HKUST Newsletter = 科大通訊, Issue 1 2005

Abstract

HKUST newsletter Issue 1 2005 Industrial Collaboration Research Global Recognition President's Message Research Culture Mainland Links HKUST Achievers Student Achievement Awards & Honors In Action

Anti-Aging Drug Discovery

Industrial Collaboration New Biotech Unit to Develop Anti-Aging Drugs

The University has established a new biotechnology company, named TA Therapeutics Limited, which will conduct research and develop drugs to treat age-related diseases.

Continuing a long tradition of collaboration between HKUST and the public and private sectors, the company will be jointly owned by the University's Biotechnology Research Corporation - with funding support from The Hong Kong Jockey Club - and Geron Corporation, one of the world's leading biopharmaceutical companies.

TA Therapeutics will conduct research to develop what are known as telomerase activator drugs, with particular focus on sources deriving from traditional Chinese medicine (TCM).

"Such drugs have the potential to restore the regenerative and functional capacity of cells, helping fight age-related and neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson's, osteoporosis, cirrhosis and cancer," said Prof Nancy Ip, Director of HKUST's Biotechnology Research Institute and Head of the Department of Biochemistry.

The Hong Kong Jockey Club, a long-time supporter of the University, made a donation of HK$175 million to HKUST at a ceremony held on 2 March. A major part of this sum will be applied to establishing TA Therapeutics in Hong Kong, providing a significant boost to the local biotech sector.

Speaking at the donation ceremony, President Paul Chu said: "This collaboration represents a successful partnership between academia and industry, working together for the benefit of global healthcare. HKUST is most grateful to the Club for its generous support."

With the University providing its technical know-how, particularly in drug discovery, and NASDAQ-listed Geron contributing its expertise in telomerase technology and drug development, TA Therapeutics is set to turn back the aging clock.

The partners already have a successful track record of collaboration. For several years they have been working together to screen TCM extracts for their ability to modulate telomerase activity. The joint research has uncovered several promising leads, with patent applications being filed.

The compounds, named GRN139951 and GRN140665, will soon undergo preclinical development at TA Therapeutics, with the aim being to file an identifiable new drug with the Food and Drug Administration.

With a rapidly aging population, the launch of TA Therapeutics is certainly good news for Hong Kong. With more than a quarter of the SAR's population projected to be aged 65 or over by 2029, the new company's anti-aging drugs could ease the medical problems associated with aging and also reduce the high costs associated with caring for the elderly.

Industrial Collaboration NewInstitute to Impact World Business Methods

The new HKUST-WebEx IT Institute, inaugurated on 10 March, is set to enhance Hong Kong's competitive advantage in the areas of IT research and the commercialization of new technologies.

The HK$29.2 million Institute evolved as the result of close ties that have existed between HKUST and WebEx since 2002.

Funding for the Institute is being equally shared between WebEx and the Hong Kong Innovation and Technology Fund (ITF), which is making its largest-ever project award under the ITF University-Industry Collaboration Programme. HKUST will bring its world-acclaimed research resources and intellectual know-how to the partnership.

Attending the inauguration ceremony were HKUST's President Chu, Mr Min Zhu, Co-Founder and Chief Technical Officer of WebEx, Mr Francis Ho, Permanent Secretary for Commerce, Industry and Technology (Communications and Technology), and Prof W S Wong, Science Advisor to the Innovation and Technology Commission.

WebEx is the leading provider of real-time communications infrastructures for business meetings on the Internet. "I am proud that such a leading multinational hi-tech company sees Hong Kong and HKUST as suitable partners with whom to conduct R&D, nurture IT leaders, and promote commercialization," said President Chu.

Among the Institute's first objectives will be the development of the next generation of online multimedia collaboration systems. Work will be undertaken in the four major fields of mobile device integration; thedevelopment of enabling technologies that enhance online remote collaboration; design of real-time collaborative products to better link overseas clients, in particular from Hong Kong and the Chinese Mainland; and multimedia digital archiving.

"The Institute will leverage greatly on the knowledge and technical expertise of HKUST in conducting IT research and development," said Mr Zhu. "As for the projects we undertake, these will empower global technology collaboration, linking Hong Kong with the Chinese Mainland and the world."

Elaborating on Mr Zhu's comments, Prof Lionel Ni, HKUST's Head of Computer Science, said: "Imagine a company with its head office in the US, a sales team in Hong Kong, and production team in China.

"Instead of taking flights to communicate face-to-face, the company's staff will be able to use the WebEx collaborative platform to conduct real-time meetings. There will be a virtual meeting room in which multimedia files can be shared and issues resolved on the spot. This will save time and travel costs, ultimately enhancing communications and productivity."

The new Institute will also seek mobility solutions so that online meetings can likewise be conducted over mobile devices, such as PDAs and mobile phones.

Praising the partners, Permanent Secretary Ho said: "This collaboration will build Hong Kong into an e-business and digital community, and could have a widespread impact on global business."

2 Research Geneticists Recognized for Fight against Diseases

Some of the most satisfying breakthroughs that occur at HKUST are those that extend the boundaries of science and offer the potential to eradicate diseases.

Two scientists whose research offers such hopes are Prof Maria Li Lung (top), Professor of Biology, and Dr Hannah Hong Xue, Associate Professor of Biochemistry. In March, both were appointed Senior Croucher Research Fellows in recognition of their outstanding work in genetics, which is providing windows of opportunity in the battle against cancer and mental illness.

Maria Lung - Cancer Prof Lung leads a team that has made some remarkable breakthroughs in revealing the genetic causes of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) and esophageal carcinoma (ESC).

NPC is also known as Guangdong Cancer because its incidence in Hong Kong and Southern China is higher than anywhere else in the world, while ESC is also extremely common among Chinese populations.

Prof Lung has studied the Epstein-Barr virus in nasopharyngeal cancer patients, and provided evidence for the direct association of this virus with the cancer. Her laboratory was also the first to provide functional evidence for the presence of tumor suppressive regions mapped to chromosome 3p21.3 in NPC, and identified other candidate tumor suppressor genes on chromosome 11 that are linked to tumor formation.

"Our goal is to decipher the molecular events that contribute to these cancers. The advances we have made are small but critical steps that will pave the way for discovering effective treatments for the diseases," said Prof Lung.

NPC alone registers 1,118 new cases and causes 330 deaths annually in Hong Kong. With its peak incidence in sufferers between the ages of 40 and 45 years, it impacts significantly on the productive work force. Therapies deriving from Prof Lung's research will therefore have a major beneficial impact on the local economy.

Hannah Xue - Neurological Diseases Dr Hannah Hong Xue is a renowned biochemist. A member of the Hong Kong team working on the HapMap project - an international collaboration investigating genetic susceptibility to diseases and responses to drug treatments - Dr Xue is perhaps best known for her discovery of the fifth gene linked to the causes of schizophrenia.

In so doing, she identified a haplotype of five single nucleotide polymorphisms in a gene strongly associated with the neurological affliction. This breakthrough established the first direct genetic evidence at the single DNA base level, that a gene of the GABAA receptor in the central nervous system was involved in the development of schizophrenia.

Dr Xue is now also researching the development of anti-anxiety drug supplements. "The guiding motivation of our work is to explore and uncover the causes of mental disease," said Dr Xue, "and to find effective, safe remedies that will prevent untold millions from suffering such debilitating afflictions."

