HKUST Newsletter, Winter 1998-99

Abstract

[evdate 1998-12-15] Hong Kong University of Science & Technology Newsletter Winter 1998-99 Sixth Congregation 11-13 November 1998 It took three balmy afternoons in November and the benevolent presence of the University Chancellor, Council Chairman and Vice-Chairman to do the honors for UST's largest number of graduates to date. This year a total of 2,307 students, including 465 postgraduates, received academic degrees before packed houses of faculty, family and friends. In his second year as Chancellor, SAR Chief Executive Tung Chee Hwa presided over the final day of the Congregation and bestowed honorary doctorates on Prof Ambrose Yeo-chi King, Pro-Vice-Chancellor of the Chinese University of Hong Kong; the Hon Antony Kam Chung Leung, banker, executive councillor and Chairman of the Education Commission; Prof Merton H. Miller, Nobel laureate in economics; Prof Xu Kuangdi, Member of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and Mayor of Shanghai; and Mr Larry Yung Chi Kin, distinguished business leader. The Congregation was opened on 11 November by the Council Chairman, Dr the Hon Sze-Yuen Chung, who presented the first Award for Distinguished Contribution to the University to the Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust in recognition of its life-giving and life-s u s t a i n i n g contributions to the University's creation and expansion. The 1998 Michael G. Gale Medal for Distinguished Teaching was awarded to Dr Khaled Ben Letaief (Electrical & Electronic Engineering), and the Stephen Cheong Kam-chuen Medal for outstanding student service went to the fifth Student Union president, Ms Ruby Hau Yuk-yin, whose organizational abilities contributed to a richer and more vibrant student life. Also honored at the event were 16 winners of the University's Academic Achievement Medal. Winter 1998-99 __ SEASON'S GREETINGS

2 Winter 1998-99 First of all, the good news is that an overwhelming majority of our graduates are fully employed and well employed. In the past, we never had to say that. No university graduate ever worried about employment. So, what went wrong? More importantly, what is in store for you in the future? Personally, I am optimistic for Hong Kong, especially for you - the graduates of HKUST. Let me explain why. The financial typhoon which hit Asia with unexpected suddenness and vehemence now threatens to cause worldwide economic floods. Such is the extent of economic globalization in this Information Age. Hong Kong, seemingly through no fault of its own, suffers alongside its Asian neighbors. Stricter regulatory controls have been imposed - and I believe they are necessary - to curb wanton speculative assaults: assaults which have given brand-new meaning to the concept of "war", and of "warring parties". However, in the long run, the only effective defense against economic terrorism and army-size guerrilla forces is the strengthening of our own fundamentals. We now know: Large currency reserves, by themselves, do not constitute solid fundamentals. This has been a valuable lesson, though much too costly a lesson, for the people of Hong Kong. Whether the concern is for economic prosperity, social stability, or quality of life, in the coming decades the cornerstones for strong fundamentals - anywhere in the world - will be education and technology. Education and technology were why HKUST was established, why you came, and what you have acquired during your time at this University. This statement applies to you who studied Science, because Science provides the foundation for technology. It applies to you who studied Engineering, because Engineering is at the heart of technology. It applies to you who studied Business and Management, because Business and Management put technology to beneficial use. It applies to you who earned your advanced degrees in Humanities and Social Science at HKUST, because your presence has expanded the vision of your fellow students and, in turn, you have witnessed firsthand the prowess of technology, which now permeates every facet of real life. In short, you, of all people, have been prepared for a radical change of climate descending upon Hong Kong and the region. You, of all people, have your hands on the present and eyes for the future. The University will do well if you do well. And you will do better if the University continues to do better. So, you, as alumni, need to know the direction your University is headed. President's Address A TIME TO CONSOLIDATE A TIME TO SOAR S ixth Congregatio n It has been seven years since the University opened its doors on this idyllic site to students and faculty. Our founding phase is over. We are now consolidating our accomplishments and strengths into a solid platform from which we expect to soar. To fulfill our mission to enhance the economic development and social development of Hong Kong and its region, HKUST's role is that of a national university with international impact, and with strong commitment to our home in the Hong Kong Bay Area. Many of the terms above are "loaded". Let me unpack some of them for you: * "Economic development" relies on science, technology, and management. * "Social development" refers to culture, environment, and quality of life. * "Region" takes us far beyond Hong Kong's 235 islands and one peninsula. * "National" places HKUST alongside Peking, Tsinghua, and Fudan universities and a handful of their peers. * "International" reminds us that education and technology are global enterprises, and are either world-class or without class. * "Home in the Hong Kong Bay Area" defines the University's local identity and emphasizes our local consciousness. In the construction of a platform, and in the warm-up preparations for our impending flight, we shall bear in mind the positioning and vision of the University, as thus summarized. This fall has witnessed the emergence of the University's new leadership team. I have agreed to serve as President for another term of five years. The appointment of Professor Leroy Chang - a five-fold national academy member - as Vice-President for Academic Affairs, and the appointment of Professor Michael Loy - a distinguished physicist and academic administrator - as Dean of Science, have completed the reconstruction of the team. Please

