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Innovation to Stimulate Cutting-Edge Science

Unwavering perseverance drives scientists to achieve groundbreaking discoveries, inspiring further advancement in frontier research. Prof. LI Gang, Chair Professor of Energy Conversion Technology and Sir Sze-Yuen Chung Endowed Professor in Renewable Energy at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, has contributed to research in polymer solar cells.  His pioneering contributions to research in this field have brought sustainable influence on printable solar energy development with global recognition. Prof. LI said, “Being recognised on a global level is a great honour that I deeply value. This always encourages me to continuously pursue excellency in scientific research.”  Silicon-based solar cells have become ubiquitous, but their high production cost and lack of flexibility present limitations. “Plastic” photovoltaics based on organic polymers — or organic photovoltaics (OPV) — are a promising alternative with potential for cheap fabrication as thin flexible films.   Pioneering breakthroughs In the early 2000s when interest in organic photovoltaics was starting to pick up, the field was essentially 50 years behind silicon. “Silicon is of course a great success,” said Prof. LI, who previously studied condensed matter physics before the research on OPVs. “But OPVs were always interesting because of their versatility — they can be transparent, flexible and portable, and so could be used in many different applications, such as on windows and in buildings.” When Prof. LI started research on OPVs, silicon-based cells had already reached energy conversion efficiencies of 20% or more, while researchers in the OPV field were still grappling with basic polymer morphology and fabrication challenges at efficiencies of just a few percent. “It was then that we made the first major breakthrough, developing a replicable structure and fabrication process, and setting the standard for performance testing and efficiency, hitting a record 4.4% at the time,” said Prof. LI. His landmark 2005 paper published in Nature Materials1 enshrined OPVs as a standalone field of research and became the go-to reference and benchmark for others to follow, remaining in the journal’s top-10 cited papers for more than a decade. Prof. LI said, “Since 2005, my pioneering and ongoing research contributions in organic solar cells have had a profound influence on the rising and development of this dynamic frontier science field, inspiring younger generations of researchers globally.” Building on that research, Prof. LI led a startup aiming to scale-up to commercial production of these “first-generation” OPVs. “There is a very tight interplay between science and application, and the fabrication side is very important from a scalability perspective,” said Prof. LI. “However, we remained puzzled as to why the energy-conversion efficiency was so low. We could make a sub-micrometre-thin OPV film using inexpensive solution-based processing methods, but without higher efficiency, the technology was never going to be competitive.”   Far-Reaching Impacts Prof. LI then began work on the next generation of OPVs, exploring mixtures of different organic polymers as “co-polymer” systems, which required a completely different molecular design and fabrication approach. “With this approach we were eventually able to start breaking efficiency records for OPVs on a regular basis,” he said. “The next major step change came with the development of “non-fullerene acceptor” technology, which has finally lifted the performance of OPVs to levels competitive with silicon.” Fullerenes, soccer-ball-shaped molecules built of carbon atoms, had been part of the OPV landscape since the beginning, being the only viable “acceptor” molecules that could collect the light-excited electrons to create an electrical current. However, fullerenes only work over a very limited range of electron energies, which imposed tight restrictions on the efficiency of OPV cells. The discovery of non-fullerene molecular systems that can be tuned over a wide range of energies has now opened the door to a new world of material options and has brought renewed acceleration in efficiency increases. “Our review paper in Nature Photonics4 on OPVs using non-fullerene acceptors has become the second highest cited paper published in the journal since 2018, and we have just recently reported a new efficiency record for a binary system of 19.3% in Nature Communication6,” said Prof. LI. “By further evolving the materials and reducing losses via device engineering, we believe we are well on the way to 25%, which will put the efficiency on par with silicon, and really support the commercialisation of OPVs.” “Scientific research is a journey, with ups and downs, and happy and hard times,” said Prof. LI. “But passion and perseverance can lead to amazing success, and to the reward of seeing your research being linked to applications.”   This article is excerpted from the feature published by Nature Portfolio. Reference: https://www.nature.com/articles/d42473-023-00143-3 Research Interests: Organic Semiconductor, Perovskite based Optoelectronic and Energy Devices, Solar Cells, LEDs, Photodetectors  Highly Cited Researcher: 2014 - 2023 (Clarivate Analytics) Selected Highly Cited Publications: G. Li, V. Shrotriya, J. Huang, Y. Yao, et. al., High-efficiency solution processable polymer photovoltaic cells by self-organization of polymer blends, Nature Materials, 4, 864-868, 2005. G. Li, Y. Liang, Z. Xu, J. Xia, et. al., For the Bright Future—Bulk Heterojunction Polymer Solar Cells with Power Conversion Efficiency of 7.4%, Advanced Materials, vol 22, issue 20, 2010. G. Li, H. Chen, J. Hou, S. Zhang, et. al., Polymer solar cells with enhanced open-circuit voltage and efficiency, Nature Photonics, 3, 649-653, 2009. G. Li, P. Cheng, X. Zhan, Y. Yang, et. al., Next-generation organic photovoltaics based on non-fullerene acceptors, Nature Photonics, 12, 131-142, 2018.  G. Li, X. Liu, Z. Zhong, R. Zhu, et. al., Aperiodic band-pass electrode enables record-performance transparent organic photovoltaics, Joule, 6, 1918-1930, 2022. G. Li, J. Fu, WK Fong, H. Liu, et. al., 19.31% binary organic solar cell and low non-radiative recombination enabled by non-monotonic intermediate state transition, Nature Communications, 14, 1760, 2023. Download Version

