Breakfast with Dr. Susan Hockfield,
Provost of Yale University

Dr. Susan Hockfield, the Provost of Yale University, will be our guest of honor at a very special breakfast in the Conrad Hotel on Thursday morning, February 12. Dr. Hockfield, who has been provost since January 2003, will be making her first official visit to Hong Kong, and she’s looking forward to bringing us an executive update on what’s happening at Yale these days and an outline of the University’s strategic vision for the next decade.

Second only to the president, the provost is the Yale’s chief academic and administrative officer. The provost coordinates and oversees the educational policies and academic plans of all sectors of the institution — including Yale College, the Graduate School, the 10 professional schools and the various centers for research and scholarship — and bears principal responsibility for developing the University’s operating and capital budgets and for working with the other officers of the University on Yale’s long-range plans.

Prior to her appointment — she succeeded Alison Richard, provost from 1994 to 2002, who left Yale to head Cambridge University in England— Susan had been the Dean of the Yale Graduate School since 1998. In announcing her selection as provost in December 2002, President Levin observed that “she has made as great a contribution to graduate student education as anyone in the history of the University.” Richard Brodhead, Dean of Yale College, praised her by saying, “Susan keeps the big picture in sight and she has a great deal of wisdom and warmth.” Wrote one faculty member at the time: “She has brought about so many fundamental changes and had such a positive impact on all aspects of graduate study here that it seems impossible that it all could have happened in a mere four years.”

A member of the Yale faculty since 1985, Hockfield is the William Edward Gilbert Professor of Neurobiology, a neuroanatomist whose research focuses on the development of the mammalian brain. She and her laboratory staff have identified a family of cell surface proteins whose expression is regulated by neuronal activity early in an animal’s life; one of these proteins is believed to play a role in the progression of brain tumors. She has written more than 90 scientific publications and is the primary author of the book Molecular Probes of the Nervous System: Selected Methods for Antibodies and Nucleic Acid Probes.

Also joining us for breakfast will be a friendly face known to many of us — Charles Pagnam, who has been Yale’s Vice President for Development since December 1997. As such, Charlie is responsible for all of Yale University’s fund-raising efforts from individuals, corporations, and foundations.

This will be only the second time in Yale Club history that we’ve had the pleasure of welcoming a Provost of Yale, so please join us for this very special event! After her remarks, Susan will answer any questions we may have from the floor, so this will be a wonderful opportunity to chat with Yale’s "CEO." Guests are most welcome.

Hong Kong’s Strategic March to the North:
Lunch with Professor Helen Siu

On Monday 16 February, the Yale Club of Hong Kong and the Asia Society are joining forces to welcome back one of Yale’s most popular faculty members — Professor of Anthropology Helen Siu, who will speak to us on “Hong Kong’s Strategic March to the North: A Cultural Perspective.”

Three interrelated issues have challenged Hong Kong over the past decade: new immigrants, the “sinking” middle class, and the changing border with the Pearl River Delta. Professor Siu, a native of Hong Kong herself, will present these problems by looking at Hong Kong’s moral dilemmas, cultural strategies and historical baggage in the region’s engagement with post-reform China, as well as possible strategies for going forward. Professor Siu’s research over the past 30 years has centered on the region’s changing cultural ethos, issues of identity, the rural-urban divide, and civil society.

Special Screening of the Award-Winning
Documentary Film ’Sparrow Village’

The Yale Club of Hong Kong is proud to host a special screening of the award-winning documentary film Sparrow Village — for which the Yale Club's very own April Hu (Yale College ’84) served as assistant producer — at a lunch in Central on Friday 20 February.

Shot in the beautiful mountain community of Sparrow Village in Leishan County, Guizhou, China, Sparrow Village presents a positive and thought-provoking look at women’s aspirations and struggles in a society in transition, with a focus on girls’ access to basic education. The film has been accepted by several international film festivals.

Its director, Christine Choy, has produced and directed about 70 works in various forms, receiving over sixty international awards, including an Academy Award Nomination for the documentary film Who Killed Vincent Chen. In addition to her film work, she is Chair of the Film School of New York University, and has taught at Yale, Cornell, and SUNY Buffalo. She also established and directed the School of Creative Media at the City University of Hong Kong from 1999 to 2002.

Following the screening of Sparrow Village, assistant producer April Hu will discuss how the film was created and edited to its current form. In addition, she will describe how the production team worked with The Zigen Fund (www.zigen.org), a non-profit organization that focuses on education projects, to film this movie in a politically sensitive part of rural China.