Dr Xue's widely acclaimed work in the field of schizophrenia is already assisting the discovery of new therapeutic treatments for a disease that affects one percent of the world's population, and over 15 million people in China alone.

Award Ceremony

At a ceremony held on 16 March, the Croucher Foundation elected Prof Lung and Dr Xue Senior Croucher Research Fellows for their expertise and inspirational work related to the genetic causes of such diseases as NPC and schizophrenia.

Acceding to the prestigious Fellowships permits Prof Lung and Dr Xue to be relieved of their teaching and administrative duties for the period of one year in order to concentrate their efforts on full-time research.

Guest of Honor at the ceremony, Andrew Li, Chief Justice of Hong Kong's Court of Final Appeal, congratulated the scientists on their Fellowships. Other appointees this year included Prof Li Ping (City University of Hong Kong), and Profs Zhou Xunyu, Wei Juncheng and Xia Keqing (The Chinese University of Hong Kong).

Speaking after the ceremony, HKUST's new Croucher Fellows vowed to continue their work and to help keep Hong Kong at the forefront of the fight against cancer and mental disease.

3 Global Recognition Excellence Acknowledged in World Rankings

HKUST has emphatically established itself among the world's preeminent seats of teaching, learning and research, according to a series of rankings assessments conducted by leading international newspapers the Financial Times (FT) and The Times Higher Education Supplement (THES).

The rankings, compiled throughout the last year, confirm HKUST's strengths across a broad range of academic disciplines, including business, science, engineering and IT, and social science . They establish HKUST as the:

World number 42 university (THES) World number 20 university for engineering and IT (THES) World number 50 university for science (THES) World number 57 university for social science (THES) World number 44 university for the MBA (FT) World number 6 university for the EMBA (FT) Asia Pacific number 1 for customized executive education programs (FT)

One of the University's latest rankings success came on 24 January when the Financial Times published its 2005 assessment of the world's leading full-time MBA programs. The results reveal that HKUST has leapt 25 places from last year's 69th position to this year's 44th, its highest position since joining the FT MBA rankings in 2000. It places 20th in the world for its research strength and, for the fifth consecutive year, ranks first for the international experience the MBA offers.

"Having demonstrated our overall strengths in The Times Higher Education Supplement's inaugural list of the world's top 200 universities, the Financial Times's 2005 MBA rankings lend further substance to HKUST's glowing international and domestic reputation," said HKUST President, Prof Paul Chu.

"The Business School's sustained accomplishments complement those of our Schools of Engineering and Science and confirm the value of HKUST's efforts to achieve the very highest international standards in teaching and research," the President added.

Days before the release of the Financial Times MBA rankings, University Grants Committee Chairman, Dr Alice Lam, was on hand to attend a ceremony honoring HKUST for attaining 20th position in the THES ranking of the world's leading schools in engineering and IT.

Commending HKUST for its successes across the board, Dr Lam said of the University: "Your achievements have been outstanding. You and others have demonstrated that you are fine institutions."

Dean of Engineering, Prof Philip Chan, took the opportunity to highlight for Dr Lam some of the many ways in which HKUST contributes to the economic development of Hong Kong and the region.

He discussed a range of commercial successes driven by the School of Engineering, which has become a pioneer in building knowledge and working with private sector partners to translate its R&D into viable technologies. These included cutting-edge products such as eco-friendly microfuel cells and nano-electronic displays.

"Our rankings successes are a testament to the commitment of the whole University, and of course the overwhelming and generous support of the entire Hong Kong community," concluded President Chu.

THE WORLD'S TOP 100 UNIVERSITIES (ENGINEERING AND IT) 1 University of California, Berkeley (US) 2 Massachusetts Institute of Technology (US) 3 Stanford University (US) 4 Indian Institute of Technology (India) 5 Imperial College London (UK) 6 California Institute of Technology (US) 7 Tokyo University (Japan) 8 Cambridge University (UK) 9 National University of Singapore (Singapore) 10 Peking University (China) 20 The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (Hong Kong) 95 The Chinese University of Hong Kong (Hong Kong) Source: THES

THE WORLD'S TOP 100 UNIVERSITIES (SCIENCE) 1 Cambridge University (UK) 2 Oxford University (UK) 3 Harvard University (US) 4 University of California, Berkeley (US) 5 Massachusetts Institute of Technology (US) 6 Stanford University (US) 7 Tokyo University (Japan) 8 Princeton University (US) 9 California Institute of Technology (US) 10 Imperial College London (UK) 50 The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (Hong Kong) 72 The University of Hong Kong (Hong Kong) Source: THES

THE WORLD'S TOP 100 FULL-TIME MBA PROGRAMS 1 Harvard Business School (US) 1 University of Pennsylvania: Wharton (US) 3 Columbia Business School (US) 4 Stanford University GSB (US) 5 London Business School (UK) 6 University of Chicago GSB (US) 7 Dartmouth College: Tuck (US) 8 Insead (France) 9 New York University: Stern (US) 9 Yale School of Management (US) 44 HKUST Business School (Hong Kong) 69 The Chinese University of Hong Kong (Hong Kong) Source: FT

4 President's Message Prof Paul Ching-Wu Chu Go Global

Buoyed by a string of outstanding international rankings, HKUST entered 2005 on a high note, moving in new strategic directions that will take us to even higher planes.

The resounding successes across our four main disciplines - science, engineering, business, and the humanities and social science - once again highlight the excellence we have built up here, and testify to the long-standing internationalization policy of HKUST.

Since our founding days, we have recruited outstanding faculty from around the world, who set the highest global standards and benchmark themselves against the world's best institutions. Students here learn from this international team of experts and scholars. Many go on to launch their careers in multinational companies or pursue research interests at the frontiers of knowledge.

Being diverse is in our character, and this trait will become even more visible as more non-local students join us in our on-going internationalization drive.

The Business School, for instance, already has the largest exchange program of its kind in Asia. The significant number of exchange and non-local students coming to HKUST every year has enriched campus life in many ways, with Hong Kong students benefiting enormously from the increasingly heterogeneous environment.

Our aim is to recruit more full-time non-local students, up to 20-25% of the undergraduate population in ten years' time.

In our efforts to diversify the student body further, we have built on our deeply seated global character and strengths, and will continue to do so. Our medium of instruction is just one of the more obvious examples of this. From day one we have used English. Not only does this policy facilitate the participation of international students, but also attracts Mainland Chinese students who aspire to gain access to the global business and academic worlds.

In terms of curriculum, being international will increasingly mean educating students in a cross-disciplinary manner. HKUST introduced a Dual Degree Program in Technology and Management in 2003, and a new double major four-year degree program in computer science and logistics will be offered this September.

The winners of tomorrow will be those who are on top of both technology and management, who have a deep awareness of social needs and aspire to change the world for the better rather than toe the line. They will be engineers, managers, and scientists. But they will also have to be so much more if they are to make a real impact on the well-being of society and global development. They will need a perspective that enables them to break the traditional barriers between professions and trades. Such leaders and innovators will only be bred in a truly cross-disciplinary environment.

Across disciplines and across international boundaries, these are the strategic directions that we are mapping for our future.

5 Research Culture Seeds of Research Culture Sown among Undergraduates

The University is introducing an "Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program" to encourage students to participate in research activities during their first and second years. Through early exposure to a stimulating research environment, the program will develop participants' interests in research at the earliest possible stage of their education, and further promote HKUST's own unique research culture.

