Before joining HKUST, Prof Edmond Ko served as Vice-President (Undergraduate Education), Dean of Students, and Professor of the Department of Chemistry at the City University of Hong Kong, as well as Vice Provost for Education and Professor of Chemical Engineering at Carnegie Mellon University. As the key person charged to improve undergraduate education at Carnegie Mellon and CityU, Prof Ko has directed activities in student recruitment and admissions, student development, student residence, curriculum design, quality assurance, and faculty development.

Allen graduated from Nanjing University (NJU) in China and is currently a PhD student in Electronic and Computer Engineering at HKUST. Allen was an executive committee member of the Youth Volunteer Association and the president of Student Union of EE College at NJU. He led and took part in a lot of student activities particularly voluntary service projects. He has benefited from these activities and hopes to share his personal experience in self development through services with fellow LC members.