Student Development
16 Mar 2022

【College Assembly】The 65th College Anniversary Fellow Lecture

The 65th College Anniversary Fellow Lecture video recording was held on 16 March 2022 on UC campus. We are honoured to have Professor Henry N C Wong, Fellow of The Chinese Academy of Sciences, Emeritus Professor of Chemistry and Research Professor, Department of Chemistry, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, being the speaker.

The theme of Professor Henry Wong’s Lecture was “On Meiji Restoration in Japan and the Westernization Movement in the Late Qing Dynasty”. From a historical point of view, Professor Wong analysed the industrial movement and social development of China and Japan in the 19th century, in the Westernization Movement in the Late Qing Dynasty and Meiji Restoration. A conclusive remark was made by Professor Wong on “Education and Science in China”. Professor Wong reminded us of the importance of the nurturing of human talents and scientific attitude.

A souvenir was presented to Professor Henry N C Wong by Professor Jimmy C M Yu, College Head, on behalf of the College, to express our great thanks.

A group photo of Professor Jimmy C M Yu, College Head (centre); Professor Henry N C Wong (3rd from right); Professor Alaster H Y Lau, Associate Head and Dean of Students (3rd from left); Professor Lee Hung-kay, Associate Head and Dean of General Education (2nd from left); Professor Stephen H S Wong, Associate Head (2nd from right); Mr Tony M H Chan, College Secretary (far left) and Mrs Eastre Chan, Senior College Development Officer (far right).

Professor Henry Wong obtained his BSc degree with first class honours from United College, CUHK in 1973, and was subsequently awarded a Shell Scholarship for Postgraduate Studies in the United Kingdom. He furthered his study at University College London where he obtained his Ph.D. in 1976. After two postdoctoral research years at Harvard University, Professor Wong returned to University College London to begin his independent research undertaking as Ramsay Memorial Fellow. From 1980 to 1982, Professor Wong did research at the Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, The Chinese Academy of Sciences. He returned to CUHK in 1983 and was the Chairman of the Department of Chemistry from 1995 to 1997. Professor Wong was Head of New Asia College in 2002-2010, and Pro-Vice-Chancellor/Vice President for Research in 2009-2013. He was Dean of Science from 2012-2018, and again as Head of New Asia College from 2014 to 2020. He is currently Emeritus Professor of Chemistry and Research Professor at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, as well as X Q Deng Presidential Chair Professor at the Chinese University of Hong Kong (Shenzhen). Professor Wong is also Chairman of the Management Committee, Shanghai-Hong Kong Joint Laboratory in Chemical Synthesis, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, The Chinese Academy of Sciences, Distinguished Long-term Visiting Professor of Southern University of Science and Technology in Shenzhen, and honorary professor and guest professor of many tertiary institutions on the Chinese mainland.

Professor Wong’s research interests are concerned with the syntheses and studies of natural and non-natural molecules. He has served on the editorial boards of several international and national journals. He has been invited to present in over 80 invited and plenary talks in national as well as international conferences and symposia, and has published over 270 research articles, reviews, and book chapters.

Professor Wong has received many prestigious awards over the years. In 1994, he was conferred a DSc degree by University of London. He also won the 2nd Class State Natural Science Award of China in 1997. He was Croucher Senior Research Fellow in 1999, and was elected to The Chinese Academy of Sciences, The World Academy of Sciences for the advancement of science in developing countries (TWAS) (formerly known as The Third World Academy of Sciences) in 1999 and 2004, respectively. He was also elected to the Hong Kong Academy of Sciences in 2015 and serves as the Academy’s Honorary Secretary.