Helena Wu

Dr. Helena Wu is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Asian Studies, Faculty of Arts, University of British Columbia. Holding the Canada Research Chair in Hong Kong Studies (Tier 2) since 2022 and serving as Convenor of UBC's Hong Kong Studies Initiative, she specializes in Hong Kong cinema, literature, and cultural studies through interdisciplinary lenses including critical theory, postcolonialism, and thing theory.

• Education: PhD (summa cum laude) in Chinese Studies from University of Zurich; MPhil in Comparative Literature from University of Hong Kong
• Research Focus: Explores how cultural practices in Hong Kong, particularly through screen culture and creative industries, shape identity formation and translocal relations. Key themes include spectatorship dynamics, post-handover cultural evolution, and the agency of cultural icons.
• Academic Leadership: Organized international workshops like 'State of Hong Kong Studies 2023', co-organizer of Asian Independent Cinema Showcase, and Green College Leading Scholar (2023-2025).
• Selected Awards:
  • Canada Research Chair (Tier 2), 2022–present
  • Public Humanities Engagement Award, 2024
  • SSHRC Connection Grant, 2023-2024
• Community Engagement: Regularly hosts public talks and film curation events at institutions including Taikwun (Hong Kong), Vancouver's Chinatown Storytelling Center, and international film festivals.