HKUST Genesis = 同創, Volume 9, Number 11

Abstract

[evdate 1998-11-04] THE HONG KONG UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY VOL.9 NO.11 4 NOVEMBER 1998 Top Teacher Encourages Independent Thinking Genesis Vol.9 No.11 4 November 1998 INSIDE THIS ISSUE Doing More With Less 2 Innovator of the Year 3 Interview Skills Video 3 HSS Teaching Award 4 AIA Award 4 Congregation Program Wednesday, 11 November  Officiated by Dr the Hon Sze Yuen Chung, Chairman of the University Council  Degrees in the School of Engineering Thursday, 12 November  Officiated by Dr Vincent H. S. Lo, Vice-Chairman of the University Council  Degrees in the School of Business and Management Friday, 13 November  Officiated by the Hon Tung Chee Hwa, Chancellor of the University  Degrees in the School of Science  Degrees in the School of Humanities and Social Science  Honorary Degrees: Prof Ambrose Yeo-chi King The Hon Antony Kam Chung Leung Prof Merton H. Miller Mr Larry Yung Chi Kin Prof Xu Kuangdi  The Award for Distinguished Contribution to the University  The Michael G. Gale Medal for Distinguished Teaching  The Stephen Cheong Kam-chuen Medal for Distinguished Service to the Student Body The winner of this year's Michael G. Gale Medal for Distinguished Teach-ing believes that effective teaching requires student participation. "I encourage students to take part in class. I push them to participate. I train them to ask questions. I feel gratified when I see that they are excited over a topic that I am teach-ing," says Dr Khaled Ben Letaief, Associate Professor of Electrical and Electronic Engineering. "Teaching involves some-thing more than a mere trans-mission of information from teacher to student-this can be obtained from books. Instead, students should be motivated so that they can actively construct relevant knowledge with the assist-ance of the lecturer. They should be trained to be curi-ous and encouraged to ask questions and seek answers, as well as think in a rational way, so that they can become independent learners and problem solvers. I tell them they can feel free even to chal-lenge my way of presenting a lecture." The Gale Medal is the latest honor for Dr Letaief in a teaching career that began when he was a graduate student at Purdue University and was recognized as the best graduate instructor. At UST, he has received the School of Engineering's award for Teach-ing Excellence three times, been nominated for the Gale Medal five times and has twice received a special commendation from the University Senate for his commitment and dedication to teaching. After earning his doctorate at Purdue University, Dr Letaief spent several years at the University of Melbourne before joining UST's Department of Electrical and Elec-tronic Engineering in 1993. He was pro-moted to associate professor in 1996. "Good preparation and explanation, enthusiasm, caring about and advising students both in and outside class, critical self-appraisal and evaluation, redesigning and reviewing courses, and developing interesting and relevant teaching materials, including the use of multimedia and Internet tools-these are some of the precepts I try to follow," he says. Dr Letaief sees his role as that of a "facilitator for knowledge advancement" rather than an expert who delivers informa-tion to students. For this approach to be effective, he recommends that: * The instructor should give very clear goals and objectives for the students to achieve. * The relevance of the goals should be explained to enhance student motivation. * Students should be guided in their knowledge advancement and information search and helped to assimilate the new information and integrate it with their prior knowledge and background. * The instructor should be active in research so that he or she can be aware of current developments in theory and methodology. Active in his own research, Dr Letaief is an outstanding example of a well-rounded scholar. He believes that active research has a major impact on effective teaching and that good teaching and good research go hand-in- hand. In high tech areas such as digital and wireless communications, which is Dr Letaief 's field, technology is developing with such speed that an instructor cannot remain relevant unless he or she is actively involved in advanced research. Maintaining an appropriate balance between teaching and research is clearly one of the main challenges for academics, he says.

GENESIS, 4 November 1998 2 IN THE NEWS The Quest for Efficiencycon here Faced with budget cuts, many UST offices and departments are looking for ways to provide the same, if not better, services with fewer resources. This month,the Campus Services Office explains how it is meeting the challenge. Doing More with Less L ateral thinking is the answer of the Campus Services Office (CSO) to a smaller budget. Its director,Vivien Cheung, says: "We have adopted a new thinking mode to help us find ways to provide more service with less money.As a relatively young and small department, we have the flexibility as well as the aptitude to embrace changes." CSO's coping strategies range from traditional measures to achieve cost-cutting-such as staff reduction through natural attrition-to other, more innovative approaches."We approached voluntary organizations that help slightly mentally-challenged workers find jobs," Ms Cheung says. "The result was a less expensive cleaning contract for LG5 food court, plus a new experience in working with a wider segment of service providers in Hong Kong." Sometimes, services are actually increased in the course of economiz- ing. The services of the campus mail room, for example, have been expanded to include customer- oriented counter services such as registered mail, parcel handling, speedpost and the selling of stamps. Lateral thinking has also been applied to outsourcing, whose criteria used to be very restrictive. This had limited the number of applicants for the jobs concerned as well as the range of asking prices. CSO made the terms more flexible, resulting in greater choice and substantial savings. Staff are encouraged to multi-task. Instead of contracting out to cleaning companies, for example, CSO staff do some of the work themselves. Staff in the Visitor Center and University Center were trained to use commercial cleaning equipment. They successfully took over some cleaning functions with results that not only are good for the bottom line, but also contribute to a more positive mood in the unit. Referring to staff anxiety about the impact of funding cuts on their jobs,Ms Cheung says,"The only way to deal with the insecurity that staff might be feeling at this belt-tightening time is to convince myself and my staff that the way to survive is to continuously improve our productivity. More work is the norm now. Our motto now is not just to do more with less, but to do it with pride and a smile." CSO does not miss any opportunity to save on operating costs.The University's caterers,for example, routinely undertake repairs and other measures.The University used to pick up the tab for those expenses. Now it is the caterers who pay.Also,bookings of facilities used to be done manually,requiring both manpower and paper. Now the process has gone online. Ms Cheung stresses the importance of maintaining staff morale in getting things done. In operating a relatively small office, CSO staff and management enjoy a very close relationship. Regular and ad hoc meetings are held to thrash out problems;continuous rotation of duty keeps staff interested in their work and sharpens skills; and social activities are organized to encourage solidarity. It was a trip down memory lane for the Bergweiler family when they visited UST in mid-October. The father, Prof Walter Bergweiler, taught mathematics here in 1991 and 1992. But it is his daughter,Lena Frederike,who grabbed the spotlight during their current stay.As far as we know, she was the first baby born into the campus nity after the sity's opening in 1991. Lena was born in November,shortly after the University's opening ceremony in October.Her mother has vivid memories of their time at UST. saw young trees being planted when I was here, and now they have grown so big and tall,"she says. Prof Bergweiler agrees:"There were not many buildings here in those days.Now the place is so big, and beautifully landscaped." UST Revisited The salary adjustment received in October by most University employees reflects an increase in annual salary, approved by Government, of 5.79% to 6.03%, with payment retroactive to 1 April 1998. It is our usual practice commu-to effect backpay and revised salary after we have obtained a Univer-green light from the Chief Secretary for Administration,

