11/11/2005
University Announcement on President's Term
The Council of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) announced today that Prof Paul Chu will serve as University President for a further year beyond his initial five-year term. Prof Chu joined HKUST in July 2001 as the second President.
"I am delighted that Prof Chu will continue to lead HKUST at the important stage of its development into a world academic leader, as envisioned in the HKUST Strategic Plan 2005-2020. Under Prof Chu's distinguished leadership, the University has continued to achieve remarkable successes. Together, I am confident we will see the University continue to scale new heights," says Dr John C C Chan, Chairman of the University Council.
Prof Chu says: "I am proud to work together with the
distinguished faculty, dedicated staff, students and alumni here
at HKUST. I am also grateful for the support of government, business and community leaders to HKUST.
"The University is evolving into a center of academic and research excellence as envisioned in the Strategic Plan 2005-2020. It is my pleasure to be able to contribute further to this development with all members of the university community."
Under the President's leadership, the University has risen to be one of the top-50 universities in the world, and a regional leader in areas such as nanotechnology, biotechnology and management education. In June 2005, Prof Chu launched the HKUST Strategic Plan 2005-2020, which maps the development of HKUST into one of the world's academic leaders in five high-impact areas. Prof Chu has also been instrumental in expanding HKUST's partnerships with Government and industry.
The President is an authority in high temperature superconductivity. In January 1987, he and his research team achieved stable superconductivity at 93 K (-180oC) above the critical temperature of liquid nitrogen (-196oC), a major advancement in modern science. Later, they obtained stable superconductivity at a new record high temperature of 164 K (-109oC) in another compound when it was compressed.
Prof Chu has received numerous awards, including the National Medal of Science, the International Prize for New Materials, the Comstock Award, the Texas Instruments' Founders' Prize, the John Fritz Medal, and the Freedoms Foundation National Award.
