News

Distinguished lecture on battery fast charging for sustainable electrification presented by Penn State's Prof. WANG Chao-yang

Prof. WANG Chao-Yang of The Pennsylvania State University delivered the 13th PAIR Distinguished Lecture titled “Battery Fast Charging for Sustainable Electrification” on 27 February 2024. The hybrid lecture attracted over 230 participants joining in person and online from more than 20 countries and regions across Australia, Asia, Europe and North America. It was also broadcast live on multiple social media platforms, captivating online viewing audience of over 13,100. The lecture commenced with a welcome speech video by Prof. CHEN Qingyan, Director of PAIR, followed by a brief speaker introduction by Prof. LI Ping, Dean of the Faculty of Humanities, Sin Wai Kin Foundation Professor in Humanities and Technology and Chair Professor of Neurolinguistics and Bilingual Studies. In his presentation, Prof. Wang first gave some background information about the economics of battery fast charging for electric vehicle (EV), pointing out the importance of fast charging in enabling EV affordability and sustainable electrification. He then highlighted the current challenges in fast battery charging at all temperatures and presented the asymmetric temperature modulation (ATM) approach. The ATM method enables 10-minute fast charging of energy-dense Li-ion batteries at any temperature (even at -60°C) while still delivering remarkable cycle life. Next, he presented the novel thermal management concepts for extremely fast charging in both extreme cold and hot conditions and emphasised the need for battery technology that enables both fast-charging and high-temperature stability. To conclude, Prof. Wang believed that the future of battery technology lies in Lean Energy Storage Systems (LESS) coupled with ubiquitous fast charging, which can provide affordable and safe mobile energy. This would require research development to bring forth a new paradigm of battery design and thermal management without having to trade-off between fast charge, safety, lifetime, and cost. A question-and-answer session moderated by Prof. Li followed. The audience had a fruitful discussion with Prof. Wang. Please click here for an online review:

Prof. Christopher CHAO shares PolyU’s carbon neutrality strategies with Sing Tao Daily

Prof Christopher CHAO, Vice President (Research and Innovation) of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU), was featured in Sing Tao Daily, sharing PolyU’s strategies for carbon neutrality. He mentioned that PolyU has research units covering a wide range of areas in green technology, including novel catalytic technologies for green ammonia production, green textiles, and valorisation of solid wastes. He also said that PolyU has set a goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2045, and the University’s Task Force on Campus Carbon Neutrality is committed to translating research results of basic low-carbon technologies in complement with campus governance and artificial intelligence technologies, to attain the goal. As the largest interdisciplinary research hub in the Guangdong–Hong Kong–Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA), the PolyU Academy for Interdisciplinary Research (PAIR) will fully support the University’s efforts in achieving carbon neutrality, by bringing together its constituent research units, including the Research Institute for Artificial Intelligence of Things, the Otto Poon Charitable Foundation Smart Cities Research Institute, the Otto Poon Charitable Foundation Research Institute for Smart Energy, the Research Institute for Sustainable Urban Development, the Research Centre for Resource Engineering towards Carbon Neutrality, the Research Centre of Textile for Future Fashion, etc., to bring forth green tech innovations.   Online coverage: Sing Tao Daily - https://rb.gy/apmt46

RISUD develops biomineralisation technique to prevent microbial corrosion in marine structures