PolyU scholar shares research partnerships’ role in achieving SDGs at the Going Global 2023 conference

Since 2004, the British Council’s Going Global conference has provided a strategic forum for leaders in international education to connect, share knowledge and build a global network of senior leaders and policy influencers, shaping the future of further and higher education. This year, the conference was held in Edinburgh, UK, from 20 - 23 November 2023. International research partnerships play a huge role in addressing the global challenges and in achieving the UN’s sustainability development goals (SDGs). Prof. Christina Wong, Director of Research and Innovation of PolyU was invited to share her views during the session discussion on “Can we build new models of collaborative research partnerships to achieve the SDGs”. The discussion provided detailed insights on Hong Kong’s current international research partnerships in supporting the achievement of the SDGs and highlighted main challenges in delivering these goals by 2030. Prof. Wong also shared the important of SDGs to universities in Hong Kong with the audience consisting of senior policy and decision makers from governments, ministries and higher education institutions.

15 PolyU academics recognised amongst world’s most highly cited researchers; PolyU ranked third in Hong Kong

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) has the third highest number of the world’s most highly cited researchers in Hong Kong this year, with 15 PolyU academics (including two former PolyU scholars) being recognised in the list of “Highly Cited Researchers 2023” by Clarivate Analytics for their significant research impact, as reflected in their publication of multiple papers that have been frequently cited by fellow academics. A total of 6,849 researchers from 67 countries and regions from a diverse range of research fields are named as Highly Cited Researchers in 2023. The list identifies the most influential scholars from around the world, determined by the production of multiple highly-cited papers that rank in the top 1% by citations for field and year in the Web of Science citation index over the last 11 years. The inclusion of 15 PolyU academics in the list is a testament to the University’s pursuit of research excellence and commitment to positive societal impact on various fronts. PolyU researchers featured in the list are as follows (in alphabetical order):   Category Name Title and Department Cross-Field Prof. Daniel S.P. LAU Chair Professor of the Department of Applied Physics Prof. LI Gang Chair Professor of the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering Prof. Kian Ping LOH Chair Professor of the Department of Applied Physics Dr MA Ruijie Postdoctoral Fellow of the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering Prof. Geoffrey Q. P. SHEN Associate Vice President (Global Partnerships) and Chair Professor of the Department of Building and Real Estate Prof. WANG Zuankai Associate Vice President (Research and Innovation) and Chair Professor of the Department of Mechanical Engineering Prof. Tom Tao WU Chair Professor of the Department of Applied Physics Prof. YAN Feng Chair Professor of the Department of Applied Physics Dr Iris YU Ka-ming Former Research Assistant Professor of the Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology Dr ZHANG Xiao Assistant Professor of the Department of Mechanical Engineering Engineering Prof. YAN Jinyue Jerry Chair Professor of the Department of Building Environment and Energy Engineering Prof. ZHANG Lei John Chair Professor of the Department of Computing Chemistry Dr HUANG Bolong Associate Professor of the Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology Computer Science Dr GUO Song Former Professor of the Department of Computing Social Science Prof. LAW Rob Honorary Professor of the School of Hotel and Tourism Management

