Rayson Huang | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Life Member of the Court ofHKU | |
| In office 9 January 1987 – 8 April 2015 | |
| Vice-Chancellor ofThe University of Hong Kong | |
| In office 1972–1986 | |
| Preceded by | Kenneth E. Robinson |
| Succeeded by | Wang Gungwu |
| Vice-Chancellor of theNanyang University | |
| In office 1969–1972 | |
| Preceded by | Huang Ying-jung |
| Succeeded by | Shou-sheng Hsueh |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1920-09-01)1 September 1920 |
| Died | 8 April 2015(2015-04-08) (aged 94) United Kingdom |
| Spouse | Grace Li |
| Alma mater | BSc (HK) DPhil, DSc (Oxon) DSc (UM) |
| Rayson Lisung Huang | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Traditional Chinese | 黃麗松 | ||||||||||
| Simplified Chinese | 黄丽松 | ||||||||||
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Rayson Lisung Huang,CBE (Chinese:黃麗松;pinyin:Huáng Lìsōng; 1 September 1920 − 8 April 2015), was a Hong Kong chemist,[1] who was an expert onradicals. He was the first Chinese Vice-Chancellor ofThe University of Hong Kong, a position in which he served from 1972 until 1986.[2]
Huang's family came from Tangpu Village, Yuhu Town,Rongcheng District,Jieyang, Guangdong. He completed his primary and secondary education atMunsang College, where his father was the founding principal.[3][4] He later attendedSt. John's University in Shanghai in 1937, but his studies were interrupted by theJapanese invasion. After 1938 he continued his studies as a scholarship student atThe University of Hong Kong. In Hong Kong Huang majored in chemistry at St. John's Hall (now called St. John's College). In addition to his academic studies, Huang was an accomplished violinist. Following the Japanese invasion of Hong Kong in 1941, Huang briefly worked with British auxiliary forces and was responsible for detecting chemical weapons. In 1942 his studies at the University were interrupted when the school was forced to close. Huang returned to China in 1942 and arrived in Guangxi. By 1945 Huang had followed other members ofThe University of Hong Kong chemistry department to Britain and received a scholarship to study at theUniversity of Oxford's Institute of Chemistry. He received at doctorate in chemistry and subsequently pursued his post-doctoral research at theUniversity of Chicago. During his study in Chicago, he met his future wife Grace Wei Huang.
In 1951, Huang taught chemistry at theUniversity of Malaya in Singapore (nowNational University of Singapore) and later he was transferred to University of Malaya'sKuala Lumpur campus. He became a tenured professor of chemistry and then acting Vice-Chancellor and Dean of theFaculty of Science.
In 1969 Huang was appointed as Vice-Chancellor atNanyang University in Singapore.
In 1972 Huang became the first Chinese Vice-Chancellor ofThe University of Hong Kong and quelled a student demonstration during a royal visit to Hong Kong. In addition, he served in various capacities including becoming a member of theHong Kong Basic Law Drafting Committee in drafting Hong Kong's post handover constitution. Rayson Huang and his wife retired in 1994 and lived with their son.
By 1999 the Huang's returned to Hong Kong. His wife Grace who was suffering from senile dementia then died in Hong Kong.
To commemorate his wife's life, Rayson Huang established theGrace Wei Huang Memorial Fund.[5] and authored a memoir,A Lifetime in Academia: An autobiography by Rayson Huang,[6] the proceeds from which will be set aside for the fund.
Huang had a wide range of hobbies, one of the most special having been the study of violin making. He returned to Hong Kong on a regular basis. Huang also established the Progress of Hong Kong's Rayson Huang and the "Rayson Huang Foundation" in Malaysia.[7]
| Academic offices | ||
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| Preceded by | Vice-chancellor ofThe University of Hong Kong 1972–1986 | Succeeded by |
| International | |
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| National | |
| Other | |
