Speakers

Roger Yat-Nork Chung, PhD, MBE, MHS, is a social epidemiologist and bioethicist who uses the lens of biomedical ethics and justice to examine the social determinants of health and health inequalities. He is currently examining social determinants such as poverty, deprivation, socioeconomic disadvantage, environmental and housing factors, and migrant status. He is also particularly interested in the health of the vulnerable populations, including migrant workers and rare disease patients. Additionally, he is conducting research on aging-related issues, such as multimorbidity and long-term/end-of-life care. Collectively, the purpose of his research is to inform health services and public policy, domestically and beyond.

He graduated from Johns Hopkins University with a Bachelor of Arts (Public Health Sciences), Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health with a Master of Health Science, Harvard Medical School with a Master of Science in Bioethics, and the University of Hong Kong with a Doctor of Philosophy in social and lifecourse epidemiology.

Prof. dr. dr. Johan F. Hoorn (D. Litt., D. Sc.) is an internationally renowned expert in the areas of social robotics. His career has been marked by numerous accolades and leadership roles that underscore his commitment to advancing scientific knowledge and societal well-being. In 2025, Prof. Hoorn was honoured with the PolyU School of Design Award for Outstanding Achievement. His leadership as the Project Coordinator of a project funded by the University Grants Committee’s Theme-based Research Scheme (2025-2029) exemplifies his dedication to addressing societal challenges through scientific inquiry. The project, Social Robots with Embedded Large Language Models Releasing Stress among the Hong Kong Population, aims to leverage cutting-edge generative and inferential AI to enhance mental health and well-being. Prof. Hoorn also serves as the Associate Director of the PolyU Research Institute for Quantum Technology, where he advances quantum cognition and affect to be implemented in a robot, as evidenced by a full quantum formalisation of ambiguity and vagueness in affective decision-making, published in the Nature series. Currently, he is studying quantum probability to explain the notorious observer effect in science experiments.

Dr. Kin Cheung George Lee is a Senior Lecturer and Programme Chair of the Master of Buddhist Counselling at The University of Hong Kong. He holds a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology and a Ph.D. in Buddhist Studies, and is a U.S. licensed psychologist (PSY28022). A founding member of both the MBC programme and the Postgraduate Diploma in Professional Practice of Buddhist Counselling, Dr. Lee's research focuses on integrating Early Buddhist teachings into mental health treatment through the Note, Know, Choose (NKC) model. He is the author of the first textbook on Buddhist counseling, The Guide to Buddhist Counseling (Routledge, 2022), and has published two other academic books in the field. His work is the first to propose Buddhism as a complete theoretical orientation for psychotherapy. Dr. Lee has published extensively in Buddhist counseling and has been invited to lecture at institutions including Harvard, the University of British Columbia, the University of Toronto, Keio University, and Renmin University.

Dr. Nick Tsui graduated from the Medical School of The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) and is professionally trained as a specialist anaesthesiologist. With over a decade of experience in public hospitals, he is now in private practice and is currently serving as an anaesthesiology fellowship examiner. He is also qualified in simulation-based education, developing Hong Kong's first simulation workshop to promote Advance Medical Directive (AMD). Dr. Tsui further extended his professional interests into the medicolegal field, earning an LLM in Medical Laws and Ethics with a focus on medical negligence and end-of-life ethics. This additional expertise enhances his understanding of the legal and ethical dimensions of patient care. In 2023, Dr. Tsui co-founded Alongside, a pioneering organisation dedicated to providing inclusive and compassionate life-and-death services. Through his community work, he has supported community members in completing more than 200 AMDs. He is also dedicated to advancing AMD education and has delivered training for members of the public, the corporate sector, healthcare professionals and legal practitioners. Guided by a vision of autonomy and respect, he strives to foster a society in which individuals can navigate their final journey with dignity and support.