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PolyU Recognises Outstanding Young Scholars and Fosters Creativity in the Research and Innovation Ceremony 2023

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) held the PolyU Research and Innovation Ceremony 2023 on campus to recognise impactful young scholars and foster innovation and creativity in the PolyU community. The ceremony presented awards to the six winners of the PolyU Young Innovative Researcher Award (YIRA) 2023 and 14 winners of the Pixels of PolyU (PoP) Photo Competition. The young generation is spearheading a new wave of innovations and technologies, serving as a growing force that will change our perception of future society. YIRA is a university-level award that pays tribute to young faculty members’ exceptional efforts and passion for scientific research. Since its inception in 2022, YIRA has received exceptional submissions from PolyU researchers under the age of 35, making it a platform for innovators to showcase their talents. Professor Jin-Guang TENG, President of PolyU, Prof. Christopher CHAO, Vice President (Research and Innovation) of PolyU, Prof. Christina WONG, Director of Research and Innovation of PolyU, Mr. HUANG Haibo, Deputy Head of Phoenix Chinese Channel, Mr. Ming Leung TANG, Professional Photographer and PolyU Alumni, and Mr. LI Lok, PolyU Alumnus, Former President of FOTOSOC are the honourable guests of the ceremony. Professor Jin-Guang Teng, President of PolyU congratulated the awardees and said, “The YIRA underscores PolyU’s commitment to the pursuit of innovation, excellence and impact in our research endeavors for the benefit of society. Our young researchers’ work illustrates their immense potential.” The ceremony also celebrates the creativity and aesthetics of PolyU staff and students. Research and Innovation Office has hosted the Pixels of PolyU Photo Competition this summer to encourage the PolyU community to draw inspiration from various aspects of STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Mathematics). The competition attracts over 250 photo submissions capturing the STEAM elements on the PolyU campus. To view the video of Six Outstanding Young Scholars with the Young Innovative Research Award 2023 (YIRA), click here. To view the photos of the 14 winners, click here. The six awardees of the Young Innovative Researcher Award 2023 Dr Cai Songhua Assistant Professor, Department of Applied Physics Research Focus: Towards next-generation halide perovskites: in situ STEM characterizations assisted structure engineering This project aims to improve the lifespan and efficiency of perovskite solar cells by revealing the microscopic mechanisms that cause perovskite solar cell performance degradation in the working environment. The research results are expected to equip the industry with the necessary experience for promoting the practical application of perovskite solar cells. Dr Kelvin Heung Ho-lam Research Assistant Professor, Department of Building and Real Estate Research Focus: Robot-assisted recovery system for survivors with stroke The project focuses on developing a lightweight, wearable, easy-to-use medical-grade rehabilitation robotic exoskeleton. The system is designed to detect the movement intent of users and provide adaptive assistive force to empower joint movement. Regular use during rehabilitation training can aid reorganising the brain cortex and recovery of mobility. Dr Heung is the co-founder of Fleming MedLab, which was named in "Forbes Asia 100 to Watch 2023". Dr Kathy Leng Kai Assistant Professor, Department of Applied Physics Research Focus: Scalable growth of 2D hybrid perovskite film A set of nanotechnology tools and methods has been developed for the molecularly thin 2D hybrid perovskite, including preparation, materials transfer, atomic characterization, and nano-device fabrication. Her team currently focuses on achieving scalable growth for hybrid 2D perovskite monolayers and their integration into large-scale devices, to further enable the realisation of their grand-scale applications. Dr Ma Yuan Assistant Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering Research Focus: Flexible surface haptics technology for aiding the visually impaired population To help individuals with visual impairment interact with digital devices and the digital world more easily, this project aims to develop a novel touch feedback technology on soft materials that can generate various touch sensations. Advanced haptic technologies and artificial intelligence algorithms will be combined to create a more efficient and userfriendly experience.  Dr Zhang Shuowen Assistant Professor, Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering Research Focus: Smart and reconfigurable 6G wireless networks aided by intelligent reflecting surface With the rise of mobile data traffic and the emergence of mobile applications like virtual reality, this research focuses on intelligent reflecting surfaces (IRS) as a pivotal technology to achieve high data rates in 6G wireless communication networks. This project also aims to devise efficient IRS phase shift optimisation algorithms, thereby approaching the data rate limits of IRS-aided 6G networks in practice.  Ir Dr Zheng Pai Assistant Professor, Department of Industrial and Systems EngineeringResearch Focus: Towards futuristic humanmachine symbiotic manufacturing system This project aims to establish a holistic humanmachine symbiotic manufacturing environment by exploring manufacturing system technologies, immersive human-robot interaction mechanisms and robot learning methods. The environment will enable humans and machines/ robotics to more effectively and efficiently co-exist, collaborate and evolve together through improved collaborative intelligence.  

