News

Prof. SONG Haiyan appointed to Hainan’s Expert Advisory Group for High-Quality Development of Tourism

Prof. SONG Haiyan, Director of the Research Centre for Digital Transformation of Tourism (RCDTT) and Associate Dean and Chair Professor of the School of Hotel and Tourism Management, has been appointed as a Member of the Expert Advisory Group for High-Quality Development of Tourism in Hainan, for a term of three years. The Hainan Provincial Committee and the Hainan Provincial Government recently established the Expert Advisory Group for High-Quality Development of Tourism, with the aim to enhance the consultative decision-making for high-quality tourism development. The advisory group has appointed Mr LUO Shugang, Member of the Standing Committee of the 14th National People’s Congress (NPC), Director of the Education, Science, Culture and Public Health Committee of the NPC, and Former Minister of Culture and Tourism, as the Chief Expert, and 15 expert consultants to assist in promoting the high-quality development of Hainan’s cultural and tourism industry. Online coverage: Toutiao - https://polyu.me/4d013sY

Prof. Hector TSANG delivers psychosocial service practitioner training course in Guangzhou

Prof. Hector TSANG, Member of the Mental Health Research Centre (MHRC) and Chair Professor of Rehabilitation Sciences, was invited to give lecture for the “Third Round of 2024 Psychosocial Service Competency Training Course” in Baiyun District, Guangzhou.   Prof. Tsang elaborated on three areas including “mental health and mental illness”, “the continuum of mental health interventions” and “the concept and elements of recovery”, and cited cases to introduce the important role of occupational therapy in the field of mental health. He said that the promotion, prevention, early intervention, clinical treatment, long-term treatment and management of mental health are closely interlinked and coordinated. Mental health intervention is a continuous process, and mental health promotion is a society-wide movement, which requires the participation and support of all sectors of society. The prevention of mental illness cannot be overlooked, and it requires different levels of prevention, as well as the need for early detection, early diagnosis and treatment, and early recovery.   In addition, Prof. Tsang introduced the key value of the concept of recovery in mental rehabilitation, emphasising that its purpose is to enable persons with mental illness to participate in meaningful daily activities and to use community resources for enhanced participation. He also introduced the division of work and collaboration in different stages in mental health services, and highlighted the work and importance of the occupational therapy.   NetEase - https://polyu.me/4feB6rn Sohu - https://polyu.me/4fkW7k4 Toutiao - https://polyu.me/3yg0I6s

PAIR Research Impact Video Series | Episode 2 | Illuminating eye health: Red light can reduce the dioptre of near-sightedness

The PolyU Academy for Interdisciplinary Research (PAIR) is pleased to present the second episode of the PAIR Research Impact Video Series. The Series invites PAIR researchers to share their latest research achievements and solutions to major challenges in the society. In this episode, Prof. HE Mingguang, Director of the Research Centre for SHARP Vision (RCSV), introduces his team’s research on a new technology named Repeated Low-Level Red Light (RLRL) therapy, that is, a user-friendly, affordable, safe and clinically proven treatment solutions that slow the progression of myopia.  Prof. He also shares the news of PolyU joining the Global SPECS Network hosted by the World Health Organization (WHO)!  At RCSV, Prof. He and other members 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. Watch the video now and learn how PAIR helps reducing myopia in children! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K90VS2iXC_A

Mechanical and materials engineering expert to deliver distinguished lecture on shape programmable 3D mesostructures and functional devices

