Dr. Tony F. Chan is the president of the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST). Dr. Chan has held this position since Sept. 1, 2018, following nearly a decade as President of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology.

On Wednesday, Dr. Chan hosted around 190 diplomats from nearly 90 countries, as well as representatives from the UN, World Health Organization and the EU, to discuss international study programs in Saudi Arabia. 

Dr. Chan stated that the delegates’ visit to KAUST was to facilitate cultural cooperation, and to attract international students and researchers. “Hosting ambassadors and consul generals at KAUST is a reflection of the global talent we recruit to our university,” he said.

His life in academia began in computational mathematics, focusing on areas including physical circuit design and computational brain mapping. He is one of the most cited mathematicians in the world, and has published over 200 papers.

In 1973, Chan earned his bachelor’s degree in engineering from the California Institute of Technology, while simultaneously earning a master’s in aeronautics. 

His Ph.D. in computer science came from Stanford in 1978, and upon completion of his formal education, he served as both an assistant and associate professor at Yale University for almost 10 years. 

He also served as the chairman of the department of mathematics at the University of California, Los Angles, as well as UCLA’s dean of physical sciences from 1997-2006. 

Dr. Chan was made assistant director at the directorate for math and physical sciences at the US National Science Foundation in 2006, serving until 2009 when he moved to Hong Kong.