Alumni News = 香港科技大學校友通訊, No. 3

Abstract

[evdate 1998-08-05] ALUMNI NEWS UST Grads Move Ahead at SAE Magnetics More and more people have come to realize that high technology is the key to long-term, stable growth for Hong Kong. But although hi-tech is not an easy path, increasing opportunities in the field have attracted a growing number of UST graduates. So, to find out what life is like in hi-tech industry, we visited six science and engineering graduates now working for Hong Kong-based SAE Magnetics.

Last September, Physics graduate student David Chung joined SAE Magnetics, a hi-tech manufacturer of magnetic recording heads (the piece of micro-electronic hardware which brings information from the harddisk to the computer). Because of his specialty in electron microscopy, David was appointed as a senior engineer in the Mechanical and Tribology Design department.

David, who is completing his PhD this summer, places high value on the research experience he gained at UST which provided him with innovative ideas that can be applied to his present work. "For example, my professor and I discussed how to use photoemission microscopy to study the magnetic fields emitted from the recording heads, and how we could possibly use this to inspect the dimensions of some components in the head."

While the density of magnetic storage is doubling every 18 months, the price of a harddisk is going in the opposite direction. Three years ago, a 600 MB harddisk cost HK$1,000 - 1,500; now, for the same price, you can buy a 4 GB model (the most 'popular' model in the market). Thus, to maintain their profit margin and stay competitive, companies have to constantly upgrade their magnetic-head technology.

"Ten years ago, magnetic-head manufacturers were applying theories discovered by scientists 300 years ago. Now, we are using those discovered only during the past 30 to 40 years. This is a race for everyone in the industry," explained Geng Ji Bin, David's former classmate now working in the Advanced Head Design department.

This is also why SAE has been in collaboration with UST since 1996 on a project known as "Joint Investigation for Magnetic Recording Materials and Devices". Under this agreement, UST's research students work intensively on the project under the joint direction of physics professors at UST and professionals from SAE. This June, SAE extended this research collaboration with UST for another two years under a contract worth HK$976,990.

Posts offered by SAE attract graduates who are seriously interested in research and enjoy the challenges the industry offers. Emily Chan earned both her first degree in Chemistry and MSc in Materials Science from UST. "I believe we are truly at the cutting-edge of technology here because we are developing technologies which haven't yet been published in textbooks or journals," she said. "And, for this reason, I have to learn everything from the start."

"When I graduated in 1996, there were very few jobs in re-search and development. Among the thousands of classified ads in the newspapers, very few were hi-tech related, but SAE was among the few. I jumped at the opportunity and got the post," says Applied Physics graduate Peter Lau.

"There is more to hi-tech than pure technology," says Mechanical Engineering graduate Charles Wong, who is Peter's colleague in the department of Application Engineering. "It requires us to understand the system, know how to fit technologies into business products, and how to communicate them to the market. That's very important."

Philip Lau, the second Mechanical Engineering graduate in the company, is with a different department, Quality Assurance, and has been stationed at the company's flagship plant in Dongguan for one year. "To survive here, first I had to learn to speak Putonghua, and second, keep myself occupied-Dongguan does not have as much entertainment as in Hong Kong."

Company culture allows Philip to participate actively. There are always opportunities for discussions. Many of Philip's colleagues come from major mainland universities, and he learns a lot from them. After work, Philip relaxes for drinks and snooker in a lounge within the staff quarters, and occasion-ally goes out for dinner with his colleagues. Life in Dongguan is less hectic than in Hong Kong, so Philip can devote more time to developing new ideas for improving the efficiency and effectiveness of his work.

IEEM Graduate Heads for German MBA on Bosch Scholarship

A unique opportunity for advanced education in international industrial management has been won by Industrial Engineering and Engineering Management graduate Geommi So Man Yi. It includes a three-month internship at a Bosch plant

in Germany and the possibility of employment with the firm after graduation. This September, three months after completing her first degree, Geommi will commence her MBA studies at the University of Technology in Esslingen, Germany. This 11-month program, the first MBA program in English at a German public university, is designed to prepare students to become business and engineering managers in global enterprises. The focus is on cross-disciplinary and cross-cultural interaction among students, professors and corporate professionals. This tailor-made MBA program offers students a choice between two concentrations: global business management and international manufacturing management.

