Prof. Timothy W. Tong Chairman, Research Grants Council

Professor Timothy W. Tong has over 30 years of teaching, research and administrative experience in universities in the United States and Hong Kong. Prior to taking the office of president of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University from 2009 to 2018, he was a professor and dean of the School of Engineering and Applied Science at The George Washington University. Professor Tong is now CEO of AMTD Foundation, which is a charity organization created to assist AMTD Group Company Limited to fulfill its corporate social responsibility. Being an expert in the field of heat transfer, Professor Tong is dedicated to addressing issues concerning energy use and sustainable development. He is a fellow of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, a fellow and former president of the Hong Kong Academy of Engineering Sciences, and a fellow of the International Thermal Conductivity Conference.

Professor Tong's public engagement in Hong Kong includes serving as chairman of the Steering Committee of the Pilot Green Transport Fund, Environmental Protection Department from 2013 to 2019, chairman of the Citizens Advisory Committee on Community Relations of the Independent Commission Against Corruption from 2016 to 2021, member of the InnoHK Steering Committee and chairman of the Hong Kong Laureate Forum since 2019, and Chairman of the Research Grant Council since 2024.

Professor Tong was born and raised in Hong Kong. After completing his secondary education, he pursued further studies in the United States, where he received his B.S. degree in Mechanical Engineering from Oregon State University in 1976, and his M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in engineering from the University of California at Berkeley in 1978 and 1980 respectively.