ME Alumni Mentorship Dinner 2025

The PolyU Department of Mechanical Engineering Alumni Mentorship Dinner for the 2024/25 academic year was successfully held on January 23, 2025. The event saw an impressive turnout, with over 180 participants including approximately 80 alumni, distinguished guests, ME academic and teaching staff, and around 100 students from the graduating classes of BEng (Hons) in Mechanical Engineering and BEng (Hons) in Product Analysis and Engineering Design. The evening was truly memorable and meaningful. The Alumni Mentorship Dinner is a cherished tradition within the ME community, aimed at fostering strong connections between alumni and the Department. More importantly, it provides a valuable platform for our final-year students to gain practical experience and receive professional advice from alumni mentors. During the welcoming remarks, Prof. Su Zhongqing, the Head of the Department, provided an overview of recent developments in PolyU ME and expressed deep gratitude to all the alumni and industrial friends for their unwavering support throughout the years. Following the opening remarks, we had the outstanding ME alumni awards ceremony. The Department of Mechanical Engineering is pleased to honor the Outstanding Alumni Award in Professional Achievement to Ir Dr LEE Chi Hong, Barry, presented by Prof. YAO Haimin, Associate Head (Teaching & Learning) of the Department, and the Outstanding Young Alumni Award in Professional Achievement to Mr KWOK Siu Lun, Alan, presented by Prof. TANG Hui, Associate Head (Research) of the Department. Two recipients shared their inspiring story about the road to success, offering students invaluable insights into overcoming obstacles, seizing opportunities, and applying practical strategies to achieve their own dreams. Their experiences served as a source of inspiration and guidance, motivating students to pursue their goals with confidence and determination. This year's dinner was particularly special, as seven students were recognized with appreciation awards for their achievements. We celebrated their hard work, dedication, and outstanding contributions to both academics and extracurricular activities. Their success stories served as an inspiration to their peers, showcasing the rewards of perseverance and excellence. Additionally, our talented alumni, Leslie Lee and Eric Ng, performed a saxophone and guitar duet, filling the evening with beautiful harmony. Lastly, Dr Yau Wing Kwong, JP, the President of the Mechanical and Marine Engineering Alumni Association, delivered words of wisdom and encouragement to all the final-year students, imparting valuable insights and guidance to prospective graduates on planning for their future. Throughout the dinner, alumni from various industries generously shared their valuable experiences and provided guidance to our final-year students, helping them prepare for their future careers upon graduation. The evening concluded with a toast and a lucky draw, led by the Head, Associate Heads, Scheme and Programme Leaders, to express our gratitude to the guests. The dinner ended on a joyful note, and we eagerly look forward to the next year's event. For more photos of the event, please click HERE.  

Prof. Su Zhongqing Secures Highly Competitive Innovation and Technology Fund for Aerospace Technology

Prof. SU Zhongqing, Head of the Department of Mechanical Engineering and Chair Professor of Intelligent Structures and Systems, has been awarded the Innovation and Technology Fund - Innovation and Technology Support Programme (ITF-ITSP) Special Call (Aerospace Technology) research grant of 4.5 million Hong Kong dollars for a large applied research and development (R&D) project. The project is titled "A “Totally-Additive-Manufacturing”-driven New Sensing Technique for Rapid Health Evaluation of Space Systems Under Hypervelocity Impact of Orbital Junks". As the project investigator, Prof. SU will lead a 3-year project, in partnership with co-investigators from Beijing Institute of Spacecraft Environment Engineering (BISEE) 北京衛星環境工程研究所 of China Academy of Space Technology (CAST) and Harbin Institute of Technology (Shenzhen). The past decade has witnessed unprecedented prosperity in human’s exploration to outer space. As a result, the near-Earth space, where numerous satellites and space stations orbit, is now cluttered with man-made orbital debris and micrometeoroids (i.e., space junk). Though small, they travel at such high speeds and potentially cause “hypervelocity impact” (HVI) (4 km/s). It is highly imperative to develop effective sensing approaches to perceive HVI and evaluate system degradation after HVI attacks, whereby to enhance the survivability of damaged spacecraft. This ITSP project will be an innovative structural health monitoring (SHM) framework, a compact, all-in-one system and a new sensing network coating that all are readily available for immediate applications to orbital spacecraft (e.g., satellites and space stations). Successful installation of the system and implementation of the technique on spacecraft will remarkably minimize the risk of “hypervelocity impact” (HVI) from space junks to the communication satellites and space stations, retrofit existing safety design philosophy, enhance serviceability and extend lifespan of long-service space systems. ITSP aims to encourage universities funded by the University Grants Committee (UGC) to collaborate with leading research institutes worldwide to conduct more theme-based inter-disciplinary and translational research and development (R&D) work in focused technology areas.

