This event was held in conjunction with HKUSTs 2010 Environment Week.About the BookThe Great Disconnect / by Bill Barron (Multiple locations HD75.6 .B3627 2009)The world economy has grown to the limits of what our planet can sustain. Climate change is the most talked about, but we are also reaching limits of water, crop land, and marine fisheries. The biosphere is too stretched; the system cannot continue as it has for the past several decades."Moving to a more sustainable development path will require making truly basic changes in what, how, and how much is produced and consumed. That, in turn, will require nothing less than restructuring the economy, a make over of consumer lifestyles, and re-examining values."In this work, Dr. Barron raises important questions. Asking these questions is the only way we can ever hope to reach possible answers. Questions like:What is the difference between economic growth and economic development?Can continuing technological advances allow indefinite economic growth?Can market mechanisms substitute for limited natural resources?Once our basic material needs are met, what is the "good life"?     About the Author Prof. Bill Barron is a faculty member of HKUST Division of Environment. An environmental economist, he received his PhD in Economics for Public Decision Making from the Department of Geography and Environmental Engineering at Johns Hopkins in 1980. From 1980-1986 he worked at the USs renowned Oak Ridge National Laboratory on assessing energy technologies. He has also served as an advisor on energy issues to the Liberian and Pakistani governments.A Hong Kong resident for over 20 years, Prof. Barrons work has focused on environmental aspects of transport policy, urban planning, and energy use. He also works with the public policy think tank Civic Exchange, in both advisory (Board of Directors 2003-05) and research capacities.Before joining the newly created Division of the Enviroment, Prof. Barron was a member of HKUSTs Institute for the Environment, which published his book The Great Disconnect in 2009.For enquiry, please contact Victoria Caplan at 2358-6786. 

About the BookChinese entrepreneurship in a global era / edited by Raymond Sin-Kwok Wong (Book Collection HB615 .C627 2008)Entrepreneurship is the practice of starting new businesses (or revitalizing old ones) after identifying new circumstances or opportunities. In the past 20 or 30 years, there has been a growing interest in the study of Chinese entrepreneurship. However, much of this interest rarely goes beyond stereotypical ideas, common in magazines, newspapers, and television news.In this work, Dr. Wong seeks to assemble research that go beyond the stereotyped and "essentialized" ideas of Chinese entrepreneurs and Chinese entrepreneurship, and " explore the possibility of a new breed of Chinese entrepreneurs in the making". About the Editor and AuthorProf. Raymond Wong Sin-Kwok graduated from Hong Kong Baptist University. He then went to the USA for graduate work, where he earned a Ph.D. in Sociology from University of Wisconsin. After spending over 18 years at UC Santa Barbara, in 2008, he joined the Division of Social Sciences at HKUST as its Head. However, he is no stranger to HKUST, having been a Fulbright International Scholar here in 2004-05.More information about Prof. Raymond WongFor enquiry, please contact Victoria Caplan at 2358-6786. 

About the Book替香港經濟把脈 / 雷鼎鳴著(Book Collection HC470.3 L844 2004)When we hear the word "Economics", images of mathematical formulae and models often spring to mind. However, in his book, 替香港經濟把脈 (Feeling the Pulse of the Hong Kong Economy), Prof. Lui shows how economics is a practical tool. He explains complicated policy decisions and human behavior clearly, using stories on taxes, rent-seeking, productivity, population, etc. Thus, he makes economic concepts easily accessible and appealing to people who lack grounding in academic economics.This book is a collection of Prof. Luis articles published on newspapers (星島日報) and magazines (東周刊, 茶杯, 信報) in Hong Kong over the past several years. It is a general reading book filled with perspectives on economics, education, politics, culture and history. About the AuthorProf. Francis Lui was born in and received his secondary education in Hong Kong. He graduated with a B.A. in Economics from University of Chicago and earned a Ph.D. in Economics from University of Minnesota. After spending several years in the State University of New York, he joined the Department of Economics at HKUST.Prof. Lui is also at present the Director of Center for Economic Development which aims to support research on the process of economic development in Greater China and other Asia-Pacific regions.More information about Prof. Francis LuiFor enquiry, please contact Victoria Caplan at 2358-6786 or Kevin Ho at 2358-6761. 

This event was held as a combination study-break and pre-event for HKUSTs Environment Week 2008.About the BookGoing green in Hong Kong : tips and addresses for environmentally-friendly living in Hong Kong / Catherine Touzard, Fabienne Malaval Dupré(Book Collection GE199.C62 T68 2007)According to the author, at least 50% of the local air pollution is generated by Hong Kong itself. Furthermore, 6,000 factories, owned by Hong Kong residents, have been declared so harmful that Guangdong authorities have asked them to upgrade their production processes or even to shut down.We are part of the environment, and what we do to the environment, we do to ourselves. In her talk, Catherine Touzard gave some tips and ideas what we, as Hong Kong residents, can do to achieve a healthier and greener living style. About the Author After serving as a country risk economist at Credit Lyonnais for 8 years, Catherine Touzard now works as an independent consultant, providing environmental training and seminars to schools and companies. She is also the chief editor of Hong Kong Echo, a magazine published by the French Chamber. In 2004, Catherine initiated a biogas project in China rural areas. The project was funded by a French private foundation and Heifer, 40 biogas pools were built to save 432 tons of wood from being cut per year for the next 25 years.More information about Catherine TouzardFor enquiry, please contact Victoria Caplan at 2358-6786 or Kevin Ho at 2358-6761.