HKUST Alumni, Winter 2015

contents

01

I Foreword

President's Message

02 I Feature

Crowdfunding offers an alternative to traditional methods of business financing - and as three alumni are discovering, the platform is particularly appropriate for startups

06 I The HKUST Edge

China is facing the challenges of having the world's largest population of elderly people. The CHARLS survey is the first to provide policymakers and researchers with comprehensive data to help to tackle the issues

08 I 25 Years of Achievemen

t

HKUST's 25th anniversary is being celebrated in many ways around the world - check out what's happening where, so you can play your part!

09 I Giving Back

The Alumni Endowment Fund aims to reach HK$25 million in 2017 -and a distinguished alumnus has made a generous matching pledge

10 I Global Horizons

12 I Insight

Sophia Lim talks about her amazing experiences studying overseas as part of the ground-breaking World Bachelor in Business undergraduate program

A host of new initiatives related to the promotion of entrepreneurship on and off campus are now up and running

14 I Event Roundup

19 I Class Notes

•

w

THE

HONG KONG UNIVERS

l

lY OF

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

Published by Development & Alumni Office

The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong

Tel: (852) 2358 6158 Fax: (852) 3743 0939 Email: alumni@ust.hk http://alum.ust.hk

l!ltU!l

:i-:~'I

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Dear Alumni,

T

he year 2016 represents a landmark for HKUST - I am sure all of you are well aware by now that it marks our 25th anniversary! Over the past two-and-half decades, the University has evolved and developed into the internationally renowned tertiary institution it is today, and we have plenty to celebrate.

The global anniversary celebrations kicked off in London in November, and it was heartwarming to witness the close bonds that have been forged among alumni overseas. A good number of exchange-out and former exchange-in students attended, and we were honored to welcome Ambassador Liu Xiaoming, Ambassador to the United Kingdom of the Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and Ms Priscilla To. Director-General of Hong

Kong Economic and Trade Office. London, to the event, along with guests from British universities and other institutions. A seminar entitled "Science - Vision into the Future" was staged prior to the dinner, and featured presentations by professors from the School

of Science who shared with the audience their insights into their research disciplines.

Aside from London. I also got a rare opportunity to meet alumni and students in Toronto and Shanghai during university trips. And I encountered even more of you at the 10th-graduation anniversary homecoming reunion for the Class of 2005, as well as at the annual dinner of the HKUST Alumni Association in October.

Stay tuned for news on more 25th anniversary celebrations ahead, including the Distinguished Speakers Series, the HKUST team for the Hong Kong Marathon, global celebrations in San Francisco. Beijing and Singapore, and the gala banquet. to name a few. I look forward to welcoming you all to these special occasions! In related news, I am extremely pleased to announce that Roger King, HKUST's most senior PhD alumnus, has taken the lead in pledging to match the donations of alumni up to a total of HK$2.5 million to the Alumni Endowment Fund. The AEF currently stands at HK$19 million and we have set ourselves the ambitious goal of HK$25 million by 2017. So join with Roger in making a birthday gift to your alma mater, and help us reach this goal.

If I could highlight just one significant change in the past 25 years, I would say it is in the growth of alumni "going it on their

Foreword

I extended my warmest welcome to guests at the London celebration dinner for the University's 25th anniversary.

own" as opposed to following the traditional corporate career path. Advancements in digital and mobile technology are behind many startups. and the cover story for this issue of Alumni News details the experiences of three alumni who are using crowdfunding platforms to market their products and companies.

Perhaps their interesting stories will inspire some among our fresh cohort of graduates from the Class of 2015 to pursue something similar! I offer my congratulations to them all - whatever path they follow. A total of 4.482 degrees were conferred, bringing our alumni community to over 58,000.

It just remains for me to wish every one of you a happy, healthy and prosperous 2016.

Best wishes,

Professor Tony F Chan President

Feature

t 1s ono of the buzzwords of 2015 - crowdfunding. This web-based platform oilers an alternative way lo raiso monoy outs1do of tho trad1~ financial system. so ls particularly app(opnate fof startup businesses. Qowdfundrlg webs1:es wOt'k by

111V1tng people and comparnes to publish details of tholr products or SCMCOS and appeal for donors to pledge ~sh. This Innovative concept has been occupying the time and minds of ttvoo HKUST alurMI 1n pa,t1Q1lar lately:

ooe

has

an up-a"ld-lUVllrlQ e-corrwnerce

businoss, another has rocentty launchod an innovative proouct, ,. at the tune of publication the third was set to launch a UST·backod pra,ect on a crowdfund1ng silo.

Succ ful crowdfundln

xp

ri

Ro,n..1n Khan, 201 1

BBA(MGTO), and hrs p.:irtner launched l.qer 1n 2014. selling high-quality leather goods

onine;

the business bocame ono of the firSI

HKUST alumni startl4)s U1 Hong Kong to make use of crowdfiJOd1ng,

successfully raising US$144,000 on lnd,egogo lf'l 2014.

The

second campa:gn, launched on the Kickstarter platform earlier this yea, rrur>Od moro than US$350,000 U1

1ust

over

one month.

Jeff

Chen.

2015 BEng&BBA(MEGBM . nlong with a ollow student at

Harvard

Umersity. developed the idea of intogroting LED lights Into n cyctisl's holmot: followng a

positive

reaction to the product. they co-founded Lurnen

labs

1n Boston, and recently launchod a crowdfund1ng campaign on Kickstarter. ~ has raiSOO over US$800.000 to date.

An1k

Dey.

