contents
01
I
Foreword
President's Message
02
I
Feature
Increasing numbers of alumni are choosing careers in creative industries - Jessica Ho and Jane U are both immensely popular presenters with Commercial Radio
08
I
The HKUST Edge
Division of Life Science researchers have achieved a significant breakthrough that will help in the fight against diseases such as autism and schizophrenia
1 O
I
Giving Back
HKUST receives a record HK$100 million donation from an alumnus -here's how you, too, can make a contribution, however big or small
12
I
Global Horizons
14
I
lnsight
Student Leung Oi Man is one of Hong Kong's top young show jumpers - and enjoyed a successful summer in the saddle
New Alumni Association President Dicky Yuen introduces his vision for the next two years
16
I
Event Roundup
19
I
Class Notes
22
I
New Look
Upcoming developments on campus
ffi
THE HONG KONG UNMRSI1Y OF
W
SCIENCE
AND
TECHNOLOGY
Published by Development & Alumni Office
The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
Clear Waler Bay, Kowloon, Hoog Koog Tel: (852) 2358 6158 Fax: (852) 3743 0939 Email: aJumni@ust.hk http://aJum.ust.hk
[!]II!]
::.,_
[!] ..
I was thrilled to meet
many enthusiastic alumni at the 25th anniversary
celebration banquet
- the highlight of our
celebrations.
Foreword
Dear alumni,
T
he celebrations for our 25th anniversary are continuing, and I have particularly enjoyed the opportunity to meet up with alumni at various events, including the banquet in June. It is very important for us to keep in touch with alumni, and it is always fascinating hearing your news of what you have achieved since graduating.Strengthening the bonds between our graduates and the University is essential, and the Alumni Association has a critical role to play here. We recently welcomed a new committee, and I'd like to congratulate Dicky Yuen for being elected President for the next two years. My heartfelt thanks go to Alvin Lam who led the Alumni Association for the past four years.
Our alumni force is not only growing in size, but in strength, too. HKUST has risen one place to 13th worldwide and No. 1 in Greater China in the annual Global Employability University Ranking this year. I am very proud of our alumni, who continue to be ranked amongst the most competitive and desirable employees in the global job market.
The giving spirit of our alumni is further heightened by the recent donation of HK$100 million to the University - a very generous gift from an alumnus from the School of Business and Management, who prefers to remain anonymous. This is the biggest single donation made by any HKUST alumnus, and everyone at the University is impressed by his dedication and unfailing support.
Our cover story for this issue features two alumni with whom many of you may be familiar: Jessica Ho and Jane Li are now both high-profile, popular radio presenters. It is another indication of the growing power of our alumni that our talents are moving Into diverse careers - and that the all-round education provided by the University helped nurture their enthusiasm to develop and willingness to work hard.
It just remains for me to convey to you all my warmest wishes for a happy, healthy and prosperous New Year and Chinese New Year!
Best regards,
Professor Tony F Chan President
Feature
BROADCASTING
Their
Success
HKUST is well known
for nurturing talents
in the
fields of business, science and
technology, but there are a
growing number of alumni who
have forged careers in a very
different direction
-show business. Jessica Ho
and Jane
Li
are both highly
regarded presenters with
Commercial Radio, with big
followings for their respective
popular
programs.
2 HKUST Alumni News 2016...
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ost students after completing their studies find
a position within the industry or academia most relevant to their degree, which at HKUST means
M
either in business, technology or the sciences. Butfor others, a different path opens up. Jessica Ho (BSc Chemistry) and Jane Li (BBA Marketing) are two such alumni - and, by
coincidence, both are working in show business as presenters with
Commercial Radio. They may not be specifically using knowledge gained from their time at HKUST. but both nevertheless appreciate
the experience of having been students at the University, and are
able to use principles learned here in their new lives.
Jessica's professional name is Jessica Tse Sai Ka (~tiOl),
and she is best known for presenting the weekday show Ultimate
Song Chart Awards, along with Sai Ka Air Travel on Saturdays. She
is also assistant director of 903 at the radio station, responsible for
coordination and liaison behind the scenes, and is an avid traveler who has published travel books, has a travel app and used to own a bed & breakfast (B&B) business in Taiwan.
"My original plan was to study journalism, as it is most helpful for
a job in broadcasting, but my exam results weren't good enough," says Jessica. "I got a good grade in chemistry, so it seemed natural to study that. HKUST is well known for its science programs and I am
proud to be a science alumna. One of the aspects I really appreciated
was the program of minor subjects; I took topics such
as
culturalstudies and logical thinking - and
got better grades than in my
major!" Armed with her chemistry degree, she began her working
life in a pharmaceutical company
- until a DJ competition tweaked
her interest.
