HKUST Newsletter, Autumn 1999

Abstract

[evdate 1999-10-15] Happy New Millennium The Hong Kong University of Science & Technology Newsletter Autumn 1999 Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China Temperatures at HKUST rose to 2,460 degrees-the total of undergraduate and postgraduate degrees conferred during the three days of the Seventh Congregation. This number of degrees was probably higher than what all our laboratories could produce. Indeed, it represented the collaborative hard work of all the Schools in the University- Science, Engineering, Business and Management, and Humanities and Social Science. For the 2,460 HKUST graduates, their parents, relatives and friends, as well as their professors, the Seventh Congregation was certainly an event to celebrate. On the first day of the Congregation, presided over by the Vice-Chairman of the University Council, Dr Steven POON, degrees were conferred on graduates in the School of Engineering. Likewise, Council Chairman Dr Vincent LO conferred degrees on the second day on School of Business and Management graduates. On the third day, Pro-Chancellor Dr the Hon Sze-Yuen CHUNG conferred degrees on graduates in the School of Science and the School of Humanities and Social Science. Also on the third day, Honorary doctorates were bestowed on Mr William FUNG Kwok Lun, a global businessman; Professor Lawrence LAU, a world-renowned economist; Professor Arthur LI, Vice-Chancellor of the Chinese University of Hong Kong; and Professor Shang Fa YANG, a pioneering biochemist. For the first time at HKUST's Congregation, two graduate representatives addressed the audience on each day, to share with all their thoughts at this important moment in their lives. The 1998 Michael G. Gale Medal for Distinguished Teaching was awarded to Dr CHAN Che-Ting (Physics), whereas the Stephen Cheong Kam-chuen Medal for Distinguished Service to the Student Body was presented to Mr CHENG Yuen Shan, former Chairman of the Students' Union Council. Meanwhile, Academic Achievement Awards were presented to 23 graduates who achieved outstanding grades throughout their academic study. A Matter of Degrees The Seventh Congregation 10-12 November 1999 President Prof Chia-Wei Woo reads the citation on top teacher Dr Chan Che-Ting. Mr Cheng Yuen Shan receives his medal for distinguished service from Mrs Stephen Cheong Kam-chuen. Student representative Miss Sharon Chong addressing the audience. This is the first time student representatives are invited to share their thoughts at the Congregation. Happy faces, happy graduates. Council Chairman Dr Vincent Lo gives his blessing. Pro-Chancellor Dr SY Chung conferring a doctorate degree Seventh Congregation Autumn 1999 2 President's Address Professor Chia-Wei WOO Your Time Has Come! On the 16th of September, typhoon signal No.10 was hoisted. I could not go to the office, so I sat quietly at home to work on a first draft for this year 's Congregation speech. My state of mind then may have been much like yours now, our new Graduates. Hong Kong had been hurt by the Asian financial storm, and our people 's livelihood had been severely affected. While the employment situation for HKUST graduates had remained relatively strong, one could no longer sit back and choose among several offers as in earlier years. Some say that our economy has finally bottomed out, recovery is on the way, and soon we shall be out of trouble. They advise that we sit tight and wait for the typhoon signal to come down.

