoured to be able to spend a year at the Hong Kong Observatory as a student intern.

My project at the Observatory focused on the development of an impact-based and risk-based heavy rain alert system. Conventional weather hazard warnings often depend on specific objective parameters, which may not precisely reflect the impacts of the hazard. Take heavy rain as an example, existing rainstorm warning systems across the world are generally based on sets of fixed rainfall thresholds rather than the potential impacts of the rainstorm, such as flooding and landslides, and the consequent traffic congestion and even casualties, leaving a gap between the authorities and the public in terms of disaster preparedness. Hence, during my internship, my role was to develop an advanced alert system that could better communicate the risks of heavy rainfall in various regions of Hong Kong, taking into account their exposure and vulnerability to flooding.

Thanks to the guidance of my supervisor, Dr Tam, I have not only broadened my horizons in atmospheric science, but also enhanced my programming and data analysis skills. I have also been privileged to participate in the Observatory’s Technical Forum and present my research findings to other colleagues. As an Earth System Science student and a meteorological enthusiast, I am deeply grateful to the Observatory and the University for giving me this invaluable and unforgettable internship opportunity.

自小我便對氣象深感興趣，亦對天氣預報的工作充滿好奇。因此，我很感恩及榮幸能到香港天文台實習一年。

我在天文台的項目主要是研發基於影響及風險評估的大雨警報系統。傳統的氣象災害預警往往著重於特定氣象參數的指標，未必能確切反映災害帶來的實質影響。以暴雨為例，現行各地的暴雨警告系統普遍均以固定的雨量閥值為準則，而非基於災害所帶來影響的嚴重性，如水浸和山泥傾瀉，以至隨之而來的交通擠塞和人命傷亡等。因此，我的職責就是參考香港各區對水浸的暴露和脆弱度，研發一套更能有效預報及表達各區大雨風險的系統。

有賴我上司的指導，在短短一年間，我不但擴闊了在大氣科學方面的視野，亦提升了編程和資料分析的能力，更有幸能參與天文台的技術論壇，向其他同事發表自己的研究成果。很感激天文台及大學方面給予本人這個既珍貴又難忘的實習機會。

Cliff LAU

Working at the Hong Kong Observatory (HKO) is one of the greatest achievements ever in my life. I am glad that I could have such a valuable opportunity to work there for 1 year as a student intern. Experiencing routine operations and working environments in the HKO widened my horizon. The HKO provided me with lots of resources and guidance for me to apply knowledge and practical skills I learnt in class, such as atmospheric science and using computer programming to solve problems.

Every student intern at the HKO is assigned a research project. I chose to become a student in the aviation branch since aviation has always been my field of interest. My research project mainly focused on developments of aviation weather forecast and evaluations of numerical weather prediction (NWP) models. NWP is an important element in modern weather forecast. It uses computer modelling to simulate our complicated atmosphere. The European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) is one of the most prestigious organisations in the world developing weather forecast models. The HKO provided me actual model data for research. I could have hands-on experiences extracting the raw model data which I had never imagined. Staffs I met in the HKO are also very nice and they are willing to share everything with us from research to the academics.

All in all, the year I spent in the HKO was rewarding and unforgettable.

能夠在香港天文台工作是我人生最大的成就之一，十分高興我能有如此寶貴的機會在天文台當一年實習生。體驗天文台的日常工作和工作環境擴闊了我的視野。天文台亦提供了不少指導和資源讓我能夠應用課堂上學到的知識和技術來解決現實問題，例如是大氣科學以及電腦編程。天文台的每一個實習生都有一個專屬的研究項目，而我自小對航空有濃厚的興趣，因此我選擇了一個關於航空氣象的研究題目。我的工作主要是研究航空氣象預報及分析數值天氣預報模型的準確度。我們經常聽到的歐洲中期天氣預報中心（ECMWF）就是一所很著名的氣象預報模式機構。在天文台，我有機會接觸到真實的模型數據來進行分析工作，這是我從未想像過的。天文台的職員都很友善，很樂意解答我們在研究上，甚至是學業升學上的問題。總括而言，這一年的實習經驗十分難忘，也令我獲益良多。

