Newsletter No. 117

Four to Receice Honorary Doctorates Dr. Li Ka-shing Prof. Wu Jie-ping Prof. Yang Chen-ning Dr. Deanna Lee Rudgard Four distinguished person s wil l be awarded honorary doctorates at th e University' s 53r d congregation to be held on Thursday , 11t h December 1997 . Mr . Tun g Che e Hwa , Chief Executiv e o f th e Hon g Kon g Special Administrativ e Region , wi l l officiate a t the ceremony a s Chancellor of the University . Dr . L i Ka-shin g wil l be awarded the degree of Doctor of Laws, honoris causa. Prof . W u Jie-pin g an d Prof. Yang Chen-ning will bot h receive the degree of Doctor of Science, honoris causa. An d Dr. Deanna Lee Rudgard will be awarded the degree of Doctor of Social Science, honoris causa. Thei r citation s will b e written an d delivere d b y Prof . Andrew Parki n and Prof. Serena Jin. Dr. Li Ka-shing, LLD, DSSc, JP Chairman and managing director o f Cheung Kon g (Holdings ) Limite d an d chairman o f Hutchiso n Whampo a Limited, Dr . L i Ka-shin g i s a n internationally renowned entrepreneur whose business spans real estate, port operations, infrastructure, hotels , power generation , telecommunication, manufacturing , and retailing in Hong Kong, the mainland, and around the world. Also activ e i n communit y service , Dr. L i ha s serve d a s a member o f th e Drafting Committee of the Basic Law o f the Hong Kong Specia l Administratio n Region, a Hong Kong Affair s Adviser , and a membe r o f th e Preparator y Committee o f th e Hon g Kon g Specia l Administrative Region . H e i s currentl y vice-patron o f the Community Ches t o f Hong Kong , honorar y presiden t o f th e Hong Kon g Chi u Cho w Chambe r o f Commerce Limited, and vice-president of the Real Estate Developers Associatio n of Hong Kong. Dr. Li has given tremendous support to education and medicine in Hong Kong and on the mainland an d has, ove r th e years, contributed a total of about HK$2.5 billion i n suppor t o f educationa l an d medical organizations , includin g th e establishment o f a universit y i n hi s hometown of Shantou. At the University, Dr. Li is a member of the Advisory Board of the Three-year MBA Programme . He has als o donate d generousl y t o loca l charities especiall y thos e renderin g services to children and the aged. Dr. Li' s achievement s an d contributions have earne d hi m numerou s honours, including an honorary doctorate from Pekin g University. Prof. Wu Jie-ping, BS, MD , FAC P (Hon), FRCS Edinburgh (Hon ) A urologis t o f international renown and one of the most influential urologists in China, Prof. Wu Jie-ping is honorary president o f Beijing Medical Universit y and honorary directo r o f it s Institute o f Urology. H e has extensive clinica l experience and has been actively involve d in research and teaching. His pioneering and independen t discoverie s o f lat e complications o f renal tuberculosis and post-nephrectomy compensator y rena l growth ar e considered two o f the mos t important breakthroughs in urology. Prof. Wu i s honorar y presiden t o f leadin g scientific associations in China, including Peking Union Medica l College an d the Chinese Medical Association. He is also a fello w o f th e Chines e Academ y o f Sciences an d the Chines e Academy o f Engineering, a membe r o f th e Thir d World Academ y o f Sciences , an d a foreign membe r o f th e Belgia n Roya l Academy o f Medicine . Prof . Wu hold s honorary fellowship/membershi p i n the Hong Kon g Colleg e o f Surgeons , th e Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh, the International Society of Surgery, the Japanese Society of Urology, the College of Family Physicians of Canada, and the North American Society for Dialysis and Transplantation. Prof. W u ha s receive d numerou s awards fo r hi s contributio n t o th e promotion o f public health and medical science, includin g th e Firs t All-Chin a Scientific Award on Population, the First Award o f Distinguishe d Professo r o f Beijing Medical University, Grand Medal of Pari s (Echelo n Vermeil) , an d th e Suzuki Uro-Medicin e Awar d o f Japan . He i s als o a seven-time winne r o f th e National Awar d fo r Scienc e an d Technology. Prof. W u i s currentl y th e vice - chairman of the Standing Committee o f the Nationa l People' s Congres s o f th e People's Republic of China. A staunc h frien d o f Th e Chines e University o f Hong Kong, Prof. Wu has often benefitted the surgery and urology units