Professor Charles Wang-Wai NG, PhD, FREng, FHKEng

Biography

Professor Charles Wang-Wai NG was appointed Vice-President for Institutional Advancement, effective August 1, 2025. 

Prof. Ng earned his PhD from the University of Bristol in 1993, followed by postdoctoral research at the University of Cambridge. Subsequently, he was elected as an Overseas Fellow of Churchill College at the University. He joined HKUST as an Assistant Professor in 1995 and rose through the ranks to become Chair Professor in 2011 – a testament to his outstanding contributions to both academia and the university community.

An internationally acclaimed expert in soil mechanics and geotechnical engineering, Prof. Ng specializes in unsaturated soil mechanics, eco-geotechnics, and debris flow mitigation and landslide prevention. His groundbreaking research has earned him a place on Stanford University’s 2024 list of the World’s Top 2% Scientists in Geological & Geomatics Engineering and Civil Engineering. Notably, he is the youngest scholar ranked among the top five for career-long impact in these fields. His numerous prestigious honors include: the 2025 Telford Gold Medal (the Institution of Civil Engineers’ highest honor); the 2022 Varnes Medal from UNESCO’s International Consortium on Landslides; the 2022 Ho Leung Ho Lee Foundation Prize for Scientific and Technological Progress; the State Council of PRC’s 2020 National Natural Science Award (2nd class) and 2015 Scientific Technological Advancement Award (2nd class). He was elected as Fellow of the Hong Kong Academy of Engineering in 2008 and Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering in 2020. Recently, he led his research team to secure the establishment of the prestigious State Key Laboratory (SKL) of “Climate Resilience for Coastal Cities” in collaboration with The Hong Kong Polytechnic University.  This laboratory is the third State Key Laboratory at HKUST, marking a significant milestone for research and innovation in this field. 

Prof. Ng currently serves as Vice-Chairman of the HKUST Foundation, previously holding positions as Associate Vice-President for Research and Development, Associate Vice-President for Research and Graduate Studies, Dean of HKUST Fok Ying Tung Graduate School and Associate Dean of the School of Engineering. Under his leadership as Dean, HKUST has consistently attracted the highest number of Hong Kong PhD Fellowship awardees since the scheme’s inception in 2009, drawing top talent from over 50 countries worldwide.  His commitment to nurturing global talent is reflected in his supervision of over 80 PhD and 60 MPhil students from more than 20 countries and regions to graduation. 

Beyond HKUST, Prof. Ng plays a significant role in shaping scientific and educational policies and innovation. He serves as a Member of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference and contributes his expertise to several key national bodies, including the China Association for Science and Technology and the Ministry of Education’s Science and Technology Committee. In Hong Kong, he is Chairperson of the Veterinary Surgeons Board, Vice-Chair of the Hong Kong Alliance of Technology and Innovation, and a Member of Chief Executive Policy Unit Expert Group. 

Areas of Responsibility

As Vice-President for Institutional Advancement, Prof. Ng will drive the University’s initiatives to deepen international partnerships, expand global alumni networks, and advance institutional strategies that elevate HKUST’s worldwide influence in research and education. He will also oversee fundraising efforts to support these goals.