HKU MATH

HKU MATH Welcome to the official page of the Department of Mathematics, HKU

The history of the Department of Mathematics dates from the very early years when the University was founded. After joining the Faculty of Science newly formed in 1939 it has since remained a core department of the Faculty, but also offers courses for students in other Faculties. As a mathematics department with the longest history in Hong Kong the Department has throughout the past seven decades

produced batches after batches of graduates who either go on to pursue a mathematics-related career or to take up positions in other walks of life, but all of whom benefit from a good solid general undergraduate education in mathematics that nurtures their quantitative reasoning, logical and analytical thinking, meticulous care to work, ability to conceptualize, problem-solving skill and innovative imagination. Among these graduates quite a number join the teaching profession in the tertiary and the secondary sectors, thereby contributing to the education of succeeding generations in the subject. Some of them excel in their own fields to become internationally renowned mathematicians or educators working in academia local and abroad. In the early 1970s the department began to produce its own postgraduates, and numerous students have since obtained their PhD and MPhil degrees at the department. In research, even in the former days dating from the early 1950s when research was not as emphatically promoted and supported in Hong Kong as it is today, the department has maintained throughout the years a good record in research. By producing a continual stream of publications that appear in international refereed journals, the teaching staff of the Department has earned for themselves recognition in the mathematical community local and abroad. In recent years, with the emphatical promotion and support in research in Hong Kong, the Department has also strengthened in this respect, particularly with the establishment of the Institute of Mathematical Research in 1999. Ever since the 1980s the Department has hosted more than twenty international conferences or workshops, and members of the Department maintain close and constant contact with local and oversea mathematicians and centres of mathematical research. Members actively and frequently participate in international conferences or workshops, and a number of them have been editors/associated editors of renowned international journals, and have also been invited as keynote speakers at international conferences. In the broader context the Department has been instrumental in the establishment of two mathematical societies, the Southeast Asian Mathematical Society founded in 1972 and the Hong Kong Mathematical Society founded in 1979. In 1995 the Hong Kong Association for Mathematics Education was founded, and almost all the founding members are graduates of the Department from the mid 60s to the mid 80s. Besides the link through this formal organization the Department is for long held in high regard for its commitment in teaching by its many graduates who become school teachers so that a strong network with a congenial cooperative working relation exists, thus forming a bridge between the Department and the local school community. This is further buttressed by annual mathematical lectures and other mathematics-related public events organized by the Department for school pupils and teachers. In this way the Department continues to contribute to the local mathematics education scene long after it furnishes the work force of school teachers themselves.

https://www.scifac.hku.hk/news/in-memory-of-professor-ming-chit-liu31 Mar 2023In Memory of Professor Ming-Chit LIUWith g...
31/03/2023

https://www.scifac.hku.hk/news/in-memory-of-professor-ming-chit-liu

31 Mar 2023

In Memory of Professor Ming-Chit LIU

With great sorrow, we lament the passing of our esteemed former Chair Professor, Ming-Chit LIU (廖明哲), who departed from this world on 24th March 2023 at the age of 85. He is survived by his wife Ms Moon-Chi CHEUNG and two sons Kay-Wai LIU and Yun-Wai LIU.

Professor Liu dedicated more than thirty years of his life to The University of Hong Kong (HKU). After obtaining his BSc (Special) from the University in 1966, he joined the Department of Mathematics at HKU as a demonstrator. Simultaneously, he pursued his Master of Science degree under the guidance of Professor Yung-Ming CHEN. After completing his doctoral degree, Professor Liu was promoted to Lecturer in 1973 and continued his career at HKU. He was later promoted to Reader in 1983 and then to Professor in 1990. During his tenure, Professor Liu shifted his research interests from complex analysis to analytic number theory, particularly focusing on Diophantine equations and Diophantine inequalities involving prime numbers. His research on the well-known Goldbach conjecture set a new record in this challenging problem of number theory in 2002. He made significant contributions to strengthen the connections between the Department and external academic institutions.

Professor Liu taught first-year calculus for many years, delivering clear and well-organised lectures. Many students were fortunate to learn how to read and write epsilon-delta proofs from him. He also taught courses in number theory and postgraduate complex analysis, providing rigorous training in analytic number theory. In addition to serving on various departmental and university committees at HKU, Professor Liu also served on various review and selection committees for several local universities and the Hong Kong Government. For example, he served as Vice-President of the Hong Kong Mathematical Society from 1996 to 1998.

Professor Liu retired from HKU in 2000, and in 2005, the Department of Mathematics established the Liu Ming-Chit Prize in Mathematics with his generous donation. Currently, a team of five people working on number theory or closely related areas is maintained by the department.

