Justina comes from a family of engineers, so had “a pretty good idea” of what engineering is about, even when she was very young. Although she developed a passion for computer engineering while at high school in Canada, at that time computing was not yet a mature subject on the curriculum, so she largely had to teach herself and wait until university for proper training.
That experience gave her a very strong motivation for self-learning outside of the school curriculum – a skill that has since served her well in higher education and industry. She went on to amass an impressively broad collection of degrees, including a BMath in Computer Science and Information Systems, a Bachelor of Laws, and an MSc in Engineering Business Management.
After completing what she describes as “an intensive and fruitful training” at IBM Canada, she worked for the Hong Kong Productivity Council as a software engineer for nearly two years. Next, she joined the family business, where she focused on engineering and construction projects.
Justina now owns several companies, including an engineering consultancy firm, an IT consultancy firm and a talent cultivation organisation.
She was also Executive Director of Hong Kong’s Institute of Big Data Governance until 2021.
Transformative experience
Looking back at her early involvement through the IET Hong Kong Younger Members Section (YMS) from 2002 to 2008, Justina recognises what a transformative experience it was.
She said: “I gained lifelong friends and seized so many amazing opportunities. I wrote my first ever business plan (for an IET event); took on many significant new challenges, including as Technical Event Coordinator, External Affairs Coordinator and Honorary Secretary; and was able to practise different management skills and tactics in a safe and supportive environment.
“What’s more, every event we organised became a big party! One of the highlights of my time in the YMS was the Adventure Boot Camp, where we had lessons on soft skills and learned to work together, trust each other and simply enjoy youth.
“We also produced a very special publication to celebrate the 16th anniversary of the YMS and tied each one with a big bow, to make it look like a bouquet. It is still one of the most treasured items on my bookshelf.”
Between 2006 and 2012, Justina became heavily involved in the IET Hong Kong Informatics and Control Technologies Section (ICTS), taking on roles ranging from Committee Member to Honorary Treasurer and Chair.
“My years in the ICTS were the time when I learned to become professional,” she said. “As well as organising conferences, I started working with other PEIs [professional engineering institutions] on common concerns in the industry, as well as promoting standards and best practices.”
Love and support
The Hong Kong Local Network (LN) has been a big part of Justina’s life since she joined it in 2014. She said: “My time on the committee was when I got very serious about what the IET has offered the world and what it can achieve in remote Local Networks.
“To me, the IET was way more than a closely bonded family by this stage. I knew I could always find support, no matter how crazy my ideas were; friends when I was lonely; and shelter when I was in despair. The feeling that we were part of something massive was overwhelming.”
True to form, Justina willingly took on – and excelled in – many LN roles. As Chair, her greatest challenge was leading the Committee to develop and deliver a series of IET 150 celebratory events. She freely admits to struggling at times to juggle all her responsibilities, due in no small part to having to support a family member who had fallen gravely ill.
Thankfully, the LN team rallied around her and stepped into the breach. She said: “The staff and volunteers proved to be the most trusted and reliable team possible. They pulled together our biggest and most successful event series ever. I’d like to thank them for all their love and support, and for giving me a home to go to whenever I’m in need.”
Passion for STEM
It’s as the LN’s STEM Programme Coordinator that Justina feels she has made the biggest impact: “I believe our greatest achievement lies in making the IET a reliable and professional brand among the local STEM community.
Back in 2014, very few people talked about STEM in Hong Kong. I found out what STEM was all about, restructured our existing youth programmes to accommodate it and actively participated in many STEM events.
“It took us five years to create a STEM Ambassador Programme and STEM Task Force in Hong Kong. The programme is still in its infancy but has already attracted a lot of media attention. More than 200 schools took part in the briefing session.”
EDI advocate
Justina is a staunch advocate of equality, diversity and inclusion. She said: “Women make up around 20% of the engineering workforce in Hong Kong. From my years of involvement in STEM activities, I know that there are many talented girls who lack the incentive to seek further education in engineering.
“This is often due to a misunderstanding of the industry, a lack of women role models or societal stereotypes. In 2017 we established the STEM 4 Girls Mentorship Programme to start turning things around.
It has been life-changing for many young girls – more than 400 have been through the programme so far. They have learned to believe in themselves, embrace technology and seriously consider becoming an engineer. It’s great to witness them growing and maturing throughout the year.”
Justina has also been instrumental in promoting the Young Woman Engineer of the Year competition (YWE) in Hong Kong. “The media are naturally drawn towards it,” she said. “As a result, YWE is making an impact and focusing public attention on the need for more women engineers.”
As a member of IET Council since 2017, Justina has had a massive and far-reaching impact. She has served on the Volunteer Engagement Board and is now on the Knowledge Services and Solutions Board.
Based on her experiences in Hong Kong she offers a different perspective and regularly puts globalisation in the spotlight. Indeed, she has made it her mission to help us reach out to different regions and cultures, and to address local concerns with our global vision.
Justina can see that her input is starting to have the desired effect: “The Hong Kong Local Network doesn’t work like a silo anymore – there is close follow-up and alignment with the IET’s overall strategy. And members have become more aware that the IET works as an international organisation, rather than a small, local PEI.”
Well-deserved recognition
When asked why she puts so much time, effort and thought into her volunteering activities, Justina replied: “I feel that volunteering shapes who I am as a person and that the IET gives me a platform where my visions and ideology can materialise. This is the place where I can change the world. But also, it’s so much fun and I just enjoy doing it!
“As a volunteer I get to learn about the newest technological developments and I have the chance to work with the brightest people in the industry. They continuously inspire me with great ideas and new opportunities that ordinarily I wouldn’t be able to access.”
Justina’s phenomenal impact earned her the 2022 IET Achievement Medal, which she accepted on behalf of the LN. “It’s recognition for the entire Local Network, including all staff and volunteers, especially the STEM Task Force,” she said.
“I take pride in working with these wonderful people who share my passion and dedication to promoting STEM to the younger generations. We are also particularly grateful for the great work and help from the IET Education team – many of our STEM activities here in Hong Kong were inspired by or built on years of their work.”
So what’s next on the cards for Justina? “I’m helping to set up a national professional organisation in the area. I’m hoping that it will help the IET to collaborate more closely with fellow PEIs and raise its influence in the region.”