HKUST Annual Report 2016-17

54 HKUST 2016-2017 Annual Report HKUST JOCKEY CLUB INSTITUTE FOR ADVANCED STUDY Under the helm of a new Director, the Institute continued to draw top minds from around the world and inspire fresh intellectual endeavors GATHERING OF GREAT MINDS High energy physicist Prof Andrew Cohen took up his post as Director of the Institute, LamWoo Foundation Professor and Chair Professor of Physics in January 2017. Prof Cohen, previously at Boston University, is a leading expert in theoretical particle physics and a prominent figure in the international scientific community. He succeeds Prof Henry Tye, who led the Institute for six years. Prof Tye is continuing his research endeavors in the capacity of an IAS Professor. Among distinguished recognitions and events over the year, IAS Bank of East Asia Professor Ching WTang received the 2017 IEEE Jun-ichi Nishizawa Medal and was elected a Fellow of the Hong Kong Academy of Engineering Sciences. IAS Si Yuan Professor Gunther Uhlmann was featured in Nature for a “long-awaited” mathematical solution to a geometric problem that may help determine the inner structure of a complex object, such as the Earth. In celebration of the University’s 25th Anniversary, IAS Helmut & Anna Pao Sohmen Professor-at-Large Sir Christopher Pissarides delivered a keynote speech at a conference in Beijing on Chinese economic development in a global context and Prof George Smoot offered his insights on gravitational waves. Seventeen eminent HKUST faculty members are now affiliated with IAS as Fellows or Senior Fellows to catalyze synergy among researchers. Rising stars from various disciplines are also invited to join the IAS family and work closely with Fellows and faculty. In 2016-17, the Institute was working with 24 Junior Fellows and 24 Postdoctoral Fellows. Outstanding scholars from other leading institutions are appointed as IAS Visiting Professors and Visiting Fellows to foster collaborations. During the year, IAS hosted 33 Visiting Professors, 13 Senior Visiting Fellows and seven Visiting Fellows. Their residence at the Institute opens up opportunities for novel research directions to take shape. GENERATING SOLUTIONS AND NEW KNOWLEDGE In line with IAS’s role as a global knowledge hub, the Institute held over 190 academic events, including 47 distinguished or Nobel lectures, and 54 joint school lectures over the year. These activities drew around 9,000 participants in total. To enhance cutting-edge research, the Institute organizes topical programs on specialized subjects covering different disciplines to foster the formation of new research groups. In 2016-17, the