The Chartership Bulletin: Winter 2024
Chartership in Hong Kong
With over 250 Fellows, the Hong Kong Regional Group is the fourth largest Regional Group, with nearly 40% of its members being Chartered Geologists (compared to 25% in the UK).
Almost 25 years ago, CGeol was adopted as a standard prerequisite in Hong Kong for government projects with complex geological conditions and as a qualification for professional status. Today, CGeol continues to be important for Hong Kong’s geologists. The Society launched the first accredited company training scheme in Hong Kong in 2012, and now has a number of such schemes to mentor graduate geoscientists towards Chartership – a testament to the considerable industry-led development in the Hong Kong geoscience community.
While the Hong Kong Regional Group has typically centred on engineering geology, we are increasingly focused on driving a sustainable energy transition, georesilience to the ever-changing climate, and digital innovations. In 2023, Hong Kong experienced unprecedented rainfall resulting in several significant landslides that affected properties and transportation systems. Fortunately, years of preparation through our government policy of comprehensive landslip prevention and mitigation, together with the professionalism of the geologists
and engineers who implemented mitigation procedures, meant that the consequences of these geohazards were significantly reduced.
Image credit: Dennis Wong
Jesse Tam CGeol
Fugro and HK Regional Group Chair
With input from Kevin Styles CGeol (Meinhardt) and Stuart Millis CGeol (Arup)
CGeol reflections
After completing my PhD in landslide hazard assessment at Durham University in 2007, I began working at Arup as a geologist/geomorphologist. Becoming Chartered in 2012 was an important milestone in my consultancy career, enabling me to demonstrate all-round competencies in the geological profession with international recognition. With Chartership status, I was given increased responsibilities as a mentor, trainer, project manager, and technical lead in several multidisciplinary projects in Hong Kong and overseas.
In my current role as lecturer at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, I recommend students equip themselves with fundamental geological knowledge and skills in their undergraduate years – but learning never stops!
Dr Kit Ying Angel Ng CGeol
Chartership Assessor
I became Chartered in 2024 with a specialisation in engineering geology. While preparing my application, I was grateful for my record of work experience, which I kept following the advice from an accredited company training scheme. After an initial unsuccessful application, I revised my supporting documents by extracting sections from company reports that allowed me to identify application-specific documents focused on the geological aspects of my work.
A desire for professional recognition drove me to obtain Chartership. In addition to the potential for increased responsibility, Chartership serves as an entrance ticket to a prolonged path of technical development. The application process provided me with a chance to reflect and I look forward to progressing further.
Karen Fu CGeol
AECOM
Attaining Chartership is a personal milestone that signifies my technical competence honed over years training as an engineering geologist. Professionally, Chartership serves as a catalyst for career advancement, salary increases, and internal and external recognition.
When preparing an application, candidates should consider the perspectives of the Assessors during the presentation. It is paramount to methodically dissect the logical thinking process, starting from foundational knowledge to understanding the constraints of methods and data. By integrating data from various sources, applying appropriate assumptions, and progressively developing interpretations, applicants should show the Assessors that they can construct a robust conceptual model that resonates.
Dennis Wong CGeol
Arup