Geommi's MBA study is made possible by a scholarship from the German manufacturing conglomerate, Bosch GmbH. This year, Bosch is providing five scholarships for students from China, Korea and Russia to join the Esslingen MBA, one of them being reserved for a student from Hong Kong. UST is the only Hong Kong institution invited to nominate a candidate. Geommi was recommended by her Department for the award because of her good academic record and outgoing personality, as well as her solid three-year practical training at technical college prior to joining UST.

Geommi's MBA classmates, like herself, are all sponsored by leading corporations such as Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, IBM, Deutsche Bank, and Andersen Consulting. The highlight of this MBA program will be a three-month internship in the respective sponsor company, where students will be able to put their new-found knowledge into practice in a real setting. And those who perform well stand a very good chance of being offered employment after completing the program.

"I think it will be very exciting to work at such a huge corporation as Bosch, and to learn from elite professionals from around the world. I hope to prove capable of the assignment."

Geommi So Man Yi hopes to further strengthen her knowledge in industrial management and become a versatile and capable manager.

For Geommi, who will be going to Europe for the first time, the program also includes opportunities to learn about Europe through a three-week course introducing the German language and European culture, and through excursions to European capitals.

"I feel very lucky to be granted such a rare opportunity. It would be great if other graduates got to enjoy the same opportunity in the future."

Alumni News, 5 August 1998

Rowing Team Alumni Association Is Established Over 50 former members of the HKUST Rowing Team established their alumni association this June. The history of the Rowing Team dates back to 1991, when the first class of students entered UST. Over the years, dedicated team members have scored a series of victories. In 1997/98 alone, they won medals in 37 boat races, including the Overall Championship (University Division) in the 41st Festival of Sport Rowing Championship.

To help build up the students' Rowing Team is the main objective of the Association. Some rowing team alumni have obtained coaching licenses, so that they can train their younger 'brothers' and 'sisters'.

"Many of us came here with little or no rowing experience at all," says member Steven Chan (ISMT, 2). But after a long period of extremely tough training and countless races, we have all made significant progress. And through training together, we have built up among ourselves a very strong team spirit and true friendship."

Apart from the 'routine' gatherings for dinners and karaoke which keep the alumni group close together, they also train every weekend on the Shing Mun River, the most popular spot for both professional and amateur rowers. "We are forming an alumni rowing team to compete in local races," says Yip Lung Piu, the founding president who has just graduated and now works as a management trainee.

The founding executive committee members of the Rowing Team Alumni Association are: President Yip Lung Piu ('98 CENG); Vice-President Tso Man Pan ('97 ELEC); Financial Secretary Chow Oi Yee ('97 MATH); External Secretary Man Ngar Man ('97 MARK); Welfare Secretary Chow Chi Wing ('97 MATH); Sport Secretary Wong Cheong Yui ('97 ELEC); General Secretary Ng Chi Hong ('98 CHEM).

Updates HKUST Alumni Association HKUST Alumni Association

Address: Mail Box 69, Student Center, 4/F Academic Building, HKUST Voice/Fax:2789 1571 E-maibal-hkurt@urt.hk Homepage: http home.ust.hk/~al_hkust Membership Fee: $100 (Annual), $300 (life) Benefits: waiver of one year annual fee ($200) for Alumni library Card, special rate for purchases at Information Center, an extra hour at $10/hour for parking at UST's Southern Access Park (i.e. $10/hour for the first three hour, and $50/hour thereafter), alumni contract dental services, cash coupon offered by St. Honore Cake Shop

Established: October 1994 Contact Person: Alan Ho (Mobile:9418 25831, Kelvin Tung (Mobile: 9412 9376) Accounting Alumni Association* Address: c/o Department of Accounting, HKUST E-mail:al_aaa@ust.hk Established: February 1998 Contact Person: Jean Leung (Mobile:9266 7669), Yan Kay Kay (Mobile:9199 7922) BBA Alumni Association* Address: c/o UG Programs Office, SBM Dean's Office, HKUST E-mail: al_bbaaa@ust.hk Homepage: http home.ust.hk/~al_bbaaa Membership Fee: $180 (Annual) Activities: happy-hour gathering, job searching experience sharing (discussion sessions with students),language courses, annual dinner

