This major is a unique undergraduate programme in Hong Kong, aiming at meeting the current manpower requirements and also future economic challenges of Hong Kong. Students of this major will be trained in multi-disciplinary topics related to nuclear engineering and risk engineering. The major will concentrate on five related focus areas which are nuclear engineering, nuclear medicine and medical radiation, materials engineering, risk engineering, and crisis management. These five focus areas are in general aligned with three of the six industries of Hong Kong, namely testing and certification services, medical services, and environmental industries, which have been identified by the Hong Kong SAR Government as having clear advantages for further development. The following are some of the reasons why this major is needed:

• Rapid development in nuclear energy in mainland China, especially in regions near Hong Kong, would require many well-trained nuclear engineers in foreseeable future.
• The increasing use of radiation technology for medical treatments and diagnosis for aging population means that there is a growing demand in medical radiation professionals.
• Risk engineering is not only essential to the nuclear industry but also to many big corporations and engineering systems. Many companies have now recognized the importance of assessing and managing risks to ensure smooth running of their businesses. Risk professionals are highly sought-after.
• Disaster or crisis management involves dealing with threats after they have occurred. Several well-known disasters and product recalls, such as the lead-in-drinking-water crisis in Hong Kong, Gulf of Mexico oil spill, and major vehicle recalls by Toyota due to out-of-control gas pedals, have highlighted the importance of crisis management for reducing the adverse impacts to businesses and governments. Many petrochemical companies, public utilities companies, banks and big corporations do employ crisis management professionals to protect their businesses from potential crises.

The major aims to equip the students with multi-disciplinary knowledge in nuclear engineering and risk engineering. Besides teaching the discipline-related technical knowledge, we will also help the students develop their problem solving skills so that they can analyze and solve a broad spectrum of engineering problems. The students will gain a sound foundation in the relevant disciplines through practical hands-on projects and extensive exposure to real-life scenarios through industrial placements and overseas exchange arrangements with a view to attaining the dynamic levels and standards required by highly competitive markets such as Hong Kong and mainland China.

Career Prospects

As this major is multi-disciplinary in nature, job prospect is promising. After graduation, students can choose to work in many related professions or industrial sectors, such as power generation industry, materials engineering for large corporations, testing and certification services, medical radiation related fields in hospitals and diagnostic centres, radiation protection and environmental protection in government departments and private consultancy firms, product research and development in nuclear radiation equipment companies, risk assessment in the financial sector, and also disaster management for Government, public utilities companies and big corporations.