whose approval was received in mid-October this year. As the salary revision supplementary grant will not be credited to the University until some four to five months later, in January or February of the following year, to speed up the process, we have been financing the backpay and revised salary from the recurrent budget.The advanced payment has caused us loss of interest, not gain as alleged in the press. We are sorry for any misunderstanding and inconven-"I ience so caused. Please send your enquiries, comments or suggestions to the Finance Office at X6362,or email fophilip. PhilipWong,Director of Finance BackpayAnnouncement

3 GENESIS, 4 November 1998 A prestigious award for excellence and innovation in electronic design has been won by Dr Wing Hung Ki, Assistant Professor of Electrical and Electronic Engineer-ing. He was honored for the creative engineering in three unique power-controller chips: a phase-modulated switching controller, a DC/DC step-down converter, and a low-ripple boost regulator. He has also received two US patents for his power-controller chip designs-all in three short years in the industry. The Innovator of the Year Award is presented by the regional magazine EDN Asia. Dr Ki was selected by EDN Asia readers from a strong line-up of 11 candidates from across the region. Holder of a BS degree from the University of California at San Diego, an MS degree from Caltech and a PhD from UCLA, Dr Ki credits his gift for analog circuit design to his stint at Caltech. Along with the award, his prize is a copy of PLS-MAGNUM, a programmable logic development tool worth nearly US$5,000, courtesy of the spon-sors, Altera International. This is the second year in a row that a UST faculty member has won the award. Last year, the honor went to Prof Philip Chan, head of the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering. A novel video package to help Hong Kong students improve their job interview skills is now available. The package, entitled Through Other Eyes, consists of a 32-minute video and accompa-nying User's Guide. It aims to help users see how they appear to employers - to see themselves through other eyes. Developed by Language Center staff Richard Pemberton, Joyce Lee, and Ken Chan, this is the first English-language video material to be specifically designed for Hong Kong job applicants and it will be used at all UGC institutions. Interview performance is crucial to successful job application. Surveys show that Hong Kong employers rate spoken English, and the ability to display personal qualities such as motivation and confidence, as more important than academic grades. "To demon-strate these skills effectively in an interview is always difficult," says Richard Pemberton. "To have to demonstrate them in a second or foreign language is doubly so." Professionally acted, directed and scripted, the video tells the story of two final-year students as they go through a series of job interviews. The interviews are of different types and involve a Developing Interview Skills in English In Brief The University's homepage on the World Wide Web has sported a new look since the beginning of October, thanks to the efforts of the Public Affairs Office, CCST, and a capable team of student programmers from ISMT and the School of Engineering. News-oriented in approach, the redesigned homepage offers web surfers easy access to current University news, as well as a con-venient starting point for seeking further information about the University. A new calendar of events, organized with daily, weekly and monthly views of campus hap-penings, is one of the more useful innovations imple-mented this semester, but probably the most popular feature is an astounding virtual tour of the UST cam-pus, which has to be seen to be believed. If you've been too busy recently to revisit the University's website, now is a good time to see it for yourself at http www.ust.hk. variety of companies and positions so that they will be of interest to students from different disciplines. Instead of a conventional script with brief unconnected scenes interrupted by talking heads, the video contains a prominent storyline. The interview perform-ances are not "perfect" or "disastrous", but have their own strengths and weaknesses. The aim is to promote reflection and discussion among the audience, so that viewers consider how they would react in similar situations. Initial feedback from students and teachers has been very positive. The next step for the project is a CD-ROM version. In the mean-time, the video is being used in Language Center classes and is now available in the Career Center, Self-Access Center and Library. Creative Engineering Lands Innovator Award