Advancing towards a Knowledge-Based Economy Actually, the analogy that I just gave is not very good. Storms move and vanish, and typhoon signals eventually come down. But economic recovery and lift-off cannot depend on what others choose to do around us. Waiting patiently would only prolong the economic setback, and may even bring about self-destruction. The setback exposed a number of weaknesses in our economic fundamentals and had a sobering effect on us. We have now begun to understand that the days are long gone when we could prosper mainly as a trading post, or rely solely on the service industry to develop our economy. The only road to future success is to transform ourselves into a knowledge-based economy. Hong Kong people never hesitate. Once the direction becomes clear, we move with resolve and vigor. The pillars of a knowledge-based economy are education, technology, and culture. Being a world-class university, the young people we educate at HKUST will become society 's leaders and mainstay. Being a world-class research university, the R&D we conduct in science, technology, and management will open new vistas for Hong Kong 's economic and social development. Being an important institution in the region, we will enhance our cultural awareness on campus and, hand in hand with our sister institutions, create a highly cultured ambience that will help the Hong Kong Bay Area become a truly international metropolis. Since its creation eight years ago, HKUST has thus positioned itself, selected its paths, and created its own history. Main Components of a Knowledge-Based Economy A knowledge-based economy has many dimensions. At present and in the foreseeable future, three areas dominate. One area encompasses Information Technology, Microelectronics, and Advanced Materials. Lately when people in Hong Kong mention high technology, they give the impression that Information Technology (IT)represents the entire ball game. And when people talk about IT, their interest focuses only on internet technology and e-commerce. Indeed, the internet is now indispensable for communicating information and knowledge; and e-commerce greatly enhances the efficiency of conducting business. But IT covers a lot more ground: from mathematical simulation to signal compression, from software design to artificial intelligence, from re-engineering industrial processes to developing infrastructure All are to be explored and exploited. Furthermore, IT does not stand alone. Think of it as the spirit of modern technology. You must also develop Microelectronics and Advanced Materials - as the body that houses, carries, supports, and activates the spirit. A second area encompasses Biotechnology, Ecology, the Environment, Ocean, and Atmosphere. Lately when people in Hong Kong speak of the biotechnology side of high-tech -if they speak of Biotechnology at all -they place all their bets on Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM).Indeed, TCM is a Chinese gold mine which offers strong potential for industrial and commercial development. But to create a truly international market for TCM takes much more than categorizing, packaging, and marketing. A solid foundation in biotechnological and clinical research must be built to support and extend the empirical knowledge accumulated over the centuries. Biotechnology is a very wide-ranging field -from genetic engineering to cell biology to neuroscience with rich treasures far beyond TCM waiting to be discovered and used. The integration and joint application of Biotechnology with IT, Microelectronics, and Advanced Materials, and work in the. Seventh Congregation Autumn 1999 3 related fields of Ecological, Environmental, Ocean, and Atmospheric Sciences will lead to new ventures in research, resource development, and innovative enterprises. A third area consists of advances in international Finance, Economics, and Enterprise Management. The people of Hong Kong are generally well versed in these fields. What we need to add to our knowledge is how to make fuller use of the tools that have been made avail able by high-tech, how to create and manage technology-based industries, and how to better integrate with the Mainland 's resources and markets for greater mutual benefit. Graduates, haven 't you groomed your-selves in precisely one of these three areas during your years at HKUST? That is why I wish to say that your time has come One more important point. Earlier I included culture among the pillars of a knowledge-based economy. Look, from San Francisco to Boston, to London, to Paris, can you find one single international metropolis, one single knowledge-based economy, which is not also a center of culture? HKUST 's efforts in the School of Humanities and Social Science are small in quantity but excellent in quality, and strong master 's and doctoral degrees are offered. Graduates from these programs will help build a cultural ambience for Hong Kong - the necessary environment and climate for a knowledge-based economy. So, to Graduates in these fields, I wish to say that your time has also arrived Human Resources for a Knowledge-Based Economy In advancing towards a knowledge-based society, three kinds of talent are needed. One kind consists of people who are of the highest caliber in their fields, who charge ahead, and who guide. They include professors, experts, science and technology leaders, specialists who have accumulated much technical and/or management experience while working in world-class corporations, innovators and entrepreneurs, and venture capitalists. On account of our history and economic structure, Hong Kong falls relatively short of such talent and must continue to "import " much of it from overseas. HKUST, as a research university created by overseas Chinese academics assisted by like-minded international colleagues, succeeded in "importing " leading scholars and experts to Hong Kong en masse and thus pioneered a new mode of operation. A second kind consists of well trained, solid, and dedicated people serving as the new economy 's backbone. They include research staff, technical experts, industrial specialists, and business managers. Hong Kong is fortunate to be able to supplement our own pool with a large number and wide variety of such people from our great hinterland. We can also establish bases in the Pearl River Delta and attract talented people to come and live and build their careers next door. HKUST hosts many Mainland visitors who have come to work and learn with us, and to innovate alongside us. At the same time, we are building educational and R&D bases in nearby Nansha and Shenzhen, thus pioneering for Hong Kong yet one more new mode of operation. A third kind of talent consists of young people who have acquired a broad base of general knowledge while entering their chosen professional specialty. They are forward-looking, ambitious and highly adaptable, and eager to roll up their sleeves and create a new society. Ultimately it is they who will form the powerful army that will overcome traditional barriers and turn Hong Kong into a knowledge-based society. They are you Hong Kong 's university graduates! In the past, given an expanding economy and a shortage of university graduates, your predecessors found it easy to obtain satisfactory positions and good salaries, and were often content to leave it at that. Furthermore, neither government nor society in those days promoted the concepts, ambition, vision, or practices necessary to transform Hong Kong into a knowledge-based economy. Thus your predecessors had little incentive or opportunity to meet such challenges and create knowledge-intensive ventures. Times have changed; to form the army that I spoke of, Hong Kong needs you, especially the graduates of HKUST. Let me repeat: Your time has come

HKUST has never been shy in being ahead of its time, serving as pioneers, or having to weather storms. Long before the term "knowledge-based economy " became buzz-words and entered everyone 's vocabulary in Hong Kong, we had launched our drive for economic and social transition. You, our Graduates, are our contribution to society. You are our pride and joy. Today you are members of the army for change; tomorrow you will form the new society 's backbone; and the day after tomorrow you will be at the frontline serving as its leaders. With HKUST 's mandate in your heart and HKUST 's pennant in your hand, you will lift your head up high and take off. Some will ask :How high can you fly? My answer to them is: Your sky poses no limit. The best of luck to all of you, and please take care. As in past years, the Seventh Congregation was held in The Hong Kong Jockey Club Atrium, which in many ways is the

