Prof. LEUNG Mei Yee Kenneth (梁美儀)

Professor Kenneth Leung is the Director of State Key Laboratory of Marine Pollution and Chair Professor of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry at Department of Chemistry (CHEM) in the City University of Hong Kong (CityU), where he also serves as Dean of School of Energy and Environment (since April 2024).  He accomplished his Higher Diploma in Applied Sciences (Environmental Science & Technology) with distinction at the City Polytechnic of Hong Kong in 1992, a BSc degree in Applied Environmental Sciences with first class honours at the University of Portsmouth in 1993, and a MPhil degree in Environmental Science at CityU in 1996. As a recipient of the Swire’s James Henry Scott PhD Scholarship, he received doctoral training at the University of Glasgow and obtained his PhD in Marine Ecotoxicology in 2000. He was subsequently awarded The Croucher Foundation Fellowship, enabling his postdoctoral study in ecological risk assessment of industrial chemicals at Royal Holloway, University of London (2000-2001).

He firstly joined the University of Hong Kong (HKU) as Research Assistant Professor in January 2002 and was promoted to Assistant Professor, Associate Professor (Tenured) and Professor in 2003, 2009 and 2013, respectively. During his tenure at HKU (January 2002 - July 2020), he also served as a Research Scientist at the Swire Institute of Marine Science, the Warden of Morrison Hall (2011-2017), the Associate Dean (Research and Graduate Studies) at Faculty of Science (2014-2016) and Acting/Interim Director of School of Biological Sciences (2018-2019). He is a founding Editor-in-Chief of Regional Studies in Marine Science, and serves on Editorial Boards of Marine Pollution Bulletin, Journal of Hazardous Materials Letters, Foundamental Research and Water Biology and Security.

In recognition of his contributions to aquatic ecology and environmental toxicology in Asia-Pacific region, he was awarded the 19^th Biwako Prize for Ecology by the Ecological Society of Japan, and conferred as a Fellow of the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC) in 2017. In 2018, he was selected as one of the top 100 Asian Scientists by Asian Scientist Magazine. In 2022, he was elected as Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry, and Fellow of the Royal Society of Biology.  Owning to his exemplary contributions to research and professional education, CityU conferred him with The President's Award in 2022. 

He is currently serving as an expert member in various advisory committees (e.g. Chairman of Advisory Council on Food and Environmental Hygiene, Chairman of Lantau Conservation Fund Advisory Committee, and Member of Advisory Council on the Environment) for the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR). In recognition of his professional achievements and dedicated community services, he was selected as one of the “Ten Outstanding Young Persons” for Hong Kong by Junior Chamber International in 2010. In 2018, he was appointed as a Justice of the Peace by the HKSAR Government.