"Through research, undergraduates not only learn from existing knowledge, but also experience the exciting challenge of creating new knowledge," said Prof T C Pong, Associate Vice-President for Academic Affairs.

The program provides two alternatives: participants can undertake two months of research during the summer session, receiving a research studentship of HK$8,000; or they can conduct a research project during the semester and earn one credit for their work. The University expects to provide 50 research studentships this summer.

Internship Programs The School of Science is further developing its undergraduate research program with generous support in the form of a HK$70,000 donation from Suzuki Caf? Scholarships. 14 undergraduate researchers have been awarded the scholarship, worth HK$5,000 per student, this year.

Tianheng Han (left), a physics major in his second year, is one of the awardees. He participated in Dr Kwok-Kwong Fung's work on the microscopy of nanostructure in insects. "Research is fun because it takes my experience beyond the classroom. I can apply what I've learnt in real situations, and create new knowledge. I'm now more determined than ever to pursue a career in research," he said. Other internship programs offered by the School include the Outgoing Junior Science/Mathematics Courses and the Science Museum Exhibition Program.

Faculty Promote UN Year of Physics

The International Year of Physics 2005 has been launched by the United Nations to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Einstein's scientific discoveries. HKUST faculty members, alongside their counterparts from other local universities, are actively promoting this worthy initiative in Hong Kong.

The Hong Kong Science Museum and the Hong Kong Physical Society are co-organizing a series of six lectures on Einstein's work that runs from January through June 2005. President Chu was invited to give an opening speech at the first lecture, in which he recognized Einstein both for his scientific achievements and his efforts to promote humanitarianism. HKUST's Dr Michael K Y Wong, Associate Professor of Physics, will also deliver a lecture entitled "Einstein and the World of Atoms" in April.

The Physical Society of Hong Kong has organized colloquia for undergraduate and graduate students, and also sent a team of six undergraduates to the Launch Conference of the International Year of Physics 2005 at UNESCO's Paris headquarters. HKUST was represented at this event by physics student Yiping Ma.

6 Mainland Links Stronger Ties with the Mainland

The last two months have seen HKUST strengthen its ties with mainland educators and institutions, with campus visits by government officials, academics and school principals, and the conclusion of an academic agreement on further collaboration.

Vice-Minister of Education Visits On 21 January, Mr Zhang Baoqing, China's Vice-Minister of Education, visited HKUST and met with President Chu.

The President briefed Mr Zhang on HKUST's specialized areas of research, highlighting our work in environmental sciences and engineering with particular relevance to China.

"Collaboration on scientific research and education is crucial, " Mr Zhang said, " I hope that through this visit, we can explore ways to enhance collaboration between universities on both sides."

HKUST-UST Beijing Pact

An agreement between HKUST and UST Beijing (USTB) was signed on 31 January, paving the way for deeper collaboration on education and research.

Under the agreement, signed by the universities' presidents, the institutions will conduct joint research in areas of shared interest, namely materials engineering, mechanical engineering, environmental engineering, computer engineering, chemical engineering and bioengineering. Alongside research, the pact creates exchange opportunities for faculty and students. Conferences, seminars, and summer camps are also to be arranged.

President Chu said at the signing ceremony: "HKUST and USTB have a shared vision of being world-class research universities. I am sure that today's ceremony is merely the beginning of a relationship that will see collaborations, as well as exchanges among our faculty and students, continue to expand." President Xu Jinwu of USTB concurred, and said the agreement would further deepen the bond between the two institutions.

Mainland Educators at HKUST

During December and January, 42 principals of leading secondary schools in Beijing and Guangzhou, as well as 10 representatives from the Education Commission of Beijing and the Education Bureau of Guangzhou, visited the HKUST campus at Clear Water Bay.

These visits highlighted HKUST's objective to recruit high-caliber mainland students, who make up a sizable proportion of the University's non-local students. The University's intake of non-local students in 10 years is targeted at 20-25% of the undergraduate population, according to Associate Vice-President for Academic Affairs Prof T C Pong. To date, 403 students from 10 provinces and cities have been admitted.

The delegates toured HKUST's facilities, including the library, student halls, and laboratories. Senior administrators also briefed them on HKUST's development.

Mr Zhang Yongqi, principal of the Beijing No.12 Middle School, praised HKUST for its academic excellence: "HKUST has a beautiful campus, and an outstanding faculty," he said. "[Mainland] students here can learn a great deal about the rest of the world and pass their newly acquired knowledge on to their old schoolmates back home."

Mr Zhang's comment was echoed by HKUST business student Liu Mochao, a graduate of Jing Shan Middle School in Beijing. "HKUST people are confident, enthusiastic, and ready to accept challenges," he said.

Mr Shen Ziming, Director of the Primary and Secondary Education Department of Guangzhou's Education Bureau, believes collaboration between HKUST and the Mainland's education sector can be mutually beneficial. "We look forward to working with the tertiary institutions in Hong Kong, so that our students can have more access to an internationalized education," he said.

International Summer School for Young Talent

Hong Kong's first ever credit-based summer school for local, mainland and international students will be held at HKUST this summer. Designed to give senior high school students a first taste of university life at HKUST, the three-week summer school is expected to further advance the University's internationalization drive.

"Through the program the University will leverage on Hong Kong's unique position as a cosmopolitan city, and promote HKUST's profile as a research university with an international outlook," said Prof T C Pong.

The summer school will be held from 17 July through 5 August, with an optional tour to the Pearl River Delta (PRD) region and Nansha IT Park from 5 to 7 August. Half, or 40 of the available places, will be reserved for mainland and non-Hong Kong students.

With a wide variety of structured academic courses and enrichment activities, the program will be as challenging as it is rewarding. All course materials are designed and delivered by HKUST faculty members to ensure the highest quality. Upon completion, participants will be awarded two credits, which count towards an HKUST degree.

7 HKUST Achievers Graduates Extend HKUST Reputation among Employers

The University's name is synonymous with excellence in teaching and research. The tradition of excellence is also perpetuated by HKUST's graduates, who are increasingly coveted by leading local and multinational employers. Preliminary data from the latest HKUST graduate employment survey indicate that this trend is set to continue, with more than 99% of the Class of 2004 being snapped up by employers, starting their own businesses or pursuing further studies. Among HKUST's sought-after graduates is the following quartet. Representative of their HKUST graduate peer group, each of them is blazing a career trail with top-notch organizations in sectors as diverse as academia, finance and technology:

Name: Dr Seng Yuen Leung HKUST Degree: PhD in Mathematics (2004) Current Job: Quantitative Finance Researcher

Dr Seng Yuen Leung was appointed a Quantitative Finance Researcher by a leading international investment bank immediately after taking his doctoral degree, becoming the first local PhD graduate hired to fill such a position.

He is responsible for exploring and developing new investment products, and developing risk management strategy. Complicated mathematical problems cross his desk on a daily basis, and he has to translate the financial solutions he devises into layman's terms that securities dealers can understand and apply.

Seng Yuen chose to pursue his doctorate at HKUST because the University's Department of Mathematics was the only local tertiary institution with two faculty members specializing in financial mathematics, and their strong links to the financial sector helped foster his market acumen.

He believes that with more international investment organizations developing new products in the local market, not only will demand for more quantitative finance researchers increase, but other positions requiring doctoral degrees in mathematics, such as fund analysts and risk analysts, will also create demand for local talent.

