The Hong Kong Academy of Sciences (ASHK) held its tenth annual general meeting today (11 December) and elected five new members, namely, Professor Xuhua HE (何旭華), Professor Mei-Po KWAN (關美寶), Professor Siew Chien NG (黃秀娟), Professor Michael HÄUSSER and Professor Wai-Yeung WONG Raymond (黃維揚). Professor Dennis Yuk Ming LO, President of the Hong Kong Academy of Sciences, congratulated the five newly elected members, praising them for their outstanding achievements in scientific research and significant contributions to social progress. He hopes that by bringing together more scientists who have made remarkable contributions to Hong Kong’s scientific development, ASHK can further promote the city’s research capabilities, reinforcing its position as an international innovation and technology centre, and continue to promote the popularisation of science, nurturing a new generation of research talent to contribute to Hong Kong and the nation as a whole.
Professor Xuhua HE is a mathematician who is conducting research in areas that include arithmetic geometry, algebraic groups, and representation theory. His work on finite and affine Weyl groups, and flag varieties, has gained wide recognition for its innovative
approaches and applications.
Professor Mei-Po KWAN is a geographer who applies cutting-edge geographic information science and remote sensing methodologies to address pressing health, transport, environmental and social challenges in urban settings. Her pioneering work has led to the identification of two major conceptual breakthroughs – the Uncertain Geographic Context Problem (UGCoP) and the Neighbourhood Effect Averaging Problem (NEAP) – which challenge traditional residence-based approaches to neighbourhood effect research and have driven a paradigm shift toward mobility-based environmental exposure assessment.
Professor Siew Chien NG is at the forefront of epidemiology research on inflammatory bowel disease and the role of gut microbiota in health and disease. She has discovered novel gut microbial signatures and transformed such signatures into clinically applicable non-invasive tests for early diagnosis of colorectal cancer, inflammatory bowel disease and neurodevelopmental disorders in children.
Professor Michael HÄUSSER is a renowned neuroscientist. He has made significant discoveries that have deepened the understanding of how single neurons contribute to computation in the mammalian brain, particularly in the role of dendritic cell in information processing. Through his lab, he has adapted and developed ‘neurotechnologies’, such as combining twophoton imaging and two-photon optogenetics, to study the function of neural circuits in the cerebellum and neocortex, alongside careful quantitative analysis and modelling.
Professor Wai-Yeung WONG Raymond is a chemist engaging in research on the designing and synthesizing of molecular functional materials and metallopolymers (1D and 2D) with photofunctional properties and energy applications. His team is committed to developing sustainable energy sources and enhancing energy conversion technologies to address upcoming global energy needs while promoting a cleaner, more resilient future.
