PolyU Holds the Inaugural RCTFF International Advisory Committee Meeting and Symposium to Showcase Research Outcomes and Promote Academia-Enterprise Knowledge Exchange

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) successfully held the first International Advisory Committee (IAC) Meeting of the Research Centre of Textiles for Future Fashion (RCTFF) and a Symposium on Interdisciplinary Research for Fashion and Textile on 12 July 2024.

Prof. Jin-Guang TENG, President of PolyU, welcomed IAC members and shared PolyU’s strategy in research and innovation. Prof. Jintu FAN, Chair Professor of Fiber Science and Apparel Engineering of the School of Fashion and Textiles and Director of RCTFF, reported the research themes and projects of the centre and invited advice on research strategy and partnership. Members praised the impressive start of RCTFF and echoed the importance of interdisciplinary research and academia-industry partnership.

The Symposium on Interdisciplinary Research for Fashion and Textile was held following the IAC meeting. Five core members of RCTFF presented their works. Prof. Xungai WANG, Associate Dean (Strategic Planning and Development) of the School of Fashion and Textiles (SFT) and Chair Professor of Fiber Science and Technology shared the denim recycling project; Dr Sylvia LIU, Associate Director of RCTFF and Assistant Dean (Academic Programmes) of the School of Design presented her work in fashion entrepreneurship and design management; Dr Dahua SHOU, Limin Endowed Young Scholar in Advanced Textiles Technologies and Associate Professor of SFT introduced his research on personal moisture and thermal management; Dr Yancheng YUAN, Assistant Professor of the Department of Data Science and Artificial Intelligence presented the model for sequential recommendation systems; and Dr Ping LI, Assistant Professor of the Department of Computing and School of Design introduced the latest work on simulation of visual art, fashion and design. The symposium highlighted how expertise from different fields can be integrated for innovations in fashion and textiles and sparked lively discussions among IAC members, faculty members and students.

The IAC of RCTFF comprises of prominent industrialists and academics in the field and chaired by Dr Harry LEE, Chairman of TAL Apparel. The members include Ms Shirley CHAN, Vice Chairman of YGM Trading Limited; Mr MA Jian-rong, Chairman of the Board and Executive Director of Shenzhou International Group Holdings Limited; Mr Andrew LO, CEO and Executive Director of Crystal International Group Limited; Mr Socrates NG, President of Hong Kong Nonwovens Association; Prof. Gregory C. Rutledge, Lammot du Pont Professor in Chemical Engineering of Massachusetts Institute of Technology; Prof. Emmanuel P. Giannelis, Walter R. Read Professor of Engineering of Cornell University; Prof. David Hinks, Dean of Wilson College of Textiles of North Carolina State University; and Prof. Jianyong YU, President of Donghua University and Member of Chinese Academy of Engineering.

Established in October 2023, RCTFF is a constituent unit of PolyU Academy of Interdisciplinary Research (PAIR), aimed at synergising interdisciplinary R&D strength in materials science, design, digital technologies and management concepts to address real world challenge of textiles and fashion for health, wellbeing, functional protection, performance and sustainability. Its core members consist of researchers across data science, design, health, management and engineering in addition to fashion and textiles.