Hi Prof Szeto, miss you lots. Wonder where you are in this universe now..

Sometimes you come to my dream and talk to me.

It's been two years now. I missed the days when we chatted over a beer or two. See you again some day.

My beloved prof Szeto. It's been a year since you left us. Your memory comes back to me from time to time and I remember you with deep reverence to your soul. Hope you are experiencing grace and mercy in the waiting realm, while waiting for the big morning. This life is short. I hope I could touch as many souls as you managed to do and hope to see you again in the hereafter. R.I.P

1 year still missing you a lot my beloved.

Dear Prof Szeto, it is such a shock for me to know that you passed away more than nine months ago. The days learning from you when I was an undergraduate in HKUST still feel like yesterday. I still remember vividly the research world you introduced me in, which is weaved by physics, complex systems, information theory and all other fascinating branches, and I am also greatly grateful for all your caring during my stay at HKUST and beyond. You are such an amazing scholar, teacher and mentor and it is so sad to see your journey in understanding the world stopped so early. May you rest in peace.

Dear Prof Szeto, It's been 8 months since you have left. Whenever I recall you I am reminded of your generosity towards all those around you, and of course your intellect and your wit. Thank you for the example that you are. We'll meet again one day.

It has been almost seven months since Dr. Szeto left us. I was deeply shocked when I heard Dr. Szeto passed away around 6pm on 18 March. It was my luck that I met Dr. Szeto and he had been my supervisor for so long during my study at HKUST. During my time under his supervision, he introduced me to many amazing topics, such as game theory, information theory and complex systems. I am forever grateful for this. More importantly, he was a very caring person. He cared very much about his students’ personal and career development. His enthusiasm in charity work was very inspiring. He would go to great length to sponsor poor children in mainland for school, and make sure the funds were used as intended. Rest in peace.

好儍911 915都去探班你，真係好掛念你。今天是你的生忌。

上年的今天，真的真的很開心見證你在神裡的出生入死浸禮的歷程。還我倆在神面前簡單的婚約。今年，你已回天家。仍是限掛念著你。

好掛住你，沒你的五個月了。

四個月沒有的你。

特別的日子，特別的掛念你。仍掛住你。

沒有你的三個月日子，很難過。仍是不住的掛念。

今日又是挑戰的一天，要處理辦公室的雜務，賭物思人。仍是無限的思念。掛住你。

今日為你完成最後的事，心中還是無限的思念著你。

It has been two month since you left us. I am glad to be one of your student. You have made a great impact on me. Thank you for you guidance. You are a kind friend, a good teacher, a great mentor. We will meet again in the kingdom of God. You will always be on our minds. R.I.P

雖然只跟 Dr. Szeto 上過一個學期，但已經被他的博學多才深深吸引。 他亦很沒架子，願意和學生交談、討論，慷慨的把自己的學識分享給學生，那怕學生的研究方向不一定跟他興趣有關。 聽到這訊息後，對此感到無比的惋惜，願 Dr. Szeto 安息。

兩個月了，心仍是痛，眼淚仍是流。仍很多的思念。很多很多嘅野想與你分享。

We have been knowing since you first stepped in UST for your teaching role. I know you are taking a new journey to extend your loving-Kindness in a new realm.

今年母親節，不能再跟你和蘇大媽飲茶慶祝。過往幾年，你都會叫我買份禮物比佢，不用擔心，今年己經買了一個背囊比佢。超掛念著你。

还在的记忆亦都已成了片段，隐约可见。唯独清晰的景象，就是你的飘逸长发，黄色马甲，粗款的大裤衩，和流利的香港英语。没有当时的你就没有今天的我。感谢你陪我走了一程。教我长大。教我无私。教我去相信自己。祝你在另一边一切都好。期待下一次的见面。