Prof. LI Xiangdong, Dean of the Faculty of Construction and Environment, Director of the Research Institute for Sustainable Urban Development, Chair Professor of Environmental Science and Technology, Ko Jan Ming Professor in Sustainable Urban Development and his research team, have successfully developed a novel biomineralisation technique, which can effectively protect marine concrete from microbially induced corrosion, thereby contributing to the achievement of sustainable coastal structures. Sulphate-reducing bacteria (SRB) is a type of anaerobic bacteria which accelerates the production of hydrogen sulphide that can lead to material corrosion and deterioration. The biomineralisation technique developed by the team is an environmentally friendly coating method. It utilises carbon dioxide to produce mineral precipitates on concrete surfaces. This results in the formation of a biomineralised film, which acts as a protective layer to control sulphate diffusion and isolate concrete from the corrosive SRB. This biomineralisation strategy has strong potential for applications in various environments in which microbial corrosion occurs, such as marine environments, sewage environments, and water-cooling utilities. The research “Biomineralization to prevent microbially induced corrosion on concrete for sustainable marine infrastructure” was published in Environmental Science & Technology.  Further reading: https://polyu.hk/OXIRi Read the full article: https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.est.3c04680

Excel x Impact is now available online!

Check out the latest issue of Excel x Impact for articles featuring the interdisciplinary research and recent developments at PAIR: Reaching for the stars: PolyU’s contributions to national space exploration https://polyu.hk/bYxTP Researchers develop novel selenium nanoparticles for postmenopausal osteoporosis management https://polyu.hk/yLrMb PolyU receives substantial research funding from the Research Grants Council https://polyu.hk/WhXgp PolyU-nurtured startups win major innovation awards (Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area High-value Patent Portfolio Layout Competition 20233 - Gold Award - Telefield Medical Imaging Limited) https://polyu.hk/hQAGc 208 PolyU academics among world’s top 2% Scientists https://polyu.hk/xpshX 15 PolyU scholars named Highly Cited Researchers 2023 https://polyu.hk/pJPgh PolyU researchers win award for innovative music therapy system for the elderly https://polyu.hk/NTeSq

Prof. CHEN Sheng elected as Fellow of American Academy of Microbiology

Congratulations to Prof. CHEN Sheng, Member of the Research Institute for Future Food (RiFood), Head of the Department of Food Science and Nutrition, and Chair Professor of Microbiology, for being elected as a Fellow of the American Academy of Microbiology (AAM) for his outstanding scientific achievements and contributions that have advanced microbiology. Prof. Chen is the only scholar from Hong Kong elected to the Class of 2024.

MHRC Associate Director Prof. Sylvia CHEN elected as Fellow of Hong Kong Academy of the Humanities

We are delighted to announce that Prof. Sylvia Xiaohua CHEN, Associate Dean of the Faculty of Health and Social Sciences, Chair Professor of the Department of Applied Social Sciences, Associate Director of the Mental Health Research Centre (MHRC), and Director of the Yan Oi Tong Au Suet Ming Child Development Centre, has been elected as a Fellow of the Hong Kong Academy of the Humanities (HKAH). This prestigious recognition is a testament to Prof. Chen’s exceptional scholarship and her significant contributions to humanities and social sciences in Hong Kong. Prof. Chen’s research focuses on personality and social psychology, cross-cultural psychology, as well as the psychosocial and cultural aspects of mental health. She investigates the social impact of bilingualism and biculturalism, as well as the effects of cultural contexts on the psychological functioning of bilingual and bicultural individuals. Her research explores the influence of globalisation on the changes experienced by bicultural individuals in mindsets, values, beliefs and identifications as a result of acculturation. The HKAH was founded in 2011 with the main aims of giving recognition to scholarly excellence and providing a platform for advocacy on behalf of the humanities in Hong Kong. HKAH Fellows are recognised by their peers as scholars of the highest academic distinction, or eminent practitioners of the arts, and are honoured for their lifetime contributions to humanities.

