Assoc. Prof. Dr. Man Ho Chan | Dark Matter | Best Researcher Award

The Education University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.

Dr. Chan Man Ho is a distinguished academic specializing in astrophysics, philosophy, and science education. He is currently an Assistant Dean and Associate Dean at the Faculty of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences, The Education University of Hong Kong. With over 100 refereed publications and multiple prestigious awards, Dr. Chan’s research spans dark matter, black holes, multiverse theories, and philosophy of science. His work has received international recognition, with media coverage in top science outlets. A committed educator and researcher, he actively contributes to the scientific community as a journal reviewer, conference organizer, and elected fellow of esteemed societies.

Profile

Orcid

🎓 Education

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Man Ho Chan is a distinguished academic with expertise spanning astrophysics, philosophy, and physics education. He earned his Ph.D. in Philosophy from Hong Kong Baptist University (2013–2017) under the supervision of Prof. Kwan Kai Man. Prior to that, he completed a Postgraduate Diploma in Education (Physics Education) at The Chinese University of Hong Kong (2010–2012) and an M.A. in Christian Studies from the same institution (2008–2010). His strong foundation in astrophysics includes a Ph.D. (2004–2008) and an M.Phil. (2002–2004) from The Chinese University of Hong Kong, both supervised by Prof. Chu Ming Chung. Dr. Chan began his academic journey with a B.Sc. in Physics from The Chinese University of Hong Kong (1999–2002), establishing a solid background in scientific research and interdisciplinary studies.

💼 Experience

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Man Ho Chan has an extensive academic and teaching career, currently serving as the Assistant Dean and Associate Dean of the Faculty of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences at The Education University of Hong Kong (EdUHK) since 2024. He has been an Associate Professor in the Department of Science and Environmental Studies at EdUHK since 2021, following his tenure as an Assistant Professor from 2015 to 2021. Before joining EdUHK, he was a Lecturer in the Department of Physics at The Chinese University of Hong Kong from 2012 to 2015. His early career includes valuable experience in secondary education, having taught at Shatin Pui Ying College (2005–2011) and Peace Evangelical Secondary School (2004–2005). His diverse roles reflect a strong commitment to education, research, and academic leadership.

🔬 Research Interests

Astrophysics: Dark Matter, Supermassive Black Holes, Exoplanets, Multiverse

Philosophy of Science: Cosmopsychism, Scientific Realism, Creativity

Science Education: Constructivist Learning, Early Science Literacy

🏆 Awards & Honors

2024 Honorable Mention, Awards for Essays on Gravitation (Gravity Research Foundation, USA)

2024 Departmental Teaching Excellence Award (EdUHK)

2023 Elected Fellow, Royal Astronomical Society (UK)

2023 President’s Award for Outstanding Performance in Research (EdUHK)

2022 Humanities & Social Sciences Prestigious Fellowship (Research Grants Council)

2022 Faculty Research Output Prize (EdUHK)

2021 Elected Fellow, International Society for Science and Religion

2020 President’s Award for Outstanding Performance in Research (Early Career) (EdUHK)

📚 Selected Publications

Astrophysics:

"Identifying dark matter signals by the radio continuum spectral data of the cool-core cluster RX J1720.1+2638" (2025) – Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society

Co-authored with Chak Man Lee

Explores potential dark matter signals in galaxy clusters

[DOI: 10.1093/mnras/stae2638]

Science Education:

"Pathways to early science literacy: Investigating the different role of language and reading skills in science literacy among early primary school children" (2025) – International Journal of Science Education

Co-authored with Yuanke Sun

Examines the influence of language and reading skills on young students' science literacy

[DOI: 10.1080/09500693.2024.2335671]

"Constructivist learning approaches do not necessarily promote immediate learning outcome or interest in science learning" (2025) – The Asia-Pacific Education Researcher

Co-authored with Elaine Kit Ling Yeung, Miao Zhong, Jing Huang, Tik Sze Carrey Siu, and Him Cheung

Evaluates the effectiveness of constructivist learning methods in science education

[DOI: 10.1007/s40299-024-00893-8]

