News & Events

The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) is pleased that its invention of the Personal Response System (PRS) or the device generically-referred to as “clickers”, the first universal classroom learning tool invented, is now widely used by global universities and institutions.   The Personal Response System (PRS) was invented by a team led by Prof Nelson Cue, then Head of the Physics Department at HKUST. Using the tool aimed to promote active learning, students in a classroom or lecture theater can respond to questions posed by the instructors with a click of a button, all at the same time. It helps instructors to instantly assess students’ understanding of the subject matter and to collect instant feedback from every student. A histogram of class response can be plotted and shown to the class. Most importantly, it helps students participate actively in class.   “One of the beauties of the PRS is helping shy and disadvantaged students to be proactive,” said Prof Cue, now Professor Emeritus of Physics at HKUST. “Inspired by a commercial system Classtalk System, we aimed to build a more user-friendly, affordable and easy-to-use student response system which could be used in any discipline. Our system was meant to be used easily in any classroom from elementary school to postgraduate in any country – and it would be affordable for developing countries. Thus instead of regular networking which was expensive, we settled on television infrared remote control technology which was pervasive and cheap. With a grant from the Hong Kong Government and involving a local company Varitronix, we designed the affordable, time-saving, easy-to-use, scalable and wireless Personal Response System – the first universal classroom learning tool in 1997,” said Prof Cue. A US patent on this infrared system filed in 1997 was approved in 2001.   PRS is now used in all major tertiary institutes in Hong Kong, close to 40 secondary schools, as well as a number of government institutions and multinational corporations. The tool helped HKUST’s Department of Physic to promote the “Question-Centered Approach”, a campaign targeting students of local secondary schools to encourage interactive learning with funding from the Quality Education Fund.   Top-view Tools (TvT), a simpler and more affordable version of “clickers” targeting China and neighboring areas, are being developed.   PRS has become widely used by universities and institutions worldwide since 1998. With the invention of PRS, HKUST is one of the pioneers of the family “clickers” which are now widely used around the world.   According to a Canadian newspaper, “clickers” have been introduced to the University of British Columbia (UBC) by Prof Carl Wieman, 2001 Nobel Laureate in Physics who was recently nominated for the key position of associate director of science in the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy.   According to Prof Simon Peacock, Dean of Science at UBC, Prof Wieman’s focus at UBC was helping to introduce “innovations into the classroom that have improved students’ understanding of complex scientific concepts”.   Prof Peacock was quoted in an interview with the Vancouver Sun last month, “One of the most effective [innovations for the classroom] is the use in large lecture halls of “clickers” that allow professors to get instant feedback from hundreds of students by having them answer multiple-choice questions on hand-held services. When used correctly, they can be an incredible feedback mechanism in engaging students and enhancing student learning.”   Prof Nelson Cue earned a PhD in Physics in 1967 from the University of Washington, Seattle, USA. He joined the Physics Faculty at State University of New York /Albany in 1970 and became the Founding Head of Physics at HKUST in 1990. He had served as the Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs for Postgraduate Program for three and a half years. He was Chair Professor of the Physics Department before his retirement in 2007. He was also the Founding Director of the HKUST College of LifeLong Learning (CL3) in 2000. More recently, he developed and directed the Talented Youth Summer Program that has been in operation since 2008. Read more

Professor Kwing-lam CHAN recently achieved breakthrough in analyzing the data obtained from China’s first lunar probe, Chang’e-1. He was invited by China National Space Administration (CNSA) to join the first Chinese lunar satellite research in 2007. The analysis result will be published in Earth and Planetary Science Letters and Prof Chan is the first Hong Kong scholar to publish Chang’e-1 data analysis results in an international journal.   In Hong Kong, including Prof Chan’s research team, there are four groups taking part in Chang’e-1 data analysis research. Chang’e-1 achieved the first 3-D lunar imaging in the world and used microwave to measure the thickness of lunar regolith. From the microwave data, Prof Chan found that there were microwave “black spots” spread over the lunar regolith, with great temperate difference between day and night. In addition, the microwave data confirmed that the temperature variation of the lunar regolith under dozens of centimeters was relatively small (around minus 48 degrees Celsius near the equator region, warmer than the winter of Alaska). Human beings can live under such temperatures.   Prof Chan believed that such findings will be of great help to China’s lunar landing in the future and predicted that Chinese astronauts would be able to land on the Moon in the coming two decades. He also pointed out that the rich reserve of Helium-3 on the moon was adequate for the our use for 10,000 years.   This research was solely funded by HKUST’s School of Science for HK$320,000 and the first stage of research was completed.   Prof Kwing-lam CHAN is a prominent astrophysics and was a former NASA researcher. He obtained his doctoral degree in Princeton University in 1974. His research interests include Astrophysics and Space Science, Solar, Planetary and Lunar Research, and Computational Fluid Dynamics. He joined HKUST in 1994 and is currently a professor in the Department of Mathematics. Read more

