Bulletin Summer 1989

Dr. Kuan Hsin-chi Dean of Faculty of Social Science Dr. Kuan Hsin-chi obtained his L LB from the National Chengchi University i n 1963. He furthered his studies in We st Ge r ma n y, receiving his M A from the Free University of Berlin in 1967 and then his PhD from the University of Munich in 1972. Dr. Kuan j o i ned the United College, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, as lecturer in government and public administration in 1973, and was promoted to senior lecturer in 1981 and reader in 1987. Apart from being a devoted teacher, Dr. Kuan is a core participant and leadership figure in social science research at the University. He was once director of the Public Affairs Research Centre. I n 1982, subsequent to the reorganization of the social science research units at the University, Dr. Kuan was appointed director of the Centre for Contemporary Asian Studies and has remained i n that post ever since. Dr. Kuan was recently appointed director of the Universities Service Centre in July 1988 when the University took over the management of the Centre under an agreement with the American Council of Learned Societies. Dr. Kuan is knowledgeable an d has wide- ranging interests. During his stay in West Germany, he applied himself to Western political philosophy and the international relations of Western states, especially those related to the Federal Republic o f Germany. Upon his return to Hong Kong, his intellectual interests became even more diversified. Aside fro m conducting research on the political institutions of Hong Kong, Dr. Kuan pays particular attention to the development of legal institutions in China. Dr. Kuan has also done substantial research on the ombudsman as a general political phenomenon, especially its role in promoting justice in a bureaucratic society. Dr. Kuan has a stable, m i l d and amicable personality. He is noted for his fairness in dealing with people and business. He is both respected and liked by his social science colleagues. He evinces proficiency and selflessness in academic administration and research p r omo t i on , and fo r this he is w i de ly acclaimed. Professor James D. Young Professor, Department of Biochemistry Professor Yo u n g was born and educated in Scotland, receiving his BSc ( 1971) and PhD (1975) in Biochemistr y from the University of Ed i nbu r gh . A f t er t wo years of pos t doc t o r al studies in Cambridge, he was appointed to staff of the Department of Cell Biology, Institute o f Animal Physiology, Babraham, Cambridge. In 1979, he was given a special merit promotion to Principal Scientific Officer. Professor Young moved to The Chinese University of Hong Kong as senio r lecturer i n biochemistry in 1981. He was promoted to reader in 1985 and professor in 1988. Professor Young's principal research interests relate to the mechanisms by which physiologically important organic solutes such as amino acids, nucleosides and sugars cross cell membranes. Hi s work has been published extensively in international journals, books and proceedings of symposia and conferences. Professor Youn g maintains active overseas collaborations w i t h the Universities o f Alberta, Cambridge and London and also with the Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry. He is an active member of a number of scientific societies, including the UK Physiological and Biochemical Societies and is an editorial adviser to the Biochemical Journal. Dr. John Matthew Low Say-Woon Senior Lecturer, Department of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care Dr. John Low was bom in London when his father was working at the Royal Postgraduate School of Medicine, Hammersmith Hospital. He spent part of his youth in Kuala Lumper and then won a scholarship to study in St Lawrence College in Kent, UK . He had worked for a short time in a real estate office before winning another scholarship to take up medical studies in St Peter's College, Oxford University. He graduated in phy s i o l og i cal sciences and proceeded to study 18