Newsletter No. 321

第321期 2008年8月19日 No. 321 19 August 2008 蔡麗嫦 Choi Lai-sheung 中大生囊 括 牛津裘槎獎學金 Sweep CUHK Graduates Oxford-Croucher Scholarships 冼雍華 Sin Yung-wa pursued MPhil studies at CUHK, specializing in organic chemistry. Lai-sheung will study the use of mutant transmembrance toxin (a-hemolysin) in aiding DNA sequencing and the detection of other molecules at single- molecule level. She had originally planned to conduct her doctoral studies in chemistry, but was encouraged by her supervisor Prof. Chow Hak-fun to study chemical biology overseas as many chemistry research topics are strongly associated with biology. Lai-sheung received an ‘A’ in HKALE Chemistry, but she said that it was not until she took part in the CUHK summer research project that she knew what chemistry research was. The project fueled her passion for scientific research. She thanked Prof. Chow for giving her much freedom in doing research, ‘He taught me to be independent. I knew when I should try to think of the answer myself and when I should ask for his advice.’ Graduating in 2005 with first class honours, Yung-wa received his MPhil in biology in 2007 and will further his studies at Oxford for a DPhil degree in zoology. He has loved biology since childhood and has made the Dean’s List of the Faculty of Science. He received the Biology Advanced Training and Stipend Scheme Award in 2002 and hence won the opportunity to participate in different laboratories as a student helper. Yung-wa thanked Prof. Lam Hon-ming, one of his supervisors, for his tireless guidance. Prof. Lam not only guided him to enhance his research techniques, but also discussed life issues with him, such as the prospect of doing research and the opportunities for overseas study. Yung-wa will be joining the Wildlife Conservation Research Unit of the Department of Zoology at Oxford to study the management of endangered species and the ecosystem. The UOCS scheme selects students by means of a stringent procedure. The applicants must present a detailed scientific proposal of the research they intend to pursue at Oxford. Those shortlisted will be interviewed by a panel of scientists on professional knowledge and interest in scientific exploration. 每 次實驗，往往有99%失敗，只有 1%成功。但就是因為那些微的發 現，支持我們鍥而不捨，繼續去追尋及研 究。」中大碩士畢業生冼雍華這樣形容研 究生涯。 科學研究需要無比的堅持及毅力，冼雍華 及中大應屆碩士畢業生蔡麗嫦，在裘槎基 金評判團前展現了他們對研究的熱誠及渴 求，囊括第一屆牛津大學裘槎獎學金的兩 個名額，各獲一百二十萬港元獎學金。他 們將於今秋負笈英國牛津，展開三年博士 研究生之旅。 麗嫦於2003年入讀中大化學系，成績優 異，連續三年名列理學院院長榮譽錄及獲 頒聯合書院院長嘉許狀。2006年，她以一級榮譽畢業， 隨後修讀化學哲學碩士，鑽研有機化學。她將於牛津深 造化學生物學，研究利用經突變的溶血素（蛋白質分子 的一種），作單分子基因排列，由此可迅速地檢測化學 物質的藥理及毒性，亦可減低化驗成本。麗嫦說因著碩 士研究導師周克勳教授的啟蒙，得悉前沿的化學研究， 多與生物學息息相關，故開展新的研究方向。 雖然高考化學科考獲優等成績，但麗嫦說她是入讀中大 後，參與暑期研究，方了解甚麼是化學研究，亦燃點了 她繼續從事科研的決心。她續稱，周克勳教授給了她的 研究很大的自由度：「他讓我學會獨立，知道甚麼時候 要自己解難，甚麼時候要向他諮詢。」 於2005年以一級榮譽畢業的生物系學生冼雍華，2007年 取得生物哲學碩士學位，他將在牛津修讀動物學。自小 對生物科甚有興趣的雍華，曾名列理學院院長榮譽錄， 並獲生物學高級培訓及資助計劃獎，以學生工作人員的 身分，參與不同實驗室的工作。雍華感謝當時導師之一 的林漢明教授對他諄諄善誘，除了向他解釋如何改良實 驗，還會討論從事研究將來的出路，指導他外國深造的 途徑等。 雍華將會加入牛津動物學系的野生動物保育研究單位， 研習瀕危物種和自然生態的管理。 「牛津大學裘槎獎學金」由裘槎基金會及英國牛津大學 於今年三月成立，資助香港博士研究生前往牛津大學， 從事有關自然科學、技術或醫學的學習和研究。遴選過 程非常嚴謹，每位申請人須呈交計劃書，論述準備在牛 津進行的學術研究，入圍後還得接受專家評審團的面 試，表現其專業知識和科學探究精神。 「 F ailure occurs 99% of the time and success only 1% of the time in scientific experiments. But it is often the small research findings which lead us to continue seeking the truth.’ Sin Yung-wa, a master graduate of CUHK, has this to say about the life of researchers. Perseverance and persistence are indispensable to success in scientific research. Yung-wa and Choi Lai-sheung, a final-year master student at CUHK, possess both and hence have won all two newly established University of Oxford Croucher Scholarships (UOCS) to pursue doctoral studies at the prestigious university this autumn. In March 2008, the Croucher Foundation and the University of Oxford jointly established the UOCS scheme for postgraduate students in Hong Kong to study the natural sciences, technology or medicine at the doctoral level at Oxford. 2008–09 is the first year the awards are offered. The scholarships, amounting to nearly HK$1.2 million each, provide full financial support for their studies at Oxford for three years. Admitted to the Department of Chemistry in 2003, Lai- sheung made the Dean’s List in the Faculty of Science and United College Head’s List for three consecutive academic years. She obtained her Bachelor’s degree in 2006 with first class honours and ‘