Newsletter No. 149

2 No. 149 4th September 1999 CUHK Newsletter A S U M M E R O F C O N F E R E N C E S, W O R K S H O P S , A N D S E M I N A RS University units participated in a large number of conferences, seminars, and workshops in the months of May, June, July, and August. Here is a brief summary of such activities: • O & G Symposium The Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology organized the first 'Nationa l Symposium o n Foetal Monitoring' jointly wit h the Chinese Association of Obstetrics and Gynaecology fro m 19th to 21st May. The symposium, which took place in the Oriental Hotel, Xi'an, China , was attended by ove r 18 0 leading obstetricians fro m al l over China. Papers were presented on a variety of research topics related to the fields of intrapartum monitoring and neonatal outcome measurement. • Workshop to Develop a School Leadership Profile From 19t h to 24th May, the Hong Kong Centre for the Development of Educational Leadership conducted a development workshop entitled 'School Leadership in Hong Kong: A Profil e fo r a New Century'. The workshop brought together a group of experienced school principals and Education Department officials to identify and develop standards for school principals in Hong Kong. Th e result wa s a draft versio n o f a leadership profil e grounde d i n the loca l contex t which serve s a s a potential resourc e fo r guidin g persona l leadershi p developmen t an d principalship training . • Summer Training for Mainland Microbiologists The Department of Microbiology organize d the Summer Course 199 9 from 31st May t o 14t h June at the Prince of Wales Hospital. I t was attended by young research fellows selecte d for participation from different academic institution s and hospitals in various provinces in China. The course aimed at updating their laborator y skill s an d techniques, and enhancing research collaboration between mainland China and Hong Kong . • Conference Examines Roles of Psychologists in HK On 5th June, the Hong Kong Psychologica l Societ y held its annual conference a t CUHK t o celebrate its 30th anniversary. Entitled 'Psychology in Hong Kong: Entering the 21st Century', the theme of the conference was 'Wha t Roles Should Psychologists Play in Hong Kong in the 21st Century? ' The programme comprise d an open panel and eight symposia covering topics from I/ Q psychology i n Hong Kong and the application of Jungian and Kelly's theory in psychology, to recent developments in various psychological fields in Hong Kong. Officiating at the opening ceremony wa s Prof . Fann y Cheung , th e the n chairperso n o f th e Equa l Opportunitie s Commission. • Pan-Pacific Nurses Gather at CUHK About 60 0 delegate s from 1 0 countries i n the Asia-Pacific regio n and Europe attende d the First Pan-Pacific Nursing Conference held at the University from 9th to 11th June. Organized by the Department of Nursing, the theme of the conference was 'Promoting Nursing Excellence in the 21st Century: Sharin g Innovations i n Practice' . The conference, the first of its kind in the Pan-Pacific region , provided nurses with the opportunity t o shar e innovation s i n practice , mutuall y apprais e experience , discus s an d disseminate researc h findings — activitie s conduciv e to promoting high quality nursing care and meeting the health needs of the community . • Annual Meeting of Decision Sciences Institute Approximately 20 0 participants fro m 1 3 countries attende d the annual meeting of the Asia- Pacific Decisio n Science s Institute held from 9th to 12t h June in Shanghai . Co-sponsored by the Departmen t o f Decision Science s an d Managerial Economics , th e theme o f this year' s meeting was 'Decisio n Science s in Asia-Pacific Context' . Close to 200 papers were accepted through referee review and published in the proceedings. Their topic s cove r al l areas in decision sciences from accountin g and finance to productio n and inventory management . • Seaweeds Under Scrutiny at Forum Algal research scientists from mainland China, Taiwan, an d Hon g Kon g convene d a t th e Second Asian Pacifi c Phycologica l Foru m which took place a t the University fro m 21 st to 25th June. The event was organized by th e Department of Biology and sponsored by New Asia Colleg e a s part o f the college' s golde n jubilee celebrations . The five-day programme also included a workshop entitle d 'Taxonomy o f the Tropical Western Pacific Seaweed s 一 a Pre-inventory Report an d the Settin g Up o f an Informatio n Network', an d a dinner discussio n sessio n entitled 'Establishmen t o f a Network t o Enhance Collaboration and Academic Exchange s o f Algal Research Scientists from Mainland China, Taiwan and Hong Kong' . • Interdisciplinary Conference Examines Social and Cultural Boundaries Scholars fro m leading institutions i n the US, England, Israel, Taiwan, Singapore , and Hong Kong attended an international conference organized by the University's Schoo l of Journalism and Communication at Cho Yiu Conference Hall on 25th and 26th June. Entitled 'In Searc h of Boundaries: Communication , Nation-State s an d Cultural Identities' , th e interdisciplinar y conference was co-sponsored by New Asia College . The conferenc e she d light o n the interrelationships amon g globalization, localization , and the redefinition of various social and cultural boundaries. • HK and Mainland Teachers Explore Better Ways to Teach English Close t o 20 0 Englis h teachers from 5 0 tertiary institution s i n Hong Kon g an d Guangdon g attended the First Regional Conference