Name: Dr Helen Cheng Yi Pik HKUST Degree: BEng and MPhil in Civil Engineering (1996 & 1999) Current Job: Lecturer, University College London

HKUST not only provided Helen Cheng with a comprehensive grounding in geotechnical engineering, with its international strengths the University also opened her eyes to the possibility of studying overseas.

Assisted by a scholarship from The Croucher Foundation and contacts established between HKUST's Department of Civil Engineering and Cambridge University, in October 1999 Helen left Hong Kong to take her PhD at Churchill College, Cambridge.

After completing her thesis, in which she analyzed the micromechanical modeling of soil plasticity and observed the surface microstructures of sands during one-dimensional compression, Helen was elected Maudslay Fellow at Pembroke College, Cambridge. After nearly five years at Pembroke, Helen is now transitioning to one of England's finest research institutions, University College London, where her impressive qualifications and experience helped land her a lectureship, teaching an undergraduate course in soil mechanics.

Cambridge and London might seem a long way from Clear Water Bay, but the young academic says her colleagues and co-researchers in England are well aware of HKUST and its fine reputation.

Name: Jiqing Tang HKUST Degree: MPhil in Industrial Engineering and Engineering Management (2005) Current Job: System Software Engineer, NVIDIA Corporation

Representing HKUST at the 2003 TopCoder Open Final competition, Jiqing Tang was third runner-up. The real bonus for his performance though was being invited by one of the competition sponsors, NVIDIA Corporation, to be a summer intern in the US.

As a result of his excellent work during the internship, Jiqing was offered a job as a System Software Engineer by the company. He is now working with a group of other top-notch programmers at NVIDIA's headquarters in Silicon Valley.

NVIDIA is one of the world's biggest and most innovative personal computer display card producers. Jiqing's role with the company involves developing and updating drivers, which requires excellent programming skills and a thorough knowledge of electronics circuit design.

Jiqing says that HKUST not only provided great flexibility in the structure of his program, but also gave him ample opportunity to take part in international competitions. The dynamism of the program and his exposure to so many stimulating areas of engineering while at HKUST, have better prepared him for his work in the fast-evolving field of software engineering, he believes.

Name: Ada Ho HKUST Degree: BBA in Global Business (2004) Current Job: Financial Analyst, Goldman Sachs

In November 2004, HKUST graduated its first batch of Global Business (GBUS) majors. These promising young men and women are already making their professional mark, with Ada Ho among them.

Ada is currently working at Goldman Sachs, the leading international investment bank renowned for its rigorous hiring standards. There, she analyzes market information in the media sector, assists in the writing of publications, and maintains financial models.

The key to her success she attributes to the quality of teaching and exposure offered at HKUST. The courses she took gave her the fundamental skills and knowledge needed in the industry. The University also provided her with comprehensive exposure to the business sector.

Exchange and internship opportunities are integral to the HKUST GBUS program, and Ada attaches great significance to them. Her undergraduate internship experiences at Goldman Sachs and JP Morgan Chase equipped her with a broad set of analytical and quantitative skills that have been of considerable help in her career. And her semester at UC Berkeley provided the international exposure so important in business.

8 Student Achievement Innovative Design Technologies presented at Chip Olympics

Dr Hoi Lee (left) and Dr Philip Mok

Wing Lun Ng (right) and Dr Howard Luong

Two researchers from the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering (ELEC) presented research papers at the International Solid-State Circuits Conference, also known as the "Chip Olympics" on 8 February. Their novel designs will help manufacturers create portable electronics more compact in size, and wireless equipment capable of carrying more data for future multimedia applications.

High Performance at Low Cost Dr Hoi Lee, a 2004 PhD graduate, is successfully finding improved ways to design power management integrated circuits that can maintain a steady supply of power for new generation portable electronics, whose demands for lower supply voltage and longer battery lifespan are increasingly high.

By implementing switched-capacitor power converter modules and the novel pseudo-continuous output regulation technology that alternately regulate the output current without hampering performance, Dr Lee has reduced the chip size of power management integrated circuits by 20% and the capacitor values by 10 times, in turn reducing production costs fivefold.

Recycling Idea Rewarded Wing Lun Ng, an MPhil student, tackled the performance issue of high frequency wireless applications in which voltage and power consumption increase as transmission frequency rises. Ng and his team developed novel ultra-low-voltage high frequency components in a phase locked loop (PLL), the crucial device in wireless applications, and "recycled" their electric current, thereby minimizing total power consumption. A prototype has been created with the cheapest complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) process that has achieved a 24 GHz output frequency - among the fastest in the world with the lowest supply voltage of 1V.

Research Excellence Dr Hoi Lee and Ng expressed their gratitude to their supervisors Dr Philip Mok and Dr Howard Luong for their dedicated guidance. HKUST researchers have been invited to present their research findings at the Chip Olympics almost every year since 1997. To date, HKUST is the only university from Hong Kong to appear at this international event.

9 Awards & Honors Nancy Ip Named TWAS Fellow

Prof Nancy Ip, Head of Biochemistry and Director of HKUST's Biotechnology Research Institute (BRI), is one of 68 new scientists to be elected a Fellow of The Academy of Sciences for the Developing World (TWAS). The Fellowship recognizes her contributions to neuroscience and biotechnology. Prof Ip's discovery of a number of neurotrophic factors and how they activate specific receptor molecules on nerve cells will help identify potential pharmaceutical agents for treating neurodegenerative disorders, such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease. Her discovery of novel signaling mechanisms at the neuromuscular junction also sheds new light on the treatment of nerve-muscle disorders.

Researchers Appointed to CAS Think-Tank The Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) has appointed three faculty members as Overseas Experts to promote research collaboration, conduct evaluation and award research projects. They are: Prof Lionel Ni, Head of the Department of Computer Science, a specialist in computer systems and networking; Associate Professor of Physics Dr Zikang Tang, a nano expert who developed the world's smallest single-walled carbon nanotube; and Prof Mingjie Zhang of Biochemistry, who studies the structure and functions of proteins in regulating neuronal signal transductions. Only four of the 84 Overseas Experts elected by the CAS this year are from Hong Kong.

Prof Cao Appointed IEEE Committee Chair

Prof Xiren Cao of the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering has been appointed Chair of the IEEE Fellow Evaluation Committee of the IEEE Control Systems Society (CSS). Prof Cao, himself an IEEE Fellow, will lead the committee in electing new fellows this year. The US-based Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) has 360,000 members from approximately 175 countries.

Display Inventor Elected SID Fellow Prof Hoi Sing Kwok, Director of the Center for Display Research and Professor of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, has been elected a Fellow of the Society for Information Display (SID). SID recognizes his "contributions to the development of liquid crystal on silicon microdisplays and related optical systems, and for the development of bistable twisted nematic liquid crystal displays".

10 In Action British Education Minister Visits

A delegation led by Dr Kim Howells, Minister of State at the Department for Education and Skills, UK, visited HKUST on 17 February to exchange views on lifelong learning, higher education and executive education programs. The delegation also went to Beijing to attend the first UK/China education summit.

MPEG Experts Convene MPEG The Moving Picture Experts Group (MPEG) convened at HKUST for its 71st meeting, and first in Hong Kong, from 17 to 21 January. More than 300 video and audio experts from academic institutions, and top industry players, including Sony, Dolby and IBM, met to define and refine the latest encoding standards. A workshop was also held on 22 January to consider the latest trends in video and audio technology.