GENESIS, 4 November 1998 GENESIS, 4 November 1998 4 5 STUDENT FOCUS Campus Calendar Until 30 Jan 1999 Sculpturing Time and Space- Yuyu Yang (1926-1997) Library Gallery 4 Nov Seminar on Asia's Crisis Stanley Wong, Standard Chartered Bank Andrew Fung, Commonwealth Bank of Australia 6:30 pm, Lam Woo Lecture Theater 5 Nov Works by Chen Danqing Opening Reception: 4:30 pm, Exposition Hall Runs 6 Nov-6 Dec 9 Nov Meredith Monk Screening Program Every Monday till 23 Nov 7:30 pm, LTE 11-13 Nov Sixth Congregation 3pm, HKJC Atrium 17 Nov Piano Recital by Chen Xue Hui 1 pm, Exposition Hall 24 Nov Cantonese Opera Demonstration: The Purple Hairpin 1 pm, HKJC Atrium Cello Recital by Peter Bruns 8 pm, Exposition Hall 26 Nov Payday Trio Scoops Up Teaching Honors The School of Humanities and Social Science has established an award for teaching excellence. In its first year, the award was given jointly to Dr Yip Kam Ming and Dr Robert Ferguson, with an honorable mention to Dr David Zweig. The winners were presented with $4,000 each to be used for research or conference travel. Prof Andrew Walder, former head of the Division of Social Science and chair of the teaching award committee, said that the purpose of the award was to encourage good teaching. "We wanted to recognize, at the school level, outstanding teachers who put time and effort into their work," he said. Dr Yip, who teaches philosophy in the Humanities Division, said she was very happy to win the award. She believes that being an effective teacher requires:  Good preparation  Clear definition of the topic  Illustrative examples  Sensitivity to student needs  Encouragement of student feedback and comments Dr Zweig, a political scientist in the Division of Social Science, also expressed his pleasure at being mentioned. His teaching credo is to try to engage students and reach out to them. "It is important to get them to think and to challenge them to put in their best effort. Our students are very good and respond to good teaching," he says. A lively teacher, Dr Zweig is in his third year at the University. He teaches com-parative politics, Chinese politics and international relations of East Asia. Dr Ferguson, who teaches science and technology in the Division of Social Science, is currently on leave. E-mail your questions to genesis or fax to 2358-0537. Four undergraduates at UST have won a top award for themselves and their University for their report writing skills. Melissa Fung (ISMT), Derek Lee (CIVL), Emily Tsang (ACCT) and Polly Yeung (ACCT) were among 24 finalists chosen from 80 first-year students at Hong Kong's six universities to take part in the AIA- Q Could the metal ramp at LG7 be modified so that a wheelchair can be pushed up and down smoothly? A Mike Hudson, Director of Estates Management: "With the help of the Student Social Service Society and SAO we are currently conducting a comprehensive review to identify areas where disabled access can be improved throughout the University. We will then put forward a package of improvements and request funding from the UGC next summer. In the meantime we will continue to carry out work that we can fund from other sources. A new ramp, which will comply with the latest design standards for wheelchair access, will be provided at LG7 as soon as possible and I am pleased to report that work will be commencing next month." Peter Bruns From left, Melissa, Derek, Polly and Emily proudly showed their trohpies. Home Affairs  Raymond K. M. Cheung (IEEM) announces the birth of Reanna Hill Sze Cheung on1 September 1998.  Theresa Chi-Man Lo (CCST) announces the birth of Kwan Lok Yee on 30 August 1998.  Mark James Davidson (CIVL) announces the birth of Andrew Neil Davidson on 27 August 1998.  Ling Yat Man (EMO) announces the birth of Ling Cheuk Him on 22 August 1998.  Poon Chi Ming (EMO) announces the birth of Poon Shek Lun on 21 August 1998. Andrew Neil Davidson The Winning Touch sponsored Young Leaders Development Program. For six months, they attended workshops on leadership skills, outward bound training and an overseas study tour. Ms Yeung says: "I learned a lot in these six months. I've gathered unique experiences and had many opportunities to meet very intelligent people." The winning article, which netted the Best Report Writing Award, trophies and cash prizes for the foursome, was on the opportunities and challenges for life insurance devel-opment in Hong Kong and China. Dr Yip Kam Ming Dr Robert Ferguson Dr David Zweig

INFORMATION CENTRE SOUVENIR SHOP 6 G E N E S I S Editor Jacky Tsang Writer Pauline Loong Design & Production Timothy Ngan Photography Chan Chun Lok (IEEM, 2) Jeff Lam (EEE, 3) Genesis is published by the Office of Public Affairs to keep members of the UST community in touch with University news and views. The next issue of Genesis will be published on 2 December 1998. Contributions are welcome, but must be received at least two weeks before publication date. Email your contribution to genesis. (c) 1998 by The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. All rights reserved. fophilip 100% 100% 100% 100% Absolutely Waterproof Absolutely Breathable Absolutely Windproof Moisture Permeability (from low M.V.P. 600g/m/24hr to over 6000 /m/24hr 7 genesis 8 (Dr Khaled BEN LETAIEF) 1990 1993 1994 Merton H. Miller 97 IEEE 1994 Anthony Chan Tzu Liang, BSc in Physics With four As in the HKALE, Anthony had several op-tions. But he decided to take his favorite subject, physics, at UST. "I like physics. The more I think about and dig into physics, the more eager I am to learn," Anthony said. In order to concentrate on his studies, Anthony refrained from joining in any extracurricular activi-ties. "Through discussions with my classmates, I learned a lot," he said. He is now doing an MSc in physics at UST to pre-pare himself for a career in a high-technology industry. Henry Chan Hon Yeung, BSc in Biochemistry Henry had to sit for the HKALE twice to enter UST. But with support from his family, the ordeal has turned out to be a blessing in disguise. "If I had not repeated Form 7, I wouldn't have matured and treas-ured my precious years at UST," Henry said. "My happiest moments are on the soccer field, playing football with my teammates. It's real fun," the former external vice-president of the UST football team and orientation camp leader said. He is continuing his exploration of the molecular basis of cell cycle control in normal and cancer cells as an MPhil candidate at UST. Iris Chan Wan Yu, BSc in Biochemistry Iris is working on a PhD in biochemistry at the University of Cambridge with the support of a research award and scholarship. She is not alone over there. Her predecessor, Tang Kit Shing, an AAA recipient in 1996, is also pursuing a PhD degree in biochemistry at Cambridge. Iris is interested in studying the cell cycle of germ cells. "I treasure my time working as a project student in the biochemistry lab, where I get a real taste of scientific research that will help pave the way for my future career," she said. Chan Wing Chau, BEng in Electronic Engineering Wing Chau chose to study electronic engineering because of his personal interest in electronics. He is now an MPhil student at UST preparing himself for a career in engineering. Family support was a strong motivation for Wing Chau's success. "My parents told me how important studying was to my future but never put any pressure on me," he said. "Yet every time I did well, I could see the happiness in their faces, and that really inspired me to study harder." Congratulations to the 16 graduates who will receive the University's Academic Achievement Award at the Sixth Congregation on 11-13 November 1998. These 16 students each maintained a cumulative grade average of at least 10.75 out of a possible 12-equivalent to a solid A average, with no course failures-throughout their undergraduate career. Academic Achievement Award Winners 1998 GENESIS, 4 November 1998