VALUABLE LESSONS "One day I noticed Commercial
Radio was organizing a DJ competition, which only required participants to write a self-introduction and to record a music
demo. So I took part and unexpectedly won!" Jessica is now a well-established show business figure, who has many years of experience behind her - she is like the DJs she loved listening to in her childhood. "I loved how DJs always talked about which movies they had watched or where they'd had good food," she says, admitting she used to think that working as a DJ would be easy.
"Obviously this was my misunderstanding. Now I know they have to do lots of research and information gathering for the job."
After this oompetition success. Jessica's career path changed,
but that does not minimize the impact of attending HKUST. "The
three years I spent at the University totally changed me. I was shy and quiet, but living in the dormitory there were many chances to
communicate with others. The boys and girls who lived on two
floors would cook together, and we always gossiped about what
Feature
was happening on campus. Now, when I reflect on why I love
traveling so much, I would say it's because I very much enjoyed my life in the dormitory. And this is why I owned a B&B in Taiwan - it is like a dormitory for travelers."
She also appreciates the connections she made through her tertiary education. "The classes were smaller in those days and so
everybody was very close to each other. Now when I meet someone
who also graduated from HKUST, I feel doser to them because we have
that oonnection." Another valuable lesson Jessica learned at HKUST
was to be adaptable. ''When I travel it's impossible to plan everything
aiead. You have to keep adjusting acoording to different situations."
GETTING THE TRAVEL BUG
As for traveling, she says it is an extension of the same sel
f-discovery process when studying. "I love traveling as it is also a lif e-long learning process. You learn a lot. Traveling will change you and
help you grow." She admits that opening the B&B business in Yi Ian
was risky. "At first, when I asked my father to stay there. he told me the location was too remote to attract visitors. But the scenery
is very good - I didn't think about making money, but merely for satisfaction. It is a challenge I gave myself."
Jessica has hosted a number of lV programs featuring
countries including Fuji, Turkey, Inner Mongolia and India, and
recently finished shooting in Argentina. "Northern Europe is my next destination and I'm now planning the itinerary. My dream is to travel to the Amazon rainforest to visit the indigenous people," she says.
Sai Ka Air Travel's app was at one point the most downloaded on the internet in Hong Kong. Her latest project is D-escape, an
online collaboration with Commercial Radio to be launched in
2017. "It is to encourage people to 'dare to escape'. It has some special travel ideas such as a trip to Bhutan or a river cruise, which
offers insights to people keen on traveling," she says. She has also
published a number of travel books, which are in the form of travel
notes about her unique travel experiences, rather than conventional travel guides.
She offers her advice to today's students: "I want to tell young
graduates that it doesn't matter what they study, the most important
thing is to expand their horizons. They have to know that they
shouldn't set any boundaries for themselves, and they shouldn't
limit themselves to the choice of the opportunities for their future."
Feature
AUDIENCE ENGAGEMENT
It is understandable why Jane U, known by her Chinese name that
translates as "Watermelon" (WJ].), has flourished in a business that depends on communication - she is cheerful and talkative, and is a natural with young people. Although she is low key about her
connections, there is show business in her blood: her mother is singer, producer and radio personality Sandy Lamb, her uncle Jan
Lamb is a hugely popular presenter, pop singer and actor, while her uncle Jeny Lamb and aunt Lily Hong are also artistes. Not
surprisingly, she has loved pop music since she was very small!
At HKUST she majored in Marketing at the School of Business.
"I realized that it was very competitive to get a management trainee
post. I discovered I was not an ambitious business person, whereas my classmates were very determined to get into PR firms or advertising agencies."
A job application to the marketing department of Commercial Radio brought an unexpected result. "Maybe they thought I didn't
look like a smart businesswoman, so they asked if I was interested
to try a position associated with creativity," says Jane. "That's how
I started working in Skyhigh Creative Partners, a social enterprise supported by the Hong Kong Jockey Club, St. James' Settlement
and Commercial Radio to nurture creative young talents." Six months later, she joined Commercial Radio online marketing, and soon got the chance to work as a presenter. Currently she presents
Hey, Learners!, an early morning weekday show for youngsters and students, and Wondermelon, a Saturday program showcasing pop songs from around the world.
One might not think that there is a link between marketing and being a radio presenter, but Jane points out that her studies have
proved useful. "I took the BBA program as the first step to get to know more about society. There are plenty of programs that talk
6 HKUST Alumni News 2016
mainly about theories, while the BBA is half about theories and half about implementation. Thanks to this program, I acquired a good
sense about marketing, such as positioning, targeted markets and so on. Marketing is about how to implement your thoughts, how to present your ideas to your customers, while the presentations must
be short and precise. When I prepare for my radio program, besides
making my listeners happy, I think about what kind of audience I attract. I prepare topics for my targeted audience. I am applying
what I learnt from the University to my job."