PolyU six projects on innovative railway technologies supported by MTR Research Funding Scheme

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) has received funding from the MTR Academy’s 2023 MTR Research Funding Scheme for six forward-looking research projects aimed at exploring advanced railway technology applications. PolyU researchers from Faculty of Construction and Environment and Faculty of Engineering lead these innovative research projects to initiate cutting-edge technologies for the future advancement of railways. These six projects have received total funding of HK$7.25 million.  Prof. Christopher CHAO, Vice President (Research and Innovation) of PolyU, said, “PolyU has consistently demonstrated strong research capabilities in the field of smart railways, dedicating itself to providing comprehensive and practical innovative solutions to the industry. The MTR Research Funding Scheme plays a crucial role in supporting these transformative advancements. We will continue to drive innovation, delivering long-term benefits to the railway development of Hong Kong, the nation, and even the global stage.” The awarded research projects encompass a broad spectrum of potential applications for environmental, social and governance aspects of rail operators and smart community development. Leveraging PolyU’s academic and research excellence in construction, environment and engineering, these projects initiate innovative solutions for emergency evacuation, achieving sustainable development goals, noise control in railway engineering, autonomous modularised trains and fire resilience.  Launched by MTR Academy on February 2023, MTR Research Funding (MRF) Scheme supports forward-looking research projects to explore, shape and realise the mass public transport systems of tomorrow, breach the boundaries of current solutions and thinking, and offer insights into achieving services and operational excellence for tomorrow's transport. Maximum total funding of each proposal up to HK$1.5 million for 3 years.    PolyU Projects Supported by MTR Research Funding Scheme 2023 Faculty of Construction and Environment Principal Investigator Project Title Project Abstract Dr Xinyan HUANG Associate Professor of Department of Building Environment and Energy Engineering Intelligent Emergency Digital Twin System in Metro Station for Fire Evacuation The proposed intelligent safety monitoring system employs top-notch technologies, including AIoT, computer vision, and deep learning, to achieve a smart fire emergency response and evacuation. It can predict the dynamic flow of occupants and the risk of a stampede in a fire emergency, and can provide onsite evacuation guidance by dynamic exit sign systems. Moreover, it can recognise the status and behaviours of occupants to identify those who need immediate help near the fire incident and transfer real-time information to firefighters and rescue teams. Dr Anthony Chun Yin YUEN Assistant Professor, Presential Young Scholar, Department of Building Environment and Energy Engineering Coupling Fire and Toxicty Predictions Using CFD-MD Simulations for Enhanced Pedestrian Movement Modelling and Fire Resilience Designs of Metro Stations The identification of parental combustion fuel gases, which are essential for toxicity, such as the pyrolysis and combustion releases resulting from the burning of specific building and furnishing materials, are yet to be characterized. This project will develop a new strategy to incorporate the coupled and non-linear pyrolysis-combustion kinetics via Molecular Dynamics (MD) characterisation of the thermal degradation process validated by thermal gravimetry (TG) data. It considers the formation pathways and predictions of toxic chemical species and smoke/soot particulates, contributing to firefighting and egress system designs. Dr Siu Kai LAI Associate Professor of Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering Development of a New Inerter-based Rail Damper to Mitigate Railway-induced Ground-borne Noise by a Physics-informed Deep Learning Framework Using rail dampers is an effective mitigation measure to reduce the impact of structure-borne noise caused by railway vehicles. However, their installation difficulty and working performance pose limitations. To overcome these challenges, this project proposes a new inerter-based rail damper in metamaterial structure. This design aims to enhance the force transfer characteristics of a mechanical system. In addition, a time-sequencing physics-informed neural network (TS-PINN) approach will be employed to optimise the structural design. Faculty of Engineering Principal Investigator Project Title Project Abstract Prof. Chi-yung CHUNG Head of Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering and Chair Professor of Power Systems Engineering Developing an Electromagnetic Energy Harvesting System to Energize Monitoring Systems in the Hong Kong MTR System This project aims to develop a sustainable energy supply system for wireless sensor networks (WSNs) devices by utilizing electromagnetic energy harvesting (EMEH) techniques without interfering with the operation of the railroad system. WSNs energized with the EMEH techniques will offer a long-lasting and comprehensive monitoring network while paving the way towards sustainable smart railway systems. A cost-effective, efficient, reliable, scalable, and sustainable smart solution for energizing monitoring and condition assessment systems on railways is proposed. Dr Hongbo YE Research Assistant Professor of Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering Planning and Operation of Future Railway System with Autonomous Modularized Trains and Virtual Coupling Signaling This project proposes a vision of future railway systems, realised by autonomous modularised trains running under virtual coupling signaling, in order to handle the tempo-spatial variation of passenger demand. The proposal consists of three phases: developing optimisation models and algorithms for scheduling, investigating rescheduling methods, and exploring energy-efficient trajectory planning. Dr Jingzheng REN Associate Professor of Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering Promoting Environmental Social and Governance (ESG) in MTR for Pursuing Sustainable Development Goals and Better Service Quality This project aims to establish a scientific and comprehensive criteria system for performance assessment regarding ESG and sustainable development goals (SDGs). By combining multi-criteria decision-making methods and systems dynamics, the proposed novel multi-dimensional assessment tool can incorporate the interdependences and interactions among the ESG and SDGs for identifying the complex cause-effect relationships and the critical factors, and it can further map and analyse them in both qualitative and quantitative ways. This new tool for performance assessment and improvement related to ESG and SDGs not only can use for Metro/Rail operators, but also can implement in other fields and cities.

