The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) today presented its fourth “HKUST President’s Outstanding Service Award” to laud and recognize dedicated non-academic staff members for their outstanding contributions and exemplary performance.

The four award recipients are Mr HO Shun-sing, Chief Security Officer of the Facilities Management Office; Prof Joseph KWAN Kai-cho, Director of Health, Safety and Environment; Ms Patricia LAI Suk-ching, Assistant Director (UG Affairs Administration) of the Office of the Dean of Engineering; and Mr Doug WONG Chung Tak, Computer Officer of the Information Technology Services Center.

HKUST’s President Prof Tony F CHAN extended his heartfelt gratitude to the awardees for their continuous and staunch support to the University. “In a little over 25 years, HKUST has risen to become one of the best universities in the world; such miracle cannot be achieved without the dedication of our first-rate administrative and management team members. I am very impressed by their devotion and exemplary performance, which demonstrate our best practices as an agile and effective organization that nurtures a high-performance culture,” he said.

Mr Mark HODGSON, Vice-President for Administration and Business and Chairman of the Selection Committee for the awards, said, “One of the University’s strategic objectives is to serve as a leading example of best-in-class standards, practices and operations. I am grateful to the recipients and nominees of the Outstanding Service Award who have worked diligently and devotedly to help achieve this objective. My heartfelt thanks to them for their contribution to the University.”

Profiles of the four awardees:

Mr Ho Shun-sing, Chief Security Officer of the Facilities Management Office
Mr Ho always puts work as his top priority. Not only would he rush back to the campus to take care of the wounded on his day off, his bravery was also proven in time of danger. On a night in August 2010, when a sacked security guard returned to attack his former supervisor with an 18-inch long watermelon knife, Mr Ho managed to stop the attacker by ushering him to take a cigarette to calm him down; his courage and wittiness were highly commended. Mr Ho never shies away from extra duties – in fact, he instigated the University’s first Lion Dance team as a way to train the colleagues’ physique and discipline. Being a St John Ambulance volunteer for over 40 years, Mr Ho has taken up most first aid duties at HKUST. He has also helped organize on-campus first aid courses to train colleagues basic emergency care skills in face of accidents.

Prof Joseph Kwan Kai-cho, Director of Health, Safety and Environment 
Prof Kwan joined HKUST in 1991 and is the Founding Director of Health, Safety and Environment. Throughout the years, Prof Kwan has established a comprehensive environment, health and safety (EHS) program for the University – an award-winning program not only levels with top universities in the west, but also sets a model for its local peers in Hong Kong. He also actively contributes to the public health sector through the application of our research output, including gears which protect medical staff from the risk of infectious exposure to SARS patients back in 2003. Also an Adjunct Professor in the Division of Environment and Sustainability, Prof Kwan was elected Distinguished Fellow of the American Industrial Hygiene Association in 2015 – the first and only one in Asia Pacific to have received this honor.

Ms Patricia Lai Suk-ching, Assistant Director (UG Affairs Administration) of the Office of the Dean of Engineering 
Joined HKUST in 1992, Ms Lai has served the School of Engineering (SENG) for 25 years, playing a pivotal role in overseeing the development of the School’s Undergraduate (UG) programs. Always knowing what to do, and often does it in the best possible way, Ms Lai started the Engineering Student Exchange Program 20 years ago and has helped steer it ever since to develop into what is now a big program with multiple partners. During the SARS outbreak in 2003, Ms Lai volunteered and orchestrated the production of HKUST’s first corporate video to engage exchange partners and students. She has also made significant contributions to the recruitment of non-local UG students through comprehensive planning of strategies and mechanisms.

Mr Doug Wong Chung-tak, Computer Officer of the Information Technology Services Center 
Mr Wong joined HKUST in the early 90s and has served in the Information Technology Services Centre (ITSC) ever since. He is the person-in-charge for the Personal Response System (PRS), which enhances classroom learning experience. A huge number of HKUST students have to check in or return the PRS handset every year and Mr Wong has been innovative and insightful in smoothing the operations under different tough situations, especially during the 3-3-4 curriculum transition year when demand well exceeded supply. He has served in the HKUST Staff Association since 2005, and was a Hall Manager of the undergraduate student hall between 1999 and 2008. His service had contributed to the enrichment of students’ hall experiences and the promotion of a healthy culture in the student dormitory.

(This news was originally published by the HKUST Public Affairs Office here.)