2010 BEng(ELEC)-EP

.

2015 MPhiltECE),

IS 8 founder O Illa

T

echnolog1os. along

With

Other HKUST

gradu.i:es and EOE Professor Pascale Fung

They have

devolopod a machine incorporat ng an artificial intolhgence systen1 that was set to be launched on lnd~o.

Jeff says that crowdfixld1ng was the ody reohst1c solution ~ he and his partner wanted to lake lhe helmet forward and lclunch 1t on lhe market.

·we

had the product bot wo ncoded money to kick start the business: he explains. "We were able to raise some

money

from family and mends. but t was not enOlql. so we

decided

to use crowdfl#ld1ng: However. there

Is

a second reason

that crowdfundlng made sense "It validates the mar1<et for the rxoduct,• he says. They chose Klckstane,, and set

theit

arget

a,

US$125.000

For Roman,

the

reason to use aowdfundng was more c~hcated. "We could have raised the

money

traditionally, but we

decided on crovldfunc:f:ng because we wanted

to mn:ntain control of the venti,e - once you take investors on board. the clock starts ticking. Crowdfuod1ng offerod tho opportunity lo raise cash tor the frst purchase order -

we can find out what colors and

stylos are 90I09 to sell before we place the order \'Jlth lhe factcxy. •

4 HKUST Alum111 New& 2015

Having

docidrni to

commeroahzo the

Al

technology. Anik ano 1115 colleag~ obto!Oed fun frorn HKUST ttvough

tt,e

Technology Start·up Support Scheme for Un1VOrs10es (TSSSU) as

well .is from angel investors sourcoo

l>y Prof Fung "More recently,

we docidcd to use crowdtunding and

we

chose lnd1ogogo." says

Atlrk.

·0ne

of 1ts most successful rxoiects was JIBO. a social robot developed by MIT Macha Lab - they raised US$3 mlhon.

so we cook:! see that people were ready to invest In empl\theuc

machines hke ours.·

The

process of getting listed on a reputilb!e platto,m such as Kickstarter and ndiegogo is Vigorous, as Jeff explains. "Kick.starter firs1 v0J1lied our company's identiry and we then needed to con'MCE! them that our product could be manufactured, oould

go

to mari<et and is dah11erable. Once ~'OO've got the green ight. you need to produce your marl<eting material - this rs very important a!' the 11idoo is the faco of your product.• he says.

an email list of around 12,000 addresses of interested parties.

They created a website, used Facebook ads to draw traffic, and

hired a public relations company with contacts in online media. When Lumen achieved its goal within 1 O hours, the public relations company then used this as a hook to generate another wave of interest.

HKUST's strong foundation

All three are appreciative of their time at HKUST and the

foundation it provided in giving them the skills to develop an idea. Jeff notes that studying a dual degree covering engineering and business was extremely helpful. "We are just two people, so we need to do everything ourselves. I prefer the engineering side, but

it is necessary for me to get involved in marketing and running

the business, too." Both Jeff and Anik cited the classes

on entrepreneurship offered by the University. "As an engineering student, to be able to take these

sessions was impressive," says Anik.

For Roman, who is from Norway, studying in Hong Kong proved to be very beneficial. "Hong Kong is a centre of trade, with the

best suppliers in the world. And many

HKUST alumni work in traditional

Feature

Roman adds that if you have a solid idea but are not

confident about going out on your own, find a job to earn money

and build your idea in the evenings. Anik notes that HKUST's

Entrepreneurship Center can offer a lot of advice. "It's a place for students to brainstorm ideas and get feedback," he says.

And, of course, all three recommend crowdfunding, not

only for raising money but also for validating the product and

determining orders.

What their crowdfunding business is about: LINJER When Roman graduated and

entered the financial world, he bought his first executive wardrobe - but couldn't

find a suitable laptop case. He teamed up with a friend who had the same

predicament and together they started

Linjer. Their online business is now up

and running, producing high

-quality, minimalist leather industries in this region. It's a big way

to break the ice when you discover

goods at prices much lower than luxury brands. They have since launched a second women's someone in a company you visit was

also at the University!"

They highlight the alumni network. "Just meeting with Anik and Jeff for this interview has been very useful. I am really interested to hear about Jeff's experience with email lists, for example," says Roman. Jeff says he has really benefited from having Alvin Lam, 1998 BBA(FINA), Founder and CEO of the Pacificlink Group and President of the Alumni Association, as a mentor: "He has given us advice, and

provided a good benchmark."

Advice for would-be entrepreneurs All are adamant that students or fresh graduates with ideas for a business startup, be

it a physical product or software, should simply seize the opportunity. "If you've got an idea and wonder if it will work - just try it. Prototyping is so

collection, and will be introducing watches early next year.

LUMEN LABS Eager to stay safe and visible while riding his bike, Jeff and a fellow MBA

student at Harvard University developed

the idea of integrating LED lights into

the helmet. Success in a hackathon at

MIT garnered lots of interest,

leading them to develop the Lumos helmet with braking lights that automatically

www.linjer.co

www.lumoshelmet.co

turn red when the cyclist slows down, and turning signal lights operated by a wireless control on the handlebars.

IVO TECHNOLOGIES Moodbox is a

beautifully crafted speaker with mood

easy now," says Jeff. "Then interview people and ask

music and light, powered by emotionally intelligent software. It uses machine-learning

algorithms to classify music into different mood

categories, along with sophisticated Al to

understand human speech and emotions. lvo

Technologies was founded by ECE Professor

them what they think - but choose strangers and not your

family or friends! If you need help with marketing and raising

funds, be it traditional or crowdfunding, there are lots of people at HKUST willing to help."