MHRC Member Dr Jacky NG named APS Rising Star

Dr Jacky NG Chi-kit, Member of the Mental Health Research Centre (MHRC), has been selected as one of the Rising Stars of the Association for Psychological Science (APS). The Rising Star designation recognises outstanding APS members in the earliest stages of their post-PhD research career. Awardees were evaluated for their research excellence based on six criteria, including publications; recognitions; discoveries, methodological innovations, or theoretical or empirical contributions; work with potentially broad impact; commitment to diversity in science; and demonstrated independence from mentors. Dr Ng is dedicated to investigating various methodological artifacts in mediation and moderation models, and utilising these models to gain insights into various social phenomena. His research findings have been published in internationally renowned journals. Currently, Dr Ng’s research focuses on developing an implementation-friendly statistical tool to differentiate analytically equivalent models in moderation analysis and employing this tool to identify the mitigating factors for social media-induced depression.   The full list of 2024 APS Rising Stars is available at: https://www.psychologicalscience.org/members/awards-and-honors/aps-rising-stars/news-rising-stars

PolyU joins WHO Global SPECS Network, contributing towards 2030 global eye health target

We are pleased to announce that The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) has joined as a member institution of the Global SPECS Network hosted by the World Health Organization (WHO) in January 2024. The Network, which comprises representatives from inter-governmental organisations, non-governmental organisations, academic institutions, private sector and philanthropic foundations, promotes collective and coordinated advocacy and action towards the WHO SPECS 2030 target, that is to achieve a 40% increase in effective global coverage of refractive error by 2030. Prof. HE Mingguang, Director of the Research Centre for SHARP Vision (RCSV), serves as the primary representative of PolyU in meetings, communication and collaboration of the Network. The RCSV shall continue pursuing various impactful and international collaborations, with the goal to create knowledge and solutions for the promotion of healthy life-long sharp vision. Please visit here for the member list of the Network.

RCDTT celebrates official launch at inauguration ceremony

The inauguration ceremony of the Research Centre for Digital Transformation of Tourism (RCDTT) was successfully held on 19 February 2024. The plaque unveiling ceremony was held with the presence of officiating guests, including Prof. Gang LI, Professor of Tourism Economics and Director of the Centre for Competitiveness of the Visitor Economy, University of Surrey, UK; Prof. Jin-Guang TENG, PolyU President; Prof. Christopher CHAO, Vice President (Research and Innovation); Prof. Qingyan CHEN, Director of PolyU Academy for Interdisciplinary Research; Prof. Kaye CHON, Dean of School of Hotel and Tourism Management (SHTM); Ms Monica LEE-MULLER, Vice Chairman of SHTM Industry Advisory Committee; Prof. Haiyan SONG, Director of RCDTT; Prof. LI Qing, Co-Director of RCDTT; as well as Dr Dan WANG, Prof. Mimi LI and Prof. Dan WANG, Associate Directors of RCDTT. The RCDTT was established under PAIR to lead interdisciplinary research on optimising travel experiences and achieving environmental and business sustainability through digitally transforming tourism and related businesses. The inauguration of RCDTT marks PolyU’s stepped-up efforts in driving hospitality and tourism research and propelling the travel industry towards a “digital future”. We look forward to many exciting and impactful research outcomes from the Centre! Watch now: http://xhslink.com/md5OQB Visit RCDTT’s official website at: https://www.polyu.edu.hk/rcdtt/

Prof. Hector TSANG featured on TVB programme Pearl Magazine

Prof. Hector TSANG, Interim Director of the Mental Health Research Centre (MHRC) and Chair Professor of the Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, gave an interview to TVB’s programme “Pearl Magazine” to share his insights into the support needs of carers and the roles of the government and industry in supporting caregivers in Hong Kong. He mentioned that the support services for carers in Hong Kong are limited and fragmented; the existing services are mostly centre-based and require appointment booking in advance, and are therefore quite rigid. He suggested that the government can take reference from other countries to establish a clear set of laws or acts on the provision and coordination of support for caregivers. The programme shared findings of a relevant research study led by Prof. Tsang. The research pointed out that respite services are valuable resources for carers. It also showed that the utilisation rate of designated day respite services for the elderly in 2019–20 was only about 45%, indicating the needs to further improve the existing carer support system. Online coverage: TVB - https://polyu.me/3wsZVxy (4:47 – 5:59)  TVB - https://polyu.me/3TadAma (21:41 – 23:08)