The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) conferred the title of Distinguished Honorary Professor on three winners of the 2001 Nobel Prize in Chemistry on campus Monday.

This event is a major activity of the university's 65th Anniversary celebration. The esteemed academic honor was conferred by Gordon Wu, chairman of the PolyU Council, upon the three Nobel Laureates.

They are Professor Ryoji Noyori, director of the Research Center for Materials Science of Nagoya University in Japan; Professor K. Barry Sharpless, professor of Chemistry at the Scripps Research Institute in the United States; and Dr. William Knowles, previously with Monsanto Company in the United States.

Although Dr. Knowles was not able to receive the honorary professorship in person, Professor Albert Chan SUn-chi, chair professor and head of PolyU's Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology, has made a special trip to the United States for an exclusive interview with him.

The video interview was displayed in Hong Kong during the event, followed by Professor Noyori's lecture on "The Science and Opportunities of Asymmetric Catalysis" and Professor Sharpless's lecture on "Searching for New Reactivity."

Professor Poon Chung-kwong, PolyU president, said the title of Distinguished Honorary Professor is the highest academic honor of the University.

He said while the honor would be a most fitting tribute to the three top scholars, their association with PolyU would also mean a strong boost to the further development of the university's Area of Excellence (AoE) "The Hong Kong Institute of Molecular Technology for Drug Discovery and Synthesis."

( May 1, 2002)