on College English Teaching from 15t h to 17t h June at the University. The event was jointly organized by the University's English Language Teaching Unit an d the College English Teaching and Research Association of Guangdong . The theme of the conference, 'Effective College English Teaching in the Chinese Context', was prompted by the common goal of both Guangdong and Hong Kong to provide high quality English instruction to tertiary students. Issues covered included approaches to classroom teaching, innovative curriculum development, and language assessment. • International Experts Discuss Future of Robotics The 199 9 IEEE Hong Kong Symposium on Robotics and Control took place at the University on 2nd and 3rd July. Hosted by the Department o f Mechanical and Automation Engineering , the symposium provided a forum for international researchers in robotics and control to exchange views o n the prospects of research and disseminate research findings. The topics covered in the symposium included CAD/CAM, neura l networks, compute r vision, fuzzy logic, and smart materials and structures. Officiating at the open ceremony were Prof. Toshio Fukuda, president of IEEE Robotics and Automation Society, Prof. Kenneth Young, pro-vice-chancellor o f th e University , an d Prof . X u Yangsheng , chai r o f th e organizin g committee and of the CUHK Departmen t of Mechanical and Automation Engineering . • Common Bean May Hold Answer to Health The Food and Nutritional Sciences Programme and the Centre for Nutritional Studies of the Faculty of Medicine jointly organized a talk entitled 'Health Benefits of Soya Beans' on 10th July. The talk was conducted by Dr. Mark Messina from the US, nutritionist specializing in the benefits of soya beans, and Prof. Suzanne Ho of the Department of Community and Family Medicine. Dr. Messina pointed out that soya beans are a cheap source of high quality protein which, unlike animal products, are low in saturated fat and cholesterol free. Recent clinical studies have shown that soya beans have many other important health benefits: soya protein directly lower s blood cholesterol levels; intake of soy foods may inhibit the development of breast and prostate cancers, prevent osteoporosis, and relieve menopause symptoms . Prof. Ho discussed studies on Hong Kong's so y consumption and the potential benefits. Local data has shown that soy foods constitute quite a major part of the local daily diet and that the more educated segment of the population are more likely t o consume them. • Conference Examines Global Supply Chain Management Leading academic researchers, company executives, and logistics professionals from over 1 0 different countries i n Asia, Europe, and North America exchange d ideas and perspectives o n the trends in global supply chain management at the international conference entitled 'Globa l Supply Chain Management: Into the 21st Century'. The conference, which took place on 13t h and 14t h August, wa s jointly organize d b y Th e Chines e Universit y an d the Hon g Kon g University o f Scienc e an d Technology. Keynot e speaker s an d panelists cam e from leadin g academic institution s suc h as Duke University an d UC Berkeley . The strategi c importanc e o f supply chai n management 一 th e management o f flows o f products, information, and cash in the processes of satisfying customers' demand s —has been gaining recognition during the past decade. Different industrie s have acknowledged that the successful management o f their suppl y chain s i s a key facto r to maintaining the company' s competitiveness. It was particularly appropriat e that the conference took place in Hong Kong , operator o f on e o f th e world' s larges t containe r ports , a transportation hub , an d a major management centr e for the Asia-Pacific region . • World Class Bioscientists Discuss Topical Issues in HK Top Chines e bioscientist s wo r l dw i d e convened in Hong Kong to review and discuss the most topical issues in biological researc h at the Eighth International Symposium of the Society o f Chinese Bioscientists i n America (SCBA) fro m 14t h t o 19t h August . Th e symposium, whic h too k plac e a t th e Hon g Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, was organized b y th e SCB A an d th e CUH K Department o f Biochemistry . Abou t 16 0 speakers, includin g two Nobel Laureate s 一 Dr. E. Donnall Thomas, 199 0 Nobel Laureate in Physiology/Medicine, an d Dr. Pau l Berg , 1980 Nobel Laureat e i n Chemistry , spok e a t the symposium , whil e clos e t o 30 0 delegate s presented research papers. The topic s discusse d included frontier s i n gen e therapy, AIDS research , DNA repair , traditional Chines e medicine , an d cardiovascula r scienc e an d neuroscience. Th e SCB A symposium is a biennial event held alternately i n North America and Southeast Asia. It serves to forg e close r relation s amon g Chines e bioscientist s th e worl d ove r a s well a s betwee n universities an d private research agencies. Then o n 20t h August a satellite worksho p entitle d 'Developmen t o f Biotechnolog y Industry: From Research to Commercial Products' was held at CUHK to provide opportunitie s for local scientists, industrialists, and students to gain an overview of how biological knowledge can be commercialized . Officiating at the opening ceremony of the symposium were the Honourable Tung Chee Hwa, Chie f Executive o f the HKSAR, Dr . Bruce Alberts, president o f the National Academy of Sciences of the US, and Prof. Lui Pak-wai, acting vice-chancellor o f the University .