深深的遺憾和稍得的安慰：緬懷司徒國葉老師 我在1998-1999年有不到一年的時間跟著司徒老師做博士課程的研究。從香港科大物理系離開十多年中搬家超過十次，但是司徒老師送的書跟著我被搬了很多次。我雖然不研究物理了，但是總覺得老師送的書應該帶著才對，更何況他是很特別很愛學生的一個老師。 我碩士期間是超導材料的研究，在科大物理系要博士畢業就需要換個方向。那時我想的問題也很廣泛，常常在圖書館各個書架借不同的書來看，試圖解答自己的很多科學問題、哲學問題與人生問題。聽到別人介紹司徒老師的研究很廣泛，於是就去找了他要研究項目來做。他給我的第一個項目是用遺傳算法來做股票預測。當然我們的結果是無法預測到98年香港的股災（全世界的模型估計都預測不到），我們也談到視頻下載站與流量算法的話題（今日netflix可能要面對的問題），我的研究興趣最後是想看如何以Multi-Agents系統去模擬人工社會。後來他知道我的興趣在此就介紹我找人類和社會學部的教授，看是否可以有什麼研究項目或者是否可以轉系。不過很多的原因，我想做的沒有教授能夠提供平台，轉系也幾乎不可能。最後司徒老師很關切我的畢業需要，就介紹我給Michael王教授，研究人工神經網絡的物理問題，並順利畢業。那時轉導師其實有另一部分原因是司徒老師的研究方向要申請經費，在香港這個高度商業化的城市，要養一個博士生三年、去做那些很多人看來稀奇古怪的研究，其困難是可想而知的。 那段時間我讀了非常多交叉學科的書籍，而司徒老師的思維非常敏捷又有發散性，對我多有幫助。有一次我要和他報告閱讀文獻的進展，他約我在科大的涼亭裡聊，談的問題都很深入，也解答我不少的疑惑。還有一天晚上他說自己常常在想一個挺弔詭的問題：到底是人的腦袋大，還是宇宙大？他問，如果說宇宙更大，那為什麼人的腦袋可以思考宇宙，認識宇宙？然後我們又從這裡談到上帝的存在與否問題。我也聽他說他爸爸是很出名的歷史教授，當然更加多了一層敬佩！因為我很喜歡歷史！ 那時我已經在接觸教會，也開始談戀愛，那些交叉科學的書籍閱讀以及與他及其他物理系教授的自由討論讓我對信仰更多思考，也越來越認定有一個上帝，為祂而活是最值得的。後來我去讀神學走上全職教牧的道路，很遺憾沒和司徒老師多探討信仰問題。我作為學生那時也知道自己難以讓他成為基督徒，因為他比我聰明很多，見識也多很多。不過可以這麼說，我今日的人生道路和職業選擇，司徒老師是有正面影響的，上帝也必定喜悅他對我的幫助。我也知道自己所做的事情，縱使物理系裡其他不是基督徒的教授很多可能會不理解，但是司徒不會不理解。 遺憾的是我離開科大物理系的這十多年來沒聯繫過司徒老師，並與他探討那些重大的問題。從宣教工場回來大約在2015年有一次去科大圖書館借書，回家途中黃昏時隱約看到另一處巴士站等車的是司徒老師。但是因為不在同一個隊列，也似乎有點沒有預備好（因為自己離開物理研究領域這麼久和香港的社會這麼久，我不知道他的近況如何），並且在趕時間，就沒有過去和他打招呼和說話。現在回頭去看，這真是很大的遺憾，也是不夠尊重師長的。因此Michael教授3月19日告訴我司徒老師頭一天晚上因病離世時我非常難過。他真是一個有才華又非常關心體貼學生的好老師啊！ 讓我稍得安慰和要感恩上帝的是當我來到司徒老師的紀念網站，得知他在最後的日子受洗歸入基督並且在基督面前結婚時，心裡很大觸動。原來他一生追求的各樣科學問題、哲學問題和人生問題，只能上帝才能解答和讓他滿足，上帝也確實能夠給他滿足。上帝的獨生愛子耶穌基督的十架代贖是我的人生出路，也是司徒老師的人生出路！因此我的遺憾就得以稍得減弱，也深信和盼望在天家與司徒老師能相見並繼續探討科學哲學神學問題（如果那時我們還有興趣的話！）。當然最可能的是我們一起流著喜樂的眼淚、頌讚偉大的創造主和救贖主！ 願司徒老師的家人能得到從上而來的安慰，因為天家我們可以再相聚！ 2020年5月8日

今天一連四天嘅假期，你必跟我一起遊玩，超掛念你。

Still missing you a lot.