PolyU project designs novel emotion-aware navigation system supported by Smart Traffic Fund

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) has received support for an innovative project on improving driving safety from the Transport Department’s Smart Traffic Fund. The awarded project aims to develop a novel emotion-aware navigation system that integrates driver emotions and route planning to improve travel efficiency and driving experience. Led by Prof. Stephen Jia WANG, Professor of School of Design and Founding Director of the Research Centre for Future Caring Mobility at PolyU, the project titled “An Empathetic Navigation System Design Based on Drivers’ Emotion Inference from Traffic Contextual Data” has been granted HK$2.74 million from Smart Traffic Fund.  The project aims to develop a novel emotion-aware navigation system for drivers. Machine learning will be utilised to simulate traffic contexts and analyse their influence on drivers’ emotions. A novel route planning model will be deployed to identify a suitable route that strikes a balances between driving efficiency and drivers’ emotions, thereby enhancing driving safety. Prof. Christina WONG, Director of Research and Innovation of PolyU, said, “PolyU is dedicated to making significant contributions to society through research achievements. We will continue to leverage our cross-disciplinary expertise to conduct innovative research in traffic and transportation, thereby creating a better living environment and fostering the development of smart mobility in Hong Kong.” More information is available at https://stf.hkpc.org/list-of-approved-projects/

PolyU and Cainiao Group sign Memorandum of Understanding to explore new developments in green logistics

