Sun Kwok 郭新

Sun Kwok 郭新

M.S., Physics, 1972
Ph.D., Physics, 1974

Sun Kwok, who was born in 1949 in Hong Kong, graduated from McMaster University with a bachelor of science in 1970 before enrolling in the University of Minnesota. In 1972 and 1974, Kwok received a master of science and a doctorate in physics from the University, respectively. Kwok taught as a professor at the University of Calgary from 1983 to 2005. Since 2006, he has been serving as the Dean of Science and the Chair Professor of Physics at the University of Hong Kong.

Kwok is best known for his theory on the origin of planetary nebulae and the evolution of sun-like stars. He served as a principal investigator with Canadian participation in the submillimeter satellite mission Odin from 1994-2003. From 2003 to 2005, Kwok served as a distinguished research fellow and director at the Institute of Astronomy & Astrophysics, Academia Sinica in Taiwan.

Kwok has published many influential books, including “The Origin and Evolution of Planetary Nebulae” and “Cosmic Butterflies.” In 2007, Kwok published his book “Physics and Chemistry of the Interstellar Medium,” which has been used as textbook in many leading universities in the world. In recent years, Kwok has published “Organic Matter in the Universe” and “Stardust: The Cosmic Seeds of Life.”

Photo source: www.hku.hk

郭新,1949年生于香港,1970年于加拿大麦克马斯特大学获得理学学士学位,后来到明尼苏达大学,分别于1972年和1974年获得物理学硕士和博士学位。1983年至2005年,郭新任教于卡尔加里大学,自2006年至今,他在香港大学理学院任物理学教授并同时担任院长。

郭新最著名的理论是关于行星状星云的形成和恒星的演变。自1994年至2003年,郭新任加拿大次毫米波人造卫星Odin的最高研究员。2003至2005年间,他担任台湾中央研究院天文及天文物理研究所筹备处特聘研究员兼主任一职。

郭新出版了数本颇具影响的学术专著,其中包括由剑桥大学出版的《行星状星云的起源和演变》(2000)和《星空蝴蝶》(2001)。2007年,大学科学图书出版社出版了郭新所著的《星际介质的物理和化学》,此书被用做世界上很多重点大学的教科书。最近几年里,郭新还出版了《宇宙的有机物》(2011)和《星尘:生命的星空起源》(2013)。