In recognition of their research endeavours, remarkable scientific achievements and significant contributions to the international scientific community, three distinguished HKU academics were awarded prestigious Senior Research Fellowships by the Croucher Foundation. The awards were presented by Mr Kenneth Chen JP, Under Secretary for Education of the HKSAR Government, on March 29, 2012.

The Croucher Senior Research Fellowships are awarded to local academics who have excelled in scientific research work, as judged by leading international scientists invited to provide confidential reviews of candidates nominated in a competitive exercise.

The 2012–13 Fellows are Dr Lu Liwei of the Department of Pathology in the Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, Dr Alice S.T. Wong of the School of Biological Sciences in the Faculty of Science and Professor Ed X. Wu of the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering in the Faculty of Engineering.

Each fellowship includes not only a personal grant of $60,000 to the recipient for research expenses, but also funding that will enable the university of the recipient to recruit replacement teachers to take over the award winner’s duties for the period of the fellowship. This enables the awardees to devote more time and effort to research work.