HKUST Business School Magazine

Biz@HKUST Biz@HKUST 52 53 // Feature Senior Research Fellow by RGC Professor Songnian CHEN, Chair Professor of the Department of Economics, has been named a Senior Research Fellow by the Research Grants Council. This prestigious scheme selects ten awardees every year and provides HK$7.8 million in funding to support a five-year extensive research period for each awardee. The scheme also facilitates the professors’ dedication to research and development and helping universities attract and retain research talent. Professor CHEN’s project examines the “Quantile Regression Subject to Sample Selection with Continuous and Binary Outcomes”. Honor Recognizes Teaching Excellence Flying High The Michael G Gale Medal for Distinguished Teaching is the highest accolade in teaching at HKUST that presents to only one faculty member each year. Associate Professor of Business Education in the Department of Information Systems, Business Statistics and Operations Management (ISOM), Jeevan JAISINGH, becomes the award recipient of 2021 and the honor exemplifies the uncompromising commitment of our faculty in pursuit of excellence. In addition to accolades presented by HKUST, our faculty have received respect and recognition locally and globally in their chosen fields. Clarity, Adaptability, Responsiveness and Empathy (CARE) teaching philosophy has guided Professor Jaisingh, to empathize students’ needs, design engaging courses and teaching materials that combine theory and practice. In addition to the Michael G Gale Medal, he has been the winners of multiple teaching awards, including the Business School’s Franklin Prize for Teaching Excellence for twice, and the Common Core Excellence Course Award. “My guiding light has always been the belief that I can make a difference, every single day, for students in the classroom and beyond,” says Professor Jaisingh. He adds that teaching can have its highs and lows. Teachers can cherish the highs, while use the lows as a stepping stone to be a better professor of tomorrow. “Winning the award provides immense satisfaction that my contributions in shaping student development are being recognized by the University,” he says. Professor Jaisingh joined HKUST in 2003. A member of the Steering Committee on Review of the Common Core and the Working Group on Review of the Common Core, Professor Jaisingh has been instrumental in revamping the Common Core program to which “Critical Thinking and Data Literacy” was introduced as a new Foundation course. He also served various teaching and learning committees in the Business School. Professor Jaisingh is the sixth faculty from the Business School to receive the Michael G. Gale Medal. He is particularly indebted to all ISOM department heads for supporting his teaching journey. The Michael G. Gale Medal for Distinguished Teaching was established in 1994 to commemorate the late Founding Council Member, Mr Michael G. Gale, for his distinguished service and outstanding contributions to the development of HKUST. Chief Economist of the Asian Development Bank Chair Professor Albert PARK, Head of Economics and Director of the Center for Economic Policy at HKUST, has been appointed by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) as its new Chief Economist. Professor PARK will lead ADB’s work on policy research and regional cooperation and integration. Professor Park is a development and labor economist who is an expert on China’s economic development. Launch of New Book on RMB Professor Edwin LAI, Department of Economics and Director of Center for Economic Development has launched a new book entitled “One Currency, Two Markets: China's Attempt to Internationalize the Renminbi”. His book is written for anyone “interested in the economic analysis of the future of the international monetary system and the USD, and the rising importance of the RMB”. By applying economic theories, Professor LAI examines in detail the real reasons for China to internationalize its currency and how financial development and openness are crucial for the internationalization of RMB to succeed. Best Online Courses of All Time Delivered by Professor Garvin Percy DIAS, Associate Professor of Business Education of the Department of Information Systems, Business Statistics and Operations Management, the MOOC Class “Information Systems Auditing, Controls and Assurance” offered via Coursera has been awarded Class Central's Best Online Courses of All Time (2021 Edition). The award was granted based on 170,000+ reviews written by the learners.