HKUST Names Associate Vice-President for Research & Development

Abstract

[evdate 1998-03-31] For release 31 March 1998 HKUST Names Associate Vice-President for Research & Development The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology has appointed Prof Tony R. Eastham as Associate Vice-President for Research and Development. In his new post, Prof Eastham will help to guide the University's participation in the SAR Government's Areas of Excellence program, intended to award supplementary funding on a competitive basis to encourage universities to develop distinctive strengths as research and teaching institutions. Another area he will address is cost recovery in the face of Government-mandated budget cuts. Some research services provided by the University that used to be free will no longer be so, says Prof Eastham. "We need to carefully apply a charging system for use of facilities in such a way as to increase operational efficiency but not inhibit their use." Prof Eastham joined HKUST in September 1996 as Director of the Office of Contracts and Grant Administration. He holds concurrent professorships in the Departments of Civil & Structural Engineering and Electrical & Electronic Engineering. Before coming to Hong Kong, he was a professor of electrical and computer engineering at Queen's University, Canada, where he also held several administrative positions, including Associate Dean in the School of Graduate Studies and Research and Director of Research Services. Prof Eastham views research administration as a two-way track. "There is a bottom-up approach and a top-down approach," he says. "I'll listen to ideas from our faculty and help them to be aware of the opportunities they have in securing funding and establishing partnerships. We need to make it as easy as possible for individuals to achieve their potential. "At the same time, there is the top-down aspect of this job, where I'll focus on policies, practices, and issues relating to R&D, and problem solving." Note to Editors:

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