3 Winter 1998-99 S ixth Congregation forgive me for sounding proud, but I sincerely believe that we have in place one of the most competent teams of vice-presidents and deans in any university anywhere in the world. The first task to be conducted by the team, together with department heads and directors, consists of two parallel and independent components: academic review and inventory taking. Academic review means a thorough study of where our academic departments now stand, how consistent their programs are to the academic plans drawn up three years ago, the strengths and weaknesses of each program, the faculty profile, and how resources are deployed. Inventory taking means a complete documentation of the University's resources, including personnel, space, equipment, and funds. At this stage it will simply be accurate data collection: reflecting what is, not necessarily what should be. Following the completion of these two projects, which are essential prerequisites for any "consolidation", we will carry out a new round of academic planning and needs assessment. The academic planning must, and will, reflect the University's positioning and vision, and the needs assessment will lend substance to the University's aspirations corresponding to these academic plans. Strategic development will then commence. Since the pace in Hong Kong is so brisk that even a few years appears to be an eternity, the future is already upon us. There can be no hesitation. This time next year, I will be reporting to you a fully developed set of strategies which will steer the University in its soaring. The faculty will be the force behind our academic planning and strategic development. But we also want input from you, our students and alumni, whose future will be greatly influenced by where the University is going. Witness the following. Our Hong Kong Bay Area concept is reflected in what we do in the Hong Kong SAR through efforts like information technology education in the schools, the Engineering Industrial Consortium, the Incubation Center, and the many environmental projects; and what we do in the Pearl River Estuary including Shenzhen and Nansha - such as the establishment of the Nansha Information Technology Park with the Fok Ying Tung Foundation as our partner. This Hong Kong Bay Area concept will help you, our students and alumni, to find fulfilling employment, contribute to regional development, and create new enterprises. Our national vision leads us to work closely with talented individuals and groups from all over China - talents that include undergraduates, graduate students, faculty colleagues, industrial researchers, entrepreneurs, and business executives. The most recent example is our agreement with Peking University to form the closest partnership between two universities that I have ever seen. We expect to share students, faculty, research staff, and R&D projects, and build a many-faceted Research Academy together. You, our students and alumni, will benefit from these national efforts because you will build future careers all over the nation's vast hinterland. The opportunities are limitless. We are grateful to Chief Executive Tung Chee Hwa for coming to our campus to inaugurate the HKUST-Peking University Academic Alliance on 13 November. Our international collaboration focusing on East Asia, North America, and Western Europe brings the First World to the University's doorstep. Most recently, emerging under the aegis of our Europe Institute are the strong R&D presences on campus of France's grandes ecoles and corporate giant Vivendi, and Germany's very top technological universities and corporate giant Bayer. And, also on 13 November, we witness the inauguration of the first office in the Chinese-speaking world of "W3C" - the MIT-based World Wide Web Consortium. We are grateful to our W3C colleagues from the United States, Europe, and Japan for coming to HKUST to sign the agreement, and to Mr Tung Chee Hwa for his encouraging words at the signing ceremony. Our students and alumni will benefit from working side by side with the best talents the world has to offer, and from being recruited into posts that link China to the community of technologically advanced nations. As the University soars from its platform of academic excellence, you too will soar from the platform of an HKUST education. How high can you fly? Even the skies pose no limit. As some predecessors of your generation would say: "Fly, baby. Fly." In all your flights, be sure to ride the HKUST air stream holding your wings aloft, and be sure to keep your HKUST memories in your heart. We will be with you, always. Chief Executive Tung Chee Hwa inaugurates the HKUST-Peking University Academic Alliance on 13 November 1998.