Pascale Fung and several HKUST graduates, including Anik.

www.mymoodbox.com

The HKUST Edge

C

hina has the largest number of elderly people in the world. At the end of 2011 , the country was

home to about 185 million people aged 60 and over; the proportion of elderly is expected

to rise from 12% in 2010 to 34% by 2050. "Population aging is a huge challenge to

many countries, but in China it is particularly daunting because it has the largest elderly population in the world and is facing the associated problems at an earlier stage

in development because of the one-child policy," explains Prof Albert Park, Director of the HKUST Institute for Emerging Market

Studies {IEMS) and Chair Professor of Social Science and Professor of Economics.

Until recently there was a paucity of

6 HKUST Alumni News 2015

data on the issues facing elderly people in different domains of life, so it covers health China, but that has now changed thanks to status, medical care, material well-being,

the establishment of the China Health and family support, and work and retirement.

Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS), Third, the data is publicly available for established by Prof Park, along with Prof researchers to access. To date over 6,000 Yaohui Zhao of Peking University and Prof researchers have registered on the website."

John Strauss of the University of Southern It kicked off with a pilot survey carried California. out in 2008, involving 2,685 people in two provinces - by design, the poorest and the RESEARCH METHODS

CHARLS provides a unique, high-quality

dataset to support the scientific analysis of aging issues in China. "First, it follows people over time, so we can better understand the

dynamic processes that affect aging," says Prof Park. "Second, it is multi-disciplinary and recognizes that challenges occur in many

richest provinces. The first nationwide survey was conducted in 2011-12, using multi

-stage random sampling. A total of 10,287 households with at least one member of 45 years of age or older in 450 villages or urban neighborhoods in 150 counties and districts in

28 provinces were surveyed; the interviewees'

number of individuals surveyed up to around 17 ,000 people. "We started with age 45 so we can get information before retirement age, to help us understand the aging process," says Prof Park. "We follow the same people over time, but with each wave we bring in younger people so we can have a representative sample of those age 45 and older each time. Attrition rates are modest, usually about 10% each time." A second wave took place in 2013-14, and the third is currently underway.

SURVEY FINDINGS

When the findings of the first wave were released, they garnered plenty of attention from the international media, with some startling headlines. "The key influential finding uncovered in the first wave was that the elderly in China are very vulnerable across multiple dimensions, and their poverty rate is higher than for younger people," says Prof Park. 'Their physical health is very poor when compared with elderly in more advanced countries. They also are more likely to show elevated symptoms of depression, affecting 40% of the elderly population; for women only it rises to 48%."

He notes that these outcomes reflect the fact that people aged 60 and over grew up in a poverty-stricken environment, lived through difficult historical periods such as famine and war, and were poorly educated. "The situation will improve for the younger cohorts,

of course, but even though China is now

* PHYSICAL HEALTH STATUS OF THE ELDERLY, FULL SAMPLE

The HKUST Edge

richer, the early impacts have affected these elderly people and nothing can make up for this." A large percentage of the elderly have physical health limitations.* As the country has developed, health issues have shifted from infectious diseases to chronic conditions. "We found that to a large extent, there is an under-diagnosis of chronic diseases, such as hypertension. These findings point to the need for more screening and prevention."

Physical health has a huge effect on mental health, as does to a lesser extent education and income levels. "Women suffer from higher levels of depression than men because they are less educated and may have not been treated as well as men in poor communities," says Prof Park, adding that the gender gap will reduce as the country becomes more developed.

In examining family relationships and support, the survey found that the maxim of East Asian families "taking care of their elderly" was something of a myth. "For some older people, especially the poorest, assistance does play a role, but generally the amount of material support from children is limited," he notes. "Older people in rural areas don't spend much on healthcare even though they are less healthy- either the elderly themselves don't want to waste family resources on their health, or their children don't want to."

FUTURE DIRECTIONS

Prof Park and his team intend that, like the pioneering US Health and Retirement Study, CHARLS will run indefinitely. "With

) / advancements in technology and survey

38.19,o

methods, we will be able to include more

innovations in the survey," says Prof Park. Any difficulty with daily activities

23 • 8

%

~f@f§Mjffi§@§j;+j

"We definitely want to study dementia in more

-Body pain

depth; currently mental health issues in China

33 , 4

%

are at an early stage of understanding as is

the design of policy responses. One of our

1 0, 7

%

stf•@ihii·A

partners is the Center for Disease Control

under the Ministry of Health." Last year, the

28, 0%

group completed a massive survey of the life

histories of all of the respondents, and Prof

4, 5

%

Obeses

~

Park is looking forward to the results, 'This will

Overweight

make it possible to do some very interesting

54, 0%

_ = - - - ~ · ~ · ~ ,

~·!!J

research - these elderly people have gone

through tumultuous changes politically,

31 , 8

%

Poor self-reported health socially and economically."

25 Years of Achievement

INNOVATING TODAY IMAGINING TOMORROW

~-••·**

HK UST

Join the

Celebrations!

The 25th anniversary

i

s

being marked with a wide and varied program of events

-here's how and where you

can

get involved.

H

KUST has reached another milestone! Running for Charity Putting their best feet forward at the Standard Chartered The year 2016 is hugely significant for Hong Kong Marathon on January 17 will be 900 alumni, students and staff

the University, as it achieves its first members of the HKUST Marathon Team. The runners are encouraged to

quarter-century. donate through the event's charity program and contribute to the community!