Johnny Ho Cheong Chak, BEng in Computer Engineering Johnny enjoys working as a technology analyst in Andersen Consulting. His interest in computers began to grow when he was a primary five student. Three years ago, he decided to obtain formal train-ing in computer studies. "With its new programs and modern computing facilities, I knew that UST was the place I was looking for," he said. He soon discovered that computer science means much more than excelling at computer games, and he would spend up to 13 hours a day in the laboratory, sacrificing his free time for other activities. Dr Orlan Lee (ACCT) is his mentor. "I took Dr Lee's course in my first year and he gives me a lot of advice on my studies and career. I'm really impressed," he said. Thomas Lee Ming Hung, BEng in Chemical Engineering Thomas will tell you that a top student can also be a good player. He was an active member of the UST volleyball team throughout his three years as an undergraduate, and practiced regularly every week. "Studying is a very intense activity," he explained, "and I needed a place to relax. On the volleyball court, I could always forget about my class work completely. When I returned to my work, my mind was refreshed." As a current MPhil student at UST, Thomas is encouraged by the progress he is making in his research project on mini-reactors, so much so he is considering going on to the PhD program after he completes his MPhil work. Law Kin Lun, BSc in Computer Science Ken used his year as an exchange student at UCLA to find out if he should continue his studies in the US. His findings were very positive: "UCLA is very inter-national: I met friends from all over the world. I also did a lot of travel in the US and Mexico. Life was very interesting and I enjoyed it very much," he said. He is working on a master's degree at Stanford University and plans to do a PhD at Carnegie Mellon University, renowned for its research in artificial intelligence. "I'm interested in designing machines that can perform or even outdo human tasks," he said. Polo Lam Chun Hung, BSc in Chemistry During his years at UST, Polo spent each summer in the chemistry laboratory, doing summer jobs and pursuing research on compounds, which became his final-year project. He will spend at least two more years in the laboratory as an MPhil candidate in chemistry, studying the synthesis of amino acids. Polo enjoys the process of doing experiments, even though it can often be disappointing and frustrating. He also likes making friends with labora-tory researchers. "The postgraduate students and research assistants are all very kind. They teach me a lot of things which I cannot learn from textbooks or lectures," he said.

GENESIS, 4 November 1998 Alice Lee Yu Ming, BSc in Biochemistry Determined to gain more research experience to prepare herself for a challenging career in biotech-nology, Alice is staying on at UST after graduation to work as a research assistant in the biochemistry laboratory. She is helping Prof Jerry Wang in his research into protein phosphorylations. "Prof Wang teaches me how to do research in a scientific way, taking logical steps to dig into the truth. I learn a lot from him," said Alice. Her interest in biochemistry has been growing since Form 4 when she took biology. "The more I learn about genetic engineering and evolution, the more determined I am to explore the field," she said. She attributes her success to hard work, luck and immense support from her family. Leung Ching Hong, BEng in Computer Engineering Ching Hong decided to come to UST to study computer engineering because he had heard that the University offers a good course in computer engi-neering. Three years later, he has found that he likes the program so much that his decision was easy: he is continuing his computer work here, studying for an MPhil degree. Ching Hong considers his year as an exchange student at the University of Pennsylvania to be the most memorable experience he had as an under-graduate. He found the exchange program extremely valuable and learned a great deal from his classmates in the States. "The students are different there," he said. "They are very attentive in class. They ask questions all the time, and they don't copy each other's work." Lydia Leung Lap Wai, BEng in Electronic Engineering Engineering might not be a popular choice for some young women, but for Lydia, it was her natural interest in how things work that took precedence. Certainly her academic achievement proves that engineering should not be considered an exclusive playground for boys. Lydia formed a strong bond with two classmates, Chan Wing Chau and So Man Shui, who share simi-lar goals. The trio, all AAA winners, teamed up for their final-year project in wireless communication and are continuing their research as MPhil candidates at UST. Lydia hopes to work in design systems engineering after graduation. Edwin Ma Ka Chung, BEng in Computer Science Edwin is applying the skills he acquired at UST in his new job as an information technology trainee at IBM. He finds the most unforgettable aspect of univer-sity life is the experience of making many good friends. As a member of UST's computer programming team that represented Hong Kong against other Asian teams in Shanghai, Edwin savored his partici-pation in the event. "It was my first time in that kind of competition, and even though we ultimately didn't win, my programming, problem-solving and team-building skills were all enriched," he said.

Joyce Ng Sui Ling, BBA in Economics Joyce attributes her success to simple hard work, and to a great deal of support from her family. "My dad taught me that you can lose money, but that you can always rely on knowledge. So I chose economics because it allowed me to think and analyze and also because it's fun!" Joyce said she really enjoyed her experience at UST, especially the opportunity it gave her to attend classes at the University of Pennsylvania on an exchange program. Her capacity for hard work should stand her in good stead in getting a position as a management trainee with good career opportunities and a chance to enhance her personal development. So Man Shui, BEng in Electronic Engineering So's goal is to become a professional engineer after completing his postgraduate degree at UST. "I'm glad I chose UST because it is a good university and it has good facilities. I am not by nature a hard-working person, but here I was forced to work hard and I found that I like challenges. I'm also glad that I chose EEE as it is a very broad subject and I have learned a lot." A member of the Shaolin Martial Arts Society, So says he has had many good teachers at UST. "They all explained the key concepts clearly, and beyond that, they also helped me in my studies and gave me encouragement." Wong Kin Cheong, BBA in Finance Kin Cheong feels that he owes a great deal of his suc-cess both to his innate competitiveness and to the support of his parents, relatives and friends. He is counting on his honors degree in business and management with a finance major to open the door to a good job in financial engineering- "preferably in an investment bank, because I am interested in creative and sophisticated financial products." Kin Cheong says his most exciting times at UST were when he was awarded a scholarship from Standard Chartered Bank and when he represented the University at an international business-case competition in Texas. Yiu Yu Ho, BEng in Computer Engineering Unlike other high achievers, Yiu once felt like a loser. Poor results in HKCEE sent him to a band-five school in Lai King. But with the help of dedicated teachers there, he worked very hard and participated actively in extracurricular activities, eventually changing his prospects with two As and two Cs in the HKALE. Despite such good results, he once teased fellow students who had qualified for the Dean's List as "crazy" until he himself started receiving straight As in all his courses. "I think it is my approach to studying that works. Rather than just memorizing all that stuff, I try to integrate what I've learned into my daily life," said Yiu. He is now teaching computer studies in secondary school while making plans to start his own business in information technology.