Fresh Links with Ireland

The Director General of Science Foundation Ireland, Dr William Harris, led a delegation to campus on 22 January, visiting HKUST's Biotechnology Research Institute, the Institute of NanoMaterials and NanoTechnology, the CLP Wind/Wave Tunnel Facility, and the Department of Computer Science. During the visit, the delegation also explored possible collaboration between HKUST and Irish universities, and use of the wind tunnel for interdisciplinary research.

HKUST Revisited by Aberdeen Chancellor

Chancellor of the University of Aberdeen and former Governor of Hong Kong, Lord David Wilson, visited HKUST on 11 January and met with President Chu. Lord Wilson, a sinologist, also visited the Center on China's Transnational Relations and its Director, Prof David Zweig. On 2 October 1991, Lord Wilson hosted the University's opening ceremony in his capacity as Governor of Hong Kong.

科大通訊 Issue 1 2005 開發抗老年病新藥 國際科研合作 研究 國際聲譽 校長的話 研究文化 內地發展 畢業生成就 學生成就 獎項與榮譽 校園內外

國際科研合作 開發抗老年病新藥

科大創辦一家新公司TA Therapeutics Limited，研究開發抗老年病新藥。

TA Therapeutics由科大生物科技公司Biotechnology Research Corporation （BRC）及全球居領先地位的生物醫藥公司Geron Corporation共同創立。BRC獲香 港賽馬會慷慨捐贈1.75億港元成立，由科大全資擁有。

TA Therapeutics檢測傳統中藥對端粒活性的調控作用，研究開發新型端粒激活藥物。

科大生物技術研究所所長及生物化學系主任葉玉如教授表示：“這些藥物將促進細 胞的生長及活動效能，治療老年病及神經退化疾病，包括柏金遜症、骨質疏鬆、肝 硬化及癌症等。”

香港賽馬會積極支持科大的工作，3月2日，香港賽馬會向科大捐贈1.75億港元，當 中一大部份資金將用於TA Therapeutics的研究開發工作，以促進本港生物技術工 業的發展。

科大校長朱經武教授在捐贈儀式上表示：“這是大學與工業界成功合作的模式，雙 方攜手合作，為人類健康而努力。科大對香港賽馬會慷慨資助，深表感激。”

科大以中藥研究及新藥開發見稱，Geron則擅長於端粒的研究及藥物開發，二者結 合優勢，將為治療老年病帶來希望。

科大與Geron為長期策略合作伙伴，共同進行端粒研究。自2000年起，研究人員利 用Geron的端粒專利技術平台，開發藥物先導化合物。他們從傳統中藥提取不同樣 本，以先進技術檢測其對端粒活性的調控作用，成功鑑定兩個端粒活性極高的小分 子複合物，並已申請專利權。

兩個複合物名為GRN139951及GRN140665，將進行臨床前測試，並向美國食品和藥物 管理局申請，成為臨床研究新藥。

隨著香港人口日漸老化，預計到2029年，65歲或以上的人口將佔整體人口的四分之 一。TA Therapeutics開發的抗老年病藥物，將有效治療老年病，降低龐大的醫療 開支。

國際科研合作 科大網迅開創全球商貿新模式

科大與美國網迅公司（WebEx Communications, Incorporated, WebEx）在香港成 立2,920萬港元的資訊科技研究所，發揮香港在資訊科技的優勢，為創新技術進行 商品化。

科大－網迅資訊科技研究所獲網迅投資1,460萬港元，並獲創新及科技基金提供等 額資助，是創新及科技基金的大學與產業合作計劃最大宗的資助項目。科大將為研 究所提供研究及學術專長。

研究所是科大與網迅自2002年以來緊密合作的成果。科大於3月10日舉行揭幕典 禮，由科大校長朱經武教授、網迅創辦人暨首席技術長朱敏先生、工商及科技局常 任秘書長（通訊及科技）何宣威先生、及創新科技署科學顧問黃永成教授主禮。

網迅總部設於聖荷西，在提供網上即時商務會議技術方面居全球領先地位。朱經武 教授表示：“網迅選擇香港為發展據點，結盟科大為策略伙伴，進行研究及開發， 培育資訊科技領袖，促進商品化，我深以為榮。”

研究所將開發新一代網上多媒體協作系統，包括流動設備；發展應用技術，促進網 上協作；開發相互協作產品，聯繫香港、內地以至海外的客戶；以及多媒體檔案庫 等四個範疇的工作。

朱敏先生表示：“研究所將充份發揮科大在資訊科技研究及發展的優勢。我們的合 作項目將加強全球技術協作，聯繫香港、內地以至全世界。”

科大計算機科學系主任倪明選教授舉了一個例子來說明網上多媒體協作系統的運 作：“假設一家公司的總部設於美國，香港分公司負責銷售，生產線則設於內地。 在網迅的協作平台，員工可以即時在虛擬會議室內舉行會議，共用多媒體檔案，即 時商討、解決議題，不用飛赴各地舉行面對面會議。”

他說：“這不但可以節省時間及交通成本，更可以促進溝通，提高生產力。”研究所 也提供流動方案，探討如何在掌上電腦及手提電話等流動裝置上舉行網上會議。

何宣威先生讚揚科大與網迅結成策略伙伴：“這項合作將建設香港成為電子商貿及 數碼社區，對全球商貿影響深遠。”

2 研究 基因研究 扺抗疾病

科大兩位傑出科學家在生物技術研究作出的重大突破，為有效治療疾病帶來希望。

生物學系龍李梅瑞教授（上圖）及生物化學系副教授薛紅博士，埋首癌症及神經疾 病的遺傳學研究，3月獲頒授“裘槎優秀科研者獎”，以表彰她們卓越的科研成就。

龍李梅瑞—癌症 龍教授領導的研究小組，揭示鼻咽癌及食道癌的遺傳病因，屢有突破。

鼻咽癌在香港及華南等地的病發率較全球為高，又稱為廣東癌，而食道癌在中國人 當中也極為普遍。

龍教授研究鼻咽癌患者帶有的一種簡稱為EBV的病毒，並鑑定此病毒與鼻咽癌成因 有直接關係。她的實驗室率先發現第三條染色體3p21.3區域的基因可以抑制鼻咽癌 腫瘤的功能證據，並於第11條染色體內確定出其他兩個極有可能與鼻咽癌形成有關 的基因。

龍教授表示：“我們的目標是要破譯癌化過程中的分子基因活動，如何促成腫瘤的 形成。我們現在的進展可能很小，但每一個小突破對將來發明有效的治療藥物都很 關鍵。”

香港每年有1,118人患上鼻咽癌，330人因此死亡，而病發高峰年齡介乎40至45歲， 對本港的生產力構成重大影響。龍教授的研究結果將有助於研發有效治療，為香港 經濟帶來莫大裨益。

薛紅─神經疾病 薛紅博士為著名生物化學家，也是參與“國際人類基因組單體型圖計劃”的香港科學 家，探索人類染病及對藥物反應的基因變異。薛博士廣為人知的成就，是破譯了全 球第五個與精神分裂症有關的遺傳基因。

薛博士鑑定了一種與精神分裂症緊密聯繫的基因內由五個單核酸的多態性位點組成 的單倍型體。這項重大發現首度在單個DNA的層面，直接揭示了在中樞神經系統的 GABAA受體的一個基因在神經分裂症的發展中產生作用。

此外，薛博士也進行抗焦慮藥物的研究。她說：“我們研究工作的動力，源自能夠 探索以至揭開精神病產生之謎，尋找安全有效的藥物，希望減輕數以百萬計患者的 痛苦。”

