ISSUE 1
LINK
U S T
A P u b l i c a t i o n o f H K U S T D e a n U G O f f i c e聯 訊
President Tony Chan’s
Blueprint for HKUST
President Tony Chan
Blueprint for HKUST
Interview with Alumnus
The Hon Starry Lee
School Feature
Case-based Teaching
Gives Twin Value
Q&A on
4-year Science Experiment
Curriculum
Programs and Courses
Launch of
Environmental Program
New Admission Features of
Engineering School
Cover Story
About UST LINK
UST LINK is a newsletter published by Office of the Dean of Undergraduate Education (DeanUG Office) of The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) to report on news and developments of HKUST’s undergraduate program provision. This bi-annual publication is delivered free to all secondary and international schools, friends and associates in Hong Kong. Please send your name, school/company name, address, phone number and email address to us for free subscription.We welcome reproduction of any articles or photographs in this publication. Please acknowledge the source if any material is reproduced. For inquires, please contact UST LINK’s Editorial Team. Editorial Team
Telephone : (852) 2358 6136 Fax : (852) 3521 0634 Email : deanug@ust.hk Website : http://deanug.ust.hk
USTLINK
It gives me enormous pleasure to inaugurate UST LINK and introduce it to you. With advanced technology today, we can always disseminate news or
information with ease. Yet is never easy for us to really communicate — to drive home the intended messages and gauge feedbacks in a reciprocal manner. In order to draw one of our most important groups of stakeholders — secondary school teachers and administrators, students and their parents — closer to HKUST and keep them posted of the latest developments of our UG programs, we take the first step and produce this newsletter UST LINK to provide regular updates on program provision and report on the latest University developments, events and campus life.
I sincerely hope this publication can foster better mutual understanding. Should you have any comments or feedbacks on UST LINK’s contents, you are most welcome to send your message to deanug@ust.hk or directly contact our office at 2358 6136.
Kan Yan TAM
Dean of Undergraduate Education, HKUST
Foreword from DeanUG
Contents
Cover Story
A Blueprint with Cross-over
Elements-President Tony Chan Portrays the Way Forward for HKUST 2
School Feature
Engineering to Serve the Community 6
Case-based Teaching Gives Twin Value 8
Q & A on the 4-year Science Experiment Curriculum 10
Programs and Courses
HKUST to Launch Interdisciplinary Environmental Program
12
School of Engineering Offers Flexibility in Subject Choice
13
Business Courses to Encourage Critical Thinking and Application
14
Learning Physics from the Sights and Sounds of Movies
15
Popular Science Programs for Youngsters
Alumni Profile
From HKUST to LEGCO —
Face to Face with Legislative Councilor Starry Lee
16
Building Ties with High Schools
Pulitzer Prize Winner Reflects on Our Hot, Flat and Crowded World
18
Campus Life
19
Column
Recap of a Memorable Year
22
On Helping My Students to Become RICH
23
Fusion. Crossover. Mix and Match.
Melting pot.
These are the catchwords denoting the most
prevalent trend of many trades and industries
in the world — culinary art, fashion, design
and the creative industries. The notion is
to diminish the divides among
geographical regions, disciplines,
schools and cultures, capture the
best in everything and
re-channel them into
something unique and
novel.
Not surprisingly, the blueprint
Professor Tony Chan, the new President at the
helm of HKUST sets for the University,
lends on this trend.
This uniquely cross-over fashion of University
education that Prof Chan maps out for HKUST
is not a bomb dropped out from nowhere —
it is derived from Prof Chan’s extensive
experiences as scholar and scientist in
the U.S., the ties cemented with the
tertiary education sector in Hong
Kong over the years, plus the many
encounters he has made with our
students and staff members after
taking his office.
COVER STORY
A cross-over background
Maybe an initial digging intoProf Chan’s background will provide some insight into this concept. Like many of us, Prof Chan was born in a traditional Chinese family. He received his primary and secondary education in Hong Kong. He pursued his undergraduate and post-graduate education in the U.S. and has since settled there. In between the years he has been zigzagging across the five continents for lectures, research projects, conferences and meetings. While Chinese, British and American influences are apparently evident on Prof Chan, it might be more
appropriate to name him a global citizen.
Diversification of
campus life
As the chief steering the course for HKUST, Prof Chan’s first mission is to further extend the scope and variety of student activities — co-curricular and extra-curricular — for a fuller taste of the many specimens of life presented on University campuses. Since his return to Hong Kong in September 2009, Prof Chan has been in touch with many youngsters in and outside the University, which has prompted him to revisit and revise the impression he holds for today’s youngsters. He admits, “Through such contacts I am constantly making new discoveries on our students’ talents,
orientations and idiosyncrasies. I am most impressed with their bi-lingual abilities in presentation and
communication. I also marvel at the enormous efforts they have put into running and participating in extra-curricular activities. “An example of this is the dance performance our students hosted at HKUST’s University Welcome Ceremony. The energy and passion radiated from the performance are almost palpable. When compared to students from overseas, our students might appear too examination biased. But they are in no way rigid or boring. The many dimensions of their
perceptions, life and abilities unveiled through the activities really astounded me. Our staff and faculty members have been doing a brilliant job in helping them think out of the box, and to reach out beyond domains. We are already on the right track and this job of diversifying campus life and uncovering talents has to be continued with added impetus.”
One HKUST
Prof Chan reiterates the unique advantage HKUST has as a science and technology based research university. “Twenty years ago it would have been an impossible dream for us to set up a science and technology based research university in China. As at today a university as what we are running now is still a rarity in the country.
“We have made awe-inspiring achievements in the last two decades. Our 4 schools — Science, Engineering, Business and Management, and Humanities and Social Science, is each standing proudly on the hills of Clear Water Bay in their own right. Yet what I aim to achieve for HKUST is a crossover mode of educational development, a model that encapsu-lates the unique essence and competi-tive advantages of individual schools and the disciplines they represent. “This is what I mean when I said to my colleagues in various occasions that we will be forging One HKUST,” Prof Chan remarks.
A blueprint with cross-over elements
President
Tony Chan
COVER STORY
President Tony F Chan Born in Hong Kong,
Prof Tony Chan was the Dean of Science at UCLA and Assistant Director of the US National Science in charge of the Mathematical and Physical Sciences Directorate. Over the past decades, he has maintained frequent and close relationships with the tertiary education sector in Hong Kong, and has served at various local institutes since 1985 as visiting professor and external examiner, including the University of Hong Kong, the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Baptist University, and City University.