Alumni are at the heart of these worldwide celebrations - so join in the fun and play your part

in our silver anniversary program! The events are wide-ranging, taking place both in Hong Kong and overseas.

Milestone Gala The glamorous Gala Banquet

will bring the HKUST community together on

June 19, 2016 at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. Many who have shaped, or

have been shaped by the University, will be present - do witness this important milestone!

Engage with Successful Entrepreneurs! One

of the University's key goals is to develop an entrepreneurial culture both on and off campus. The Alumni Entrepreneur Panel Series is a "must attend"

event- so if you are an aspiring entrepreneur, join us

to pick the brains of seasoned alumni entrepreneurs and learn from their valuable experiences!

Prof Steven Chu

Nobel Laureate 1n Physics 1997 Former US Secretary of Energy

Global Celebrations Following the huge success of the alumni dinner in

London, the celebrations continue in San Francisco and Beijing in February and September 2016 respectively and in Singapore in January 2017. If you have

the opportunity to join one of these get-togethers, it's a wonderful way to keep in touch with your alma mater, to make new friends within the fast-expanding alumni network and to learn from professors at the seminar staged prior to each

dinner. For those of you in the Bay Area, registration for the San Francisco

eve

nt

on February 13 is now open - we look forward

to welcoming you to this special occasion!

Be Part of the Mosaic! Submit your pictures to be a part of HKUST's mosaic

to be launched in early 2016. It will be a reflection of everyone's cohesive and

concerted efforts in making the University successful. And you'll be able to

find your spot online, anytime and anywhere.

As well as the above, there are many more programs ahead, including the Young Entrepreneurs Series

-~

http://alum.ust.hk/hkust

-25th-anniversary

and exhibitions at the Library that welcome alumni to join in. Be a part of the 251_{h anniversary celebrations for}

HKUST.

Giving Back

Show Your Belief

with a Birthday Gift!

The Alumni Endo

w

ment Fund

(

AEF) i

s

aiming high

w

ith an amb

i

ti

o

u

s

target f

o

r 2017 - and with

y

our help and the generous pledge from the Uni

v

ersity'

s

m

o

st seni

o

r PhD graduate

,

we believe

it

c

an be achie

v

ed!

I

t is an ambitious goal - but with the incentive of HKUST's 25th anniversary, it can surely be reached with the alumni community pulling together! The aim is to raise the Alumni Endowment Fund to HK$25 million by 2017, from its current standing of HK$19 million,

thanks to donations from alumni.

DISTINGUISHED ALUMNUS HELPS BOOST DONATION DRIVE

An added boost comes from the pledge given by Prof Roger King, 1996 PhD(FINA) and the most senior PhD

graduate, to match donations from fellow alumni up to HK$2.5 million. A successful

entrepreneur and renowned "corporate

doctor", Roger is also Adjunct Professor

of Finance and Director of two research centers of the Business School.

HKUST is blessed to benefit from the dedication of alumni in giving back

to their alma mater. As the University

reaches the important milestone of its first quarter-century, your continuous

support is needed to ensure that all students can enjoy a holistic and fruitful university life.

So show your belief in HKUST and join Roger in presenting a

birthday gift to the AEF!

AL

ND

FU

MNI

WM ENT

D

/1

~

D

Ol(Q

u/1/ow!

www.alumni.ust.hk/AEF

-COMMUNITY & LEADERSHIP

Two new categories are now recognized as AEF beneficiaries, as the scheme expands to incorporate more awards.

Corporate social responsibility and student-led initiatives are

the two new sponsored items for 2015-16, designed to encourage students to take a more active role in taking care of the community and developing their leadership skills. The CSR initiative awards

internships as civic fellows.

A total of around HK$700,000 in interest is available for students in support of different initiatives this year.

The two new categories join water sports activities; exchange scholarships and bursaries; sports scholarships for new

undergraduate students; and overseas sports competition or exchange.

Global Horizons

London Kicks Off

ebra ·o s

The first of a series of global celebrations for

the University's 25th anniversary, the London

reunion saw an overwhelming response with special guests

including Ambassador Liu Xiaoming, Ambassador to the United Kingdom of the Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and Ms Priscilla To, Director-General of Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office,

London, as well as alumni. students and academic partners in the

region taking part. Greeted by President Prof Tony Chan, Dr Eden

Woon, Vice-President for Institutional Advancement and Prof Nancy

Ip, Dean of Science, participants then attended a seminar entitled "Science-Vision into the Future", presented by science professors,

which was followed by the cocktail reception and celebration

dinner. Big thanks go to OJI for its support and sponsorship of the

celebrations. The next anniversary event will take place in

- f

••

San Francisco on February 13, 2016. Stay tuned!

&-6•

Atlanta

tiv.ti

'i

Pre-semester reunions

are a tradition for the Atlanta Chapter, as many alumni and exchange-out students

are pursuing further

studies either at Georgia

Institute of Technology

or Emory University. To add variety to their

activities, they organized a spring hike to

Sweetwater Creek State Park and also a

career sharing presented by

a

~[!l

Jeffrey Pope, a successful

: . · industrial leader and currently

[!l;Ql!:

the senior director of a NGO.