ENHANCING COMPETITIVENESS
She is diligent and well-planned, and is always seeking to improve herself and be more competitive. Apart from being a presenter, she often takes up other roles such as event emcee and dubbing work. "I am always encouraged by the positive reactions of my listeners.
It reminds me that my role is to give others a comfortable
feeling, to let them know there
is hope in every day. I need the audience to remind me of my value. Sometimes people on the
street say thank you to me, or people leave a positive comment on Facebook, and I am satisfied.
I don't mind even if it is a criticism,
as this could push me to improve."
The habit of doing an annual appraisal, recommended by Business School professors, has proved useful. "When I reflected what I did and what I set as my goal for this year, I realized I must be more
sensitive to the market and the audience. The broadcasting industry is very competitive and very challenging, it is important to enhance my own competitiveness, to help leverage the company, to engage my audience."
Jane also wishes to offer a few words to today's students and new graduates. She enjoyed her time at HKUST and is still in touch with many of the friends she made there. "I'm not as young as a newcomer to the industry, but I'm still hosting a program for students. So this is my advice to students: ask yourself questions as to how you can improve yourself, what do you need to make yourself more competitive, such as should I continue studying, should I learn
another language, should I explore more of the world? These are ways to make oneself more valuable in your life and your career."
The HKUST Edge
A
breakthrough
that
co
ntr
ibu
tes
significantly
to the understand
ing
of
how neurop
sych
iat
r
ic
disorders
o
cc
ur has been
achieved
by researche
rs
from the
Division
of
Life
Science.
T earn
lead
e
r Prof Mingji
e
Zhang
talk
s
abt>ut the
w
o
rk
that
led
to-this
discovery, what
in
spired
him to
s
tudy the human
brain and
the
ro
l
e
played by HKUST.
B HKUST Alumni News 2016
A
research Professor of team led by Prof Science of Mingjie the Division of Life Zhang, Kerry Holdings Science,has achieved a breakthrough that provides insight into the causes that can lead to the development of various
neuropsychiatric disorders such as autism, intellectual disorders
and schizophrenia. The potential benefits of this discovery are
significant as hopefully it will lead to greater understanding of
and treatments for these disorders.
Neurons in the brain are wired via micron-sized connection units called synapses; each synapse contains a layer of densely
packed, protein-rich compartments called postsynaptic
densities (PSD), which is responsible for brain-signal processing
to scientists for 60 years, how PSDs form and change in response to brain activities is poorly understood.
Unexpected Findings
In Prof Zhang's study, the team discovered that two abundant protein molecules in PSDs - SynGAP and PSD-95 - that are known to cause autism when genetic mutations alter the molecules'
interactions, can form an autonomously assembled network
structure. Most surprisingly, the protein assembly can form stable "oil-like" droplets in living cells via a phenomenon called phase transition - Prof Zhang likens this to how vinegar acts when dropped
into olive oil. Importantly, the team also found that defects of the
proteins identified in brains of autistic patients alter the formation of these so-called droplets and thus change the synaptic signaling activity of neurons - a mechanism that may
explain the cause of the genetic disease.
"Our studies led to an unexpected finding that sees a very fundamental physical
phenomenon called phase transition in living
neurons to place different functional units
at specific cellular locations," Prof Zhang says. "Our work also provides insights into
why genetic mutations altering the interactions of proteins can contribute to a spectrum of central nervous system diseases that currently have no treatments."
Prof Zhang, an internationally renowned structural biologist published extensively in prestigious journals including Science,
Cell and Nature Structural Biology, has
been working on this area of research since he came to HKUST 20 years ago. "We've
been working on it one step at a time, to understand how these protein interactions happen and to understand their structures.
We are working on this one pair at the moment - but we need to
find out if it represents a general underlying principle and we need to validate it and find more underlying principles. Ultimately, we want our research to be useful to people - we hope our work can be used
as a foundation for clinicians and drug companies."
Inspired by Life's Complexities
While this aspect of his research is important to Prof Zhang, he also acknowledges that what really inspires him in his work is the beauty
of life. "It is this beauty, this complexity that attracts me to life science.
It has taken billions of years of evolution for life to get here today, but only in the last few hundred years has the discipline of science sought to understand it - and modem molecular biology as a discipline is
itself only about 60 years old. I have a great curiosity - why I have two
eyes, why my two eyes allow me to perceive this colorful world with such precision and speed, how my brain interprets pictures viewed by
The HKUST Edge
my eyes, etcetra - and if I can spend my career trying to understand some of these things, then that is my key motivation."
Prof Zhang grew up in a poor farming family in Ningbo. "I simply wanted to go to college so I wouldn't have to work in farming. But then when I was studying, I started to see interesting things. I majored in
chemistry at first, but then changed to life science for my PhD studies."