4 Winter 1998-99 Respected Chancellor Tung Chee Hwa, Respected President Woo Chia-Wei, Respected Council Members, Fellow Schoolmates and Students, Ladies and Gentlemen, On the occasion of the graduation of 1998, I have the great honour to be awarded an honorary doctorate. I wish to express my heartfelt thanks to the Council members, the faculty and the students of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology for the honour given to me. The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, after seven years of pioneering work and development, has been built into a science and technology university offering a complete range of disciplines and first-class facilities. It boasts in particular a large contingent of erudite and experienced professors. I know that all this could not have been achieved without the capable efforts of its President and Council Members. I am pleased and proud that Hong Kong has such a young and dynamic institution of higher learning. With the approach of a new century there has dawned a knowledge economy. Scientific and technological progress symbolized by information technology takes place each day and achievements in high technology are turned into productivity at an increasing rate. The knowledge economy promises tremendous changes in the economic and social life of mankind. In the face of such an era full of challenges and opportunities, we feel a pressing need to prepare ourselves fully and it is more important than at any time in the past that we make education a top priority. I very much appreciate the remarks of President Woo Chia-Wei that today it is no longer enough to rely only on diligence and we should also depend on wisdom, which cannot be divorced from education, science and technology. In successfully meeting the challenges brought about by the new century, the crux lies in continually blazing new trails and daring to do so. As Chairman Jiang Zemin has pointed out, to blaze new trails is the soul of a nation and an inexhaustible motive force behind the prosperity of a country. The government of our country decided recently to accelerate the establishment of a national science and technology innovation system, which was a major policy decision in the implementation of a strategy to enhance China's prosperity through science and education. As a new vital force in this system, institutions of higher learning shoulder an important historical mission. I myself worked for many years in the field of higher education and still tutor PhD candidates on their dissertations today. I keenly realize that the heart of higher education lies in fostering the creative ability of the students. I sincerely hope that the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, cherishing high aspirations and striving for their realization, will become a base for new knowledge at an early date. The economy of Shanghai has sustained rapid development over the past six years since 1992, averaging an annual growth rate of 13.8%. Remarkable changes have taken place in the face of the city, various social endeavours have flourished, and the livelihood of the citizens has improved year by year. In its development into the 21st century, Shanghai will firmly carry out the strategy of securing the prosperity of Shanghai by prioritizing science and education. This is a vital strategy of ours. After its return to the motherland, Hong Kong has successfully maintained its status as an international financial, trade and shipping center. Although it has been hit by the Asian financial crisis, Hong Kong remains one of the most competitive regions, a fact widely acknowledged in the S ixth Congregatio n Congregation Address by Prof Xu Kuangdi Member of the Chinese Academy of Engineering Mayor of Shanghai world. Shanghai has a long way to go before it rises to become a new economic center. In this respect, Hong Kong has much successful experience that Shanghai should learn from and draw on, particularly in the sectors of international finance and service. Shanghai will actively seek cooperation and exchange with Hong Kong, so that the two can complement each other and achieve common prosperity. Ladies and gentlemen, students and friends, in the Yangtze River the waves behind drive on those that came before and new gifted people catch up with and surpass the old in the world. As I put on my mortarboard, I felt as if time had gone back to forty years ago when I graduated from university. I envy all my young friends present here. I would like to take this opportunity to extend congratulations to all the students who have received their degrees today. If we look at the world history of science and technology, we may find that many important discoveries and inventions were made by scientists in their prime. I sincerely hope that you will dare to blaze new trails, study assiduously and achieve success in your study and work. Thank you.

5 Winter 1998-99 S ixth Congregation Doctor of Letters Professor Ambrose Yeo-chi King From the 1960s until today the writings of Professor King have left an indelible mark on the minds of budding sociologists and political scientists in Hong Kong, Taiwan and the Mainland. Professor King's first and foremost concern has always been and still is: Where is China, this great civilization, heading? From the pen of Professor King have come numerous articles that are thought-provoking and at times controversial. He believes that Chinese intellectuals have to be "international" but still different. To the people of Hong Kong, perhaps, Professor King is best known through his work "One Country, Two Systems: An Idea on Trial". He has a vision for Hong Kong - turning Hong Kong, a colonial city, into an international city of the first order. Will the post-1997 Hong Kong rise to Professor King's challenge? Upon completion of his doctoral work at the University of Pittsburgh, Professor King came to Hong Kong and took part in the development of the Chinese University of Hong Kong during its formative years. He took up pro-vice-chancellorship in 1989, a position which he still holds. We wish to express our deep appreciation of the outstanding service he has rendered as an advisor to the University's School of Humanities and Social Science from the very earliest days of its creation. Doctor of Laws The Hon Antony Kam Chung Leung The universities in Hong Kong have emerged from the metamorphosis of the early 1990s with a distinctive emphasis on quality and excellence, to a large extent through the initiative of the Honourable Antony Kam Chung Leung. Upon assuming the chairmanship of the University Grants Committee in 1993, Mr Leung pledged that efforts should be directed towards the improvement of quality, with the aim of making Hong Kong a regional center of excellence in higher education. His vision is that Hong Kong's graduates should be creative, be able to think critically, be truly bi-literate and trilingual, possess a broad and liberal education, have the urge and ability to pursue excellence, and be strongly committed to Hong Kong and China but global in outlook. Mr Leung received his university education at the University of Hong Kong, majoring in economics and statistics. Upon graduation in 1973, he entered the world of banking. Mr Leung has held various top management positions in private banking, corporate banking and investment banking. In October 1996, Mr Leung was invited by Chase Manhattan Bank to become its managing director and regional manager for Greater China and the Philippines. Mr Leung is currently an Executive Councillor of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and Chairman of its Education Commission. Mr Leung's hope is to promote life-long learning in Hong Kong and make Hong Kong a learned and a learning society. Mr Leung, in his dual role as a distinguished banker and chairman of the Education Commission, is exactly the kind of person we must look to in halting the economic downturn and helping Hong Kong to emerge stronger, healthier and more competitive. Doctor of Social Sciences Professor Merton H. Miller To students of corporate finance, M & M are not chocolate beads they munch in between meals. The initials stand for the well-known MM theorems, proposed by Franco Modigliani and Merton H. Miller. The theorems exposed the irrelevance of financial structure in the valuation of firms. Professor Merton H. Miller first formulated the basic model for the MM theorems in 1958 with his colleague Modigliani at Carnegie. Since then, the two Ms have both become Nobel laureates in economics. The first M & M paper emerged in 1958 and was followed by two other important papers in 1963 and 1966. Using their basic model in the M & M papers, Miller and Modigliani derived two so-called invariance theorems, now k n o w n a s t h e 'M M Theorems'. The theorems have become the norm of comparison for theoretical and empirical analysis in corporate finance. Professor Merton Miller is the r e s e a r c h e r w h o h a s dominated this analysis for two decades from the 1960s to the 1980s. He has thus made a unique contribution to modern theory of corporate finance. Since the 1980s, Professor Miller's research interests have shifted towards the economic and regulatory problems of the financial services industry, and especially of the securities and options exchanges, a topic that is highly relevant to Hong Kong, particularly in these days of economic uncertainty. His book Financial Innovation and Market Volatility, is a timely work for those concerned with the volatile Asian market today. Doctor of Engineering Professor Xu Kuangdi If we look at the development of all the major cities in China, none would rival the meteoric rise of Shanghai. In the development of commerce, industry, city-planning and key infrastructure projects, Shanghai serves as a model for the nation. No one will question that Shanghai will soon rival the success of Hong Kong; it is just a matter of how soon. With the re-election of Professor Xu Kuangdi as Mayor of Shanghai in February 1998, we can Honorary Doctorates From left: Dr Larry Yung Chi Kin, Prof Merton H. Miller, Dr the Hon Antony Kam Chung Leung, and Prof Ambrose Yeo-chi King.

