Bulletin Autumn‧Winter 2005

UNIVERSITY MEMBERS HONOURED • Prof. Rober t L i Shuoyen, P r o f . R a y m o n d Y e u n g Wai-ho, and Dr. Cai N i n g o f t h e D e p a r t m e n t o f I n f o r ma t i o n Engineering have been a w a r d ed the 2005 I EEE I n f o r m a t i o n T h e o r y S o c i e ty P a p e r A w a r d for their groundbreaking w o r k e n t i t l e d 'Linear N e t w o rk Coding'. T h e p a p e r p r o v e s t h e o p t i m a l i t y o f l i n e a r n e t w o r k coding, ma k i ng possible the r e a l i z a t i o n o f n e t w o r k c o d i n g i n practical applications. The a w a r d gives recognition to o u t s t a n d i ng publications and aims to encourage interest i n a nd c o n t r i b u t i o n to i n f o r ma t i o n t h e o r y . T h i s is t h e f i r s t t i m e H o n g K o n g - b a s e d scientists hav e received the a w a rd a nd the first time i n ove r 30 years that it has been w o n b y A s i an researchers. N e t w o r k c o d i n g t h e o r y, b e i n g a m o ng the mo st i m p o r t a n t b r e a k t h r o u g h s i n network communications, has its birthplace i n C U H K . Ever since its i n i t i a l appearance, n e t wo rk coding has q u i c k ly develope d into a r e s e a r ch f i e l d t h a t has f u n d a m e n t a l i n f l u e n ce o n i n f o r m a t i o n t h e o r y, c o d i n g t h e o r y , n e t w o r k i n g , s w i t c h i n g t h e o r y , wireless communications, computer science, c r y p t o g r a p h y , o p e r a t i o ns research , a n d ma t r i x theory. • Dr. Yang Yubin, postdoctora l research fellow of the Joint L a b o r a t o r y for Ge o i n f o r ma t i o n Science, w o n t h i r d prize at the n a t i o n w i d e Astronautic I n n o v a t i o n Comp e t i t i on 'Flyin g into the Future' w i t h his project 'Software for A u t oma t i c Detection an d Tracking of Space Debris Based o n A s t r o n om i c a l C C D Image Sequences'. The onl y entry f r o m H o n g K o ng a n d Ma c a u that made it i n to the finals, Dr. Yang's project was only ranke d after Na n j i n g Un i v e r s i ty of Aeronautics an d Astronautics and the University of Science and Technolog y of China. Coorganized by the Chinese Society of A s t r o n a u t i c s a nd the H e i n l e i n Prize Trust, U S A , t he c o n t e st a i m e d a t p r o m o t i n g a s t r o n a u t ic i n n o v a t i o n a m o n g y o u n g scientists a nd s t u d e n t s. Th e a d j u d i c a t i on panel wa s f o r med by 20 eminen t experts i n astronautic science. • P r o f . M i c h a e l H . B o n d , p r o f e s s o r o f psychology, and Ms . Sylvia X i a o h u a Chen, Ph.D. s t u d e n t i n psychology, received the Ame r i c a n Psychological Association Division 52 ( I n t e r n a t i o n al P s y c h o l o g y) A w a r d s f or Student I n t e r n a t i o n al Researc h 2005. Thei r t wo papers received the A w a r d of Excellence i n the categories o f International Comparative S t u d y a n d D e s c r i p t i v e R e s e a r c h i n a Developing Country. • Prof. Ch a n g Shu-ting, emeritus professo r of b i o l o gy at C U H K , ha s been selected one of the t op five nominees for this year' s Wo r ld From left: Prof. Raymond Yeung Wai-ho, Prof. Robert Li Shuoyen, and Dr. Cai Ning 4 8 Chinese University Bulletin Autumn • Winter 2005