HKU Bulletin January 2011 (Vol. 12 No. 1)

Dec 2010 The University of Hong Kong Bulletin News in Brief 01 Nobel Laureates Help Celebrate HKU’s Centenary 02 HKU Dean of Dentistry Named IADR Distinguished Scientist 03 HKU Launches First Cultural Leadership Programme in Asia HKU and China’s ’C9’ Come Together 04 Chemistry Professor Vivian Yam Named Laureate of the L’Oréal-UNESCO Women in Science Awards 2011 Eight Distinguished Individuals Presented with Honorary University Fellowships 05 International Recognition for HKU Members Centenary 06 The Journey Has Just Begun! Cover Story 08 A Culture of Diversity and Inclusion 12 An Academic and Advocate 13 HKU from an International Perspective 14 Accessibility for All 15 An Extra Pair of Eyes 16 Queer Straight Alliance 17 Students’ Campaign for Wheelchair Diners As part of its 100 th anniversary celebrations in 2011–2012, the University will be holding a series of Centenary Distinguished Lectures. The first inaugural lecture delivered by 1992 Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences Laureate, Professor Gary S. Becker, titled ’Causes of the Worldwide Boom in Higher Education, Especially of Women’ was held on September 20, 2010. Speaking about Hong Kong’s higher education development, Professor Becker emphasized the need to have a competitive higher education system. He would like to see strong competition among the public universities, and the development of private universities competing against the public ones. He cited the example of the United States, where up to 25 to 30% of young people go to higher education, among them 75% are in public universities, the rest going to private institutions. “You need to continue to increase the number of students getting into higher education, continue to have competition among the universities here and in the mainland in particular,” said Professor Becker. 2008 Nobel Prize in Physiology and Medicine Laureate Professor Françoise Barré-Sinoussi delivered the second Centenary Distinguished Lecture ’HIV/AIDS – a Scientific and Human Adventure in Response to an Emerging Epidemic’ on November 22, 2010. After outlining the emergence of HIV in 1980’s and how scientists and society tried to fight this quick spreading disease, Professor Barré-Sinoussi also reviewed the advancement of research in HIV prevention and treatment. In the lecture, Professor Françoise Barré-Sinoussi reminded us that HIV ranks second in the list of deaths caused by infectious diseases. She noticed that there is less information about the disease 01 Lectures and Lunches: Nobel Laureates Help Celebrate HKU’s Centenary Contents now than in the past, and called for more public education on AIDS, which would help increase public awareness, and as a result, help prevent the spread of the disease. To further promote these knowledge exchange activities beyond the University, the ’Lunch with a Nobel Laureate’ activity has been specially arranged for each of the visiting Nobel Laureates to ’meet and eat with’ both HKU undergraduates as well as local secondary school students. The lunches, which are held in the Vice- Chancellor’s residence, the University Lodge, provide a rare opportunity for the young students to meet the Nobel Laureates face- to-face, outside of a lecture hall. In the two- hour sessions, students are expected to initiate discussions of various issues with the Laureates, who in turn, share their own stories and observations, and expertise and experience with the students. ! " # $ % & ' ( # ' ' ) $ # ' ' ( ! ' ' # ' * $ + ' ' $ , $ - . / 0 ( 1 $ / * $ + ' ' $ 2 $ 3 4 ' 0 $ $ 5 6 . 3 # ' ' News in Brief Research 18 Game Play with a Purpose 20 The Generation Gap in the Digital Age 22 Giving Voice to the People 24 The Rise and Fall of China’s Versailles 26 Stagnation vs Depression 28 Obstructive Sleep Apnoea Patients Get Free Treatment Teaching and Learning 30 Nurturing Young Research Talent People 32 A DVC on His Rocker 34 Injecting a Dose of Humanity 36 Conserving the Future 38 The Hybrid Revolution Campus Development 40 Rejuvenating an Old School Art and Culture 42 Painting in the Dark Books 44 Hong Kong Culture: Word and Image 46 Mao’s Great Famine: The History of China’s Most Devastating Catastrophe 7 ) $ 8 9 : ; < # ! = 8 8 $ # 3 ' : $ 3 3 0 $ ! ! January 2011