HKU Bulletin February 2004 (Vol. 5 No. 2)

Outstanding achievement on the part of the University’s researchers was recognized at the Award Presentation Ceremony for Excellence in Teaching and Research 2003, held on November 25, 2003. At the ceremony, three University Teaching Fellowships were awarded and research awards were conferred on 15 outstanding researchers. Speaking at this fourth annual ceremony, the Vice-Chancellor Professor Lap-Chee Tsui reminded his audience that outstanding achievement in both research and teaching lay at the heart of the University’s reputation. The Vice-Chancellor noted that we lived today in a knowledge-based economy, and that such an economy required investment in developing new knowledge and people. Referring to the recently developed strategic plan for the next five years, he pledged that the University would use its advantages as a leading research-based institution to continue to develop its teaching and learning. The University, he said, would continue to educate both itself and the wider community through the path-breaking research that it undertook and published. Dr the Hon. T.L. Yang, who gave a concluding address at the ceremony, praised the quality of the University’s researchers and reminded the audience of its impressive record of publication and excellent record in competing for research funding. He noted that the University had achieved the highest number of approved research projects in the University Grants Committee’s Competitive Earmarked Research Grants scheme this year, and (for the sixth time in the past seven years) the largest share of funding. He also referred warmly to the University’s excellent supporting infrastructure, pointing out that it had embraced information technology enthusiastically, thereby enabling its excellent library and other facilities to be more fully exploited by both staff and students. Further information about the recipients of the research awards and their areas of research can be obtained from the website or email address provided after each article. 10 11 Excellence in Research, 2002-2003 Ou st din a t n h r r r i e w Pr se ati o Ex T e c l o e 25 u e n i n t a hee i n hear t s ut Th Ch and r r ce dev loped s rat pl t s h t t s as leadi g res h- t io t p h n he h s c t br r e c e pu D L o onc al U e inded it i at e th t the i r y ha ac o p rese c p j ct in v i s e (f me t p t n y fu o r e rm o t u n g e s t y n b ex l Fur i o out r ch d eas e be ai ed pr ed af c The Outstanding Research Student Supervisor Award is granted in recognition of supervisors of research postgraduate students who, through their highly effective guidance, have especially benefited their students in the pursuit of research excellence. Professor Jim Chi Yung Professor: Chair of Geography P rofessor Jim’s core research lies in the relatively new fields of urban forestry and soil, and how they can be exploited in Hong Kong. He has a secondary interest in the environmental impacts of recreat ion and tour ism. He bel ieves in interdisciplinary research, and is keen to explore areas that fall between traditional disciplinary boundaries. Many of his recommendat ions for a greener urban environment in Hong Kong have been put into practice. He hopes eventually to convince both the government and the community generally that it is entirely feasible to transform Hong Kong into a garden city. For his love of trees, his friends have given him the affectionate nickname sue wong — ‘king of tr P ee ro s’ f . essor Jim firmly believes that good teaching is a process that can enlighten the giver as much as the receiver. He thinks that excellence and scholarship are contagious. He says that, as a research supervisor, he most enjoys watching his students’ intellectual growth and career advancement. He feels that supervising research postgraduates is the greatest gift that a university teacher can receive. Professor Jim received an Outstanding Researcher Award four years ago. hragjcy@hkucc.hku.hk http://geog.hku.hk/staf f/jim.htm Outstanding Research Student Supervisor Award