"The impact of immersive design on the relations between students’ motivational and science literacy awareness: A mixed methods study" (2025) – Cogent Education

Co-authored with Yuan-Ke Sun and Wing-Chi Wong

Investigates the effects of immersive learning environments on student motivation and science literacy

[DOI: 10.1080/2331186X.2025.2467494]

Philosophy:

"On Philip Goff’s case for agentive cosmopsychism" (2024) – International Journal for Philosophy of Religion

Co-authored with Kai Yan Chan

Critically examines Goff's argument for cosmopsychism

[DOI: 10.1007/s11153-024-09931-3]

Dr. Shishir Priyadarshi | Space Physics | Best Researcher Award

Technical Lead-ML-GNSS Engineer, GMV NSL, United Kingdom

Dr. Shishir Priyadarshi is an experienced engineer specializing in Machine Learning (ML) and Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) at GMV, UK. With over a decade of experience, he has significantly contributed to various ESA projects aimed at enhancing the accuracy and resilience of GNSS through innovative ML algorithms. His work spans multiple international research projects and academic appointments, reflecting a deep commitment to advancing space science and technology.

Education 🎓

Dr. Shishir Priyadarshi earned his Ph.D. in Space Physics (Geophysics) from the Space Research Centre in Warsaw, Poland, in 2014. His thesis, titled “B-spline model of ionospheric scintillation,” was supervised by Professor Andrzej Wernik. Prior to this, he completed his Master of Science (M.Sc.) in Physics, specializing in Electronics and Radio Physics, at Banaras Hindu University in Varanasi, India, in 2009. His master’s thesis was titled “GPS-Based Measurement of TEC and Its Variability Over Ground Station Varanasi, India.”

Experience 💼

Dr. Shishir Priyadarshi currently serves as an ML-GNSS Engineer and Technical Lead at GMV in Nottingham, UK, since February 2022. In this role, he spearheads the development and validation of machine learning techniques for resilient time provisioning in ESA NAVISP projects, with a particular focus on ionospheric GNSS modeling and the detection of GNSS signal interference. Prior to this, he was a Research Associate at the University of Bath, UK, from February 2021 to January 2022, where he contributed to research on ionospheric modeling and ML applications in GNSS. From November 2019 to January 2021, Dr. Priyadarshi worked as a Postdoctoral Researcher at SUSTech in Shenzhen, China, focusing on ionospheric data assimilation and GNSS signal processing. He also served as an Adjunct at the University of Wroclaw, Poland, from July 2018 to June 2019, concentrating on atmospheric research and ionospheric scintillation. From June 2015 to May 2018, he was a Postdoctoral Research Scientist at the Institute of Space Sciences, Shandong University in Weihai, China, where he investigated the coupling of atmospheric layers and GNSS signal propagation. His earlier role as a Space Physicist (Postdoc) at the Space Research Centre in Warsaw, Poland, from August 2014 to May 2015, involved researching the effects of ionospheric disturbances on GNSS signals. As a Marie-Curie Fellow (Early-Stage Researcher) from August 2011 to July 2014 at the Space Research Centre in Warsaw, he developed models for ionospheric scintillation and its impact on satellite communications. Dr. Priyadarshi began his career as a Junior Research Fellow at the Atmospheric Research Laboratory of Banaras Hindu University in Varanasi, India, from August 2009 to 2011, where he studied ionospheric perturbations using GPS data.

Research Interests 🔬

Dr. Shishir Priyadarshi focuses on Magnetosphere-Ionosphere-Thermosphere (MIT) Coupling, exploring how the interactions between various atmospheric layers influence Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) signals. His work in Ionospheric Scintillation involves modeling and predicting the responses of ionospheric scintillation to various space weather phenomena. To enhance the accuracy and integrity of GNSS signals, Dr. Priyadarshi employs advanced machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms in GNSS Signal Processing. Additionally, he leverages ML, recurrent neural networks (RNN), and AI to provide real-time Space Weather Nowcasting/Forecasting. His expertise extends to the development of ML-based algorithms for Jamming and Spoofing Detection, which aim to identify and mitigate interference in GNSS signals.