PolyU researcher develops novel selenium nanoparticles for managing postmenopausal osteoporosis

As the aging population around the world grows, metabolic diseases like osteoporosis are becoming more prevalent and placing a greater burden on healthcare systems. Rising to this challenge, a research team led by Prof. WONG Ka-hing, Director of the Research Institute for Future Food and Professor of the Department of Food Science and Nutritionat The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU), has developed novel selenium nanoparticles (Cs4-SeNPs) for managing postmenopausal osteoporosis. The latest research findings were recently published inJournal of Functional Foods. This patented nanotechnology has also gained wide recognition, leading to various national and international awards, including the Ministry of Education’s Higher Education Outstanding Scientific Research Output Awards (Science and Technology) 2020: Second-Class Award in Technological Innovation. Selenium (Se) is an essential trace mineral for human health, playing important roles in many physiological functions. In the past decades, substantial evidence has demonstrated that Se deficiency is detrimental to bone microarchitecture and is associated with osteoporosis, suggesting its crucial role in bone metabolism. Recently, selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs) have become a new target of research, since they were found to possess remarkable bioactivity and lower toxicity compared to selenocompounds commonly found in foods. However, scientific research concerning their effects on bone health is currently very limited. Cordyceps sinensis (Berk.) Sacc. is a medicinal fungus which has been long used as a tonic and therapeutic agent. By using polysaccharide–protein complexes (PSPs) isolated from the C. sinensis mycelium (Cs4) and a previously patented nanotechnology, the research team has recently prepared novel selenium nanoparticles with a uniform structure and high stability (Cs4-SeNPs). In experiments using pre-osteoblast murine MC3T3-E1 cells, the research team demonstrated that Cs4-SeNPs were taken up rapidly and efficiently by the cells. Treatment with Cs4-SeNPs (10µM) increased proliferation of the MC3T3-E1 cells and promoted their differentiation to mature osteoblasts. Enhancement of bone mineralization of the MC3T3-E1 cells was also observed, indicating the promoting effect of Cs4-SeNPs on new bone formation. Further investigation of their action mechanism revealed that Cs4-SeNPs induced the production of physiological levels of reactive oxygen species to trigger osteoblast differentiation. Interestingly, comparison of these effects with those of common selenocompounds found that only Cs4-SeNPs showed significant osteogenic activity, and it was less toxic to the cells. More importantly, Cs4-SeNPs (25-500μg/kg BW/day) exhibited promising in vivo bone protective efficacy against OVX-induced osteoporosis by promoting bone formation, inhibiting bone resorption, and improving bone microarchitecture after oral gavage for 6 weeks. The team is currently working with local industry partners to bring the resulting health food products to market. Prof. Wong said, “The novel nano-mineral Cs4-SeNPs has a wide spectrum of health promotion and disease prevention applications, not just for postmenopausal osteoporosis management. Apart from developing a high-quality, safe and evidence-based bone protective agent to improve the quality of life of postmenopausal osteoporosis patients, our team is now investigating the effects of Cs4-SeNPs on treating Parkinson’s disease and more. We hope to tap into its potential biomedical value through interdisciplinary collaboration, thus further promoting research and applications in related fields.”

