Donor
Otto Poon Charitable Foundation
Otto Poon Charitable Foundation was set up in 2017, and funded by Ir Dr Otto Poon, the Founder and Chairman of ATAL Engineering Group to mark the 40th anniversary of the Group.
ATAL Engineering Group is one of the largest Hong Kong-based electrical and mechanical engineering service providers, its diversified business covers environmental, lift and escalator, and ICT solutions. With operations worldwide, the Group is hiring over 2,500 professionals.
Seeking growth through “New technologies, new markets, new business models”, ATAL prides itself on cutting-edge innovation and technology, having its own R&D arms on environment, lifts and escalators, and ICT in conjunction with universities in Hong Kong and the Mainland.
ATAL has a robust training programme and each year, the Group recruits some 40 university graduates and some 20 apprentices from VTC to ensure a continuous stream of well qualified engineers and technicians. Many of them worked their way up the ladder to management positions.
Despite its tremendous success, ATAL does not rest on its laurels. It strives to offer the latest technologies, the best products and the most reliable services to maintain its status as an industry leader and to drive continuous growth and progress.
By establishing the Endowed Professorships, ATAL hopes to foster closer cooperation and ties with PolyU in developing cutting-edge technologies, to give back to society and to benefit people at large.
Ir Dr Otto Poon has a long association with PolyU. He was elected an outstanding PolyU alumnus in 1999 and conferred University Fellowship in 2006 for his distinguished professional achievements and important contributions to society. He is also an ardent supporter of his alma mater and has been giving generous donations to support PolyU development over the years.
Appointee
Professor Wang Liqiu
Professor Liqiu Wang is the Chair Professor of Thermal-Fluid and Energy Engineering at PolyU’s Department of Mechanical Engineering.
With a prolific career, Professor Wang has made significant contributions to the field. He has published over 530 papers in prestigious journals and conferences, also authored 11 scholarly monographs, books and five book chapters. A keynote speaker at over 80 plenary lectures at international conferences, Professor Wang’s research has also been widely referenced by researchers worldwide.
A proud holder of over 40 patents and copyrights, Professor Wang led a 100-strong international team in developing a cutting-edge thermal control system for the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS) on the International Space Station. This system ensures precise temperature regulation for AMS and its sub-detectors, enabling optimal performance in extreme temperature variations from -40℃ to 60℃ at 90-minute intervals.
Professor Wang's work has received extensive attention from the local and international media, and garnered numerous awards. The long list includes the 2021 Gold Medal of the International Exhibition of Inventions of Geneva, the 2018 TechConnect Global Innovation Award, the 2018 Silver Medal of the International Exhibition of Inventions of Geneva, and the 2017 OSA Innovation Award. He was honoured with the 2012 Zhejiang Qianren Professorship and the 2010 Taishan Professorship.
Beyond his research achievements, Professor Wang has made a lasting impact through his editorial service to over 30 international journals. He organised important conferences and chaired multiple professional society activities. His expertise and research findings are highly sought after by advisory bodies, as well as the international community and industry in the field of thermal-fluid sciences and engineering.
