Donor
Dr Patrick S. C. Poon, SBS
Dr Patrick S.C. Poon has gathered various accolades, including being the first local-born citizen to obtain the professional qualification of the Fellow of the Institute of Actuaries in the UK. Later he also obtained the fellowships of actuaries in Australia, the Chinese Mainland and Taiwan. He helped China Pacific Insurance (Group) Company Limited to be listed in the Stock Exchanges of Shanghai in 2007 and Hong Kong in 2009. In 2010, after helping China Pacific Life Insurance Company Limited receive the Best Life Insurance Company of the Year award in the Asia Insurance Industry Awards, Dr Poon remained as its top adviser until 2011.
Dr Poon is Vice Chairman of the University of Hong Kong Foundation for Educational Development & Research. Over the years, he has made generous donations to the University of Hong Kong, including those for establishing scholarships and an endowed professorship, with the aim of advancing actuarial education and research. He has also staunchly supported the development of PolyU. He was Treasurer of the University, Chairman of the Finance Committee and the Fund-raising Committee, a member of the Investment Committee under the PolyU Council and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the PolyU Superannuation Fund. He is currently a member of the University Court.
Dr Poon serves the community in many other roles, including as Independent Non-Executive Director of Hang Seng Insurance Company Limited and a member of the Board of Governors of the Hong Kong Sinfonietta.
Appointee
Professor K. Y. Wong
Professor K. Y. Wong is currently the Associate Vice President (Research Support), Chair Professor of Chemical Technology and the Director of the Partner State Key Laboratory of Chirosciences. He joined the Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology in 1990, was promoted to Chair Professor in 2005, and served as the Head of Department from 2005 to 2008 and the Dean of Faculty of Applied Science and Textiles from 2008 to 2015.
Professor Wong’s areas of research include electrochemistry, green chemistry, biosensors and screening of enzyme inhibitors in drug discovery. The major focus is on the molecular design of novel organic and inorganic compounds and chemically modified proteins that may find potential applications as environmentally benign catalysts, biosensors to detect harmful substances, and antibiotic candidates to fight against dreadful bacteria.
Professor Wong’s work on developing biosensors based on the chemically modified bacterial enzyme beta-lactamase has attracted the industry's attention to apply the biosensor in detecting harmful antibiotic residues in food. He is now collaborating with a clinical research group to use the biosensor in the real time monitoring of antibiotic concentration in the plasma of septic patients being treated by high volume hemofiltration.
Professor Wong has published many journal articles in international SCI journals. A number of his works have been highlighted in Chemical & Engineering News, Analytical Chemistry and Asia Materials. One of the papers published in the American Chemical Society journal Environmental Science and Technology in 2007 has received the best paper award (second runner up). He has been invited to deliver plenary, keynote and invited lectures at various international and regional conferences. According to the ISI Essential Science Indicators and Web of Science, he is listed among the top 1% most cited scientists over the past ten years, under the chemistry category.
The Endowed Professorship will enable Professor Wong to elevate his research in chemistry with applications in clean energy, drug discovery, and biomedicine to the next higher level, and to develop new chemistry that will ultimately benefit the society.