Martin LAU

Being an intern at HKO this year was one of the most memorable things in my life. The experience helped me gain out of school knowledge and made my faith in pursuing a meteorological career much stronger than ever. My project was to predict the diurnal variation of surface temperature in HKO by applying local tephigram into a deep-learning-based model. I remember I was doubtful about my ability at the beginning of the placement, asking myself whether I am able to complete my project well. Thankfully, through working hard and humbly asking for help from colleagues and my supervisor, I finally harvested a lot of valuable outcomes, ranging from multiple programming languages, presentation skills, and robust experience in machine learning, to meteorological knowledge relevant to my project. At the end of the year, my project bore fruit with some unexpected extra contributions. Working in HKO this year also allowed me to make new friends from different backgrounds. The people and working environment in HKO are very nice. This year in HKO is definitely a fruitful and fantastic memory, and I will never forget it.

今年在香港天文台實習是我一生中最難忘的事情之一，不僅因為它讓我學到了一些學校學不到的東西，也讓我堅定了我的目標，令我對從事氣象事業的信念比以前更強。我在天文台負責的項目是通過將局部溫熵圖應用到基於深度學習的模型中來預測天文台表面溫度的日際變化。記得剛開始實習的時候，我對自己的能力有點懷疑，問自己能不能很好地完成自己的項目。慶幸的是，通過努力工作，虛心尋求同事和上司的幫忙，我終於收穫了很多寶貴的成果，從多種編程語言、演講技巧和機器學習的豐富經驗，到與我的項目相關的氣象知識。最後，我的項目開花結果，並做出了一些意想不到的額外貢獻。今年在香港天文台工作也讓我有機會結交來自不同背景的新朋友，這裡的人和工作環境都很好。在香港天文台的這一年絕對是一段充實而美好的回憶，我永遠不會忘記。

Zoe LAU

My past year of working in HKO was one of the most fruitful experiences throughout my career. It allowed me to finally apply and integrate the different disciplines of Earth System science and put it into practice.

My project in HKO was related to the development of Ocean Modelling Forecast System (OMFS). Through coupling the ocean and wave model, we can produce a six-day forecast of the ocean weather. There are various applications from OMFS, including calculating the tropical cyclone heat potential for parameterizing the intensity of tropical cyclone, and estimating the water level related to storm surge.

The internship was not without its difficulties. With the spread of COVID-19, we were initially required to work from home. This introduced various hurdles we had to overcome during our various projects. Thankfully, our colleagues in HKO were tremendously helpful and ready to offer guidance whenever we need it.

在天文台的一年實習生涯，加深了我對這個機構的認識， 不僅是在科學的基礎為市民提供每天的天氣預報，還有海洋、天文、時間等不同範疇的服務。我所負責的工作是和海洋有關，利用海洋和波浪的模型預測未來六天的海洋氣侯資訊，包括水位、水流、溫度等。我們也能透過這些預測所得岀來的數據作分析，例如以溫度來計算颱風潛熱，以水位計算颱風接近有機會造成的風暴潮。

實習中最大的挑戰是我對海洋氣侯的認識不深， 因為我的主修的地球物理是跟地質、地震有關。透過在這一年不斷的嘗試和研究不同的學術文章，加上上司和負責同樣項目的上一任實習生悉心的指導，總算加深了對這方面的理解。這一年橫跨疫情緊張到後疫情時代，更加體會到實習機會難能可貴，希望這個系統在不久的將來能夠應用，而我也能在往後的學習實踐這一年所學到的技能。