Prof Chan attended the Salesian English School and Queen’s College in Hong Kong before furthering his studies in the US. He received his BS and MS degrees in Engineering from the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) and his PhD in Computer Science from Stanford University. On September 1, 2009 he succeeded Prof Paul Chu as the third President of HKUST and was formally installed on November 13.
COVER STORY
pursuit and holistic student growth and development”.
Attracting and retaining
the best students
To Prof Chan, the key for us to sustain and survive the challenges posed by the 3-3-4 Curriculum Reform would be our capability to attract and retain good students. Our performance in this regard has already stood us in good stead. “I am amazed at the large numbers of top academically
performing students at HKUST. As seen in this year’s congregation ceremony, many students graduated with an overall A, a valid proof of our academic excellence and our capability in breeding talents. Having said that, it would be important for us to further promote our undergraduate programs among secondary schools and their students to continuously draw in students of the highest caliber.”
While Prof Chan has been in touch with the University
community, he also sees the need for forging closer ties with
secondary schools. He is
anticipating opportunities whereby he
could discuss and explore with school principals, teachers and parents the options available for students on university educations.
To stay or go away,
that’s the question
“Taking a degree program from an overseas university might not necessarily be the best choice for our cream students. It is far moreimportant for them to base their decision on weighed personal needs and situations. The tertiary institutes in Hong Kong are now offering a much fuller array of undergraduate programs. When Asian countries and China are capturing the entire world’s attention with their economic
miracles; when foreign students couldn’t wait to rush here for a bite of the oriental experiences, wouldn’t it be worthwhile for them to remain here — one of the most prosperous cities in Asia — and to experience and even be a part of the momentous growth of arguably the most glittering region in the world?
“The fact that we have already drawn some of the brightest talents from local international schools and the world — including the children of many expatriate faculty members — to study at HKUST, are all tell-tale signs of this booming trend. It also speaks unequivocally of the quality of our programs,” Prof Chan notes at the end of the interview.
Nurturing versatile
all-rounders
“The way forward in the University’s development is to build up a multi- disciplinary learning approach that draws out the best features in each of the disciplines — technology and science, business and management as well as social science and humanities. After all, what the world needs is versatile all-rounders. Our future leaders should not only be science and technology savvy, they have to be literate with knowledge that spans across a vast spectrum of disciplines. Our aim is not only to breed specialists. We need to groom future leaders. “Through leveraging on HKUST’s unique advantages, we would be able to groom versatile science and technology leaders and bring forth another level of economic and cultural development for Hong Kong. When boiled down to practice, it would mean reinforcing our multi-disciplinary programs, further strengthening our curriculum and enriching learning experience of students,” Prof Chan says.
A melting pot of
different influences
Fusion is the buzzword for the mission Prof Chan holds for HKUST. “Hong Kong as an international city has been benefiting enormously from the rise of Asia and in particular China. As a local university that stands at the crossroad where new and old merges and east meets west, we should capitalize on the situation by blending British practices with the American academic system, ground it with Chinese cultural elements and spice it up with global perspective.”In the recent years the planned 3-3-4 Curriculum Reform has been generating a lot of interest and discussion involving all sectors of the community. Without question, the Reform substance meant for senior secondary schools is inextricably linked to how universities should be run.
To Prof Chan, the Reform provides room for positive changes, “Over the years the soundness of the 4-year university program has been proven beyond dispute in many parts of the world. A big plus of the system is the flexibility allowed for academic
Hong Kong’s tertiary education will enter a new era with the
introduction of 4-year curriculum in 2012. HKUST’s School of
Engineering (SENG) will be completely revamping the
curriculum in order to produce 21
stcentury engineers who are
not only technology savvy but equipped with the skill set to
become literate, flexible global citizens with an international
outlook.
In view of this, SENG launched the “Community Services
Project” in 2009, a credit bearing co-curriculum course for
undergraduates that aims at fostering students’ community
spirit through engaging them in social services projects.
SCHOOL FEATURE SCHOOL FEATURE
With Members of the Metro Lions and their junior counterparts, Metro Leos, serving as the students’ mentors, our SENG students ran lessons on digtial ink drawing for the elderies and children who enjoyed their lessons tremendously, and were amazed at the versatility and user-friendliness of the software. The elderlies also picked up basic computer and Internet skills from our students.
Acquiring soft skills
Apart from acquiring practical experience, students learnt how to design, plan, implement and evaluate a social service project. During the course, they also received training in leadership, event management, communication and presentation skills. Course speakers included Timothy Ma Kam-wah, Executive Director of the Senior Citizen Home SafetyAssociation, Dr Stephen Chow, SBS, BBS, JP, philanthropist and Chairman of 5 high-tech electronic components enterprises, and Herman Hu
Shao-ming, JP, Chairman of Ryoden Development Ltd. Mr Hu, JP, is an engineering graduate and holds key position in 16 associations.
Cultural exchange by
serving the community
As the group comprised local and overseas undergraduate students of all levels, Associate Dean ofEngineering-UG studies
Professor Charles Ng who initiated and spearheaded the program, says, “This course focuses on nurturing socially responsible citizenship. With students of different nationalities in one setting, the course also enjoyed an unintended benefit of fostering cultural exchanges among participating students.”
A participant Sadique Mohamed Salih, a year 2 engineering student from Sri Lanka, relates his learning experience, “It was depressing to learn that shanty towns and metal sheet houses still exist in Hong Kong and that a lot of local people are still wrestling with poverty. I fully appreciate the opportunity to allow me to reach out and be of service to the people in Hong Kong.”
Mr Fred To, former President of Metro Lions, tells that the group is
committed to developing, improving and promoting education in Hong Kong. He hopes SENG’s Community Services Project will encourage
engineering students to be in touch with the communities around us and provide services for those in needs.
Engineering
to Serve the Community
Combining technology
training and community
service
Jointly organized by SENG and the Lions Club of Metropolitan Hong Kong (Metro Lions), the sponsor of the project, the course saw the first intake of 20 SENG students who brought a brand new digital ink art computer software, MoXi, to two groups of service recipients — pre-school children at TWGHs Lions Club of Metropolitan Hong Kong Kindergarten and the elderlies at the Po Leung Kuk Lau Chan Siu Po
District Elderly Community Centre.
