Professor Schönberg joined HKU as Chair Professor of Economics from University College London in 2023. She has a strong reputation in labour economics, with a particular interest in the effects of business and payroll taxation on firms and workers, and firm-provided family-friendly policies. Most of her work to date has centred in Europe, so she was attracted to HKU by the opportunity to explore Asia and turn her research focus to the region. She hopes to explore the very low fertility rates in this part of the world compared to the US and most European countries, and investigate the root causes and societal impact of this. TALENT MAGNET I have had a very positive initial experience at the HKU Business School. A notable observation is the minimal boundaries between different disciplines, such as economics, management and strategy, finance and marketing, which has allowed me to engage with colleagues across diverse yet interconnected fields. I am particularly impressed by the new HKU Jockey Club Enterprise Sustainability Global Research Institute. Professor Li is an internationally renowned political scientist and think tank scholar, who previously served as Director and Senior Fellow of the Brookings Institution’s John L. Thornton China Center. He is currently a director of the National Committee on U.S.-China Relations and a member of the Council on Foreign Relations. He came to HKU in 2023 as a professor of political science, attracted by its proximity to his cultural roots and, most importantly, its position as a bridge between East and West and North and South. Since arriving, he has established the Centre on Contemporary China and the World to promote scholarly exchanges and international and interdisciplinary research on China and the world. HKU’s strategic location offers an unparalleled opportunity to study China in a vibrant, dynamic environment. I have been deeply impressed by the tremendous support I have received here and appreciate the University’s commitment to foster a collaborative and inclusive environment, which has been crucial in advancing my goals. PROFESSOR LI CHENG Professor Department of Politics and Public Administration Director Centre on Contemporary China and the World PROFESSOR UTA SCHÖNBERG Chair Professor of Economics HKU Business School Top scholars who joined HKU in 2023–24 are opening up collaborations and taking our research portfolio in new directions. Professor Häusser is a neuroscientist who has made important discoveries about the cellular mechanisms that underlie computation in the mammalian brain. He has helped develop and deploy powerful neuro-technologies, such as combining imaging and optogenetics, to study the function of neural circuits in the cerebellum and neocortex. He has also explored how single neurons and neural circuits drive behaviours and adapt during learning. Professor Häusser came to HKU in 2024 from University College London to become the new Director of the School of Biomedical Sciences and Chair Professor of Neuroscience, having been on the Scientific Advisory Board of the School since 2015. PROFESSOR MICHAEL HÄUSSER Lee Man-Chiu Professor in Neuroscience Director and Chair Professor of Neuroscience School of Biomedical Sciences I am very familiar with the School’s strengths and potential so the opportunity to join as its new Director and capitalise on this environment to build new strengths in neuroscience was particularly appealing to me. I am excited by the prospect of bridging basic and clinical neuroscience to make major advances in understanding, preventing and treating neurological and psychiatric disorders. 28 RESEARCH AND INNOVATION 29 HKU ANNUAL REPORT 2024
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