He opines that the biggest challenges in science are in life science, and that brain research is the biggest challenge in life science and medicine. "This is the frontier," he says. "When I came to HKUST, I decided to pick an area that is most fascinating and also extremely challenging - and that is our own brain."
Scientific Excellence
His team's research has helped put HKUST's Division of Life Science in the forefront of the international
research community; they are already collaborating with researchers at Johns
Hopkins University, MrT, Duke University,
among others. "HKUST has been very encouraging in giving me the opportunity
to pursue my interest," he says. "Here there
is an intellectual environment that supports scientific excellence. Young scientists can grow a career at HKUST." He notes that
as a young institution itself, the University
is willing to take on challenges and is also able to attract very good students. "This is crucial. I have more than 10 graduates who have now established their 01Nn labs in different parts of the world - it is important to provide training for these young scientists to flourish."
As the named Kerry Holdings
Professor of Science, Prof Zhang is also eager to highlight the assistance given
by Kerry Holdings Limited. "I'd like to thank founder Mr Robert Kuok
for his generosity in allowing me to pursue something not bounded
by conditions. Sometimes you have to take an unconventional
approach, you just have a hunch, so this is very useful. It has helped
me build a team of top-notch people."
While all members of the current team make invaluable contributions, Prof Zhang likes to highlight one person in particular - Dr Zeng Menglong, who obtained his PhD degree just a couple of months ago and has made key contributions to the project
described. "I recruited him a little over five years ago from Shanghai.
His grades weren't the best, but from the interview I knew I wanted
him. He is exceptional and smart, with a desire to pursue unknowns,
eager to experiment something new." Prof Zhang knows that Dr
Zeng will, in turn, move on into the wider scientific community - but he is proud to have been able to help an exceptional student on his way. That, after all, is part of the beauty of life!
Giving Back
Your SupP,ort
Helps Us Grow!
Here
i
s
thril
l
ing news:
an alumn
u
s
from the School
of
Bus
i
ness and Management
re
ce
ntly
donated
HK$100 million to HKUST! Th
is
i
s
the
biggest
si
ngle
contr
ibution made
by
any alumnus ever in
th
e
history
of
the
University.
I
n other encouraging news, we have already reached our target for the Alumni Endowment Fund (AEF) - over HK$25 million has been raised in celebration of HKUST's 25th anniversary. The strong cohesion and concerted efforts of our alumni community is in evidence, and will go towards supporting an array of initiatives for the benefit of students.HKUST would like to thank all alumni donors who make the effort to give back to their alma mater in one form or another. All share a
common passion to enhance the University's global vision.
With the growth of the AEF, alumni are offering support and having an impact in a variety of ways. Among the latest initiatives are:
Fund Establishment
The Yeung Wing Yee
Entrepreneurs Fund: Alumnus Yeung Wing Yee established this fund to support startups initiated by HKUST students at an early stage of their businesses. It is an acceleration seed fund that aims to
help HKUST students to jumpstart their entrepreneurship dreams.
Corporate Matching
Workplace giving program:
Companies encourage staff to contribute to the community by matching their donations; among those showing support
to AEF are Google and Goldman Sachs.
Every contribution, no matter how much, has value in making a difference to the lives of students
while they are at the University.
END
AL
FU
MNI
WMENT
D
Act now! HKUST needs your support to help it grow!
Enhance Anniversary Celebrations
with Your Own Gift!
Giving Back
Donate
Now!
T
he
H
ong Kong Unive
r
sity of Science a
nd T
echnology
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Global Horizons
China
Celebrates
The 25th Anniversary celebration of HKUST has moved into
mainland China! Following the festivities in London and San
Francisco, the Beijing celebration was held on September 24 at Beijing
Marriott Hotel Northeast. The event kicked off with an inspiring conference
entitled ''The New Role of China in the World Economy", hosted by the
School of Business and Management; It was followed by a cocktail reception and dinner. President Prof Tony Chan and Vice-President for Institutional Advancement Dr Eden Woon joined with over 250 distinguished guests,
alumni and students in China in celebration of HKUST's birthday. Special
thanks go to global event sponsor OJI and Beijing event partner HNA Tourism Group for their generous support.
The finale of the anniversary celebration will be held in Singapore on January 14, 2017. We look forward to your participation!
Variety Is the
Spice of Life
A dozen special interest groups have
been established in Shanghai, featuring
a diversified array of programs. A j oint-university jazz concert, in collaboration with
several globally renowned universities and featuring legendary jazz musicians Michael
Tracy and C. Winton Reynolds, was held in May. A visit to the Shanghai Tower in July was attended by a large group of alumni from those universities. The great triumph gained
at the interuniversity badminton competition
in August was a big boost for sports lovers.
their managerial and entrepreneurship
experiences on different occasions in
September and November respectively.