無限無限的思念，從此成為生命中的歷史。每一片段每句說話，還瀝瀝在目。從相識至相愛，大家都彼此成長改變。 每次跟你祈禱分享，非常之享受這小小的片刻。在與你短短相處的期間，實在有太多太多美好的回憶......... 生命還是要活下去，希望在生與死中間，更加學會延續你的精神，在主裡活得精彩有意義。盡快離開傷痛的心情。

Dear Prof. Szeto, Your leaving still feels so unreal to me. We were still talking about our research not too long ago... never have thought that phone call is the last time I will ever hear your voice. I haven't known you for too long, barely about 5 years, but you are more like a very good friend of mine than just a professor. I cannot express my gratitude enough for all the things you have taught me, both in physics and in life. Thanks for all the encouragement you always give me on research even though I have never really reached your high expectations. Please let me thank you for one final time. Rest in peace.

願司徒國業同學主懷安息。

在北京第一次见到司徒是上世纪八十年代的事了。我当时是学生，他已经是老师。在科大我们成为同事一晃不觉二十余年。八十年代我们做同一领域研究，过去的几年里我们又做同一领域的研究，共同指导学生学术研究。我们与学生们一起开会讨论物理问题的情景历历在目，司徒的物理学功底非常深厚，我常常向他请教，受益匪浅。他对名利非常淡泊，心胸豁达，在学生眼里是绝对的好老师，在我眼里他绝对是非常难得的好同事，好同行。 无奈英才天妒，我失去了一个好伙伴，令人忍泪含悲。仙凡路隔，跨鶴天鄉，國業一路走好！

司徒教授，作為學生，同事，還有同一屋苑的鄰居，我永遠記得您的微笑。主懷安息。

Sir 仔 桃李春風路 絳帳奈何天 主懐安息

R.I.P.

願國業同學主懷安息, RIP!

Dear Prof. Szeto, I still remember the days when I wrote emails to you every week since the first summer I spent in UST when the department first launched UROP. I was never a very good student in terms of academic research but you were kind enough to walk me through the journey of being a full time academic researcher, mentoring me until I finished my M.Phil degree. I still remember and practice those important concepts and values you taught me about life. I treat personal privacy seriously, I understand the joy of being anonymous, I have learnt to be a more self-decipline person. You have already shared to me many many times about your view on death. I know you are not afraid of it, and probably have already rehearsed it countless times mentally. You probably did not know that I see you as on of my family member. If afterlife does exist, I hope we can meet again someday. Nothing is immortal, but your wisdom will live forever because I, and your other students, will continue to pass it on to the next generation.

國業同學 一點浩然氣 千里快哉風 主懷安息！

國業同學：真想不到你這麼早離開我們，很難過！懷念你！RlP！

Professor Szeto, Definitely you will be missed by many of us. We will pay it forward of your LOVE. R.I.P.

Szeto, we will miss you. We met in 1988 and became very good friends. It was a friendship for 32 years. Over the years, we had a lot of good time. You were the one who got me interested in working on topics related to economics, finance, information science and the like. We were so close that my two sons regarded you as a very very close "uncle". You will always be in our minds. RIP. Sai-Ping and family

Dear Professor, it's been around two weeks since we've heard the news, and I've been dreading to write this condolence message. Still am I suppose. And it still feels surreal to see your whatsapp account on the phone, knowing that there won't be any more replies coming from the other side. You've been strangely quiet lately. And I should have known. I should have realized. But I didn't. Life is fleeting, and you showed us how to face mortality with peace and dignity. In the final days, you were still helping students, still writing grand proposals (and accidentally got it, which is somehow a bit of a headache), still working on research that interests you, but most of all, you were still caring for us. And because life is short, it gives us values. And doesn't your life just give such magnificent radiance. You have touched on so many lives, including my own. I am grateful to have met you seven years ago, not just taking your courses (I still remember vividly the vest jacket mentioned by another alumni on this page that you wore to class. Jack who was also in the class and I used to make fun of it in jest. Doesn't even feel that long ago) but somehow ended up learning in your research group under your guidance for almost a year, before officially taking up a degree program. How different would things have turned out if it wasn't for you. You've taught me not only physics but so much more. My heart sinks whenever I think of you, and I absolutely hate it that I am using past tense here, typing this message, but then it also gives me consolation to know in the end you have found faith in God. Even so, you are leaving too soon. Way too soon. You will be deeply missed, always, and may your family and friends find comfort in the love of God and in each other.

