Awards and Achievements

Three research papers published in Nature series journals

Department of Applied Physics of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) contributed three research papers that were recently published in the Nature series journals, which are among the most authoritative and recognised scientific journals in the world that publish high-quality research in all fields of science and technology. Optoelectronic resistive random-access memory (ORRAM) for neuromorphic vision sensors – "Nature Nanotechnology" Dr. CHAI Yang, Associate Professor, Department of Applied Physics, and his team developed an optoelectronic device that mimics the functions of human retina in image sensing, memorization, and pre-processing, with image recognition rate and efficiency exceeding existing artificial visual systems. Experimental findings demonstrate the innovation's great potential in enhancing neuromorphic visual system by simplifying the circuitry, efficiently processing overwhelming amount of dynamic visual information, and greatly reducing power consumption. It thus offers promising contribution towards the development of applications in edge computing and Internet of Things. Continuous artificial synthesis of glucose precursor using enzyme-immobilised microfluidic reactors – "Nature Communications" Dr. ZHANG Xuming, Associate Professor, Department of Applied Physics, and his team discovered technology to replicate the opto-fluidic system of leave vein to create micro-reactors for conducting the first phase reaction of CO2 fixation in natural photosynthesis. Experimental findings indicate that the micro-reactors requires only very small amount of RuBisCO (the enzyme involved in the first major step of photosynthesis) for continuous synthesis of glucose (the basic food material). The innovation contributes to artificial photosynthesis developments and will help relieve food crisis and produce biofuel. Enhanced sieving from exfoliated MoS2 membranes via covalent funcationalisation – "Nature Materials" Dr. Nicolas ONOFRIO, Assistant Professor, Department of Applied Physics, and his team developed a nanolaminate membrane based on covalently functionalised molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) nanosheets. Nanolaminate membranes made of two-dimensional (2D) materials such as graphene oxide are promising candidates for molecular sieving via size-limited diffusion in the two-dimensional capillaries, but high hydrophilicity makes these membranes unstable in water. The covalent functionalisation of exfoliated nanosheets can solve this problem by efficiently control the interlayer spacing to enhance the sieving performance of nanolaminate membranes. They demonstrate remarkable performance towards water purification and desalination, with high rejection of micropollutants and sodium chloride (NaCl) (over 90% and 87% respectively), compared to the current state of the art. The novel strategy paves the way for the preparation of membranes with tuneable sieving behaviour. The control of the surface chemistry of exfoliated 2D materials allows further exploration of the nanofluidic phenomena inside nanolaminate membranes at fundamental and practical levels for water purification or osmotic energy. Prof. Daniel LAU, Head of the Department of Applied Physics, takes pride in the contributions of the three researchers and said, "the Department will continue to devote its efforts in the pursuit of excellence in teaching and research". "PolyU has been undertaking cutting-edge research that delivers real impact to academia and to the world. We are committed to nurturing our academics and researchers to collaborate locally and internationally in fundamental and translational research. We are very pleased that their research findings were published in prestigious and world-renowned journals," said Prof. Alex WAI, Vice President (Research Development), PolyU. Note: Please refer to the appendix for details of the three papers 理大於國際知名期刊《自然》發表三篇論文 (Chinese)

Dr Joanne Yip wins two awards at the Silicon Valley International Invention Festival