同創 九八年十一月四日 儘管天文台發出雷暴警告，但科大五十多位健兒無懼急風暴雨參加在 10 月 10 日舉行的 第六屆水運會，並刷新了四項紀錄。

{????}{????}天公不造美，比賽曾因惡劣天氣一度停止，不過，運動員仍發揮體育精神，爭取最好 成績。理學院的歐詩茵及資訊與系統管理學系二年級的蔡思華分別獲女子一百米背泳冠軍 及亞軍，更以 1 分 27 秒 77 及 1 分 34 秒 93 打破上屆紀錄。在院際男子四乘五十米 自由式接力賽中，工商管理學院及工學院不單分別奪取冠亞軍，更刷新了紀錄，時間為 1 分 58 秒 46 及 2 分 1 秒 46。學系接力賽則由代表會計學系、計算機工程學及計算機科 學系的隊伍分奪三甲。在教職員二乘五十米接力賽中，工學院院長高秉强教授父子兵上陣 ，勇奪冠軍，化學系副教授戴偉民博士的太太及兒子屈居亞軍。全場男女子總冠軍分別為 工學院的羅智勇及蔡思華。

在冷雨寒風中領奬，別是一番滋味在心頭。 邊吃邊談長見識

是甚麼令公司董事、大企業的行政總裁、公務員、國際球證、商會幹事、校友、教授及宿 生聚首一堂，共進晚餐

{????}{????}自九月中起，學生事務處在本科生宿舍推行一項嶄新的活動-'卓賢匯'，定期在中 菜廳舉行晚餐論壇，邀請來自不同界別的嘉賓與宿生聚餐，交換生活、工作及就業的經驗 ，讓同學拓寬視野，訓練人際技巧，發掘領袖才能，認清就業路向。與英國大學傳統的高 桌晚宴有點不同的是，出席卓賢匯的嘉賓不只一位，他們與眾多宿生分桌而坐，氣氛輕鬆 自然。

{????}{????}在秋季學期結束前，2,300 多位宿生{????}鳥鷛|參與聚餐。學生事務處的目標是讓每一 位宿生在一年內可以參加兩次聚餐。

校園活動 展期至 99 年 1 月 30 日 雕塑「東」「西」的時空-楊英風〔1926-1997〕 圖書館畫廊 亞洲危機座談會 渣打銀行黃遠輝 澳洲聯邦銀行馮孝忠 11 月 4 日晚上六時半 林護演講廳 陳丹青作品展 開幕茶會：11 月 5 日下午四時半 展覽廳 展期：11 月 6 日至 12 月 6 日 梅蕾迪斯 蒙克電影及劇場作品展 11 月 9 日至 23 日逢星期一晚上七時半 E 講堂 第六屆學位頒授典禮 11 月 11 日至 13 日下午三時 香港賽馬會大堂 陳雪慧鋼琴演奏會 11 月 17 日下午一時 展覽廳 《紫釵記》講座及折子戲演出 11 月 24 日下午一時 香港賽馬會大堂 Peter Bruns 大提琴演奏會 11 月 24 日晚上八時 展覽廳 發工資日 11 月 26 日 教職員消息 工業工程及工程管理學系張嘉文博士的女兒張曉思於 1998 年 9 月 1 日出生。 計算及電訊中心盧志敏於 1998 年 8 月 30 日誕下女嬰，取名關洛兒。 土木工程學系戴偉燊博士的兒子 Andrew Neil Davidson 於 1998 年 8 月 27 日出生 。

校產管理處凌逸文的兒子凌卓謙於 1998 年 8 月 22 日出生。 校產管理處潘志明的兒子潘碩倫於 1998 年 8 月 21 日出生。 催生研究新文化

由計算機器學會香港分會、香港科技大學計算機科學系及信和軟件研究所共同主辦的第一 屆 '研究生日'，於 10 月 10 日在科大舉行。作為特邀嘉賓，有光纖之父之稱的本港著 名科學家高錕教授讓同學們分享了他豐富的研究心得和參與資訊技術研究的經歷，還介紹 了資訊技術中具挑戰性的課題和値得注意的新領域。高錕博士鼓勵同學們，勤於思考，大 膽提問。他指出，研究工作的最大弊病就是閉關自守，不與外界溝通。

{????}{????}來自本港六所大學的修讀資訊科技的研究生們，頂風冒雨來科大參加活動。他們通過 在分組學術研討會上宣講，或者以版報張貼的方{????}@發表論文 49 篇。此外，37 篇論文和 五篇摘要入選了大會編印的論文集。

{????}{????}來自中文大學的庾國良同學和他的同伴們表示，這是第一次參加研究生自己的學術活 動，希望能有所穫。來自浸會大學的韋漢基同學說，雖然本港有研究生會，但從未組織過 學術交流，因此他們覺得這次活動新穎而有益。同樣來自浸會大學的馮蒞同學說 '我從 內地來到香港已兩年多，只在本大學活動，與外界相當隔離，好高興有機會同其它同學交 流學習。'科大的胡慶龍同學雖然即將畢業離校，也一早就來到會場。來自馬來西亞的科 大研究生楊宗樺同學，更是熱{????}a向其他同學介紹自己的'電影分鏡自動化'研究課題。

{????}{????}會議評選出三篇優秀論文。港大計算機科學系歐陽春根、中大系統工程及系統管理學 系庾國良，以及理工大學計算機科學系的陳日良等三位同學獲奬。

{????}{????}正當特區政府提出要將香港建成科技、資訊中心之際，舉辦這樣一個活動，讓研究生 匯聚一堂，研討資訊科技，當然很有意義。然而，舉辦者的期望還不止於此。科大計算機 科學系主任錢大康教授很有感觸地說 '我們的最大心願是要改善香港的文化環境。'他 回憶了自己求學時的勤奮用功和對科技的熱情追求，深感目前的學風差强人意。他希望這 個活動持續地搞下去，並由此催谷勤奮鑽研、獻身科技的新文化氛圍。

科 大 望 海 北方 一九九八年九月二十六日科大開放日，近看校園裏人潮湧湧，遠望大海處水波粼粼，不禁 浮想聯翩，偶成七言八句，以釋心懷。

香江日出清水灣， 科大臨海向東南。 青山綿綿照碧水， 白帆點點入藍天。 閑日泛舟行千里， 忙夜讀書破萬卷。 佼佼學子年年來， 纍纍桃李代代傳。全天候防水透氣風褸

Absolutely Waterproof Absolutely Breathable Absolutely Windproof Moisture Permeability (from low M.V.P. 600g/m/24hr to over 6000 /m/24hr