Szeto, it is really sad to see a friend and colleague for more than 20 years to leave us at an early age. You are really special among colleagues. You are fully committed to mentoring students and focus on your research. You pursue research topics that you find meaningful, not those that are fashionable. Money and fame are always your very secondary conditions. Your "genuine academic" attitude set an example in an increasingly commercialized academia. Your humor makes colleagues and students happy. I know that you became a Christian, and hope that you can rest in peace and the end of this tour of life is the beginning of eternal happiness.

Szeto, Today we say goodbye to one of the brightest and fun loving guy we knew from the U of Toronto. It’s been a real comfort to learn that you have lived such a full and wonderful life. This world has treated you well, and you served it better! Thank you for being a staunch supporter of the China Care Fund. The students you sponsored and those you met in your regular visits will miss you sorely.

Dr Szeto was my supervisor of my UG final year project and Mphil research project. He was a very smart guy who always give me a lot of ideas for doing research. I really appreciate his inspiration and enthusiastism. He was also a very helpful and caring person. I am so grateful for all the advice he gave me on career hunting and personal development. I truly miss him but will stay hopeful as we will see each other again in the heaven.

Professor Szeto, when I left Hong Kong for an exchange last year's February, I never thought it was our last meeting. I couldn't finish our conference paper before my flight, and you said there is always a chance to publish when it is ready. I wish I had the chance you tell you how grateful I am. You were such a caring teacher that you spend days and nights to advise so many undergrads like me. You may not know how much you have influenced me in these 3 years. You lead me into statistical physics and complex system, you showed me what is truly great and enjoyable about research, and you taught me to treasure life and opportunities. It is sorrowful to think about how much I want to share with you by having a light-hearted chat in your office, like we always did before. You are my first supervisor, and I will always miss you.

It is our deepest sorrow to hear Dr Szeto’s death. Dr Szeto is my MPhil co-supervisor and we have known each other for 23 years already. It is blessed to have such a great teacher in my life. Dr Szeto is a very brilliant Physicist, yet never puts on airs. Besides academic issues, he opens to and welcomes any topic, talk was never restrained. His warm caring revealed even after your graduation. Dr Szeto is pleased by any form of visit paying, meals invitation or even family gathering. This never stopped during past 20 years. Our 10 years old son would also like to show his gratitude to such a bright and cheerful mentor. We are thankful. May Dr.Szeto rest in peace and serenity accompany with his beloved family.

I knew Dr Szeto for more than 20 years since I was an undergraduate student at HKUST. Throughout my academic years, Dr Szeto played a very important role and he was just like my parents rather than a supervisor. He always cared about the difficulties that I faced, no matter they are academic or personal issues. He always talked to me when I was in difficult time and guided me find the solutions. He was like a beacon in my life on the road. I feel deeply thankful to meet Dr Szeto in my life and was heartbroken that he left us. May his soul rest in peace in the arm of God!

We knew 司徒國業 over 35 years ago via the Chinese Student’s Association (CSA) at the University of Toronto. Although we were all in different Faculties then, we frequently met him at events organized by the CSA. We kept in touch with him during his years at MIT; Fred even met him in Boston when his graduate supervisor’s lab in Toronto occasionally went down to work at the Marine Biology Lab in Woods Hole, MA. We met him the last time in 2000 at his UST office when we went there to give a seminar with our young daughter in tow. He was kind enough to take care of our daughter while we visited other labs there. We still regretted that we did not even went out for dinner with him simply because we were dashing for a meeting in Australia on that trip. When we heard the sad news of his death from a friend in our UTCSA chat group, we are comforted by knowing that he was supported by his family and close friends.

