Newsletter No. 264

VC Urges F r e s hmen to Embrace the Wo r l d O ver 2,000 freshmen, comprising loca l and non-local undergraduates , and exchange students, attended the University' s inauguration ceremon y fo r undergraduate s o n 1s t September 2005 , a t Sir Ru n Ru n Sha w Hall . Addressing the new entrants , Prof . Lawrenc e J. Lau, vice-chancellor, stresse d the University' s traditio n o f 'combinin g traditio n an d modernity , and bringin g togethe r Chin a an d th e West' . CUHK ha s heightened efforts to internationalize the campu s b y broadenin g it s studen t mix . This year , som e 28 0 non-loca l undergraduate s were recruited . Thi s i s also th e firs t yea r CUH K has j o i n e d th e Un i f i e d Nationa l College s Admissions Syste m through whic h student s fro m 17 province s an d municipalitie s ar e recruited , i n c l u d i ng som e fro m remot e areas . O t he r undergraduates hai l from th e US , Australia, Italy , Peru, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, and South Korea . This year, the Universit y expects to enrol 61 3 overseas exchang e student s — 30 pe r cent highe r than las t year. To suppor t studen t exchange , 13 4 exchange scholarship s totalling $4.4 millio n wer e given ou t i n 2004-05, representin g an increas e o f 45 pe r cen t ove r th e previou s year . According t o th e lates t JUPA S statistics , CUHK admitte d th e larges t shar e o f bot h first - choice an d Ban d A JUPA S applicant s amon g local universitie s i n 2005-06 . O f th e to p 1,00 0 JUPAS university entrants, over half chose to enro l at CUHK . Moreover , 17 8 Secondar y 6 student s were admitte d throug h th e Earl y Admission s Scheme, 1 4 of whom ha d obtained nin e or 1 0 As at the HKCEE . Prof. La u pointed ou t that new opportunitie s for growth ar e anticipated a t the University . I t has secured mor e fund s t o se t u p scholarship s fo r outstanding student s an d a host o f ne w facilitie s will b e completed i n the coming few years , suc h as new hostels , a pedestrian piazz a outsid e th e KCR entrance, a new integrate d teaching building , the Centra l Scienc e Laborator y Building , a ne w medical science s building , an d a teaching hotel . Prof. La u believe s tha t thes e development s w i ll invigorat e th e Universit y i n it s rol e a s a leading comprehensive researc h universit y i n th e region. H e urge d th e ne w student s t o mak e th e best o f thei r sta y an d t o le t CUH K mak e a rea l difference t o thei r lives . CUHK Ma t h Graduates Pursue Ph.D. Studies i n US on Fu l l Scholarship Two graduate s o f th e Departmen t o f Mathematic s receive d ful l scholarships t o pursu e Ph.D . studie s respectivel y a t Princeto n University an d Harvar d Universit y i n the US . Yung Po-lam (back) an d Mok Chung-pan g (front) bot h graduate d fro m CUH K i n 2003 . M r . Y u n g o b t a i n e d hi s M.Phil. a t CUHK afte r graduatio n while Mr . Mo k wa s immediatel y a dm i t t ed b y Ha r v a r d u p o n graduation. H e ha d alread y bee n granted a master' s degre e b y Harvard an d bega n hi s doctora l studies afte r the summer . Mr. Yun g i s continuin g hi s research i n fracta l analysi s an d harmonic analysi s a t Princeton . Mr. Mok' s researc h concern s th e r e l a t i o n s h ip amo n g integer s especially th e natur e o f prim e numbers. Lecture by World-class Mathematician S ome 1,50 0 universit y an d secondar y schoo l students , teachers, an d mathematic s enthusiast s attende d a lecture b y Prof . Andre w Joh n Wiles , winne r o f th e Sha w Prize i n Mathematic s 2005 , a t Si r Ru n Ru n Sha w Hal l o n 3rd September . Th e audienc e wa s captivate d b y Prof . Wiles's