PAIR cordially invites you to join our Distinguished Lecture on 8 August 2024 (Thursday) at 2:30pm–4:00pm (Hong Kong time) on PolyU campus. The lecture titled “Shape Programmable Three-Dimensional Mesostructures and Functional Devices” will be delivered by Prof. HUANG Yonggang, Jan and Marcia Achenbach Professor of Mechanical Engineering, Civil and Environmental Engineering, and Materials Science and Engineering, Northwestern University, United States. Review the lecture online! A rapidly expanding research area involves the development of routes to shape programmable three-dimensional (3D) structures with feature sizes in the mesoscopic range (that is, between tens of nanometres and hundreds of micrometres). A goal is to establish methods to control the properties of materials systems and the function of devices, though not only static architectures, but also morphable structures and shape-shifting processes. Soft matter equipped with responsive components can switch between designed shapes, but cannot support the types of dynamic morphing capabilities needed to reproduce continuous shape-shifting processes of interest for many applications. Challenges lie in the establishment of 3D assembly/fabrication techniques compatible with wide classes of materials and 3D geometries, and schemes to program target shapes after fabrication. In this talk, Prof. Huang will introduce a mechanics-guided assembly approach that exploits controlled buckling for constructing complex 3D micro/nanostructures from patterned two-dimensional (2D) micro/nanoscale precursors that can be easily formed using established semiconductor technologies. This approach applies to a very broad set of materials (e.g., semiconductors, polymers, metals, and ceramics) and even their heterogeneous integration, over a wide range of length scales (e.g., from 100 nm to 10 cm). To allow realisation of 3D mesostructures that are capable of qualitative shape reconfiguration, Prof. Huang and his team devise a loading-path controlled strategy that relies on elastomer platforms deformed in different time sequences to elastically alter the 3D geometries of supported mesostructures via nonlinear buckling. He will also introduce a recent work on shape programmable soft surface, constructed from a matrix of filamentary metal traces, driven by programmable, distributed electromagnetic forces that follow from the passage of electrical currents in the presence of a static magnetic field. Under the guidance of a mechanics model-based strategy to solve the inverse problem, the surface can morph into a wide range of 3D target shapes and shape-shifting processes. The compatibility of such approaches with the state-of-the-art fabrication/processing techniques, along with the versatile capabilities, allow transformation of diverse existing 2D microsystems into complex configurations, providing unusual design options in the development of novel functional devices. Prof. Huang is the Achenbach Professor of Mechanical Engineering, Civil and Environmental Engineering, and Materials Science and Engineering at Northwestern University. He is interested in mechanics of stretchable and flexible electronics, and mechanically guided deterministic 3D assembly. He has published 2 books and more than 700 journal papers and book chapters, including 15 in Science and 7 in Nature. He is a Highly Cited Researcher in Engineering (2009), in Materials Science (since 2014), in Physics (2018), and is ranked #4 worldwide in the 2024 Ranking of Best Scientists in the field of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering by Research.com. Prof. Huang is a member of the US National Academy of Engineering (NAE), US National Academy of Sciences, a fellow of American Academy of Arts and Sciences, a foreign member of the Royal Society (London), Chinese Academy of Sciences, and 5 other academies in Europe and Canada. He has received research awards from the American Society of Civil Engineers, American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), International Union of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics, John Simon Guggenheim Foundation, and Society of Engineering Sciences (SES). He has received teaching or undergraduate advising awards from all universities he has taught. He is (was) the Editor-in-Chief of 4 international journals, including Applied Mechanics Reviews since 2022, and its impact factor increased from ~7 in 2021 to 14.3 in 2023. He was the SES President (2014), Chairman of the ASME Applied Mechanics Division (2019-2020), was the chair of the election committee and is the incoming chair of the mechanical engineering section of NAE. In 2024, SES renamed its Engineering Science Medal to Yonggang Huang Engineering Science Medal. Don’t miss the chance to learn from Prof. Huang!

Prof. POON Chi-sun shares development and application of Eco-blocks in RTHK radio programme

Prof. POON Chi-sun, Director of the Research Centre for Resources Engineering towards Carbon Neutrality (RCRE), Michael Anson Professor in Civil Engineering, Chair Professor of Sustainable Construction Materials and Head of Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, was featured in RTHK’s radio programme “Infinite Future”, sharing that he has worked for over 20 years on the research on Eco-blocks, a type of green construction material produced from construction and other waste materials. He also shared his vision, hoping that the low-carbon concrete materials developed in the future can be used as structural materials in buildings.   Online coverage: RTHK - https://polyu.me/46grSH5 (00:15 - 05:13)

Two PAIR scholars elected to HKAES Young Member Section

Congratulations to two PAIR scholars, Prof. CHAI Yang, Associate Dean of the Faculty of Science (Research) and Professor in the Department of Applied Physics, and Prof. Tommy WEI Minchen, Professor in the Department of Building Environment and Energy Engineering, on their election to the Young Member Section of the Hong Kong Academy of Engineering Sciences (HKAES) in 2024! Prof. Chai is currently a Management Committee Member of the Research Institute for Intelligent Wearable Systems (RI-IWEAR), and a Member of the Photonics Research Institute (PRI), the Otto Poon Charitable Foundation Research Institute for Smart Energy (RISE) and the Research Institute for Artificial Intelligence of Internet of Things (RIAIoT). Prof. Wei is a Management Committee Member of the Photonics Research Institute (PRI), and a Member of the Research Institute for Sustainable Urban Development, the Research Centre for SHARP Vision (RCSV) and the Research Centre for Digital Transformation of Tourism (RCDTT).  The HKAES Young Member Section, comprising engineering professionals at or under the age of 45 at the time of admission, serves as a platform for members to connect, collaborate, and contribute to the development of engineering and science in Hong Kong.