What is MoXi?
MoXi is developed by a HKUST doctorate graduate, Nelson Chu Siu-hang. This award-winning technology is a digital ink art computer software that allows users to produce Chinese ink paintings and calligraphy on computer screens. In 2008, this technology was used by the Beijing Olympic Games as a tool to enhance specific visual effects in the Opening Ceremony.
Case-based Teaching
Gives Twin Value
In order to enhance students’ exposure and
encourage them to think out of the box, HKUST’s
School of Business and Management (SBM) has
been using case studies as a teaching approach.
It also collaborates with international
corporations in organizing case analysis
activities and competitions — a good example
of which is the annual Citi International Case
Competition which provides students with
both practical experience and international
exposures.
SCHOOL FEATURE SCHOOL FEATURE
Last year, the annual Citi International Case Competition came to its seventh round and was held in Hong Kong from November 2 to 5, attracting a record 21 teams from 10 countries: Australia, Canada, China, Finland, Japan, Korea, the Netherlands, Singapore, Thailand and the U.S. Mr Shengman Zhang, Citi Country Officer for Hong Kong, said, “The ability to generate innovative ideas and turn these into actionable client-focused plans is vital to the success of Citi and all leading corporations today, irrespective of their fields of business. As organizer and sponsor of the annual Citi International Case Competition, we hope to help nurture innovative thinking in our most promising future business leaders. Coming here to Hong Kong, they gain real-world experience in one of the world’s most exciting and dynamic business cities.”
Case for analysis:
Octopus Cards Limited
The target of this year’s case studies was Octopus Cards Limited (OCL). With more than 19 million Octopus in circulation, OCL is currently the world’s leading contactless smartcard system operator.At the beginning of the competition, all participating teams were
briefed on OCL’s background and key business development issues.
Providing
viable business solution
for industry leaders
All student teams were then asked to come up with viable and innovative solutions to the strategic issues and managerial dilemmas that OCL faces — within 26 hours of attending the briefing. They were assessed by an 18-person judging panel comprising senior executives from Citi, HKUST, OCL, and other corporations. The University of Melbourne finally bested 20 teams from leading business schools from around the world and emerged the winner with their innovative 10-year business plan for OCL. The first and second
runners-up were respectively the University of Southern California and
National University of
Singapore.
Gaining experience and
industrial recognition
The proposals submitted won the unanimous acclaim from the panel of judges. One of the judges, OCL’s CEO Prudence Chan commented, “We are delighted with the high quality of the proposals and creative business solutions presented by students. All teams did a great job and demonstrated the talent, teamwork and innovative thinking that OCL whole-heartedly embraces.” Case teaching enriches students’ practical experience and encourages students to think out of the box. The Citi International Case Competition as a complimentary extra-curricular activity provides an additional impetus for students to share and exchange experience with their peers from around the world. As case-based teaching is becoming increasingly popular among students, we expect it will be further promoted on the campus.Thinking outside the box
Since 2003, the Citi International Case Competition has brought outstanding students from leading business schools from around the world to Hong Kong, enabling valuable academic and cultural exchanges.
This competition is jointly organized by Citi and SBM of HKUST, and sponsored by the Citi Foundation.
The competition aims to provide a forum for cross-cultural exchanges of ideas and experiences and an opportunity for students to tackle real business challenges of a leading global corporation.
SCHOOL FEATURE SCHOOL FEATURE
least up to 1,500 m2 of laboratory
space. In this regard, I must say the pace of laboratory supply at HKUST, a research- based university, falls short of our demands accrued from rapid growth in research and teaching. We will be in dire need for laboratories when 4-year undergraduate program is installed, as by that time we should have additional faculty members and research staff on board. We have applied for funding from UGC for a laboratory-building project at HKUST. We finally secured a grant for building an 8,000 m2 laboratory
building for teaching and research, which was topped up with HKUST’s own funding to expand the project area to 10,000 m2. The new
infrastructure will be able to address our need for laboratory facilities for basic physics-chemistry-biology experiment courses. As the process involved in vetting funding proposal and fund allocation can be
time-consuming, the project is scheduled for completion in 2014. In the interim period, say in the year 2012 and 2013, SSCI will cope with
this shortage with a series of contingency measures — by
maximizing the usage rate of existing laboratories. This can be done through exercising a no-winter-or- summer-break timetable and a 6-day week and 16-hour day roster.
Q: What is the School doing to strengthen its software provision?
A: The work in software provision covers curriculum planning and management, as well as curriculum scheduling and evaluations. In this regard, we have conducted a couple of learning trips, visiting overseas universities and their laboratories in the hope of seeking reference from their experiences. We have been to the University of California, San Diego and studied its Streamlined Process Management Approach (or Business Process Improvement Approach). We also visited Taiwan’s National Chung Cheng University, which has transplanted MIT’s Technology Enhanced Active
Learning Laboratory onto its campus. Our Vice-President for Administration and Business Prof Y S Wong has also led delegations to England and Australia to observe and pick up the latest practices and concepts in the design and management of sizable laboratories.
Meanwhile we have a flying start in the design of experiment courses’ curriculum as well as the
accompanying assessment methods for learning outcomes, which will be completed in half a year’s time, and a trial roll out of this massive
undertaking will take place in 2011. With the supports from the University and the dedication and concerted efforts of SSCI’s faculty and staff members, we are sure quality experiment courses in physics, chemistry and biology will be up and running in full swing in 2012.
Q: What is the approach taken to strengthen SSCI’s design and planning of experiment courses in physics, chemistry and biology for the 4-year undergraduate program? A: The development of logical analysis ability is already well
integrated into most courses at HKUST. Yet we rely heavily on physics, chemistry and biology experiment courses to nurture students’
competency in experimental methods. When the 4-year undergraduate program is formally in place, most of the foundational science experiment courses will be built into the first or second year curriculum.
The new 4-year curriculum will be outcome-based, as spelt out by the University Grants Committee (UGC) — which means the contents and teaching activities for the lessons have to align with the learning objectives set out for students.
The portfolio of skills that individual institutions aim to achieve through learning is not vastly disparate, as they all include such abilities as communication, problem solving, leadership and working as a team. Yet the cultivation of these skills could hardly be achieved in a classroom setting. In contrast, well- planned experiment courses provide the niche and flexibility for outcome- based learning and teaching activities. The elements of cooperation,
communication and problem solving can be easily integrated into the lesson plans — it explains why we attributed such weight to producing quality experiment courses when the essentials and fundamentals of the 4-year undergraduate curriculum were first conceived.
