HONG KONG UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY VOL.14 NO.4 MAY 2003
n this time of adve rs it y a nd c o n c e r n , t h e HKUST community is united in its efforts to overcome the threat posed by Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS).
The SARS outbreak took Hong Kong and the world unawares. The University activated a management action plan on 25 March for prevention of the disease and the monitoring of cases. Some of the earliest initiatives included convening the SARS Task Group of the HKUST Emergency Management Task Force, the launch of the SARS Bulletin on our website (www.ust.hk/sars/), and the implementation of a rigorous,
round-the-clo ck campus cleaning
program.
“We need help to keep the out-break under con-trol and have the University com-munity working together to stop its spread onto our campus,” said Dr Joe Kwan, Director of the HKUST Safety and Environmental Protection Office (SEPO), and Chairman of the SARS Task Group. “Tracking, early reporting and a proactive response remain key,” he explained.
The ability to be flexible and innovative has also been an important element in the HKUST community’s response to the SARS threat. For instance, faculty and staff from the Information Technology Services Center, the Center for Enhanced Learning and Teaching, the Publishing Tech-nology Center and Cyber Univer-sity Project Group teamed up to provide online lectures for stu-dents after the suspension of
computers at home,” said Prof T C Pong, As-sociate Vice-President for Academic Affairs. “So it was a logical, albeit challenging proc-ess, to deliver lectures online.”
“Video lectures are an excellent alternative learning opportunity for students,” said Visit-ing Humanities Scholar, Dr Sasha Vojkovic, whose class on cinematic representation, “Hollywood Saving the World,” went online from 10 April.
Prof Pong agreed: “The medium is ideal given the circumstances, especially for large classes. In a lecture for 200 students not everyone can have a say. Whereas online, chatrooms quickly develop in which students can communicate and share ideas long after the class is over.”
Faculty were encouraged to use the Internet to replace face-to-face lectures and tutorials even after classes resumed on 14 April. Lec-tures are being archived and can be retrieved by students via the Internet at any time of the day or night. And for students with no home Internet connection, CD-ROMs of lectures are also available.
Other University services are benefiting the wider community. The University’s Education Development Program is providing online support in a variety of science subjects to Hong Kong’s home-based secondary school students, and the HKUST SARS Bulletin is ac-cessible to the general public over the Internet for the latest information on the illness.
“SARS has been more than a pure public health challenge,” Dr Kwan concluded.“It has been heart warming to see so many different people and departments working together to tackle various technical and administrative issues essential for us all to get through this difficult period.”
I
HKUST community strives to overcome
SARS threat
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
AIDS pioneer gives leadership lecture... 2
Accolades from around the world... 2
International media art project ...3
Tech leaders symposium ... 3
n 21 March the University was pleased to welcome to campus Dr David Ho, the renowned US scien-tist who devised the triple cocktail therapy for the treatment of AIDS, founding Scienti-fic Director and CEO of the Aaron Diamond AIDS Research Center, and Irene Diamond Professor at The Rockefeller University.
During a brief stopover in Hong Kong, Dr Ho kindly found time to give a lecture to stu-dents pursuing the Innovation and Leader-ship in the 21st Century program, entitled “The Global AIDS Crisis and its Threat to China”.
Hundreds of students, staff and faculty filled the Chow Tak Sin Lecture Theater. Dr Ho then began his lecture with a broad ex-planation of AIDS, its spread around the
globe and his development of the triple cocktail approach to the treatment of the disease.
Dr Ho also explained how AIDS had spread through China and used photographs that he had collected showing bereaved fami-lies to emphasize the tragedy inflicted by the disease. During an engaging question and answer session, students sought opinions and answers from Dr Ho on a variety of issues, including the ethical question of whether pharmaceutical companies should provide cheap drugs to the third world.
The Innovation and Leadership in the 21st Century program is a new general education course conceived by Council member Mr Ronnie Chan and President Prof
Paul Ching-Wu Chu. Other distinguished speakers during the course will include Kerstin Leitner, Head of the United Nations D e v e l o p m e n t
P r o g r a m , a n d Philip Chen, CEO of Cathay Pacific Airways.
AIDS pioneer gives leadership lecture
GENESIS, 5 MAY 2003
2
H
O
Recognition around the world
Prof Jingsong Huang (second row, middle) at the award presentation with Chinese leaders.
KUST faculty contin-ue to reap accolades around the world. Prof Ping Cheng, Professor of Mechanical Engineering, has recently been selected as the recipient of the prestigious AIAA Thermophysics Award in recognition of his con-tribution in thermophysics literature relating to aerospace applications. The award is given by the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA), the world’s largest professional society devoted to the progress of engineering and science in aviation, space and defense.
Prof Cheng will be presented the award during the 36th AIAA Thermophysics Conference to be held in Orlando, Florida from 23 to 26 June, at which he will also deliver a
p l e n a r y l e c t u r e o n “Transport Phenomena in Microsystems”.