Prof. Wang Zuankai and Prof. Yao Haimin develop breakthrough method for self-stimulated ejection of freezing droplets

Water droplets under freezing conditions do not spontaneously detach from surfaces as they do at room temperature due to stronger droplet-surface interaction and lack of an energy transformation pathway. Since accumulated droplets or ice have to be removed manually or with mechanical equipment, which is costly and inefficient, preventing droplet accretion on surfaces is both scientifically intriguing and practically important. Researchers at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) have invented a ground-breaking self-powered mechanism of freezing droplet ejection that allows droplets to shoot themselves away, paving the way for cost-efficient and promising technological applications. Published in Nature Chemical Engineering as the cover feature for its last December issue, the research project “Freezing droplet ejection by spring-like elastic pillars” is led by Prof. WANG Zuankai, Associate Vice President (Research and Innovation), Kuok Group Professor in Nature-Inspired Engineering and Chair Professor of the PolyU Department of Mechanical Engineering, and Prof. YAO Haimin, Associate Head (Teaching & Learning) of the PolyU Department of Mechanical Engineering. First co-authors include Postdoctoral Fellow Dr ZHANG Huanhuan, PhD student Mr ZHANG Wei, Research Assistant Professor Dr JIN Yuankai, and PhD student Mr WU Chenyang. The discovery of the self-ejection phenomenon in freezing droplets was inspired by a fungus capable of shooting its spores away through osmosis-induced volume expansion. Noting that a similar volume expansion occurs when water droplet is freezing, the research team has replicated the self-shooting mechanism found in the fungi and developed a structured elastic surface (SES) with spring-like pillars and wetting contrast that allows for the spontaneous ejection of freezing water droplets. The SES structure is designed to accelerate the ejection velocity and enlarge the kinetic energy transformation of freezing droplets. When the freezing droplet undergoes volume expansion, it compresses the pillar of SES. The volume expansion work is first converted to and stored as elastic energy in the pillar within tens of seconds, and then to be transformed into the droplet’s kinetic energy rapidly within milliseconds. This thousandfold reduction in timescales leads to sufficient kinetic energy to drive freezing droplet ejection. The simple SES structure, after parameter design, is effective in ejecting freezing droplets without external energy input and even against the forces of wind and gravity. It can be applied to aircraft, wind blades or cable lines to prevent hazards caused by ice accretion. Dr ZHANG Huanhuan said, “It is exciting that we, for the first time, introduce a self-powered ice removal concept that will offer a wide range of innovative solutions. We will continuously improve the design of SES, allowing it to be manufactured at various scales and at a low cost to meet societal needs.” Furthermore, the theoretical model developed in the research elucidates the factors determining the successful onset of the freezing droplet ejection phenomenon, with scalable design exhibiting potential practicability in various fields. Prof. WANG envisions, “This nature-inspired research paved the way for numerous impactful applications. We believe that the freezing droplet ejection, as a prototype, could stimulate the development of self-powered concepts and methods for a wide range of purposes such as de-icing, energy harvesting and soft robotic applications.” Specifically, droplet ejection induced by volume expansion enhances understanding of multi-phase freezing dynamics for anti-icing applications. Prof. YAO remarked, “Our research demonstrates a strategy to efficiently harness and utilise the volume expansion work of freezing droplets to generate ballistic motion. This could subsequently expand the application of energy conversion phenomena, and inspire the development of droplet-based energy generators and soft robotic catapults.”