Dear Prof. Szeto, We have many many communications about PG matters more than 20 years. Thank you so much for providing me your valuable information on PG matters. I still remembered that I and the ladies of the general office were invited to visit your staff quarter many years ago and we enjoyed your delicious food happily. You will always be in our minds. Jacma

I am deeply grieved to hear the passing of Prof Szeto. Such a bright and lighthearted person he was. Always very encouraging and inclusive. I had a chance to take his Statistical Mechanics course and had few one to one conversations with him. He touched my soul. He was a classy person and traveled a lot, shared some of his experiences during our conversations. I will certainly remember him as part of my HKUST life story. Wish I had a chance to tell him these. In any case, my heartfelt condolences go to his family and friends. May they have patience and strength to endure the loss and may he rest in peace!

Dear Szeto, We will miss you. As a colleague, I will remember the time we worked together right after I joined the physics department of HKUST 27 years back. The way you worked with your students had inspired me a lot. As a friend, I cherish very much many gatherings we had. You will always be in our minds. WY

For all these years, you have lived your life as a free spirit; a wanderer who wonders about everything, physical and spiritual, you love and you laugh, you care and you share. Yet, for what you have shared, you'd never ask for any return, since that has not been your concern. The world would be much nicer if there are more of you, down here and up there. That may be your calling. Don't stop, keep going, pal!

Hi, Prof. Szeto. It still hurts after these few long days. You were sending me Whatsapp messages about some Indian food just last month and shared about the coronavirus situation. Sometimes I saw the back of a big guy with long hairs and still thought it would be you. We had lunch together couple of weeks ago and you seemed so relaxed and not at all sensitive talking about your situation, still so optimistic as you always were and making jokes about our lives. We've known each other since 2007 when I was still a very young student and knew nothing rather than textbooks. You have been a very influencing role model for me since then. You lived a very simple material life, in fact one of your hobbies was checking out the discounted food coupons from newspapers (and some of them you kindly shared with me). But meanwhile you were so rich in experiencing life. You always talked about how many countries you had travelled to, and what were on your next to-do-list. I remember I bought a vest jacket with many pockets and backpacked to Thailand and Tibet and showed pictures to our research team, just to imitate you. You cared a lot about your students like me, our study and research, our daily lives and relationships, our travel plans, our career moves and so on. You brought us for mountain hiking, for drinks during Halloween, for short trips to visit the poor students you sponsored, and even for watching belly dance once. You inspired us for new ideas in research and life and being always curious about the world and courageous to explore it. It still hurts, Prof. Szeto, but I'm smiling while I'm typing this message as some part of you will live on with people like me, and you will always be the smart, wise, naughty and laughing friend that I know, just that, I guess no more jokes from you for a while now. Yours, Guan

It was a friendship of more than 30 years. We met in 1989 when we attended Statphys in Rio de Janeiro. Then we were both recruited by HKUST and you even taught me how to bargain with Nelson. As we started to become colleagues we applied for research funding together, the most notable one being from the Hong Kong Telecom. As our career developed we picked up different research interest, but we are still connected by the broad area of information and statistical physics. Being the chair of the Scholarship Committee for a few years I admire that you have brought up so many opportunities to talented students, facilitating their further growth. You are a promotor of UROP university-wide. Many UST students benefited from it. Then in the past two years when the MSc program on Data Driven Modeling was planned, we co-worked in the task group and you revamped the course on information science. When it became uncertain whether you can fulfill your teaching duty, you insisted in teaching whenever your health condition permits, because we know that the course your designed is the crystallization of your many years of insights. Until your final days you deservedly remain the instructor of MSDM 5058! The most regrettable thing was that when your family announced your last moments are approaching, I was sent to the isolation ward of a hospital, devouring me the last chance to say goodbye. Nevertheless, knowing that you are resting in the arms of God, we will meet again.

Professor Szeto is one of my favorite professors. He is very kind and considerate, always thinking of what to do for the best of the students. His classes are fun, inspiring, clear, and well-prepared; and he is always dedicated to supervising physics research and to the wellbeing of physics students. He is such a wonderful teacher and a good-natured person. I am very fortunate to have met him! I will always remember how kind and inspiring he is, as my mentor! It is heartbreaking to know that he left us. I believe we will meet in a place full of love in the future!

I had the honor to be a student of Prof. Szeto in UROP program. I caused a ton of troubles for him when I was applying. Whenever I had problems and send him email, he always made it to reply to me in one day. That impressed me so much. He could always explain those complicated concepts to me in single words and guided me step by step so that I could catch up and make progress everyday. Knowing that he passed away is such a strike to me.

