HKU Bulletin May 2014 (Vol. 15 No.2)

The Rewards of Dedication More International Acclaim for HKU Five Exceptional HKU Academics Named Croucher Research Fellows Generous Donations Enrich Historical Collections Treasures of Hong Kong’s Past Find Permanent Home at HKU The University’s global reputation continues to grow, with recognition for HKU’s frontier research endeavours coming in from around the world. Those recently acknowledged for their accomplishments include Professor Sun Kwok, Dean of Science; Professor Frederick Leung, Professor of the Faculty of Education; the Hong Kong Centre for Economic Research, led by Professor Richard Wong; and HKU’s Liver Transplantation Team, led by Professor Lo Chung-mau. Internationally acknowledged as an expert in the study of planetary nebulae, Professor Sun Kwok received the Outstanding Achievement Award from his alma mater, the University of In recognition of their remarkable scientific research achievements, five distinguished HKU academics were honoured with the prestigious Research Fellowships by the Croucher Foundation. The awards were presented by Mrs Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor, Chief Secretary for Hong Kong’s oldest and largest commercial law firm, Deacons, and the former Chief Justice of the Court of Final Appeal, the Honourable Andrew Li Kwok-nang, have made generous donations of precious items to enrich HKU’s collections. Deacons has deposited its archival records permanently at the HKU Libraries. The Deacons Archives contain the bulk of the early surviving records of Deacons and its predecessors, including client files, deeds and papers, legal documents, accounting records, letter books, photographs, etc. Among all are several volumes of documents related to Chater business transactions which relate to Sir Paul Chater’s estate. An exhibition on some of the collection items was held at the Main Library in April. The Honourable Andrew Li has donated his court dresses to the Faculty of Law, which is displaying them in the permanent exhibition, De Lege Lata , on Hong Kong Legal System and the Legal Profession. “I wore my judicial and professional uniform day in and day out for 37 Minnesota, on October 23, 2013. The Award recognises Professor Kwok’s research contributions to astrochemistry and stellar evolution, science education, the popularisation of science, and his service to the development of astronomical research in Asia. Professor Kwok received the Award in person at the University of Minnesota, and delivered a lecture on ‘Organic Nanoparticles in Space’. The International Commission on Mathematical Instruction has awarded the Hans Freudenthal Medal for 2013 to Professor Frederick Leung. The Medal, regarded as the highest international accolade in mathematics education, has been given to Professor Leung Administration of the HKSAR Government, at a presentation ceremony held on April 3. Professor Danny Chan and Professor Jin Dongyan of the Department of Biochemistry were awarded Croucher Senior Research Fellowships, and Professor Annie Cheung years. This Law School is our oldest and leading Law School. It is fitting that my professional and judicial uniform should have its permanent home here,” said the former Chief Justice. De Lege Lata is open to the public throughout the year, with reservations required for viewing the court dress. For details, please go to http://www.hku.hk/law for his long-standing contributions and groundbreaking research in the areas of comparative studies of mathematics education and the influence of the Eastern and Western cultures on the teaching and learning of mathematics. The Hong Kong Centre for Economic Research headed by Professor Richard Wong has been ranked 35 th in the Top Domestic Economic Policy Think Tank List, according to the Go-To Think Tank Index. Produced by the Think Tanks and Civil Societies Program at the University of Pennsylvania, the Index helps identify and recognise the leading centres of excellence in public policy research around the world. The Centre is one of the two Hong Kong think tanks that are ranked among the world’s leading policy think tanks. The Liver Transplantation Team of the Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, led by Professor Lo Chung-mau, was presented with the 2013 Higher Education Outstanding Scientific Research Output Awards (Science and Technology) by the Ministry of Education in March. The Team is the first in the world to demonstrate the mechanism of small-for-size liver graft injuries, and the first to report Hepatitis B adoptive immunity transferred from the donor to the patient after liver transplantation. These initiatives have provided a solid foundation for the treatment and prevention of tumour recurrence in the future. Nga-yin, Laurence LT Hou Professor in Anatomical Molecular Pathology, was honoured with a Croucher Senior Medical Research Fellowship. Two promising scholars – Dr Yao Wang of the Department of Physics and Dr Hayden So Kwok-hay of the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering – were awarded Croucher Innovation Awards. The Croucher Senior Research Fellowships, introduced in 1997, are awarded to local academics who have excelled in scientific research work, while the Croucher Innovation Awards, established in 2012, aim to offer substantial support to talented scientists to pursue their own professional inclinations and to contribute to the development of education and research in Hong Kong. President of the University of Minnesota Professor Eric W Kaler (left) presenting the Outstanding Achievement Award to Professor Sun Kwok (right). From left: Professor Justin Lin Yifu, Dr Raymond Ch’ien and Professor Richard Wong attending a joint event of Hong Kong Centre for Economic Research and Cato Institute. From left: Dr Kevin Ng Tak-pan, Professor Lo Chung-mau, Vice-Chancellor Professor Lap-Chee Tsui, Dr Man Kwan and Dr Nikki Lee Pui-yue at the Award Presentation Ceremony. Professor Frederick Leung is the first Asian scholar to be awarded the Hans Freudenthal Medal since its inception in 2003. HKU Croucher awardees with HKU President and Vice-Chancellor Professor Peter Mathieson (third from left), HKSAR Chief Secretary for Administration Mrs Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor (fourth from left) and Professor Mak Tak-wah, Chairman of Board of Trustees, Croucher Foundation (fourth from right). Judicial Robe (Court of Final Appeal) donated by former Chief Justice Andrew Li. The Deacons Archives include a share certificate of the Hongkong Land Investment and Agency Company Limited in 1900. The Company now known as Hongkong Land, was founded in 1889 by Sir Catchick Paul Chater, one of the city’s most influential figures, and Mr James Johnstone Keswick of Jardine, Matheson & Co. 02 | 03 The University of Hong Kong Bulletin | May 2014 News in Brief