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PolyU hosted Academic Symposium on Carbon Neutrality and Smart and Healthy City to foster research collaboration between Hong Kong SAR and China

Aiming at enhancing the scientific research collaboration between Hong Kong SAR and China, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) held the 2022 Academic Symposium on Carbon Neutral and Smart and Healthy City on 29-30 August 2022. The event is funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) and the Beijing-Hong Kong Academic Exchange Centre (BHKAEC). Academic exchanges have been taken place to establish future research directions and explore innovative solutions in achieving carbon neutrality and building a smart healthy city. The two-day hybrid symposium gathered 33 renowned scientists from 16 universities in Hong Kong and China to share research findings in 5 major areas including "Carbon Neutrality and Sustainable Development", "Low Carbon Land and Urban Development", "Key Technologies for Smart and Energy-flexible Buildings in High-density Cities towards Carbon Neutrality", "Towards Future Smart Cities", and "Carbon Neutral Construction Materials". Top researchers also discussed strategies for reducing carbon emissions, accelerating the transformation of energy systems towards smart and zero-carbon healthy city, thus supporting the Nation’s achievement of the “dual carbon goals” with technological measures on energy system transformation, energy conservation and reduction of industries’ energy consumption and emission, strategic technology planning, and carbon capture.  Professor Jin-Guang Teng, President of PolyU, addressed on the opening ceremony that PolyU established PolyU Academy for Interdisciplinary Research (PAIR) in 2021 to facilitate interdisciplinary research and provide innovative solutions to global challenges such as climate change, population aging and food shortage. In order to achieve carbon neutrality, advanced technology and excellent talents are essential. Professor Teng hoped that the presentations and sharing of scholars from both sides in the two-day symposium would bring new ideas and thoughts to the development of "Smart Zero Carbon Emissions City". Mr. Zhang Yongtao, Officer of the Office of Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan Affairs of the NSFC remarked, “The symposium provides a platform for experts from Hong Kong and the Inland to exchange scientific progress and showcase their research results around the major strategy of carbon neutrality, and explore the hot issues at the forefront of a carbon-neutral smart and healthy city, and to build scientific consensus.” He also pointed out that NSFC attaches great importance to the scientific cooperation and exchange between the Inland and Hong Kong, and introduced the channels for Hong Kong researchers to receive direct support from NSFC in 2022.  The Symposium is co-organised by the PolyU Academy for Interdisciplinary Research (PAIR) and Research and Innovation Office (RIO). RIO, as a forward-looking department in the University, is devoted to propelling the University’s technology development and advances to benefit the society by providing all-rounded support to facilitate research endeavours within the PolyU community, and foster partnerships among universities, industries, governments, supranational bodies, and the public. PAIR is a central research platform consisting 16 research institutes and research centres which aspire to be a world leader in providing inter-disciplinary solutions for major social challenges. Among those, 5 research institutes have actively involved in facilitating carbon neutrality and smart healthy city, namely, Research Institute for Land and Space, Research Institute for Sustainable Urban Development, Otto Poon Charitable Foundation Smart Cities Research Institute, Otto Poon Charitable Foundation Research Institute for Smart Energy and Research Centre for Resources Engineering towards Carbon Neutrality.

RISE Member is awarded with Smart Traffic Fund

Congratulations to Dr Cao Sunliang, Member of the Otto Poon Charitable Founding Research Institute for Smart Energy for receiving HK$2.5M from the Smart Traffic Fund for his research project “The smart charging development of zero-emission autonomous electric vehicles by the X2V and V2X technologies with respect to the dynamic traffic, grid and energy information”. The project aims at developing a smart charging energy management system to recommend where, when and how to charge electric vehicles with a view to minimising mileage for locating available charging facilities. The Smart Traffic Fund was set up by the HKSAR government in 2019 to provide funding support to local organisations or enterprises for conducting research and application of innovation and technology with the objectives of enhancing commuting convenience, enhancing efficiency of the road network or road space, and improving driving safety.

PAIR scholar awarded National Excellence Young Scientists Fund

Congratulations to Dr Tommy Wei Minchen, Management Committee Member of the Photonics Research Institute, Member of the Research Institute for Sustainable Urban Development and the Research Centre for SHARP Vision , for receiving RMB2 million from the National Excellent Young Scientists Fund (Hong Kong and Macau) 2022.   The awarded project, “Colour Appearance Model and Colour Space”, aims to investigate colour appearance and difference under complicated conditions. The research findings can be used for various imaging systems, such as cameras, smartphones, drones and metaverse-related systems, which will be of great scientific and practical importance for colour science and industry. Under the National Natural Science Foundation of China, the Fund is granted annually to support young scholars who have attained achievements in research. Twenty-five projects in total were funded across Hong Kong and Macau this year. Sing Tao Daily - https://polyu.me/3AGJJZe Headline Daily - https://polyu.me/3Cnrppq Ta Kung Pao- https://polyu.me/3KkObQU Wen Wei Po - https://polyu.me/3Kbetox Bastille Post - https://polyu.me/3T8d5XI

