Ngar-sze Lau | Education Award | Best Researcher Award

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Dr. Ngar-sze Lau | Education Award | Best Researcher Award

Dr. Ngar-szeLau, The Chinese University of Hong Kong

Dr. Ngar-sze Lau is a multi-disciplinary scholar with expertise in Religious Studies, Anthropology, and Education. With a PhD from Lancaster University, UK, and extensive teaching experience at institutions like The Education University of Hong Kong and FoGuang University, she specializes in Positive Education, Mindfulness, and Teacher Professional Development. Dr. Lau serves as an Editorial Board member for the International Journal of Children’s Spirituality and has reviewed for prestigious journals like Frontiers in Education and Mindfulness. Passionate about well-being and mental health education, her research explores the intersection of religion, mind-body healing, and qualitative research methodologies. 📚🌱

 

Publication Profile

Google Scholar

Education

Dr. Ngar-sze Lau’s academic journey spans prestigious institutions globally, culminating in a diverse educational background. She earned her PhD in Religious Studies from Lancaster University, UK, delving deep into the intricacies of faith and culture. Her pursuit of knowledge continued with an MPhil in Social Anthropology from the esteemed University of Oxford, UK. Dr. Lau further enriched her understanding of Eastern philosophies with an MSSc in Buddhist Studies from the University of Hong Kong. Additionally, she holds multiple master’s degrees from The Chinese University of Hong Kong, including Religious Studies and Philosophy, alongside certifications in Education and Sociology. 🎓📚

Employment

Dr. Ngar-sze Lau brings a wealth of academic experience, having served as a Senior Lecturer at The Education University of Hong Kong and as a Guest and Part-time Instructor at both The Education University of Hong Kong and The Chinese University of Hong Kong. Her scholarly endeavors have taken her as a Visiting Scholar to National Cheng Chi University in Taiwan, ROC, specifically in their Graduate Institute of Religious Studies. Dr. Lau’s commitment to education is evident in her role as a Teaching Fellow I at The Hong Kong Institute of Education, specializing in the Centre for Religious and Spirituality Education. 🎓✨

 

Teaching

Dr. Ngar-sze Lau’s teaching and research passions intersect at the nexus of holistic education and well-being. With a focus on Life and Values Education, she advocates for nurturing character and ethics (生命與價值教育). Dr. Lau champions Positive and Inclusive Education (正向教育和融合教育), fostering environments where every learner thrives. Her expertise in Contemplative Practices and Mindfulness Education (靜修和正念教育) promotes mental clarity and emotional resilience. Additionally, she is committed to Teacher Professional Development (教師專業發展), enhancing instructional strategies for effective learning. Dr. Lau’s dedication extends to Well-being and Mental Health Education (幸福和精神健康教育), exploring the interconnectedness of mind, body, and spirit. She employs Qualitative Research and Ethnography (質性研究和民族誌) to delve deep into understanding human experiences. 📚💡

 

Awards

Dr. Ngar-sze Lau’s dedication to education and research is underscored by a series of accolades and grants. She was honored with the FE Supervision Appreciation Scheme Award and the Inaugural Caring Teaching Award at EdUHK, recognizing her commitment to student mentorship and compassionate teaching (🏆). Dr. Lau’s contributions have been acknowledged with the Long Service Bronze Award from New Asia College, CUHK, and bursaries for presenting papers at international conferences, including those on Buddhism and Sociology of Religion. She has also received research grants from institutions like Kellogg College, University of Oxford, and the Hong Kong Buddhist Association. 🌟

 

Research Focus

Dr. Ngar-sze Lau’s research spans various areas, notably focusing on mindfulness and holistic well-being in education. She explores the efficacy of mindfulness-based programs for adolescents and pre-service teachers, aiming to enhance mental health and prevent burnout (🧠). Dr. Lau delves into the cultivation of mindfulness in educational settings, promoting holistic learning and well-being. Her work also examines the application of mindfulness approaches for students’ mental health in school counseling. Additionally, she investigates the emergence of Theravāda meditation communities in contemporary China and the lay practice of satipaṭṭhāna, contributing to the understanding of Buddhist practices in modern contexts. 📚🧘‍♀️