Of course we understand full well that the challenges involved in launching the courses are also momentous. They are of two dimensions — in hardware and software provisions.
Q: What are the challenges incurred in hardware provision?
A: Two-thirds of HKUST students are on a science or engineering major. It is estimated that under the new 4-year curriculum, an HKUST student will have to take an average of 3 or more experiment courses in physics, chemistry or biology. To cater to this acute need for teaching laboratories, we’ll have to build 6 laboratories each with an area of 250 to 300 m2,
which means in total we will need at
Experimentation and logical analysis are the two major
pillars of scientific method that is responsible for the
phenomenal growth of science and technology in modern
times. Naturally, HKUST puts tremendous emphases on
nurturing students’ capacities in these two areas.
To prepare for the 4-year program, the University has put
in enormous efforts and resources to design School of
Science’s (SSCI) experiment courses.
UST LINK talks to our Acting Vice-President for Academic
Affairs, the former Dean of Science Prof Shiu Yuen Cheng
to understand the rationale, work and challenges behind
the undertaking.
Science Experiment Curriculum
on the
4-year
PROGRAMS AND COURSES
Good news for JUPAS and EAS applicants : HKUST’s School of Engineering (SENG) has put in place a new initiative for the benefits of university applicants who have a knack in engineering but have yet to decide on their academic focus.
SENG’s recently introduced School- based Admission Scheme (SBA) has included a new “school-based option” in addition to the
“program-based” arrangement already in existence.
Featuring two new streams of studies that include a basketful of
inter-related engineering subjects, this new school-based option will spare university applicants the need to choose a particular program in their admission application. In their few months of studies of HKUST after admission they can freely explore their interest in up to 7 programs grouped under respective streams. Before the end of the first semester, students would have to select their favorite subject. To help them make a wise and informed decision, they will get advice from professors and be arranged to attend information and counseling sessions organized by SENG and departments before they tie their knots with individual
departments.
Diagram on the right shows SBA’s two streams of academic programs —
In brief, ENGG-A is more focused on chemical, civil and mechanical engineering, while ENGG-B focuses more on computer and electronic engineering, as well as engineering management.
For those who are clear about their direction, they can stick to the existing “program-based” option by taking one of the 13 individual programs (which are already included in ENGG-A and B) on offer as their major.
As the theme of the School-based Option “An informed Choice to Explore your Potential” indicates, the Scheme offers the best of both worlds by giving potential candidates a more flexible start to explore their interests in engineering while allowing the “convicts” to go ahead with their planned choices.
In September 2010, the first batch of students will enter HKUST’s first Environmental Management and Technology program (EVMT) launched under the Division of Environment (ENVR).
Graduates from this exciting and challenging 3-year program are expected to take up jobs to tackle some of the most pressing
environmental issues our world faces in the next century.
With a specially designed curriculum introducing many new cross-
disciplinary courses such as Green Buildings, Environmental Economics and Policy, Energy Resources and Usage, and Green Business Strategy, the program is rounded out with co-curricular activities such as study trips, seminars and internships. Final year students will be given projects that require them to solve real environmental problems and apply learnt knowledge to real situations.
Providing solutions to
global environmental
problems
As our planet becomes more crowded, as countries become wealthier, the available resources to sustain economic growth and quality of life on Earth are running out. Even the air we breathe and the water we drink can no longer be taken for granted. The world is at its critical turning point, how we address such problems as climate change, water
conservation, energy, marine, air and land resources, biodiversity and pollution, etc., is going to vastly impact the future of mankind. As China continues to grow in economic significance, how we create wealth and use environmental resources is a shared global problem.
Environmental problems are challeng- ing. A problem such as fresh water or climate change span across the contents of many different subjects and is the target for interdisciplinary studies. Using HKUST’s innovative interdis- ciplinary approach, ENVR has drawn together all relevant disciplines into the design of the EVMT program. ENVR brought together a design team comprising specialists from various disciplines — Engineering, Social Science, Science, and Business. Working along with external advisors from Hong Kong’s leading
corporations, the team came up with a unique interdisciplinary program to train future professionals with the technical, economic, social, and managerial skills necessary for green jobs in business, government and non-profit institutions.
Growing market for
green career
There is a growing future market for EVMT graduates. Prof Paul Forster, Co-Director of EVMT program says, “Businesses operating in Hong Kong and Mainland China are under increas- ing global pressure to find a solution to sustainable economic growth that
does not sacrifice the environment to the extent it has in the past. Corpora-tions are seeking skilled employees that understand the concepts of environmental science and technolo-gies and can apply them effectively in the corporate world. EVMT will help nurture the skills necessary for these new professionals to succeed.” Green job opportunities are growing steadily. Studies indicate that there will be a severe shortage of skilled
employees in the growing green industry and China is the right place to be. According to a report released by the Breakthrough Institute, Asia will outspend the U.S. three-to-one in clean energy in the next half decade and China will lead the way with massive spending on clean energy projects. In a review of Asian green jobs, the Asia Business Council finds that “China possesses the most favorable conditions overall for green job creation.” For EVMT graduates, a green career is not just about the job, but an opportunity to make a positive difference while having a successful career.
For more information of EVMT, please visit:
http://www.evmt.ust.hk/index.html
HKUST to Launch
Interdisciplinary
Environmental Program
School of Engineering Offers
Flexibility in Subject Choice
ENGG-A
Chemical Engineering Civil Engineering Mechanical Engineering
ENGG-B
Computer Science & Engineering Electronic Engineering
Industrial Engineering & Logistic Management
5311 Chemical Engineering 5323 Chemical and Environmental
Engineering
5347 Chemical and Bioproduct Engineering
5361 Civil and Environmental Engineering
5373 Civil Structural Engineering 5610 Mechanical Engineering 5414 Computer Science, 5426 Computer Science (Information Engineering) 5464 Computer Engineering 5517 Electronic Engineering 5529 Electronic Engineering
(Information and Communication Engineering)
5567 Industrial Engineering and Engineering Management 5579 Logistics Management and
Engineering.
