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

24 RESEARCH AND TEACHING Outstanding Researcher Award Professor Yuen Kwok Yung Professor: Chair of Infectious Diseases and Head of the Department of Microbiology P rofessor Yuen’s particular area of research interest is emerging infectious diseases in South East Asia. He has been the leader in the infectious disease training of both clinical microbiologists and physicians for the last 15 years. He divides his time between identifying important medical problems related to emerging infectious diseases through his work with patients, and in research and teaching to resolve these problems. He has published more than two hundred papers on the cl inical and microbiological aspects of emerging infectious diseases, including SARS, avian flu, and the newly-discovered diarrhoeal bacter ia Lar ibacter hongkongensis . His work in these fields has been recognized by various institutions. He has been appointed a Joint Professor of the Fudan University Medical College and the Nanjing University Medical College, and has received honorary professorships from two other Mainland tertiary institutions. He also advises the HKSAR Government as a member of several important local committees, including the Advisory Council on Food and Environmental Hygiene, the Task Force Group on SARS, and the Expert Working Group on Avian Influenza. Professor Yuen says he feels at home with microbes, and values the opportunities they provide him for research. kyyuen@hkucc.hku.hk http://www.hku.hk/mib page/ Dr David Zhang Dian Associate Professor, Department of Geography S ince he embarked on his academic career 20 years ago, Dr Zhang’s research interests have straddled a range of related fields, including geology, geomorphology, hydrochemistry, archaeology and other environmental sciences. He has applied these interests to China, Europe and America, but in recent years his research has focused particularly on the Tibetan Plateau. He recently discovered and dated 19 ice-age human handprints and footprints in this region, with help from Dr Li Sheng Hua in the Department of Earth Sciences. This major scientific discovery has challenged a number of orthodox scientific and historical theories, and generated great interest in both the scientific community and the public at large. Dr Zhang believes that collaboration is the best way to achieve great success in research. His recent advance on alkaline rain theory is also a good example of teamwork. He is presently working on a study of the relationship between climate change and the incidence of warfare in China in the past millennium, and is also pursuing studies of deserts and high mountain regions with colleagues both in the Department and in other institutes. He is particularly willing to contribute his broad knowledge to his students and society. zhangd@hkucc.hku.hk http://geog.hku.hk/staf f/zhang.htm 25