12 HKUST Alumni News 2016
Peak
Presentation
q,
Global Event SponsorHN/Jt
;ijjlilffi
~ Beijing Event PartnerAlumni in Shenzhen were treated to an exclusive screening from
the Banff Mountain Film Festival during its run in the city. This is the
third consecutive year that this signature program has been held,
and the fun-filled gathering in July attracted
nearly 100 alumni and family members. This
festival, which is one of the world's most prestigious international film competitions, is an annual presentation of short films and
documentaries about mountain culture,
Hard Work
Pays
Off
The alumni network in Singapore has been expanding fast in
the past year, thanks to the hard work of the dedicated executive committee members responsible for a host of different activities,
including the Asia Economic Outlook in June and Brexit Talk in September, as well as a recruitment-focused event hosted by
Kellogg EMBA in November for members. The committee is keen to explore collaboration opportunities with other leading university
alumni associations so as to establish greater synergy among themselves. Stay tuned for upcoming events,
including the HKUST 25th anniversary celebration alongside the AGM In January 20171
Time for
Tea
King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) in
Saudi Arabia and HKUST have been in long-term collaboration for several years. On August 25, alumni who are either studying or
teaching at KAUST, together with their families and staff members, caught up with each other at a joyful and cozy tea gathering.
Global Horizons
Mid-Autumn
Meet
Up
Alumni in Atlanta warmly welcomed HKUST students, currently
exchanging out at Georgia Tech, to a dim sum lunch just before
the Mid-Autumn Festival. This semester marks a record high of 10 exchange-out students. They were delighted to reunite and celebrate this festival together.
Packed
Agenda
2016 has been a vibrant year for alumni in Northern California.
Among the events were dinner meetings with Hong Kong
government officials, namely Mrs Carrie Lam, Chief Secretary for
Administration, Mr Nicholas Yang, Secretary for Innovation and
Technology, and Mr Eddie Ng, Secretary for Education, and a Startup Founders Forum and Dinner featuring alumnus Roman
Khan, as well as monthly family dinners, Mid-Autumn Festival reunion, hiking and BBQ gathering.
Don't miss out on their upcoming events,
including the 2017 spring banquet, Make It
Happen program and much more.
When did you start riding?
I was six and attending a summer camp in Pokfulam - I thought I would give it a try. I really enjoyed riding the ponies, and I liked animals anyway. My parents let me continue; first I had one lesson
a week, and as I got older, I rode more often and moved to a
riding school in Tuen Mun. I became a member of the Hong Kong Jockey Club's Junior Equestrian Training Squad in 2010 and moved my horses to the centre at Beas River.
How long have you been riding competitively?
When I was 13, I began competing in show jumping, dressage
and eventing, and started to have some success. I got my first pony at that age, too - and it all took off from there!
Tell us about your horses; what makes a good show jumping horse?
Currently I have two horses - Noble Boss and Polymer Power.
They are both former HKJC racehorses. Noble Boss is already
17 years old, I've had him since he was 14. He's actually small
for a show jumper at just 15 hands [about 1.52m).
Polymer Power is younger and I've had him 18
months; he will gradually
take over from Noble
Boss. A good horse has to have the heart - it must want to jump. They also have to be really brave -the fences can get very
big! I like horses that fight for me. Noble Boss may be small, but he always tries his best. When I jump overseas we use "borrowed horses" - we don't take our own horses with us.
14 HKUST Alumni News 2016
You achieved great results this summerl
I was one of three Hong Kong riders at the World University Equestrian Championship in Sweden in late June to early July -the first time Hong Kong had competed in this event. I came fourth
out of 54 in show jumping - I had no idea that I would do so well. In
fact, the Hong Kong team as a whole performed unexpectedly well. One week later, I represented Hong Kong in the Young Rider category at the CSI-Y Tehran International Show Jumping Competition in Iran. I won gold in the individual event - I was the
only rider to finish faultless over the two rounds. In the team event, I teamed up with an Iranian rider and we won silver.
Apart from winning medals , what else do you enjoy about riding and competing?
I love working with horses. They are intelligent animals. I like the
partnership between rider and horse, the communication with the
horse and working as a team.
How do you balance studying and riding?
I am at the stables at Beas River six days a week for three to four hours at a time. It is difficult, and I have had
to sacrifice a lot of social life. But I've been doing this juggling since high school and I am used to it. You have
to be disciplined with time - but it means I don't waste
my time on pointless things! Riding keeps me focused and I don't give up on difficult things easily, so it is good for me. I spend the summers training in Gennany, thanks
to funding from the Hong Kong Equestrian Federation.
What are your future plans?