Engineering A JUPAS Code: 5505 Abbr. Title: ENGG-A Prog. Duration: 3 years Planned Intake: 61 Engineering B JUPAS Code: 5555 Abbr. Title: ENGG-B Prog. Duration: 3 years Planned Intake: 100 Environmental
Management and Technology JUPAS Code: 5036 Abbr. Title: EVMT Prog. Duration: 3 years Planned Intake: 25
School of Science’s Physics Depart-ment is launching a new general education course “Physics & Movies” in the forthcoming 2010-11 academic year.
As movie-goers, we tend to be muffled by the larger–than-life depictions in movies. Things are so grandiosely portrayed that the line between dreams and reality becomes blurred. Drawing examples from movie clips, participants of the course will
examine critically if the portrayals in selected movie excerpts are in line with scientific laws in the real world — or they are just gimmicks orchestrated to push audiences’ sensory experience to new heights?
Can we “hear” a spaceship move in outer space?
Can the aliens in Predator make themselves invisible, and if so, how ?
Is it possible for a high speed bus to jump over a broken bridge? If yes, how far can it jump?
Students will become discerning audience after the course. They will be able to enjoy movies with a more critical and scientific mind, while learning different aspects of physics knowledge.
HKUST’s School of Business and Management (SBM) has developed a few courses on business case analysis and communications that emphasize applications, critical thinking, team work and
presentation skills across different business disciplines.
Discussions and presentations rather than the traditional chalk-and-board method have become the preferred classroom approach for these courses. Textbook is no longer the Bible and cases are being extensively used. In particular, students would be given ample opportunities to experience the dynamics of business operations through conducting research and give presentations.
These courses include:
LABU101
Business Case Analyses
As a first year course, it is designed to combine the learning of English with the acquisition of Business &
Management knowledge. The process of analyzing and presenting business
cases will hopefully boost students’ confidence in
speaking and presenting their ideas effectively in English, promote interdisciplinary awareness and enhance their critical thinking, analytical and communication skills. At the end of the course, students would be able to apply learnt skills to other business disciplines and their future careers.
BMGB202
Global Business Case Studies
BMGB202 is a more advanced case training course for business students of more senior levels. Students will form groups to analyze business cases and present their findings.
A competition will be organized at
the end of the course to select candidates for international case competitions.
Organizing related
activities
Participating in external business competitions allows students to come up with viable solutions for real business scenarios. SBM encourages students to take part in the
competitions and has been providing every support necessary to help them thrive in the exercises. In the last academic year, a large number of SBM students have gained valuable experience from taking part in a wide array of competitions.
Business Courses to Encourage
Critical Thinking and Application
PROGRAMS AND COURSES PROGRAM AND COURSES
Undergraduate Business Plan Competition jointly organized by SBM and TVB L’Oréal Brandstorm
As a provider of undergraduate education in Science, HKUST’s School of Science (SSCI) is also a passionate driver of science education among youngsters. SSCI founded more than a decade ago the Education Development Program Unit (EDP), a not-for-profit arm of the School specializing in promoting science and mathematics among local youngsters. Designed and taught by SSCI’s faculty and students, these EDP programs, including Science camps, Kids@UST and
Just Science, etc., have attracted more than a thousand participants from all over the territory since their inception.
SSCI is also an avid advocate of gifted education. Since 2001, the School has been collaborating with the “Support Measures for the Exceptionally Gifted Students Scheme” of the Education Bureau and offers a full array of enhancement programs, including Basic Mathematics Enrichment Course, Pre-Olympiad Workshop and Enhancement Program for the Hong Kong Physics Olympiad. To support students participating in Physics Olympiads, some of our faculty members have even been giving them free coaching, helping them to perform in the competition. EDP is also running general education seminars, which have drawn more than 7,000 secondary school participants since its launch.
For more information about EDP’s programs and talks, please click to http://www.edp.ust.hk
Popular Science Programs for Youngsters
Learning Physics
from the
Q: Based on your experience, what advice would you give current HKUST students aspiring a career in politics? A: Compared to the situation a decade ago, today there are many more channels for political
participation. Our students can join the Government as a civil servant. They can also join a political party or work in a Non-government
Organization (NGO).
Joining the Civil Service — the farce that civil servants constitute the largest political party hinges on the fact that civil servants are policy makers. As a civil servant you might be able to influence decisions in the public domain. So students should take this as a viable option. Joining a political party — it has become more common nowadays for
young people to join a local political party. Taking part in direct election is a great training for fresh graduates. It is a humbling yet empowering experience, putting their character and temperament to real test.
Joining a NGO — I recommend our students to talk to their seniors who are currently working at NGOs.
Q: What skill set should our students seek to equip themselves?
A: Subject knowledge keeps
evolving, only soft skills — the ability to get your messages across and the language capabilities in English, Putonghua and Cantonese — can sustain the test of time. As today’s executives in the world of work get a lot more chances to present and express themselves, it’s important to
acquire the ability to think critically, logically and express oneself in a succinct and spontaneous manner.
Q: As a LegCo member and a mother, what are your
concerns on the 3-3-4 reform? A: I think the reform direction of 3-3-4 is correct. It will hopefully help us steer clear of rote learning, a gene embedded into our education system. Under the new senior secondary curriculum, Liberal Studies as a subject will encourage the
development of soft skills. It provides lots of flexibility for free exposition and analysis while freeing students from the bondage of sticking rigidly to prescribed answers. As a LegCo member, I will keep an eye on the situation and help realize the intended goals of this education initiative.
Q: How did HKUST education prepare you for your political career?
A: The data analysis training that accounting studies entails have helped me develop logical thinking skills, invaluable to my life as a Councilor. While still carrying on the volunteering work started in my teen years, I actively participated in a slew of extra- curricular activities at HKUST. I was an Executive Committee Member of the Management Society of Business School and a member of the University’s Debating Team. All these involvements did help boost my management and critical thinking skills.
Yet what I treasure most is the learning- to-learn mindset and research and project management know-how — which lie very much at the core of HKUST’s academic curriculum. Knowledge keeps evolving. It is this capacity for self- learning and self-improvement that gives me the edge in an increasingly complex and competitive world.
Q: HKUST is a young university. As its graduate, will you
consider this an advantage or otherwise?
A: Compared to students of other local universities, HKUST graduates are less bound by established norms and traditions. Encouraged by a district councilor, I took part in District Council’s direct election. I did not have any predecessors’
experience to count on. What really matters is the courage to face
challenges and seizing an opportunity as it pops up.
