Mr YANG Yi, a PhD student from the Department of Mechanical Engineering at PolyU, won a Gold Medal at the 2024 Silicon Valley International Inventions Festival (SVIIF) held in the United States in July. Supervised by Prof. RUAN Haihui, Associate Professor from the same department, Mr YANG was the Principal Investigator of the award-winning project, "Thick Glassy Carbon Manufacturing and Physical Property Adjustment through Heat Treatment". 

The invention enables the production of large, cost-effective, shape-controlled glassy carbon products, and uses heat treatment to subsequently adjust their physical properties. Such strategies can help fine-tune the properties of glassy carbon to suit different applications and prolong product lifespans.

The SVIIF award that Mr YANG received serves as a catalyst for motivating the translation of research outcomes into practice. The glassy carbon technology has garnered attention from the Hong Kong Science Park and the PolyVentures Angel Fund for Discarbonery Technology Limited, a PolyU start-up he founded.

SVIIF is the largest event of its kind in the United States. The International Federation of Inventors' Associations is the organiser and host of the event. Supported and attended by multinational corporations, investors and entrepreneurs, it serves as a crucial platform for inventors and the business community to explore commercialisation opportunities and seek partnerships. SVIIF 2024 attracted participants from about 30 countries and regions, representing a wide range of academic institutions, research institutes and enterprises.