New Hong Kong academy will recognise outstanding achievements of young scientists in city

An academy to recognise the contribution of local scientists will soon be set up by a former University of Hong Kong vice-chancellor in the hope of encouraging science development in the city.

World-renowned biologist Professor Tsui Lap-chee said the new Academy of Sciences will grant a distinguished title of academician to young local scholars who have made great achievement in science.

"Local scholars gain top titles from overseas bodies when their academic results gain the recognition on an international level," said Tsui, the founding president. "But we hope to create a local brand for Hong Kong and acknowledge them first."

The academy's star team of founding academics includes two Nobel Prize winners - Professor Daniel Tsui Chee, who took the top award in physics, and Professor Jean-Marie Lehn, a chemistry laureate.

Other top local scientists on the panel include Chinese University vice-chancellor and expert in gastroenterology, Joseph Sung Joa-yiu; University of Science and Technology president and mathematician Tony Chan Fan-cheong; City University president and engineer Professor Way Kuo, and HKU microbiologist and "Sars hero" Yuen kwok-yung. They will form a panel to judge on the granting of academician titles to up to five young scientists every two years.

Professor Che Chi-ming, a founding academician of the academy and HKU professor of chemistry, said the panel would review the research results of young scholars. Their contribution to Hong Kong would be one of the major criteria.