PolyU research project on climate-resilient coastal infrastructure supported by French National Research Agency/RGC Joint Research Scheme

Climate change is one of the most pressing issues facing the world. The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) has received support from The French National Research Agency (Agence Nationale de la Recherche)/Research Grants Council Joint Research Scheme (ANR/RGC Joint Research Scheme) - 2023/24 Exercise to conduct an innovative project on enhancing the resilience of coastal infrastructure to mitigate climate change risks such as sea-level rise and storm surges. It is one of three projects awarded funding from among Hong Kong institutions. Global warming is seen to be leading to more frequent occurrences of extreme weather. In the face of this challenge, the project “Smart and Flexible Climate Change Adaptation of Coastal Infrastructure”, led by Dr You DONG , Associate Professor of Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering of PolyU, has been granted HK$2.45 million under the ANR/RGC Joint Research Scheme for a period of 48 months. The project is being undertaken in collaboration with Prof. Edgar Emilio Bastidas Arteaga of La Rochelle University in France. Prof. Christina WONG, PolyU Director of Research and Innovation, said, “As an innovative world-class university excelling in diverse disciplines, PolyU has established extensive global partnerships for academic and research collaboration. With a mission to address complex global issues and tackle scientific challenges, we will continue to work closely with our partners to leverage our research strengths, drive innovation across a broad spectrum of cutting-edge research initiatives, and achieve a lasting global impact.” The funded project will focus on robust and intelligent adaptation of high-risk coastal building structures in Hong Kong and France to withstand compounded coastal flooding and sea level rise caused by global warming, storm surges resulting from tropical cyclones, and heavy rainfall. The intensity and frequency of these events are expected to increase due to climate change. A physics-informed data-driven approach is proposed to predict the occurrence and intensity of future flood hazards. Fluid-structure-interaction models will be developed to explore flood-related damage and failure mechanisms of coastal buildings in a life-cycle context. In addition, physics-guided deep learning will be utilised to develop multivariate vulnerability and risk models that focus on different building archetypes in the area under investigation and to form a framework for community-level vulnerability and resilience assessment. The research results are expected to generate technologies and knowledge that will contribute to the upgrading of climate-resilient infrastructure in Hong Kong and globally in the near-future. The ANR/RGC Joint Research Scheme aims to strengthen collaboration between French and Hong Kong research communities, and both basic and applied research proposals of high academic merit in all areas are invited under the Scheme. The assessment criteria include technical and scientific quality, quality of project management and methodology, global impact and the quality of synergies between the partners.

PolyU joins hands with Hangzhou and Wenzhou in Zhejiang Province to build innovation platforms for advancing technologies and cultural tourism

