CUHK
News Centre

The Council of The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) has approved the appointment of Prof. Henry N.C. Wong as Dean of the Faculty of Science for a term of five years, from 1 May 2013. 

Prof. Henry N.C. Wong is an alumnus of CUHK where he obtained his B.Sc degree in 1973.   He further studied at the University College London and obtained his Ph.D. in 1976. After a few years of research work at Harvard University, University College London and the Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, The Chinese Academy of Sciences, Professor Wong re-joined CUHK in 1983. He was promoted as Professor of Chemistry in 1996.  Apart from teaching and research, Professor Wong has contributed extensively in academic management at CUHK in various capacities previously as the Chairman of the Department of Chemistry and the Senate Committee on Student Discipline, Head of New Asia College, Chairman of the Research Committee and the Academic Equipment Grant Committee, and Pro-Vice-Chancellor, and currently as the Interim Dean of the Faculty of Science (since September 2012). Professor Wong is also committed to public services.  In 2011, he has been appointed by the Education Bureau as a member of the Research Grants Council for a period of 2 years.

Professor Wong remarked, ‘I am truly honoured to be appointed Dean of Science in a year both the Chinese University as well as her Faculty of Science are celebrating their Golden Jubilee. After my graduation from CUHK, I spent 10 years studying and doing research overseas. Time flies, and 30 years have gone by since I rejoined my alma mater as a Lecturer in 1983. In the last 50 years, the Faculty of Science has grown and thrived, now hosting a total of two schools, four departments, offering 15 undergraduate programmes and 36 postgraduate programmes. The theme of the University’s Golden Jubilee celebrations is “Embrace Our Culture; Empower Our Future”. In her first 50 years, the Faculty of Science has already established a fine tradition in teaching, research and community service, and it is my conviction that the Faculty will go from strength to strength in the coming 50 years.’ 

Professor Wong’s research interests are concerned with the syntheses and studies of natural and non-natural molecules. He serves on the editorial boards of several international and national journals. Professor Wong has also been actively contributing to the research and scientific development on the mainland. He is Chairman of the Management Committee, Shanghai-Hong Kong Joint Laboratory in Chemical Synthesis, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, The Chinese Academy of Sciences. He is also an honorary professor and guest professor of many tertiary institutions in Mainland China. Professor Wong has received many prestigious awards over the years. He won the 2^nd Class State Natural Science Award of China in 1997. He was a Croucher Senior Research Fellow in 1999-2000 and was elected to The Chinese Academy of Sciences and The World Academy of Sciences (TWAS) for the Advancement of Science in Developing Countries (formerly known as the Academy of Sciences for the Developing World) in 1999 and 2004 respectively. 

The post of the Deanship of the Faculty of Science became vacant in September 2012 following the departure of the former dean. In accordance with the guidelines and procedures for the search and appointment of faculty deans, the University formed a search committee to launch a worldwide search for a successor to take up the Deanship on a full-time basis. Having thoroughly considered the nominations/applications received, the Search Committee finally recommended Prof. Henry N.C. Wong for the position. Pursuant to the appointment procedures, Professor Wong met with teachers and students of the Faculty of Science earlier to exchange views on the future development of the Faculty, and the Council subsequently appointed him as Dean of the Faculty of Science.