【學苑專訊】港大工程學院下任院長的人選終於揭盅。校長馬斐森日前發電郵公告，宣布科大機械及航空航天工程系主任趙汝恆（Professor Christopher Chao）獲校委會委任為新任工程學院院長，接替即將卸任的田之楠教授。趙教授將於明年 6 月初接任，任期為五年。另外，現任院長田教授卸任後會留任電機電子工程系教授，馬亦在電郵中特別感謝他過去對大學的奉獻。
是次任命由獵頭公司在全球搜羅合適人選，再由馬斐森領導的物色委員會甄選。馬在電郵中讚揚趙汝恆為成就超卓的學者，在建築環境、能源和環境工程的範疇上擁有廣泛的研究興趣，並具備充份的領導和行政經驗。趙現任香港科技大學機械及航空航天工程系主任，並先後於香港大學和加州大學柏克萊分校攻讀機械工程系。馬表示有信心趙教授能令工程學院更上一層樓，並帶領學院在本地以至國際間取得優秀的學術成就。
較早前工程學院被揭發兩名副院長譚國煥及陳佩的任期超逾田之楠，涉嫌違反《香港大學條例》 [1] 。最終田教授的任期獲確定為 2018 年 6 月底，或留待新院長上任為止，譚的任期亦更改至與田一樣，陳則於今年 6 月底任滿。
電郵原文：
Dear Colleagues, Students and Alumni,
Dean of the Faculty of Engineering
I am very happy to announce that Professor Christopher Chao has been appointed by the Council as the next Dean of Engineering for a term of five years, to succeed Professor Norman C. Tien. Professor Chao is an alumnus of HKU and currently Chair Professor and Head of Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology.
The Deanship appointment was made after a worldwide search with the assistance of a professional search firm, and on the recommendation of a search committee which I chaired and which comprised the Faculty Board Chairman, two elected Faculty members, an elected student member, a lay Council member, the Provost and the Executive Vice-President (Administration and Finance).
Professor Chao is a highly accomplished scholar who has a wide range of research interests in the areas of Built Environment, Energy and Environmental Engineering. He has gained ample leadership and administrative experience through various senior administrative roles in HKUST, e.g. Head of Department, Associate Dean. Coupled with his excellent interpersonal, communication and team-building skills, I am confident that he has the right set of attributes for the position of the Dean of Engineering, and will be able to take the Faculty to a higher level and to lead the Faculty to excel academically in the local, regional and global arenas.
Professor Chao is expected to report for duty in around early June of 2018. I invite you all to join me in welcoming Professor Chao, and hope that all of you will give your full support to him and the Faculty.
The current Dean of Engineering, Professor Norman C. Tien, will step down from the deanship appointment that he has held since June 2012 upon the assumption of duty of Professor Chao. He will remain in service as Professor, Chair of Microsystems Technology in the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering. I wish to put on record my gratitude to Professor Tien for his hard work and dedication to the University and the Faculty for the past years, and look forward to his continued contribution in the years to come.
Professor Peter Mathieson
President and Vice-Chancellor
註：
[1] 工程學院副院長任期超逾院長任期 涉嫌違反《香港大學條例》
