Betty Sing Yi Woo is a MSc student at the Social-Ecological Resilience for Sustainable Development Programme

Woo joined the master’s programme at the Centre in 2024. After learning about the dynamics of social-ecological systems from students and teachers with diverse backgrounds and experiences, she is now developing her thesis comparing human-baboon interactions in Cape Town and human-boar interactions in Hong Kong. She is interested in the social dimensions of these interactions, particularly how divergent views can lead to conflict and polarisation, but also how embracing plurality may foster resilience. As part of her thesis, Woo is experimenting with comics as a medium to communicate these complexities and promote understanding across different viewpoints.

Woo holds a BSc in Ecology & Biodiversity from The University of Hong Kong (HKU), where her thesis examined the relationship between aquatic moth communities and freshwater pollution. Following graduation, she worked as a research assistant at the Biodiversity and Environmental Change Lab at HKU, focusing on how insects and other arthropods respond to environmental change and anthropogenic pressures, particularly the impact of light pollution on moths and butterflies.

Alongside research, Woo co-founded Little Woods Nature Education, an organisation that promotes Hong Kong’s biodiversity through guided nature tours, school programmes and public engagement projects. She is also an experienced illustrator and has collaborated with NGOs and government bodies such as WWF-Hong Kong and Hong Kong Wetland Park. She illustrated and co-authored Little Woods’ latest publication, a children’s book about species of Hong Kong in four seasons, which received the Best Publication under Children and Youth Category at the fifth Hong Kong Publishing Biennial Award. Recently, she co-created Qi of the City, a comic selected for The Nature of Cities NBS Comics series.

Supervisors

Johan Enqvist, Kinga Psiuk (Stellenbosch university)