focus of university life at HKUST Seventh Congregation Autumn 1999 4 Congregation Address Professor Arthur LI Kwok-cheung Mr Pro-Chancellor Chung, President Woo, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen: On behalf of my fellow honorary graduates and myself, I would like to express our very warm thanks to the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology for honoring us today. For myself, this is a day I shall always look back upon with special pleasure, as it marks the highest point so far in my association with this wonderful University. Through the award of an honorary degree of Doctor of Letters, which to a surgeon is certainly a rare and delightful honor, I am very proud to have become a permanent member of this University. On that I am sure I can speak on behalf of all my fellow graduates of how very proud we all are. I was very honored to be asked by the University my preference for an honorary degree of Doctor of Science or Doctor of Letters. You may wonder why I chose Doctor of Letters. Well for a start the university from which I took my medical degrees has a tradition of treating arts and science as complementary spheres of learning rather than two distinct entities. In fact everyone graduates with a Bachelor of Arts degree irrespective of their subjects or specialities and it has been the tradition for over 600 years. Likewise, the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, a young but formidable center of teaching and research in science and technology, also has a School of Humanities and Social Science to provide its students an education emphasizing the human letters, or the literae humaniores as they are called in older universities. Indeed, the division of learning into science, arts, or any other stream is a relatively recent development, and very much an administrative expedient for educational institutions. In ancient China, education consisted in the mastery of the six 'arts ' of rites ,music ,archery , horsemanship ,the written language and mathematics ,which not only spanned both arts and science but also included sports as well. In ancient Greece, the trait of the truly learned man was his love of knowledge in its broadest sense: he was as keen to discover the laws of nature as he was to probe the qualities of the human soul. And then of course the Renaissance ideal of the Universal Man was a polymath, some great artist-cum-scientist like Leonardo da Vinci whose talent and creativity knew no bounds. Until some two centuries ago, it was still possible for a man of unusual attainment to master all branches of learning. But from that point onwards, especially with industrialization, it becomes necessary to specialize, to limit ourselves to narrower and narrower fields. Knowledge has since been undergoing a process of proliferation on the one hand, and minute division and sub-division on the other. While the body of knowledge we collectively acquire is rapidly expanding, the portion over which we individually can claim mastery over is getting smaller and smaller. There is a trend to know more and more about an increasingly narrow field, and to lose sight of what the person next to us is doing and how his or her work may affect ours. As specialization intensifies in the face of the inexorable growth of knowledge, the restoration of a reasonable degree of versatility in education becomes all the more urgent. It is tremendously helpful to remove artificial barriers and eliminate unnecessary streaming between arts and science subjects in schools; it is essential that we reinforce general education in universities to give young people more opportunity to appreciate the developments in different subject disciplines; it is crucial that we allow interdisciplinary courses to develop to let young people realize the inter-relatedness of different fields of knowledge as well as the inter-connectivity of all phenomena in the world. While it is impracticable to expect our young people to have a total understanding of these subjects, initiating them into the magnificent worlds of both the arts and the sciences will generate greater appreciation of the wonderful potentialities and achievements of the human mind. After all, one doesn't feel one has to be capable of writing a great work of literature in order to. Seventh Congregation Autumn 1999 5 appreciate John Donne or Li Bai nor does one have to be capable of explaining Einstein 's theories about space, time, and motion in order to be able to visualize a skyscape of high speeds, black holes, and exploding stars. The major concern here is that segregation and isolation will stifle creativity and imagination, while the cross-fertilization of ideas from different specialities may spark new advances in human knowledge. Unless we have some intelligent notion of what is happening in quarters other than our own, we shall not be able to put our own problems in perspective, or to judge the world 's problems, let alone generate creative solutions to those problems. To the students of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology who are graduating today, I extend to you my heartiest congratulations. Your years of hard work have given you not only a degree but also expertise in a field of your own choice. Do bear in mind however that education does not stop here, and further studies should not just be confined to your own speciality. The pace of change is accelerating to the point where it is hard to keep track of tomorrow. To equip yourselves for the challenges and opportunities of the twenty-first century, which is only 49 days away, you need to keep yourselves updated, well-informed, and all-rounded. To be truly adaptable and flexible, you must be prepared to change field, start all over, and learn continuously. Learning will therefore be with you for life and versatility is always a valuable asset. May I conclude by sharing with you a few lines from Dr J Bronowski, well-known as an integrator of science and the humanities: 'We have to give the future scientist an abiding sense of the value of literature and the arts; and at the same time we have to give to those whose preoccupation lies with the liberal arts a glimpse of the methods, the depth, and the inspiration of science. These are living problems all the way from the school desk through the university and beyond, into the daily life of all thoughtful men.' Well, graduates of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, you now have to take up the challenge, and open yourselves to the twin pursuits of the arts and science, so that your life would be that much richer, and your enjoyment that much more intense and profound. Ladies and gentlemen, thank you. Doctor of Business Administration Mr William FUNG Kwok Lun Mr William Fung is one of a few truly global businessmen. His company -Li & Fung -operates 45 export-buying offices in 29 countries. The company 's 1998 sales were almost US$2 billion. The key to his company 's success is its vast global network and management expertise which focuses on borderless manufacturing and supply chain management, involving sourcing from more than 2,000 factories around the world. Mr Fung was winner of the "Executive of the Year Award " in the 1993 DHL/SCMP Hong Kong Business Awards and named one of the world 's 25 Top Managers of the Year by Business Week in 1995. Mr Fung also shines in the political arena.He was a member of the Basic Law Consultative Committee, of the Selection Committee of the Hong Kong SAR, and of the Preparatory Committee for the Hong Kong SAR of the National People 's Congress. He is at present a delegate to the Chinese People 's Political Consultative Conference. Honorary Degrees Doctor of Social Sciences Professor Lawrence J LAU Professor Lau 's academic record epitomizes the international eminence which the intellectual talent of Hong Kong can aspire to and achieve. Professor Lau gained his BS degree in Physics and Economics with great distinction from Stanford University in 1964.He went on to earn an MA degree and a doctorate in Economics from the University of California at Berkeley. In 1992, he was named the first Kwoh-Ting Li Professor of Economic Development at Stanford. Professor Lau is a world-renowned economist whose specializations include economic theory, development and growth,