I would love to follow riding as a career, but you need a lot of funds, so I will ride in Europe for one year after graduating, and carry on if I can get sponsorship. Otherwise I will probably study for a master's degree.
Insight
HKUSTALUM
ASSOCIATION
H
Dear fellow alumni,
It is my honor to be elected to serve you as President of HKUST Alumni Association. I pledge to do my utmost over the next two years to fulfill the expectations of fellow alumni, and work with my A 1 team to benefit alumni in both professional and personal development aspects.
My first task is to extend my heartfelt gratitude to my predecessor Alvin Lam. He has selflessly devoted himself to HKUSTAA over the past four years, and worked hard
ner
2
016
alongside his team for all of us. Under his presidency, the Alumni Association has gone from strength to strength and accomplished remarkable achievements for alumni. He will continue to serve as our Immediate Past President. Thank you, Alvin!
Our alumni come from diverse backgrounds and have developed in many different ways. To extend A 1 's vision and take this to an even higher level, our goal Is to leverage on this even further so we can all learn and grow w,lth each other.
We have identified a four-pillar structure that we will use as the foundation for achieving our goal: Community Service team; Entrepreneur Circle; Alumni
Engagement team; and Career Advancement team. These pillars form a
dynamic and multi-faceted platform bringing together alumni of different generations and interests, whom we hope will inspire and be inspired by each other. For example, through our extensive network, alumni can enhance their professional development, find out about voluntary and social service projects, join in a range of sports and other general interest groups, and be supported in entrepreneurship ventures.
To kick this off, we are organizing a host of programs that leverage on the expertise of some of our members. For example, the Wine Association was Initiated by one of our Exco members, Jennifer Luk, who brought together a group of wine lovers she met through our activities. If you are interested in meeting alumni with similar interests, take a look to see if we already
~
HKUS
T
have a relevant group - if not, why not reach out to fellow alumni
and establish your own group. Let us know how we can help you
achieve this!
Website
)
ALUMNI
~
*
t5l
~
•
Yours sincerely,
Dicky Yuen President, H KUST Alumni Association Session 2016-18
Event Roundup
Memories Are Made of This!
••
_
(I
~
JI
_
Prograris ....
The Alumni Engagement Team of the HKUST Alumni Association has delivered several fabulous activities to alumni recently, including test driving with a renowned European car brand, a coffee latte art workshop, and a Japanese craft beer factory visit.
The Community Service Team has been working closely with various local secondary schools on the A1 Social Leaders Program. More than 40 alumni have been paired up with secondary students and they meet up regularly and join in dfferent community services. To deepen the understanding of alumni on
environmental protection, a hiking workshop
was organized in November. As well as hearing
about the reduction of solid waste disposal in the
countryside, our alumni also obtained practical
skills in protecting the habitat, such as proper
water disposal, camping with a minimal footprint
and being a responsible environmentalist. Oleck out the upcoming events! 16 HKUST Alumni News 2016
Dragon Boating
Secrets ...
The Dragon Boat Team of the MBA Alumni Association hosted a spectacular Open Day on campus in
late August to help alumni gain a deeper understanding of dragon boating. CNer the years, the MBAAA Dragons have achieved exceptional results at various competitions. Alumni learnt a great deal about gin at the MBAAA Happy Hour In August from Amanda Wan, a veteran bartender who shared the tastes and uses of this classic and popular spirit in mixology. "Making the Workplace Work -Corporate Real Estate as a Career Path" brought alumni an informative session on corporate real estate and careers in the industry in October.
Event Roundup
Go f ..
and More!
Members of the EMBA Alumni Association have been keenly supporting its various events.
In August and October, golf lovers competed fiercely with counterparts of other universities at the International EMBA Business School Annual Golf Tournament in Harbin and the China Top Business Schools EMBA Golf League CIFI Cup in Shanghai respectively. In late August, members gathered at the HKUST Shenzhen IER Building to celebrate the official opening of
the EMBA Alumni Association Investment Club, while others joined the thank you dinner of
the HeadStart@HKUST program.
Raising a Glass o
nq q
-a
en
The Alumni Wine Association was officially inaugurated on October 14! The executive committee strives to engage alumni through wine appreciation and promote entrepreneurshipthrough wine culture. If you want to join as a life member, fill in the form now. Dr Eden Woon, Vice-President for Institutional Advancement, Mr Benjamin Fok, Director of
Henry Fok Group, and Mr Leung Pak To, Chairman of The Chamber of Hong Kong LJsted Companies, joined
120
alumni and guests at the inauguration ceremony of the third council and cocktail party of the Mainland Alumni Association (MAA). Since its establishment, MAA has been working hard to unite the growing number of alumni from mainland China through a wide array of events. The most recent included visits to OJI and Kuang-Chi Institute of Advanced Technology, the Golf Fun Day jointly presented with Oxford Hong Kong Alumni Association, and a sharing session held with the HKAORS on the study on A Dream of Red Mansions.The EMBA Alumni Table Tennis Club brings together lovers of the sport who undergo professional training regularly under the instruction of Wang Jia. Since its establishment in
20
15,
they have participated in different tournaments.Event Roundup
Startup
ice
•
Establishing a startup has become a trend among graduates. On October 7, the Dual Degree Program in Technology and
I!]·'
[!]