薛博士在精神分裂症的研究成就，廣獲讚譽，有助尋找治療疾病的新藥物，為佔全 球人口約百分之一的患者，以及中國的1,500萬名病人帶來希望。

頒獎禮 在3月16日的頒獎禮上，裘槎基金會向龍教授及薛博士頒授獎狀，表揚她們在鼻咽 癌及精神分裂症等疾病的

遺傳病因研究領域上的卓越成就。獲獎者可於一年內免除教學及行政職務，專心進 行研究。

香港終審法院首席法官李國能擔任主禮嘉賓，祝賀得獎者。其他得獎者為城市大學 的李坪教授及中文大學的周迅宇、魏軍城和夏克青教授。

兩位裘槎科研者表示，將繼續努力研究，使香港站在對抗癌症及精神病科研的前沿。

3 國際聲譽 國際排名印證科大卓越成就

金融時報 及 泰晤士報高等教育特刊 等兩份國際知名報刊，進行了一連串排名調 查，調查結果說明科大教學和研究成就卓著，堪稱世界最佳學府之一。

這些排名調查於去年進行，科大在商業、科學、工程及資訊科技及社會科學領域表 現出色：

全球大學第42位（《泰晤士報高等教育特刊》） 工程及資訊科技領域全球第20位（《泰晤士報高等教育特刊》） 科學領域全球第50位（《泰晤士報高等教育特刊》） 社會科學領域全球第57位（《泰晤士報高等教育特刊》） 工商管理碩士（MBA）課程第44位（《金融時報》） 行政人員工商管理碩士（EMBA）課程全球第六位（《金融時報》） 為個別企業設計的行政人員培訓課程亞太第一（《金融時報》）

《金融時報》於1月24日刊出2005年度環球最佳全日制MBA課程排名調查，科大從去年 第69名躍升25位至今年的第44名。這是科大於2000年第一次參加《金融時報》MBA排 名以來最高位置。科大MBA的學術研究領域排名高踞世界第20位，而在國際經驗方 面則稱冠全球。

科大校長朱經武說：“《泰晤士報高等教育特刊》全球最佳200所大學排名調查，證明 科大是實力全面的大學，而科大在《金融時報》2005年MBA排名調查成績理想，更加 鞏固了大學在本地和國際間的聲譽。”

朱校長續說：“商學院成就卓著，工學院及理學院也居全球前列，表明科大努力在 教學及研究達致最高水平，並廣獲認同。”

《金融時報》MBA排名公佈之前，大學教育資助委員會主席林李翹如博士，出席科大 工學院獲評為全球第20位而舉辦的慶祝典禮。

林博士致辭時說：“這些傑出成就，顯示科大已發展成一所優秀的學府。”

工學院院長陳正豪教授在典禮上向林博士簡介科大促進香港和亞太地區經濟發展的 工作。他列舉工學院把技術轉化為商品的例子；工學院開拓知識領域，並與工商界 攜手開發具應用價值的高科技產品，譬如環保微型燃料電池和納米電子顯示器等。

朱校長總結說：“科大的成功，是大學同人努力的成果，當然也少不了整個香港社 會的巨大支持和慷慨資助。”

全球100所最佳學府排名榜-工程與資訊科技領域 1 加州柏克萊大學（美國） 2 麻省理工學院（美國） 3 史丹福大學（美國） 4 印度理工學院 （印度） 5 倫敦大學帝國學院（英國） 6 加州理工學院 （美國） 7 東京大學（日本） 8 劍橋大學（英國） 9 新加坡國立大學（新加坡） 10 北京大學（中國） 20 香港科技大學（香港） 95 香港中文大學（香港） 《泰晤士報高等教育特刊》

全球100所最佳學府排名榜-科學領域 1 劍橋大學（英國） 2 牛津大學（英國） 3 哈佛大學 （美國） 4 加州柏克萊大學 （美國） 5 麻省理工學院 （美國） 6 史丹福大學 （美國） 7 東京大學 （日本） 8 普林斯頓大學（美國） 9 加州理工學院（美國） 10 倫敦大學帝國學院（英國） 50 香港科技大學（香港） 72 香港大學（香港） 《泰晤士報高等教育特刊》

2005全球工商管理碩士課程排名榜 1 哈佛商學院（美國） 1 賓夕凡利亞大學華頓商學院（美國） 3 哥倫比亞大學商學院（美國） 4 史丹褔大學商學院（美國） 5 倫敦商學院（英國） 6 芝加哥大學商學院（美國） 7 達特茅斯學院塔克商學院（美國） 8 Insead（法國） 9 紐約大學斯特恩商學院（美國） 9 耶魯大學管理學院（美國） 44 香港科技大學商學院（香港） 69 香港中文大學（香港） 《金融時報》

4 校長的話 走向國際化

科大最近接連在多個世界排名榜位居前列，成績令人鼓舞。踏入2005年，科大看得 更遠，站得更高，走在嶄新的策略方向，更上一層樓。

我們在科學、工程、工商管理及人文社會科學四個主要領域取得很大的成功，再一 次印證了科大的教研卓越，以及長期以來奉行國際化策略的成效。

自創校伊始，我們從世界各地招攬最優秀的教授，他們力臻完善，以最高標準為 尚，媲美全球頂尖學府。同學受教於國際專家、學者，不少人畢業後投身跨國企 業，有的則繼續創造知識，站在研究前沿。

我們力求多元化，隨著越來越多非本地生加入科大，大學越趨國際化，多元化。

商學院的交換生計劃規模之大，居亞洲之冠。科大每年迎來相當數量的海外交換生 及非本地生，豐富了校園文化及生活，香港的學生置身這個融和不同文化的學習環 境，大受裨益。

我們的目標是在10年內增收全日制非本地生，約佔本科生數目的兩成至兩成半。

科大國際化根基深厚，憑著這優點，促使學生多元化，做出更好的成績來。教學語 言是一個明顯的例子。創校的時候，我們已確定以英語授課。這項政策不但為國際 學生創造有利的學習環境，對有意在香港認識環球商業及學術世界的內地生來說， 也極具吸引力。

在課程方面，我們需要設計跨學科的課程，培育具國際視野的學生。早於2003年， 科大創辦科技及管理四年制雙學位課程，今年9月，將推出嶄新的計算機科學與物 流雙主修四年制本科課程。

未來的社會棟樑兼具科技與管理之長，深諳社會需要，不因循舊制，創新求進。他 們也是工程師、管理人員及科學家，但他們別具識見，打破傳統專業與行業的框 框，促進社會的進步，世界的發展。只有一個真正跨學科的學習環境，才能培養出 未來的領袖、創新者。跨學科發展，正是科大的另一項主要目標。

跨越學科領域，跨越國際邊界，科大朝著這兩個策略方向，向未來進發。

5 研究文化 培養本科生研究文化

大學推出“本科生研究計劃”，鼓勵一年級及二年級同學盡早參與研究工作，在實際 環境中培養對科研的興趣，進一步推廣研究文化。

學術協理副校長龐鼎全教授表示：“本科生在研究過程中，不但可以學習前人累積 的經驗和知識，更可以親身經歷創造知識的過程。”

參與這計劃的同學可以選擇在暑假跟隨教授進行兩個月研究（可獲大學提供8,000 港元研究助學金），或作為一個學期的選修課（可獲一個學分）。預計本年度將可 以提供50個暑期研究名額。