Like many other HKUST graduates, the University’s academic rigor has
won worldwide acclaim. In the years to come, the University is to groom more and more students of fabulous quality. The transient “shortcoming” that HKUST has yet to carve out and shape its own heritage will become traceless in no time.
Q: How do you view concerns about our students’ political lethargy? What’s your
impression of our students in general?
A: In various occasions I have met many HKUST students. They impressed me as energetic youngsters, eager to take part in extra-curricular activities. Of course they are also tremendously hardworking — in order to meet the exceptionally high parameters HKUST sets for its student. HKUST also impresses me as a great place for learning.
Limited media coverage has misled people to believe that HKUST students are not very much into politics. But there are reasons for this. HKUST does not offer such politics-laden programs as Public Administration, Politics and Communications, and our students tend to voice their social and political concerns in a less radical manner, which invariably generate less attention and coverage from the media. As far as I know, HKUST is never in lack of politically savvy students who are always ready to come to the fore and make their views and political stance known.
In less than two decades, HKUST has churned out tens of
thousands of graduates and many of them are making
outstanding contributions to their professions or creating
an impact in society.
UST LINK will feature an alumni series profiling one
HKUST alumnus at a time. The following interview with
Starry Lee, the first legislative councilor from HKUST,
marks the launch of the series.
From HKUST to LEGCO —
Face to Face with Legislative Councilor
Starry Lee
The Hon Starry Lee Wai-king Graduated from HKUST in 1996, Starry was an Accounting major. She started her first job as an auditor and became Hong Kong’s youngest female District Councilor at the age
of 25. In 2008, she won the Legislative Council Election for the Kowloon West Constituency. She is currently a full-time LegCo member working with a focus on economic, education and developmental matters.
ALUMNI PROFILE ALUMNI PROFILE
Mr Thomas L. Friedman A world-renowned journalist, Mr Thomas L. Friedman has won the Pulitzer Prize thrice for the books he authored, As the foreign-affairs columnist of New York Times, he has written extensively on US politics and foreign policies, global economy and environment issues, as well as Crisis in the Middle East. With his incisive, unrelenting and original commentaries, he is hailed as one of the most influential journalists in the world .
On the occasion of inaugurating HKUST’s Division of
Environment (ENVR), HKUST’s Institute of Advanced Studies (IAS) co-organized a talk with the Division on January 7,2010 with a theme that aptly reflected its mission and work.
Entitled “Reflections on Our Hot, Flat and Crowded World”, the talk was delivered by three-time Pulitzer Prize winner Mr Thomas Friedman, who is known for his best seller “The World is Flat: A Brief History of the 21st
Century”, launched in 2005. In his talk Mr Friedman gave an incisive and provocative account of some of the world’s alarming trends. Friedman explained how global warming, rapidly growing populations, and the astonishing expansion of the world’s middle class through global-ization have produced a planet that is “hot, flat, and crowded.” He said governments of all nations should be tenacious and uncompromising in tackling the global warming issue. He also encouraged the audience in attendance to be vocal in asserting their claims about the environment.
The talk was followed by a discussion session chaired by HKUST President Tony Chan and an exchange session between prospective students and HKUST’s faculty members on its latest undergraduate program in
Environmental Science — BSc in Environmental Management and Technology (EVMT). Since the launch of the program, it has attracted so many applicants that it is ranked second in its competitiveness and third in popularity.
The inaugural ceremony was officiated by the Secretary for the Environment The Hon Edward Yau, Nobel Laureate in Chemistry Sir Harold Kroto, Mr Thomas Friedman, Hang Lung Properties Chairman Mr Ronnie Chan, Civic Exchange CEO Dr Christine Loh,
HKUST President Tony Chan, and Acting Head of ENVR Prof Chak Chan. The talk has drawn many senior secondary school students. A group of University students in London also enjoyed instant access to
Mr Friedman’s talk through web cast. To listen to the talk, please refer to IAS’s program archive at
http://ias.ust.hk/webcast
BUILDING TIES WITH HIGH SCHOOLS CAMPUS LIFE
A total of roughly 80 rounds of dinner gatherings were organized for 258 freshmen from HKUST’s School of Science (SSCI). Entitled “Gwing Gwing Dinner Gathering” and involving freshmen in each round of gathering, SSCI hosted this gathering for the first time to allow its faculty or staff members and freshmen to get to know each other better, on an individual basis.
The dinners provided an excellent occasion for mutual exchanges among students, faculties and staff members of SSCI. While students were briefed on the School’s development plan, resources and aids available, they
were encouraged to communicate their expectations and their needs and concerns on the many different aspects of life on the campus.
While the occasion has amply fulfilled the planned objectives of the dinners, SSCI’s faculty members were pleasantly surprised by the diverse abilities and talents incidentally uncovered through casual chitchats. Amidst this group of new arrivals at HKUST, all booming scientists from Hong Kong, Mainland China and overseas, one was found to be representing Hong Kong as a member of Hong Kong’s Table Tennis Team — there is also a magician, a designing artist, a pianist,
a gymnasium coach and finally, a go champion!
The word Gwing originates from the Chinese word「冏」which has recently emerged to become one of the most heated jargons among Hong Kong youngsters. Gwing as an ancient Chinese word means “big’ “bright” and “fine fairness”. The word epitomizes the expectations SSCI holds for its students — that they will enjoy unlimited access to prosperity and happiness in future.
School of Science Holds
Individualized Orientation Meals
for Students
A culture that the School of Science is working hard to cultivate among students is the humanitarian concern. Half a year after the eruption of the tumultuous Sichuan earthquake, the School led a student delegation to the earthquake stricken areas in Sichuan to bring warmth, friendship and material aids to the earthquake victims. In June 2009, a delegation comprising more than 40 students and faculty members from the School
embarked on an education project in Shifan, one of the worst affected areas in Sichuan. Through conducting lessons in science and mathematics and engaging primary school students in interesting quizzes and experiments, our volunteers had turned hard-to-understand scientific and
mathematical theories and concepts into something reachable and interesting.
The delegation has accomplished a mission impossible. Apart from spreading among people in less developed regions the values and skills involved in science education, HKUST volunteering teachers had helped channel joy and happiness to the stress-trodden kids, providing them with needed temporary reliefs from their disturbing experiences.
