News & Stories

The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) President Prof Tony F Chan has been elected as a member of the US National Academy of Engineering (NAE), one of the highest professional distinctions accorded to an engineer. NAE's membership honors those who have made outstanding contributions to "engineering research, practice or education - including significant contributions to the engineering literature", and to the "pioneering of new and developing fields of technology, making major advancements in traditional fields of engineering, or developing / implementing innovative approaches to engineering education."

The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) PhD student Zhang Shanchao, Department of Physics, has won the 2013 Young Scientist Award. Zhang was awarded the honor in the Physical/ Mathematical Science category for the project "Coherent Quantum Interaction Between Photons and Atoms". He also received the Best Poster Award for his poster on "Single-Photon Absorption and Reemission in Two-Level Cold Atoms" at the 21st Annual Conference of Hong Kong Institution of Science. Another PhD student Chen Shuming from the Department of Electronic and Computer Engineering, received the runner-up prize in the Engineering Science Category with his project on white organic light-emitting diodes (WOLEDs).

Living in a world where we can no longer simply rely on traditional rules and principles, a responsible policy and decision maker should always react fast and search for up-to-date understanding and creative solutions to global issues that impact our daily lives. To this end, the University of Oxford and the HKUST has joined forces to establish the Oxford-HKUST Leadership and Public Policy (LAPP) Series. This is the first program under the recently established LAPP Executive Education Office of HKUST which provides executive education for policy and decision makers including senior civil servants and officials from government, statutory or related bodies and NGO’s in Hong Kong, Mainland China and other parts of Asia.

Prof Tianshou Zhao, Chair Professor in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering and Director of HKUST Energy Institute, and his researchers have received one of the most prestigious awards in science and technology in China for the second consecutive year. Prof Zhao and his researchers received a 2013 State Natural Science Award (Second Class) from the State Council of the People’s Republic of China for their pioneering work on Direct Alcohol Fuel Cells (DAFC).

The Oxford-HKUST Leadership and Public Policy Series, jointly established by the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) and University of Oxford (Oxford), was officially launched today. The leading regional initiative seeks to provide executive education for public sector officials and senior executives in Hong Kong, Mainland China, and Asia. Program instructors will come from HKUST, Oxford and other academic institutions worldwide, and will also include leaders and practitioners from fields that impact on public sectors. Officiating at the Launch Forum were: the Honorable C Y Leung, Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region; Prof Andrew Hamilton, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Oxford; Dr Marvin K T Cheung, Chairman of the HKUST Council; and Prof Tony F Chan, President of HKUST.

The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) and Smith College recently established an international alliance to develop women leaders in Asia's public sector. A memorandum of understanding, signed by former Smith President Prof Carol Christ and HKUST President Prof Tony F Chan, cements a collaboration between two schools that are committed to enhancing the global leadership abilities of women in public service. Smith College's Executive Education for Women program will launch a series of courses aimed at senior women executives of the public sector including civil servants and officials, and those serving in Hong Kong's government and NGOs. The program will be named the HKUST-Smith Women's Leadership Series.

The UNESCO-IHE Institute of Water Education (UNESCO-IHE) formed a partnership with the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) today under an international consortium to undertake a three-year water-saving project, including the adaptation of HKUST's innovative urban water management system for Cuba. Hong Kong's seawater toilet flushing system saves huge amounts of freshwater and energy daily. "Leveraging Hong Kong's unique seawater flushing system, we have developed a novel, energy-efficient and low carbon sewage treatment technology," said Prof Guanghao Chen, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at HKUST. "The ‘Sulphate Reduction, Autotrophic Denitrification and Nitrification Integrated (SANI) Process' can eliminate 90% of sewage sludge production, and reduce sewage treatment costs by 50%, space requirements by over 50%, and cut down greenhouse gas emissions by 35%."

The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) held the Hong Kong Chiu Chow Chamber of Commerce Ko Pui Shuen Gallery Opening Ceremony today, with many valuable ancient maps and classical science and technology-related rare books. The Library is also digitizing important collections which will allow people around the world to appreciate the works via the internet. HKUST received a HK$3 million donation from Chairman of Kingrich Asia Holdings Limited Dr Ko Pui-shuen last year for the Library's Special Collections Gallery and University Archives project. The Library will digitize essential collections, and establish an electronic image management system and indexing and search system. In honor of Dr Ko's generosity, the multi-purpose display and reading area has been named the Hong Kong Chiu Chow Chamber of Commerce Ko Pui Shuen Gallery.