proo f o f Fermat' s Las t Theorem — a 350-year-ol d question. Born i n 1953 , Prof . Wiles earne d hi s B A from Oxfor d University an d hi s Ph.D . fro m Cambridg e University . H e went o n t o becom e a n assistan t professo r a t Harvar d University. I n 1982 , h e becam e a lecture r a t the Institut e for Advance d Studie s an d professo r o f mathematic s a t Princeton. I n 1994 , h e wa s appointe d Eugen e Higgin s Professor o f Mathematic s a t Princeton . At ag e 10 , Prof . Wiles wa s captivated b y Fermat' s Las t Theorem. I n 1994 , h e astonished the world's mathematica l community whe n h e unveile d hi s solution t o the problem . Prof. Wile s wa s electe d a s a foreign membe r o f th e National Academ y o f Science s i n th e U S wh i c h als o bestowed it s mathematic s priz e o n him . H e receive d th e Schock Priz e i n Mathematic s fro m th e Roya l Swedis h Academy o f Sciences , the Pri x Fermat from th e Universit é Paul Sabatier , an d th e Wolf Priz e i n Mathematics . Li Ka Shing Foundat ion Donates HK$ 100 mi l l ion and Grants First Chair Professorship to CUHK T he Universit y ha s receive d a grant o f HK$4 0 millio n from th e L i K a Shing Foundatio n o n to p o f th e earlie r commitment o f HK$6 0 million . Th e HK$10 0 millio n wil l be used to support clinical studies and research programme s in healt h science s unde r the L i Ka Shing Institut e of Healt h Sciences a t the Facult y o f Medicine . Prof. Lawrence J. Lau, vice-chancel lor of the University , said tha t th e handsom e gran t i s a 'strong endorsemen t o f CUHK's researc h excellence ' an d tha t i t wil l contribute t o th e University' s commitment t o providin g the bes t possibl e education and researc h i n health science s an d t o health promotio n i n th e community. Beside s the grant w i l l hel p th e L i Ka Shin g Institut e o f Hea l th Science s t o secure it s plac e a s a 'unique an d vita l institution in th e forefront of research i n the global lif e science s arena'. Over 8 0 pe r cen t of th e gran t w i l l b e directed toward s researc h focusin g o n integrativ e transdisciplinary scienc e i n healt h promotio n an d diseas e prevention, mechanisms , diagnosis, monitoring , treatment , clinical sciences , an d regenerativ e medicine . Th e balanc e will b e used to se t up a Dr. L i Ka Shing Chair i n the Facult y of Medicin e — the firs t chai r professorshi p grante d b y th e Li K a Shin g Foundatio n unde r it s Chai r Professorshi p initiative. Th e Universit y consider s i t a great honou r t o b e the firs t recipien t an d ha s nominate d Prof . Denni s L o ( photo), a world-renowned medica l scientis t an d directo r of the L i K a Shing Institut e o f Healt h Sciences , t o hol d th e chair. Dr. L i K a Shing, foundatio n chairman , said , 'Societ y will rea p hug e benefi t fro m advance s i n th e lif e science s that gro w ou t o f a broad an d integrativ e vie w o f science ; great mind s mus t b e give n opportunitie s t o realiz e thei r vision.' Prof. Dennis L o believes the institute opens up 'excitin g new opportunitie s i n multi-disciplinar y an d translationa l research i n the lif e sciences' . The L i K a Shin g Institut e o f Healt h Science s wil l b e housed i n the L i Ka Shing Medical Science s Buildin g at the Prince o f Wale s Hospital . Constructio n o f th e buildin g i s expected t o b e completed b y early 2007 . A distinguishin g feature of the institut e i s its innovative and interdisciplinar y approach emphasizin g researc h tha t translate s advance s in basi c an d molecula r scienc e int o test s an d treatment s that benefi t patient s an d promot e health . 1 No. 264 19t h September 2005