Established: October 1997 A RowingTeam get-together. Chemical Engineering Alumni Association" Address: c/o S/F,426 Portland Street, Mongkok, Kowloon E-mail:al-cheaa@ust.hk Homepage: http home.ust.hk al-cheaa Membership Fee: $100 (Annual) Established: June 1996 Contact Person: Benny tam (Pager:71 12 8878 call 7110) Civil Engineering Alumni Association* Address: do Department of Civil and Structural Engineering, HKUST Fax: 2358 1534 Email: al-civil@ust.hk Homepage: http home.ust.hk/~al_civil (to be launched soon) Membership Fee: $100 (Annual) Activities: re-union dinner (September) Established: July 1998 (Just one-month old!) Contact Person: Jenny Yeung (Mobile:9228 56473,Matthew Book (Mobile: 639ii Electrical and Electronic Engineering Alumni Association* Address: c/o Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, HKUST Fax: 2358 1485 E-mail:eeeaaPust.hk Homepage: http home.ust.hk/~eeeaa Membership Fee: $100 [Annual fee for 1998 UG graduates), 5200 (Annual fee for other graduates). Activities: hiking fAugust!,the ietond EEE ilumnr Day INovemoeri Contact Person: Eric'lunq 'blcoi~e 9036 i675. Industrial Engineering and Engineering Management Alumni Association Address: cio Department of Industrial Engineering and Engineering Management, HKUST Fax: 2358 0062 E-mail: iealumni@ust.hk Homepage: http home.ust.hkl-lealumni Established: June 1996 Mechanical Engineering Graduates' Association Address: c/o Department of Mechanical Engineering, HKUST E-mail: mega %rst.hk Homepage: http home.ust.hk/-mega Established: May 1996 MBA Alumni Association* Address: GPO Box 10040,Central. Hong Kong E-mail:al-mbaaacust.hk Homepage: hr iiwww.bm.usi hk. -bnalumnr Membership Fee: $150 (Regular, 5800 (Life), $50 provrsronal membership for final year MBA;\ Activities: happy hour gatherrng, alumni roundtable Discussion group),Chat N Dine (a socral gathermg with specific industry focus), golf rrarnrnq courre, poolsrde barbecue iSepremoerl, annual dinner Established: June '995 Contact Person: .rlian teung (Cfice phone. 2913 61301 Football Team Alumni Association* Address:c!o Football Club,Marl Box 29,Student Center, 4/F Academrc Building, HKUST E-mail:al-fhall@ust.hk Established:June 1997 Handball Team Alumni Association* Address:c/o Handball Club.Mail Box 62,Student Center,VF Academrc Building, HKUST E-mail:al-hba@ust.hk Establirhed:July 1997 Contact Perron:Li Ko Kei (Pager 7320 6003) Rowing Team Alumni Association* Address: c/o Rowing Club.Mail Box 33, Student C e n t e r , 4/F Academic Building, HKUST, E-maiLal_row@ust.hk Homepage: http:l/home.ust.hk. -al-row Activities: Internal rowing regatta,formanon of alumni rowing team to partrcrpate in local rowrng competmons,dragon boat competinon, annual dinner. Established:June 1998 Contact Person:Yip Lung PIU (Mobile:921 1 51441,Steven Chan (Pager:7223 2664; l Affikutedoaociations of the MUSTAlumni Association. Membership fees of these associations have intluded that of the HKUSTAA. Benefits of HKUSTAA oreprovrded 10 members of rhese afrIiafed associations. Alumn! News. 5 August 1998

To enhance camaraderie between biochemistry classmates. "HKUST Biochemistry Night 1998" was held on April 12. The party was attended by biochemistry graduates from the classes of '94 to '96, including the 'virtual presence' of some of those who are studying abroad (thanks to the invention of the telephone Non-biochemistry guests were also invited (Hey, why not

The group shared jokes and laughter over karaoke, singing performance and dinner. Highlights of the program included a birthday celebration for those born in April, as well as lucky draws with gifts valued over HK$30,000 (Wow

Share their fun and fond memories at this web site: http home.ust.hk/~duncan/980412.