The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) today launched a university-wide community engagement program in preparation for the implementation of the 4-year undergraduate curriculum in 2012. Called “HKUST Connect”, it involves the entire university community – students, faculty and staff members – in a well-coordinated effort to develop sustainable partnerships with the community at large.   Dr Rosanna Wong Yick-Ming, Executive Director of The Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups, said at the launching ceremony, “I have always believed that education serves a public purpose. This is because putting knowledge to work is how a society progresses. For this reason I find HKUST Connect a very exciting and relevant process which nurtures in students a desire to engage in the community through responsible and civic endeavors, while also strengthening their commitment to service. On these foundation stones rest Hong Kong’s successful and sustainable development.”   HKUST President Tony F Chan said, “HKUST Connect is significant in three dimensions – Conscience, Consolidation, and Commitment”.   “First, HKUST Connect represents a united conscience for advancing justice, hope and basic goodness. Second, it is a consolidation of efforts from different levels of the university for one common purpose – to promote the well-being of self and others through an integration of service and learning. Finally, it signifies the University’s continued commitment to community engagement involving lasting relationships,” President Chan said.   Prof Kar Yan Tam, Dean of Undergraduate Education, said, “The mandate of HKUST Connect is to nurture engaged learners who take charge of their own learning and actively apply their human capital to address community needs and social issues.”   To facilitate students’ personal advancement and ride on their passion, the University has adopted a graduate-student mentoring model in developing community engagement initiatives.   In putting this model into practice, a group of 2009 HKUST graduates have been hired to join HKUST Connect as Service Learning Co-ordinators responsible for project planning and implementation.   Miss Ren Leung is one of the Service Learning Co-ordinators. A Physics graduate, she was inspired to take up this post by her own experience in social service.   “One of the most life-changing experiences for me was taking part in the Sichuan Social Service Program in June this year with 40 other HKUST students and staff, to provide service to the victims of the Sichuan Earthquake last year. After the trip, I realized that it is not a matter of whether we can contribute to society, but how we would like to contribute. Being a Service Learning Co-ordinator is, I think, the best way I can make a contribution,” she said.   The Sichuan Social Service Program was organized by a group of committed students and staff, in which Mr He Yuheng, 2009 Physics graduate, was a key player.   Mr He was also the recipient of the first “Roy To Community Service Award”, also presented at the ceremony. He is at present staying at HKUST to pursue his MPhil studies. A student from the Mainland, Mr He played a key role in organizing service trips to Sichuan and various parts of Guangdong. Apart from being committed to social service, Yuheng was also a top student – not only did he graduate with first class honors, but he was one of only seven students in the School of Science to be presented the Academic Achievement Award.   The “Roy To Community Service Award” was set up in memory of HKUST alumni Mr Roy To, who lost his life in a car accident in Inner Mongolia during a service trip in May 2008. The Award is presented annually to the student in HKUST who best exemplifies the commitment to community service.   HKUST Connect is funded by the University Grants Committee and the private sector, including a donation from Mr Senta Wong, Chairman and CEO of Wong’s Kong King International (Holdings) Limited.     About HKUST Connect HKUST Connect is an initiative set up to mobilize the entire university to build on existing efforts in raising civic awareness, and be actively engaged in learning and service activities for the benefit of the community. Students will connect their service with their academic experiences and realize their unique role in the community. Faculty and staff will facilitate these activities to enhance student learning as well as deepen their own commitment to education with a public purpose. The University will collaborate with community organizations, education institutions and corporations to organize meaningful projects that assist, inspire and build up their recipients. Read more