本科生實習計劃 最近，理學院拓展本科生研究計劃，並獲 Suzuki Cafe 獎學金 資助七萬港元，獎 勵傑出的研究項目。本年度共有14位學生各獲頒授5,000港元獎學金。

物理學系二年級韓天亨（圖左）是其中一位獲獎同學，參與馮國光博士的“昆蟲納 米結構顯微學”研究。他說：“研究實習帶給我最大的樂趣是可以將課堂的知識應用 到實際的問題上，發掘新知識，令我更肯定自己從事科研工作的方向。”

理學院本科生實習計劃還包括：到校式兒童科學/數學活動課程及香港科學館展覽 活動實習。

科大教授致力推廣物理學

聯合國為慶祝愛恩斯坦發表研究成果100周年，把2005年定為國際物理年。科大教 授與本地大學的科學家，在香港積極宣揚國際物理年的訊息。

香港太空館和香港物理學會在1月至6月，舉辦一連六個以愛恩斯坦研究成果為題的 演講。科大校長朱經武教授獲邀在第一個演講致辭，他不但讚揚愛恩斯坦的科學成 就，更稱許他推動人道主義的熱忱。科大物理學系副教授王國彝博士，將於4月講 授“愛恩斯坦與原子世界”。

演講以外，香港物理學會也為本科生和研究生組織討論會。香港物理學會聯同本地 大學物理學系，挑選六位本科生，參加於1月13至15日，在聯合國教科文組織巴黎 總部舉行的2005國際物理年開幕會議，而科大物理學系馬一平同學是參加者之一。

6 內地發展 科大拓展內地聯繫

過去兩個月，內地政府官員、學者和中學校長到訪科大，加強了大學與內地教育工 作者及機構的聯繫。

教育部副部長訪問科大 國家教育部副部長張保慶先生於1月21日訪問科大，並且與朱經武校長會面。

朱校長向他介紹科大專注的科研項目，也講述大學研發的新科技如何貢獻國家，例 子之一就是環境科學及工程學。

張部長表示：“科研和教育合作至為重要，我希望這次訪問可以加強兩地大學的合作

科大與北科大簽定協議 科大與北京科技大學於1月31日簽定協議，共同發展教育和科研。

根據協議，兩大將按彼此關注的項目進行合作研究，譬如材料工程、機械工程、環 境工程、計算機工程、化學工程及生物工程等。研究以外，協議也訂明兩校教授和 學生可進行交流互訪。其他交流活動包括會議、研討會及夏令營等。

在簽約儀式上，朱經武校長說：“科大和北科大的共同目標，就是要成為世界級的 研究型大學，今天的儀式，只是兩所大學合作的開端，我相信，今後我們的教授和 學生會有更多的交流，更多的合作。”北科大校長徐金梧教授也希望協議能夠進一 步拓展和深化兩校的交流和合作。

內地教育界訪問科大

去年12月和今年1月，科大接待了來自北京和廣州著名中學的42位校長，以及北京 教育委員會及廣州教育局的10名官員。

科大非本地生中有不少是內地學生，這兩次訪問表明科大招收內地高材生的決心。 科大協理副校長龐鼎全教授表示，期望在10年後增加非本地生比例至20-25%。科大 至今從10個省市錄取了403名內地生。

訪問團參觀了圖書館、學生宿舍、實驗室等設施。此外，大學高層管理人員也向訪 問團成員講述科大現況。

北京第12中學校長張永啟先生認為科大是做學問的理想地方。他說：“科大校園優 美，師資一流，〔內地〕學生在這裡可以學到不少國際資訊，日後更可以與北京的 同學分享新知識。”

畢業於北京景山中學，現修讀科大工商管理學士課程的柳默潮同學，也同意張校長 的見解：“科大人自信、有衝勁、不怕困難。”

廣州市教育局基礎教育處處長沈子鳴先生認為，科大和內地教育界合作是互惠互利 的。他說：“我們希望跟香港高等院校合作，使我們的學生有機會接受國際化教育。”

科大首創學分制夏季課程 科大今年將推出香港第一個為本地、內地和國際學生而設的學分制夏季課程。這課 程長達三個星期，參與者必須為高中生，他們可以從中體驗科大生活，而大學也能 藉此促進校園國際化的計劃。

龐鼎全教授說：“香港是東西文化交流的樞紐，其國際大都會地位有助大學推廣夏 季課程；各界人士也可以藉著這課程，認識到科大是具備國際視野的研究型大學。”

第一屆夏季課程擬於7月17日至8月5日舉行，而學生可選擇參加8月5日至7日的珠江 三角洲暨南沙資訊科技園考察團。一半（即40個）學額將留給內地和非本地學生。

夏季課程兼顧學術與課餘活動，內容豐富。科大教授負責設計教材和授課，以保障 課程水平。學員於修業期滿後將獲頒兩個科大學分。

7 畢業生成就 發揚科大卓越傳統

科大以卓越的教學和科研成就聞名，畢業生活學活用，將科大卓越的傳統發揚光 大，備受本地和跨國企業垂青。初步調查顯示，2004年度的畢業生中，逾99%已在 畢業後找到工作，自創事業或繼續深造。本文介紹的四位畢業生在學術、金融及科 技界別的著名機構擔任要職，展示科大畢業生在事業的多元發展和成就。

姓名：梁醒然博士 學位：數學哲學博士（2004年） 現職：國際投資銀行的計量財務研究員

梁醒然博士在2004年取得數學哲學博士後，即獲本港一家國際投資銀行聘請，擔任 計量財務研究員，是首位本地數學博士獲聘此職。

梁醒然負責開發新的投資產品，制訂風險管理策略，既要處理複雜的數學問題，更 須將答案轉化成證券交易員可以理解和運用的模式。

梁醒然選擇在科大修讀博士課程，因為科大數學系是本地唯一有兩位教授專門研究 金融數學的學府，學術研究氣氛濃厚，而且兩位教授與金融界有廣泛聯繫，有助他 接觸香港的金融市場，培養市場觸覺。

他相信，隨著更多國際投資機構發展針對本地市場的新產品，不但計量財務研究員 的需求會日益增加，其他需要數學博士資歷的職位，如基金分析員及風險分析員也 必會需要更多本地人才。

姓名：鄭宜碧博士 學位：土木工程學工學士及哲學碩士（1996及1999年） 現職：倫敦大學學院講師

科大不但為鄭宜碧打好微觀土力學研究的根基，更為她開啟到海外進修之門。

鄭宜碧獲頒裘槎基金會獎學金，加上科大土木工程學系與劍橋大學的聯繫，在1999 年10月離開香港，到劍橋大學邱吉爾學院修讀博士學位。

鄭宜碧的博士論文研究分析土壤塑性中的微觀力學結構模式，及觀察泥沙在平面壓 縮的過程中的表面結構。畢業後她成功獲劍橋大學潘布魯克學院聘為莫斯萊研究 員。在潘布魯克學院工作五年後，鄭宜碧再闖新峰，走進全英國最佳研究院之一的 倫敦大學學院。今年3月，她出任該學院土木工程學講師，教授本科生土力學。

