Through an intensive global search, the University of Macau (UM) has appointed Prof Lionel M Ni, a world-renowned computer scientist, as its new vice rector for academic affairs. Prof Ni was formerly a chair professor, head of the Department of Computer Science and Engineering, and dean of the Fok Ying Tung Graduate School, at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST).

Prof Ni has outstanding academic achievements and rich administrative experience. In his more than two decades of professional life in the United States, he served with distinction at Michigan State University (MSU). At MSU, he moved from assistant professor to full professor before assuming his office at HKUST. Prof Ni’s career is distinguished by his mentorship and outstanding research. He has supervised 54 PhD students. His research findings were highly cited by his peers. In 2011, he received the Second Class Award in Natural Sciences for Research Excellence from the State Council of China.

Upon returning to Asia, Prof Ni was invited by Hong Kong and mainland China to serve in many vital capacities, such as the chief scientist of a project under the Ministry of Science and Technology’s 973 Programme; director of the Ministry of Education/Microsoft Research Asia Information Technology Key Laboratory, Hong Kong; and affiliate professor and founding director of the Institute of Advanced Computing and Digital Engineering, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen.

Scientifically, his contributions to the fields of pervasive computing; peer-to-peer computing; wireless sensor networks; high-speed networking; high performance computer architecture; internet and web technologies; wireless communication; parallel and distributed systems; and more recently, big data, have earned him universal recognition.

Prof Ni expressed great excitement about his new career at UM. “I am excited to have the opportunity to work with an excellent senior management team to realise the vision and mission laid out by the University Council,” said Prof Ni.

“I am so pleased that Prof Ni has agreed to be at the helm of UM’s academic programmes,” said UM Rector Wei Zhao. “As we are now settling into a state-of-the-art new campus on Hengqin Island, our academic programmes, which are at the heart of any outstanding university, need to rapidly and comprehensively ramp up to standards where we can all be proud in the 21st century. I am very confident that with Prof Ni’s intellectual prowess and his rich administrative experience, he will intellectually and administratively strengthen all aspects of our academic programmes, and set UM on the road to becoming a world-class university!” 

Source: Commincations Office

Media Contact Information:

Communications Office, University of Macau

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Kristy Fok  Tel：(853) 88228006

Email：prs.media@um.edu.mo

UM Website：www.umac.mo