Summer Issue, 2013

On Campus At the 188th Congregation on March 14, 2013, six outstanding individuals were conferred honorary degrees for their intellectual, social and cultural contributions to society and the world. 14 Honorary Degrees Dr RoccoYim 嚴迅奇 (BA(AS) 1974; BArch 1976) started his own practice in 1979 and his designs have received prestigious awards including ARCASIA Gold Medals in 1994 and 2003, the Chicago Athenaeum Architectural Awards in 2006 and 2011, the Hong Kong Institute of Architect's Medal of the Year in 2009 and International Design Award (Silver Award) in 2010, and a World Architecture Festival Category Winner in 2011. He was also the architect of Graduate House at HKU. PatrickYu 余叔韶 (BA 1942) was the rst Chinese Crown Counsel in 1951, only to resign a year later in protest at the unequal terms of service he received as a local appointee. He entered into private practice where his fearsome intellectual abilities made him Hong Kong’s top criminal lawyer by the 1960s. www.hku.hk/hongrads Mr Patrick Yu was formally presented with the honorary degree by the Pro-Chancellor Dr the Hon David Li Kwok-po and Vice-Chancellor Professor Lap-Chee Tsui in a ceremony held at his home. Doctor of Laws honoris causa Doctor of Science honoris causa Professor Sir Alec John Jeffreys (2 nd left) is one of the world's most distinguished geneticists. Whilst looking at an X-ray image of DNA from various individuals, he quickly realised the potential of using the variations in the genetic codes of individuals to identify them. The consequences of DNA ngerprinting were profound and global. Professor Mai Yiu-wing 米耀榮 (BSc(Eng) 1969; PhD 1972) (4 th right) is well-known for his achievement on the development of asbestos-free cement as a building product that does not cause a health hazard. His work on cellulose bre cements has helped to pioneer a new research area called 'quasi-brittle fracture mechanics'. Doctor of Social Sciences honoris causa Professor Fan Jinshi 樊錦詩 (4 th left) has devoted her life to the study and preservation of the Dunhuang Mogao Caves that she has become known as the 'daughter of Dunhuang'. She has been instrumental in preserving 735 of the caves, more than 45,000m 2 of fresoes and more than 2,000 sculptures. Wang Shenghong 王生洪 (3 rd right) is a renowned scientist who specialises in precision machinery engineering. He has led many signi cant research projects including the construction of a Twenty-Metre Satellite Antenna System. He also collaborated with colleagues at the University of Texas to construct the world’s largest telescope.