Born in 1986, Crystal Chow is a young political commentator from Hong Kong with extensive experience in social advocacy, journalism and policy research. Her primary focuses are on sustainable development and promoting global citizenship.
In addition to her professional role as an environmental policy researcher, Crystal was also a writer, columnist and a former journalist specializing in international affairs. A former student leader, Crystal has run in the 2010 Hong Kong Legislative Council by-election as part of the student campaign “Tertiary 2012” calling for universal suffrage and constitutional reform. Crystal also represented Hong Kong in a number of global exchange programmes as a youth delegate.
Hoping to develop specialized knowledge required to drive Asia’s low-carbon transition, Crystal has recently completed a master’s degree in Global Energy and Climate Policy at SOAS, University of London in 2015.
Some major highlights:
– Crystal was elected by the representatives from the universities’ student unions to serve as the Secretary-General to the Hong Kong Federation of Students (HKFS) from 2009 to 2010, during which she has led a number of student campaigns on various social issues including constitutional reform and higher education policy.
– Shortly after Crystal graduated in 2010 from the Chinese University of Hong Kong majoring in Cultural Studies, she have worked at Focus on the Global South, a Regional Non-Governmental Organization in the Philippines, as an International Working Partner for 6 months. One of her major duties there was to assist the research on China’s economic relation with the Philippines, particularly the prospects and challenges arise from the China-ASEAN Free Trade Agreement, as well as China’s role in the global resource race and its implications to ASEAN countries. It was also where she began to develop a keen interest in issues regarding climate change and sustainable development.
– In 2012, Crystal was selected to the Youth Ambassador program of Asia Pacific Youth Network to promote human rights in the region and to work with other aspiring young leaders.
– A former reporter from iSunAffairs Weekly, Crystal was an independent journalist from May 2013 to Feb 2014 and has covered feature stories including political reform in Vietnam, ethnic conflicts in Myanmar, Malaysian election 2013 and the indigenous community and its ongoing movement against the hydroelectric dam projects in Sarawak, Malaysia. She was an op-ed columnist and a regular contributor to various local print media.
– Crystal was honored to be chosen to participate as the Hong Kong youth delegate to the week-long UNAOC-EF Summer School 2013 held in Tarrytown, New York, which brought together 100 youth from across the globe to share our experience and vision in addressing today’s global challenges.
– In Sept 2013, Crystal traveled to Kenya for participating in a one-month volunteer program organized by Global Vision International in the southern coast of the country to develop biological survey and conservation techniques and to explore on conservation and development issues in East Africa.
– 2 months after the Typhoon Haiyan devastated the Philippines in Nov 2013, Crystal took part in a volunteer project in Leyte to assist with the disaster relief.
– Crystal was a researcher to the Hon. Kenneth Leung, Legislative Councillor of Hong Kong and her primary focus was policy research and advisory on topics relating to environmental policies, notably on waste management, fuel mix and energy security, green growth, and environmental impact associated with infrastructure projects.
– In Mar 2014, Crystal embarked on the 3-week International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) sponsored by the U.S. Department of State, and have met with representatives of organizations in 5 different cities in the US to explore citizens’ rights and responsibilities in civil society in the U.S. and how new media can be used to promote transparency and accountability in the public and private sectors.
– If you wish to know more about Crystal’s professional experience and extra-curricular engagement, feel free to take a look at her profile on Linkedin! 🙂
周澄 | Crystal Chow 