HKUST Annual Report 2017-18

A N N U A L R E P O R T 2 0 1 7 - 1 8 HKUST 27 The Center for Education Innovation organized and hosted a full-day teaching and learning symposium on “Unlocking Innovative Learning: Discovering New Teaching Approaches in Higher Education” at HKUST in May 2018. Morning sessions explored how current active learning practices can equip students with the necessary skills and advance the role of higher education in the next two decades. The afternoon sessions looked at more unconventional programs that could inspire future models. Experimental examples included the HKUST-Minerva Scholar program and Global Virtual Exchange Program. BOOSTING DIVERSITY During the year, the Committee on Faculty Diversity and Early Career Support carried out research on faculty gender composition for its second annual report covering a three-year period (2016-2018). Findings showed that gender diversity had improved across all ranks of substantiation-track faculty, in particular Associate and Assistant Professors, and the female faculty ratio had increased across all Schools. The results indicated that both lower turnover rates and greater recruitment efforts had contributed to the recent improvement in gender balance.  In addition, following sharing sessions with the Committee, the School of Science and School of Engineering incorporated a new voluntary diversity survey into their recruitment process. The survey is designed to raise applicants’ awareness of the University’s commitment to inclusiveness and diversity, and facilitate the Committee’s on-going assessment of recruitment efforts.  OUTSTANDING FACULTY HONORED The University held its fourth inauguration ceremony of named professorships, with 15 faculty members and the donors associated with their professorial titles receiving recognition. The expertise celebrated encompassed a spectrum of fields from geo-environmental engineering to astrophysics and cosmology and historical cartography. The number of named professorships now stands at close to 40 up from less than 10 in 2009. Among many external recognitions for HKUST faculty over the year, Prof. Nancy IP, Vice President for Research and Graduate Studies, was awarded a 2017 Bronze Bauhinia Star from the Hong Kong government for her advancement of science and education, and commitment to academia. Prof. TANG Ching W., IAS Bank of East Asia Professor and Chair Professor of Electronic and Computer Engineering, Chemistry and Physics, was inducted into the US National Inventors Hall of Fame for his pioneering research into organic light- emitting diodes (OLEDs). Prof. TANG Benzhong, Stephen Kam Chuen Cheong Professor of Science and Chair Professor of Chemistry and Chemical and Biological Engineering, received the First-class State Natural Science Award 2017. Prof. ZHANG Mingjie, Kerry Holdings Professor of Science and Chair Professor of Life Science, received the Croucher Senior Research Fellowship Award for 2018-19. Internally, the Michael G. Gale Medal for Distinguished Teaching was presented to Prof. David ROSSITER (Computer Science and Engineering). The award is a University-wide honor given annually to one exceptional academic who serves as a role model as an educator. Prof. Rossiter is an advocate of IT in teaching, a front-running proponent of active learning, and a multiple teaching award-winner over 20 years at the University. The recipient of the Common Core Teaching Excellence Award was Prof. WANG Jing (Information Systems, Business Statistics and Operations Management) for her interactive and motivational approach to teaching and learning in the Chronicle of Internet Commerce course.