Award for Service Contribution 2006-07

Dr Chan is highly regarded for his service contribution to the University, the Faculty, and the community in many aspects. For several years, Dr Chan coordinated the outreach programme and promotional activities for the admission policy of the Faculty of Science and has been a key member in the design of the undergraduate and MSc curricula in Earth Sciences. He has been coordinating the brainstorming group on the scientific and technological literacy requirement in the common core curriculum and serving on several subcommittees on the academic reform in HKU. Over the past three years, Dr Chan has been giving many public talks on earthquakes, tsunami and geology of Hong Kong, and led over 50 fieldtrips and workshops for the Liberal Studies, Geography and Gifted Education Divisions of Education Bureau, HKSAR, museums, and Geological Society of Hong Kong. Besides, his 'Rock Stories' is the most popular course in the General Education Programme of HKU. In addition, Dr Chan has been involved in the establishment of the National Geologists Registration Scheme for China and the implementation of the infrared thermographic technique for screening feverish passengers at border crossings during the SARS outbreak, and participated in an initiative to develop a tsunami warning system for South China. However, the service to the university he is most proud and pleased with is his management of the dysfunctional HKU staff football team whose players, including many chair professors and occasionally the Vice-Chancellor, emphasizing on attitude over skills on the football pitch.