Newsletter No. 70

Pathologists f rom China to Train at CUHK T h e Departmen t o f Anatomica l an d Cellular Patholog y w i l l receiv e HK$500,000 fro m th e Fo k Yin g Tun g Foundation ove r th e nex t thre e year s t o establish trainin g f e l l owsh i p s fo r pathologists fro m China . Pathology deal s wit h th e cause s o f diseases an d i s a majo r disciplin e i n patient management . Accordin g t o Dr . H.K. Ng f r o m th e Departmen t o f Anatomical an d Cellula r Pathology , pathology i n China has fallen behind the West due to the lack o f Western medica l literature in many Chinese institutions, the absence o f a systemati c t r a i n i n g programme, an d the exodus o f talents t o the West in the 1980s. His department has set up a committee unde r the departmen t board to promote pathology in China and to assis t Chinese medica l institution s i n their training programmes . The fellowshi p schem e wil l enabl e four to five fellows t o receive training at CUHK each year. There will be two levels of training. One is for lecturers and young pathologists who will undergo training i n surgical pathology, autopsy, and cytology for six to 1 2 months; the other is for more senior facult y staf f wh o w i l l underg o training of a shorter duration on laboratory organization an d management , computerization i n pathology , an d teaching and training. Conference on Chinese Societies and Social Indicators Studie s T h e Hon g Kon g Institut e o f Asia-Pacifi c Studie s o f CUHK , th e Department o f Sociolog y o f th e Hon g Kon g University , an d th e Department of Applied Social Studies of the Polytechnic Universit y of Hong Kon g jointly organize d a conference on Chinese societie s and social indicators studies from 27th to 29th April 1995 . Over 3 0 overseas an d loca l academic s an d expert s i n th e relevan t fiel d attended and delivered a total of 23 papers. The conferenc e comprise d severa l themati c sessions , eac h dealing with a specific topic such as the development and application of systems of socia l indicators, socia l development, quality o f life , socio-cultural orientation , educatio n an d employment , socia l differentiation, an d health and family. The function was held in the Cho Yiu Conference Hall on CUHK campus. Prof. Ambrose King , pro-vice-chancellor, officiated at the opening ceremony . Ho Sin-Hang Professorship Scheme in Ful l Swing A ne w professorshi p schem e has been set up wit h a generous donation from the Ho Sin-Hang Educatio n Endowmen t Fun d t o support internationall y renowne d scholars to visi t th e Universit y fo r thre e t o si x months. The invite d schola r i s expecte d t o advise on the planning and development of relevant programme s o f studie s an d research activities at the University as well as carry ou t teaching , research , an d other duties in the host faculty. Faculties ma y advis e th e vice - chancellor of eligible scholars interested in visiting the University. The vice-chancellor w i l l, afte r du e consultation , mak e recommendations t o th e Trustee s o f th e Endowment Fund for approval . The firs t H o Sin-Han g Professo r appointed by the University was Prof. C.K. Chu, Fu Foundation Professor o f Applie d Mathematics fro m Columbi a University , who visited the University between October 1994 and January 1995 . In Ap r i l thi s year , th e secon d professorship wa s awarded . Prof . Ir a Horowitz, graduat e researc h professo r o f the Universit y o f Florida , ha s bee n appointed a s Ho Sin-Han g Professo r o f Decision Science s an d Manageria l Economics to visit the University betwee n April and Septembe r 1995 . Prof. Horowitz' s research , teaching , and professiona l skill s ar e broad-based , spanning th e field s o f decisio n sciences , managerial economics , an d industria l organizations. H e ha s published ove r 10 0 articles and book reviews, served as editor and reviewe r fo r man y repute d academi c journals, ha d over 3 0 years o f experienc e in curriculu m managemen t an d development, and consulted for industries , businesses, and government agencies. His visi t i s expecte d t o contribut e significantly t o th e wor k o f hi s hos t department, th e Departmen t o f Decisio n Sciences and Managerial Economics in the Faulty o f Business Administration . 25th—30th Ma y 199 5 wil l se e th e CUH K hostin g th e Eight h Compute r Ches s Championship, a competition organized every three years by the International Computer Chess Association (ICCA). In the past, the championships have taken place in either North America or Europe. Prof. Monty Newbor n of McGill Universit y i n Canada, an ex-president of the ICCA, invited his former colleague, Prof. Omar Wing, dean of engineering at the University, to bid for the 1995 championship. An enthusiastic response to this invitation, a response that was partially influenced by a desire to further research in computer science in the Faculty of Engineering, is what has brought the competition to Hong Kong this year. Incidentally the current ICCA president, Prof. T.A. Marsland, professor of computer science at the University of Alberta, is presently residing in Hong Kong. The main aim of the championship i s to find the best combination of computers and software programmes that play chess. The 24 participants this year include the world's strongest chess playing computers, including Fritz (a Dutch programme that was the first computer to defeat World Champion Gary Kasparov in a series of five-minute games), Chess Genius (a British programme which recently defeated Kasparov in a two-game match where each player had 25 minute s fo r al l thei r moves) , an d the winne r o f th e 199 4 ACM (Associatio n o f Computing Machinery) International Championship, IBM's Deep Blue programme. This compute r championshi p i s primaril y sponsore d b y I B M (USA) . Othe r majo r sponsors include Sun Microsystems, Compunetics, the ACM, Saitek, Varitronix, the Hong Kong Ches s Federation, an d CUHK. I n th e course of th e competition, o n 28th May, the Saitek Challenge — sponsore d by Saitek , a Hong Kong based manufacturer o f compute r chess machines — will take place between the six strongest chess players of Hong Kong and the five leading chess playing computers of the competition, plus a Saitek computer. The human team will include the Hong Kong national team and International Master Dr. M.K.Wong (continued on page 2 )