Five Form 6 students trained by the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) have scored the best results ever for Hong Kong at the 40th International Physics Olympiad in Mexico from 12 to 19 July 2009, netting one gold, two silver and three bronze medals.   These students are participants in the “Support Measures for the Exceptionally Gifted Students Scheme” of the Education Bureau, and have won awards at last year’s Hong Kong Physics Olympiad. On completion of a one-year training program provided by HKUST’s Physics Department and having gone through a series of challenges, they were selected to take part in this international competition.   This year’s International Physics Olympiad attracted over 70 competing teams from different countries and regions, with each team comprising five members.   Prof Tai-Kai Ng, HKUST Associate Dean of Science and Head of the Physics Department, was very pleased with the students’ performance this year. He said that as Mexico was one of the countries affected by swine flu, the Hong Kong team had to overcome numerous hurdles before they could make the trip there, and this made the achievement all the more remarkable. He said that the Science School hoped to develop even more promising secondary school students, and this year, there will be another several dozen secondary school students taking HKUST’s one-year training program in preparation for next year’s International Physics Olympiad.     List of Winners from Hong Kong in the International Physics Olympiad 2009   Name Award School Yu Lik Hang Gold SKH Lam Woo Memorial Secondary School Poon Ting Fung, Jeffrey Silver Sing Yin Secondary School Lam Kin Silver Sing Yin Secondary School Lee Tak Yan Bronze SKH Lam Woo Memorial Secondary School Yeung Wing Ki Bronze STFA Leung Kau Kui College   Read more

HKUST MPhil student of Physics Tsui Lok Man became the only candidate from Hong Kong to have won a fully-funded scholarship for the Perimeter Scholars International (PSI) program, a 10-month concentrated Master degree program jointly organized by the world-renowned Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics (PITP) and the University of Waterloo in Ontario, Canada.   For this honor, Lok Man has to compete against 200 international applicants, becoming one of 25 eventual scholarship winners from 15 countries/regions for this inaugural program. Due to start in August 2009, the program aims to attract budding physicists from around the world and nurturing them to become theoretical Physics researchers contributing to future cutting-edge discoveries.   Lok Man is elated by his success, “I am excited at being offered this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to learn from some of the world’s most celebrated Physicists, ” he said. Through this program he hopes to develop better understanding in two areas of Physics of interest to him – String Theory and Quantum Gravity – leading to the identification of research topics for later studies.   “I feel tremendously indebted to the professors at HKUST especially Physics Professors Yang Zhiyu and Szeto Kwok Yip. Prof Yang coached us to take part in various Physics Olympiad tournaments. Without his guidance we would not have fared so well in the tournaments. Prof Szeto has given me invaluable advice in my undergraduate research project. I thank them and all other professors for the learning opportunities offered and the wise consul and advice given,” said Lok Man.   The Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics was founded 10 years ago as a leading centre in theoretical physics. It provides a multi-disciplinary environment for fostering scientific collaboration in research areas of cosmology, particle physics, quantum foundations, quantum gravity, quantum information, superstring theory and related disciplines.   The center is staffed by an award-winning faculty and 10 Distinguished Research Chairs, including eminent physicists who have made significant contribution to some of the most exciting research areas in Physics. Its glittering faculty includes Prof Stephen Hawking of University of Cambridge, Wolf Prize Winner Yakir Aharonov of Chapman University in the States, and Xiao-Gang Wen of MIT, some of them will be involved in teaching the Perimeter Scholars International Program.   Currently an MPhil student in Physics at HKUST, Lok Man is a first-class-honour graduate in Physics and Mathematics. Admitted through the Early Admissions Scheme in 2005, he impressed HKUST’s Admission Panel with his precocious ability in Physics, amply demonstrated in his performances at various Physics Olympiad tournaments. He was crowned the gold medal in the 2005 International Physics Olympiad held in Spain involving student representatives from 75 countries/regions.   With this fully funded scholarship, Lok Man will be able to learn and exchange with budding physicists from around the world including Australia, Cameroon, Canada, China, Cuba, France, India, Iran, Ireland, The Netherlands, Poland, South Africa, UK and USA. Read more

Prof Alan Heeger, Nobel Laureate in Chemistry in 2000, today (Friday) unveiled to a packed lecture hall at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology the secrets of “plastic solar cells” with the world’s highest energy efficiency rating for such cells made with organic materials.   This was part of a series of Distinguished Lectures hosted by the University’s Institute of Advanced Study.   “I am excited to have led a research team that created a new low-cost ‘tandem’ organic solar cell with 6.5% efficiency, the highest record for solar cells made with organic materials. This technology is now under active development toward commercialization, and is expected to have significant contribution to meeting the energy needs of our planet in the future.” said Professor Heeger.   Prof Heeger is currently Professor of Physics at the University of California at Santa Barbara and Director of the Institute for Polymers and Organic Solids. Together with two other professors, Prof Heeger won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for his contributions to the discovery and development of conductive polymers.   Prof Heeger is also a Fellow of the American Physical Society and a Member of both the National Academy of Sciences and the National Academy of Engineering. Read more