 

Publication Top Notes

  1. Preliminary outcomes of a mindfulness-based programme for Hong Kong adolescents in schools: Well-being, stress and depressive symptoms 📄 Cited by: 220 📅 Year: 2011
  2. Promoting well-being and preventing burnout in teacher education: A pilot study of a mindfulness-based programme for pre-service teachers in Hong Kong 📄 Cited by: 123 📅 Year: 2015
  3. Cultivation of mindfulness: Promoting holistic learning and wellbeing in education 📄 Cited by: 21 📅 Year: 2009
  4. Developing mindfulness programs for adolescents: Lessons learned from an attempt in Hong Kong 📄 Cited by: 17 📅 Year: 2015
  5. Private music teachers’ knowledge of and attitudes toward students with autism spectrum disorder📄 Cited by: 12 📅 Year: 2021
  6. Desire for self-healing: Lay practice of satipaṭṭhāna in contemporary China
  7. Modernising Buddhism: Emergence of Theravāda meditation communities in contemporary China
  8. Teaching Transnational Buddhist Meditation with Vipassanā (Neiguan 內觀) and Mindfulness (Zhengnian 正念) for Healing Depression in Contemporary China
  9. Pilgrimage, traveling gurus and transnational networks: The lay meditation movement in contemporary Chinese societies
  10. Recent Emergence of Theravāda Meditation Communities in Contemporary China

 

 

Julia Schiefer | Science Education Award | Best Researcher Award

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Assoc Prof Dr. Julia Schiefer | Science Education Award | Best Researcher Award

Assoc Prof Dr. Julia Schiefer, Ludwigsburg University of Education, Germany

🎓 Dr. Julia Schiefer is a Tenure-Track Professor of Psychology at Ludwigsburg University since 2023, specializing in primary school science education. With a Ph.D. in Psychology magna cum laude from the University of Tübingen, her research focuses on nurturing and assessing children’s scientific understanding. Previously, she held a fellowship in STEM education at the Deutsche Telekom Foundation. Her work spans the development and evaluation of educational materials, including leading projects like “Kleine Forscher*innen” and “Science and language integrated learning.” With a passion for promoting scientific literacy, Dr. Schiefer continues to shape the landscape of primary education. 🌱

 

Publication Profile 

Scopus

Academic Education

11/2013 – 01/2017: Ph.D. in Psychology (Dr. rer. nat.) at the Hector Institute for Empirical Educational Research, University of Tübingen

Dissertation: “Promoting and Measuring Elementary School Children’s Understanding of Science” (Summa Cum Laude)

10/1998 – 12/2004: Diploma in Psychology at the University of Tübingen (Grade: 1.1)

Thesis: “Identification and Assessment of Gifted Primary School Children by Teachers and Parents – A Comparison with the Results of the AID 2 Intelligence Test” (Grade: 1.0)

06/1998: Abitur (High School Diploma), Gymnasium in der Glemsaue Ditzingen (Overall Grade: 1.1)

Professional Experience

Since 04/2023: Tenure-Track Professor of Psychology at the Ludwigsburg University of Education

10/2022 – 03/2023: Tenure-Track Professor of Educational Psychology at the Institute for Educational Psychology Research at the Christian-Albrechts University of Kiel (CAU)

02/2017 – 09/2022: Postdoctoral Researcher and Habilitation Candidate at the Hector Institute for Empirical Educational Research, University of Tübingen

Publication Top Notes

Epistemic Beliefs in Science—A Systematic Integration of Evidence From Multiple Studies

A closer look at elementary school students’ epistemic beliefs – Latent profiles capturing concepts of knowledge and knowing in science

Scaling up an extracurricular science intervention for elementary school students: It works, and girls benefit more from it than boys.

Effects of an extracurricular science intervention on elementary school children’s epistemic beliefs: A randomized controlled trial

Scientific Reasoning in Elementary School Children: Assessment of the Inquiry Cycle

Fostering elementary school children’s public speaking skills: A randomized controlled trial

Elementary school children’s understanding of science: The implementation of an extracurricular science intervention