applied microeconomics, econometrics, agricultural and industrial economics and the

economies of East Asia, including China. For his outstanding achievement, he has been

honored as a Fellow of the Econometric Society -a distinction hitherto rarely achieved

by Chinese scholars in economics. Much of Professor Lau 's work provides an interesting perspective and analysis of

the so-called Asian Miracle. He developed one of the first econometric models of China

in 1966 and has continued to update it since then. Professor Lau is a member of Academia Sinica, an Overseas Fellow of Churchill College, Cambridge, and an Honorary Member of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences Seventh Congregation Autumn 1999 6 Doctor of Science Professor Shang Fa YANG Professor Shang Fa Yang is a leading international authority in the field of plant biochemistry and physiology. The Yang Cycle , named after him, refers to his discovery of the ethylene biosynthesis pathway which has completely opened up our understanding of plant development and growth, with significant bearing on the harvesting and storage of crops. Professor Yang's discovery has significantly contributed to agriculture in terms of its economic benefits. We have him to thank for apples and tomatoes staying fresh longer. After obtaining his PhD in plant biochemistry from Utah State University in 1962, Professor Yang joined the University of California, Davis, where he became Professor in 1974 and held that title for the next two decades, being then named Professor Emeritus. He was elected a member of the US National Academy of Sciences in 1990, and won the prestigious Wolf Prize in Agriculture in 1991. In 1994, HKUST succeeded to lure him over to its Department of Biology. In 1996 he returned to Taiwan to become the Vice-President of Academia Sinica but has continued since then as an Adjunct Professor with the University. Prof Yang has more than 220 publications in the field of plant biology to his credit. Doctor of Letters Professor Arthur LI Kwok-cheung The story of Professor Arthur Li is that of an out-standing medical professional, academic and administrator who pursues excellence in every sphere of his life, driven by a deep desire to serve others. Professor Li's choice of medical specialization in hepatobiliary and upper gastrointestinal surgery was prompted by the high incidence of these diseases in Hong Kong and the acute need for relevant surgical expertise. He is also a prolific writer on subjects in this field, with over 260 peer-reviewed journal papers and numerous book chapters. Professor Li accepted the Foundation Chair of Surgery at the Chinese University of Hong Kong in 1982. Within a decade, he led the Department of Surgery from cradle to maturity and to world-class distinction. He has been at the helm of the Chinese University of Hong Kong as its Vice-Chancellor since 1996. Professor Li is Chairman of the United Christian Hospital and the United Christian Medical Service, and also serves on the Board of the Hong Kong Hospital Authority. He was appointed a Hong Kong Affairs Advisor to the People's Republic of China. In 1998 he was appointed to the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference. HKUST Ranked Top in Economics Research Productivity HKUST was ranked the top university in East Asia in terms of research productivity in economics, according to a recent study published in the October 1999 issue of Economic Inquiry, a leading journal in the field of economics. The ranking was based on the frequency of appearance of their articles in top journals over the period from 1990 to 1996, based variously on top 24, top 36 and top 42 journals. The researchers for the study, Jang C Jin and Louis Yau of the Chinese University of Hong Kong, described HKUST's performance in economics research as comparable to some of the best economics departments in the world. The table shows the top 10 East Asian universities, with their scores in terms of total publication, standardized to the average page length in the American Economic Review. The survey also compares the average annual research productivity in East Asia with that in the United States. The results show that HKUST's productivity falls alongside the University of Rochester and the University of Illinois, which occupy places 16-17 in the United States. HKUST ranks quite a bit ahead of Cornell University. Professor Leonard CHENG, Head of the Department of Economics, said, "It has always been a culture of the school and the entire university to pursue high quality research. We know all along that we are one of the strongest groups in East Asia, but a formal recognition of our standing based on objective criteria will certainly bolster the spirit of our faculty." HKUST President Chia-Wei WOO added, "As an international financial center, Hong Kong needs scholars of international renown to create knowledge, provide advice, and develop talents. I am indeed delighted to see the recognition that the international community has bestowed upon our faculty members." University Top 36 Top 24 Top 42 Per Journals Journals Journals Capita 1 HKUST 809.2 575.7 611.5 16.2 2 Chinese University of Hong Kong 618.8 487.5 596.4 11.5 3 Tokyo University 425.8 249.7 301.0 5.8 4 Taiwan University 242.4 165.5 210.7 6.5 5 National Singapore University 191.1 96.3 203.0 ~2.0 6 University of Tsukuba 161.4 144.6 119.6 ~2.0 7 University of Hong Kong 127.8 93.9 118.0 ~2.0 8 Seoul National University 97.6 93.6 145.5 ~2.0 9 City University of Hong Kong 78.8 38.8 139.3 ~2.0 10 Osaka University 71.9 61.9 74.8 ~2.0.R es earch & Development Autumn 1999 7 East Meets West in Fight Against Alzheimer's Disease HKUST scientists have made significant headway in the fight against Alzheimer's Disease- which up to today has no satisfactory cure- by synergizing the best so far in Western and Chinese medicine. The Curse of Alzheimer's Disease Alzheimer's Disease (AD), named after the German physician who first identified it, is a disorder of the brain resulting in a progressive decline in intellectual and physical abilities and eventual senility. At the onset, the patient will suffer from insomnia, and the deterioration of short term memory, mental agility and judgment. At a later stage, the victim will experience the loss of long term memory, hal-lucinations, delirium, and