From Docent to Curator: Elevating a New Generation of Climate Leaders at Hong Kong’s Museum of Climate Change

There are milestones that quietly anchor your journey, moments where the path behind and the path ahead suddenly make sense. For me, one of those moments unfolded in January 2026, at the launch of the new themed exhibition “Ignite the Future: A New Generation of Climate Action” at the Museum of Climate Change’s 12th Anniversary. 

A decade ago, I first stepped into the Museum of Climate Change (MoCC), the world’s first dedicated climate change museum, as an undergraduate geography student at The Chinese University of Hong Kong. I was then a nervous student, interviewing to become a museum docent, driven by the passion to educate the public from all walks of life about climate change. Upon being selected, I was completely in awe of the power of a museum dedicated to our collective future, especially the first-hand polar expedition narratives from Dr Rebecca Lee, the woman explorer who inspired me to commit on the climate journey at the age of 11. Dr Lee is the founder of the Polar Museum Foundation and donated a collection of artifacts from her expeditions to the MoCC when it was established in 2013.

The museum space shaped my path in ways I could never have imagined, leading me to study Environmental Change and Management at Oxford, to journey to Antarctica with Dr. Sylvia Earle, and eventually to pursue a PhD in Climate Policy at Princeton.

In 2023, I was fortunately selected as the inaugural Museum of Climate Change Scholar, which gave me the challenge to transform my climate research and advocacy into stories accessible by the public through multi-media exhibitions. Following my Antarctic Climate Expedition, I co-curated my first exhibition, “Climate Witness: Changing Polar Landscapes”, showcasing intergenerational climate narratives with Dr Rebecca Lee. 

In November 2025, I attended the United Nations Climate Change Conference COP30 in Belém, Brazil, as the Deputy Convenor of the Youth and Capacity Building Sub-Committee of the Council for Carbon Neutrality and Sustainable Development of the Hong Kong SAR Government. I was given an extra mission by MoCC: to collect stories from youth climate leaders at COP and those contributing behind the scenes to prepare for a new youth-centric exhibition! 

This exhibition belongs to ten brilliant young climate champions from five across continents, changemakers whom I had the privilege of meeting, interviewing, and learning from. Their courage and almost “stubborn” hope became the heartbeat of this project.

What visitors see in the gallery is the result of thoughtful, visitor-centered curation by the MoCC team. With ten distinct narratives to present, the format of each feature was carefully tailored to the materials provided and the essence of each story. Five stories are brought to life through AI-generated videos of the climate advocate’s personal journeys, including that of fellow ECI alumni Rose Kobusinge and Max Han. ECI current student Joshua Steib’s story is presented with his recorded piano performance given his mission of using music to convey climate urgency. Oxford DPhil student Junior Mbangala’s story is showcased through his written biography and research aims around just energy transition. Each format was chosen to best convey the individual’s journey and impact, ensuring the exhibition remains dynamic and engaging for audiences of all ages and backgrounds.

Understanding that every story deserves depth, a dedicated webpage was designed for each changemaker, accessible via a QR code displayed alongside their feature in the physical exhibition. These pages hold fuller narratives and contextual details, which becomes a digital extension of the gallery, inviting visitors to linger and connect deeper beyond the visit.

The legacy of the world's first Museum of Climate Change has never been about one person or one exhibition. It is about creating an inclusive space for a once shy undergrad to find her voice, creating space for a new generation of climate changemakers to speak up and redefine what’s possible intersectional climate action and creative storytelling, empowered by technology and AI. Among the ten featured changemakers, five are fellow Oxford students and alumni, a beautiful reminder of how communities of practice can span continents and careers.

I am grateful to MoCC for entrusting and empowering me as a scholar, and for committing to amplify youth’s collective voices. Thank you to Oxford and the ECI community for equipping me to become the interdisciplinary scholar I am today, and for the incredible lifelong friendships. Of course, thank you to my ECM classmate Rose, friends Joshua, Junior and Max who generously shared their stories with me and with the world through the museum. May these stories ignite in you the same hope and determination they have ignited in me!

Title: “Ignite the Future: A New Generation of Climate Action”

Location: Museum of Climate Change, 8/F Yasumoto International Academic Park, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong

Dates: 16 December 2025 – 28 February 2026

Virtual exhibition portal: https://mocc.cuhk.edu.hk/en-gb/hub-categories/sustainable-ideas/

Featuring 10 youth climate leaders from 5 continents, including Oxford alumni and students: Joshua Steib, Junior Mbangala, Rose Kobusinge, Max Han, and Natalie Chung.

Natalie Chung’s commitment to climate policy was profoundly shaped during her MPhil in Environmental Change and Management at the University of Oxford’s Environmental Change Institute, where she had the opportunity to attend her first UNFCCC COP (COP25 in Madrid) and was invited to volunteer at the IPCC Pavilion by her advisor Professor Myles Allen. Natalie’s dissertation research identified sensitive intervention points to accelerate energy decarbonisation in Beijing and Hong Kong, providing a scalable model for cities contributing to China’s 2060 carbon neutrality pledge.

Building on this academic foundation, she is currently pursuing a PhD in Climate Policy at Princeton University. In 2023, Natalie was selected as the sole Hong Kong representative at the Antarctic Climate Expedition led by Dr Sylvia Earle. Subsequently, she was appointed as the inaugural Museum of Climate Change (MoCC) Scholar at The Chinese University of Hong Kong, a role honoring her dedication to public engagement. In this capacity, she co-curated three major exhibitions: “Climate Witness: Changing Polar Landscapes”, “Into the Extreme: A Scientific Journey of Xuelong 2”, and “Ignite the Future: A New Generation of Climate Action”. 

Alongside her research, Natalie continues her community-based advocacy as the Co-Founder and CEO of V’air Sustainability Education, a social enterprise reinventing environmental education through nature-based experiences. Natalie is also serving as the Digital Communications and Engagement Manager at Oxford Climate Alumni Network (OxCAN). Her work consistently operates at the intersection of policy research and narrative storytelling, fostering intergenerational and interdisciplinary collaborations to drive momentous climate action.