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) garnered four prizes with two outstanding innovations at theSilicon Valley International Invention Festival (SVIIF) 2019. ItsSmart Indoor Farming Systemwon aGrand Award and a Gold Medal with the Congratulations of the Jury, while itsFlexible Scoliotic Brace with Shape Memory Alloy Strutswon a Gold Medal and a Special Merit Award, at SVIIF held in Santa Clara, California, the United States from 24 to 26 June. SVIIF attracted inventors from research institutions, academic bodies and business enterprises from about 30 countries/regions to showcase their inventions this year. It was also the first time that Hong Kong institutions participated in this global annual event. Well attended by multi-national companies, investors, entrepreneurs and financiers, SVIIF offers a platform for inventors, industries and businesses to explore opportunities for collaboration and commercialisation of innovations. The award-winning innovations of PolyU: (1) Smart Indoor Farming System Grand Award and Gold Medal with the Congratulations of the Jury Principal Investigator: Dr LOO Ka-hong, Department of Electronic and Information Engineering Applying Artificial Intelligence-based and data-driven technologies, the system can generate photosynthetic-active-radiation lighting, watering and nutrient supply programmes which are optimised for the growth of individual plant types. The system adopts advanced sensing technologies to collect real-time data for the plant growth and environmental data from growth chambers and farms using the system. By comparing the data collected with the growth profiles of different plant types, optimal sets of growth control parameters can be constructed and fed back to the user's system. The system will then automatically supply the optimal tailor-made essentials, such as light, water, temperature, nutrients, to enhance the growth performance of individual plants.Study shows that the growth cycle of Italian lettuce has been shortened by about 50% with the support of this system. Water consumption can also be substantially reduced to only 5% of that in conventional farming. The system can be set up in urban buildings to provide sustainable and stable sources of edible plants, such as salad greens, potatoes, beets, herbs, etc. (2) Flexible Scoliotic Brace with Shape Memory Alloy Struts Gold Medal and Special Merit Award Principal Investigator: Dr Joanne YIP Yiu-wan, Institute of Textiles and Clothing The innovative brace, designed for adolescents with scoliosis, is made of shape memory alloy, artificial hinges and soft light-weight materials. The design can apply strategic corrective forces to the spine and offer adequate support to the user. Users are more willing to wear this Scoliotic Brace for a longer period because of its enhanced level of comfort and mobility, thus making it more effective in treating spinal deformity. SVIIF is hosted by International Federation of Inventors' Association (IFIA), supported by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), Santa Clara City and the Santa Clara University, in collaboration with the US Patent and Trade Mark Office. For details, please visit the organiser's official website:https://www.sviif.com/. 理大科研項目於美國矽谷國際發明展奪四獎項 (Chinese) 進修生活 理大研記形合金腰背架 助矯正輕度脊柱側彎 22Aug2019 經濟通 新矯形腰背架如著內衣，望四年內推出市場！ 22Aug2019 香港01 理大研發新型腰背架 助青少年矯正脊柱側彎 物料較輕巧便宜 22Aug2019 星島日報 F01 理大研記形合金腰背架 助矯正輕度脊柱側彎 22Aug2019 星島日報 A04 理大夥皇家藝院合建AI實驗室 22Aug2019 經濟日報A12 新矯形腰背架 舒適成本低 22Aug2019 晴報P20 新支架矯正脊柱 貌似內衣穿戴舒適 22 Aug 2019

PolyU wins two global innovation awards at TechConnect 2019

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) won two "Global Innovation Awards" at TechConnect World Innovation Conference and Expo 2019 (TechConnect) staged in the United States. It is the third year in a row that PolyU research teams snatched the awards in the world's largest multi-sector event for fostering development and commercialisation of innovations.  The two PolyU winning innovations are: "New Antibiotic Drug Candidates"invented by Dr Cong MA, Assistant Professor, Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology, PolyU, and Dr Xiao YANG, Research Assistant Professor, Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong Using computer-aided approaches in drug discovery, the interdisciplinary research team discovered small molecules with high potential to be developed into novel antimicrobial agents fighting against the superbugs. Based on a new target, new chemical structure and new mechanism different from the existing antibiotics, these compounds demonstrated great effect of inhibiting bacterial growth, yet with no toxicity to human cells. They are now approaching the pre-clinical development stage. New antimicrobial resistance mechanisms are emerging and spreading globally, threatening human health. These novel drug candidates could potentially be strong complements to the current antibiotics for treating infectious diseases.   "Seeded Sonochemical Coatings"by Dr Nuruzzaman NOOR, Research Assistant Professor, Institute of Textiles and Clothing, PolyU Currently known techniques for coating/incorporating inorganic metal oxide layers on fabrics require high temperature, low pressure and specialised gaseous environments. Output materials also often face leaching issues, which degrade the original function (e.g. UV protection etc.).The innovative seeded-sonochemical deposition method, however, utilises the small seeding layers to direct a more durable overcoating for inorganic metal oxide layer. Processed in room temperature environment, pure products can be developed at high quality in a cheaper, faster and more efficient manner. The research findings can be applied to different areas such as functional clothing and glazing. Ir Prof. Alex WAI, Vice President (Research Development) of PolyU, said, "These awards not only recognise the efforts of our researchers in conducting impactful research, but also affirms PolyU's endeavours in developing and translating our technologies into practical applications with intrinsic value for the benefit of the global community." There are over 600 submissions at TechConnect each year, from global top tier universities and national laboratories such as Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Sandia National Laboratories, Argonne National Laboratory and EPFL-LPAC etc. The Innovation Awards go to the top 15% technologies submitted. This year, 30 global awards were presented for non-US-federal-funded innovations across the world, while another 59 national awards were granted to innovations with US federal funding. The PolyU delegation showcased 21 technologies this year, two of them received global innovation awards at the event held in Boston on 17-19 June. Besides attending various exchange sessions, the delegation also explored product development and co-operation opportunities with industry end-users, multi-national companies and academic institutions for applying the innovations for the benefits of the world.      Over the years, the TechConnect World Innovation Conference and Expo has connected top applied research and early-stage innovations from universities, laboratories, and start-ups with industry end-users and prospectors. More details are available from the official website of the event:https://www.techconnectworld.com/World2019/ 理大兩項傑出科研同獲「TechConnect全球創新獎」

