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Prof. Lau, the high-flyer
Lawrence J. Lau (Fung Ying)
By Fung Ying
Prof. Lawrence J. Lau was born in China’s Guizhou Province in 1944.
He then came to Hong Kong and received his primary and secondary education here.
He graduated from St. Paul’s Co-Educational College Primary School in 1956 and St. Paul’s Co-Educational College in 1961.
In the 1961 Hong Kong Certificate of Education Examination, he received nine A’s and one B.
He obtained his first degree, a bachelor of science in physics and economics, with distinction, from Stanford University in 1964.
He then finished his master’s and Ph.D. degrees in economics at the University of California at Berkeley in 1966 and 1969, respectively.
He has been teaching economics since 1966. He is now the Kwoh-Ting Li Professor of the Economics Department at Stanford University.
Poon Chun Kau, the incumbent principal of St Paul’s Co-educational College, was from the same class of 1961 as Prof. Lau.
Said Mr. Poon, “Prof. Lau was thinner back then and he looked like an egghead.
“Actually, he was smart.
“I knew him because he was outstanding,” he said.
“However, I did not know him well, because we were in different classes,” added Mr. Poon.
Mr. Poon said that the principal at that time, Dr. B.M. Kotewall, appreciated Prof. Lau very much.
“Lawrence was therefore often asked to speak on stage,” said Mr. Poon.
“I recall Lawrence once performed a really outstanding drama during a farewell performance.”
He said, “The drama was in English.
“He showed everyone that he was really talented.”