Prof. Jiao Zengbao Secures Highly Competitive RGC Collaborative Research Fund

The Research Grants Council (RGC) has recently announced the results of the Collaborative Research Fund (CRF) in 2024/25 exercise. Out of 402 eligible applications, 42 research projects were granted funding, totaling HK$239.8 million. In this highly competitive round, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) secured support for 14 projects from the CRF, comprising eight funded by the Collaborative Research Project Grant (CRPG), three by the Collaborative Research Equipment Grant (CREG), and three by the Young Collaborative Research Grant (YCRG). PolyU ranked first among UGC-funded universities in both the total number of funded projects and the total awarded funding for CRF projects (including CRPG, CREG, and YCRG). The Department is particularly proud that Prof. Jiao Zengbao, Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering, was awarded the CRF Young Collaborative Research Grant (YCRG) for 2024/25. Prof. Jiao received HK$4.5 million to conduct a collaborative project entitled “Design of Ultrastrong, Ductile, and Thermally Stable Nanocrystalline Dual-Phase Alloys via Coherent Nano-Honeycomb Architectures.” By successfully securing funding through this highly competitive scheme, we reaffirm our commitment to fostering innovation and collaboration within our research community. It is encouraging to see our ME scholar recognized by the UGC for contributions to advancing scientific research in cutting-edge technologies.

4 Distinguished Alumni Honoured with the Outstanding Alumni Award 2024

The Department of Mechanical Engineering is very proud to have four distinguished graduates honoured the Outstanding Alumni Award this year in recognition of their professional, scholarly or entrepreneurial achievements and significant contributions to the Department, PolyU and the wider community. The awards are organized at the Department, Faculty, Graduate School and University levels. .containerclass { display: flex; align-items: center; /* Aligns items vertically */ gap: 10px; /* Space between text and image */ } .imageclass { height: auto; /* Maintain aspect ratio */ max-height: 20em; /* Set max height to match text size */ width: auto; /* Let width adjust automatically */ } /* Responsive styles */ @media (max-width: 600px) { .containerclass { flex-direction: column; /* Stack items vertically on small screens */ align-items: flex-start; /* Align items to the start */ } }   Outstanding PolyU Alumni Award 2024 The Outstanding PolyU Alumni Award 2024 Presentation Ceremony was successfully held at Hotel ICON on 16 December 2024. Over 200 guests attended the event, including many past award recipients who gathered to celebrate this special occasion. Mr SZE Wai Pan is one of the four recipients of the Outstanding PolyU Alumni Award this year. He founded Freetech Road Recycling Technology (Holdings) Limited in 1993, which is the only Hong Kong-based green road maintenance company listed on the Main Board of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. Mr SZE has led his company in undertaking major projects across more than 30 provinces, cities, and autonomous regions in Mainland China, as well as in Southeast Asia. Utilizing its hot-in-place recycling technology, Freetech has completed projects that have achieved a reduction in carbon emissions of 1.5 million tons. His remarkable career and contributions to the field of mechanical engineering make him a deserving recipient of this accolade.   PolyU Graduate School Outstanding Research Postgraduate Alumni Award 2024 Prof. LI Bing is the recipient of this year’s PolyU Graduate School Outstanding Research Postgraduate Alumni Award. He, along with three other young alumni awardees, was recognized in the PolyU Senate Room on 18 December 2024. Prof. LI began his research journey at PolyU as a PhD student in the Department of Mechanical Engineering in 1999. After obtaining his doctoral degree, he joined Maxbright Engineering Limited as Engineering Director. He later pursued an academic career at the Shenzhen Graduate School of Harbin Institute of Technology in 2004, where he was promoted to full professor within two years. Prof. LI currently serves as the Vice President of Harbin Institute of Technology, Shenzhen. Outstanding Alumni Award of PolyU Faculty of Engineering 2024 During the PolyU 30th Congregation held at the Jockey Club Auditorium on 16 November 2024, the Faculty of Engineering presented the Outstanding Alumni Award in Professional Achievement to Ir Dr LEE Chi Hong, Barry, and the Outstanding Young Alumni Award in Professional Achievement to Mr KWOK Siu Lun, Alan. Ir Dr LEE, the Immediate Past President of the Hong Kong Institution of Engineers (HKIE), has established himself as a respected engineering professional due to his expertise, leadership, and passion. Currently, he serves as the Chief Executive Officer of Associated Engineers Limited, a reputable multi-disciplinary E&M engineering firm established in 1961. Mr KWOK Siu Lun, Alan, serves as the Director of Industrial Design at a leading surgical robot company, driving innovation in non-invasive surgery. His leadership includes guiding clinical usability studies with surgeons to ensure that his designs prioritize safety and performance. Outstanding Alumni Award of PolyU Department of Mechanical Engineering 2024 The Department of Mechanical Engineering is pleased to present the Outstanding Alumni Award in Professional Achievement to Ir Dr LEE Chi Hong, Barry, and the Outstanding Young Alumni Award in Professional Achievement to Mr KWOK Siu Lun, Alan. The award presentation will take place during the Alumni Mentorship Dinner on 23 January 2025. We extend our heartiest congratulations to all four awardees!

