ith a love of meeting and talking to people, especially students, Prof. Albert CHUNG has recently been appointed to the perfect role: Associate Dean of Engineering (Undergraduate Studies), driving forward admissions, quality assurance, exchange programs, and the curriculum at the School of Engineering (SENG). Always ready to seek out student interaction, be it through interviewing potential non-local recruits, or feedback on current courses, he can learn and gain valuable insights on how to keep the School’s education at the cutting edge. Prof. Chung is a great believer in the bene ts of diversity – the School already draws its intake from countries and regions – and prior to the onset of COVID- he had a busy travel schedule planned to inspire top young minds from around the region to join SENG. He is looking out for students with a passion for their chosen engineering eld, seeing such enthusiasm as a core element in a readiness to share knowledge across disciplinary boundaries to spark wider vision, fresh thinking, and innovation. He would also like to build even more exchange partnerships beyond the current countries and regions that enable around % of SENG students to study and see beyond Hong Kong, viewing it as essential for engineering students to understand life beyond the technical and local. “Engineering must work hand in hand with other disciplines,” he said. “For instance, an engineer can build a bridge, but in choosing the location, other considerations must be taken into account.” He himself is a great example of a multidisciplinary mindset, specializing in the burgeoning area of medical image analysis and holding joint appointments in the Departments of Computer Science & Engineering and Chemical & Biological Engineering. Following undergraduate studies in computer engineering at the University of Hong Kong, broadened by a keen interest in sports and student associations, he spent a year in industry at Procter & Gamble before undertaking an MPhil in Computer Science at HKUST in . Prof. Chung had been inspired to go to HKUST, established in and at the time still regarded as a new university, during his undergraduate days, a er being impressed by a hall of residence dinner talk by HKUST Founding President Prof. WOO Chia-Wei on improving the student experience. The bene ts of all-round vision were reinforced at the University of Oxford, where he relished the human interaction and interdisciplinary collaboration during his DPhil in Engineering Science, supported by a prestigious Croucher Foundation Scholarship. He started at HKUST as an assistant professor in and became a full professor in . Prof. Chung has also spent years serving as a residence master. He sees HKUST’s resources, approach and student diversity as creating a thriving environment in which to grow and is keen to add to such an atmosphere. “Know your direction and walk toward it bit by bit every day” is one of his guiding principles to achieving goals. Talking can help too. Faculty Insight Boosting diversity, broadening vision Young engineers with a passion for their subject and understanding beyond the technical are the key to the future, says Associate Dean Prof. Alber t Chung 08 IN FOCUS W Prof. Albert Chung (center) enjoys meeting and gaining insights from students.
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