Research Student Profiles

Mr HAN, Zeyu

Mathematics, Science, and Technology

Programme of Study: PhD

Field of Study: Science Education

Email Address: hanzy@connect.hku.hk

Office: Room 525, Meng Wah Complex

About Me:
B.Sc. in Physics (Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, China); M.Ed. in Science Education (Distinction, The Education University of Hong Kong).
Research Assistant (Full-time, The Education University of Hong Kong, 2022-2023).
Member of the Excellent Teacher Experimental Honor Program, Shaanxi Normal University (2015-2019).
Member of the 15th Sino-Singapore Excellent Undergraduate Exchange Program (2018, Government-to-Government Tertiary Exchange Program spearheaded by the respective Ministry of Education).
Visiting Student at the University of Massachusetts Boston & Intern science teacher at local American secondary schools (2017, sponsored by Excellent Teachers Overseas Studies Program, Shaanxi Normal University).
Member of the Summer School offered by East-Asian Association in Science Education (EASE, 2022).
Reviewer for the journal Science & Education.

Current Research:
Model-based science learning; Socioscientific Issues (SSI); Epistemology of & Ways of thinking in STEM

Primary Supervisor: Professor CHEN, Logan C

Co-supervisor(s): Professor CHAN, Kennedy K H

Research Outputs:
Han, Z., Chen, C., Chiu, T. K. F., Qiu, K., Yang, L., Wang, Z., & Chan, K. K. H. (2026). As an end or as a means to an end: Positioning empathy in STEM education. International Journal of STEM Education (SSCI Q1; SCI Q1).

Luo, T., So, W. M. W., Chen, Y., Han, Z., & Wang, Y. (2025). Promoting gifted students’ STEM career perceptions and interest involving instruction by educators and STEM professionals [Paper Presentation]. The Conference of Global Chinese Academy for Science Education Research (GCASER) 2025, Hong Kong SAR, China.

Han, Z., So, W. M. W., Chen, Y., & Li, W. C. (2025). Unleashing the potential of animated video-watching for fostering pupils’ STEM career interests: A mixed-method study [Paper Presentation]. The Conference of Global Chinese Academy for Science Education Research (GCASER) 2025, Hong Kong SAR, China.

Han, Z., So, W. M. W., & Wan, Z. H. (2024). Challenges in assessing students’ STEM-based problem solving. In English, L. D., & Lehmann, T.(Eds.), Ways of Thinking in STEM-based Problem Solving: Teaching and Learning in a New Era. London: Routledge.

Han, Z., & Wei, B. (2025). When nature of science meets quantum physics: Insights from NOS representation in Chinese physics textbooks. Science & Education (SSCI Q1; SCI Q1), 34(5), 3269-3289.

Han, Z., & Chen, C. (2024). Positioning empathy in STEM education reform: Insights from a diverse cohort of Hong Kong STEM education leaders [Paper Presentation]. The 55th Conference of Australian Science Education Research Association (ASERA 2024), Auckland, New Zealand.

The publication "Han, Z & So, W. M. W. (2023). Scientific thinking and its level from the lens of international science education and educational Psychology [Chinese]. Physics Teaching, 45(01), 7-10" was reprinted in full by China Social Science Excellence sponsored by Renmin University of China in the journal High School Education: Physics Teaching and Learning (2023, 04).

Han, Z., & Zhang, H. (2021). The connotation, composition and construction path of "energy" as a big idea in physics [Chinese]. Teaching Reference of Middle School Physics, 50(01), 10-13.

Han, Z., & Chan, M. H. (2023). Research on the assessment of scientific reasoning ability of junior high school graduates based on Rasch Model [Chinese]. Bulletin of Biology, 58(01), 21-27.

Han, Z., Wang, J., & Wei, B. (2022). The "big idea" in physics and its instruction from the lens of international science education [Chinese]. Physics Teaching, 44(03), 9-12.

Han, Z., & So, W. M. W. (2023). Scientific thinking and its level from the lens of international science education and educational psychology [Chinese]. Physics Teaching, 45(01), 7-10.

So, W. M. W., & Han, Z. (2023). A study on climate change education at the elementary school level [Paper Presentation]. The 15th Conference of the European Science Education Research Association (ESERA 2023), Cappadocia, Turkey.

So, W. M. W., & Han, Z. (2023). Framework for cultivating elementary students' climate-friendly behaviour [Poster Presentation]. The 54th Conference of Australian Science Education Research Association (ASERA 2023), Cairns, Australia.

Awards and Prizes:
Postgraduate Scholarship, awarded by The University of Hong Kong, 2023-2027.
May 4th Youth Honorary Scholarship, awarded by Shaanxi Normal University, 2018.
Outstanding Overseas Study Scholarship, awarded by Shaanxi Normal University, 2018.
First-class Excellent Scholarship, awarded by Shaanxi Normal University, 2015-2019.
Award of Outstanding Student, awarded by Shaanxi Normal University, 2015-2019.