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) and Cainiao Group (Cainiao) are pleased to announce the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), as well as its first collaborative research on Meta-Box, to leverage their respective strengths in scientific innovation and industry development. Through collaborative technology research and development, the partnership aims to advance green, efficient and intelligent logistics solutions. The signing ceremony took place on the PolyU campus. Witnessed by Prof. WANG Zuankai, Associate Vice President (Research and Innovation) of PolyU, Prof. WEN Chih-Yung, Head of the Department of Aeronautical and Aviation Engineering (AAE), Mr NIU Zhijing, Vice President of Cainiao Group, and Ms WANG Yi, International Affairs Director of Cainiao Public Affairs (South China), Dr XU Gangyan, Assistant Professor of AAE of PolyU and Mr Leung Kam Un, General Manager, Import-Supply Chain Management (Overseas)-Operations (Hong Kong) of Cainiao, signed the MoU. PolyU’s Associate Vice President (Research and Innovation), Prof. Wang Zuankai expressed that as a loyal partner to the business community, PolyU has been committed to promoting scientific research and innovation by integrating valuable technologies with industries to address various technical challenges. The collaboration with Cainiao exemplifies this commitment. He believes by working together, PolyU and Cainiao can tackle technological and environmental challenges in the logistics industry, and contribute to creating a greener and more efficient logistics system in Hong Kong. Cainiao’s Vice President Mr Niu Zhijing stated that since its establishment, Cainiao has been dedicated to green logistics efforts, “The future of express delivery lies not only in speed but in green solutions. A green future requires not only enthusiasm and attitude but also innovative research and solutions to achieve the unity of environmental and commercial sustainability.” Mr Niu added, “With the joint efforts of both teams, it is believed that we can combine complex logistics scenarios, achieve breakthroughs in digitisation and low-carbon circulating containers, and contribute to the construction of a sustainable and digitized logistics system for Hong Kong on a larger scale”. The relevant pioneering research led by Dr Xu Gangyan of AAE, will focus on developing an intelligent and recyclable transport carrier “Meta-Box”. This technology will enhance transportation efficiency, reduce costs and promote sustainable development by connecting various modes of transportation within a new smart logistics system known as the Cyber-Physical Internet. About The Hong Kong Polytechnic University The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) aspires to be an innovative world-class university with a strong sense of social responsibility, driven by its motto, “To learn and to apply, for the benefit of mankind”. The University provides the best holistic education to nurture socially responsible “leaders of tomorrow” who possess a strong sense of national identity and a global perspective. It also pursues impactful innovation and interdisciplinary research to address the world’s most pressing challenges. A robust culture of knowledge transfer and entrepreneurship is a cornerstone of the University, ensuring PolyU technologies are transformed into practical real-world applications. The University’s unwavering commitment to excellence has earned it international recognition, with PolyU consistently ranking among the top 100 universities worldwide. Based on this solid foundation, the University will continue to make positive contributions in collaboration with its strategic partners for the betterment of Hong Kong, the Nation and the world. Cainiao Group Cainiao, founded in 2013, is a leading global smart logistics company that focuses on industrialisation, globalisation and digitisation of logistics operations. While continuously innovating in the business field, Cainiao also integrates Environmental, Social and Governance measures into every aspect of the logistics value chain. Through initiatives such as green orders, recycling and transportation, Cainiao has pioneered a path towards digital decarbonisation in green logistics. Hong Kong, serving as an important logistics hub for Cainiao Group, is one of the three major aviation hubs (ehub) established globally. Cainiao’s consolidated delivery services have served over 2.6 million Hong Kong citizens in the past few years, with an average of one in every three Hong Kong residents having used Cainiao’s services. In the future, Cainiao will continue its solid operations in Hong Kong, promoting end-to-end green logistics and providing the people of Hong Kong with high-quality and low-carbon logistics services.

PolyU makes recommendations for 2023 Policy Address advocating establishment of University Town in the Northern Metropolis and propelling green economy

