Awardee:  Dr. Billy C. H. HAU
Year of Graduation: 1994
Current Position: Principal Lecturer, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong and
Vice-Chairman of the Conservancy Association
Nominator:  Ms. Sarah H. W. CHOI (2006 Graduate)

Dr. Billy C. H. Hau was born and brought up in a remote and rural village in the New Territories of Hong Kong. His childhood memories were full of wildlife. He started as a conservationist in the World Wide Fund for Nature Hong Kong (WWF HK) in 1991 focusing on the impact of urban development on Hong Kong's natural environment. He then worked in the Kadoorie Farm and Botanic Garden between 1998 and 2001 when he planned for the first NGO initiated native tree nursery and pioneered the first Hong Kong funded biodiversity conservation project in Southern China.

Dr. Hau acquired all of his university degrees from the University of Hong Kong (HKU). He places conservation as his ultimate goal both in teaching and research at HKU. His primary research interest is ecological restoration of terrestrial habitats. One of his recent research areas is the investigation of the most cost-effective strategy to restore the extensive degraded hillside habitats in Hong Kong. In recent years, he has extended his work on ecological restoration to slope greening and has been contributing to various contract research projects of the Civil Engineering and Development Department. As for teaching, he is a passionate teacher who is keen to develop students’ real-life conservation experiences both inside and outside classrooms, hoping that this will raise the students' interest and commitment in biodiversity conservation. In 2009, Dr. Hau organised the first nature tour in Africa for a group of HKU undergraduate students to broaden their views on worldwide conservation issues. This approach of Dr. Hau has nurtured many devoted young ecologists in the conservation field for Hong Kong and mainland China. Dr. Hau has made profound contributions to training the new generation of conservationists and promoting biodiversity conservation and wildlife protection in Hong Kong and Asia. Many of his former students are working in different environmental NGOs in Hong Kong and overseas as well as relevant government departments. Over the years, he has served in various committees in environmental groups and government departments.