PolyU and Tsinghua University Department of Mechanical Engineering Sign Student Exchange Agreement

Prof. XIONG Zhuo, Secretary of the Party Committee of Tsinghua University’s Department of Mechanical Engineering (THU ME), led a delegation to The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) on December 17, 2024, to sign a Student Exchange Agreement aimed at strengthening collaboration and student exchange between the two universities. Prof. SU Zhongqing, Head of PolyU ME, and Prof. ZHOU Ming, Deputy Head of THU ME (Research, External Affairs), signed the agreement, which was witnessed by Prof. H.C. MAN, Dean of the Faculty of Engineering at PolyU, and Prof. XIONG. This collaboration seeks to promote the holistic development of students, particularly by broadening their global perspectives and enhancing cultural exchanges. The ceremony began with an inspiring welcome speech from Prof. MAN, who expressed his enthusiasm for collaborating with THU ME and his hopes for more students to participate in the exchange programme. Prof. XIONG also expressed his anticipation for future collaboration opportunities between the two institutions. During the ceremony, Prof. SU provided an overview of recent developments in PolyU ME, while Prof. ZHOU presented a comprehensive history of THU ME, highlighting its outstanding achievements and research outcomes. This sharing fostered a deeper understanding between PolyU ME and THU ME. Following the ceremony, the delegation toured PolyU ME's Acoustics Laboratory, Water Tunnel Laboratory and Nature-Inspired Engineering Laboratory, and University Research Facility in 3D Printing, gaining valuable insights into PolyU's research developments and directions. Founded in 1932, the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Tsinghua University is one of the institution’s earliest engineering departments. It plays a crucial role in advancing China’s industrial capabilities and fostering innovation in mechanical engineering.