The Policy Research Centre for Innovation and Technology (PReCIT) of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) has submitted recommendations for the Chief Executive's 2023 Policy Address during the public consultation period, covering the development of a carbon neutral city, Greater Bay Area (GBA) innovation, and technology (I&T) and the Belt and Road. Key recommendations include: 1. Encouraging the Development of the Green Economy and Building Carbon Neutral Cities PReCIT supports the HKSAR Government in its aim of strengthening global and regional collaboration for building carbon-neutral cities and developing an international carbon market, as well as to leverage the Science Park, Cyberport and tertiary institutions as entry points to support research and development of eco-friendly technologies and encourage businesses to adopt green technologies in their production. It is also recommended that the government considers evaluating the risks and feasibility of introducing hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles and conducting relevant policy and legal studies. To achieve sustainable waste management, it is suggested that automatic food waste collection and dewatering systems should be in place in newly established public housing estates. Shortening the time between building energy audits and implementation of energy-saving measures could reduce carbon emissions from building construction. Other recommendations include approval of the PolyU Green Deck project which can help publicise the concept of sustainable development for attracting talents and enterprises from around the world to come and settle, live and work in Hong Kong. 2. Building a University Town in the Northern Metropolis to Establish a Seamless I&T Ecosystem The government is advised to optimise existing education policies and establish an international education hub. Building a university town in the Northern Metropolis, together with the provision of accommodation support or housing subsidies to students, will help create a conducive ecosystem for collaboration between industry, academia, research and startups. To tap into the opportunities and address the challenges of digital transformation, PReCIT advocates the government establishing an international data centre and a supercomputing centre, promoting the application of blockchain-based Legal Entity Identifier, optimising the regulation of artificial intelligence, and adopting the PolyU Innovation and Technology Index as an indicator of Hong Kong’s I&T development. In relation to fostering the development of the Chinese Medicine (CM) industry, PReCIT proposes the establishment of a central research platform and an International Dietary Supplement and Botanical Drug Research Centre to strengthen validation of CM’s efficacy and safety. 3. Facilitating Cross-Border Trade Activities and Academic Collaboration with the Belt and Road Countries This year marks the 10th anniversary of the launch of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). PReCIT supports the government in promoting cross-border trade activities under the BRI and advocates the establishment of a BRI I&T hub, as well as a government-industry-academia-research consortium dedicated to BRI. It is recommended funds are allocated for interdisciplinary and collaborative research. To attract outstanding students to study and stay in Hong Kong after graduation, the government may consider setting up BRI scholarships, research funding schemes, BRI outstanding student grants and loan schemes. In addition, it is crucial to reinforce promotion of tourism and cultural exchange initiatives in the BRI countries as these can help strengthen connections with these countries, particularly in areas pertaining to ASEAN countries' I&T development. Prof. Christopher CHAO, PolyU Vice President (Research and Innovation) and Director of PReCIT, said, “Hong Kong has unique geographical advantages, a well-established legal system, and five world-class universities that have attained exceptional achievements in basic scientific research. However, the private sector’s investment in R&D in Hong Kong is relatively low. It is imperative for the government to drive industry-academia-research collaboration and research commercialisation as a new driving force for Hong Kong’s economic growth. As an innovative world-class university, PolyU is committed to providing excellent education and impactful interdisciplinary research in order to support the City’s I&T development.” Prof. Eric CHUI, Co-Director of PReCIT and Head of the Department of Applied Social Sciences of PolyU, added, “Talent is a key element for Hong Kong’s development as an international I&T hub. Offering scholarships, grants, and loans to outstanding students from Belt and Road countries, along with a pre-requisite requirement of serving in Hong Kong upon graduation, would be helpful in attracting talents to Hong Kong for long-term contribution and fostering mutual economic collaboration.” Founded in 2022, PReCIT is a university-level interdisciplinary policy research centre. The primary areas of its research include carbon-neutral cities, Greater Bay Area I&T development, and the Belt and Road Initiative in Southeast Asia. For more information about PReCIT, please visit www.polyu.edu.hk/precit/. The full recommendation report is available at: https://polyu.me/PolyUPReCIT_2023PolicyAddress_EN

PolyU researcher excels in fiber science and wearable technology, earns international accolade for impactful applications

