ITC congratulates Dr Dahua Shou on his official appointment as Limin Endowed Young Scholar in Advanced Textiles Technologies. Dr Shou, Assistant Professor of Institute of Textiles and Clothing, and Assistant Director of PolyU DRRC Novel Material Science and Technology Innovation Centre, earned his PhD from PolyU before his appointment as a Postdoctoral Fellow at The University of Sydney and Cornell University. An awardee of many prestigious awards, including TechConnect Global Innovation Awards for two consecutive years and those conferred by the International Exhibition of Inventions of Geneva, Dr Shou has published over 60 SCI papers in impactful journals such as Science Advances, PNAS, Advanced Energy Materials, and Advanced Functional Materials. Currently he serves on the editorial boards of four SCI journals and is a lead guest editor for several SCI journals.
Dr Shou bases his research on cutting-edge multi-physics mechanisms in hierarchical fibrous porous media, and his interests cover personal thermal and moisture management, smart wearable technologies, soft robotics, and green energy. With a view to reinvent intelligent textiles and clothing as human’s second skin, he strives to enhance their performance in human-environment and human-computer interfaces, imbuing them with self-adaptive properties amid extreme and dynamically changing environments. Ultimately, his goal is to provide healthy, comfortable, efficient and sustainable apparels for all.
Dr Shou is equally committed to serving society. Amid COVID-19 pandemic when the demand for breathable protective gear was keen. Leveraging advanced functional materials and wearable technologies, he led a team to invent an air-conditioned thermo-responsive mask and a skin-like sweatable textile, greatly enhancing the wearing comfort for healthcare workers and people at large. These revolutionary technologies quickly won a number of international innovation awards and attracted collaboration opportunities with renowned companies.
"The Institute of Textiles and Clothing at PolyU is ranked among the best textile and clothing schools in the world. The establishment of this Endowed Professorship will help fund research to explore new frontiers in this field and further advance the standing of this excellent school." said the donor, Dr Harry Lee, SBS, JP.
Dr Harry Lee, Chairman of TAL Apparel Limited, holds a Bachelor of Electrical Engineering degree from Imperial College London and a Doctor of Electrical Sciences degree from Brown University. Dr Lee joined TAL Group (formerly Textile Alliance Limited) in 1973. TAL employs over 20,000 workers in factories across Southeast Asia and the Chinese Mainland. With nearly 40 years of experience in the textiles and clothing industry, he is actively involved in a number of trade organizations and public services. He is Honorary Chairman of the Hong Kong Garment Manufacturers Association and the Textile Council of Hong Kong Limited, a board member of the Global Apparel, Footwear and Textile Initiative, as well as Chairman of Tradelink Electronic Commerce Limited and the Hong Kong Research Institute of Textiles and Apparel. Dr Lee was appointed a Justice of the Peace in 1997. In 2001, he was awarded a Silver Bauhinia Star by the HKSAR Government. Dr Lee has also made notable contributions to PolyU by serving as Chairman of the Advisory Committee of the Institute of Textiles and Clothing from 1995 to 2005, and Member of its Council from 2005 to 2008.
About the Endowed Young Scholars Scheme
With the aim of supporting and nurturing promising early-career academics, PolyU has launched the Endowed Young Scholars Scheme to partner with our donors and benefactors, in driving innovations that bring positive and long-term changes to the world. An Endowed Young Scholar position can be established with a donation of HK$4 million. This joint commitment between the donor and the University will enable our young distinguished scholars to make greater progress in their education and research.
I dream of creating future intelligent wear for better health, comfort, performance, and sustainability. Being honoured as an Endowed Young Scholar is not only a recognition of my team’s research achievements in advanced textiles technologies and smart wearables, but also one step closer to my dream.
Dr Dahua Shou