Sr Prof. Charles WONG Man-sing appointed as Member of Energy Advisory Committee of the Environment and Ecology Bureau by the HKSAR government

Sr Prof. Charles WONG Man-sing, Management Committee Member of the Research Institute for Land and Space (RILS), Associate Director of the Research Institute for Sustainable Urban Development (RISUD), Member of the Otto Poon Charitable Foundation Smart Cities Research Institute (SCRI) and Associate Dean of the Faculty of Construction and Environment, was appointed as a Member of the Energy Advisory Committee of the Environment and Ecology Bureau by the HKSAR government, for a term of two years, with effect from 15 July 2024. The Committee advises the government on energy policy, including policy matters concerning energy supply and demand, energy conservation and efficiency, and other related matters. HKSAR Government press release: https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202407/15/P2024071500801.htm

Dr SHOU Dahua bestowed PolyU Graduate School Outstanding Research Postgraduate Young Alumni

Congratulations to Dr SHOU Dahua, Member of the Research Institute for Intelligent Wearable Systems (RI-IWEAR), the Research Institute for Sports Science and Technology (RISports) and the Research Centre of Textiles for Future Fashion (RCTFF), Limin Endowed Young Scholar in Advanced Textiles Technologies and Associate Professor in the School of Fashion and Textiles, for receiving the PolyU Graduate School Outstanding Research Postgraduate Young Alumni Award 2024. Dr Shou’s research interests include personal thermal and moisture management, advanced textiles, intelligent wearables, and soft robotics. He has published nearly 100 papers in renowned academic journals and holds three U.S. patents and over ten Chinese patents. He is also the leader of over 20 research projects supported by various funding schemes of the government and the University Grants Committee. He is also the founding Programme Leader of the MSc in Intelligent Wearable Technology at PolyU. Dr Shou received the Distinguished Achievement Award from The Fiber Society in 2023, a prestigious honour awarded to only one recipient worldwide annually. He was listed among the Top 2% of Scientists Worldwide in 2022 and 2023. Additionally, he won the Gold Medal at the 49th Geneva International Exhibition of Inventions in 2024, and received the TechConnect Global Innovation Awards in 2021 and 2022. He serves as an associate editor and editorial board member for seven SCI journals (Q1/Q2). He will chair The Fiber Society Spring 2025 Conference at PolyU.

PolyU collaborates with HKI Biotechnology to establish joint laboratory for biotech innovation

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) has entered into a formal collaboration with HKI Biotechnology Limited to foster biotechnology research, with the aim of driving biotech innovations to contribute to the development of drugs and treatments for ophthalmic and systemic diseases. An agreement signing cum inauguration ceremony for the establishment of the “PolyU–HuiKang Joint Laboratory for Biotech Innovation” was held on 16 July 2024. The agreement was signed by Prof. Christopher CHAO, Vice President (Research and Innovation) of PolyU, and Mr SUN Jian, Director of HKI Biotechnology Limited, under the witness of PolyU representatives including Prof. CHEN Qingyan, Director of PolyU Academy for Interdisciplinary Research; Prof. KEE Chea-su, Head and Professor of School of Optometry; Prof. He Mingguang, Director of Research Centre for SHARP Vision, and HuiKang representatives including Mr ZHANG Xiaoqi, Vice President; Mr LI Yuan, General Manager of R&D Business Department; and Ms CHENG Yunlong, Chief Financial Officer. The ceremony was also attended by Mr Victor ZHAO, Associate Director of Research Innovation Office of PolyU; Dr GE Ming, Commissioner for Industry (Innovation and Technology)of Innovation, Technology and Industry Bureau, HKSAR; and Mr ZHANG Keke, Advisor of Shenzhen–Hong Kong–Macau Science and Technology Alliance and Former Vice Chairman of Shenzhen Association for Science and Technology. At the ceremony, Prof. Christopher Chao said that this university-industry research collaboration would combine PolyU’s research strengths in life science and engineering, and HuiKang’s industrial expertise in peptide technology and drug developmentto open up new directions for target discovery and drug development. Under the agreement, the two parties will conduct collaborative research projects, share research facilities and equipment, promote knowledge exchange and develop research talents. The Joint Laboratory will be operated by the Research Centre for SHARP Vision of PolyU and HKI Biotechnology Limited. It will focus on research on “Peptide Screening and Application Solutions” with the goal of advancing peptide drug discovery and enhancing high-throughput screening technologies. It will also focus on the transformation of outcomes from projects on “Human Lysozyme Eye Drops” into novel pharmaceuticals. (English only)

Prof. WONG Ka-hing shares novel food waste-derived 3D printing materials on RTHK TV programme

Prof. WONG Ka-hing, Director of the Research Institute for Future Food (RiFood) and Professor in the Department of Food Science and Nutrition, was featured on RTHK’s TV programme “Hong Kong United” to introduce the novel food waste-derived 3D printing materials developed by his team. The materials are made from the upcycling of spent coffee grounds and tea leaves, combined with polylactic acid (PLA). The novel printing materials can be used in Fused Deposition Modelling (FDM), a commonly used 3D printing method, for the production of modular furniture and display goods. Online coverage: RTHK - https://polyu.me/4f2C89N (08:58 - 14:47) (Chinese only)