HKUST Annual Report 2019-2020

FIGHTING COVID-19 Fostering an HKUST Community Spirit To provide insights into a variety of careers and expand vision on possible pathways following graduation, the first Alumni Market under the HKUST Full Circle Program took place on campus in September 2019 to celebrate the creativity and versatility of the University’s entrepreneurs. The Program enables alumni enterprises to promote and collect feedback on their services, products, and technology on campus. A one-day visit to HKUST facilities in Shenzhen also demonstrated the support available to alumni start-ups in the Greater Bay Area and provided a tour of prominent companies, including Tencent and DJI. Over the year, the alumni network expanded to 42 groups in Hong Kong, Mainland China, and overseas, with close to 100 events held to keep connections strong. Meanwhile, the Alumni Endowment Fund saw a tremendous response in 2019-20, raising over $20 million and bringing the total raised since launch in 2012 to more than $48 million. The fund seeks projects that can further enhance the student experience at HKUST, ranging from athletic scholarships and community service awards to emergency funding. ALUMNI ACTIVITIES Convocation and Alumni Association The HKUST Convocation continued to serve as a bridge between the University, alumni, and the public, with special focus placed on developing a care pack. Its Standing Committee co-organized focus groups and meetings with different parties to have a grasp of the needs of students with the aim of promoting mental health and well-being among them. The HKUST Alumni Association moved ahead with its “Alumni Inspire Alumni” mission to strengthen cohesion and explore further membership benefits. Among contributions to the wider community, the Association held a number of caring programs, including voluntary services for the elderly and children, alongside seminars on IT and personal development. Contributing Citizens Alumni were recognized for their service and achievements over the year. Among them were: Mr. LEE Shing-Put (Bronze Bauhinia Star), Mr. Angus LUK, Mr. Timothy NG, Mr. Winston WONG (all Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia 2020 List), Mr. Mark MAK (2019 ICT Startup Grand Award), Mr. Alexander LAM (2019 ICT Smart Living Grand Award), Prof. Craig YU (National Science Foundation CAREER Award), and Mr. Samson CHU (Hong Kong Service Awards 2019/ East Week). Various alumni entrepreneurs also received accolades at the FinTech Awards 2019 organized by etnet. Safeguarding Public Health The Multilevel Antimicrobial Polymer (MAP-1) coating technology, developed by Prof. YEUNG King-Lun (Chemical and Biological Engineering) and Prof. Joseph KWAN Kai- Cho (Environment and Sustainability), gives surfaces long- term protection from microbial contamination and helps keep individual and community in Hong Kong and Mainland China safe in the time of pandemic (see P.26). Partnerships with Lee Hysan Foundation and Swire Group brought MAP-1 protection to the needy and disadvantaged in Hong Kong. The antiviral filters used as core components of air purifiers were donated to mainland hospitals in Wuhan, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen as well as over 40 Shenzhen schools to help combat COVID-19. Prof. Jason CHAN (Chemistry) appeared in television programs to explain the science behind COVID-19 preventative measures and to provide chemistry lessons to secondary students when school classes were suspended. In addition, he worked with a team of undergraduate volunteers and St. James’ Settlement, an NGO, in preparing over 5,000 bottles of hand sanitizer, which were distributed to those in need. In other contributions to hand hygiene, the South China Research Center, under the School of Humanities and Social Science, initiated a workshop for volunteers to make hand sanitizer for distribution to residents in Ngau Tau Kok. Some 800 bottles were produced. Meanwhile, HKUST Connect collected over 2,000 hand sanitizers and 5,000 disposable surgical masks to donate to the community through partner NGOs, benefiting over recipients. Exploring Public Policy Challenges In March 2020, an open online seminar on “Crisis Management and Lessons from the COVID-19 Crises” took place online. The seminar was co-organized by the Division of Public Policy at HKUST and the Department of Asian & Policy Studies at the Education University of Hong Kong which focused on the Hong Kong government’s response to the pandemic and how the challenges confronting Hong Kong over the year affected the society. Supporting Students and Their Families The University set up a COVID-19 Student Hardship Relief Fund to assist HKUST students facing economic and social challenges, along with their families, because of the coronavirus outbreak. Senior management made salary donations and staff, faculty, alumni, and supporters gave further contributions, enabling immediate assistance to be provided for tuition deferment, financial aid, and bursaries, among others. By the end of June 2020, $1.7 million of HKUST ANNUAL REPORT 2019-2020 33 32 CONNECTING People and Communities