Professor Chang Hsin Kang, Foreign Member of Royal Academy of Engineering in the United Kingdom, Member of the International Eurasian Academy of Sciences, Former President of the City University of Hong Kong, and Honorary Professor at Peking University, will give a public lecture on April 20th, 2016 within Yenching Academy's China Studies Lecture Series.
Theme: A Long and Hard Look at China
Time: Wednesday April 20, 2016, 19:00 – 21:00
Location: Peking University, Second Gymnasium Room B101
Language: English
Abstract:
Based on a macroscopic view of human history and drawing upon his extensive travels in China and other parts of the world over the past four decades, Professor Chang gives a multifaceted portrait of China in terms of its population make-up, language, literary tradition, belief systems, esthetic values, social mores and technological achievements. He concludes by pinpointing some important features of the Chinese national character and ponders over the question "Is China exceptional".
About the speaker:
Professor Chang Hsin Kang received his B.S. in Civil Engineering from Taiwan University (1962), M.S. in Structural Engineering from Stanford University (1964) and Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering from Northwestern University (1969).
Having taught at State University of New York at Buffalo (1969-1976), McGill University (1976-1984) and the University of Southern California (1984-1990), he became Founding Dean of School of Engineering at Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (1990-1994) and then Dean of School of Engineering at the University of Pittsburgh (1994-1996). Professor Chang served as President and University Professor of City University of Hong Kong from 1996 to 2007.
In recent years, Professor Chang has taught general education courses at Peking University, Tsinghua University, China-Europe International Business School and Bogazici University in Istanbul. Besides being President-Emeritus of City University of Hong Kong, he is an Honorary Professor at Peking University, Tsinghua University and several other major universities in China. Professor Chang has published over 100 research articles and two research treatises in biomedical engineering and holds one Canadian patent. In addition, he has authored 11 books in Chinese and 1 book in English, mainly on education, cultures and civilizations. His academic interests now focus on cultural exchanges across the Eurasian landmass, particularly along the Silk Road.
Chang Hsin Kang is a Foreign Member of Royal Academy of Engineering of the United Kingdom and a Member of the International Eurasian Academy of Sciences. He was named by the Government of France to be Chévalier dans l’Ordre National de la Légion d’Honneur in 2000, decorated as Commandeur dans l’Ordre des Palmes Académiques in 2009, and was awarded a Gold Bauhinia Star by the Hong Kong SAR Government in 2002.
He served as Chairman of the Cultural and Heritage Commission of Hong Kong (2000-2003), a member of Hong Kong’s Council of Advisors on Innovation and Technology (2000-2004) and of Judicial Officers Recommendation Commission (1999-2005). He is currently an independent non-executive director of Hong Kong Telecom Trust, Hang Lung Properties, Brightoil Petroleum and Nanyang Commercial Bank.
To register for the lecture:
This lecture is jointly hosted by the Yenching Academy of Peking University and the School of Foreign Languages of Peking University. It is free and open to all PKU students.To register, please send an email to ycasxm@pku.edu.cn specifying your name and date of lecture in the object. Student number, name, department and the date of the lecture should be listed in email content.
Note: the registration is on first come first served basis. A live streaming will be provided in Second Gymnasium Room B102 if seats are full.