10 HKUST Alumni News 2015

First for

~~~

Bay Area

a

In late July, the North California Chapter organized the

first event following its

inauguration in February

2015. Alumni from the Bay

Area gathered

for dinner at a German

restaurant in San Jose for an

evening of great food and music

- and declared

it to be a fruitful

F "tival Festivitie'"'

With over

20

different nationalities from a broad spectrum of degree programs, members of the Singapore Chapter have

been keen supporters of its fabulous activities. Apart from the monthly happy

hour, which has been held since June, and the BBQ gathering, the

. . . . M'd A F . I d' h h' hi' h f h

-~~

[!)

J01nt-univers1ty 1 - utumn est1va inner wast e 19 19 to t e ~ __ .. .i:-.

year, bringing together more than

120

peers from other universities • in Hong Kong. Join them on their Facebook page to stay connected!

[!].!

·

.

Sharing

Session

Members of the Beijing Chapter were delighted to greet a cohort of students who took part in the SOAR

Mainland Internship Program, as coordinated by the Student Affairs Office, in June. During the dinner gathering, alumni from different professions had a cozy sharing with the students on their career development. On September 19, alumni came together again at a coffee house and welcomed many new members. All had a wonderful time

connecting with each other.

Global Horizons

Cocktail Chat

It was a joyous occasion as Prof Chan and Dr Woon joined alumni and students at a cocktail reception in Shanghai in early November.

Everyone appreciated this rare opportunity to expand their network in this bustling city.

Monthly activities including yum cha, a sports day and music group sharing were among

the most popular programs of the Shanghai

Chapter, along with the distinguished alumni lecture series. They also extended their

warmest welcome to student interns from the SOAR Mainland

Internship Program at a dinner gathering in July.

Champion

Fund raisers

The Shenzhen Chapter ranked number one by raising a total of RMB$360,000 as members joined the "Walk for Love",

organized by One Foundation. This year was the Chapter's third participation in this

charity campaign. Despite

the tough route, all 34 teams

l!l

~~~

conquered the huge challenge ' ~

and completed the race.

(!]

"-

..

~

What rnade you decide to study 01 the WBB program? Sophia: Being born in Hong Kong but raised in Shanghai and

attending an American-curriculum international school, I was conflicted

about where to attend university - in Hong Kong at HKUST or in the

US. By luck, a representative of WBB visited my high school and

introduced the program -and I knew then I wanted this unparalleled experience! WBB grants students the opportunity to study in three

elite universities -HKUST, University of Southern California and Bocconi University in Milan, where I am now studying Year 3.

What have b en the highlights so far?

Sophia: Being a WBB student gives me international exposure, as well as three degrees from respected universities. I have enjoyed meeting and working with a diverse group of people, including a good mix of international students.

Why i~ commu ity servi ·e important to you?

Sophia: Community service is a great way to learn about and appreciate the community, to talk to local citizens, and to experience

the world from a different perspective. It is also the ultimate tool for character development, requiring all sorts of character traits: humility,

diligence, teamwork, patience

and

leadership. You can't just learn

these in the classroom, you learn them through action.

What typP.s of community service projects are you nvolved n?

Sophia: I've helped at orphanages. visited elderly homes, taught

classes at rural schools, coached badminton at migrant school, and

painted buildings. Behind the scenes, I've made quilts and stuffed animals for donations and done a handful of fundraising projects.

Tel us about a particularly memorable experience.

Sophia: Last January, I went to Myanmar with the Chinese YMCA of Hong Kong and University-YMCA. It was a great opportunity

12 HKUST Alumni News 2015

for me to meet HKUST students who were passionate about community service. The week-long trip involved cultural exchange

and service work in orphanages, schools, universities,

churches, and other affiliated organizations. For me, the highlight was learning the

importance of leadership in service. As the assigned group leader,

I was very disappointed in the first few days because I was always running around organizing events and I missed out on one-on-one interaction with the service targets. However, I soon learned that service as a leader meant getting that joy from helping others enjoy the service progress.

You recently took part in the Boao Forum - what did this nvolve?

Sophia: The Boao Forum is a political and business conference

hosted annually at Boao, Hainan, China. I was nominated to attend as a messaging team member, which involved attending conferences, taking notes, and writing reports to upload to the forum website. I got to listen to what opinion leaders such as Bill Gates, Wang Feng, and President Xi Jinping have to say about our world today.

What does it mean to you to be an awardee of the AEF Community Service Award?

Sophia: Today many scholarships and awards are fixed on academic merit and neglect the importance of the personal development of

students. Hence, I truly value AEF's effort to focus on community service, because I love to quote Martin Luther King, Jr, "Intelligence

M

ore and more HKUST alumni are building startups in a huge range

of fields - and many of them are already achieving great success

~~

and becoming excellent role models. As the University enters its 25'h year, ~ -one of the key goals is to take these achievements and use them to build http:llalum.ust.hkl

a stronger entrepreneurial culture within the University community, both on entrepreneurship

and off campus. The HKUST Alumni Entrepreneur Panel Series was launched on October

8, 2015. With Professor Po Chi Wu from the School of Engineering as moderator, three

alumni entrepreneurs, namely Alvin Lam of PacificUnk Group, Ken Law of MotherApp and

Terry Tsang of Madhead, all of whom have attained outstanding achievements in different

industries, shared their valuable insights with students and alumni on campus. The next panel

on crowdfunding will be held in early 2016. Stay tuned!

Insight

Entrepreneurship Corner is one of the key sections of the alumni website, and showcases

some of the success stories of HKUST entrepreneurs. Visit now to find out more about the

challenges these entrepreneurs have faced and overcome.

Here are other initiatives at HKUST that share a common objective to boost the entrepreneurial spirit:

Check out the Entrepreneurship Comer on the alumni website for more stories from successful startups.

