PolyU has been awarded funding from the Areas of Excellence (AoE) Scheme 2020/21 (Ninth Round) of the Research Grants Council (RGC) in recognition of its research strengths.

The University will lead the “Meta-optics, Meta-acoustics and Meta-devices” project, one of four projects allocated funding by the RGC. The project has a HK$70 million budget, HK$65 million of which will come from the RGC, with the remaining amount contributed by PolyU and other collaborating universities. Professor Tsai Din-ping, Chair Professor of Nanophotonics and Head of Department of Electronic and Information Engineering of PolyU, will lead the project.

The project aims to develop novel meta-materials and meta-devices that can control and manipulate electromagnetic and acoustic waves. These new meta-devices can be used for novel applications in areas such as imaging, sensing, energy, communications, biomedicine, industrial manufacturing, artificial intelligence technology and quantum technology.

Professor Tsai said: “We expect this project will generate a new platform for intelligent artificial materials and devices with low energy consumption that are compatible with advanced manufacturing in micro- and nano-electronics industrial techniques for wearable or portable innovations. The intellectual property and innovations of the meta-devices will also be transferred to industry and business sectors. We believe the new knowledge will strategically transform and upgrade Hong Kong’s hi-tech industries.”

Professor Jin-Guang Teng, President of PolyU, said: “I would like to express my gratitude on behalf of the University for the RGC’s strong support of our research. Through our interdisciplinary research, we are dedicated to expanding human knowledge, addressing societal needs and making a positive impact on the world.”

PolyU is also participating in two other projects, namely “Aging, Skeletal Degeneration and Regeneration” and “2D Materials Research: Fundamentals Towards Emerging Technologies” led by The Chinese University of Hong Kong and the University of Hong Kong respectively. The approved budget for these two projects is HK$163 million. The total budget for all four selected projects in the ninth round of funding exceeds HK$304 million.