the inability to take care of himself. The incidence of AD increases expo-nentially above age 65, and by age 85, nearly half will contract the disease. In developed countries, AD is the fourth major cause of death, after cancer, heart disease and stroke. What is worse, due to the chronic nature of AD, the resources spent on treating its victims far exceeds the other three. Current Development Although at present there is no cure for AD, pharmaceutical companies have developed drugs that can significantly improve memory and general intellectual function in patients. Such drugs could greatly improve the quality of life of AD victims and their care-givers in the first five to ten years after the onset of the disease. These drugs include Tacrine and Aricept, approved by the US authorities in 1993 and 1996 respectively. Unfortunately most of these drugs have serious side effects which elderly patients find intolerable, leading to discontinuation of drug therapy. One promising exception is Huperzine A, developed by the Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. It has exhibited superior efficacy and tolerability in clinical trials on the Mainland. However, use of this drug to treat AD outside of China has been hampered by the high cost and scarcity of the herbal source, a complicated molecular structure, as well as by intellectual property issues. Glimpse of Light from HKUST In research supported by the Hong Kong Government's Research Grants Council, the HKUST Biotechnology Research Institute, and the HKUST-Chinese Academy of Sciences Joint Life Sciences Laboratory, Dr Paul R CARLIER (Chemistry) and Dr Yifan HAN (Biochemistry) have synthesized and studied a series of novel dimers (compounds formed by the union of two simpler molecules) which link a simple and inexpensive portion of the Huperzine A molecule to Tacrine. Their work could lead to more effective treatment for Alzheimer's Disease. Working with Dr Yuan-Ping PANG (a collaborator at the Mayo Clinic in the United States), Han and Carlier demonstrated that drugs which treat AD memory loss bind to either of two different locations on an enzyme called acetylcholinesterase (AChE). By constructing molecules which contain two distinct drug units joined by a tether (i.e. dimers), it is possible to bind to both sites on the enzyme simultaneously. Such "dual-site binding" gives the drug a tighter grip on the enzyme, increasing its potency. This concept was originated by Dr Pang in 1996, by synthesizing a dimer of Tacrine, which proved to be much more potent for binding AChE than tacrine itself. Positive Effects on Rats At HKUST, using an apparatus called "Wat er Ma z e" (please see captioned picture), Dr Han showed that the Tacrine dimer is much more effective than Tacrine for reversing memory loss in rats. Consequently this drug can be administered at much lower doses than Tacrine, and achieves the same memory improvement (in rats and mice) with greatly reduced toxicity and fewer side effects. Hybrid of East and West In the last two years Carlier and Han have synthesized and analyzed more than ten additional classes of dimers, all of which show enhanced potency as a consequence of dual-site binding. The new "Huperzine A-Tacrine Hybrid" synthesized by Carlier represents the latest application of this concept. In isolation, the fragment of Huperzine A employed has no potency to bind to AChE. However, by attaching this fragment to Tacrine, a drug that is 13-fold more potent than Huperzine A is obtained. Dr Han predicts that the resulting hybrid drug should be significantly less toxic than Tacrine, and Dr Carlier notes that it is very easy and inexpensive to produce as the ingredients can be bought from the market without having to extract from nature. This drug literally combines the best of East and West, and signals a new direction in the modernization of traditional Chinese medicine in Hong Kong. Huperzine A-Tacrine Hybrid Drug This is the "water maze" used to test the long term memory of rats. While the tank of colored water is too deep for the rat to stand on its feet, there is a small platform, invisible to the rat, which is shallow enough for the rat to take a rest on. The rat is put into the water once every day. After a number of trials, the rat will remember the location of the platform and swim straight to it. However, rats with artificially induced memory loss will not remember where the platform is, until effective drugs are administered HKUST in Action Autumn 1999 8 Open Arms, Open Hearts HKUST played host to some 25,000 visitors to its Student Outreach Day and Open Day on 2 and 3 October. The Student Outreach Day, aiming to give senior secondary school students a comprehensive view of both academic studies and campus life, presented over 30 seminars and the opportunity to visit the laboratories, as well as hostels, and other facilities. The highlights of the Open Day included a series of talks held in conjunction with the Government's Home Affairs Bureau to celebrate China's 50th National Day. German Center Officially Inaugurated The German Center of HKUST's Europe Institute was officially opened on 12 November 1999 by Prof Dr Ernest-Ludwig WINNACKER, President of the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (German Research Council) and HKUST's President Chia-Wei WOO. They were joined by Mr Wolfgang GERZ, Consul-General of Germany in Hong Kong, Mr Etienne REUTER, Head of Office of the European Commission in Hong Kong, and Dr Vincent LO, Chairman of the HKUST Council. Already in operation for the past three years, the German Center has been actively engaged in academic exchanges and collaborative research projects. Programs have been established with leading German universities such as the Technical University of Berlin and the University of Karlsrhule, and partnership forged with leading German companies including Bayer AG and Siemens. Mutual Appointment of Adjunct Professors Peking University and HKUST held their first Adjunct Professors Appointment Ceremony at HKUST on 12 November 1999, under the Academic Alliance formed between the two universities last year. Seven HKUST professors received their certificates of appointment from Prof REN Yan Shen, Chairman of the University Council of Peking University, while seven professors from Peking University

