A gathering of expertise
CUHK awards four honorary degrees at 93rd Congregation
It was a hot summer’s day, and the Lee Hysan Concert Hall was alive once more with the sound of applause and quiet discussion. Audiences watched as the stars of the gathering slowly filed into the hall, accompanied by a coterie of senior university members. Ascending the stage, they sat down in two neat rows, right next to the figure of CUHK Vice-Chancellor and President Professor Rocky S. Tuan.
The occasion was CUHK’s 93rd Congregation, and the stars at the 20 June event were four distinguished academics receiving honorary doctorates in recognition of their contributions to humanity. Under the gaze of staff members and students, Pro-Vice-Chancellor Professor Nick Rawlins and Chair of the Department of Chinese Language and Literature Professor Tang Sze-wing presented citations of the four honorands. These citations took listeners on an informative journey that looked back on the graduates’ long and varied careers in academia, and accorded them their due acclaim.
One of the four scholars feted on the day was neurobiologist Professor Gene Block. A native of New York state, he studied psychology at Stanford University, where he once sat in on a lecture delivered by Professor Lawrence Lau, who would later become CUHK Vice-Chancellor. After completing his Stanford studies, he began looking into circadian rhythms in mammals: how their biological clocks were affected by ageing and external factors. His extensive research ensured his colossal status in the world of neurobiology.
In 2007, Professor Block became Vice-Chancellor of the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)—a sizeable academic institution with some 48,000 students—where he has since served for 17 years. The role allowed him to foster a close relationship with CUHK, reaching a milestone with his presence at the 60th anniversary banquet last December, and again with an honorary degree this time. CUHK in Focus conducted a separate interview with Professor Block prior to the congregation, which can be read here.
The second American awardee was Professor James Heckman, a specialist in econometrics. He won the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences in 2000 for his efforts to correct problems encountered in the selection of representative samples during research. The work was closely related to his studies into the effects of diversity and heterogeneity in populations, and in particular the status of African Americans in the US.
The impassioned economist has also been a strong advocate of early childhood education, believing in its capacity to provide children with a solid base in life and to generate strong returns on public investment. Professor Heckman’s research has seeped into the policies of many governments, enabling them to help the disadvantaged in society. He is now Distinguished Professor-at-Large at the CUHK Lau Chor Tak Institute of Global Economics and Finance, and now adds an honorary doctorate from the University to his long list of accolades.
Joining the selection of CUHK honourees was British geneticist Professor Sir Paul Nurse, co-winner of the 2001 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine with two other scientists. The academic got his start experimenting with yeast at a Guinness brewery laboratory and proceeded to study the same organisms while a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Edinburgh. In the process, he discovered the key controller in the yeast cell cycle, the cdc2 gene, which enables the replication of DNA and the subsequent division of cells. The professor’s discoveries then led to further corresponding discoveries in human cell cycle progression—discoveries which have helped cancer researchers to do further studies into how cells might proliferate. He won the 2001 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine along with two other scientists for his work, and has since assumed a number of positions dedicated to the advancement and teaching of science, including a five-year stint as President of the United Kingdom’s Royal Society.
The fourth honorand of the congregation was physicist Professor Pan Jianwei, a graduate of the University of Science and Technology of China in Hefei, Anhui province. Professor Pan has been examining quantum physics for two decades, making multiple strides with his research team in an age where conventional encryption of communications is constantly being challenged. Their choice of specialisation in quantum communications offers the high security that assures safer informational transmissions across longer distances, and culminated in the launch of the world’s first quantum satellite in 2016, a huge step forward in telecommunications. In 2020, Professor Pan and his team also began developing the powerful Jiuzhang quantum computers, which have proven to be able to outpace even the most powerful supercomputers in solving specific scientific problems.
After the four honorands had received their honorary degrees, Professor Block gave a speech on their behalf. “During my 17 years at UCLA, and throughout my whole career, I have been deeply impressed by this University,” he said. He went on to note the multiple advantages of CUHK and the progress it had made during those 17 years, both in terms of its academic achievements as well as its international outreach and sustainable initiatives. “I am deeply appreciative of the time I have spent at CUHK, throughout Hong Kong and mainland China, and I will always be thankful for the partnerships and friendships we have formed.”
By Chamois Chui
