Prof. Ma Songde will be inaugurated as Honorary Professor of the Faculty of Engineering of The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK). Prof. Ma delivered a public lecture at CUHK on 'An Overview of the Hi-tech Research and Development Program of China & Content-based Image and Video Analysis' on 11th July 2006.
Prof. Ma Songde obtained his B.S. degree in automatic control from Tsinghua University in 1968. He received his Ph.D degree in 1983 and 'Doctorat d'Etat es Science' degree in 1986 from University of Paris 6 in image processing and computer vision. He was invited researcher in the Computer Vision Laboratory of University of Maryland, College Park, USA (1983); researcher in the Robot Vision Laboratory in INRIA, France (1984-1986); research professor in the National Pattern Recognition Laboratory of the Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of Sciences 1986 to 2000; President of the Institute of Automation of Chinese Academy of Sciences (1996-2000).
He is the author or co-author of over 200 papers in international journals or conferences. He is chief editor of Chinese Journal on Automation, associate editor of International Journal on Artificial Intelligence and Pattern Recognition. He received the Best Paper Award and Best Technique Award in Eurographic '85 and the Outstanding Young Scientist Award of Chinese Academy of Sciences in 1989. In 2000, he was awarded the 'Officier de l'ordre National du Merite' by the President of France for his contribution to the Sino-French cooperation in science and technology.
Prof. Ma has been Vice Minister of Science and Technology of China since April 2000. He is in charge of high-tech industrialization and the High-Tech Research and Development Program of China (863 Program). The 863 Program designates information technology, biological & advanced agricultural technology, advanced materials, advanced manufacturing & automatic technology, energy technology, and resource & environment technology as areas of strategic development. The aim is to strengthen the nation's competitiveness, promote economic development and improve people's living standard.
CUHK has received great support from the 863 Program in recent years to contribute to the nation's science and technology development. In 2002, four CUHK research projects were funded by the 863 Program, which was the first time for Hong Kong academics to lead projects under this Program. CUHK's Satellite Remote Sensing Receiving Station, which provides all-weather environment and natural disaster monitoring for Hong Kong and neighboring regions, is also funded by the 863 Program. Prof. Xu Guanhua, Minister of Science and Technology officiated at the inauguration ceremony of the station last October. He is also Honorary Professor of CUHK's Faculty of Engineering.