About Me

I arrived in Hong Kong back in 2003 and have been teaching and researching in this beautiful city ever since. I am the Founding Director of the Research and Impact Initiative for Communication in Healthcare (HKU RIICH: www.hkuriich.org) hosted by the School of English, Faculty of Arts, the University of Hong Kong. Rallying under HKU RIICH, our research team investigates cutting-edge topics in healthcare through interdisciplinary lenses of (socio-)linguistics, social sciences and public health. This research emphasizes inter-professional dialogue, multicultural and multilingual awareness and real-world impacts.
 

Over the years, I have researched in different healthcare settings: genetic/ genomic medicine and counselling, dental education, Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), cancer clinics, end-of-life care, and most recently mental health. I am passionate about advancing the understanding of high-priority societal issues (e.g. social determinants of health and illness; mental health; gender and other health (in)equalities, etc.) through research and education. My projects are conducted in close collaboration with public and private healthcare institutions, non-profit voluntary groups, and local and international business organizations.
 

I am the Founding Editor of the "Routledge Studies in Language, Health and Culture" (https://www.routledge.com/Routledge-Studies-in-Language-Health-and-Culture/book-series/RSLHC). The book series aims to bring together impactful evidence-based interdisciplinary research on multicultural and multilingual healthcare encounters, especially on cases outside of the mainstream English-dominant healthcare contexts. The series connects academic research and professional practice, offering a platform for trans-disciplinary dialogue and collaboration.

For prospective research postgraduate students, see information about project supervision under TEACHING.