Entrepreneur Circle Team of HKUST Alumni Association

The Circle brings together enthusiastic and versatile entrepreneurs with rich experience.

Networking events are held from time to time. The soon-to-be-launched A 1 Startup Award will be

another highlight recognizing the outstanding accomplishments of alumni.

HKUST Entrepreneurship Center

The Center provides a wealth of resources to nurture and support alumni, students,

faculty and staff entrepreneurs in building up their own businesses. The HKUST

Entrepreneurship Program provides technology-based startups with minimal-cost

working space, office services, guidance from an Advisory Committee and more.

Student-led Project

•

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www.ec.ust.hk

Funded by the HKUST Entrepreneurship Center, Cafeology (1/F near lifts 29 & 30) is a newly

opened cafe on campus operated by students. They gain invaluable experience that prepares

them for running their own businesses someday.

Event Roundup

Dear Alumni,

It has been my great pleasure to continue working with our Executive Committee, the A 1 team, to carry out our vision of ALUMNI INSPIRE ALUMNI.

To cater to the diverse needs and interests of our alumni family, A1 has created an open platform whereby alumni may inspire and be inspired by one another through programs organized by our three pillars:

• ALUMNI ENGAGEMENT TEAM - helps alumni advance their personal and professional development

• COMMUNITY SERVICE TEAM - provides opportunities for alumni to give back to the disadvantaged in our society

• ENTREPRENEUR CIRCLE TEAM - helps alumni startups gain the connections and expertise they need to kick-start their businesses

A 1 also works hard to negotiate exclusive benefits, ranging from dining offers to entertainment discounts for our members. If you have not done so, I urge you to join the A 1 family today by submitting your application online at www.ustaa.hk/register. As a special incentive, the first 200 alumni to submit their completed application will receive a complimentary bottle of wine. For any inquiries, please contact Sharon Ching, Executive Vice President Membership Affair, at sharon.ching@ustaa.hk.

Going forward, alumni can expect more exciting events from our team, including an Alumni Startup Award program and a flagship project organized by our Community Service Team. We are also delighted to take part in the University's 25th anniversary celebrations, the highlight of which will be a gala banquet in Hong Kong on June 19, 2016. Stay tuned for details!

Lastly, I would like to thank my teammates for their tireless efforts and dedication to the A 1 family over the past years. My team and I look forward to your continuous support as we prepare for another fantastic year ahead.

Yours sincerely,

~ "

.

~l--"'-.

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Y

Alvin Lam President, HKUST Alumni Association 2014-16

Supporting

Startups

In support of the University's 25th anniversary, the A 1 Entrepreneur Circle Team is launching an inaugural award program for alumni startups that have been operating for between one and five years. Other than recognizing the outstanding achievements of our entrepreneurial community, the awards program is also an opportunity for new and growing startups to gain valuable insight and feedback from experienced judges, including Dr Allan Zeman, Chairman of Lan Kwai Fong Group; Dr Samson Tam, former

member of the Legislative Council (Information Technology) 2008-2012; Mr Herman Lam, CEO of Cyberport; and Professor Po Chi Wu, Adjunct Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at HKUST.

Please stay tuned to the Facebook page for details! 14 HKUST Alumni News 2015

~

H

K UST

)

ALUMNI

_'4

_*

_~~·

Entrepreneurial

Sharing.

A highlight program of the Entrepreneur Circle Team this year was the A1

Entrepreneur Seminar, held in July, at which alumni congregated at Business Central and

learnt a lot from Shih Wing Ching, Founder of Centaline Property Agency Limited and well known columnist. He shared not only

his entrepreneurial journey but also his

insights on social and economic issues with members.

Event Roundup

The A1 Annual Dinner 2015 on October 29 was a very joyous occasion. Among those

in attendance were President Prof Tony Chan and Dr Eden Woon, Vice-President for

Institutional Advancement. Association President Alvin Lam gave a detailed account of

the accomplishments over the past year and listed out future plans.

Busy

Agenda ~

The Alumni Engagement Team

recently organized various specialty events for alumni. To kick start the series, the A 1 Watch Appreciation Workshop

introduced the luxury watch industry and recent trends in watch collecting to participants. The Portrait Photography

Workshop brought together photography lovers who were able to hone their skills

in composition and use of natural light in order to capture the best possible shots. Members also got the opportunity to tour the campus on a sunny weekend, when it looked its best!

Member

Benefits.

The Membership Affair Team has been responsible

for bringing about 15 fabulous

new and exclusive benefits to full members in the past year,

including discounts and offers

from The Commercial Press,

Esso, Bossini and many more. Stay tuned for news on updates to the benefits,

Alumni enjoyed a good discussion on education and career planning with secondary school students at a visit organized by the Community Service Team. The team took the lead to visit the schools and invited alumni to give useful advice. It was a very fruitful occasion for the students - and the alumni had a good time, too!

and ,eg;ste<

~

as a member ~ • • L:.I

now!

[!]

.

www.ustaa.hk/regisler

Event Roundup

Top Talkers....,.

The MBA Alumni Toastmasters Club

achieved huge success at the Division K

contest in late October. Yuki Wong, 2011

BBA (MARK) and the Club's Immediate Past President, won the championship in

the Evaluation Contest, while Raymond Leung, 2004 BBA (ECON) and the Club's current President. was the second runner-up in the Humorous Speech Contest. Yuki and Raymond continued their success at the District 89 Speech Contest in Xiamen in early

November - Yuki

won

second place in the

Speech Evaluation Contest, while Raymond

was

third in the English Humorous Speech

Contest. A special highlight following the Xiamen

conference was a speech workshop delivered by World Champion of Public Speaking, Marl< Brown and co-organized by the Club.