NG Tsan Fung

Throughout a year of fruitful internship and scientific research at the Hong Kong Observatory (HKO), I now understand that the knowledge learnt in the university is only the tip of an iceberg. My task was monitoring the weather conditions near Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) by using deep learning model through weather cameras. Meteorological knowledge and computer programming skills were needed which made the project more challenging. Fortunately, the working atmosphere in HKO encourages us to learn from experts. With the guidance and support from my mentor and colleagues, I successfully constructed an automatic weather monitor system driven by artificial intelligence within one year, and the accuracy and quality of the system were further affirmed by other colleagues. In addition, during this internship and research, I was able to experience and keep pace with the current advanced technology. Last but not least, I would like to thank HKO and ESSC for giving me this valuable opportunity, which broadened my horizons in various aspects of meteorology and data science, raised my interest in scientific research and future studies after graduation, and most importantly, made friends with shared ambitions.

經過在天文台一年的工作實習和科學研究，令我意識到大學所學的知識只是冰山一角，但亦是重要的基礎。我的工作主要是利用深度學習，透過天氣照片監測香港機場附近的天氣狀況，所涉及的氣象知識和電腦編程技巧令工作更具挑戰性。因此，透過不同方法例如自學，閱讀文獻以及向導師和同事請教，學習所需知識。在導師和同事的善意指導和支持下，順利在一年內建立一個由人工智能驅動的自動天氣狀況監測系統，而系統的準確度和質素更有幸得到同事的肯定。此外，在這實習和研究中，有幸接觸到先進的智能科技，讓我能積極裝備自己，與時並進。最後，感謝天文台給予我這難能可貴的機會，曠闊我在氣象和數據科學各方面的視野，提升了我對科研和畢業後繼續深造的興趣，以及最重要是認識到一班志同道合的朋友。

Bowie CHAN

Speaking of earthquakes, many Hong Kong citizens would find them very distant and unrelated to them, yet a few small-magnitude earthquakes occurred near Hong Kong throughout history. Occasionally people in Hong Kong could even feel the ground shaking for earthquakes in Taiwan. In fact, the Hong Kong Observatory has set up an earthquake monitoring system apart from the well-known atmospheric and meteorological services.

In the past, the earthquake intensities are determined based on reports from citizens collected through the Internet and phone. However, it takes time and, moreover, reports based on human sensation could be subjective. Given these problems, my project aims to determine earthquake intensities from instrumental data, which give more accurate and prompter responses. After generating and analyzing peak ground acceleration (PGA) derived from strong motion accelerometer (SMA) waveforms, I studied station characteristics and proposed an updated approach relating earthquake intensity with PGA.

The internship was a unique experience because there are seldom internship opportunities related to geophysics, especially earthquakes. I feel grateful and fortunate to be able to help developing the monitoring system. In addition to cultivating self-learning skills for programming and statistics, learning from experts and colleagues is one of the main takeaways from the program. As I was navigating through the system, I was encouraged by my supervisor to propose new ideas for improving the system. Such flexibility allowed me to try more orientations other than the assigned work. This experience was truly memorable, and it motivated me to continue geophysics-related studies.

每當提及地震的時候，許多香港人亦會覺得離它相當遙遠。然而，香港的附近在歷史上也有發生過低震級的地震。事實上，香港天文台除了較廣為人知的氣象部門外，也包含了地震監測系統。
以往，地震烈度是基於市民的報告而決定。但由於這種途徑需時並主觀，得出的烈度未必可靠。因此，我的工作就是利用儀器數據判斷地震烈度，從而獲得更準確和快速的結果。透過分析最大地震動加速度(PGA)，我研究了不同地震站的特徵，然後提出了一個聯繫地震烈度與PGA的新方法。
這次的實習確是一個獨特的經驗，而我也很慶幸能協助發展這個監測系統。不但能培養在編寫程式和統計分析上的自我學習能力，在專家及同事的身上也獲益良多。在探索系統時，上司十分鼓勵我踴躍提出建議改善系統，令我有機會嘗試更多研究方向。這個經驗實在很難得，更推動我住後繼續鑽研地球物理。

