28 August 2012 Chinese Government scholarships reward ‘exceptional’ Lincoln University doctoral pair

Two exceptional Lincoln University research students from China, who graduated with doctorates this year and paid their own way through their courses, have been rewarded with cash scholarships from the Chinese Government under its Outstanding Self-Financed Students Abroad programme.

Dr Hong Ling from Hunan Province and Dr Ji (George) Wu from Beijing received the scholarships at a ceremony in their honour on the Lincoln University campus (17 August) hosted by the Consulate-General of the People’s Republic of China in Christchurch.

The Outstanding Self-Financed Students Abroad scholarships are elite awards and only 10 earlier presentations have been made in New Zealand since the programme was established in 2003. Two of the earlier 10 have been won by Lincoln University graduates, including the programme’s first award to a New Zealand-based student, Dr Fujun Shen, in 2007.

With the latest two scholarships going to Hong Ling and Ji (George) Wu, Lincoln University students have now won one-third (four out of 12) of the total awards made to New Zealand students.

Dr Hong Ling came to Lincoln University in 2005 and completed a Master of Applied Computing degree in Neural Networks, with Distinction, supervised by Associate Professor Sandhya Samarasinghe . In her research she developed a stochastic neural network model based on stochastic mathematics for representing variability in natural phenomena and applied it to study localised variability in the properties of wood, at the cellular level.

Hong Ling then enrolled for a PhD in Computational Systems Biology, supervised by Associate Professor Sandhya Samarasinghe and Professor Don Kulasiri . Her doctoral research focussed on how proliferating cells respond to the stresses of DNA damage, using methods based on mathematical modelling and a novel neural network approach. Cancer can be considered as a product of a malfunction in the regulation of cell cycling and by investigating the protein signalling networks in the cell cycling process that handle signals about DNA damage, Dr Ling’s work has contributed to possible ways for developing cancer treatments.

For her PhD study, Hong was awarded a Lincoln University Doctoral Scholarship based on outstanding merit.

Dr Ling has now won a position at the German Cancer Research Centre in Heidelberg working under Professor Thomas Hofer, Group Leader in Theoretical Systems Biology. The centre is the largest biomedical research institute in Germany and Dr Hofer’s group is at the forefront of using mathematical modelling and computational analysis to understand cellular activity.

Dr Ji (George) Wu came to Lincoln University in 2003 and completed a Graduate Diploma in Finance before going on to graduate Master of Commerce and Management in Finance, with Distinction, in 2007. He then enrolled in a PhD in Finance, with Dr Gilbert Nartea and Professor Christopher Ganas his supervisors.

For his PhD research project George examined stock volatility and asset pricing on the Hong Kong stock market. His work shows that idiosyncratic or diversifiable risk matters, which contradicts conventional theory that idiosyncratic risk does not matter because it can be eliminated by diversification. He found that investors in the Hong Kong stock market can systematically increase their portfolio returns by buying stocks with high idiosyncratic risk and short-selling stocks with low idiosyncratic risk.

On a theoretical level his research findings have contributed to the field of asset pricing theory and have extended investors’ understanding of the risk-return relationship. On a practical level, institutional and individual investors will both benefit from his findings.

Dr Ji (George) Wu has now been appointed an Assistant Professor in Finance at Xiamen University in Fujian province, south-east China, a leading university in China in accounting and finance studies.

The Chinese Government’s Acting Consul-General in Christchurch, Mr Xinmin Wang said he hoped the two winners would take the awards as a “new beginning from which you can have long and fruitful careers”. He hoped the awards would help them “jump start their own enterprises or enable them to serve their country in some other way”.

Mr Xinmin Wang thanked Lincoln University’s professors who had supervised the students’ research and said that in China professors were “very highly regarded as engineers of the soul of mankind”.

Mr Lei Zhao, representing the Chinese Embassy in Wellington, announced that applications for the 2012 round of the Self-Financed Students awards would be opening soon. He said that of the 25,000 Chinese students in New Zealand at any one time, most are self-financed.

Lincoln University’s Vice-Chancellor, Dr Andrew West, described the two scholarship winners as “exceptional young researchers” who had shown what could be achieved early in an academic career through hard work and dedication. He said the University was delighted to be able to contribute to the education of such capable Chinese students and looked forward to working with more in the future. 

The Master of Ceremonies for the function, Mr Yucai Li, Consul with the Consulate-General in Christchurch, read a letter from the Secretary-General of the China Scholarship Council which emphasised that the purpose of the scholarships was to “reward academic attainment”. The letter also thanked the students’ academic supervisors, Associate Professor Samarasinghe, Professor Kulasiri, Dr Nartea and Professor Gan, for their work.

Associate Professor Samarasinghe said that Dr Hong Ling’s research project was “very challenging” but she did “very well”.

“We are sending out a true professional and a very talented researcher,” she said.

Dr Nartea, who has known Dr Ji Wu since he first arrived at Lincoln University, said Ji’s outstanding attribute was his work ethic.

“I have not supervised anyone who works harder than George,” he said. 

Dr Hong Ling thanked Lincoln University and her supervisors Associate Professor Samarasinghe and Professor Kulasiri for providing the study environment for carrying out her research.

“This award is the culmination of all my marks and I dedicate it with particular thanks to my auntie Lorna Xiaole who has given me so much support, and my husband Hao Li and family.”

Dr Ji (George) Wu said his award belonged to the group of people behind him, led by his supervisor Dr Nartea and co-supervisor Professor Gan.

“Sometimes over the past 10 years at Lincoln University I thought I would like to give up and go home, but late at night I would see the lights still on in Professor Gan’s office and it encouraged me to continue.”

A representative of the Lincoln University Chinese Association and Chinese students at Canterbury University and CPIT, Mr Zhongkun Zhou, said the achievements of Dr Hong Ling and Dr Ji (George) Wu would encourage other Chinese students along the pathway of achievement.

Dr Hong Ling leaves for her job in Germany in October and Dr Ji (George) Wu takes up his post in China in September.

Photo

Left to right: Mr Yucai Li, Consul with the Consulate-General (Christchurch); Dr Andrew West, Vice-Chancellor, Lincoln University; Dr Hong Ling; Dr Ji (George) Wu; Mr Xinmin Wang, Acting Consul-General (Christchurch); Mr Lei Zhao, Chinese Embassy (Wellington).