Bulletin No. 1, 2019

‘The Pursuit of Wisdom’ Public Lecture Series To celebrate the 55th anniversary of CUHK, the University launched ‘The Pursuit of Wisdom’ Public Lecture Series which showcases the wisdom, strength and distinction of CUHK experts from across different disciplines. So far five lectures have been held at Lecture Theatre One of Cheng Yu Tung Building. The lecture delivered by Vice-Chancellor Prof. Rocky S. Tuan on 11 January titled ‘Regenerative Medicine: Promises and Challenges’ was the first in the series. Professor Tuan, a world-renowned biomedical scientist specializing in musculoskeletal biology and tissue regeneration, shared on how he integrated smart biotechnology with his stem cell research and developed translational applications for the repair and regeneration of human tissues. He engineered the first-ever three dimensional joint-on-a-chip, called the ‘microJoint’, to replicate a human joint using a microbioreactor platform. On 15 February, Prof. Dennis Lo, Associate Dean (Research) of the Faculty of Medicine, spoke on the topic ‘The Joys and Challenges of Scientific Research’. He talked about the ‘Non-Invasive Prenatal Test’ and the ‘Plasma DNA Screening Study of Nasopharyngeal Cancer’ he developed, and how he spent 22 years in transforming the relevant technologies from laboratory into clinical applications. Recognized internationally for his research in soybean, Prof. Lam Hon-ming, director of the Centre for Soybean Research and professor of the School of Life Sciences, disclosed that he knew little about soybean before engaging in the research. His work is a result not only of his commitment to advancing agricultural development, but also of a promise made to a senior scientist in the field. On 1 April, Professor Lam hosted the third lecture entitled ‘Soybean Research: A Journey from Laboratory to Field’. Prof. Chu Ming-chung of the Department of Physics has been studying the smallest particles of the universe. He is leading a team of Hong Kong scientists to work on an international experiment to study the origin and fundamental structure of matter. He gave a lecture on ‘Beautiful Asymmetries in the Universe’ on 24 May, and explored the universe with the packed house of audience. Prof. Helen Meng of the Faculty of Engineering has been studying artificial intelligence for years. She is also an expert in speech and language technologies. In recent years, Prof. Meng has been dedicated to developing Cantonese intelligent speech systems for patients with strokes and cerebral palsy to facilitate their reintegration into society. On 3 June, she spoke on ‘Artificial Intelligence in Speaking and Listening for Learning and Well-Being’ and shared with the audience how artificial intelligence may be applied to enhance speech technology and used in aid of communication and language learning. Three more lectures will be held in the second half of the year. Details are as follows: Date/Time (5:00–6:30 pm) Speaker Topic 9.9.2019 Prof. David Faure Filial Piety and Business Enterprise: Why is Filial Piety Good for Business? 23.9.2019 Prof. Chiu Chi-yue Mindset and Success: The Psychology of a Flourished Life 14.10.2019 Prof. Tony Mok The Long and Winding Road to Conquer Cancer