Professor Liu will be dearly missed by the University and the Faculty of Science family. A full obituary of him by Professors Yuk Kam LAU and Patrick, Tuen Wai NG from Department of Mathematics can be viewed at: https://hkumath.hku.hk/web/memory/memory_mcliu_main.php

HKU Summer programmes 2023
24/02/2023

HKU Summer programmes 2023

Creativity Wanted: “Data is the New Art Form” Art Competition 2022 - Apply now [Apr 20 due]
11/03/2022

Creativity Wanted: “Data is the New Art Form” Art Competition 2022
- Apply now [Apr 20 due]

Posted on February 26, 2022In Events We are now calling for submissions from students, staff members, and alumni from The University of Hong Kong to help us design IDS’s new premises. Scheduled for completion in April 2022, IDS is not only a strategic realm for innovative data analysis and technol...

HKU Summer programmes 2022
28/01/2022

HKU Summer programmes 2022

28/01/2022
https://www.scifac.hku.hk/news/obituary-dr-clchan18 Oct 2021In memory of Dr Stephen, Choi-Lai CHANIt is with deep sadnes...
29/10/2021

https://www.scifac.hku.hk/news/obituary-dr-clchan

18 Oct 2021

In memory of Dr Stephen, Choi-Lai CHAN

It is with deep sadness that we mourn for the passing away of Dr Stephen, Choi-Lai CHAN (陳載澧), our alumnus and former colleague from the Department of Mathematics, on 10th October, 2021 at the age of 81.


Dr Chan received his BSc (General) degree and BSc Special degree with first class honours from The University of Hong Kong in 1963 and 1964 respectively. He then went to the University of British Columbia to study theoretical physics, and right upon his oral defense, he joined HKU Mathematics as a Lecturer in Applied Mathematics. Since then Dr Chan has been working in the Department for 34 years until he retired on 30th June, 2002. Dr Chan was enthusiastic about his work – his lectures were always clear and lively, and students found him very approachable. He also served as the Warden of Old Halls and Hornell Hall. Besides publishing research papers in theoretical physics, Dr Chan also published 3 secondary school textbooks on Modern Mathematics, and served as the Advanced Level Applied Mathematics Chief Examiner in 1971.


Since 1974, Dr Chan had been active with the theatre as director, playwright or translator of plays, initially in association with major non-professional groups. His visits to UCLA in 1977 and 1978 had made a huge influence on his career. At UCLA, he was a visiting scholar in the Department of Systems Engineering, and also a visiting associate professor of the Theatre Arts Department where he taught Drama and Directing. Upon his return, he started to work with leading professional companies such as the Hong Kong Repertory Theatre Company, where he served as the artistic advisor from 1982 to 1998. He was also the co-founder and Vice-Chairman of the Hong Kong Institute for the Promotion of Chinese Culture.


In 1995, Dr Chan was invited by the then Vice-Chancellor Professor Gungwu WANG to set up and chair a Committee on General Education (GE). Over the years, the Programme had proved to be popular among students. The programme has also acquired a reputation among sister universities as valid and effective efforts toward whole-person education. From 1995 to 2000, some 200 courses and workshops in diverse areas were mounted, with special emphasis on the interaction and interface between different disciplines. The emphasis has always been on education of the whole person rather than mere transmission of knowledge and techniques. Dr Chan, while serving as the chairman of the Committee on General Education, acted also as the de facto director who designed, planned and supervised the implementation of the above programmes. Given the success of the GE programme in HKU, Dr Chan was invited to establish the Art and Cultural Education Programme for the Hong Kong Baptist University where he served as the Director of the Centre for Holistic Teaching and Learning.


Dr Chan’s passion for drama, mathematics, physics and the teaching of creative writing had led him to think a lot about learning and creative thinking. He will be dearly missed by the University and the Faculty of Science family.

A full obituary of Dr Chan by Professors Tuen Wai NG and Man Keung SIU and Dr Ka Ho LAW from Department of Mathematics can be viewed at: https://hkumath.hku.hk/web/memory/memory_clchan_main.php

Also, please see the memorial website of Dr Chan at: http://chanchoilai-stephen.net/

Frontiers of Mathematics Lectures: Geometry and Arithmetic of Sphere Packingsby Professor Alex Kontorovich (Rutgers Univ...
27/07/2021

Frontiers of Mathematics Lectures: Geometry and Arithmetic of Sphere Packings
by Professor Alex Kontorovich (Rutgers University, USA)
Url: http://www.math.hku.hk/imr/

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