Alumni Share Experience With Students at Pathfinders Twenty-two alumni came back to share their job-seeking and working experience with over 100 students at the annual Pathfinders Job Search Orientation held in early June.

Many of these alumni have participated in previous Pathfinders' functions when they were students at UST. At that time, there were fewer graduates, so interaction was mainly between students and employers. Now that the number of graduates has grown, alumni participation has become more high-profile.

The 22 alumni span four graduation classes, from as 'old' as the 1994 batch to the class of 1997. They come from different industries, ranging from government departments to public utility companies, from banks to fund-management houses, from IT equipment vendors to engineering firms. Some work in newly emerged innovative industries like Hongkong Telecom IMS, the world's first provider of multimedia entertainment and information services on television via fibre-optic lines; and Boom Securities, the first broker in Asia offering Internet trading facilities for Hong Kong equities.

Almon Kwan ('95. COMP) shares with fellow students his work experience as an account manager in Hewlett Packard.

Graduates of Computer Engineering and Physics are setting up their respective alumni bodies to join the family of UST alumni associations.

The Computer Engineering group is planning to hold elections for the establishment of their association in September through the Internet, at the web site http home.ust.hk/~al_cpeg. So all Computer Engineering graduates should be on the look out for details to be sent by mail in late August.

Those who are interested to participate in the formation of the new groups should contact:

Computer Engineering :Yiu Yu Ho ('98) E-mail: al_cpeg@ust.hk Pager: 7772 6124 Physics: Josiah Chan Chun Wai ('98) E-mail:al_phys@ust.hk Pager: 7773 4621

Editors: Chen Huailin, Frank Davies, George Leung Alumni News, 5 August 1998 應{????}籵D職甘苦談 政府剛公佈今年四至六月的失業率為百份之四點五，而僱主向大專招 聘畢業生的職位也比去年明顯下降。究竟今年大專畢業生的就業情況 如何？來自不同專業的數位應屆畢業生跟大家談談他們的求職經歷。

唐之穎(資訊及系統管理系)'我從二、三月就開始找工，寄出了約30封 求職信，畢業後便加入自動系統集團有限公司 (Automated System Ltd)任職見習營業員。 '我的興趣是與資訊科技，尤其是與系統組 合(System Integration)有關的工作。我覺得資 訊科技行業在今年提供的職位仍然很多，在當前 的經濟環境下，大多數公司仍然錄得盈利，有些 甚至仍在擴充。相信這是因為資訊科技在各行業 所扮演的角色越來越重要的緣故。另外，政府注 入資源大力發展資訊科技，還新成立了統籌香港 整體的資訊科技發展的資訊科技廣播局，對相關 職位的增加亦有一定幫助。 '其他資訊及系統管理系的同學也普遍找到 理想的工作，但人工就不算十分理想，我想是受 到整體的經濟氣氛影響，能有一萬元月薪已算不 錯了。'

勞嘉輝(計算機科學系) '電腦行業一直在迅速增長，在大學的 電子告示板的招聘廣告中，適合電腦系畢 業生的空缺仍佔最多。我現於廣安銀行任 職電腦程式員。 '銀行和其他金融機構在未來數年間要 應付「千年蟲」的問題，還要配合即將推出 的歐洲單一貨幣「歐羅」，電腦工作將大量 增加，需要的人材也自然多了。人工方 面，今年入職的畢業生普遍有一萬一千元 至一萬四千元左右。此外，一些新興高科 技行業如互聯網、電腦網頁設計和3D Drawing等也提供不少新的就業機會。 '去年畢業的師兄、師姊大多會找到 二、三份工後才"擇優而從"。今年由於就 業市場情況不十分明朗，同學大多找到第 一份工後只要覺得還可以的，便會立刻 接受。'

潘玉鳳(生物系) '我在五月份考試期{????}{????}F數份工，考試完結後便立即上工」在韓國 總領事館任職有關推擴文化和資訊工作。 '我和班內的同學都感到今年理科畢業生的就業情況眞的不很理想， 我已經是在系裏最早找到工作的少數幸運兒之一了。'