6 Winter 1998-99 S ixth Congr egatio n safely predict that the success of his city will be the focus of media attention and the pride of China before we journey too far into the next century. As the link between Hong Kong and Shanghai continues to strengthen, it is fitting that we should honour Professor Xu, Mayor of Shanghai, an engineer, an accomplished researcher, an academician and a political leader. Professor Xu graduated from the Beijing Institute of Steel in 1959. He then embarked on an academic career. His teaching and research made him a leader in the study of special steels and metal alloys, and their processing. In 1986, he was honoured jointly by the State Science and Technology Commission and the Ministry of Metallurgy, in recognition of his contribution in the application of "spray-molding metal and alloy processing" in steel. This technology continues to be a hot topic in the metallurgical industry today. Professor Xu has also received the award of membership in the Chinese Academy of Engineering, the highest honour that can be achieved by an engineering scholar in China. His outstanding academic achievements have been matched by a distinguished career as a leading university administrator. In 1989, Professor Xu was hailed as a role-model of the country's educational system. The achievements of Professor Xu, whether it be research in the processing of special steel, or the shaping of China's educational system, or leading the burgeoning city of Shanghai to become the envy of the Asia-Pacific region, will inspire today's graduands to aspire to excellence and to be enterprising in all their future undertakings. Doctor of Business Administration Mr Larry Yung Chi Kin Mr Larry Yung Chi Kin has the genius of a visionary and the courage of a pioneer and adventurer. He creates the right place and the right time to make his endeavours all successes. He turns adversities into opportunities, others' demise into triumph, and navigates uncharted waters. Mr Yung obtained his degree in electrical engineering from Tianjin University. In June 1978, he came to Hong Kong to develop his own business and so began his journey of success. Elcap Electronics Limited was incorporated and launched in Tai Po, with Mr Yung at the helm as the general manager. These were the early days of Hong Kong's microelectronics industry. His vision, however, has reached far beyond the microelectronics industry. He foresaw that the prosperity of Hong Kong demanded an effective infrastructure, an efficient transportation system and a healthy property market. CITIC (Hong Kong) and subsequently CITIC Hong Kong (Holdings) were born, with Mr Yung as the latter's vice chairman and managing director. Under the leadership of Mr Yung, CITIC Pacific, the main operating arm of CITIC Hong Kong (Holdings), has become a giant conglomerate in Hong Kong with its main interests in infrastructure development, aviation, property, trading and distribution. Mr Larry Yung, an engineer-turned-businessman, is well known for his scientific approach to the management of his business. He has the interests of Hong Kong at heart, insisting that CITIC should recruit local talent, which is good news for today's graduands. Award for Distinguished Contribution to the University HKUST was most pleased to present the very first Award for Distinguished Contribution to the University to The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust. The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust has made life-giving and life-sustaining contributions to the University. First, we acknowledge its history-making donation towards the creation of this University. A grant of close to $2 billion paid for almost two-thirds of the construction cost of the campus. At the same time, the Jockey Club undertook to manage the entire construction project, making it possible for the University to begin enrolling students in 1991, three years ahead of the projected opening date. Last year, the University began to build an extension to the academic building to house a number of new programs. The Trust donated $40 million towards its construction. Besides bricks and mortar, the Trust has made generous contributions towards the University's education and research programs. In 1990, the Trust pledged $130 million to establish HKUST's Biotechnology Research Institute. Earlier this year, it awarded a grant of $18 million to support a three-year research project on coastal pollution, and launched a scholarship scheme of full sponsorship to three undergraduate students. In addition, Chairman and Stewards of the Jockey Club, notably Sir Gordon Macwhinnie and Dr the Hon Andrew Li, and Chief Executives General Guy Watkins and now Dr Lawrence Wong, have served on HKUST's Council and Court, and devoted a huge amount of their time to the University's affairs. In recognition of the Trust's enormous generosity, the University Council named the Atrium after The Hong Kong Jockey Club. This Award, the very first for distinguished contribution to the University, was another small way to show the University's sincerest appreciation.