Faculty Awards for Outstanding Performance/Achievement 2016/17 Presentation Ceremony

Faculty's high quality education and scientific research are supported by dedicated academic staff. Their endeavours in teaching, research and scholarly activities were recognized at the Faculty Awards for Outstanding Performance/Achievement 2016/17 Presentation Ceremony held on 18 Jan 2018. Taking this opportunity, we extend our congratulations to all awardees and thank for their remarkable contributions to the Faculty, the University and the community. Recipients of the Faculty Awards are as follows: Individual - Teaching Dr Chris K.Y. Lo, Associate Professor, ITC Individual - Research and Scholarly Activities Prof. Yang Xiaoqi, Professor, AMA Team - Teaching Dr Fridolin Ting, Teaching Fellow, AMA (Team leader) Prof. Chan Cheong-ki, Professor, AMA Dr Raymond Sze, Associate Professor, AMA Dr Zhang Hua, Teaching Fellow, AMA

Dr Kristina Shin Solo exhibition at Syracuse University in US

The solo exhibition of Dr Kristina Shin - 'Cross Your Heart' is being held at the Sue and Leon Genet Gallery at Syracuse University in New York, US from 4 December 2017 to 3 February 2018. The exhibition is curated by Prof. Jeffrey Mayer who also leads the fashion design programme at Syracuse University.  The title of this exhibition has a double meaning.  'Cross my heart' is an idiom that is used to emphasize truthfulness and sincerity of what one is saying or promising. On the other hand, Cross Your Heart is the name of a bra created by Playtex in 1965. To date, it is still one of the best-known brands in the US and the second bestselling Playtex bra model. The most important characteristic of this bra is the cross at the centre. Cross Your Heart supports and shapes, and is also comfortable to wear. This bra is iconic of the developmental stage of bra design in the 1960s. Kristina's interpretation of 'Cross Your Heart' is to capture the evolution of a highly complex bra design through a vintage inspired intimate apparel collection. She also applies her innovative bra patternmaking method called 'Shin's method' in the creation of this collection. 'Cross Your Heart' showcased in Hong Kong in 2015 and Chungnam National University, Korea in November 2017 before making its appearance in the United States. Kristina hopes that her exhibition will be shown worldwide to celebrate the art of bra design with different audiences.

Two projects reap gold medals at 45th International Exhibition of Inventions of Geneva

Two ITC research projects, New Functional Textiles from Bio-based and Degradable Fibers by Prof. Tao Xiao-ming, and Development of Fine Worsted Yak Yarns and Fabrics by Dr Xu Bin-gang, won Gold Medals at the 45th International Exhibition of Inventions of Geneva. In addition, both Gold Medals came with a “Jury’s Commendation” which shows that they are part of the elite group of Gold Medal winners. In New Functional Textiles from Bio-based and Degradable Fibers, Prof. Tao Xiao-ming and her research team developed green production technologies for new functional textiles by using 100% bio-based and bio-degradable PHBV/PLA fibers. Utilizing a low temperature dyeing process with disperse dyes to achieve high dye uptake, the result is good color fastness with a 32% saving of energy compared to conventional methods of dyeing PET material. The textiles have outstanding natural anti-bacterial and mite-resistant properties without the need to use any additional chemicals. The second Gold Medal recipient is Dr Xu Bin-gang and his team for their project, Development of Fine Worsted Yak Yarns and Fabrics. A new spinning method and system are developed to produce 100% fine, high-quality yak yarns and fabrics. The newly spun yak yarns are strong, smooth and regular. Fabrics knitted with these yarns provide a soft feel with better air-permeability and heat retention, compared to that of cashmere and wool. The finished yak garments have a better quality with increased added-value. This technology also helps to improve the living standards of the yak herders in the Tibetan Plateau. The 45th International Exhibition of Inventions of Geneva, which is arranged under the patronage of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), Swiss Government and City of Geneva, showcased innovations and inventions from around the globe. The event ran from 29 March - 2 April 2017, and attracted 700 exhibitors from 40 countries, and featured 1,000 new innovations and inventions.  