ME PhD Graduate received 2024 Young Scientist Award

Congratulations to Dr Liang Zhaojian, a PhD graduate from the Department of Mechanical Engineering, has been awarded the 2024 Young Scientist Award in the Physical/Mathematical Science category, conferred by the Hong Kong Institution of Science (HKIS) at the HKIS 31st Annual Conference held on 07 Dec 2024. This prestigious award was established to reward young scientists in Hong Kong who exhibit great promise in their field of study. The award is open to all postgraduate research students who are pursuing an MPhil or PhD degree in any of the tertiary institutions in Hong Kong, as well as those who have graduated recently (within 2 years of graduation). Each year, HKIS will confer three winners, which are in the fields of Physical/Mathematical Science, Life Science and Engineering Science, respectively. Dr Liang is the winner in the field of Physical/Mathematical Science this year. Each award winner will receive a cash prize of $10,000 and a certificate of recognition. Dr Liang completed his PhD in Mechanical Engineering at Hong Kong Polytechnic University, under the guidance of Dr Li Mengying, Assistant Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering. His research focuses on understanding the transient behaviors of solid oxide electrolysis cells (SOECs). This work provides valuable insights for safer and more efficient systems for green hydrogen production, advancing the transition to carbon neutrality.  

ME received accolade at 4th Asia Exhibition of Innovations and Inventions Hong Kong

Impactful innovations from The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) won a total of 18 accolades at the 4th Asia Exhibition of Innovations and Inventions Hong Kong (AEII), a widely recognised annual event devoted exclusively to invention. Organised by The Hong Kong Exporters’ Association in partnership with Palexpo, the organiser of the International Exhibition of Inventions Geneva, AEII is a prestigious annual exhibition and competition dedicated to innovations and inventions in Asia. The Department is pleased that Dr Randolph Leung, Associate Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, and Dr Dongfang Li, a PhD graduate from the Department, have been awarded a Silver Medal for their innovative work. This achievement underscores the commitment of the ME community—faculty and alumni alike—to embracing research breakthroughs. Silver Medal .color-button { background-color: #C0c0c0; color: white; transition: background-color 0.3s; transform: skew(-30deg); } .text_format { display: inline-block; transform: skew(30deg); } .color-button2 { background-color: #CD7F32; color: white; transition: background-color 0.3s; transform: skew(-30deg); } Real-time traffic noise identity extraction Principal Investigator: Dr LEUNG Chi Kin Randolph, Associate Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering  Road traffic noise has garnered significant attention in modern urban environments, such as Hong Kong, for its extensive adverse effects on health, society, and the economy. With the increasing adoption of electric vehicles (EVs), tyre/road noise has become the principal source of traffic noise pollution. A groundbreaking technology has been developed to improve the quantification capabilities of the widely employed Close Proximity (CPX) method for measuring tyre/road noise on urban roads. This innovation facilitates real-time measurement of the sound power level of tyre/road noise, providing a definitive metric for noise sources that are less affected by the varying measurement conditions typical of urban settings like Hong Kong. This technology stands out globally for its exceptional robustness, accuracy, and repeatability in real-time assessments. The results obtained from this technology furnish an absolute noise metric that aids in the predicting and managing urban traffic noise nuisance, which is increasingly influenced by the popularity of electric vehicles.

ME Retreat in Dec 2024

The Department successfully hosted its staff retreat at WM Hotel, Sai Kung, on December 3rd and 4th, 2024. The primary focus of the retreat was to address challenges related to curriculum reform and discuss strategies for departmental development. The retreat began with a warm welcome from Prof. Su Zhongqing, who introduced our newly joined colleagues: Dr Zhang Baoping, Dr Fu Yiqiang, Dr Jin Yuankai, and Ms Anthea Mak. We are excited to have such young and promising talents on board. Prof. Su then provided an overview of the Department along with the latest updates. Following this, Dr Yao Haimin, Associate Head (Teaching and Learning), introduced a proposed new MSc programme. In the afternoon, Dr Yao reviewed efforts made to enhance local undergraduate recruitment and led a discussion on the new IRE programme focused on robot design, addressing upcoming strategies and challenges. Dr Tracy Choy, Publicity Committee Chair, initiated a brainstorming session to explore ideas for enhancing the Department's branding and public image. Furthermore, colleagues received updates on the mock Research Assessment Exercise (RAE) and preparations for RAE 2026. A topic raised by Dr Tang Hui, Associate Head (Research), regarding the admission policy for research postgraduate students and departmental place allocation sparked lively discussions. Dr Li Mengying, the Research Student Liaison Officer, took the opportunity to propose renaming the PolyU ME Research Presentation Competition. In the evening, promoted colleagues Prof. Zheng Guangping and Dr David Navarro-Alarcon hosted a delightful dinner for all attendees. The delicious food and wine created an enjoyable atmosphere for everyone. The following day, the meeting resumed, with Dr Curtis Ng, Secretary of the Space Allocation Committee, addressing space issues and providing updates on lab renovations. Towards the end of the retreat, Prof. Su led an open forum that encouraged vibrant discussion among staff members. The feedback gathered during this forum will provide valuable insights for the Department’s future development. With over 30 staff members in attendance, the retreat was deemed insightful and constructive, setting a positive tone for the year ahead.