7 Winter 1998-99 Many major highways in Hong Kong suffer severe traffic congestion during rush hours. Most blame the ever-increasing number of vehicles and shortage of road space. However, recent developments in transportation technology enable modern traffic-control systems to effectively relieve most traffic congestion by flexibly controlling the timing of traffic signals in response to real-time traffic conditions. Fixed-time Control Systems Today, most major cities use fixed-time traffic control systems, which divide a typical day into several sessions according to different traffic conditions. In each session, signal timing is pre-calculated and not responsive to real-time traffic conditions. More recent systems detect changes in traffic patterns and select another pre-calculated timing program. The weakness in these static control systems is that they are fixed and cannot adapt to the dynamic nature of changing traffic conditions. They only work well when actual traffic conditions match the pre-calculated conditions. In the real world, these timing programs tend to under-utilize the green time. These fixed-time systems use out-dated traffic models which over-simplify real-world traffic conditions, as Dr Hong Kam Lo, assistant professor of the Civil Engineering Department at HKUST points out. For example, they assume that the vehicles on the road do not have physical dimensions-they are simply points. Dr Lo stresses that traffic delays are not linear to the traffic volume. This means that when one vehicle is held up, not only is that vehicle delayed, but it could cause other vehicles to be delayed. "That's why control of traffic congestion focuses on the last 5% of the vehicles before the road reaches saturation. If we can effectively utilize the green time to allow more vehicles to cross the junction, much of the congestion we now experience can be relieved," Dr Lo explained. Basic Theory of Traffic Flow To achieve this objective during rush hours is the major challenge for traffic control. Fully utilizing the green time is achieved by adaptively adjusting the timing program of the traffic lights using an accurate description of real-world traffic conditions. "Dynamic control systems designed according to the fundamental characteristics of traffic flows are of great potential," says Dr Lo. Researchers found that there is an inverted-U relationship between traffic flow and traffic density, as seen in the fundamental characteristics diagram above, which shows that when traffic flow increases, the traffic density on the road increases accordingly. After traffic flow reaches saturation flow of the road, it begins to slow down until it comes to a standstill. Recently, theoretical breakthroughs have allowed researchers to incorporate this equation into designing traffic-control systems. Dr Lo's 'Dynamic Intersection Signal Control Dynamic Control System to Improve Traffic Conditions Optimization' (DISCO) makes use of the initial traffic occupancy, flow and density values detected to simulate traffic movements and to calculate dynamic timing programs. As a dynamic system adjusts the timing program in response to actual traffic conditions, obtaining the solution quickly is crucial. Adequate performance, therefore, relies on the use of high-speed computers. If the system is designed to control one junction only, the system only has to provide green time durations for the relevant vehicle movements. But, if the system is designed for two or more junctions, the calculations become more complicated. Not only does the system need to consider the green duration for each movement, but also the coordination of green times between junctions. However, researchers can partition a traffic network into smaller sectors, with each sector controlled by an individual computer. In addition, researchers are now developing algorithms to trade solution quality for solution time, with the objective of obtaining an improved timing program. Dr Lo has used the traffic data collected at a well-known congestion trouble-spot in Kowloon to test his system. He found that, at peak hours, DISCO could reduce the delay by as much as 35% when compared with the existing system. This result has so impressed the Transport Department that they are now arranging further studies of the system. Dr Lo stressed, however, that his system is based on the fundamental characteristics of traffic flows and is thus suitable for all traffic conditions. R esearch & Development The fundamental characteristics diagram shows that two traffic densities (k1 and k2) are possible for every traffic-flow condition: k1 when traffic is uncongested and k2 when traffic is congested. In the real world, it is not uncommon for fixed-time timing programs to under-utilize

the green time, allowing situations where there is no vehicle crossing the road junction

when the light is green.

8 Winter 1998-99 H K U ST in Actio n OPA9901A Published by Office of Public Affairs. For information: tel (852) 2358-6302 or fax (852) 2358-0537.

Talks on the Regional Financial Environment At the November 1998 MBA Luncheon Presentation organized by the School of Business and Management, Mr E. Mervyn Davies, the then chairman of the Hong Kong Association of Banks and executive director of Standard Chartered Bank, gave a talk on "A Banker's Perspective on the Main Lessons from the Asian Financial Crisis". Mr Davies told the audience that a strong banking system is not only necessary to prevent an economic crisis from getting worse, but also important to enable an economy to bounce back from a crisis. At another luncheon talk, 1990 Nobel Laureate in Economics, Professor Merton Miller gave a speech on the "on-going financial crisis". Distinguished business leader Dr Larry Yung Chi Kin, Chairman and Chief Executive of CITIC Pacific Ltd,

was invited to deliver the Public Affairs Lecture during which he shared his views on