Management Alumni Association invited two alumni to comeIA
back and share their ups and downs along their entrepreneurial journey with students. This career insight workshop is organized regularly to enhance the professional development of students.... oasting
Success
This year marks the seventh amiversary of the MBA Alumni Toastmasters Club
- and members Kitty Cheung and Mercy Uu received praise for wiming tlird place at the English and Mandarin Humorous Speech Contests of Toastmasters Hong Kong. The Demo Meeting at Business School Central was a huge success in attracting many alumni interested in public speaking. The Toastmasters Club 'ctNays welcomes alumi of diversified backgrounds to join the regular meetings on the second and fourth Wednesday of each month.
lnspira+ional
o ie'l
~
Strengthened
TiPS
The ties among mechanical engineering alumni were further strengthened as about 300 alumni and their families, faculty and students spent a wonderful day together at the Mechanical Engineering Graduates'
Association Homecoming Day, tts highlight annual reunion, on October 15. Proceedings started with a career-sharing session, followed by the basketball and soccer competitions of the MECH Cups, a family carnival, and concluded with a dinner party.
... Public Sector
Careers Advic
In response to students' desire for career advice from alumni, the inaugural Conversations with Alumni
was hosted in September and was also simultaneously broadcast as a webinar. Speakers Jenny Yeung from the Geotechnical Engineering Office and KK Li from the Customs and Excise Department had a lively discussion moderated by final year biotechnology student Chris Chan about pursuing a career in the
HKSAR government. Please stay tuned for more career sharing by alumni from different industries!
The Biochemistry Alumni Association recently invited two prominent alumni to share their success stories through the Biochemistry Alumni
Interview Series. Eddy Wu, Regional Director of a global pharmaceutical leader, shared insightful tips on embarking on a career in this industry, while Vincent Cheng, a dedicated
teacher, impressed participants with
his strong commitment to enhancing the all-round development of his students.
18 HKUST Alumni News 2016
In partnership with the IELM Department, The Engineering Enterprise Management Alumni Association welcomed the new batch of students at the Residential Program at
Regal Oriental Hotel in late August. This all-day orientation significantly helped the newcomers to prepare for their studies and provided them with valuable information and advice on how to enhance their learning experience.
Class Notes
Lffi
you, focnc, classmstes know abru the
hap
~~?n!~~
,e
:~~
b
~
,
~~!~
•
new business ventures, awards, sporting achievements and other professional and personal milestones. Contact us by • - •
filling in the online form at alum.ust.hk/your-networks/share-your-news or email alumni@ust.hk
[!l · .,
Stanley Au 1993 MPhil CHEM
I was one of the
first batch of master
graduates. I'm now residing in Ottawa w~h Shirley, my wife, and
Lisa, my girl. I love this capital city as it is less crowded compared
with Vancouver and Toronto. And I enjoy
conducting research at
the National Research
Council Canada Thank
you HKUST for your
Wu Su
2009 MSc CIEM
We obtained our taught postgraduate degrees in the same year. Two
years after graduation, . , we started our new life
together.
Koji Suzuki
2009MBA
I am thrilled to let you
know that Wendy and
I got married on April
16, 2016 and had our wedding photos taken
on campus!
Hi fellow alumni, just
a quick update of
myself - I am married with three kids who are five, eight and
1 O respectively.
I'm working in BNP
Paribas in the Credit Risk Control field. I
also import boutique champagne for
functions and friends at
import price. So if you
are interested, give me
a shout!
Class Notes
I was excited to welcome Ethan to our family in July 2016!
Katherine Lee 2009 BEng ELEC
I became a yoga
teacher upon
graduation. With strong
passion, I see it as my lifelong practice and
career and hope to
spread the joy of yoga to everyone. Namaste!
20 HKUST Alumni News 2016
Dino Lam 2002 BEng CPEG
2005MSc/T
Our love story began in 1999 on campus, and we got married in 2010. Our family
of two has now become lour -our boy, Aiden, is three years old, and our girt,
Andrea, arrived in February 2016.
Yuen Ka Keung
2002 BSc CHEM
I was honored to be appointed by the International Gymnastics Federation
as one of 1he Asian Category I Men's
Artistic Gymnastics judges at the Rio 2016 Olympic Garnes! I started my
international judging career during my University studies and I am now a
gymnastics coach, sports adrrinistrator
~ sports researcher. Before Rio, I had already judged several important international mutti-sport events,
including two consecutive Olympic Games (London 2012 and Nanjing 2014 Youth Olympics) and Asian Games (Guangzhou 201 O and lncheon 2014).