司徒國業教授是我在香港科技大學念物理本科時跟從的研究導師。司徒教授深深地影響了我，鼓勵我以後走上了研究的道路。 全文：https://dr.kyszeto.hk/my-teacher-professor-szeto/

前些天收到司徒老师去世的消息实在痛心，对我来说消息来的太突然。我努力回想上一次见他是什么时候，还是想不起具体时间，似乎上学期末还在物理系办公室门口碰到他跟他打招呼。 三年前我和实验室同学一起上老师的热统课，隔了一学期，他选我做他的TA，从当TA开始才与司徒老师有比较多的交集。后来学期结束，他默默给我写best TA的推荐信，当时我并不知道。后来系里通知我best TA候选人里有我，我还惊讶了一下。听别人说起提名我的两封推荐信里有一封是他写的，才知道原来是老师在背后默默给我写过推荐信。而他从未跟我提及！老师的为人是如此低调。 那时就有听说老师没招博士生，我当时想当然以为大概做理论的人就是不需要这么多学生吧，现在想起来也许老师有更长远的考虑。 后来每次在路上碰到老师，他都和我微笑打招呼，一头微卷的头发，和蔼可亲的笑容…脑海里浮现的场景仿佛还在昨日。愿老师一路走好。

Szeto, it was a pleasure being your friend and colleague for more than 23 years. You always knew how to make me laugh. You were very serious about the things that counted, but you could switch to jokes and laughter in an instant. Your cheerful presence will be sorely missed.

Dear Prof. Szeto, As a supporting staff in Physics for more than twenty years, you are always kind to us! R.I.P.

It’s really a surprise to me when I heard about this sad news. He always shares his photos taken in tours and his thoughts to us. Although he was not my supervisor, he often shared his ideas to me. We together have published some papers. Szeto was too smart that he liked to criticize many things. Perhaps this is the attitude of studying physics. Earlier he supported euthanasia and had more negative thoughts. However, he had a change these years. Especially he believed in God and got baptized. I was quite happy that he can realize the truth. Although he passed away and left us, the Easter is coming and we believe he just starts another eternal journey. His spirit and words will be in our memories and we hope we can meet later in heaven! God bless him, his family and his friends!🙏R.I.P.

I am pround of being one of you students, hopefully not the worse one, but I pretty sure I cause you a lot headache and troubles when you supervise me... will never forget what you taught, including those life-hacks, those tricks to this non-sense and stupid world you are always mocking to. You always critize my bad writing, which give you a lot of hardtime to read & correct it - and this time I finally proofread my work before I submitting it to you. (but I am sure that you are still laughing at it... ) Glad that you finally have been baptized. We will meet together again and have our delightful dinners & great chats in father's house. will always miss you.

Dear Professor Szeto, I only know you for a year or so and we only met no more than dozen times. But the impact of you on me is invaluable. I know from the first meeting that you are a scholar, a scholar about knowledge but not about anything else. You love being the unknown and explore the world in your own way, the mindful way. There are always ideas coming out from your mind but you only have limited time to go through few of them. It is a pity that your mind stopped so early. But I believe you have a fulfilled life. I believe your attitudes towards research, towards life have been passed on to your students and we will passed on to generations. A man never dies if he becomes a symbol. I know you prefer to be the unknown, but please let your spirit passes on and spread to more people, who are pursuing a way to knowledge like you. May you rest in peace. 'Try not be a technician, be a thinker.' I will remember it forever.

Dear Prof Szeto, I've known you for 16 years, and there are no words that can express my gratitude for your friendship and great example. Not too long ago you said it's not the visible that is important, it is the invisible that is both important and eternal. You taught me what humanity has discovered is only a "reflection" of the ultimate truth - "For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known." (1 Cor 13:12). I await the day when we shall meet again, When we seem to have parted for the blink of an eye, We shall meet in the Glory of the Everlasting. And after you have marvelled at the Ultimate Truth, The honour shall be mine to learn from you again.. Until then, you will be remembered fondly on this side of eternity. Evan

Brother, It is too short to be with you.You are the smartest guy I have ever know. It is too sad to see you leave us. Looking forward seeing you in the big morning.