At the national level, Prof Jingsong Huang, Pro-fessor of Mathematics, was conferred the 2002 State Natural Science Award (SNSA), second class, for his fundamental contribu-tion to research on group representation theory and harmonic analysis. He received his certificate from then Premier Zhu Rongji at a ceremony held in Beijing on 28 February. The SNSA is part of the State Science and Tech-nology Awards and is the highest honor in natural sciences presented by the State Council in China.
Locally, Prof Tong-Yi Zhang, Professor of Mechanical Engineering, and Prof Mingjie Zhang, Associate Professor of Biochemistry, were among five Hong Kong scholars who received this year’s Croucher Senior Research Fellowship awards on 27 March for their contributions in material sci-ence and biochemistry, respectively. Established in 1997, the Croucher Senior Research Fellow-ships scheme recognizes research achievements made by local scientists. Awardees are released from teaching and administrative duties for a year to concentrate on research.
International art project swings by campus
o n g Ko n g h a s been selected to represent its time zone in an international high-tech media art proj-ect. On 3 March, Austrian concept and media artist Hofstetter Kurt visited
HKUST to unveil his latest “Time-Eye” in-stallation, part of a work-in-progress known as“Sunpendulum”.
Sunpendulum is a project of truly interna-tional proportions. It entails the installation of “Time Eye” video cameras in 12 different time zones around the world. Each camera will capture the chronological passage of time and sun, night and day, from its loca-tion. The image will then be transmitted over the Internet to be projected onto one of 12 television screens arranged in a circle and housed in a specially designed pavilion that contains no natural light.
Explaining the concept Mr Kurt said: “A sunclock is being created. With the rotation
of the Earth, the sun-light is moving within the circle of the televi-sion screens. In the inner circle day and night can be experi-enced in parallels at the same time.” Time Eyes have already been installed in eight countries, including the US, Mexico, Bermuda, Egypt, Portugal and the United Arab Emirates. “The project is multidisci-plinary and multinational,” Mr Kurt told Genesis.“We’re working together to build an academic network that crosses borders and stimulates cross-cultural exchange. So when we decided to position a Time Eye in Hong Kong, HKUST was the natural place to come for assistance.”
At the ceremony to launch the HKUST Time Eye, President Prof Paul
Ching-Wu Chu welcomed Mr Kurt and the other distinguished guests, including the Austrian Consul General to Hong Kong, Dr Brigitta Blaha-Silva, and the Head of the Aus-trian National Tourist Office in Beijing, Mr Josef Stockinger.
Prof Otto Lin, Vice-President for Research and Development, said: “The University is proud to take part in the Sunpendulum project, which is helping to put Hong Kong on the world’s innovative and
high-tech media art scene.”
H
From 15 to 19 March, the University hosted the Hong Kong leg of this year’s Glob-al Tech Leaders Symposium (GTLS), a high-tech leader-ship development program for engineering, computer science, business and tech-nology students at both undergraduate and post-graduate levels.
Sponsored by Arizona State University’s International Corporate Lead-ers Programme, the Symposium brought together top students from Rice and Arizona State Universities in the US, and HKUST.
Participants took part in four days of technology related work experi-ence and activities. These included a tour of the airport, a visit to CSX World Terminals, and a morning at the I-SWAT after school homework club run by the Hong Kong Family Welfare Society New Arrivals Project Centre.
At the homework club, which helps immigrant children become famili-ar with new technology, GTLS pfamili-articipants donated and installed a new computer. The 12 HKUST students attending the Symposium also donat-ed HK$200 each to the Community Chest, demonstrating how donat-education benefits not just individuals, but society at large.
On leaving Hong Kong, the American delegates proceeded to Singa-pore, where the Symposium continued until 23 March.
Top tech students convene
for symposium
Artist Hofstetter Kurt and his Time Eye, located on the roof of the Annex building.
The recruitment process for Form 6 students seek-ing to join the 2003 Early Admissions Scheme (EAS) has been completed. The University offered places on the scheme to 34 applicants, and all were accepted.
This intake is HKUST's second for the EAS. A to-tal of 339 students applied and candidates were invited to attend interviews and a reception with President Prof Paul Ching-Wu Chu at HKUST on 15 and 16 March. Offers were posted on the JUPAS website from 16 April.
Unlike last year, for 2003 entry the Government imposed no quota on the number of candidates that the University can accept. Students applied to the broad spectrum of Schools, with the Global Business and new four-year dual Engineering and Business Administration degree programs proving especially popular.
EAS recruitment
completed
EAS recruitment
completed
GENESIS, 5 MAY 2003
4
arch was a busy period for campus visits, with senior representatives from both the Croucher Founda-tion and the Hong Kong Women Professionals & Entrepreneurs Association (HKWPEA) touring HKUST and our facilities.
On 28 March, HKUST President Prof Paul Ching-Wu Chu welcomed Chairman Prof Y W Kan, Vice-Chairman Mr Ian MacCallum, and other Croucher Foundation trustees to campus. During the visit the party attended briefings at the Microelectronics Fabrication Facility, Biotechnology Research Institute, and Institute of Nano Science and Technolo-gy. Prof Chu later hosted a dinner at the Presi-dent’s Lodge for the honored guests.