the finance system and future economic development of Hong Kong. New Court and Council Members The University Council welcomes back Dr Vincent H. S. Lo as Vice-Chairman of the Council to fill the vacancy left by Dr the Hon Andrew K. N. Li, SC, JP, who, in accordance with the terms of the University Ordinance, stood down when he took up the post of HKSAR Chief Justice. Mrs Laura M. Cha, JP and Dr Steven K. L. Poon were re-appointed as members of the Council. Mr Roger King and the Hon Charles Lee Yeh-Kwong, JP were appointed as members of the Council. The University Court has four new members (from left): Sir Gordon Macwhinnie, JP, Dr Henry Cheng, Mr Ian C. W. Fok, and Mr Richard Li. HKUST Professor and Student Honored Professor of Computer Science Vincent Y. S. Shen has been honored at the First Fok Ying Tung Prize (China) Ceremony for his work in launching SuperNet, the first licensed Hong Kong Internet service provider, which was initially developed at HKUST. The Fok Ying Tung Contribution Award was presented to Prof Shen, this year's only Hong Kong awardee, for his dedication and tenacity in developing SuperNet as a commercially viable operation. Its success spurred a new industry in Hong Kong which has since offered many employment opportunities for young professionals in the computer field. Cheng Po-wing, PhD student from the Electrical and Electronic Engineering Department, won the first prize in the university category of the First Hong Kong Science and Products Innovation Competition. Cheng's project is a silicon/LCD microdisplay jointly developed with Varitronix Ltd. The First W3C Office in China The first World Wide Web Consortium Office in China was inaugurated at HKUST on 13 November 1998. This is the first office of the Consortium outside the United States, Europe and Japan. The new office will promote and lead a concerted effort by companies and institutions in the region to develop a more mature Web environment for Chinese-speaking communities throughout the world. It also gives researchers an opportunity to foster the development of Chinese web applications that will help Chinese-speaking societies become information societies.

Careers Fair with a French Touch University students in Hong Kong were invited to attend the Hong Kong-France International University-Enterprise Fair organized by the Engineering Institutes of Paris Group (Groupe des 丱oles d'Ingenieurs de Paris, GEIP) and the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, with support from the French Consulate General in Hong Kong. Major French companies representing business sectors from banking, industrial and mechanical engineering, telecommunications, car manufacturing, and airlines to cosmetics and perfumes showcased both their activities and their needs in terms of human resources.

WINTER 1998-99 i WINTER 1998-99 COUNCIL MEMBERS Vincent H. S. Lo, GBS The University is pleased to welcome back Dr Vincent Lo, Chairman and Chief Executive of the Shui On Group, who has accepted appointment as Vice-Chairman of the University Council. Dr Lo received his higher education at the University of New South Wales. In 1971, he founded the Shui On Group, which he has since guided to become a market leader in the property-development, construction, and construction materials businesses. In 1996, Dr Lo was awarded an honorary Doctor of Business Administration by HKUST. Dr Lo is currently a member of the Ninth National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, current president of the Business and Professionals Federation of Hong Kong, and current president of the Shanghai-Hong Kong Council for the Promotion and Development of the Yangtze. He has also been active in the Trade Development Council, the Hong Kong Management Association and in the General Chamber of Commerce, of which he is a past-chairman. He served on the Basic Law Consultative Committee and the Preparatory Committee and was awarded the Gold Bauhinia Star in recognition of his outstanding service to the Hong Kong SAR. Roger King Mr Roger King, one of Hong Kong's most successful computer marketing pioneers, has accepted appointment to the University Council. Mr King founded Oriental Data Systems as part of the C Y Tung Group in 1974, and served as its executive chairman. Following the merger of ODS and System-Pro in 1989, he became executive chairman of the holding company, ODS System-Pro Holdings. When the company was sold to Jardine Pacific in 1996, ODS System-Pro was Hong Kong's largest reseller of personal computers and related services. Mr King also held various senior positions in the Tung Group, and oversaw the group's financial restructuring as managing director of Oriental Overseas Holdings Ltd. Mr King obtained his bachelor's and master's degrees in electrical engineering from the universities of Michigan and New York respectively, and has completed the Advanced Management Program at Harvard's Graduate School of Business Administration. Mr King serves on many commerce-and industry-related committees in Hong Kong and is an executive member of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference of Zhejiang Province. iCharles Y. K. Lee, JP Mr Charles Y. K. Lee, Executive Councillor and Chairman of the Mandatory Provident Fund Schemes Authority, has accepted appointment to the University Council. Mr Lee was born in Shanghai, brought up in Hong Kong, and educated at the University of London from which he graduated with a master's degree in law. He is admitted as a solicitor in both Hong Kong and England and Wales, and was a founding partner of the solicitors' firm of Woo, Kwan, Lee & Lo in Hong Kong. He is also a qualified accountant and a chartered secretary. From 1988 to 1991, Mr Lee was a member of the Council of the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited, and served as Chairman of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange from 1992 to 1994. Mr Lee holds many public appointments as Member of the Equal Opportunities Commission, Hong Kong Affairs Adviser to China, and Chairman of the Council of the Open University of Hong Kong, amongst others. He was a member of the Governor's Business Council from 1992 to 1997. Mr Lee is also a Vice-Patron of the Community Chest of Hong Kong. COURT MEMBERS Henry K. S. Cheng Dr Henry Cheng, Managing Director of the New World Development Group of Companies, has accepted appointment as Member of the Court of the University. Dr Cheng received his higher education at the University of Western Ontario where he earned an MBA in 1972. He was awarded honorary doctorates by both Johnson & Wales University in Rhode Island, USA, and the University of Western Ontario in 1996 and 1997 respectively. Since 1972, Dr Cheng has been a key executive in the New World Development Group, and has been the chief executive officer of a large number of successful development projects in Hong Kong and China. Dr Cheng sits on several committees concerned with education and trade promotion matters. He is Chairman of the Advisory Council of the Better Hong Kong Foundation, and a committee member of the Eighth and Ninth Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference.