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) has teamed up with Hangzhou and Wenzhou, two major cities in Zhejiang Province, to build innovation platforms for advanced technology and innovation, as well as cultural tourism, with a view to deepening their collaborations with Hong Kong. The signing and unveiling ceremony of the PolyU-Wenzhou Technology and Innovation Research Institute (the Institute) was held at the Wenzhou People’s Congress Hall on 9 November, marking the official landing of the Institute in Wenzhou. The Institute strives to foster technological innovation, talent cultivation, and research and development (R&D), developing Wenzhou into an innovation and technology (I&T) hub. Separately, PolyU signed agreements with the Wenzhou Municipal People’s Government and the Administration Committee of Wenzhou Bay New Area. Witnessed by Dr LAM Tai-fai, Council Chairman of PolyU; Mr ZHANG Zhenfeng, Secretary of Wenzhou Municipal Party Committee; Mr GE Yiping, Director of the Standing Committee of Wenzhou Municipal People’s Congress; and Mr CHEN Zuorong, Chairman of the Wenzhou Municipal People’s Political Consultative Conference, the agreement at the municipal level was signed by Prof. Jin-Guang TENG, President of PolyU and Mr WANG Zhenyong, Vice-Mayor of Wenzhou Municipal People’s Government; while at district level it was signed by Prof. Christopher CHAO, Vice President (Research and Innovation) of PolyU and Mr ZHOU Yi-fu, Secretary of the Longwan District Committee of Wenzhou Municipal People’s Government. PolyU is the first university in Hong Kong to collaborate with Wenzhou Municipal People’s Government in setting up a technology and innovation research institute in Wenzhou. The Institute aims to promote I&T development in the Southeastern coastal region, in response to the industrial development needs of Wenzhou and Zhejiang Province specifically, and the Nation more broadly. The Institute will engage in close collaborations with local key industries in the areas of marine engineering equipment and technology, flexible electronics, and ultra-precision manufacturing to advance their core technologies, outcome transformation, talent development, and innovation and entrepreneurship, promoting the high-quality economic development of the cites. In his speech, Dr LAM Tai-fai emphasised that PolyU values research and innovation, actively promoting the transformation of research outcomes into practical applications, and believes the joint establishment of the Institute holds great promise. With its strong research capabilities and a pool of world-class scholars, the University provides a solid foundation for deep collaboration between Hong Kong and Wenzhou, which has a thriving private economy with a solid industrial foundation with hardworking and innovative talents. PolyU will further leverage its advantages in talents, academia, research, and internationalisation, while captalising on Wenzhou’s industrial clusters, innovation, talent cultivation, and R&D services to explore new methods, concepts, and perspectives in research for accelerating the transformation and application of research achievements as well as driving industrial upgrading. This innovation platform will serve as an opportunity to strengthen cooperation with various stakeholders in Wenzhou in terms of talent attraction, innovation ecosystem, cultural inheritance and exchange, making greater contributions to high-quality regional development. Mr ZHANG Zhenfeng stated that innovation is in Wenzhou’s genes. In recent years, Wenzhou has always kept in mind the earnest instructions from General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party Xi Jinping to continue writing the history of innovation. Wenzhou is determined to take the path of innovation-driven development by enhancing its capabilities for innovation, developing strategic innovation platforms and introducing university-industry research collaboration platforms. The cooperation with PolyU is perfectly timed, at the right place and with the right people. The Institute will become a powerful engine to develop Wenzhou into a nationally innovative city, a new force in fostering two industrial clusters with output valued at the trillion-yuan level, and a bridge to connect to global innovation resources. It will help enhance Wenzhou’s competitiveness in technological innovation, shape new trends in industrial development, and attract innovative international talents. Wenzhou will do its best to provide efficient services to ensure the smooth operation and development of the Institute. The PolyU delegation not only introduced the Institute’s development plan and presented a research showcase of the latest technology achievements for local enterprises, but also made visits to local universities. Moving forward, the two parties will stive to strengthen cooperation in technology, as well as promote academic and cultural exchanges between Wenzhou and Hong Kong to achieve a win-win outcome. Previously, the PolyU-Hangzhou Technology and Innovation Research Institute was also officially launched with a signing and unveiling ceremony on 7 November, in Hangzhou. The Institute aspires to promote advanced technology in the fields of Grand Canal culture and tourism, intelligent transportation and medical aesthetics, and will initially establish three research centres, namely the Grand Canal Culture and Tourism Research Center, Intelligent Rail Transit Center, and Digital Medical Aesthetics Research Center. These centres will collaborate with Hangzhou’s key industries and university research institutes in information technology and internet, cultural tourism, smart cities, biomedicine, and high-end equipment manufacturing, providing exchange platforms for researchers, technology innovation services for local enterprises, as well as application scenarios for cutting-edge PolyU technologies. Identified as one of the important provinces for national panning, Zhejiang province has been committed to promoting the coordinated development of education, technology and the economy. The establishment of the two new research institutes aims to build closer ties between Hong Kong and the two cities, bringing together innovative talents and resources. It also seeks to strengthen industry-university research collaborations and connect local industries with international markets, so as to develop Zhejiang into a dynamic and innovation-driven hub and make a meaningful contribution to the Nation’s technological innovation and cultural tourism development.