Pre-university students with exceptional promise from around the world will be able to flex their intellectual muscles during a 3-week program next summer. Talented Youth Summer Program 2008 (the Program) is co-organized and co-sponsored by The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) and Savantas Policy Institute (Savantas), and will be held from 13 July to 3 August, 2008.
Taught by distinguished faculty members and academic experts from HKUST and Stanford University, the Program will carry university credits which could be counted towards future undergraduate studies.   Speaking at a news conference to announce the Program today (Wednesday, 12 December), HKUST Vice-President for Academic Affairs Prof Roland Chin said, “Talented Youth Summer Program will help nurture these extraordinary students by expanding their horizons and challenging them to realize their full potential. Students will be recruited from around the world, in Hong Kong and from the Mainland.”     The Program will help participants achieve the following objectives:   1. Explore and develop their full potential;
2. Achieve personal goals while maintaining harmony with others; and
3. Become global citizens by realizing that the contribution of the whole can be far greater than the sum of its parts.   Mrs Regina Ip, Chairperson of Savantas Policy Institute, said that the core vision of Savantas is to help Hong Kong transform into a knowledge-based economy; and such development will not be possible without an investment in training and education. She is pleased that Savantas and HKUST can work together towards breeding a new generation of local leaders.   “Advancements in science and technology are the driving force for economic growth in recorded history,” said Prof Nelson Cue, Program Director and Professor Emeritus of Physics at HKUST. “New frontiers in biotechnology have now brought the world into the ‘Bioterials Age’. Gifted youngsters, being the potential future leaders of the 21st century, need to equip themselves not just with book knowledge, but the ability to think critically, and the breadth of mind to assume new responsibilities.”   With the theme “Accelerated Societal Development through Science and Technology”, the 2008 program will allow participants to engage in a full array of activities including lectures, laboratory experiments, group projects, discussions, educational tours and recreational programs.   Applicants are to apply with recommendation from their school principals. In addition to taking the core course – Societal Development through Science and Technology, students can opt for electives on Critical Thinking, Global Climate Change and Energy Issues, Introductory Game Theory and Frontier Techniques in Biotechnology. Participants will also have the option of joining a study tour to the Nansha IT Park and manufacturing base in South China. Read more

Five Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) professors and their teaching teams were honored today(11 December) with Teaching Innovation Awards for successfully introducing new ideas, techniques and practices in teaching.   HKUST President, Prof Paul Chu, presented the awards at the third Teaching and Learning Symposium, a biennial event to promote novel teaching and learning at the University.     The five winners are:   Prof Jogesh K R Muppala, Department of Computer Science and Engineering   His innovative use of Web 2.0 technologies, like Blogs and Podcasting, provides a useful mechanism for instructors in higher education to enhance their course content, by offering additional channels for information delivery to their students and enhancing collaborative and cooperative learning. For example, a blog can be used for delivering additional information like course announcements, links to interesting websites and articles relevant to the course. Podcasting is a means of delivering online recorded audio of classroom lectures to enhance the course materials.   Prof David P Rossiter & Team, Department of Computer Science and Engineering Prof Rossiter employs a web-based voice tool, the Gong system designed primarily for use in education, especially language learning. This system allows people to communicate using text and voice over the Internet. Students and teachers can participate in different discussion boards in the system. Inside these boards they can leave text and voice messages and they can also listen to and reply to messages from other people on the boards. It offers great assistance to language learners worldwide.   Prof Mike K P So , Department of Information and Systems Management            Prof So has developed an innovative teaching methodology—Problem-based Learning with Constructive Alignment (PBL/CA) that maps learning objectives and teaching activities to learning outcomes. It demonstrates an excellent implemention of outcome-based education.   Prof Philip I K Sou & Team of the Department of Physics                                   Prof Sou has introduced a two-way learning method to nurture young researchers. He selected UG students to develop cutting–edge science and technology based on recent developments or inventions by faculty members. The research outcomes are used as teaching kits in existing courses and presented to secondary school students. Thus, students are advised by faculty and faculty are in turn inspired by students.   Mr Sean W J McMinn, Language Centre                                                                      Mr McMinn has fostered active learning with podcasting technology, providing a platform for students to practice English writing, listening and reading skills in a real life situation. Students and staff from all departments are invited to contribute stories, notices or comments to each podcast, to create an English-speaking community on campus.     The Teaching Innovation Awards is a biennial event that promotes novel teaching and learning at the University. At the Symposium, President Paul Chu presented the awards to the winners. The keynote speaker Prof Karl A. Smith, the Morse-Alumni Distinguished Teaching professor at the University of Minnesota, gave the keynote address on ” Designing Innovative Higher Education Programs : Insights from Research and Practice” to share his experiences of how to design courses and programs to ensure that they lead to enhanced student learning . Prof Karl A. Smith is a distinguished educator. He has been at the University of Minnesota since 1972 and is in phased retirement as Morse-Alumni Distinguished Teaching Professor.   The Teaching and Learning Symposium was co-organized by HKUST’s Senate Committee on Teaching and Learning and the Center for Enhanced Learning and Teaching (http://celt.ust.hk/). To coincide with the Symposium, an exhibition on teaching and learning initiatives is being held on HKUST campus from 5 to 15 December 2007. Read more