Yale Club of Hong Kong Annual
Tennis Challenge and Dinner 2004

Tennis lovers, rejoice! The Yale Club is reviving its annual Tennis Challenge and Dinner Event, with the action taking place on Saturday 21 February at Hong Kong Country Club in Deep Water Bay. Whether you're a good player or not, or even if you just enjoy watching, please plan on coming for a great evening — and bring your friends.

Three courts have been reserved from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m., and two courts from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. Depending on the number of participants, we'll either play round robin or make some other arrangements. After tennis, anyone who can stay will have dinner at one of the Country Club's casual places to eat. The winner at tennis gets a free dinner!

Dinner with Yale SOM "Emerging Market Study Trip" Students

In March 2003, Yale School of Management Greater China Student Interest Group organized a China study trip and met with 22 companies in 5 cities and held 3 alumni dinners.

This year the study trip is getting even better and has been turning into an official Yale class – Emerging Market Study Trip. This year’s team will consist of 20 students led by Professor Zhiwu Chen, a professor of finance at Yale SOM specializing in Emerging Markets. The trip will take place from March 6th – 21st, and the group will be visiting over 20 companies from a variety of industries in Hong Kong, Shanghai, and Beijing.

The main purpose of the trip is not recruiting. The main goals are:
1) To learn more about certain industry sectors within the Chinese economy;
2) To enhance the network of business contacts for trip participants; and
3) To raise the profile of Yale SOM in China’s business community.

In addition to company meetings, the group is planning gatherings with Yale alumni in Hong Kong, Shanghai, and Beijing and look forward to meeting members of the Yale Club of Hong Kong.

Yale-New Asia
Student Exchange Dinner

In what has become an annual tradition, the Yale Club will host an informal dinner on Tuesday 9 March for the students from Yale and New Asia College at Chinese University who are participating in the popular Yale-New Asia Student Exchange program, which is now in its 10th year.

Eight Yale undergraduates visit Hong Kong over spring break every year, reciprocating a visit to Yale by New Asia College students during Chinese New Year. The Yale Club’s dinner for these students will be a relaxed evening, a fun time to reconnect with current Yale students — and a rare opportunity to do so during the school year. Come join the fun!

Yale Club Third Thursday Happy Hour IV

The Yale Club of Hong Kong continues to host the Third Thursday Happy Hours. During Happy Hour, drinks are half-price. The "anchor" once again will be Engin Yenidunya (Yale College '02).

The last three Third Thursday Happy Hours were attended by 25-35 people, including alumni from a wide range of US colleges in addition to Yale alumni.

This is a great way to connect with people, both to network with new friends and to catch up with old ones. And no sign-up is necessary - all you have to do is show up!

Yale Club of Hong Kong Hiking, Drinking and
Dining Society 'Farewell to Bob' Hike

The Yale Club of Hong Kong Hikining, Drinking and Dining Society (which you're automatically a member of, if you can read this) is organizing a family-friendly Saturday afternoon hike on March 20 to explore some of the lesser-known parts of Lamma Island. This will be the YCHKHDDS’s final one in the company of long-time hiking enthusiast Bob Bonds (Yale College ’71).

Highlights of the walk will include visiting Tai Ping New Village, viewing an ancient stone circle, and looking for hidden tunnels installed during World War II.The hike is suitable for families: the basic route will be an easy one of 1½ hours. Those who want to return to Hong Kong at that point may do so, while others may continue for an additional 2 hours and have supper at the Rainbow open-air restaurant at Mo Tat Wan before returning to Central by ferry.

BBQ for Bob: Farewell Party for
Bob Bonds after 26 Years!

We'll be saying a collective goodbye to Bob Bonds (Yale College '71), long-time resident of 26 years and beloved member of the Yale Club of Hong Kong. Bob is the ubiquitous participant of all things related to Yale, the Waldo of "Where's Waldo?"

Since one of his favorite party ideas is to have a private BBQ, sign up to join us at the home of April Hu (Yale College '84) who has graciously opened up her place for
our Farewell BBQ for Bob.

A special note of CONGRATULATIONS to April for the birth of her baby boy in the wee hours of the morning of 6 March.

Monthly Meeting of the University Book Club

Yann Martel's Life of Pi is the selection for the March meeting of the monthly book discussion group, which aims to bring together friends new and old to share the pleasure of reading and good conversation. Life of Pi is the story of an Indian boy, a Bengal tiger, and other animals in a live boat! It won the Booker Prize for Fiction in 2002, the British version of the Pulitzer.

"Life of Pi is at once a realistic, rousing adventure and a meta-tale of survival that explores the redemptive power of storytelling and the transformative nature of fiction. It's a story, as one character puts it, to make you believe in God."

The book for the April meeting is Timothy Mo's Monkey King, which was the highlight of Hong Kong's Literary Festival a few years ago.