100% 防水 100% 透氣 100% 防風 100% 乾爽 科大設計工程技術研究獲國際嘉許

在不久前落下帷幕的 1998 年美國機械工程師學會的設計工程技術年會上，科大有兩篇論 文獲優秀論文奬提名。在這個審稿嚴格、上千位學者聚聚一堂的學術盛會上，獲此提名的 論文一共僅有五篇，極之不易。五篇入圍論文的作者，分別來自科大、麻省理工大學及史 丹福大學。年輕的學府與老牌名校齊名，與有榮焉！

{????}{????}科大獲優秀論文提名的為電機及電子工程學系李澤湘副教授和工業工程及工業管理學 系主任曾明哲教授。他們研究的是什麼課題？為什麼受到好評呢？

{????}{????}如何既減少成本又增加顧客的滿意程度？這就是曾明哲教授同博士生焦建新的論文的 主題。增加盈利，降低成本，是每間公司的美夢。價廉物美，或者物有所値，則是顧客的 期望。曾教授所研究的面向顧客的'大量製造商業技術'，就是試圖令生產既做到度身定 製，同時又以接近大量製造的效率來降低成本，以{????}玳U客的需要。

{????}{????}曾教授介紹說，這一研究在世界上正方興未艾，科大從 94 年起就開始致力這方面研 究，可以說是發展這一技術的先行者。曾教授和他的合作者分析了公司生產的全過程，又 通過電子商業的手段，對消費者個體的需求進行了系統分析，從而找出兩者之間的關係。 進而在顧客願意付出的價格和公司願意出售的價格之間，找到最佳値。研究的過程當然不 像這麼簡單，它包含了建立數學模型、系統分析、並結合了控制技術、計算機技術等。

{????}{????}李澤湘博士和他的學生儲雲仙、苟建波進行的研究則把我們帶到工廠的車間。李博士 介紹說，無論是車床抑或是銑床，如何將欲加工的工件準確裝夾定位，一直是困擾工程師 的難題。目前，對欲加工的工件裝夾定位的時間差不多佔了總生產時間的百分之六十至七 十，成為影響生產自動化的瓶頸。

{????}{????}實際生產中，產品常是小批量、多品種、高質量和快周期。如果採用傳統的方法，用 專用夾具、專用對準工具，不但費時間，而且價格昂貴。隨著電腦技術和在線傳感器技術 的快速發展，簡化工件裝夾和定位，並使其自動化已成為可能。這樣一來，我們可將工件 按任意方位夾緊於工作台上，然後用可編程接觸式測量傳感器，在工件的已加工表面測量 若干個點，再用專用的定位算法自動計算出工件相對於工作台的準確位置，這時機床會自 動修改加工刀具路徑，可以得到與採用了定位裝置同樣的精確定位效果，從而縮短了加工 周期和降低了成本。李澤湘等人發展了一系列定位算法，並將適用於不同{????}峈漱{????}P算法 歸納為一種算法，不但大大提高了運算的速度，也解決了前人沒有解決的特殊情況，為開 發新一代數控系統建立了基礎。

{????}{????}上述兩項研究都與生產製造業有十分密切的聯繫，具有度身定製特色的'大量製造商 業技術'已經應用到本地電子工業、消費產品、後勤服務中去。自動計算工件位置的方法 也已引起大工業集團的重視，即將在工業生產中一展雄風。

曾明哲教授和學生在一起。 由手動機床改裝成的'傻瓜'數控機床 它可以自動計算工件位置，修改刀具路徑。 問能否改進 LG7 的鐵板，方便輪椅上下

答校產管理處處長克遜覆：'我們正聯同學生組織社會服務團及學生事務處進行一項全面 的檢查，找出校園那些地方需要進行改善工程，方便傷殘人士進出。我們將於明年夏天提 出一攬子改善建議，向教資會申請撥款。與此同時，我們將繼續從其他管道爭取經費進行 改善工程。我們將盡快更換 LG7 的鐵板，新鐵板會符合最新的設計標準，方便輪椅上下。 我很高興告訴大家，工程將於下月〔11 月〕展開。'

李德富博士獲卓越教學奬

電機及電子工程學系副教授李德富博士 (Dr Khaled Ben Letaief) 要為如何在辦公室安放 新收到的教學奬狀及奬章費神。他將於 11 月 13 日畢業禮上獲頒授大學最高榮譽教學奬 -'祁敖卓越教學服務奬章'。

{????}{????}李博士的教學生涯與奬項結下不解緣。早於 1990 年還在普渡大學當研究生的時候， 已獲最佳導師奬。1993 年加入科大後，他三度獲工學院教學優秀奬。自 1994 年設立祁敖 卓越教學服務奬章以來，他每年均獲提名。他對教學工作的熱誠投入更兩度獲教務委員會 稱讚。

{????}{????}這位一致公認的卓越教師認為，好老師既熱衷於教學，又不斷進行研究，關心同學， 鼓勵同學參與教學過程。李博士身體力行，力臻至善。

{????}{????}上課時，李博士備課充足，講解清晰；下課後，他歡迎同學找他，發電郵與他切磋學 問。他說：'我採取門戶開放政策，不設會談時間。同學可以隨時到辦公室找我。'〔《 同創》與李博士做訪問的時候，敲門討教的同學已有三位。〕

{????}{????}李博士努力營造一個輕鬆的學習環境，鼓勵同學積極參與課堂的討論。他說：'香港 的學生習慣了上課時光聽不問，所以我反覆强調同學要多提問，找答案，培養獨立思考及 解決疑難的能力，為他日走進現實世界做好準備。'

{????}{????}除致力於設計教學實驗室的新課程外，李博士又發展一套多媒體教學軟件，提高教學 果效。這套軟件曾在 97 年秋季學期試用。李博士和其他同事將發展軟件的經驗寫成論文 ，於今年初在 IEEE 多媒體工程及教育國際會議上發表。

{????}{????}教學以外，李博士也是一位卓越的研究員。他說：'科技進展日新月異，我的研究領 域是無線電通訊，發展尤速。不與時並進，不斷進行研究的話，你便不能將最新、最具關 聯的知識及科技傳遞給學生。'

{????}{????}李博士是第五位獲祁敖卓越教學服務奬章的教師。該奬章由科大校董會於 1994 年創 立，紀念已故創校校董祁敖先生的傑出貢獻。

電機及電子工程學 九七畢業生蘇運贇 李博士是我組畢業習作的導師。全系所有學生幾乎都上過他的數碼通訊課。他教得很不錯 。這次回校是請李博士為我投考新加坡的工作寫推薦信。