PolyU-Hangzhou Technology and Innovation Research Institute officially unveiled, deepening industry-academia-research collaboration

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) and the Hangzhou Gongshu People’s Government held a signing cum unveiling ceremony on 7 November in Hangzhou, marking the official establishment of the PolyU-Hangzhou Technology and Innovation Research Institute (the Institute). In order to promote Hangzhou’s innovation and technology development, the Institute will conduct collaborative in-depth industry-academia-research, leveraging the advantages of Hangzhou and Hong Kong in research innovation, smart cities, as well as industrial and international cooperation and innovation. The Institute will focus on key areas including Grand Canal culture and tourism, intelligent transportation and medical aesthetics, and will initially establish three research centres, namely the Grand Canal Culture and Tourism Research Center”, Intelligent Rail Transit Center, and Digital Medical Aesthetics Research Center. These centres will collaborate with Hangzhou’s key industries and university research institutes in the areas of information and internet technology, cultural tourism, smart cities, biomedicine and high-end equipment manufacturing, providing enterprises with a technological research and development service, striving to make Hangzhou a world-class smart digital and innovative city, and the world’s best city to visit. Witnessed by Dr LAM Tai-fai, Council Chairman of PolyU; Prof. Jin-Guang TENG, President; Prof. DONG Cheng, Associate Vice President (Mainland Research Advancement); Prof. NI Yiqing, Professor of Smart Structures and Rail Transit of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, as well as Mr ZHOU Hong, Zhejiang Representative of the Hong Kong Trade Development Council; Mr FANG Yi, Member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Hangzhou Municipal Committee, Member of the Leading Party Members' Group of Hangzhou Municipal Government, Deputy Mayor of Hangzhou; Mr LI Zhilong, Communist Party Secretary of Gongshu District; Mr LU Wenge, Level II Bureau Rank Official of the Department of Science and Technology of Zhejiang Province; Mr LOU Xiuhua, Director of the Hangzhou Municipal Science and Technology Bureau, and Mr HUANG Fei, Member of the Standing Committee and Executive Deputy District Mayor of the Gongshu District, the agreement was signed by Prof. Christopher CHAO, Vice President (Research and Innovation) of PolyU, and Mr SHEN Jianli, Vice District Mayor of Gongshu District. Dr Lam Tai-fai stated in his speech that Hangzhou is a city that integrates tradition with innovation. As a globally top-ranked institution with 86 years of history, PolyU will fully leverage its strengths in research, education and talent development to accelerate the industrial development of Hangzhou in the fields of Grand Canal culture and tourism, intelligent transportation and medical aesthetics, with a view to promoting technological innovation and facilitating the transformation of research outcomes to make greater contributions to the high-quality development of Gongshu district, Hangzhou and the Nation. In his speech, Mr Li Zhilong said that Hangzhou strives to capitalise on its advantages in technological innovation to promote urban development. The city is actively developing itself as a global innovation hub, talent pool and prioritised destination for technology transfer and commercialisation. Gongshu District will fully utilise its geographical location and resources, and environmental benefits to create a favourable environment for technological innovation. The government-academia collaboration with PolyU will definitely increase synergies between Hangzhou and Hong Kong to enhance the competitiveness of technological innovation and pave a new way for advancement. With its solid industrial foundation, Hangzhou has a sound innovation and entrepreneurship environment in the areas of internet technology, the digital economy and artificial intelligence. Going forward, PolyU will leverage its strengths in interdisciplinary studies, talent cultivation, research and innovation, and international cooperation to accelerate the sustainable development of Hangzhou and facilitate talent exchange between the two regions through the Institute’s innovation and technology platform.

