The Gender Studies Programme at CUHK played a transformative and foundational role in shaping both my academic development and research trajectory, beginning from my undergraduate years. It equipped me with the critical tools to unpack the complexities of social structures, class, and everyday power relations, while challenging normative assumptions surrounding gender, the body, desire, intimacy, masculinity, femininity, sexuality, and social inclusion.

This programme encouraged me to adopt an intersectional lens to examine equity and justice both locally and globally, and inspired me to pursue further studies in the MA in Literary and Cultural Studies at HKU before returning to CUHK for my MPhil in Sociology. Without a doubt, the programme’s interdisciplinary design – through coursework, thesis training, and internship opportunities – laid the foundation for my scholarly work in qualitative methods, embodiment, family and fertility, and gender and sexuality studies. These academic foundations have directly supported my MPhil thesis and current PhD research on digital sociology, platform labour, algorithmic governance, and content moderation across Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Mainland China. Beyond academic knowledge, the programme instilled in me a strong sense of sociological imagination, critical inquiry, and social responsibility. It nurtured my commitment to bridging academic research with public engagement, particularly with marginalised communities.

I am especially grateful for the invaluable mentorship and support I received from Dr. Siu Cho, Dr. Sonia Wong, Professor Ivy Wong, Professor Song, and Professor Suen. Their guidance, along with the programme’s intellectually stimulating and inclusive environment, encouraged me to apply for numerous scholarships – including the Targeted Taught Postgraduate Programmes Fellowships and the Postgraduate Studentship Award. With the nomination of Professor Ivy Wong, Professor Song, and Dr. Sonia Wong, I was ultimately awarded the Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme (HKPFS) and CUHK Vice-Chancellor’s PhD Scholarship, and now continue my research under the supervision of Professor Susanne Choi Yuk Ping. I highly recommend the CUHK Gender Studies Programme to anyone passionate about gender and sexuality, sociology, equity, minority empowerment, and making meaningful contributions to society through rigorous, critical research.