As part of the celebration of M.U.S.T.’s 25th Anniversary, the Faculty of Hospitality and Tourism Management at the Macau University of Science and Technology successfully hosted an academic lecture on March 4, 2025, titled “The Health Silk Road: Mapping Suboptimal Health from East to West.” The distinguished guest speaker was Professor Wei Wang, Pro-Vice-Chancellor at Edith Cowan University in Australia and Distinguished Overseas Professor at Shantou University in China. He delivered an insightful lecture on the evolution of suboptimal health in the literature, highlighting its significance in health sciences over recent decades and its proven impact on the understanding of human health. The lecture was attended by Professor Ben K. Goh, Dean of F.H.T.M., Professor Timothy Lee, Vice Dean of F.H.T.M., Professor Patil Nivritti Gajanan, Vice Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, Assistant Dean of F.H.T.M. and Associate Professor Zhang Yang, several other faculty members, and over 200 students.
Group Photo
Professor Wei Wang is a distinguished medical scientist and a prominent figure in the global tertiary education landscape. He has made notable strides in fostering the Australia-China relationship through his roles in both Australia and China, even amidst the challenges posed by COVID-19. Prof. Wang received the inaugural Australia China Alumna Award for his contributions to this relationship, a testament to his vision and commitment to national development beyond academia.
Prof. Ben K. Goh (left) Presented a Souvenir to Prof. Wang Wei (right)
Prof. Wei Wang has published over 300 scientific papers in prestigious journals including Science, Nature Genetics, and The Lancet. In 2005, he was elected a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians, and, in 2016, a Fellow of the Royal Society of Biology. In 2017, Professor Wang was made a Fellow of the Royal Society of Medicine in the United Kingdom. He also advises the WHO on public health genomics and is involved with the OECD initiative on Public Health Genomics.
Prof. Ben K. Goh Delivered a Welcome Speech
Prof. Wang is particularly committed to interdisciplinary research and collaborating with social scientists at the intersection of tourism and medical science to train young interdisciplinary researchers. He is dedicated to cultivating more interdisciplinary talent in the future.
Prof. Wang Wei Gave a Lecture
Prof. Wang highlighted the successful interdisciplinary research undertaken previously, which integrated tourism and medical sicences (e.g., suboptimal health) to solve longsanding social challenges through the lens of tourism. In addition, he presented suggestions for future research avenues within this interdisciplinary framework to encourage more innovative and impactful collaborations across disciplines. This insightful lecture generated great interest among students and faculty from various disciplines (e.g., tourism and medicine), sparking lively discussions, with many students and academics actively participating in the Q&A session. This event provided students and faculty with a deeper understanding into the evolution of suboptimal health from Eastern to Western contexts, highlighting its signficance for recognition and application in related fields as a robust foundation for significant interdisciplinary research in and beyond health sciences.