received their certificates from Dr Vincent LO, Chairman of the HKUST Council. Ping Yuan and Kinmay W Tang Gallery Named A naming ceremony was held on 17 September 1999 at the Gallery of the HKUST Library to commemorate the late Mr Ping Yuan TANG and Madam Kinmay W TANG and to record permanently the generosity of the Tang Family to the University. Mr Martin Y TANG, grandson of Mr Ping Yuan TANG and former member of the HKUST Council, officiated at the ceremony in the presence of Mr Jack TANG, who had also served on HKUST's Council.

HKUST Showcased Achievements in China Hi-Tech Fair HKUST showcased its research achievements with industrial application in the China Hi-Tech Fair held on 5-10 October 1999 in Shenzhen. HKUST was invited to take part in the Fair - the only university from Hong Kong to receive such an invitation. The areas featured included information technology, automation, biotechnology, and many others. The Fair was organized by China's Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation, Ministry of Science and Technology, the Chinese Academy of Sciences,

and the Shenzhen Municipal People's Government. The fair was housed in newly-commissioned

facilities and was the most prestigious show of its kind in China. Chinese Premier ZHU Rongji officiated at the opening ceremony and paid a lingering visit to HKUST's booth. PTC- G7462 Published by Office of University Development and Public Affairs. For information: tel (852) 2358-6302 or fax (852) 2358-0537.i AUTUMN 1999 T AUTUMN 1999