WINTER 1998-99 ii Ian C. W. Fok Mr Ian C. W. Fok, Managing Director of Yau Wing Company Ltd, Henry Fok Estates Ltd, and National Investment Company Ltd, has accepted appointment as Member of the Court of the University. He is currently managing director of more than 80 companies in Hong Kong and overseas engaged in real estate, finance, transportation, hotels, civil engineering and oil supply. Mr Fok is actively involved in public and community service on the Mainland and in Hong Kong. He is Vice-Chairman of the All-China Youth Federation and a member of the Standing Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference of Guangdong Province. In Hong Kong he is Treasurer of the Chinese General Chamber of Commerce and Chairman of the Standing Committee of the Hong Kong Pei Hua Education Foundation. Mr Fok is very active in education matters, and, in addition to his work on behalf of HKUST, is also a member of the Board of Trustees of United College in the Chinese University of Hong Kong, and a member of the Committee of the Council of the Open University of Hong Kong. Richard Li Mr Richard Li, Chairman and Chief Executive of the Pacific Century Group, has accepted appointment as Member of the Court of the University. In 1990, Mr Li founded STAR TV, the first pan-Asian satellite television network. Under his leadership, the station reached over 220 million viewers. The company was sold to News Corp in 1993 at a profit of over US$800 million. Mr Li then established the Pacific Century Group, which, since its inception in 1993, has become a major player in the information technology and digital media, financial services, infrastructure and property sectors. Mr Li is a member of the International Councillors Group of the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, DC, and a regular participant in and member of the World Economic Forum. In December 1994, Mr Li was selected as one of the Global 100, TIME Magazine's roster of world business leaders. In addition, he was named one of the 50 most important people in cyberspace, again by TIME Magazine, in October 1998. VICE PRESIDENT OF ACADEMIC AFFAIRS Leroy L. CHANG The University congratulates Professor Leroy L. Chang on his appointment as Vice President of Academic Affairs. Prof Chang originally came to HKUST in 1993 as Dean of Science and Professor of Physics following a distinguished career as a research physicist at IBM. Research groups led by Prof Chang at IBM were in the forefront of efforts to investigate the electronic and optical properties associated with ultra-thin materials. Prof Chang received his PhD in solid-state electronics from Stanford University. A scholar of high international standing and reputation, he has published over 200 scientific papers and holds the patents on more than 20 of his discoveries. He is a member of five academies: the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Academia Sinica, the US National Academy of Sciences, the US National Academy of Engineering, and the Hong Kong Academy of Engineering Sciences. He has also been honored with numerous prestigious awards from international scientific institutions. During 1998, Prof Chang was consultant on the establishment in Taiwan of the new Centre for Applied Sciences and Engineering. ADMINISTRATIVE AND ACADEMIC APPOINTMENTS Gordon Macwhinnie, JP Sir Gordon Macwhinnie, a driving force behind the creation of HKUST, has accepted appointment as Member of the Court of the University. Sir Gordon first came to Hong Kong in 1945 as a member of the allied armed forces. He returned to the UK in 1946 to continue his studies to become a Chartered Accountant, and was posted back to Hong Kong from Peat Marwick Mitchell & Co. in 1950, becoming senior partner of the firm in 1968. He retired from the firm in 1978 and devoted himself to public service. It was during the period when Sir Gordon was Deputy Chairman of the Hong Kong Jockey Club, that the Club agreed to donate HK$2 billion towards the construction of HKUST. The Jockey Club further offered to manage the construction of the entire project when it became necessary for the new university to be commissioned three years ahead of the initial planning. As Chairman of the Campus Project Management Committee, Sir Gordon monitored closely the implementation of the University's construction. Sir Gordon is chairman of two listed companies in Hong Kong and a director of the Bank of Bermuda. He was made a JP in 1969, awarded the OBE in 1978, the CBE in 1984, and knighted in 1992.