PolyU research seizes BOCHK Science and Technology Innovation Prize 2023

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) research has been honoured with the Bank of China (Hong Kong) Limited (BOCHK) Science and Technology Innovation Prize 2023 (STIP) for its exceptional accomplishments in the fields of “Advanced Manufacturing” and “FinTech”. Since the inception of this prestigious award last year, PolyU has reinforced its position as the leading institution in Hong Kong, securing a total of four awards. Prof. Jin-Guang Teng, PolyU President, congratulated the three laureates and said, “PolyU takes pride in being home to such a distinguished group of scholars. These exceptionally talented researchers are driven by their passion for scientific breakthroughs and innovation. They strive to develop cutting-edge technologies and make ground-breaking discoveries that contribute to the betterment of the community, and which will have a lasting impact on the world. PolyU remains committed to supporting its researchers in their pursuit of research that not only benefits Hong Kong, but also the country and the world.” The three award-winning PolyU scholars: Prof. CHEUNG Chi Fai Benny, Chair Professor of Ultra-precision Machining and Metrology of the Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering and Director of the State Key Laboratory of Ultra-precision Machining Technology (The Hong Kong Polytechnic University), is recognised in the “Advanced Manufacturing” field. His pioneering ultra-precision nano multi-ring machining technology has successfully been applied in the research and development of a novel and high-efficacy nano multi-ring defocus incorporated spectacle lens for myopia control, which has the potential to benefit myopic schoolchildren globally. A novel magnetic field-assisted batch superfinishing technology and equipment have also been developed for mass superfinishing surgical tools that can reduce wound trauma during bio-medical applications. His innovative research on the next generation of in-situ precision three-dimensional surface metrology not only supports manufacturing of high-precision products but also can be used under various manufacturing or measurement scenarios in the context of Industry 4.0 to realise smart precision manufacturing. Prof. Cheung has made outstanding contributions with his innovative research into new methods, new processes and new equipment for ultra-precision machining, precision metrology and smart precision manufacturing. Prof. AU Man Ho Allen, Professor of the Department of Computing is recognised in the “FinTech” field. His ground-breaking research focuses on the design and analysis of privacy-enhancing and quantum-resistant cryptographic algorithms to address security, privacy and scalability needs in real-world blockchains. His research advances blockchain technology and spearheads the Web3 revolution through innovative approaches and transformative solutions, paving the way for secure, interoperable and scalable applications in the next generation of decentralised protocols and applications. Many of his inventions have been recognised and adopted by leading IT companies and blockchain platforms. Prof. Au’s recent research on zero-knowledge proof (ZKP) is noteworthy. ZKP is widely regarded as a breakthrough technology that enables data privacy protection, efficiency improvement and scalability of transparent systems such as blockchains. He developed innovative solutions that reduce the computation cost of ZKP. His team optimised ZKP using distributed computing and GPU acceleration, winning US$550,000 at ZPRIZE organised by the Web3 community. Prof. LUO Xiapu Daniel, Professor of the Department of Computing, is also recognised in the “FinTech” field. His innovative work in the field of cybersecurity has been instrumental in identifying and fixing security vulnerabilities and defending against cyber-attacks that pose significant risks to critical infrastructures, including blockchain systems, smart contracts, smartphones, IoT devices and automobiles. His research findings have been recognised by prominent blockchain platforms and leading IT companies. Prof. Luo’s research contributes to strengthening the robustness of blockchain technologies, advancing the security and privacy of mobile and IoT devices and enhancing network security measures. His work has led to ten best/distinguished paper awards, including the ACM SIGSOFT Distinguished Paper Award at ISSTA 2022, ACM SIGSOFT Distinguished Paper Award at ICSE 2021 and Best Paper Award at INFOCOM 2018, as well as several awards from industry. The STIP, established by the Hong Kong Alliance of Technology and Innovation and sponsored by BOCHK, is a non-governmental merit-based award. It aims at facilitating the development of science and technology innovation in Hong Kong by rewarding outstanding individuals and groups who have made significant contributions to science and technology innovation in Hong Kong. A cash prize of HK$2 million is awarded for each field. PolyU achieved remarkable success in last year’s STIP 2022 in the areas of “Advanced Manufacturing” and “Life and Health”, with the prestigious awards being bestowed upon 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.

PolyU scholar shares at THE Innovation and Impact Summit 2023

Prof. Christina Wong, Director of Research and Innovation of PolyU was invited to be one of the honourable speakers of THE Innovation and Impact Summit 2023 in Shenzhen on 7 November 2023. The Summit aims at examining the importance of universities in supporting the creation of new cities and new regional economies such as Shenzhen and the Greater Bay Area. Prof. Wong delivered an informative and insightful presentation which shed light on the importance of sustainability and how we can enhance cities’ resilience to better cope with the impact of climate change. The Summit, themed ‘Universities and cities: Advancing sustainable innovation’, explored how universities can create and sustain cities that are innovation hubs.

