Don’t lose faith
Recognising Justina Ho, IET honorary fellow and STEM advocate
We recently had the privilege of speaking with IET member and newly awarded honorary fellow Justina Ho.
Justina’s journey has been nothing short of inspirational, and her dedication to STEM has earned her this prestigious recognition. However, as she humbly puts it, “Being a role model that inspires the next generation was never intentional.”
Growing up in a family of engineers, Justina was introduced to the world of engineering from a young age. This early experience inspired her passion, which led her to explore computer engineering at school in Canada. At the time, computing was still in its infancy, so she took it upon herself to learn and master the subject.
Justina went on to obtain an impressive academic portfolio, earning a BMath in computer science and information systems, a Bachelor of Laws, and an MSc in engineering business management.
Her expertise was further solidified when she trained with IBM Canada before working as a software engineer at the Hong Kong Productivity Council.
Today, Justina is the owner of several companies, including an engineering consultancy firm, an IT consultancy firm and a talent cultivation organisation. She also served as the executive director of Hong Kong’s Institute of Big Data Governance until 2021.
As part of the Hong Kong Local Network (HKLN), she was the first volunteer to introduce the concept of STEM into the network. She restructured local IET programmes to support STEM education, established the HKLN STEM Task Force, and headed initiatives such as the Hong Kong STEM Ambassador Programme and the STEM 4 Girls Mentorship Programme.
Beyond STEM education, Justina is a strong advocate for equality, diversity and inclusion in the engineering industry. She played a key role in launching the IET Young Woman Engineer (YWE) of the Year Award in Hong Kong in 2019, creating new opportunities for women in STEM.
Justina’s dedication and impact were recently recognised with the IET honorary fellowship. A celebration event was held in January, attended by IET president Sir Warren East and IET chief executive and secretary Ed Almond.
On receiving the award, Justina reflected: “My work in STEM started off just having fun with children, but by the end of each day, they would say they wish to become an engineer just like us. Nothing is more encouraging than this.”
She also shared an important message about the future of technology and education: “In this technological generation, we cannot expect every child to become an engineer, but we hope that they can embrace technology and understand how to co-exist with emerging technologies – a skill necessary to survive in the future.”
For Justina, inspiring the next generation was never part of the plan – it happened naturally through her passion and dedication. “Starting out from just having fun, I’d unknowingly inspired generations who will become the role models of the future. Together as engineers, we are changing the world. This award reminds me that I should never lose faith in myself or the dreams I believe in.”
To learn more about IET fellowship, please visit our website.