電機及電子工程學 哲學碩士生陳永洲 李博士是我最喜愛的老師。他是一個很好的人。他關心同學，又樂意幫助同學解決疑難。 我們做畢業習作時，遇上不明白的地方，他熱心解答，又為我們提供參考指引。

電機及電子工程學系 三年級學生梁恒正 李博士平易近人，態度誠懇，是一個很好的人。他非常關注我們做畢業習作的進展，經常 提供意見及指導。

電機及電子工程學系 三年級學生黃君偉 他臉上常掛著笑容，富幽默感。上數碼通訊課時，他解釋得很清楚，且常常問我們明不明 白，鼓勵我們多發問。

第六屆學位頒授典禮程序表 1998 年 11 月 11 日〔星期三〕 香港科技大學校董會主席、行政會議召集人鍾士元議員主禮 頒授學位予工學院學士、碩士及博士學位課程畢業生

1998 年 11 月 12 日〔星期四〕 香港科技大學校董會副主席羅康瑞博士主禮 頒授學位予工商管理學院學士、碩士及博士學位課程畢業生

1998 年 11 月 13 日〔星期五〕 香港科技大學監督、香港行政長官董建華先生主禮 頒授榮譽博士學位予 金耀基教授、梁錦松議員、Merton H. Miller 教授、 榮智健先生及徐匡迪教授 頒授學位予理學院學士、碩士及博士學位課程畢業生 頒授學位予人文社會科學學院碩士學位課程畢業生 頒授'傑出貢獻奬' 頒授'祁敖卓越教學服務奬章' 頒授'張鑑泉卓越學生服務奬章'

〔北方為數學系助理教授陳北方博士。〕 補 薪 通 知 財務處處長長黃世邦

大部分大學僱員在 10 月底收到的工資是經調整過的薪金加上補發 4 月到 10 月的差額。 1998/99 年度政府通過的工資增長率為 5.79% 至 6.03%，生效日期為 1998 年 4 月 1 日 。按照過往的做法，大學在收到政務司司長批准撥款的申請後，即發放補薪。大學於十月 中獲政府核准加薪，由於薪酬調整撥款需待四至五個月後，即明年一月或二月才會收到， 為加快補薪的程序，大學先墊支增補薪酬的款項。大學並非如傳媒報道從中賺取利息，反 因墊支而損失利息的收入。

{????}{????}我們對是次補薪安排所引起的誤解及不便深感抱歉。同事可向財務處查詢補薪事宜， 提意見及建議，電話 x6362 ，電郵 fophilip。

九八學業成就奬得主

16 位畢業同學將於 11 月 11 至 13 日舉行的第六屆學位頒授典禮上，領受科大學業成就 奬。他們在學業上表現卓越，累積平均分數均達到 10.75 分或以上〔滿分為 12 分〕，相 當於甲級或以上的成績，且沒有不及格的紀錄。

陳瀚洋 理學士〔生物化學〕 {????}{????}陳瀚洋連考兩次高級程度會考才能進入科大。不過，在家人的支持下，禍兮福所伏。 他說：'如果我沒有重讀中七，我不會變得成熟，也不會懂得珍惜在科大的寶貴日子。'

{????}{????}他曾是科大足球隊外務副會長，又是迎新營的組長，在學習與課外活動之間，取得了 很好的平衡。他說：'最開心是在足球場上與隊友一起踢球的日子。玩得很痛快。'

{????}{????}他現於科大修讀哲學碩士課程，研究正常及癌細胞的細胞週期控制的分子基礎。

陳子量 理學士〔物理學〕 {????}{????}陳子量在高級程度會考拿了四個甲，本應有很多選擇。但他定意要在科大修讀他心愛 的物理學。他說：'我喜歡物理。思想得越多，挖掘得越深，學習的興趣越大。'

{????}{????}陳子量沒有參加課外活動，因為他想專心讀書。他說：'我經常與同學討論問題，獲 益良多。'

{????}{????}他正在科大修讀理學碩士課程，為日後晉身高科技行業作好準備。

陳韻寿 理學士〔生物化學〕 {????}{????}陳韻寿獲奬學金及研究助學金資助，赴劍橋大學修讀生化學博士課程。她不是唯一的 一個-師兄鄧傑成已於前年赴劍橋深造。鄧傑成是九六年學業成就奬得主。

{????}{????}陳韻寿的研究領域是生殖細胞的細胞週期。她說：'我在生化實驗室做研究的時候， 體會到做科學研究是怎麼一回事，奠定我日後投身研究工作的基礎。'

{????}{????}她說：'我成績好，並不表示我有甚麼過人之處，我只是盡一己的本份，比我棒的人 多的是。'

陳永洲 工學士〔電子工程學〕 {????}{????}陳永洲熱愛電子學，所以選擇修讀電子工程學。他正在科大修讀哲學碩士課程，為日 後晉身工程師的工作做好準備。

{????}{????}陳永洲將學業上的成就歸功於家人的支持。他說：'父母告訴我讀書對前途是很重要 的，卻從不向我施加任何壓力。不過，每當我取得了好成績，我看見他們臉上洋溢著喜悅 ，這叫我更努力讀書。'

何昌澤 工學士〔計算機工程學〕 {????}{????}何昌澤現於安達信諮詢公司做技術分析員，處理程式設計及電腦系統的工作。從小學 五年級起他已迷上電腦。三年前，他決定要讀一些正規的電腦學習課程。他說：'科大課 程新，計算機設備先進，是我理想中的大學。'

{????}{????}他很快便發現讀電腦並不是打打遊戲機那麼簡單，因為他每天要花 13 個小時在實驗 室裏，而且要犧牲掉自由活動的時間。

{????}{????}會計學系黎鶴嵐博士是他最喜愛的老師。他說：'雖然我只在一年級時上了黎博士一 門課，但他很關心我升學及就業的路向，給我很多意見，叫我感動。'

林俊鴻 理學士〔化學〕 {????}{????}林俊鴻三年暑假都在實驗室裏度過，不是當暑期工便是準備畢業功課，做化合物的研 究。他還會多獃兩年，因為他正在科大修讀哲學碩士課程，研究氨基酸的合成。