清水灣與劍橋及倫大可能相距甚遠，但鄭宜碧說她在英國的同事及共事的研究員對 科大及其名聲，並不陌生。

姓名：唐吉庆 學位：工業工程及工程管理學哲學碩士（2005年） 現職：NVIDIA Corporation系統軟件工程師

唐吉庆代表科大參加2003年國際編程公開賽TopCoder Open的總決賽，取得第四名成 績，不過，他得到的額外大獎，是贊助商之一的NVIDIA Corporation邀請他到美國 矽谷的總部作暑期實習；然後，又因卓越的工作表現，獲聘為系統軟件工程師，2 月開始在NVIDIA總部與一群世界頂尖的程式編寫人員一起工作。

NVIDIA是全球最大的個人電腦顯示卡生產商之一。唐吉庆的工作包括開發和更新驅動 程式，除了要精於程式編寫的技巧外，還需要熟識電子電路設計，這樣驅動程式才 可以與顯示卡硬件相輔相成，全面發揮效能。

唐吉庆認為，科大不但為學生提供很多海外交流的機會，還在編排課程上賦予很大的 靈活度，提供不少參加國際比賽的機會。這些國際經驗，加上科大課程的多元化， 讓他有更充份的準備在瞬息萬變的軟件工程業大展拳腳。

姓名：何日君 學位：環球商業管理及財務學工商管理學士（2004年） 現職：高盛公司財務分析員（傳媒及娛樂投資研究）

科大第一屆環球商業管理學生於2004年11月畢業，但這些優秀的年輕人已經有出色 的表現，何日君就是例子之一。

何日君現任職於國際知名投資銀行高盛公司，而該公司僱員都是行內頂尖兒。她負 責分析傳媒的市場資訊、協助撰寫刊物，以及更新財務模式。

她認為，成功的關鍵是科大課程賦予她商界工作所需的基本技能和知識，並使她有 更多機會認識商界的運作。

科大亦給予她擴闊眼界的機會。修讀科大環球商業管理課程的學生，必須往海外大 學當交換生，以及到企業實習。何日君在加州柏克萊大學度過一個學期，其後在高 盛和JP Morgan Chase等知名金融機構當實習生，這些經歷讓她累積國際經驗，並 學懂了不少分析和計算方法，為日後事業發展建立穩固的基礎。

8 學生成就 芯片奧運會展示創新設計技術

李海博士（左）與莫國泰博士 吳詠倫（右）與梁錦和博士

電機及電子工程學系兩位研究生於2月8日，在有“芯片奧運會”之稱的國際固態電路 研討會上發表研究成果。他們的創新集成電路設計技術將有助生產商開發體積更細 小的手提電子產品，以及可傳輸更多資訊的無線通信設備，應付多媒體通信的發展 需求。

低成本 高效益 李海博士（2004年博士）開發了一套嶄新的功率集成電路設計技術。維持電源穩定 的電路元件，必須提供更低的供電電壓，以延長新一代手提電子產品電池的壽命。

現時大部分功率集成電路使用傳感器來穩定電源供應，這類器件會產生電磁干擾， 並且會增加元件的高度。李海博士採用開關電容功率轉換器模組取代傳感器，以及 新穎的虛擬連續輸出調節技術，交替地調節輸出的電流卻不減效能表現，令功率集 成電路的芯片可以縮小20%，而需要的電容器數值亦減少10倍，令製造成本節省五倍。

循環再用 吳詠倫（電機及電子工程學系碩士生）為高頻無線通信應用，提供有效的電路設計 方案，解決這類應用的功率消耗隨傳輸頻率增高的效能表現問題。

吳詠倫的研究小組為高頻通信電路的關鍵器件“鎖相環路”（PLL），開發新穎的超 低電壓、高頻元件，可以“循環再用”電流，降低PLL的總功率消耗。他以成本最低 的互補金屬氧化半導體（CMOS）技術製作測試原型，其頻率輸出高達24GHz。這是 目前世界上最高速、供電電壓最低（1V）及功率消耗極低的PLL之一。

卓越科研成就 李海和吳詠倫感謝導師莫國泰博士及梁錦和博士的悉心指導。科大自1997年起，幾 乎每年都有研究生獲邀在研討會上發表論文，亦是至今香港唯一獲邀在研討會發表 論文的院校。

9 獎項與榮譽 葉玉如膺發展中世界科學院院士

科大生物化學系主任及生物技術研究所所長葉玉如教授，獲選為發展中世界科學院 院士，以表彰她對神經科學及生物技術研究的貢獻。2004年，68位科學家獲選為發 展中世界科學院院士。該學院稱讚葉教授為世界知名神經科學家，走在神經營養因 子及神經訊號傳導研究領域的前沿。葉教授的研究發現了一系列新型神經營養因 子，在神經細胞的受體發揮活躍作用，有助理解這些因子如何參與腦部發展過程中 神經細胞的分化及維持，揭示其應用於治療神經退化疾病，如老年癡呆症及柏金遜 症的可能性。葉教授近期又鑑定了神經肌肉突觸形成的嶄新訊號傳導機理，為治療 不同類型的神經肌肉疾病提供重要線索。

三教授獲聘中科院海外評審專家

三位科大教授獲中國科學院（中科院）委任為海外評審專家，促進科研合作，評核 科研項目。三位教授為：計算機系統及網絡專家、計算機科學系主任倪明選教授； 物理學系副教授湯子康博士，他專攻納米研究，並成功製成了世界上最細的單壁納 米碳管；生物化學系張明傑教授，主要研究細胞裡負責調節神經訊號傳遞的蛋白的 結構和功能。今年中科院84位海外評審專家當中，共有四位來自香港。

曹希仁任會士評審會主席 電機及電子工程學系曹希仁教授，獲委任為電機及電子工程師學會控制系統分會會 士評審委員會主席，負責選出本年度會士。曹教授於1995年膺電機及電子工程師學 會院士榮銜。電機及電子工程師學會設於美國，其360,000會員來自約175國家。

郭海成獲選資訊顯示學會會士 顯示技術研究中心主任及電機及電子工程學系郭海成教授，獲國際資訊顯示學會選 為會士，肯定他“對發展反射型液晶單元微顯示器及光學系統，以及雙穩態液晶顯 示器的貢獻”。

10 校園內外

英教育副部長訪科大 英國教育和技能部副部長Kim Howells博士於2月17日率團訪問科大，就持續進修、 高等教育及行政課程等課題交換意見。代表團此行赴北京參加首屆中英教育高峰會議

專家薈萃 活動影像專家組織（簡稱MPEG）1月17日至21日首度在香港舉行第71屆會議。全球 300多位視像及聲頻專家聚首科大，其中包括來自學術機構及新力、杜比及IBM（國 際商業機器）等業界代表，共同制定及修訂最新的壓縮編碼標準。1月22日，MPEG 舉行工作坊，研究視像聲頻技術的最新發展。

愛爾蘭合作新機 愛爾蘭科學基金會總裁威廉夏里斯博士率領學術代表團，於1月22日訪問科大，參 觀生物技術研究所、納米材料技術研發所、計算機科學系及中電風洞實驗所。訪問 團此行主要探討科大與愛爾蘭大學的合作，及利用風洞設施進行跨學科研究。

衛奕信勳爵重臨科大 1月11日，蘇格蘭阿伯丁大學名譽校長、前港督衛奕信勳爵訪問科大，並與朱經武 校長會晤。這位中國通還訪問新成立的中國跨國關係研究中心，會見該中心主任崔 大偉教授。衛奕信勳爵是科大的老朋友，見證了科大的誕生。1991年10月2日，他 以港督的身份，親臨科大，主持大學的成立典禮。