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Two professors and seven students from the Department of Mathematics and The Institute of Mathematical Sciences at The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) recently seized key accolades of a number of internationally prestigious awards for their remarkable achievements in the discipline. The awards include the Morningside Medal of Mathematics, the Chern Prize, the New World Mathematics Awards and the S.T. Yau College Student Mathematics Contests.

Prof. Ka-sing Lau, Chairman, Department of Mathematics at CUHK said, ‘I am very proud of the outstanding performance of our colleagues and students. We are always devoted to bringing in the best teachers and nurturing young talents of the Department. Their accomplishments have further affirmed our leading position among top institutions in the field of Mathematics.’

Prof. Jun-cheng Wei, Professor of Mathematics at CUHK, was awarded the 2010 Morningside Silver Medal of Mathematics for his achievements in semi-linear elliptic equations. The Morningside Medal of Mathematics is awarded to exceptional Chinese mathematicians under the age of 45 for their seminal achievements in pure and applied mathematics at the triennial International Congress of Chinese Mathematicians (ICCM), a premier event that brings together Chinese and overseas mathematicians to discuss the latest research developments in pure and applied mathematics. Winning medalists are decided by a selection committee comprising internationally renowned mathematicians. 

Prof. Nai-chung Leung, Conan, Professor, Department of Mathematics and The Institute of Mathematical Sciences at CUHK, was awarded the 2010 Chern Prize for his significant research contributions in the study of mirror symmetry and quantum cohomology. The Chern Prize was established in honour of Prof. Shiing-Shen Chern, one of the greatest geometers and Chinese mathematicians of the 20^th century. Presented every three years at the ICCM, the Chern Prize is awarded to Chinese mathematicians who have made exceptional contributions to mathematical research or to public service activities in support of mathematics. 

Five undergraduate, master and Ph.D. mathematics students from CUHK received the New World Mathematics Awards (NWMA) for their outstanding theses. They include Kwok-wai Chan, winner of Doctor Thesis Awards – Silver Prize, currently a postdoctoral fellow in Kyoto University; Sin-tsun Fan, Edward, and Ka-shing Ng, winners of Master Thesis Awards – Silver Prizes, currently Ph.D. students in California Institute of Technology and University of Waterloo respectively; Heung-shan Hui, Theodore, and Ka-kit Lam, winners of Bachelor Thesis Awards – Gold Prizes, currently fourth-year Mathematic students in CUHK who did part of their theses in summer research programmes in Cambridge University and California Institute of Technology respectively. NWMA is sponsored by the New World Development Company Limited and China Young Leaders Foundation, organized by the Tsinghua University and co-organized by the ICCM. Winners are selected by review committees formed by world-renowned mathematicians among submissions from Chinese undergraduate, master and Ph.D. mathematics students from around the world. 

Wai-kit Yeung, another undergraduate mathematics student from CUHK, was awarded the Chern Medal – Bronze Award at the S.T. Yau College Student Mathematics Contests. He also received an Honourable Mention in the subject of Analysis and Differential Equations with another student Fang-ye Shi. The contests, held for its first year in 2010, were initiated by Prof. Shing-tung Yau to help students in China to acquire basic training in modern mathematics by challenging them with deep and interesting questions, thereby advancing mathematics education in China to a higher level. Contestants came from reputable institutions including Peking University, Fudan University, Tsinghua University and Taiwan University.