{????}{????}雖然做實驗難有成果，過程令人失望、沮喪，但林俊鴻仍樂在其中。他也喜歡與實驗 室的研究人員交朋友。他說：'實驗室的研究生及助研都很友善，我從他們身上學到很多 課堂及書本上學不到的東西。'

羅健麟 工學士〔計算機科學〕 {????}{????}羅健麟以他在洛杉磯加州大學一年的交換生涯試驗自己是否適合在美國深造，結果令 人鼓舞。他說：'我享受這裏充滿趣味的生活。洛杉磯加州大學是一所國際化大學，我在 這裏認識從世界各地而來的同學。課餘又到美國及墨西哥旅遊。'

{????}{????}羅健麟現於史丹福大學修讀碩士課程，畢業後他打算在長於人工智能研究的卡內基梅 倫大學攻讀博士課程。他說：'我希望能設計出幫助人類工作，甚至可以超越人類的機器 。'

李銘鴻 工學士〔化學工程學〕 {????}{????}李銘鴻會告訴你一個優異生在學習及課外活動同樣可以表現出色。在三年大學生涯中 ，他積極參與排球隊的活動，每星期進行練習。

{????}{????}他說：'學習緊張，我得找尋鬆弛的空間。在排球場上，我可以將課堂的學習完全拋 諸腦後。回到書桌前，我的頭腦清醒多了。'

{????}{????}他正在科大修讀哲學碩士課程，從事微型反應器的研究，頗有所得，希望在完成碩士 課程後，繼續攻讀博士課程。

李宇明 理學士〔生物化學〕 {????}{????}畢業後李宇明留在科大生化實驗室做助研，協助王學荊教授從事蛋白質磷{????}化的研究 工作，以取得更多做研究的經驗，準備日後晉身生物技術工業。 {????}{????}她說：'王教授教我如何以科學精神進行研究，採取合乎邏輯的步驟，尋根究柢。從 他身上我獲益良多。'

{????}{????}李宇明自中四上生物課時已開始對生化學感興趣。她說：'當我對基因工程及進化論 知道得越多，我要鑽研的決心便越大。'

{????}{????}她認為自己成功全賴勤奮、幸運及家人的大力支持。

梁靖康 工學士〔計算機工程學〕 {????}{????}梁靖康選擇在科大修讀計算機工程學，因為他聽聞科大計算機工程學辦得很不錯。三 年後，他對計算機工程的興趣益濃，於是繼續在科大修讀哲學碩士課程。

{????}{????}他最難忘在賓夕凡尼亞大學當交換生的一年。他覺得，當交換生的一年過得很有意義 ，又從美國同學的身上學到很多東西，影響他學習的態度。他說：'美國的學生與香港的 很不同，他們上課很專心，又經常發問。他們也不會抄功課。'

梁立慧 工學士〔電子工程學〕 {????}{????}工程學也許不是很多女同學的首選，但對梁立慧來說，最重要的是找出自己的興趣所 在。她優秀的學業成績證明，工程學不是男生的專利。

{????}{????}她與陳永洲及蘇文瑞兩位同學志趣相投，關係密切。三人同做無線通訊的畢業功課， 同留在科大修讀碩士課程，同鑽研無線電個人及流動通訊，又同獲九八學業成就奬。

{????}{????}梁立慧希望畢業後能當系統設計工程師。

馬家驄 工學士〔計算機科學〕 {????}{????}馬家驄在國際商業機器〔中國香港〕有限公司做資訊科技練習生，應用在科大三年學 到的資訊科技技巧。

{????}{????}他最難忘在科大結織了很多好朋友，助他面對沉重的功課壓力及緊張的學習生活。 {????}{????}他是國際計算機程式設計賽科大隊的代表，代表香港在上海與其他亞洲隊伍較量。他 說：'這是我第一次參加國際性賽事。雖然我們最終沒有贏得比賽，但我設計程式、解決 問題及與隊員合作的技巧卻大有進步。'

吳瑞玲 工商管理學士〔經濟學〕 {????}{????}吳瑞玲認為，她成績好是用功所致，還有家人的大力支持。 {????}{????}她說：'爸爸告訴我，錢財可失但學問卻是一生的依靠，所以我選擇修讀經濟學，因 為我可以多作思考分析，而且，這是一門有趣的課程。'

{????}{????}她很享受在科大的學習經驗，尤其是有機會到賓夕凡尼亞大學當交換生。 {????}{????}她苦幹的能力在行政管理練習生的工作中可大派用場。這份工作前途很好，又讓她發 揮個人潛能。

蘇文瑞 工學士〔電子工程學〕 {????}{????}蘇文瑞的志願是在科大完成碩士課程後做一個專業工程師。他說：'我很高興選了科 大。這是一所很好的大學，設備先進。我本身並不是一個用功的學生，但在這裏，我被迫 著要勤奮，我發現我喜歡挑戰。我也很開心我選擇了電子工程學，因為這項課程開拓了我 的視野，我學到不少東西。'

{????}{????}蘇文瑞是實戰少林武術學會的會員。他說科大有很多好老師：'他們將重要的概念解 釋得清楚明瞭，又助我學習，給我鼓勵。'

黃建昌 工商管理學士〔財務學〕 {????}{????}黃建昌認為，自己天生好勝，又有父母及親友的支持，所以學業成績優異。 {????}{????}他希望他的工商管理學士學位會為他打開晉身財務工程界之門，讓他應用本科財務學 的知識。他說：'最好是在投資銀行工作，因為我對富創意又精密的財務產品很感興趣。 '

{????}{????}他在科大最興奮的時候是獲頒授渣打慈善基金奬學金及代表科大到德薩斯州參加一次 國際商業個案比賽。

姚宇浩 工學士〔計算機工程學〕 {????}{????}姚宇浩不像其他優異生，在學業上一帆風順。他曾經過挫敗。中學會考成績欠佳，他 只好到荔景一所第五級中學升讀中六，在熱誠老師的鼓勵下，他勤奮讀書，又積極參與課 外活動，最終以 2A2C 的成績改變前途。

{????}{????}他曾譏笑名列院長優秀生名單的同學發了神經病，但後來他發現自己原來也可以在所 有科目中取得甲級的成績。他說：'我想這是因為我讀書方法得當。我不會死記課本內容 ，而是融會貫通，將學習所得應用到日常生{????}h。'

{????}{????}他現於一中學教書，並計劃將來自創資訊科技事業。