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Dear members Thank you for the extraordinary support you have shown since I took office as your President. I feel both the weight and the warmth of that trust. The Presidential Address [play back] and Dinner on 12 September have now taken its place in our shared story. More than 900 members and guests filled the room with energy, candour, and goodwill. I was moved by the applause when we noted the rise in female membership; I was equally struck by the reaction when we acknowledged that the male-to-female ratio still sits near 9:1. That acceptance tells its own story¡Vand it tells us to move faster. If we want a better engineered future, we need a richer mix of perspectives, voices, and experiences. This is not a favour to women; it is a service to the profession and to the public we serve. I ask each of you to mentor with intent and to be deliberate in opening doors. The future will not balance itself, and we must build it to be balanced. I recently joined a delegation to the Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST) in Hefei. The visit was a clear reminder that real innovation is patient, disciplined, and shared. The pursuit of fusion draws together many skills, moving forward as one. Our Nuclear Division may be smaller in number, but its work is of great significance. Whether on site, in a lab, or in a control room, each discipline contributes to a common purpose. Some work is more visible, some less, but all of it matters to the future we are building for the community. Our 50th Anniversary celebrations are in full swing. Following our high-speed rail journey to Guangzhou in November, we will gather in December for a gala with seats reserved for our young members. Will half of the room be women engineers at this cocktail reception, as I have imagined? That evening, we will also welcome a special guest, Cardinal Stephen CHOW, S.J. His ministry and my stewardship of the Institution are different in form but united in purpose: to bring people together, to listen across differences, and to serve the common good with courage and humility. We both believe that unity is a generous embrace¡Xof diverse talents, backgrounds, and convictions¡Xso that each person finds a place to contribute. His presence will speak to a belief I hold closely: every structure needs a sound foundation, and every community needs a deeper ground of purpose. We are also planning a Carnival at the West Kowloon Cultural District to bring engineering to life for families and students, and an exhibition in Beijing to showcase Hong Kong’s stories of engineering excellence. These are celebrations, yes¡Vbut also invitations to the next generations to see themselves in our profession. As the Mid-Autumn Festival approaches, it nudges us to look up at the same moon and remember those who may be walking in shadow. We are partnering with a social enterprise to offer Charity Cookies [click to order] in support of the underprivileged. While delivery before the festival may not be possible, orders will remain open through to Christmas season. If you are able, please consider purchasing a box for a neighbour, a colleague, or a community group. Small gestures, shared widely, create real comfort. I also wish to acknowledge the many volunteers across the Institution whose steady service makes our work possible. For half a century, the HKIE has been building. Yet we know, perhaps better than most, that no house stands without a builder and no city flourishes without a source of purpose beyond blueprints. If we hold fast to our duty to the public, what we build together will stand¡Vand it will serve. Let us gather, throughout our 50th year, not only to celebrate what has been accomplished, but, more importantly, to begin what must be done. Ir Alice Chow |
