If Lee's life is about connecting the dots, the arrival of China's first domestically made polar icebreaker Xuelong 2 to Hong Kong was another important mark.

In April, the vessel made a stop in Hong Kong during its homebound voyage after China's 40th Antarctic expedition.

Boarding the ship, Lee felt a familiar sense of pride. To her, Xuelong was like an old friend. She first saw Xuelong in 1996, when the vessel made a stop in Hong Kong on its way to Antarctica. She boarded the icebreaker in 1999, when she spent two months onboard as a student alongside many scientists. In 2004, when Xuelong made a stop in Hong Kong during China's 21st Antarctic expedition, she organized a series of welcoming events for the old friend.

This year, she has been more of an educator. Together with members of the country's 40th Antarctic scientific expedition team, she shared polar research and exploration experiences with students in Hong Kong.

For Lee, the adventure of environmental protection and education never ends. While there will be obstacles in the journey, nature will be her guide.

"There's so much environmental protection work to be done. We need to learn from nature and see how nature needs us to help it," she says.