Happy New Year 2023
Happy 2023!
While the impact of COVID-19 are dwindling, the School of Data Science (SCDC) has planted seeds and now the fruits are bearing. Through innovation and diversity, SCDC has continuously expanded, making worldwide accomplishments. Our school has achieved new milestones in exemplary teaching, research endeavors, recruitment, and student development as part of our efforts to bridge data science to the world.
Our fellow students also had an exceptional year this year. A PhD student Yiren LIU has won a Grand Prize (Academic Group) on top of a Gold Award at an AI competition – “The Global AI Challenge for Building E&M Facilities”. A team of four year-4 students from SDSC won the AI x HK OpenCup 2022 Champion and Best Innovation Award. A number of our undergraduate students participate in internships and research projects. Some of them worked in renowned companies such as Reinsurance Group of America, Lenovo-PCCW Solutions, China Telecom, Huawei, etc., while others conducted research and published in IEEE Transactions. We are pleased to see such all-rounded development in our students.
In 2022, eleven faculty members are ranked in the world’s top 2% most-cited scientists published by Stanford University (including Single Year Impact). Our faculty members have again received prestigious honors, including being inducted into the National Academy of Inventors, and being elevated to IEEE Fellow, etc. Moreover, empowered by a consultant team comprising scholars from SDSC, an invention from the Electrical and Mechanical Services Department of the HKSAR Government has won the Silver Medal at the International Exhibition of Inventions of Geneva 2022. With a vision to campus diversity, I’m also proud to share that we now have five women faculty members on our team.
In my role as the Dean and Chair Professor of SCDC, I became the first scholar educated in China to receive the AICHE CAST Division Award for 2022, awarded by the American Institute of Chemical Engineers. I was also elected the 2022 IEEE CSS Transition to Practice Award. These recognitions reflect the high status of research at City University. Additionally, I will succeed the role of President for Lingnan University in July 2023 for a five-year term. Lingnan University, being Hong Kong’s unique liberal arts education, has been devoted in data science development in recent years, bringing data science closer to humanities, social science, arts and business disciplines, preparing talents for the future. I look forward to more synergy between Lingnan University and CityU， as we embrace the digitized era and digital humanities in the tech scene in the Greater Bay Area.
Since SDSC was inaugurated four years ago, we admitted approximately 100 undergraduates, 100 postgraduates and a few dozens of doctoral students every year. In 2023, we will soon have our first batch of graduating class in bachelors. As the first standalone School in Hong Kong and the region to focus on Data Science, we aim to contribute to the Greater Bay Area and provide talents for Asia. We wish to continue to strengthen our commitment to our communities and to foster a learning environment conducive to success.
As the spring season approaches, we welcome the Year of the Rabbit, and look forward to more collaborations with you. I wish you a healthy and prosperous new year ahead.
Sincerely,
Professor S. Joe QIN
Acting Dean of the School of Data Science
City University of Hong Kong