Prof. Wang Zuankai, Associate Vice President (Research and Innovation) and Chair Professor of Nature-Inspired Engineering in the Department of Mechanical Engineering; and Prof. Zheng Yongping, Henry G. Leong Professor in Biomedical Engineering, Chair Professor of Biomedical Engineering, and Director of Research Institute for Smart Ageing, were awarded the inaugural BOCHK Science and Technology Innovation Prize, in recognition of their research excellence in the fields of “Advanced Manufacturing” and “Life and Health” respectively.

Prof. Wang has explored the use of nature-inspired surfaces for a wide range of applications such as water energy harvesting, thermal cooling, fluid transport and flexible electronics. He is also recognised in the “Advanced Manufacturing” field for his multidisciplinary research and breakthrough achievements at the interface of advanced manufacturing, surface science, fluid mechanisms, thermal energy, materials science and physics.

Impressively, his research has helped solve three historical scientific problems: 1) what the shortest contact time between a solid and liquid is, 2) how to steer directional liquid flow, and 3) how to overcome the Leidenfrost effect first discovered in 1756.

Prof. Zheng is the other awardee who is recognised in the "life and Health" field. Obtaining over 50 patents and being ranked as one of the world’s top 2% most-cited scientists by Stanford University, he focuses his research on biomedical ultrasound instrumentation, soft tissue elasticity measurement and imaging, 3D ultrasound imaging, and smart ageing technologies.

“Scolioscan Air”, the 3D ultrasound imaging system for radiation-free scoliosis assessment invented by the research team led by Prof. Zheng, has been applied to clinical assessments in many countries to facilitate early diagnosis and treatment of scoliosis, and to control the condition using non-surgical intervention.

The BOCHK Science and Technology Innovation Prize is a non-governmental merit-based award aiming at facilitating the development of science and technology innovation in Hong Kong by rewarding outstanding researchers. Each awardee will be given a HK$2 million cash prize.