WINTER 1998-99 iii DEAN OF SCIENCE Michael M. T. Loy Professor Michael M. T. Loy has been appointed Dean of Science and Professor of Physics. He was formerly Department Head of Physics and Acting Dean of Science. Prof Loy came to HKUST in 1993 after more than twenty years at IBM's T. J. Watson Research Centre in New York. His last appointment there was Senior Manager for Optoelectronics and Laser Sciences. A three-time winner of IBM's Outstanding Contribution Award, Prof Loy has worked in several different areas of the laser sciences, including non-linear optical propagation effects and surface studies by means of ultrafast laser pulses. At IBM he also held management positions overseeing research activities in areas as diverse as ultrafast laser science and information processing in the brain. While basic science has been the focus of most of his work, Prof Loy has also kept abreast of major developments in the computer industry in particular, optical communications and flat panel display technologies. Prof Loy earned both his BS in engineering physics and his PhD in physics at the University of California at Berkeley. ASSOCIATE VICE-PRESIDENT OF ACADEMIC AFFAIRS Nelson Cue Professor Nelson Cue, founding head of the Physics Department at HKUST, has been appointed Associate Vice-President of Academic Affairs. Prior to joining HKUST, Prof Cue was Chairman of the Department of Physics at the State University of New York at Albany. Prof Cue received a BS in physics from Feati University in Manila, the Philippines, and a PhD from the University of Washington. He is an experimental physicist, and has published over 100 scientific papers. As the Head-designate of Physics and Founding Head of Physics in 1989-91, he was a member of the senior management team that guided the overall development of HKUST from a blueprint to a completed US$440 million campus over a two-year period, and ensured that the teaching and research infrastructures, academic programs, and governance structure were in place and functioning when classes started in October 1991. He also authored the Department's academic plans, developed the curricula, ordered all equipment, and recruited and hired all the departmental personnel from office secretaries to senior faculty. Prof Cue continues to be extremely active in all aspects of academic life, both at HKUST and internationally. PROFESSOR OF CIVIL ENGINEERING Kwok Chung Sau, Kenny Professor Kenny Kwok, has been appointed Professor of Civil Engineering to conduct research in the China Light and Power Wind/Wave Tunnel Facility at HKUST. Professor Kwok obtained his BE (Hons) and PhD from Monash University in Australia. Prior to joining HKUST, he spent twenty-two years at the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Sydney where he was a Professor of Wind Engineering, Associate Dean (Postgraduate and Research), and Director of the Graduate School of Engineering, Wind Engineering Services and the Australian Graduate School of Engineering Innovation. His main areas of interest and technical expertise are in wind engineering and structural dynamics, particularly in wind effects on buildings and structures, wind tunnel tests, environmental fluid mechanics and vibration control, and he has published over 200 articles on these subjects. He has been a wind engineering consultant for many organizations, including the United Nations Development Program, and Australian and Hong Kong government agencies. He is the immediate past chairman of the Australian Wind Engineering Society and a Fellow of the Institution of Engineers, Australia. DIRECTOR OF APPLIED TECHNOLOGY CENTER David K. K. Young Dr K. K. David Young comes to HKUST from the Engineering Directorate of the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in Livermore, California, where, since 1984, his work spanned a wide range of control engineering applications and where he was also a project leader in the Precision Engineering Program. Dr Young was an associate professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering and Mechanics at Drexel University, Philadelphia from 1978 to 1982. He then left academia to join Systems Control Technology, Inc in Palo Alto, California, as a senior research engineer. His current areas of research interest are sliding mode control, intelligent mechatronics, and smart structures. He is the editor of a book on aerospace and robotics applications of sliding mode as well as the author of over 80 publications. Dr Young is a member of Eta Kappa Nu and Sigma Xi, and a senior member of the IEEE. He received his BS degree in computer engineering in 1973, his MS in electrical engineering in 1975, and PhD in electrical engineering in 1977, all from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.

WINTER 1998-99 iv ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OF MANAGEMENT OF ORGANIZATIONS Andrew Delios 1998 PhD University of Western Ontario (Business Administration) 1997 Instructor, University of Toronto Research Interests Japanese foreign investment; foreign entry mode and location strategies; determinants of the survival and performance of foreign subsidiaries. VISITING ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OF INFORMATION AND SYSTEMS MANAGEMENT Amy J. Lee 1998 PhD University of Michigan (Computer Science Engineering) 1998 Lecturer, Hong Kong Polytechnic University Research Interests Database management systems; data warehousing; web-based systems; query processing; schema evolution; view technology. VISITING ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OF MARKETING Rashmi Adaval 1996 PhD University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign (Business Administration-Marketing) 1996-98 Visiting Asst Professor and Research Associate, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign Research Interests Consumer information processing: affective and cognitive factors that influence consumer memory and judgments; representation of visual and verbal information in memory. VISITING ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OF COMPUTER SCIENCE Tien-Tsin Wong 1998 PhD Chinese University of Hong Kong (Computer Science) Research Interests Medical visualization; image-based rendering; modeling of natural phenomena and digital halftoning. ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OF COMPUTER SCIENCE J. David Morgenthaler 1997 PhD University of California, San Diego (Computer Science) 1996-97 Senior Systems Engineer, Reticular Systems, San Diego Research Interests Programming tools and environments; program analysis and visualization; automated software engineering and maintenance. ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OF COMPUTER SCIENCE Jack Yiu-Bun Lee 1997 PhD Chinese University of Hong Kong (Information Engineering) 1997-98 Visiting Asst Professor, Chinese University of Hong Kong Research Interests Distributed multimedia systems; parallel-server systems; fault-tolerant systems; communications protocols; Internet computing. OPA9901A Published by Office of Public Affairs. For information: tel (852) 2358-6302 or fax (852) 2358-0537.

ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OF ACCOUNTING Hyunkoo Lee 1998 PhD Carnegie Mellon University (Accounting) Research Interests Empirical research on compensation and contracts; accounting information and capital market. ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OF BIOCHEMISTRY Chun Liang 1993 PhD Brown University (Molecular and Cellular Biology and Biochemistry) 1993-98 Postdoctoral Fellow, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Research Interests Mechanism and cell cycle control of DNA replication in budding yeast; regulation of DNA replication in normal and cancer cells. _