University-Founding Experience

• Founding faculty member of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST): I joined HKUST two months before it officially opened its campus on October 1991. As a result, I was among the early founders of this University. Our mission was to build a world-class university.

• During the initial phase of the University, I contributed in a major way and gained priceless experience by getting involved in all the activities, decisions, and planning needed to build a world-class university. Some of these activities include:

• Setting up policies and guidelines in the School of Engineering Board related to the undergraduate and graduate programs, research activities, faculty substantiation and promotion, teaching and research laboratories, school vision and development, etc.

• I was very involved in building the Computer Science and the Computer Engineering programs. This includes the design of the curriculum at both the undergraduate and the graduate level; entrance requirements; creation of teaching and research labs; recruitment of faculty and students; setting the vision for our teaching and research philosophy; introducing policies and guidelines regarding the administration of the programs; etc.

• Being a new University, it was very important to be involved in the first couple of years in public relations and outreach activities. This involved meeting government agencies; professional organizations; industrial institutions; high-schools; parents; and media – to name a few.