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The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) Professor Charles K. Kao Scholars Association has been set up to build a network among the recipients of Professor Charles K. Kao Research Exchange Scholarships and Professor Charles K. Kao Student Creativity Awards.  The Inaugural Ceremony of the Association was held in late June, officiated by Sir Charles and Lady Kao and Prof. T.F. Fok, Pro-Vice-Chancellor of CUHK.  The establishment of the CUHK Professor Charles K. Kao Scholars Association aims to bring the recipients of the two scholarships together to promote innovative technology and contribute to the community. 

Lady Kao congratulated the awardees of Professor Charles K. Kao Research Exchange Scholarships and Professor Charles K. Kao Student Creativity Awards and showed her appreciation for their outstanding performance in science and technology. She encouraged the students, ‘I do hope that you will keep striving for excellence in scientific research and innovation in order to advance the development of science and technology.’ 

One of the organizing committee members of the CUHK Professor Charles K. Kao Scholars Association, Miss Liliana Law said, ‘We hope to enhance academic exchange and contribute to the development of advanced technology and innovation by establishing a network among award recipients.  We strongly support our members to apply their expertise to community services in order to promote innovation. We plan to organize laboratory visits and science competitions for secondary students to inspire their creativity, and also organize exhibitions and seminars in the community to uphold the spirit of helping others.’ 

Liliana receievd the Professor Charles K. Kao Research Exchange Scholarship in 2012. She went to the Columbia University in the United States and participated in a research project related to in vitro bone mechanobiology.  Liliana has just finished her undergraduate programme in biomedical engineering at CUHK and will pursue the Master of Philosophy in the same discipline starting from the next academic year.  She aspires to be a professional in the biomedical engineering field upon graduation. 

The former Vice-Chancellor of CUHK, Professor Charles K. Kao, was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics 2009 for his groundbreaking achievements in transmission of light in fibres for optical communication.  As a tribute to Sir Charles K. Kao and to encourage students in research and innovation, CUHK established the Charles K. Kao Scholarship Endowment Fund in 2009 under which Professor Charles K. Kao Research Exchange Scholarships and Professor Charles K. Kao Student Creativity Awards have been awarded since 2010 and 2011 respectively.  Up to now, there are altogether 78 recipients under these two schemes. 

Professor Charles K. Kao Research Exchange Scholarships are to support outstanding CUHK undergraduates for joining research exchange programmes at renowned institutions overseas or on the mainland, so as to broaden their horizons and enhance their knowledge in scientific research.  This year, a total of 13 students have been awarded for their participation in research exchange programmes at the European Council for Nuclear Research, the University of California, Berkeley, the California Institute of Technology, the University of Toronto, Tsinghua University, etc. Professor Charles K Kao Student Creativity Awards are, by means of competitions, to give due recognition to students for their creativity so as to stimulate their passion in innovation. In recent competitions, 21 students have been granted the Awards in recognition of their innovative projects.