Figure: Lecture professor Kam-tim Chau from Hong Kong Polytechnic University
Professor Kam-tim Chau from Hong Kong Polytechnic University (HKPU) visited Beijing Institute of Technology (BIT) for ten days from October 19, 2015, invited by the State Key Laboratory of Explosion Science and Technology of the School of Mechatronical Engineering. Dean of the school Jiao Qingjie and secretary of CPC in school Li Ping discussed about the communication and cultivation between two universities. Associate dean of the laboratory Wang Cheng and Wang Liqiong conducted a conversation with Professor Chau about building a partner laboratory in HKPU and enhancing the international influence of safe subjects in BIT. Professor Chau gave his own advice on releasing high-level academic achievement, organizing high-level international conference and teachers’ attending world-famous academic group. Professor Wei Xuexia prepared for and participated in the whole activity.
During the visit, professor Chau presented an excellent class titled “Differential Equations and Method of Solutions” to the undergraduates in Grade Three majoring in Mechanics Engineering of the School of Mechatronical Engineering in English. Part of the postgraduate students from other schools also attended the class. Students thought his class was not only passionate and lively, also full of interesting stories of the scientists in the academic field, which deepens the comprehension of the questions and interested them a lot. After that, Professor Wei Xuexia translated and explained several key points of the course during the class. The students are all inspired by his humorous way of teaching, enthusiasm and strict attitude towards study, hoping to have more opportunities to learn from the professor.
Figure: Professor Kam-tim Chau gave a class in the classroom
Figure: Teaching materials by professor Chau for BIT students (165 pages in all)
Figure: Professor Chau takes photos with the students for memorial after the class
In the afternoon of October 22, Professor Chau gave an academic report, named “Theoretical Dynamic Fracture Mechanics”, in the conference room of the laboratory. During the lecture, Professor Chau introduced the derivation of several key equations and analyzed the distribution characteristic of the moving cracks. Finally, professor Chau showed several engineering applications of the theoretical dynamic fracture mechanics.
Figure: Professor Chau gave a report in the laboratory
Figure: Professor Chau gave answers to the students’ questions earnestly
Figure: Dean of the school Jiao Qingjie and secretary of CPC Li Ping discussed together
Figure: Vice director Wang Cheng of the laboratory and Professor Chau had a serious discussion on building a partner laboratory in HKPU
Figure: Professor Chau and Wang Liqiong conducted deep conversations on main topics
This visit received huge support from the Center of International Communication and Cooperation and the Office of Teaching Affairs. The School of Mechatronical Engineering also offered a temporary office for the professor. Professor Chau was the supervisor of Professor Wei Xuexia during her studying for doctor’s degree in HKPU (1997-1999). Under his guidance, Professor Wei Xuexia got her PhD within two years. After Wei taught in BIT, she began to carry on more joint research with Professor Chau and published more than twenty SCI papers successively. Besides, their work also played an important part in building the “City and Public Safety Joint Research Center” between two universities. Having got Professor Chau’s help, many postgraduate students go for further education in HKPU and other world-known universities. Hopefully, this visit would lay a good foundation for future cooperation.
Introduction:
Prof. Kam-tim Chau obtained his Honours Diploma with distinction from Hong Kong Baptist College, Master of Engineering in Structural Engineering from the Asian Institute of Technology (Thailand) with the Tim Kendall Memorial Prize, PhD in Theoretical and Applied Mechanics from Northwestern University (USA), and an Executive Certificate from the Graduate School of Business of Stanford University (2005). He was a former Associate Head of CEE (2000-2006) and former Associate Dean of FCE (2006-2011). He is a Fellow of the Hong Kong Institution of Engineers (HKIE), and a recipient of the “Distinguished Young Scholar Award” of the National Natural Science Foundation, China (2003) and of the “Teaching Excellence Award” of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering of the Hong Kong Polytechnic University (2013). He was the President of the Hong Kong Society of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics (2004-2006), Chairman of the Geomechanics Committee (2005-2010) of the Applied Mechanics Division (AMD) of American Society of Mechanical Engineering (ASME), the Vice President of the Hong Kong Institution of Science (2010-2011), and Chairman of the Elasticity Committee of the Engineering Mechanics Institute (EMI) at the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) (2010-2012) as well as the Technical Committee TC103 of the International Society of Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering (2010-2013). He is a scientific advisor to the Hong Kong Observatory (2008-2018). He is a guest professor of Beijing Institute of Technology, and a visiting professor to University of Calgary, Kyoto University, and Harvard University.