The Croucher Foundation specializes in promoting the standard of natural sciences, technology and medicine in Hong Kong through awards and grants to scientists serv-ing the SAR community. This year two of HKUST’s faculty received Croucher Senior Research Fellowships (see page 2).
A delegation of 33 guests from the HKWPEA visited HKUST on 29 March (below). Led by their President Ms Eva Cheng, Regional Chief Executive of Amway Greater China, the visitors included direc-tors, partners, and senior adm i nis t r ators f rom both the public and
private sectors. The Association was formed in 1996 to enhance profes-s i on a l profes-s t a n d a rd profes-s , training and busi-ness opportunities and to consolidate mutual support for professional women
in Hong Kong . Delegates noted that HKUST has also contributed to increas-ing opportunities for women in Hong Kong, particularly in engineering, sci-ence, technology and business. In 1991, 26% of our undergraduates in these fields were female; by 2002 that figure had risen to over 40%.
M
Delegations visit campus
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׳ۍքઠĶߎɈכɣɻജΔਂؿޢӠೕ
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Senior Editor Barbara Yang Editors Ivan Broadhead, Bosco Wong Design & Production Publishing Technology Center
Genesis is published by the Office of
University Development and Public Affairs to keep members of the HKUST community in touch with
University news and views. The next issue of Genesis will be published on
9 June 2003. Contributions are welcome,
but must be received at least three weeks before publication date either by fax at 2358-0537,or by
email at [email protected]
Ɏ౨ੀכα˂ ˀˮخe ්ΔʔcᚭٴҙᆨeԞᆨᇼඨभ
cֶཋ൯[email protected] ࿀ᆨˀ౨iˮخکɍ൪e
©2003 by Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. All rights reserved.
G E N E S I S http://www.ust.hk/genesis ȿޫɣιࡗྦྷነϽཕᓤΔؿ ෮Ӯcɣነೕࢄၤʔͳԑ৻୮Ε˂ ˀϭ˂ˀஉ͓෮Ӯጺ၉ࠒcᑼᇼነ ́ઠᓻࡗᓒᙴΔ༅ࢿೕٲ෮Ӯe ୮ٽధ܆ɤɡΕ၉ࠒɐ႓i§ነϽཕ ᓤܰޫɣȹαȹ۹ؿଞԑcٲଓพ ነؿιగcԎ˘ၤࡼٽdمผሑ༠ඨ ఌʗԔ҈ࠨؿ௩ࢧe࣎ʿȹΉߎɈԚᓤ ΕᗲആዸؿࣩɎ൬Ϸeωνඑؿ෮ ӮੀτХ࣎ʿҝഁΔΪખcԚᓤҡጘ ѧഁe¨ ෮Ӯጺ၉ࠒʗПͶᐾࠗಋᑩผɣ ਦʥЄഁጫөᎂАݯᓤΔؿᒨ ࠉԹcԎڃτ˞өᎂАݯᓤΔؿஉ ߮ล֨Ӯ྇c˞ʥԭΔؿϽᇁખc Ԝޫɣιࡗϣe ༅ࢿᛷ͐iࠗಋᑩผɣਦԮτ ؿϬಳౡᜮיؿΔcᜑነ۪ ˿˞ᜮᓤଞؗcᄈ˱ᆅባࣩeಳϤc יؿྊ͛ผ˥ᓤࢀמՇʨࣩ̔ވ ኁࠑɳᒹeԝΣȾ։ነϽཕᓤ౨ ංcੜई˵տ࠰ࠓᗲࠇᄧᚊࠑᚊӡؿ ኧАcԎ˘˥ʗԞႝԷɺሬeϊ̔c ɣਦʑτɺʭܸ ϽڂᖄԞႝؿ഼ ᇃe࣎ʿɰΕΈ ܸϽສɣဌྭ ཋ഼ዀcᜑࡼٽ ጱʤ˿˞ᜮޜ ᓤ༦ೡeಳϤ ᚋਐਿࡼ༦ࠓ ݞᅡᏃ೩ಡ܃ ٲ͐iͅכɣਦ ۺ ዾ ࿚ ؿ ࠉ Թcᗒ˞ҝഁʨࣩιؿᄧᚊe Єഁጫөᎂ˞֡౦ᐾϷɊ՚α࣎ ιࡗၙᎁdޫɣɊα࣎ʤɝɁࡽ೩ଞผe ΣᏵፕݯነϽཕᓤΔc࣎ʿੀผ˱ ࠑᚊӡcొʠࠑᚊሔॖcԎ˘ҝഁ ͮ˞ᙘᄧ߬ұc˞ʥஉҡΛˮɟc ৻ұҐөᎂЗສιݯᗲϤඊࠇؿᓤ Δe ࿀ϭ࿀ᆨکc༩Ͻޫɣι ࡗΕ၉ࠒɐೕٲ෮ӮeԯɻɣΛᅕፕእࠗ ಋᑩผɣਦݯነϽཕᓤؿΔe
H ome Affairs
Mr Kum Chun Hui (ISO) is pleased to announce the birth of a daughter, To Yan Hui, on 21 February 2003.