~

Flying High

~

Catching Up

with Old Friends

President Prof Tony Chan and Dr Eden

Woon, Vice-President for Institutional Advancement, warmly greeted over 200

alumni of Class of 2005 and their families when they congregated on campus to

celebrate their 10th graduation anniversary. It was the perfect occasion for them to reminisce about the good old days, and

marvel at the tremendous development of

the campus over the past decade. The day concluded with a tour of Hall 8, Hall 9 and

the new Lee Shau Kee Business Building.

Over 30 table-tennis lovers from Beijing, Shanghai, Nanjing, Tianjin, Xi'an and Hong Kong have participated in the activities of the EMBA Alumni Table Tennis Club since it was

established in early 2015. Members undergo professional training every week in Beijing to sharpen their skills and prepare for a number of competitions ahead, which will include

the annual tournament for business schools in China.

~

Biochemists

Recruiting

II

[!1

.

.

.

~

During its AGM on May 9, 2015, the Biochemistry

Alumni Association invited its alumni to get

together and offer valuable advice to the association. The association is now recruiting two new executive committee members. If you are interested to serve the alumni community, please write to bcaa.ust@gmail.com. Stay tuned for their updates!

Members of the Engineering Enterprise Management Alumni Association got the valuable opportunity to pay a visit to Cathay Pacific City in mid-July.

They were given a guided tour of its Flight Training Centre, In-flight Service

Training Centre, Check-in Mock Up and Crew Lounge, and gained a good understanding of the different processes of Hong Kong's largest airline. 16 HKUST Alumni News 2015

Leading

by

Example ...

Event Roundup

A total of 60 alumni and guests of the MBA Alumni Association had an enjoyable evening with Tony T soi ( ~

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fSI:

)

at the

Trailwalker and Leadership - HKUST

MBAAA CEO Sharing in late October.

Mr Tsoi shared many of his inspiring

thoughts about Trailwalker, leadership

and life planning; for example: "Your team cannot proceed faster than your slowest

teammate"; and "Ufe is long. If you improve

yourself day by day, you will accumulate a great achievement". The response was

overwhelming.

Successfully Completed

The first half of 2015 was particularly fabulous for the EMBA Alumni Association. A total of 28 EMBA alumni hikers took up the huge challenge in competing with 30 schools and

more than 2,500 individual competitors at the Gobi Challenge from May 22-25. It took them

12 hours, 51 minutes to complete the 88km journey and secure 19th place. In recognition

of their excellent spirit, the team was honored with the Shackleton Award. Following the

success of the inaugural tournament between golfers from northern and southern China in Shenzhen in 2014, they again competed fiercely in Beijing and Shenzhen this year. Visits to enterprises of EMBA alumni were also organized from time to time .

... International

Success

Paddlers of the Alumni Dragon Boat Club participated in their fourth overseas race with flying colors - they finished first

runner-up at the international invitation competition of the 2015 Kaohsiung

Love River Dragon Boat Race in June! Over 50 teams with more

than 200 paddlers took part in this annual Tuen Ng Festival gala,

which attracted extensive media coverage. It was a joyous occasion in particular as paddlers dressed up and joined the costume and make-up competition.

~

141'

~·

~

Sizzling

Team!

The Volleyball Alumni Team is continuing to take part in indoor and beach volleyball fun games. They had a wonderful time recently

at the beach volleyball game

at Discovery Bay even though the sun was blazing hot!

A signature intra-university dance collaboration. the Joint-U Mass Dance 2015 - HKUST Station in November featured the Dance Alumni Society and Dance Society, as well as dance teams from other universities. Members got together and practiced amid their

tight schedule. The audience was amazed by their marvelous

performances!

Event Roundup

~

Family

Fun

Happy

Reunion ...,.

The annual Alumni Family Day of the

School of Business and Management

was held on October 21, 2015, for the first

time at the Lee Shau Kee Business Building. Officiated by Prof Emily Nason, Associate

Dean & Director of UG Programs, the

Family Day provided the perfect occasion

Members of the Risk Management and

Business Intelligence Alumni Association

(RMBIAA) were brought together at a reunion

in late August sponsored by the RMBI Program Office. It was a great opportunity for members to renew

ties while enjoying great food and a

for alumni to visit the School with their families and to catch up with their teachers and classmates. On the day, the Business Building was turned into a playground - with a giant balloon, bouncy castle, inflated race track, face painting, creative coloring and handicraft workshops. Over 500 participants enjoyed a fun-filled afternoon.

wonderful atmosphere. They look forward to welcoming more alumni at the next gathering.

Future

Directions

During the AGM of Master of Technology

Management Alumni Association in early

June, alumni, professors and guests from the Department of IELM had a good discussion

on the future direction of its programs for members. They all agreed that specialized events, joint activities with other HKUST alumni associations and collaborations with industrial associations were top priorities. In

mid-July, members were invited on a visit

to Cathay Pacific, organized by EEMAA. It

also collaborated with other organizations in supporting the Centaline Wine Charity Run Carnival 2015 in November.

Onsite

Visit

~

In August 2015, the Mechanical Engineering

Graduates' Association organized a visit lo the

district cooling system at Kai Tak Development. Representatives of Hong Kong District

Cooling Company Limited and the Electrical and Mechanical Services Department shared professional knowledge and information on operating the district cooling system during the site tour. It was a fruitful visit for members.

