Outstanding Young Researcher Award (OYRA) 2023-2024

It is with immense pleasure and pride that we announce Professor Zhenci Xu has been conferred the HKU Outstanding Young Researcher Award (OYRA) for 2023-2024.

The OYRA is an esteemed recognition at the University, awarded to tenure-track academic staff below the age of 40. It aims to acknowledge exceptional research accomplishments by young researchers, with a focus on international recognition, research output quality, competitive grant achievements, and research impact. Professor Xu's outstanding work in ocean sustainability science, particularly his development of the Blue Carbon Development Index (BCDI), has earned him this prestigious award.

Professor Xu's groundbreaking research, titled "Sustainably developing global blue carbon for climate change mitigation and economic benefits through international cooperation," published in Nature Communications, introduces a novel index designed to assess the sustainability levels and dynamic changes of blue carbon in 136 coastal countries over a period of 24 years. This study not only advances our understanding of blue carbon sustainability but also emphasizes the importance of international cooperation in blue carbon governance.

We are fortunate to have Professor Xu as a valued member of our department, and we congratulate him on this well-deserved recognition. The presentation of the Award will take place at the HKU Excellence Awards Presentation Ceremony on Thursday, March 27, 2025.

Please join us in celebrating Professor Xu's remarkable achievement and wishing him continued success in his academic endeavors.