The mission was also an eye opener for members of the delegation. Our students learnt to see for themselves the mode of life and production patterns of a farming community. Through observations, discussions, reviews and reflections, the mission would hopefully instill
among students the spirit for human and community
concerns as well as a caring attitude for the needy and
underprivileged.
A Mission in Need is a Mission Indeed
Pulitzer Prize Winner
CAMPUS LIFE CAMPUS LIFE
Engineering students responded enthusiastically to the two activities — Halloween Party and Dodgeball Competition held to promote comradeship among students and faculty members.
Targeted at freshmen admitted through Engineering School’s (SENG)
School-based Admission Scheme (SBA), a Halloween Party for students and faculty members featuring Halloween games and delicacies was held. The occasion also showcased the artistic talents of participants who showed up in Halloween costumes and accessories. Involving a total of 4 competing teams and 33 students, the Dodgeball Competition took place in the Hong Kong Jockey Club Atrium and has attracted an impressive number of
audience and hordes of cheerers from the University community.
With the latest introduction of the SBA, SENG will be further expanding its number of undergraduate programs on offer to 15, the highest among all Schools at HKUST.
In the future, the School will continue to organize more activities for gluing ties among its students and faculty members.
HKUST Connect is an initiative set up in collaboration with non-government organizations in December 2009 to encourage students to actively engage in community service projects. Under HKUST Connect, the
University will join hands with NGOs and educational
institutes to organize community service projects involving students, faculty and staff members.
Students will be able to reach out for experiential learning experiences while faculty and staff will actualize their educational aspirations through guiding students and taking part in the Project.
The involvement of HKUST alumni in this Program as mentors and
coordinators will help preserve a unique HKUST heritage – We serve. We learn. We act. — and pass onto generations of successors a cherished
mission for HKUST.
Please click to http://connect.ust.hk for full details of the Program
HKUST School of Business and Management’s Student Ambassador Program was launched with an aim to allow business students to
return to their alma maters for sharing sessions with juniors. During the sessions, they will help their juniors make wiser and better study options through sharing their experience of studying at HKUST.
This year’s Student Ambassador Program has recruited a total of 120 student ambassadors. Apart from paying visits to secondary
schools, the student ambassadors will also take part in other campus activities including HKUST’s Outreach
Day, campus visits, JUPAS Consultation Day and briefing sessions on interviewing techniques for JUPAS admission. If you are a secondary school principal, teacher or
administrator and interested in organizing similar activities for your school, please write to the School of Business and
Management at
ambassador@ust.hk
Business Student Ambassadors Share Study Experience
Comradeship
among Engineering Students
Forged Through Campus Activities
We Serve. We Learn. We Act.
Mentorship Program Promotes Insights
into Engineering Professions
With a view to building the bond between HKUST Engineering students and the engineering field, the Engineering Students’ Union of HKUST has expanded its partnership base to include more industry leaders — Chun Wo Construction
Company, Dunwell Group, Sengital Limited and CLP Power, etc., into the Engineering Mentorship Program 2009-10. In the first semester, a career workshop, a career talk and 4 corporate visits were organized under the program. The career talk was presented by an HKUST alumnus in engineering Mr Michael
Leung, currently the Marketing Manager of Hilti (HK) Company Limited. In the talk, Mr Leung shared his career path — from being an engineer to a marketing manager — with our students.
COLUMN
WOW! I can’t believe I have completed my first year of undergraduate studies in HKUST. I’ve experienced much more excitement and fun than
anticipated since my arrival on the University campus in August 2008. The campus activities, the
academic and hall life that I have taken part, plus the friends that I’ve met, …everything looks fabulous and exciting, and I must admit I’ve been through a wonderful year.
Being a first year Business student, I’ve always wanted to make the most out of the time that I could spend on events and activities, apart from studying. Below is a brief recap of the memorable events that I’ve taken part. In the fall semester of 2008, I joined a community service project organized by the Rotaract Club of HKUST in concert with an NGO, Sowers Action. During the first two weeks of the project, our team of volunteers planned and organized a fund raising campaign called “Pens for Children”. Our aim was to encourage people to contribute HK$10 towards buying a pen for the children in need. The campaign was a great success as we managed to raise over HK$20,000 (=2,000 pens!) from the UST community in just 3 days.
During winter break, I joined Sowers Action’s working group and visited primary school students in the mountainous areas of Sichuan. It was a daunting trip (as it involved a LOT of rough and jolty journeys), but it was inspiring and meaningful. Throughout the 7-day trip, I visited 10 primary schools in 5 major regions of Sichuan Province, and met more than 500 children in their schools! It was a heart warming experience to see children studying hard and paying full attention to the teachers in classes despite the very tough studying conditions there. I also remembered vividly the joy and excitement the children felt when candies were being handed out for sharing and we took photos together. At some transient moments I felt myself taking up the role of a “Santa Claus” charged with the special mission of delivering joy and peace to these lovely kids. Hohoho……
The remote and isolated villages that these kids dwelt in had little access to modern technology and facilities. In contrast I could not help feeling lucky, as I was brought up in a relatively affluent environment complete with modern infrastructure and facilities. At least, I do not have to walk to school for an hour or so everyday! Those kids are wonderful!
We also went sightseeing in Sichuan after the service trip. I visited “Hai Luo Gou” (Conch Gully), the biggest glacier park in China located in the Gongga Mountains in Western Sichuan. The park where I had my first snowing experience was
stunning! This was also a great place for us to dip into the hot springs and hike into the forests for a glimpse of the beauty of the glacier.
As for the Spring Semester 2009, I was actively involved in the HKUST-Hang Seng Bank Green Ambassador Program. We had conducted several learning trips on environment sustainability, global warming as well as energy conservation. I feel
honoured to be selected a trainee of the program and share my interest in environmental sustainability with like-minded enthusiasts.
Under this program, we completed several green group projects. I was also involved in a few recycling projects to promote reduced usage on paper, plastic and Styrofoam on the campus. In HKUST’s Environment Week held in April, we showed our works to the University community through an exhibition and we turned first runners- up in Hang Seng Bank’s Green Challenge Competition! It was a fun learning experience. I’m glad that I have made an impact to the University community through helping to increase environmental awareness. Apart from these, I’ve also
participated in some other interesting events on the campus. Enjoy this summer everyone! I am sure there’s more to come in my next year of studies and I am looking forward to it!! Chao~~
(The above is an article retrieved from HKUST International Students’ blog. To know more about the campus life of HKUST’s international students, please visit: http://hkustinternational.wordpress.com/)
Recently, I got an email from a student, sharing his university life with me. He told me he was focusing too much on examination results and gradually lost interest in his studies. After attending my class, he developed an interest in statistics and began to enjoy his university life. At the end of his email, he said, “Late is better than never”.