Jonathan LAU

Not only that it is a rare opportunity, taking an internship at Hong Kong Observatory (HKO) is also an unforgettable experience for me. Working at HKO allowed me to use my meteorology knowledge and programming skills learned in ESSC classes. Besides, I also learned many knowledge of weather and climate thanks to this internship experience. The project I worked at HKO concerns the development of an algorithm forecasting the growth/decay of a storm cells, by analyzing historical radar data, so as to improve the nowcasting system of heavy rainfall. Although the COVID-19 pandemic reduced my chance to work in office and directly communicate with my boss and colleague, they still gave me lots of device and help when I encountered problem in my project, which enables me to finish my project smoothly in 2020. Overall, working in HKO benefits me a lot.

在天文台實習是一個很難得的機會，亦是一個令我十分難忘的體驗。在天文台工作除了能讓我把在大學學會的氣象學知識及編程技巧學以致用，亦令我學會了更多在天氣和氣候方面的知識。我在天文台負責的項目是透過分析以往下雨天的雷達反射率以促進即時預報強降雨的準確性，雖然我在過程中遇到了不少困難，亦因武肺疫情使致有一半時間需要在家工作，減少了與上司直接溝通的機會，但幸好我的同事及上司仍然給予了我不少幫助，令我的負責項目能順利進行。總結而言，天文台實習令我獲益良多。

Tiffany PANG

Last summer, I was a part of the HKO summer placement programme, during the third wave of COVID-19. This is my first internship related to meteorology and participating in this has always been on my bucket list since I saw the ESSC information brochure. Thank you HKO and ESSC for providing this amazing opportunity and help us experience it through between the second and third wave of the pandemic. I have learnt so much about impact study, and applications of meteorological data in decision making. This short-term project about extreme temperature events in Hong Kong exposed me to a working environment while further improved my research skills.

去年暑假在疫情下參與了天文台暑期實習計劃，儘管疫情下有一些不方便，亦需要有一部份時間在家工作，但也不減在天文台工作的魅力。這是我第一份有關氣象方面的工作，工作範疇是有關極端溫度的影響研究，包括極端溫度對避寒中心、避暑中心及入院的人數影響。天文台在讓我感受到工作環境的同時也令我接觸更多有關學術研究的方法，並爲我帶來一個美好的暑假。

Nicolas LO

I am grateful to have my 2020 filled with a valuable internship experience at the Hong Kong Observatory. Under the influence of pandemics, we all faced many difficulties in our daily lives. Luckily, I was able to spend a fruitful year at HKO. At the beginning of my placement, I was really panicking and doubting my ability. Thankfully, I was able to pick up the work gradually and made progress under the supervision of my mentor and colleagues. My main duty was to work on the development of urban automatic weather monitoring stations, which involved the design of the meteorological instruments, site assessment, data transmission, data quality control and data-sharing platform. Through different assigned tasks, I was able to comprehensively understand the establishment of a weather observation network and equip myself with professional skills, such as 3D printing technology, Arduino and programming skills, etc. One of the most remarkable moments was the designing and installation of HKO patented smart lamppost, namely Bollard. This design not only performed accurate meteorological measurement, but also blended so nicely to our community. My internship experience allowed me to meet many nice HKO staff and interns. I have learnt a lot here and grown a lot this year. Thank you HKO!

我很感恩我的2020年充滿著在天文台實習的可貴經歷，雖然疫情期間大家生活上都遇上很多困難，但我有幸可以在這段時間，過了豐富的一年。初時做起事來我都戰戰兢兢，很怕自己甚麼都不懂做，但有賴我的上司和其他同事悉心的教導和鼓勵，讓我慢慢摸索，我當中主要負責發展都市自動天氣監測站的研究，從氣象站的設計、選址、數據傳送、品質監控以及數據分享平台等，透過完成各種工作，令我對一個城市氣象監測網絡有更全面的了解，牽涉層面甚廣，需要不少專業技能包括3D打印、Arduino開源硬板、編程技巧等等。實習期間最難忘就是參與設計天文台專利的智慧燈柱，這個設計意念是希望一方面做到氣象監測，更希望能開發一個微型輕巧的設計融入社區當中，現在回想以前與同事一起討論和研發的點滴真令人回味，再看看我們的最終成果，真優美啊！謝謝天文台。