Jason Sin
2000 BBA ACCT
My little gir1 Angela
is already two years old!
Calvin Kong (left) 2004 BEng IETM
My friends and I
recently launched
our first mobile app
-"Join-a-Ride Foli!.A. ".
It can help you search for "riders" who will then share the taxi or
car fare with you. By
reducing traffic jams
and improving air
quality, this car-pooling
Is environmentally friendly. Dennis Tang 1998 MPhil MECH I am presently Partner Attorney at Yingke,
the largest law firm in mainland China. Earlier
this year, I published
a book giving tips on
the necessary legal
knowledge for Hong
Kong people to live,
work and invest in the
Zhang Xiaowu
1999 PhD MECH
There is no greater
happiness than striving
for one's ideal in the
world. I have revitalized
British heritage shoemaker NP
S-Solovair in Hong Kong.
Taking advantage of
the 020 (online to
offline) business model, I am able to offer the best value for those
"Made in England"
sole-of-air or leather
sole shoes.
Mak Kin Fai I am delighted to share
with you that I have
received the 2015 IEEE
CPMT Exceptional Achievement Award in the 2.50/30 ICs Field for my oontributions 2005 8Sc PHYSPM Presently Assistant Professor of Physics at
The Pennsylvania State University, I am honored to
receive the 2016 Packard Fellowship tor Science in the area of 2 .50/30 integration. My research focuses primarily on process development and
reliability, and stress sensor technology.
and Engineering from the
David and Lucile Packard
Foundation. My research
employs electrical and
optical probes to explore
the unusual electronic properties of atomically
thin materials and their
heterostructures.
I recently enjoyed a fabulous get-together
with my HKUST buddies at a unique
place. It was a wonderful vacation with
lots of laughter and sharing.
Victor Manuel Ruiz Sanchez (!'<!cond right)
2013KHEMBA
Class Notes
Andrew Lau (left)
2010 BSc APHYMS
This picture captures
the joyous moment
when I was awarded
the Distingu'ished
Salesperson Award - Centaline Property.
This program and the
awards are globally
Sun Handong
1999 PhD PHYS
It is my honor to be elected as Fellow of
the American Physical
Society in recognition of my outstanding
contributions to
optoelectronics with novel characterization and
deep understanding
of photonic materials
and structures, leading
lo practical high
-I am overjoyed to share that actiMirror, a company I oo-founded, has
been named Technology Company of the Year-Startup category at
the Co1T4=>uterworld Hong Kong Awards 2016. ActiMirror is a platform of
connected dat~ring intelligent mirrora, offemg "YOUnique" customer-centric experiences for the reta~. hospilafity, heaHh care and exhibition verticals. Ourooreteam, ha~ of whom are HKUST graduates, has an incredible mix of talents of different nationalities. As our company keeps on expanding, we hope
to have more talents from HKUST to join our team.
~~
WHAT'S COMING
TO OUR CAM PUS
To meet
the
re
markab
le
advancement o
f
HKUST,
new
faci
l
ities are set
to
ope
n
a
ll
around
the
campus in
th
e
near
futur
e
. The
se
new major
infra
str
u
c
tur
e
project
s will
enhance and upgrade
the
campus in order
to
provide
a
better
learning
and
l
iv
ing
environment
for
our
st
ud
e
nts
.
Stay tuned
for
the
developments regar
di
ng our new
look
!
North Entrance
WATER FRONT This facility right on the water's edge will encompass a boathouse, boatshed with lifeguard tower, windsurfing center, terrace-style amphitheater with shelter and other facilities.
INDOOR SPORTS CENTER With a gross floor area of 1 ,900 sqm and in close proximity to student residences, the Indoor Sports Center will comprise a high-celling sports hall, multi-purpose room, gym room and other supporting
facilities.
RESEARCH POSTGRADUATE TOWER With a total of 500 bed spaces, the RPg Tower promises to be a lively hub for sharing and exploring Innovative Ideas by Integrating research postgraduate students from different geographical and ethnic backgrounds.
This 1,000-seat auditorium will become a state-of-the-art venue for a wide variety of events including concerts, theatrical
performances, large-scale meetings,
lectures and seminars. student events and other University functions.
9
1NNOVATION BUILDINGProviding incubation facilities for startups, and space for various entrepreneurship-related programs and activities, this venue will house several cross-disciplinary research institutes and centers, as well as serving as a platform for collaboration with industry.
South Entrance
As well as the above new developments on the main campus, the Jockey Club Hall, our new undergraduate hall in downtown