Yes, “Late is better than never”. But if possible, “Early is better than late”.
Helping students to
become RICH
I teach statistics-related subjects in the university. It is challenging to teach a class with students from very diverse backgrounds. Some are good at mathematics while others aren’t —
they might even have an aversion toward the subject. It is difficult to cater for this diversity.
To address this diversity and achieve my teaching goal, I developed an innovative teaching method that combines problem-based learning and constructive alignment (PBL/CA) featuring learning activities that encourage desirable learning outcomes, assessments to validate the outcomes
(constructive alignment) and the
adoption of a full spectrum of classroom activities — peer assessment, case studies, online quizzes, role plays and company projects (problem-based learning). My aim is not only to impart statistical knowledge but to provide learners with a reflective environment that encourages them to understand new ideas, think deeply and participate actively. As teachers we can help
ignite students’ interests in learning statistics irrespec-tive of their level of knowl-edge. Hopefully at the end of my course they will develop an interest in statistics and become confident and independent learners.
The best way to share my knowledge with students is to befriend them. I wish to help my students realize their potentials and manage learning with the right attitude and guide my students in their career choice. It is hoped that all that have taken place in the classroom and what I have done to engage and help my students will make my students “RICH”: Refresh (what they have learnt); Innovative; Contributing (to the society with their knowledge); and Happy (experiencing the joy of learning).
Suggestions to prospective
university students
Below is my advice to prospective university students:
1. Manage your time sensibly; 2. Develop strong sense of curiosity –
e.g. by reading more books and raising more questions;
3. Focus more on the quality (instead of quantity) of works;
4. Develop your creativity; 5. Keep track of what’s going on in
the world and around us– e.g. by reading newspapers.
6. Improve your communication skills – e.g. by engaging in discussions or taking part in community services. University life can be one of the most rewarding experiences for students. Get the most out of it! I always teach students to use diversification methods to manage risk. The concept is also applicable to managing university life. While putting all efforts in academic studies, we might as well strive to be more all-rounded and live a balanced life.
COLUMN
Recap
Of a Memorable Year
Sherlyn Khor, Malaysia (BBA, Year 2)
On Helping My Students to Become
RICH
Mike So, Director of the Risk Management and Business Intelligence Program
Prof Mike SO is an Associate Professor of ISOM Department of HKUST. He has been actively involved in various teaching development projects. His interests in teaching include problem-based learning and students' approaches to learning. He is a nine-time recipient of the Best Ten Lecturers, a winner of the Franklin Prize for Teaching Excellence, a winner of the Awards for Excellence in Teaching Innovation and a
FUTURE EVENTS FUTURE EVENTS
Starting from the academic year 2009-10, the School of Science (SSCI) has launched a seminar series to empower our under- graduates with the ability to observe, think and critically analyze events around us.
Entitled “Knowledge without Border”, the seminar series will invite
celebrities, gurus and professional leaders to expound on a full spectrum of issues and topics of concerns. Up to March 2010, a total of 6 talks have been organized, covering the following topics:
• (Popular culture) “Dissecting the Chrissie Chau Phenomenon” which generated a lot of discussion in society;
• (Current affairs) “The Resignation of Five District Legislators: the Road to Universal Suffrage?”;
• (Self growth and development) “The INTOLERABLES in the Eyes of Employers”;
• (Self growth and development) “What does the Future Hold for This Generation’s University Students?”;
• (Contemporary history) “Sun Yat- sen’s Thinking and Hong Kong”; • (Environmental
protection) “Global Climate Change — What is our Concern?”. In the near future, the seminar series will extend to even farther domains including history, culture and art and literature — spheres of knowledge that science students rarely intrude, including: • (Chinese traditional art)
Famous writer and Kun Opera expert Mr Kenneth Pai Hsien-yung will lecture on “Kun Opera and Literature”;
• (Literature) Mainland writer Liu Zaifu will talk about his life as a literary writer;
• (Contemporary Chinese history) Members of the Dongjiang
Guerrilla, a troop that played a key role in the war against Japanese invasion in Southern China, will
relate their guerrilla warfare mounted in the period;
• (Finance and economics) Mr Joseph Yam Chi-kwong, formerly Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority will be at HKUST to address on the operation and mechanism of Hong Kong’s financial market.
As the name of the seminar series indicates, there are no boundaries for the pursuit of knowledge. As one of the endeavors of SSCI to help students explore and extend their potentials and promote their holistic growth, the seminar series will hopefully breed better interests in and sensitivity towards current affairs and broaden their knowledge base.
Senior secondary school students now have a chance to sample university business education and get career advice through joining HKUST’s “Business YoungStars” Program. Now in its second year and, with an expanded program content, successful
applicants will be able to have a taste of university life through taking university courses and participating in a full spectrum of activities — business lectures, business etiquette workshops, talks, peer mentorship and a residential camp at HKUST. The first round of recruitment exercise, completed in November 2009, has attracted more than 500 SS1 students. Apart from attending talks, seminars and activties held on HKUST campus, students will be participating in a summer residential camp in 2010 to have a taste of university.
Recruitment drive for the second round of “Business YoungStars” is due to start in September 2010.
Stay tuned to the news at
http://www.bm.ust.hk/ug/stars/index.html
School of Business and Management
in the Search for
Business YoungStars
A university — the place for the pursuit of knowledge of a higher order — is usually so
mystery-enshrouded that people used to call it an “Ivory Tower”.
There is now an excellent chance for you to take a glimpse of lives at one of the youngest universities in Hong Kong — HKUST on its Outreach Day,
scheduled to take place on September 18, 2010. On the day you will be treated to a torrent of fun activities and programs that cover campus tours, visits, talks, student performances, games, and exhibitions — organized to help you understand better our
undergraduate programs and get a pictorial impression of life on HKUST campus.
Get questions about an education at HKUST? Just approach our students, staff and faculty members
manning the booths or at an office during your tour, you will be pampered!
Mark it on your dairy now — it’s September 18, 2010 (Saturday).
