Newsletter No. 264

Lecture b y Renowne d Economist P rof. Rober t J. Barro , professo r o f economics a t Harvar d University , presente d hi s lates t research o n th e effect s o f rar e disaster s o n asse t price s i n a lectur e entitle d 'Rar e Disasters an d Asset Prices' . Rar e disasters refer t o event s suc h a s wartime destruction, e c onom ic disasters , o r natura l disasters; whil e asset s includ e stocks , b o n d s, rea l estate , an d p r e c i o u s commodities. Th e lectur e too k plac e o n 2nd September . Prof. Barr o i s the Pau l M . Warbur g Professor o f Economic s a t Harvar d University, a senior fellow o f the Hoove r Institution o f Stanfor d University , a viewpoint columnis t fo r Business Week, a frequent contributo r t o th e Wall Street Journal, an d a researc h associat e o f th e National Burea u o f Economi c Research . He i s president o f the Western Economi c Association an d was recently elected vice- president o f th e America n Economi c Association. H e ha s written extensivel y o n topic s i n macroeconomics , economi c growth , and monetar y policy . SCHOOL OF LAW LUNCH RECEPTION The Executive Committee of the SchoolofLaw held a lunch reception to welcome Prof. Michael McConville (right 3, front row), the director, and other new staff members,on 2nd September in the Staff Common Room Clubhouse. Discussion on Corporate Governance and Accounting Research in China and Asia A panel discussio n title d 'Corporat e Governanc e an d Accountin g Researc h i n Asi a and China ' wa s organize d b y th e Centr e fo r Institution s an d Governanc e an d th e School o f Accountanc y o f CUH K an d th e Chines e Accountin g Professo r Associatio n o f North America (CAPANA) on 9th August 2005 during the American Accounting Association Annual Meetin g at San Francisco. Prof . T.J. Wong and Prof . Joseph Fan, respectively directo r and deput y directo r o f the Centr e fo r Institution s an d Governance , Prof . Rober t Bushma n of th e Universit y o f Nort h Carolin a a t Chape l Hill , an d Prof . Zhan g Weiguo , Chie f Accountant o f th e Chin a Securitie s Regulator y Commission , hoste d th e researc h pane l which attracte d 15 0 people , makin g i t the mos t popula r sessio n i n the meeting . Eight Non-Teaching Staff Honoured forExemplar yService (From left) Mr . Kenneth Leung, Miss Olivia Chan,Miss Daisy Au, Mr. Ivan Sin, Prof. Lau Chung-ming, Prof.Lawrence Lau, Prof. Michael Hui, Miss Law Hau-wai, Mr. Kwong Ming-fai, Ms. SaraChung, and Miss Wendy Lai. E ight member s o f the Universit y wer e presente d the Exemplar y Servic e Award 2004-0 5 by Prof . Lawrenc e J. Lau , vice-chancellor, o n 3r d Septembe r a t a ceremony hel d i n th e Esther Le e Building . Th e recipient s wer e Mr . Iva n Si n Hon-ma n an d Ms . Sar a Chung Siu - ping (Informatio n Technolog y Service s Centre) , Mis s Dais y A u Yuet-wa h (Departmen t o f Music), Mis s Olivi a Cha n Cheung-yin g (Departmen t o f English) , Mr . Kennet h Leun g Chi - fai (Departmen t o f Biochemistry) , Mis s Wend y La i Wai-lin g (Universit y Librar y System) , Mr. Kwon g Ming-fa i (Chun g Ch i College) , an d Mis s La w Hau-wa i (Centr e fo r Universit y and Schoo l Partnership) . Ove r a hundre d guest s includin g senio r management , staff , students, an d famil y member s o f the awardee s wer e i n attendance . At the ceremony, Prof . Michael Hui , chairma n o f the Staff Training and Developmen t Committee, an d Prof . La u Chung-ming , chairma n o f th e selectio n pane l fo r th e award , emphasized th e crucia l rol e playe d b y non-teachin g staf f i n th e University' s ques t fo r excellence an d the importance of passion, patience, and spirit of self-actualization to servic e enhancement. Details o f the ceremon y an d sharin g b y awardee s ar e availabl e a t http://www.cuhk. edu.hk/esa. American Registr y fo r Diagnostic Medical Sonography Set s up Asian Tes t Centr e T he Departmen t o f Diagnosti c Radiolog y an d Orga n Imagin g o f th e Universit y ha s been nominate d b y th e America n Registr y fo r Diagnosti c Medica l Sonograph y (ARDMS) t o se t up a satellite tes t centre a t the Princ e o f Wale s Hospital . The ARDMS , founde d i n 1975 , i s the larges t a c a d em i c o r g a n i z a t i o n administering examination s an d awardin g c r e d e n t i a ls i n d i a g n o s t i c me d i c a l sonography fo r doctors , radiographers , nurses and other healt h car e professionals . The registr y ha s certifie d ove r 45,00 0 individuals fro m withi n an d outside Nort h America. Credential s awarde d b y th e ARDMS ar e widely accepted i n the medica l community, includin g suc h organization s as the American Colleg e o f Radiology , th e Ame r i c an Institut e o f Ultrasoun d i n Medicine, an d th e American Societ y o f Echocardiography . Located a t the Postgraduat e Educatio n Centr e o f th e Princ e o f Wale s Hospital , th e centre conducte d it s first examinatio n o n 8t h Augus t 200 5 an d simila r examination s wil l take plac e monthly . Details o n examinatio n registratio n ar e availabl e a t www.ardms.org o r contac t ultrasound@droid.cuhk.edu.hk fo r mor e information . CUHK Teams Shine at National University Handball Championships T he Chines e Universit y handbal l team s outperforme d thei r opponent s a t th e 21s t National Universit y Handbal l Championships . The CUHK men' s team was 2nd runner - up o f Divisio n A an d the women's team , fift h i n Divisio n B . Four CUHK handbal l player s also receive d th e Sport s Ethic s an d Fai r Pla y Prize . The championship s too k plac e from 1s t to 8t h Augus t a t Tongji University , Shanghai . There wer e 2 1 participatin g teams an d ove r 40 0 athlete s involved . Performance of CUHK Teams Teams/Members 2nd runner-up , Divisio n A 5th, Divisio n B Men's handbal l tea m Women's handbal l tea m Sports Ethic s and Fai r Pla y Priz e (Men's handbal l team ) IP Chi-ke i Tsang Hing-la i Sports Ethic s and Fai r Pla y Priz e (Women's handbal l team ) Ng Wing-lun g Cheung King-ma n 2 No. 264 19t h September 2005