CW Chu College The Chinese University of Hong Kong eNewsletter

'Pursue your dreams! You can make it!' Prof Victor Li, Chair Professor of Information Engineering with the University of Hong Kong and a member of Committee of Overseers of CW Chu College, shared his story with the participants of the College's High Table Dinner on 13 March 2014. As a recipient of the CW Chu Scholarship many years ago, he pursued further studies in the USA in the 1970s, which was a life-changing experience for him. He was very grateful for the generosity of Dr Chu and was moved by his 'Can do' attitude. Regarding Dr Chu as a role model, Prof Li has been courageous enough to overcome difficulties and challenges, and finally realized his dream to become an outstanding scientist before making contributions to Hong Kong community.

Prof Li became a winner of the CW Chu Scholarship in 1972, which provided him with an opportunity to study in Vincennes University, USA, for two years. However, his ultimate goal was to enter a top college like the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Quite a number of his friends asked him, 'If you take this scholarship, can Dr Chu guarantee that you can transfer to a top school like MIT?' As a very naive 18 year-old at the time, he brought this question to Dr Chu. Dr Chu told him, 'I can hardly guarantee that you can transfer to MIT. But we have students transferring to MIT every year. If you work hard, I can't see why not.' Dr Chu's remarks touched him so much and made him to study hard. He was eventually admitted to MIT, majoring in electrical engineering and computer science, and obtained a PhD five years later. After graduation, he joined the University of Southern California (USC), USA, and became a Professor of Electrical Engineering and the Director of the USC Communication Sciences Institute.

Hong Kong became a Special Administrative Region of China in 1997, and Prof Li decided to return to his roots and teach at the University of Hong Kong, even though many people were leaving Hong Kong. Although the teaching conditions in USC were better than those in Hong Kong, Prof Li was determined to nurture the next generation of Hong Kong researchers and spared no efforts to do so. After 1997, many Hong Kong-based researchers actually moved back to Hong Kong from around the world. Along with many of these researchers, Prof Li has played a part in improving the research environment in Hong Kong. They succeeded in recruiting top students and researchers and helping build Hong Kong into a good destination for researchers. A number of universities in Hong Kong are now very well regarded around the world. Hard work will overcome challenges and lead to success.

With the help of Dr CW Chu, more than 600 students pursued further studies and realized their dreams. These Chu scholars are now successful in many walks of life and have become leaders in different fields. Prof Li encouraged students of CW Chu College to study hard: 'the College will pass on the spirit of Dr Chu to help you, a new generation of Chu Scholars, achieve your dreams.'