HKUST Physics Professor Wen Weijia and his research team have pioneered the development of foldable paper-like electronic displays. The device can be bent or wrapped around a column like a piece of paper for a wide range of commercial or industrial applications.   Measuring about one sixth of the thickness of a credit card, the break-through device is made by embedding conductive wiring patterns into thermochromic composite films. With its thermochromic quality, the images produced are clear and the color displayed can be tuned, reversed or repeated by varying the temperature.   Speaking at a press conference today (November 2), Prof Wen remarked, “Light weight and portable display technologies have been developed and applied to electronic gadgets including mobile phones and digital cameras, but most of them use LCD technology which can become very expensive as the size of the display increases.”   “The thickness of our device is just 150 microns, it is easy and inexpensive to manufacture and use relatively less power. The technology can be conveniently applied to large electronic display panels including signage, buses’ destination display screens and mark display panels with lower costs.”   “Due to the flexibility of the display material, the displays can be folded for easy transportation and storage. A large display screen can be rolled into a cylinder shape for transportation to the display location.”   Other potential applications of the device include electronic billboards, smart windows, color filters, temperature sensors or even e-books.   The team’s achievements have been widely published in prestigious international journals including Advanced Materials and Applied Physics Letter. In the process of having this display technology patented, they are seeking to identify interested parties so that the technology can be further developed for industrial and commercial application. Read more

HKUST President Prof Paul Chu has been appointed to the US President’s Committee on the National Medal of Science to select and recommend to the US President the recipients of the highest honor for scientific achievement in the US.   Prof Chu is the few Chinese scientists ever to be appointed to the President’s Committee since the establishment of the National Medal of Science by the US Congress in 1959.   Hailed as the United States’ equivalent of the Nobel Prize, the National Medal of Science is awarded by the US President on an annual basis to honor the contributions made by outstanding scientists who have significantly advanced knowledge in the fields of physics, biology, mathematics, engineering, and sociology and other behavioral sciences.   Prof Chu’s appointment to the President’s Committee, announced by the White House on June 21, is for a term of three years ending December 2009. The President’s Committee comprises 12 members who are outstanding scientists and engineers from a variety of disciplines in the natural and social science.   “The medal is to recognise the best scientists from across the US, and I am deeply honoured to be given the opportunity to play a part in recommending the recipients,” Prof Chu said.   Prof Chu is himself a recipient of the National Medal of Science in 1988 for his scientific breakthrough in high temperature super-conductivity. He was also named the Best Researcher in the United States by US News and World Report in 1990.     Out of a total 425 National Medal of Science laureates, nine are of Chinese descent, including:   Chen-Ning Yang (1986); Yuan-Tseh Li (1986); Yuan-Cheng B Fung (2000), the “Founder of Modern Biomechanics”; Shing-Tung Yau (1997), winner of the Fields Medal, Alfred Y Cho (1993), the “Father of Molecular Beam Epitaxy”; Tung-Yin Lin (1986), one of the greatest structural engineers of his time; Shiing-Shen Chern (1975), a leading differential geometer of the twentieth century; and Chien-Shiung Wu (1975), the “First Lady of Physics” Read more