Professor Chan assumed his role as the third president of KAUST in September 2018 after nearly a decade as president of The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. He led a strategic planning process to lead KAUST into its second decade, including growing the faculty and students by up to 50%. He has expanded KAUST's research emphasis from energy, water, food and environment to include digital and health, launching new initiatives in Artificial Intelligence, Smart Health, Cyber Security and Circular Carbon. He is increasing investment and capacity in innovation, entrepreneurship and knowledge transfer. By positioning the University to leverage Saudi Arabia's ambitious Vision 2030 strategic plan, he is strengthening its engagement with the nation. Finally, he is leading efforts to enhance the global and national visibility of KAUST.
Before joining HKUST, President Chan was Assistant Director of
the Mathematical and Physical Sciences Directorate at the US
National Science Foundation from 2006 to 2009. He taught
Computer Science at Yale University before joining UCLA as
Professor of Mathematics in 1986 and was Chair of the Department
of Mathematics in 1997 and later Dean of Physical
Sciences. He was a co-founder and Director of the US NSF
funded National Math Institute IPAM.
He received his
Bachelor and Master of Science degrees in Engineering from
Caltech and his Ph.D. in Computer Science from Stanford
University, followed by a Research Fellowship at Caltech. He
holds an Honorary Doctorate from the University of
Strathclyde. He is a member of US National Academy of
Engineering, a Fellow of IEEE, AAAS and SIAM. He was
awarded the 2020 SIAM Prize for Distinguished Service
to the Profession.
He serves as a member of the
Board/Council/Directors of the Future Investment Initiative
Institute; King Abdulaziz City of Science & Technology; the
Biotechnology City Initiative of Riyadh; the Supreme
Committee for Research, Development and Innovation (RDI
SC), Skolkovo, Russia; Yidan Prize Foundation, Hong Kong;
IPAM, UCLA and the Hong Kong Academy of Science. He also serves
on the Advisory Board/Committee of King Fahd University of
Petroleum & Minerals; NEOM; KAPSARC College, the Supervisory
National Strategy Committee of Data and AI of the Saudi Data
& AI Authority; KAIST, Korea; RIKEN, Japan; Hang Lung
Mathematics Awards, China, SUSTech, China; and the
Academic Ranking of World Universities, China.
Read more at President website