Newsletter No. 168

CUHK Newsletter No. 168 4th September 2000 3 Spatial Data Analysis UnderProbe Leading practitioners and academics specializing in the development and application of neural and evolutionary computations from the US, UK, Italy, Austria, Germany, ma i n l and China, and Hong Kong gathered on CUHK campus last June to attend The Croucher Advanced Study Institute ( AS I ) on Neu r al and Evolutionary Computations for Spatial Data Analysis. Scholars and researchers from mainland China, Japan, and Taiwan in the fields o f geography, economics, regional science, engineering, and mathematics also participated in the lectures and discussions. The event was organized by the Department of Geography from 12th to 17th June under the sponsorship of The Croucher Foundation. The objective of the ASI was to scrutinize state-of-the-art neural and evolutionary computations in spatial data analysis, and to devise a plan for the dissemination of ideas and for further research in this fast evolving field. Prof. Leung Yee, chair of the Department of Geography (right 3) and some of the participants Microbiology Summer Course for Mainland Fellows Prof. Augustine Cheng (front row, left 3), chairman of the Department of Micro- biology, with staff of the department and participants of the summer course Young fellows specializing in microbiology from different institutions and hospitals in ma i n l and China were selected to participate in the Summer Course 2000 in Microbiology, organized by the Department of Microbiology from 8th to 20th June 2000 at the Prince of Wales Hospital. The course not only provided a chance for the participants to update their laboratory skills and techniques, but also consolidated research collaboration between the Un i ve r s i ty and institutions on the mainland. Japanese Study Tour for BBA Students Sixteen BBA students went on a study tour to Tokyo from 15th to 25th May. The tour was part of the efforts o f the Fa c u l ty o f Business Administration to boost the awareness of undergraduates of the global nature of business. D u r i n g t h e period, the students p a i d v i s i t s to 11 s i z a b le Japanese companies, including Mitsubishi Electric Corporation, Jusco Co. Ltd., Japan Airlines, and Epson, where they were warmly received. The visits enabled them to gain a deeper insight into Japanese management, and to learn more about the differences between doing business in Japan and in Hong Kong. A group photo outside Epson CUHK Project Enhances Multimedia Services on the Internet W i t h the r a p i d d e v e l o pme nt o f broadband Internet access in Hong Kong and around the wo r l d, the use o f multimedia resources in information d e l i v e ry on webs i t es is g a i n i ng p o p u l a r i t y. The De p a r t me nt o f I n f o rma t i on Eng i nee r i ng recently initiated the project OPERA (An Open P l a t f o rm for Mu l t i med ia Resource Exchange) to provide a more convenient and cost-effective environment for managing and de l i ve r i ng Internet multimedia contents. Multimedia resources are currently available in different formats, bit-rates, and languages. This diversity poses obstacles in the management and delivery of multimedia resources in a distributed environment. OPERA is a software-based platform that can work seamlessly w i th the present Internet architecture. Its Mu l t i med ia Name Server allows Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to easily manage the retrieval and storage of multimedia resources in different video servers according to user preference, server loading, and server location. Its Content Management System facilitates web maintenance by eliminating the need for web designers to deal with the actual locations of their multimedia contents. For Internet users, OPERA'S Universal Multimedia Resource Locator replaces existing multiple URLs and automatically redirects the request to the user's desired resource type. To transfer OPERA technologies to the local industry, a consortium of ISPs and Internet Content Providers has been formed. Ex i s t i ng members include several ISPs, portal sites, and non-profit- making organizations such as the Hong Kong Arts Centre and the Hong Kong Space Museum. Studen t Visitor s fro m Mainland and Taiwan Students from Beijing Normal University and National Taiwan University visited the University from 17th to 26th July under the Hong Kong-Mainland- Taiwan University Student Visitation Programme organized by New Asia College. The highlight of their visit was taking part in the symposium 'Education Development o f China in the 21 st Century'. The participants also attended various discussions and academic talks related to the theme, and v i s i t ed educational institutions in the territory, including the Hong Kong Institute of Education, the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, and the Open University. Best Protocol Presentation Awa rd Students of the Postgraduate Programme in Epidemiology and Biostatistics had been asked to develop protocols for various health issues such as amblyopia, treatment of urinary stress incontinence, and falls in the elderly. Students who produced the three best protocols received awards from Prof. S.H. Lee (right), director of the School of Public Health on 20th June at the Prince of Wales Hospital. The best award went to Ms Cheung Yan Yan (middle) and Ms Fan Shu Ping (left).