The Hong Kong Institute for Advanced Study (HKIAS) hosted its Annual General Meeting (AGM) on 19 November 2024, bringing together Senior Fellows from across the globe to discuss strategic advancements in research and international collaboration. Chaired by our HKIAS Chairman Professor Serge Haroche, the meeting focused on strengthening global partnerships between the City University of Hong Kong (CityUHK) and the home institutions of our Senior Fellows, recruiting leading scholars to HKIAS, and preparing for the Institute’s 10th-anniversary celebration in 2025, etc.
As part of the AGM activities, HKIAS co-organized a series of distinguished lectures with the School of Energy and Environment, the Department of Chemistry, the Department of Infectious Diseases and Public Health, the Department of Physics, and the Department of Materials Science and Engineering from 18 to 25 November, highlighting the cutting-edge research of our Senior Fellows across diverse disciplines. These lectures, supported in part by the Kwang Hua Educational Foundation, were highly appreciated by students and faculty members across various colleges, schools, and departments at CityUHK, demonstrating the strong interest and active engagement of the academic community.
18 November: Professor George Fu Gao, a world-renowned virologist, delivered an insightful lecture on virus entry research, showcasing his exceptional work in public health and COVID-19 treatments. On the same day, Professor Marc Fontecave, a leading expert in chemistry at the interface with biology, discussed innovative strategies for CO2 reduction.
20 November: Professor Hesheng Chen, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, presented on the Southern Advanced Photon Source. His lecture emphasized the facility’s potential to drive high-tech innovation in the Greater Bay Area. Professor Chen is renowned for his contributions to particle physics, including the development of major particle accelerators in China.
21 November: Professor Zhongfan Liu, President of the Beijing Graphene Institute, explored advancements in the Institute and applications of graphene materials. A prolific researcher with over 730 publications and 150 patents, Professor Liu’s work has driven breakthroughs in graphene materials and their industrial applications.
25 November: Professor Jean-Marie Lehn, a Nobel Laureate in Chemistry, presented “Steps Towards Complex Matter: From Supramolecular Chemistry Towards Adaptive Chemistry.” Professor Lehn’s contributions have revolutionized supramolecular chemistry, with over 950 publications and global recognition.
The AGM week also featured interdisciplinary meetings and networking events, providing mentorship opportunities and fostering collaboration among the HKIAS Senior Fellows, CityUHK faculty members, young researchers and students from various colleges, schools and departments.
These events reaffirmed HKIAS’s commitment to global collaboration and scientific excellence. As the Institute approaches its 10th anniversary in 2025, we will organize more events to further raise the global profile of the science and engineering community at CityUHK.