Breakthrough in 2D Ferroelectric Materials Development

Prof. Daniel Lau, Head of the Department of Applied Physics, Associate Director of the Photonic Research Institute and Management Committee Member of the Otto Poon Charitable Foundation Research Institute for Smart Energy, and his research team have achieved a significant breakthrough in the research on 2D ferroelectric materials. The study has been published in a prestigious international journal, Science. The team has shown that non-ferroelectric nanomaterials—molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) and tungsten disulfide (WS2)—can be stacked to form a new heterogeneous crystal with ferroelectric properties. This new ferroelectric film is formed from the interaction between atoms of the two materials. The team also developed a simple method to prepare the new ferroelectric layers. The final product has only two molecular layers and is at the very limit of nanosized layer. This discovery is an important step to making ultra-thin electronics in a low-cost and replicable way, opening up the potential of new 2D ferroelectric materials. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/gHxNxUpM

PolyU space experiment competition seeds future generation of innovation and technology talents

PolyU successfully held a Science Experiment Competition for secondary school students on 4 August as part of the “Science World: Exploring Space to Benefit Mankind” science education programme. Teams from the Diocesan Boys’ School (DBS), Diocesan Girls’ School and St. Paul’s Convent School were awarded the championship, first runners-up and second runners-up prizes respectively. Prof. Ben Young, VP(SGA), said he hoped the competition could encourage contestants' future participation in various areas of scientific research.   The winning proposal by DBS students aims to study how lizards adapt to the microgravity environment and cosmic radiation in by comparing the volume and density of the lizards’ cells on Earth and in space. The proposed project can potentially help probe into the factors that affect cell metabolism. Prof. Yung Kai-leung, Director of Research Centre for Deep Space Explorations (#RCDSE), Chairman of the judging panel, encouraged the students to improve their proposals to meet the stringent requirements on the space station. He also encouraged PolyU students to visit the Mainland and expand their horizons, understanding the R&D potential and opportunities in our nation.

Member of the MHRC conferred the title of “Presidential Young Scholar"

We are pleased to announce that Dr Georg Kranz, Member of the Mental Health Research Centre (#MHRC), has been conferred the title of “Presidential Young Scholar” for a period of three years from 1 July 2022. Dr Kranz will be awarded a start-up grant in support of his career development. The Presidential Young Scholars Scheme was recently established by the University to support outstanding Assistant Professors and Associate Professors aged 45 and under who have conducted/ led world-leading research that is commensurate with the stage of their academic career. Selected Assistant Professors should have published a significant amount of world-leading research as a main author.

PAIR members receive the InnoStars Award 2021 from Our Hong Kong Foundation

Congratulations to Prof. To Chi-ho, Director of the Research Centre for SHARP Vision (RCSV) and Member of the Research Centre for Chinese Medicine Innovation (RCMI), and Mr Ling Kar-kan, Member of the Research Institute for Land and Space and Research Institute for Smart Ageing, for receiving the InnoStars Award 2021 from Our Hong Kong Foundation. Online coverage: SCMP - https://polyu.me/3oFAmSV (subscription required) Sing Tao Daily - https://polyu.me/3BnjQP6 Headline Daily - https://polyu.me/3bfWwrK Wen Wei Po - https://polyu.me/3JjZQ1U Bastille Post - https://polyu.me/3Q12AmO Sina - https://polyu.me/3OKZZwh

Industry Visit: Shanghai Pharmaceuticals Holding Co. (SPH) on 5 August 2022

PolyU researchers actively collaborate with industry to translate their research outcomes and innovations into solutions that respond to the needs of society. A delegation comprising 18 senior management members of the Shanghai Pharmaceuticals Holding Co. (SPH), including Mr Cho Man, Executive Director and President, visited the University last Friday and were greeted by Dr Miranda Lou, PolyU Executive Vice President and Prof. Kwok-yin Wong, PolyU Vice President (Education). Prof. Tao Xiaoming, Acting Director of the PolyU Academy for Interdisciplinary Research and the research team from the Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology presented the University's latest research and technology developments in #medical fields. They also explored plans to deepen cooperation between the University and SPH. SPH’s business covers industrial and commercial sectors, and the company is a leader in the areas of #medicine research and development, manufacturing, distribution and retail. SPH has been ranked a Global Top 500 company by US “Fortune” magazine since 2020; and has also been ranked as a 2022 Global Top 50 pharma company by “Pharmaceutical Executive” magazine.

RiFood member honoured with Faculty Award for Outstanding Achievement 2022

Congratulations to Prof. Terence Lee Kin-wah, Core Member of the Research Institute for Future Food (#RiFood), for being honoured with the Individual Award in “Research and Scholarly Activities: Outstanding Researcher” under the Faculty of Science Awards for Outstanding Achievement 2022.

Management committee member of RILS received JSCE International Outstanding Collaboration Award

Ir Prof. Jian-Guo Dai, Management Committee Member of the Research Institute for Land and Space (RILS) and Professor of Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at PolyU, received the FY2021 JSCE International Outstanding Collaboration Award from the Japan Society of Civil Engineers (JSCE). This award recognised the awardees’ continuous efforts and significant contribution to the development of concrete science and technology, the leadership and achievements in fostering the relationship among civil engineering researchers, as well as the commitment to strengthening the friendship between Japan and China through technical and cultural exchanges.