About the Speakers

Prof. Chaogu Zheng is an associate professor in the School of Biological Sciences. He obtained his PhD and did postdoctoral research at Columbia University before joining HKU in Nov 2018. He is trained as a geneticist and conducts research in neurodevelopment, degeneration, and regeneration. He teaches immunology, developmental biology, as well as general biology in HKU using a flipped classroom format. He also taught at the City University of New York before. 

Prof. Jonathan Johnson is an artist, aesthetic philosopher, and minister whose work investigates the crossroads of philosophy and religion and the conversations between East Asian and Western ideas. Having received his PhD at Hong Kong Baptist University on the topic of negative aesthetics – ugliness in particular – Jonathan has had his writings on Kantian ugliness published in both English and French. His research into negative aesthetics extends to the sublime, with a focus on Chinese sublime artworks (the shanshui 山水 paintings and writings of Guoxi 郭熙, and works of penjing 盆景). In this area he has contributed a translation of portions of Guoxi’s writings (Linquan Gaozhi 林泉高致) to Robert Clewis’ The Sublime Reader (2018). At the crossroads of philosophy and religion, he has edited, along with Shun Hing Chan, Civil Society and Christian Religion in Greater China (2021). His recent writings include the comparison of aesthetic intentionalism and religious originalism (Originalism in Theology and Law, 2024), and the introduction of the concept of the Chinese sublime into aesthetic discourse (“The Sublime Extends to Chinese Aesthetics” in Philosophy East and West, no. 75, Jan 2025). As an artist, Jonathan has worked both as an illustrator and theatre designer, and his work features on the cover of Bertrand Naivin’s Sur La Laideur (2018). A passionate educator, Jonathan has taught numerous courses in general philosophy, religion, and aesthetics. His ongoing researches are in the areas of: Chinese aesthetics, the Chinese sublime (chonggao 崇高), negative aesthetics, philosophies of suffering, and ugliness and the problem of evil. He currently teaches one of the largest classes at HKU, “Life Worth Living” (CCHU9065) and a popular course on social media and AI “the Memeing of Life” (CCAI9018).

Dr. Michael Rivera is a biological anthropologist, public speaker and lecturer at the Faculty of Social Sciences. He teaches Common Core courses and elective BASc courses centered around the intersection between the sciences and social sciences. He also has innovated communication-intensive pedagogical strategies and activities for his students, involving podcasting, exhibitions, museum tours, fieldtrips, school talks, public lectures, magazine-writing, video-making, zine-making, and many more.

For information, please contact:
Dr. Michelle Raquel (cics@hku.hk)