HKU Bulletin April 2010 (Vol. 11 No. 2)

22 The University of Hong Kong Bulletin 23 April 2010 Dr Serena Yang Hsueh-chi Dr Serena Yang Hsueh-chi is a shining example of learning as a lifelong adventure. Chinese by ancestry, she grew up in Japan and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts from Kwansei Gakuin University, in Japan, in 1955. At the age of sixty-two, she joined HKU as a visiting student and developed a passionate interest in the history of psychoanalysis in Japan. Since then she has written several papers on the subject, and presented her work internationally. She also helped establish the Yang Hsueh Chi Staff Research Fund in 1996 and the Yang Hsueh Chi Education Fund in 2003 for research in the Department of Psychology. Professor Richard Yu Yue-hong Professor Richard Yu Yue-hong comes from a family of illustrious alumni of this University. He graduated with an MBBS degree in 1958, after which he completed his clinical training at Queen Mary Hospital and gained his PhD from the University College Hospital, London, where he was awarded a PhD in 1966. On his return to HKU, he completed his MD degree and entered private practice, specializing in nephrology, where he made enormous improvements to patient care and medical treatment. One of his greatest contributions has been in public service to the medical profession. He was a founding member of the Hong Kong College of Physicians. Honours He also continued to teach at HKU’s Department of Medicine as Honorary Clinical Lecturer and is currently an Honorary Professor in the Department. He holds the same position at the Department of Medicine and Therapeutics at the Chinese University and is also an Honorary Consultant Physician at the Ruttonjee and Princess Margaret Hospitals. At present he holds the illustrious position of Chairman of the Higher Physician Training Committee. In recognition of his contributions to medicine and the community, Professor Richard Yu Yue-hong was conferred the degree of Doctor of Social Sciences honoris causa . Many HKU endeavours have benefitted from Dr Yang’s support. These include student scholarships, and the Oxford-HKU Psychology student exchange programme. The Serena Yang Library and Prizes were established in honour of her contributions to the Department of Surgery. She helped establish the Global Lounge, in 2005, and has supported the Faculty of Social Sciences’ Social Exposure Programme. She is currently an Honorary Senior Research Associate of the Department of Psychology and was a founding member of the HKU Foundation. In recognition of her contributions to academia and Hong Kong, Dr Serena Yang Hsueh-chi was conferred the degree of Doctor of Social Sciences honoris causa . The Venerable Master Hsing Yun The Venerable Master Hsing Yun is a world- renowned religious leader, author, educator, humanitarian and philanthropist. Born in 1927 into a poor family in rural Jiangsu Province, his father left home when he was still young and never returned. During his early years Master Yun was influenced by his pious mother and grandmother and first entered a monastery at the age of 12. He went on to found the Fo Guang Shan Buddhist order and the affiliated Buddha’s Light International Association, one of the world’s largest Buddhist organizations. Master Yun has become known for his ‘Humanistic Buddhism’ philosophy, which focuses on facing current worldly issues, and he is credited with reforming Buddhism by opening monasteries, universities and schools worldwide, and engaging in dialogue with other Buddhist sects and religious orders. HKU has also benefitted from Master Hsing Yun’s outreach philosophy. In 2003 he attended the opening ceremony of the Centre of Buddhist Studies Library, and has regularly returned to deliver lectures and public talks. In recognition of his contributions to humanitarian and philanthropic causes the Venerable Master Hsing Yun was conferred the degree of Doctor of Social Sciences honoris causa . Professor Lap-Chee Tsui, Vice-Chancellor and President, welcomed the full-house audience to this ninth annual award ceremony, which he said provides the opportunity to “give due recognition to these accomplished individuals” and “to thank them for their significant contribution to HKU and beyond”. “Their exemplary performance is an inspiration for all members of our University community,” Professor Tsui said. During the ceremony, video clips and citations gave the audience an insight into the winners’ accomplishments and approaches to teaching and research. Their motivation, dedication and inspiration to others were apparent from these presentations. In his speech as guest of honour, Dr the Honourable David Li Kwok- po, the University’s Pro-Chancellor, added his congratulations to the winners and thanked them for their exceptional work. “They have excelled through devotion to teaching and research, through forging new directions and overcoming boundaries, through their academic excellence, curiosity and creativity, and through their contributions to improving the lives of others,” Dr Li said. Dr Li also took the opportunity to celebrate Professor Lap-Chee Tsui’s election to the Chinese Academy of Sciences as a foreign member in November 2009 in recognition of his scientific achievements and his important contributions to promoting the development of science and technology in China. In closing, Dr Li said that it is through the efforts and achievements of all members of the University that HKU “is now widely recognized as the leading centre of academic achievement in Asia”. An overview of the award winners is given here. 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