The Antarctica Expedition and Exhibition explores how artists, researchers and scientists working together can collect and interpret environmental data using new forms of creativity and visualization. Students will carry out research in the remote science stations of environmentally-significant Antarctica to create media art and design projects that offer new approaches to understanding climate change and sustainable solutions.

Project Description

The expedition will be in Antarctica at the moment of the Southern Solstice and this unique timing allows this team to perform light studies that compare the brightness of the midnight sun and Hong Kong’s extreme light pollution. Solar panels and light sensors will measure the light data including current, power and intensity. Color and optical filters paired with the sensors will read the electrical power data in terms of color and type and later tied to the chemical quantity—number of photons. Light’s various qualities as energy source, image creator, color differentiator, and pollutant will be studied and contrasted aesthetically.

Hong Kong is the most light-polluted city on earth. Even with 12 hours of no direct sunlight, the environment here is rarely dark. Contrasting artificial light with natural light, the project uses various forms of display and measurement to help the public understand the seriousness of light pollution in Hong Kong.

Team Bio

An Art/Science partnership formed for this expedition, Jess and Sunny are from very different fields. Jess is an animation student whose poetry and drawings have appeared in magazines. She studied art theory in Italy, speaks fluent Italian, and has volunteered for local art institutions like Cattle Depot Artist Village. Her artwork is exhibited at the Inclusive Arts Project organized by The Hong Kong Jockey Club Community Project Grant. Sunny, a final year student from Applied Chemistry, is one of the best students in the science stream. He has been awarded two-time head list of top performers in his major. For his Final Year Project, he was an exchange student in Germany and was also a student ambassador for his own department on CityU’s Information Day. He has been chosen to work as a student helper in assisting the development of course materials under the On-Campus Service-Learning (OSS) scheme and has campus internship experience as an assistant in the laboratory for his Summer Research Placement.

Support & Sponsorship

Antarctica offers unique research opportunities but the stark fact is that each one of us has to bear the HKD 30,000 travel cost. We view this money as an investment in our personal futures and the future of our planet.

We welcome individuals or corporates to support this once in a lifetime journey for us young passionate individuals wanting to make a difference. All funds received, whether raised from the main project or the 14 individual projects, will be evenly shared by all students. These funds go directly to us, and are not connected to the university. The money is meant to offset our travel costs, and assist our families to lessen their financial burdens and hardship. We all need your generous support!

Please also kindly check the link below for all the 14 projects. We are grateful for your monetary help, support and encouragement.

http://www.fringebacker.com/en/team/projects/city_university_programme/