COUNCIL MEMBER Dr Robin Chan Yau-Hing, JP

Dr Robin Chan is Chairman of the Chinese General Chamber of Commerce, Hong Kong, Chairman and Managing Director of Asia Financial Holdings Ltd, Chairman and CEO of Asia Commercial Bank Ltd, and Chairman of Asia Insurance Co Ltd. Dr Chan was born in Shantou, educated in Hong Kong, and received his higher education at the Institute of Banking in New York. In 1984, he was awarded the Order of Commander of the Most Exalted Order of the White Elephant by His Majesty, the King of Thailand. A year later, he was appointed a Justice of the Peace in Hong Kong. In 1995, he was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Laws degree by Pepperdine University, USA. Dr Chan gives generously of his time and experience to the public service in Hong Kong and the Chinese Mainland. He was a member of both the Preparatory and Selection Committees of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, and has been a Deputy to the 7th, 8th and 9th National People's Congress of China. He has also been the Vice Patron of the Community Chest in Hong Kong since 1990. COUNCIL MEMBER Dr Thomas K Leung, JP Dr Thomas Leung is Chairman of Vision In Business Consulting Ltd. He is a leading organization and human resource expert in Asia, with a distinguished career in advising governments, major Asian conglomerates and multinationals since the early eighties. Dr Leung served on the Hong Kong Government's Central Policy Unit from 1992-94, and is currently a member of the Public Service Commission, the Independent Commission on Remuneration for Members of the Executive Council and the Legislative Council of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, and the Barristers Disciplinary Tribunal Panel. He has conducted extensive projects for many large organizations in Hong Kong, including MTRC, KCRC, CLP Power, Cable & Wireless HKT, Airport Authority, Hongkong Bank Group, Land Development Corporation, Housing Society, and University of Hong Kong. From 1988 to 1994, Dr Leung held the position of Chief Executive - Asia, in the Hay Group, one of the world's leading management consultancies. Dr Leung's PhD degree is in Business Administration from the University of Illinois. COUNCIL MEMBER The Hon Christine Loh Kung-Wai The Hon Christine Loh is a Member of the Legislative Council (LegCo) and Chairperson of the Citizens Party. Miss Loh was born in Hong Kong and educated both in Hong Kong and England. She holds an English law degree and a Master of Law degree in Chinese and Comparative Law. She has a strong business background, having spent her professional life in commodities trading and strategic management between 1980 and 1994. Between 1982 and 1984, Miss Loh chaired the Hong Kong Observers, an influential public affairs group at that time. Miss Loh has been a long-time advocate of democracy, human rights, the arts and the environment in Hong Kong. She has also become known for her interest in planning and urban design. Miss Loh was appointed to the LegCo in 1992, and ran for direct election and won in September 1995. She chose not to join the provisional legislature, and returned to the LegCo after the election in May 1998, in the Hong Kong Island geographical constituency. She currently chairs the LegCo's Environmental Affairs Panel. COUNCIL MEMBER Mr Tim Lui Tim-Leung, JP M r T i m L u i i s t h e S e n i o r T a x P a r t n e r o f PricewaterhouseCoopers, in charge of its Tax Division. He has extensive local and international experience in tax affairs and his client base includes major corporations in the financial, securities, manufacturing, trading and service industries. Mr Lui was President of the Hong Kong Society of Accountants in 1997 and is currently Chairman of its Taxation Committee. He is a member of the Joint Liaison Committee on Taxation, which advises the Hong Kong Government on technical tax issues, and the Inland Revenue Department Users' Committee, which monitors the performance pledge of the Inland Revenue Department. Mr Lui is also Chairman of the Review Commission on Allowances for Urban Councilors, and a member of the Election Committee (Accountancy Subsector) for the first Legislative Council. He is also a Member of the Consumer Council. On the education side, Mr Lui serves the University Grants Committee as Member of both its Management Review Subcommittee and its Resource Planning Subcommittee, and also plays an advisory role in two other universities in Hong Kong. APPOINTMENTS.ii AUTUMN 1999 ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF ECONOMICS David Daokui Li 1992 PhD Harvard University (Economics) 1992-99 Assistant Professor, University of Michigan Research Interests Economics of reform of formerly socialist economies; the Chinese economy; corporate finance; international economics. ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF HUMANITIES Zhang Min

1991 PhD Peking University (Chinese Linguistics) 1997-99 Senior Lecturer, National University of Singapore Research Interests Chinese historical grammar; Chinese dialectology; cognitive linguistics. COUNCIL MEMBER Prof the Hon Ng Ching-Fai

Prof the Hon Ng Ching-Fai is a Member of the Legislative Council and Dean of Science and Chair Professor in Chemistry at the Hong Kong Baptist University. Prof Ng was educated at the University of Melbourne, and received his PhD from the University of British Columbia. He taught Chemistry at the University of Hong Kong from 1970 to 1986. He then became Reader in Chemistry at the Hong Kong Baptist College (now Hong Kong Baptist University), later promoted to Chair Professor. He has been Dean of Science of that institution since 1989. His current research interests are in the fields of heterogeneous catalysis and membrane science and technology. Prof Ng has been a member of the Panel of Physical Science and Engineering of the Research Grants Council (RGC) since 1991, later becoming an RGC member in 1996. He was also a Founding Member and later Chairman of the Society of Hong Kong Scholars, as well as Founding Member of the Hong Kong Institution of Science, and its Vice President since 1996. Prof Ng was member of both the Preparatory and Election Committees of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. COURT MEMBER Mr Simon Sik On Ip, JP

Mr Simon Ip is the Senior Partner of Johnson Stokes & Master. He holds a very long list of current positions, including Chairman of the Council of the Hong Kong Institute of Education, Co-Chairman of the Asia Pacific Forum of the International Bar Association, Steward of the Hong Kong Jockey Club, Member of the Hang Seng Index Advisory Committee, Member of the Executive Committee of the Hong Kong Housing Society, Member of the Standing Commission on Civil Service Salaries and Conditions of Service, and Member of the Business and Professionals Federation of Hong Kong. His past positions include Legislative Councilor (1991-95) and Member of its Public Accounts Committee, President of the Law Society of Hong Kong, Member of the Basic Law Consultative Committee, and Member of both the Judicial Service Commission and the Law Reform Commission. Mr Ip was a member of the HKUST Council from 1988 to 1999. COURT MEMBER Mr Martin Y Tang

Mr Martin Tang is Chairman, Asia of Spencer Stuart, an international executive search firm. His recruitment expertise is broadly based and spans senior level and chief executive assignments in the public and private sectors, banking and commerce. Prior to joining Spencer Stuart, Mr Tang ran another international executive search firm. From 1986 to 1988, he was an Executive Director of Techno-Ventures (Hong Kong) Ltd, a leading venture capital firm. Early in his career, he was with the Bank of America in San Francisco and Taiwan. He then worked as an Executive Director of the publicly-listed South Sea Textile Manufacturing Co Ltd in Hong Kong and Indonesia. Mr Tang served as an HKUST Council Member from 1993 to 1999. He is President of the German Chamber of Commerce of Hong Kong, and also serves on the Advisory Council of Asia Society's Hong Kong Center. He is a Trustee of Cornell University and a member of the MIT Corporation Visiting Committee for the Sloan School of Management. ACADEMIC APPOINTMENTS.iii AUTUMN 1999 VISITING ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OF COMPUTER SCIENCE David Rossiter

