Professor Annis Lai Chu FUNG is a distinguished scholar whose research focuses on school bullying, child and adolescent aggression, student suicide, young people's mental health, and evidence-based counselling interventions. Her pioneering adoption of the two-factor model in school bullying has led to innovative interventions targeting reactive and proactive aggression, significantly reducing aggressive behaviours in over 70,000 students across more than 200 schools, including 20,000 high-risk individuals. Her work boasts the largest dataset globally in this field. Professor Fung has received numerous accolades, including the QS Reimagine Education Silver Winner Award from UPenn Wharton School, the HERO University Leader Award from Auburn University, and multiple awards for Teaching Excellence, Research Impact, and Knowledge Transfer at CityU, underscoring her global and local impact in research and teaching. Her average Teaching and Learning Questionnaire (TLQ) score of 4.7 out of 5.0 frequently places her among the top 5% of educators recognized by the Provost at CityU.

Her research has catalysed substantial policy changes and educational practices worldwide. Her anti-bullying strategies, adopted by the Hong Kong Education Bureau (EDB) and featured on its official website, have been implemented across diverse regions, including the US, Europe, and Asia. As Chair for the Chief Executive Award for Teaching Excellence in Counselling and Guidance at EDB and Convenor for Student Suicide policies in the Child Fatality Review Panel at the Social Welfare Department (SWD), she has significantly influenced educational and social welfare frameworks. Additionally, as an Expert Advisor, she contributes to the review and enhancement of the policy on the Three-Tier School-Based Emergency Mechanism for student suicide at the Legislative Council of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR). Besides, since 2012, she has trained over 4,000 police officers on youth aggression and violence at the Hong Kong Police Force. Moreover, she serves as the Panel Chair at the Hong Kong Council for Accreditation of Academic and Vocational Qualifications (HKCAAVQ).

Professor Fung's mentorship has cultivated exceptional scholars who have achieved remarkable success in academia. Her notable alumni include Post-doctoral Fellows at Tsinghua University and Nanyang Technological University, an Assistant Professor at Hong Kong Polytechnic University, and a Visiting Fellow at King’s College London. These graduates exemplify the high calibre of her Ph.D. students, demonstrating the profound impact of her guidance and expertise. One student, who graduated from Peking University and University College London, successfully achieved the Hong Kong Ph.D. Fellowship Award.

With over HK$ 20.7 million (US$ 2.6 million) in research funding, including seven General Research Fund (GRF; PI: 4 & Co-I: 3), for Children At-Risk Education (CARE) Lab and Cyber-Joy Enjoy Lab, as well as over 80 top-tier publications and over 200 invited speeches, published interviews, press conferences, on-air radio and television programs. Professor Fung continues to inspire and attract elite Ph.D. candidates globally. Her work offers them the opportunity to engage in transformative research and contribute to societal advancement. Her findings have been disseminated through workshops, press conferences, and international conferences, promoting evidence-based interventions and practices worldwide.