Cindy WU

I am very glad to have a one-year internship at Hong Kong Observatory. Although we need to work from home most of the time due to COVID-19, I had still learnt a lot and gained many treasurable experiences last year. My project is mainly to reduce the bias between the original model temperature forecasts and the temperature observations recorded by HKO. Moreover, I had also created a new fine-scale forecasting model to predict the diurnal maximum and minimum temperature. Apart from giving me a chance to use the knowledge I had learnt in class, I also learned a lot of statistical and programming skills from the project. I had also a great opportunity joining the workshops held by HKO, making mini automatic weather stations that can measure temperature, pressure and humidity with just a single-board computer. At the end of my internship program, I had joined the Technical Form in HKO to present my findings. All in all, my experiences in HKO is special and full of variety which enriched my university life. On the other hand, this gave me a moment to think deeply about my career path. I am much more interested in atmospheric science research after my internship in HKO and hopefully, I can have my postgraduate study in this field.

我非常有幸能夠在香港天文台實習一年。在這一年內雖然由於疫情的關係，很多時候都是在家工作，但我仍然在這次實習中獲得許多在課堂上得不到的寶貴經驗。我的工作主要是要減低一些現有溫度預測模型與天文台錄得氣溫出現的偏差，並製作預測全港最高、最低溫新型精細模型。這不但能夠給予我一個機會學以致用，也令我可以學到不少數據統計和電腦編程的知識。此外，我亦有幸參加天文台舉辦的製作小型自動氣象站工作坊以及在天文台的技術論壇中發表自己在這一年間的成果，這些都使我的實習經驗變得更加有趣。這次在天文台的實習經歷無疑豐富了我的大學生活，也讓我深思了自己的職業路向，令我更有興趣在畢業後繼續進行大氣科學方面的研究。

Sam LAU

This summer internship gives me a picture of how geotechnical engineering and natural terrain hazard study (NTHS) work. By using different techniques like stereoscope, aerial photo, numerical model and GIS, combining with the field observation, we can evaluate the risk of geohazards of a place. It is a great opportunity that I can apply geoscience knowledge into a practical way.

Besides, the most fascinating part of this internship is working at the site. Earth process in reality may not perform the ideal case. Similarly, site tells story much more complicating than what we learnt in textbook. Hence, we need to spend more effort to understand it. It is the most challenging part, and also the most attractive part of studying geology.

Gavan Wong

Reflecting on my internship experience at Fugro Geotechnical Services, I feel incredibly fortunate to have gained both onshore and offshore ground investigation work experience. This opportunity allowed me to see how theoretical knowledge is applied in real-world scenarios, which was both enlightening and rewarding.

One of the most valuable aspects of my internship was learning how to perform detailed soil and rock descriptions. This hands-on experience was complemented by conducting various in-situ tests and visiting the geotechnical material lab. These activities provided a deeper understanding of lab tests that I had previously only encountered in lectures.

Internships are crucial for gaining industry insights and exploring personal interests within the geotechnical and geology fields. They help in preparing a career pathway early on, offering more exposure to the industry and the chance to build a network of professional contacts and friends.

Overall, my time at Fugro was an invaluable step in my professional development, solidifying my interest in geotechnical engineering and providing a solid foundation for my future career.

Owen CHAN

During my undergraduate studies, I completed two internships that significantly enriched my learning experience. At Georisk Solutions, I gained valuable experience in conducting natural terrain hazard studies. The field mapping part of the studies is the most challenging and exciting part.

In my internship at Lams Geotechnics, I learned how to conduct ground investigations. The project I participated is the selection of the Pak Shek Kwok station. While working on this project, I encountered meta-siltstone, which is quite rare in Hong Kong.