Neuroscientist Nancy Ip To Become HKUST's President

The University of Science and Technology is poised to appoint neuroscientist Nancy Ip to succeed Wei Shyy as president.

Shyy resigned last year, and will step down in October – almost a year before his five-year term is due to end.

In an email to its staff and students, the university's council said a selection committee has recommended that Ip takes over.

Ip will be the university's first female president if the council endorses the recommendation.

Since joining the university, Ip has served as the Vice-President for Research and Development, the Dean of Science, Director of the Biotechnology Research Institute, and Head of the Department of Biochemistry.

Her major research interests are in neural development and function, as well as drug discovery for neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease.