Return to academia a break from politics for HKU's Gabriel Leung
Gabriel Leung won't discuss his stormy years as undersecretary for health, but say he's glad to be back at the University of Hong Kong
Leaping from academia to the government four years ago, Professor Gabriel Leung quickly found himself learning political survival skills as he faced tough job assignments and a series of scandals.
Perhaps it's not surprising, then, that when Donald Tsang Yam-kuen's administration ended in June, Leung decided to leave the government and resume his teaching duties at the University of Hong Kong.
Now, at the relatively young age of 39, he has taken the helm of the university's department of community medicine, to head a staff of more than 200 academic and administrative employees.
In an interview at his office at Cyberport, Leung refused to comment on his four years in the government. Rather, he kept emphasising how much he enjoyed being back in the academic world, and how excited he was about the university's medical-research projects.
"Besides a major study to measure the mental and physical health - as well as the social well-being - of Hong Kong families, we are also undertaking many medical research projects on different public-health issues, such as hand, foot and mouth disease, influenza and other infectious illnesses.
"Our anti-smoking campaign, which has been run by the school of public health for many years, must continue. All these projects will last for years, and we will keep the momentum going," Leung said.