18 HKUST Alumni News 2015

A series of professional examination preparation workshops was organized by the Civil

and Environmental Engineering Alumni Association (CEEAA) from February to

September 2015 with an objective to help candidates be well prepared for the professional assessments of the Hong Kong Institution of Engineers (HKIE) and Institution of Civil

Engineers (ICE). Students also gained fruitful insights from alumni as they joined the CV

workshop and mock interview on October 5, 2015. April 2016 wilt be an eventful month

as HKIE Civil Division, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and CEEAA will Jointly organize a one-day seminar "Mega Infrastructure Construction Conference 2016", while the Department will celebrate its 25th anniversary on April 29.

Mark

Your Agenda

Following the success of the sixth AGM of Civil and Environmental Engineering

Postgraduates and Scholars Association in Beijing, the next AGM, along with a

conference and local visits, will be held in Sichuan from 25-28 March, 2016. Please email to evan.fxiao@gmail.com or hkdleung@hotmail.com for more details.

BEng(ELEC) On the first day of 2015, Ben and I started our new life together.

Class Notes

Let fellow alumni know what's happening in your life, be it marriage, baby, career advancement, professional award, new business, sporting success, artistic achievements or anything else of note!

Simply fill in the online form at alum.ust.hk/your-networks/share-your-news or email alumni@ust.hk

•

[!]

.. ,

We are thrilled to let

Nelson Wong

2005 BSc(CHEM)

Iris and I got married on June

27, 2015. We are sure our lives

will be full of color!

Elly Man 2008 BBAffS) Wu Hing Shing 2008 BSc(CHEM) 2011 MSc(EVSC) We met each other during our university years

and eventually tied the knot on

November 1 7, 2014. Slsl So 2011 BEngffEEM) Will Wong 2011 BEngffEEM) Our love story began when we met each other on campus. Weare happy to announce that we got married on October 18, 2015.

Choi Yan Yan

2002 BEng(COMP)

David Cheng

2002 BEng(CSIE)-NW We got married

In 2011!

Class Notes

I am excited lo share with you

news of my marriage lo Anum

Tahir on January 8, 2015.

Vincent Luk

2003 BEng(EEIC) 2013 PhD(ECE} Our lives have been

brought together since

I married Eunice on

November 22, 2014!

20 HKUST Alumni News 2015

Hui Chi Wai

2000 BEng(CPEG)

Erica and I had a wonderful wedding in Singapore on

November 17,

2014. We have Just celebrated our first anniversary!

We have a lot of fond memories of HKUST and our love story continued when we got married on October 18, 2015.

Our large family: big brother

Dick Dick, a seven-year-old poodle; second brother Marcus,

who will soon be three; and the

youngest brother Ivan, who is

now one-and-a-half years old.

Fiona Law

2010 BBA(ACCT)

Gary Shum

2010 BBA(ACCT)

We have wonderful memories of our time together at HKUST,

ever since we got to know each other outside L T-J in 2007.

~Ii~

~

After pursuing a region-wide corporate career for more than 1 O

years, I have reinvented myself to become a children's book author

and illustrator -thanks to the birth of my two lovely daughters! My new picture book Check/isted Beauty tells the tale of a 1 0-year-old

girt In search of self-identity. Recognizing the global trend of valuing

physical beauly over Inner qualities, I believe it is important to help

young girls break free from the societal expectations of beauty and take pride in their own natural talents and gifts!

r n

2006 BSc(BIOL)

Presently Executive Director of VolTra, a

charitable organization I co-founded to promote global citizenship, it is my

pleasure to receive The Hong Kong Youth Service

Award 2015, organized by The Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups. With the

firm belief that it is not a

few people doing great things, but many people doing small and meaningful deeds, I am also involved

in International projects organized by the European Commission and UNESCO.

J 'ii 2007MSc(/7) I am pleased to share my

Insights into working and living

in Colombia with Kenny Leung of HKUST Career Center, who coordinated with an overseas

1995 BEng(ELEC)

1997 MPh/l(ELEC)

2005 PhD(ELEC)

internship organizer to arrange a batch of students to go for an

internship program to Colombia

in June 2015. A Colombian

myself. I have been working as an IT specialist at the Central Bank of Colombia for 17 years.

It was my honor to receive the 2015 University Grants Committee (UGC) Teaching

Award and the Michael Gale Medal for Distinguished Teaching at HKUST In 2015.

Having served my alma mater since 1997, I am the founding Director of the Center

for Global & Community Engagement and the supervisor of HKUST Robotics

Team. These awards recognize my aspiration in innovating and cultivating student holistic development through project work in courses, a very successful experiential learning program through robotics competitions and opening up new

community-service opportunities for students and colleagues.

I am delighted to have

obtained my PhD from the University of Cambridge,

UK, in July 2015.1 have been conducting research

on a part-time basis since 201 Oat the university's Institute for Manufacturing (lfM), where I currently

remain as an academic

collaborator. I am now working with Amazon in London.

Class Notes

·~·~ta.

the hong/rang ftH/e,.,tJon of routh grou

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2

~f!*~

E ,n C u

2010 MBA

After working for one of the premier

boutique consulting firms in Asia for eight years, I decided to start my own business, namely Grapevine

Asia Partners, with two partners. My studies at HKUST definitely helped me to take the first step. Our

boutique risk consultancy currently focuses on the two practices of pre-transactional or compliance-driven investigative due diligence and

business Intelligence services; and

advisory assistance on internal fraud incidents and crisis situations.