1995 PhD University of York ( Electronics) Research Interests Internet and multimedia technologies; interface design; computer sound . ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OF ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONIC ENGINEERING Ted Chi-Wah Kok

1997 PhD University of Wisconsin, Madison (Electrical Engineering) 1998-99 Visiting Scholar, Stanford University Research Interests Multirate signal processing; multimedia system design. ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OF BIOCHEMISTRY Zhenguo Wu

1995 PhD University of Western Ontario (Biochemisty) 1996-99 Postdoctoral Researcher, University of California, San Diego Research Interests Regulation of muscle differentiation by MAPKs and other intracellular signaling pathways using various molecular biology and cell biology techniques. ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OF CHEMISTRY Jianzhen Yu

1996 PhD University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill (Environmental Analytical Chemistry/ Atmospheric Chemistry) 1997-99 Postdoctoral Scholar, California Institute of Technology Research Interests Analytical methods for airborne organics; characterization of atmospheric aerosols. ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OF PHYSICS Weijia Wen

1995 PhD Chinese Academy of Sciences (Physics) 1997-99 Postdoctoral Fellow, University of California, Los Angeles Research Interests Soft condensed matter physics; electrorheo-logical and magnetorheological fluids; field-induced pattern and structure transition; microsphere fabrication; thin film physics. ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OF COMPUTER SCIENCE Shueng-Han Gary Chan

1999 PhD Stanford University (Electrical Engineering) 1998-99 Visiting Assistant Professor , University of California, Davis Research Interests Multimedia networking; video and wireless communications networks; design of routers, switches and interconnects; high-performance server and storage architectures. ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OF ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONIC ENGINEERING Pengcheng Shi

1996 PhD Yale University (Electrical Engineering) 1998-99 Associate Research Scientist, Yale University Research Interests Visual information processing and its biomedical applications: medical imaging, computer assisted diagnosis and intervention, computer vision. ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OF ECONOMICS Timothy K Chue

1999 PhD Harvard University (Economics) Research Interests International finance: international portfolio choice, the pricing and hedging of foreign exchange risk, cross-country propagation of shocks, welfare analysis of financial integration iv AUTUMN 1999 ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OF ECONOMICS Tridip Ray 1999 PhD Cornell University (Economics) Research Interests Development economics; industrial organization; microeconomic theory; international trade and finance. ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OF ECONOMICS Kang-Oh Yi

1999 PhD University of California, San Diego (Economics) Research Interests Learning and decision-making of boundedly rational people in strategic situations. ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OF INFORMATION & SYSTEMS MANAGEMENT Hong Se-Joon

1999 PhD Carnegie Mellon University (Information Systems) Research Interests Human factors in IT; IT adoption and diffusion; consumer behavior on information systems products; electronic commerce. ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OF MARKETING Dilip Soman 1997 PhD University of Chicago (Marketing and Behavioral Science) 1996-99 Assistant Professor, University of Colorado Research Interests Mental accounting; consumer and managerial decision making; financing decisions; consumer credit and spending; intertemporal choice; pricing and promotions. The Annex has taken shape after a year-long process of construction and fitting out, and has now admitted the majority of its users. An official ceremony was held on 17 December 1999 to inaugurate a number of the main facilities. Funded entirely by non-Government money totaling around HK$120 million, the six-story Annex is an integral part of the University's long-term plan for research and development. However, at the initial stage, it also functions as an incubation facility for technology transfer, management training, and research support organizations. These facilities include: {????}Offices for Chinese Academy of Sciences-HKUST Joint Laboratories; {????}Offices for the Applied Technology Center, Technology Transfer Center, and the RandD Corporation; {????}An Entrepreneurship Center for incubation companies; {????}Facilities for continuing professional education programs {????}The Europe Institute {????}The Shui On Center for China Business and Management {????}Facilities for the EMBA and executive education programs {????}Offices for regional educational and technological associations, and multinational corporate R & D units. Annex Officially Opened The major donors for the construction of the Annex included The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust (HK$40 mil-lion), the Shui On Group (HK$25 mil-lion), Chan Tseng-Hsi Foundation Ltd and Dr and Mrs Thomas Chen (HK$20 mil-lion), and Sir S K Tang Fund ($10 million). The Annex is designed to be an extension of the existing In fra-structure. Hence aesthetically it merges imperceptibly with the rest of the campus-both from the outside and from the inside. 陳有慶博士 陸恭蕙議員 梁國輝博士 雷添良 吳清輝 唐裕年 葉錫安 李稻葵 張敏 鄔振國 郁建珍 溫維佳 陳雙幸 羅大偉 郭志華 施鵬程 朱烱恒 洪世準 李康五