The School of Energy and Environment (SEE) at City University of Hong Kong (CityUHK) successfully hosted a SEE Distinguished Lecture featuring Prof. Lisa Y. Stein, a leading expert, Professor and Canada Research Chair in climate change microbiology from the University of Alberta, Canada. The lecture, titled "Microbial Solutions to Mitigate Greenhouse Gas Pollution", was invited and hosted by Prof. Patrick Lee, Professor at SEE, and provided valuable insights into the role of microorganisms in addressing climate challenges.

During the session, Prof. Stein emphasized that microbiologists worldwide are advocating for a greater focus on microorganisms in climate change discussions. A key focus of the lecture was the mitigation of methane and nitrous oxide emissions, two potent greenhouse gases with global warming potentials 80 to 300 times that of carbon dioxide. Prof. Stein discussed emerging microbial tools designed to reduce emissions from freshwater ecosystems and agricultural systems, addressing challenges related to scale-up, economic feasibility, and global adoption.

Her research explores nitrogen and methane cycles, aiming to develop novel climate change solutions that simultaneously reduce greenhouse gas emissions while supporting sustainable food, fuel, and material production. As an internationally recognized expert, Prof. Stein has collaborated with industries, NGOs, governments, and academic institutions to advance the applications of microbial science in climate resilience.

The lecture was well received by participants, further strengthening SEE’s commitment to advancing environmental science and sustainable solutions.

Prof. Lee (right) presented a souvenir to Prof. Stein (center).