First Student from Hong Kong to Win the IEEE EDS Graduate Fellowship

Wu Wen, a PhD student from the HKUST Electronic and Computer Engineering (ECE) Department has been awarded the prestigious IEEE Electron Devices Society (EDS) Graduate Fellowship 2006, in recognition of her outstanding publications and potential contributions to research in the field of semiconductor. She is the first student in Hong Kong to receive this honor since IEEE EDS started to award the Graduate Fellowships in 2001.

Four awards have been given by EDS this year, one for Europe/Africa, one for America, one for Asia, and one for all regions despite of location. The prize for each award include: US$7,000 to the student and travel subsidy of up to US$3,000 to each recipient to attend the 2006 IEEE International Electron Devices Meeting on 11 December in San Francisco, for presentation of award plaque. The IEEE EDS Newsletter (published quarterly) will feature articles about Wu Wen and the other three EDS Graduate Fellows and their work over the course of the next year.

Wu Wen’s supervisor Prof Mansun Chan from the ECE Department says, “She had to face tough competition against exceptional candidates from universities in Singapore, Taiwan and Japan where semiconductor research is regarded as a strategic technology development area that receives significant government support. In oppose to common impression, the mecca of semiconductor research is no longer in the North America, but in Asian countries like Taiwan and Japan.” Prof Kei May Lau, also from the ECE Department, who is a member of the EDS Graduate Student Fellowship Committee remarks, “HKUST PhD program in ECE is one of the world's best. Our PG students are at the top of international standards.”

When asked what is the secret of her success, Wu Wen responded, “when I approach a research topic, I try to anticipate the potential problems and think of ways to tackle them before plunging into it.” Wu Wen also attributes her accomplishment to the support from her supervisor who enables her to pursue area of her interests instead of telling her what to do, and the ample resources from the University such as library references, research equipments, and opportunities for international exposure at first-rate conferences. Building on Wu Wen’s success, HKUST forges on grooming more brilliant technology leaders of tomorrow.