in the Faculty of Medicine with his sage advice. Prof. Yang Chen-ning, BSc, PhD, DSc One of the most prominent theoretical physicists i n th e contemporar y world , Prof. Yan g Chen-nin g ha s mad e landmark contributions to the study of the structure an d interactio n o f subatomi c particles. Hi s theor y ha s profoundl y reshaped the development of physics and modem geometry during the last 40 years and brought him prestigious international awards, includin g th e Nobe l Priz e i n Physics (1957) , the US National Meda l of Science (1986), the Benjamin Franklin Medal (1993), the Bower Award (1994 ), and the N. Bogoliubov Prize (1996). He also hold s fellowship s a t the Chines e Academy o f Sciences, the US Academy of Sciences , th e Roya l Society , th e Russian Academy of Sciences, and many other internationally renowned academic bodies. H e wa s recentl y appointe d a member o f the Pontifica l Academ y o f Sciences b y Pop e Joh n Pau l I I i n recognition of his exemplary achievements in science and technology. Albert Einstein Professor of Physics and director of the Institute of Theoretical Physics a t the Stat e University o f New York, Ston y Brook , Prof . Yang has fo r several decade s devote d considerabl e effort to the promotion of scientific and cultural exchang e betwee n mainlan d China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and the West. A highl y respected adviser to China in science and technology, Prof. Yang has also been invited by Mr. Tung Chee Hwa, the Chie f Executive o f the Hong Kon g Special Administrative Region, to lead a high-level advisor y committe e o n th e development of new and high technology in Hon g Kon g an d the futur e o f loca l industries. Prof. Yan g ha s maintained a ver y close relationshi p wit h th e Universit y over th e years . H e firs t visite d th e University i n 196 4 an d was appointe d honorary professor i n 1983 . In 1986 , he became the first Distinguished Professor- at-Large and has served as director of the Institute of Mathematical Sciences since 1994. I n thes e variou s capacities , Prof . Yang has lent invaluable advice, support, and leadership to the University. Dr. Deanna Lee Rudgard, BA MA, BM, BCh Born to a well-established family that has made remarkable contributions to the development of Hong Kong, Dr. Deanna Lee Rudgar d receive d he r medica l training at Oxford University and began her medica l caree r i n England . Sh e moved to Switzerlan d i n 198 2 with the intention of doing voluntary work for the World Health Organization, but returned to Hon g Kon g a yea r late r a t th e unexpected death of her father Dr. R.C. Lee, to assume management o f the Lee Hysan Foundation . Sh e i s currentl y a director o f Hysa n Developmen t Company Limited , Le e Hysa n Estat e Company Limited , Garde n Hote l i n Guangzhou, an d N.M. Rothschil d an d Sons (Hong Kong) Limited . Dr. Rudgard is keen on the arts and especially on nurturing young artists. To this end she has not only made generous donations throug h th e Le e Hysa n Foundation, but has also devoted a lot of time an d effort t o suppor t the activitie s of loca l art organizations. Sh e has been involved i n supporting the Asian Yout h Orchestra and the Asian Cultural Council from thei r inception . Dr. Rudgard is a firm believer in her late father's dictum that 'Education is the best investmen t anyon e ca n make. Th e returns ma y no t b e immediat e bu t it s benefits las t a lifetime. ' Sh e i s a n honorary fello w o f St . Hilda's College , Oxford University, and a member of the Rhodes Scholarship Selection Committee. She wa s a membe r o f th e Harol d MacMillan Trus t whic h promote s education in what is known as the 'Third World'. Dr . Rudgard has also played an important role in the development of the University. Sh e currentl y sit s o n th e Board of Trustees of Chung Chi College, and serves as treasurer and chair o f the Finance Committee . Sh e ha s bee n a member of the University Council since 1995, and actively involved in promoting academic and research activities as well as student welfare. Over the years, the Lee family an d the Le e Hysa n Foundatio n have give n unstintin g suppor t t o th e University's activities , suc h a s th e construction of a state-of-the-art concert hall a t Chun g Ch i College , an d th e organization of a series of workshops on 'Open Chemistry Laboratory' , an d the China Pathology Programme .