PolyU-Wuxi Technology and Innovation Research Institute officially inaugurated Joining force with Mainland enterprises to cultivate industry-academia-research collaborations and propel I&T development in the Yangtze River Delta

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) and the Wuxi Municipal People’s Government of Jiangsu Province have jointly established the PolyU-Wuxi Technology and Innovation Research Institute (The Institute), and an Inauguration Ceremony cum Industry-University-Research Collaboration Agreement Signing Ceremony was held on 2 November. Located in Wuxi, the Institute serves as a platform to drive advanced research and innovation, as well as nurture innovation and technology (I&T) talents. It has entered into agreements with ten high-tech enterprises in Mainland China to foster industry-university-research collaborations, driving the Yangtze River Delta’s I&T development. A delegation led by Dr LAM Tai-fai, Council Chairman of PolyU; Prof. Jin-Guang TENG, President; Prof. Wing-tak WONG, Deputy President and Provost; and Prof. Christopher CHAO, Vice President (Research and Innovation) visited Wuxi and met with Mr DU Xiaogang, Communist Party Secretary of Wuxi; Mr ZHOU Changqing, Member of the Wuxi Party Committee Standing Committee and Head of the United Front Work Department; Mr QIN Yongxin and Mr ZHOU Wendong, Vice Mayors of Wuxi; and Mr CUI Rongguo, Party Chief of Wuxi National Hi-tech District and Party Secretary of Xinwu District. They had an in-depth exchange on reinforcing cooperation between Jiangsu and Hong Kong, along with leaders of various levels from the Wuxi Municipal Government and representatives from domestic companies. PolyU is the first Hong Kong tertiary institution to establish a research institute in Wuxi and participate in the Yangtze River Delta’s I&T drive. The Institute will focus on three key areas: building an internationally high-end research and innovation platform in the fields of aviation and aeronautical engineering, advanced manufacturing, biomedical engineering, artificial intelligence, new materials and telecommunications networks; establishing an incubation base to translate research outcomes into real-world solutions; and cultivating outstanding engineers and technopreneurs with a global perspective through PolyU’s leading engineering doctorate and postdoctoral fellowship programmes. The Institute will leverage PolyU’s global networks and impact to attract technology companies to the Wuxi High-Tech Industrial Development Zone, organise industry and academic exchange activities, and expand channels for international exchange and collaborations. To facilitate the translation of research achievements, the Institute signed agreements with ten domestic high-tech enterprises in Wuxi, namely Wuxi Hyatech Co., Ltd; Jiangsu Asia-pacific Aviation Technology Co., Ltd; Xiangsheng Biomedical Technology Co., Ltd; Jiangsu Sanlian Bioengineering Co., Ltd; Wuxi International Life Science Innovation Campus; Wuxi Autowell Technology Co., Ltd; Hymson Laser Technology Group Co., Ltd; Tonghe Carbon Materials Technology (Wuxi) Co., Ltd; Loulan Technology (Jiangsu) Co., Ltd; and GRG Metrology & Test (Wuxi) Co., Ltd. The Institute will serve as a platform to facilitate knowledge transfer and support enterprises in achieving technological advancement by leveraging PolyU’s expertise in innovation and research. Dr Lam Tai-fai, remarked, “By capitalising on its expertise in talent development, academic and research innovations, and global network, PolyU will collaborate with Wuxi’s industries to enhance R&D services, expedite the translation of research outcomes into practical applications, and promote industrial upgrading. By pooling our efforts, we can unlock the powerful synergy between government, industry and academia enabling us to open a new chapter for the I&T development of Jiangsu, Hong Kong and the Nation.” During the visit, the PolyU delegates also introduced to the Wuxi Municipal Government and enterprise representatives the University’s engineering doctorate programmes, research achievements in biomedical engineering through industry-academic-research collaborations, as well as the Institute’s future development and talent development plans. Moving forward, the Institute will continue to join hands with Wuxi’s higher education institutions and enterprises in building an innovation ecosystem that will contribute to the high-quality development of Wuxi, Hong Kong and the Nation.