The 10th East Asia Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Workshop

The 10th East Asia Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Workshop (EAMAE-2024) was very successfully held in National Cheng Kung University, Taiwan on 21-23 November 2024. EAMAE-2024 was the tenth one in this annual workshop series. Four top-notch universities in the East Asia region, i.e., Hokkaido University, Korea University, National Cheng Kung University and Hong Kong Polytechnic University, are the main participating universities. This workshop series has created a platform not only for academics from these four universities to exchange ideas and views in the broad area of mechanical and aerospace engineering, but also for research students to mingle together and exchange their learning and research experiences. The workshop has been interrupted since 2020 as a result of the COVID. Now, the alliance of four universities has decided to resume this annual event, EAMAE-2024 has extended the success that has been well maintained by previous workshops in Seoul (2011 & 2015 & 2019), Tainan (2012 & 2016), Sapporo (2013 & 2017) and Hong Kong (2014 & 2018). Approximately 100 participants participated in EAMAE-2024, delivering about 35 oral presentations in 4 parallel sessions, i.e., Energy, Biomechanics, Aerodynamics as well as Control and Structure. Professors from each of the four universities were invited to deliver keynote lectures. The event also featured poster presentations by students, showcasing their research and fostering engagement. Meanwhile, discussions were made among the participating departments on continuing the facilitating of student exchange programmes. All these elements contributed to making EAMAE-2024 one of the significant events in this series history. Our PolyU ME team won four awards this year. We are very proud of their fabulous presentations and excellent research work. They demonstrated exceptional academic presentation and research communication skills, effectively explaining their research and its significance to audiences. EAMAE-2024 was also highlighted with elaborately designed social activities reflecting the culture of Taiwan. These activities include traditional lunch at the Local Chicken Restaurant, Excursion Trip in Wushantou Reservoir and some others in which participants mingled together and had a lot of fun. Prof. SU Zhongqing, Head of the Department of Mechanical Engineering and Chair Professor of Intelligent Structures and Systems, attended this annual event with 7 academic staff and 14 research students who had fully committed themselves to preparation of this event. It was the aspirations, hard work, and devoted efforts from this group of staff and students that have made EAMAE-2024 another successful event in this workshop series. The next EAMAE will be hosted by Hokkaido University in Sapporo in 2025. Awardee Award Presentation Title Supervisor Mr LI Jinze  Best Poster Award 1st Place  The Study of the Slow-Sound Effect of an Acoustic Resonator  Prof. CHENG Li  Dr LEE Hoi Yin  Best Poster Award 2nd Place  Incremental-Based Non-Prehensile Tool Manipulation in Object Retrieval Under Environmental Constraints Dr David NAVARRO-ALARCON  Ms SUN Siqi  Merit Award In Situ Multi-Directional Liquid Manipulation Enabled by 3D Asymmetric Fang-Structured Surface Prof. WANG Liqiu  Mr LI Weisong  Merit Award Biomimetic Electrochemical CO2 Capture and Release System Dr ZHANG Xiao