Outstanding AP researchers awarded recognition at The 45th International Exhibition of Inventions of Geneva

Prof. Hao J.H., Dr Yang M., Dr Tsang M.K. and Dr Ye W.W. received the Special Merit Award and Gold Medal with Congratulations of Jury for the invention "Nano Biosensor for Rapid Detection of Flu Virus" at the 45th International Exhibition of Inventions of Geneva dated 29 March - 2 April 2017.  

Dr Shang Songmin awarded the International Association of Advanced Materials Medal

Dr Shang Songmin awarded the International Association of Advanced Materials Medal – 2016 by the International Association of Advanced Materials (IAAM) at the American Graphene Forum, American Advanced Materials Congress 2016 in Miami, USA in December 2016. This award recognizes the contributions of Dr Shang to the field of material science. Dr Shang has pioneered research work on the dispersion of graphene in composites. He has also carried out a number of research work on the synthesis of graphene nanocomposites and explored their applications. As the corresponding author, Dr Shang has published two highly cited papers on graphene nanocomposites with citation numbers up to 300 and 200 respectively (Google Scholar), and one of them is also listed as a highly cited paper in materials science on the Web of ScienceTM. Dr Shang has published more than 200 papers on materials science and engineering technology of which about 90 are SCI articles and more than 40 have impact factors above 3. They have been cited about 2000 times. His H-index is 20 and 23 on the Web of Science and Google Scholar respectively. Dr Shang has also been granted four China patents. Dr Shang is the recipient of many prestigious awards, such as Gold Medal and Special Prize at the Eureka INNOVA 2009 in Brussels, Belgium; Early Career Award 2012/2013 from the UGC Research Grants Council of Hong Kong; PolyU PTeC’s Outstanding Professional Services Awards 2012 – Most Valued Project Award; and two Bronze Medals at the 44th International Exhibition of Inventions of Geneva in Switzerland in April 2016. IAAM is a principle international organization of Advanced Materials Researchers, whose purpose is to provide a research and education forum for the rapidly expending field of Advanced Materials. The International Association of Advanced Materials Medal is honored during the congress by the IAAM for notable and outstanding research in Materials Science and Technology. The award comprises a citation and a medal.

Two awards for Dr Jeanne Tan in Korea

Dr Jeanne Tan, Associate Professor of ITC, won two awards; one for her textile work and another for her thesis in Korea in October 2016. Titled 'Sylvan', the fabric won the Excellence Award for Textile at the 2016 International FABI Exhibition organised by The Korean Society of Fashion Business (KSFB) in Korea. The fabric is an illuminating textile which utilizes polymeric optical fibres (POFs). This creative work challenges the preconception that textile designs that integrate technology only have futuristic inspirations. This textile is developed on a low-tech dobby loom to create illuminating textiles with craft aesthetics and therefore allows the seamless integration of technology into everyday environments. Dr Tan also won the Excellent Thesis Award for “The challenges of wearable technology from a polymeric optical fibre (POFs) textile perspective” for her presentation at the 2016 International Conference organised by the KSFB.

Asian Core Program / Advanced Research Network Lectureship Awards from Japan, Korea and Taiwan (27-30 Oct 2016)

We are proud to announce that Prof. Michael Fuk-yee Kwong and Dr. Man-kin Wong have received the Asian Core Program / Advanced Research Network Lectureship awards in the ACP-2016-Korea: the 11th International Conference on Cutting-Edge Organic Chemistry in Asia (ICCEOCA-11) & the 2nd Advanced Research Network on Cutting-Edge Organic Chemistry in Asia (ARNCEOCA-2)), held in Daejeon, Korea from 27 to 30 October, 2016. This conference program brings together outstanding researchers in the field of organic chemistry in Asia and serves as a major annual forum to showcase high-quality scientific achievements. It offers an excellent opportunity for the exchange of the most up-to-date science knowledge, as well as to nurture close relationships and collaborations between top organic chemists in the Asia region. This year, Prof. Michael Fuk-yee Kwong has gained the recognition from the Japanese representatives with his presentation entitled "Palladium-Catalyzed Three Component Cross-Coupling: Facile Access of Phenathrenes Using Norbornadiene as Ethylene Surrogate". Other than that, Dr. Man-kin Wong's presentation on "Development of (N^C, C^O) Cyclometallated Gold(III) Catalysts and Visible Light-Gold Catalysis for Organic Synthesis" has attracted the recognitions from both the Korean and Taiwanese representatives. The two awardees will be invited to deliver a series of lectures during their one-week visits to Japan, Korea and Taiwan in 2017 respectively.