The significant achievements in advancing the fields of personal thermal and moisture management, intelligent wearables, and soft robotics have been recognised for enhancing human well-being. Dr Dahua SHOU, Limin Endowed Young Scholar in Advanced Textiles Technologies and Assistant Professor of School of Fashion and Textiles of PolyU, who has recently been bestowed with the 2023 Distinguished Achievement Award (Award) by the Fiber Society, is dedicated to conducting research of fiber science for impactful applications. Fiber, fabric, and fashion research places a strong emphasis on thermal and moisture comfort, with Dr. SHOU leading the way in pioneering transformative technologies in this field. He has made significant contributions to moisture management and has reported on the development of the world's first sweatable textile fabric - Sweatextile. This fabric enables fast one-way liquid flow through spatially distributed channels that act like "sweating glands" while repelling external liquid contaminants. The research, titled “Skin-like fabric for personal moisture management” was published in Science Advances. For translational research endeavors, Dr. SHOU has developed a premium fabric named Omni-Cool-Dry, drawing inspiration from beetles. This fabric not only provides ultra-fast sweat dissipation and ensures all-day comfort with its cooling, dry, and breathable features under dynamic thermal conditions, but it also reflects solar radiation and emits body heat into the cold universe, enabling passive cooling. Omni-Cool-Dry provides an excellent solution for personal cooling as heat records continue to be shattered across the globe. In addition, Dr SHOU has invented iActive, an intelligent, electrically activated activewear designed for sweat management. This nature-inspired technologies, including low-voltage-driven artificial "sweat glands" and a root-like branching liquid transport system that aligns with the body's sweat map, can effectively and programmably remove sweat. During the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a significant demand for breathable and comfortable protective equipment. Dr SHOU and his team “iFiber” leveraged advanced functional materials and wearable technologies to invent the first air-conditioned mask, Omni-Cool-Breath. Dr SHOU’s remarkable achievements are exemplified by his recognition by the Fiber Society, which is a professional and scientific association to advance scientific knowledge pertaining to fibers, fiber-based products, and fibrous materials. The accolade is presented annually to an individual researcher under the age of 40 who has made notable contributions to the field of fiber science and engineering worldwide.  Prof. Christopher CHAO, PolyU Vice President (Research and Innovation), said, “The achievement highlights PolyU scholar’s unwavering dedication towards research, consistently pushing the boundaries of academic knowledge and innovation.  The accomplishments have paved the way for future progress in the industry, leaving an indelible mark on the world of fashion and textiles.” Prof. Erin Cho, Dean of School of Fashion and Textiles at PolyU, said, “This prestigious recognition is a testament to Dr. Shou’s expertise and intellectual prowess in the field of fibre science, as well as his commitment and perseverance in the pursuit of research excellence. Our school is thrilled by the fact that his groundbreaking contributions are being recognised with this award on a global scale.” Dr SHOU said, “The accolade of the Fiber Society’s Distinguished Achievement Award is a great honour to me. I am deeply committed to creating intelligent wear for better health, comfort, performance and sustainability in the future.” As a Principal Investigator, Dr. SHOU has secured 10 external competitive research grants, including General Research Fund / Early Career Scheme from the Research Grants Council, Innovation and Technology Fund from the Innovation and Technology Commission, and Environment Conservation Fund from the Environment and Ecology Bureau. Dr SHOU is also dedicated to developing various innovative projects, such as soft robotic clothing for adaptive thermoregulation, an intelligent hip protector for the elderly, intelligent activewear with sweat-based health monitoring, and an all-textile solar steam generator for clean water production. As the Programme Director, Dr. SHOU has established the first postgraduate degree in wearable technology in China at PolyU - Master of Science in Intelligent Wearable Technology. With outstanding accomplishments in fiber science and wearable technology, Dr SHOU has also garnered international innovation awards. These include consecutive TechConnect Global Innovation Awards in 2021 and 2022, as well as a Silver Medal at the 2022 International Exhibition of Inventions in Geneva. Additionally, he serves as an editorial board member for 7 leading SCI journals.  

PolyU collaborates with two technology innovation investment companies to promote research commercialisation in the Greater Bay Area

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) has signed a tripartite Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with two renowned investment companies to support the Research, Academic and Industry Sectors One-plus Scheme (RAISe+ Scheme) launched by the HKSAR Government. The collaboration aims to promote commercialisation of PolyU research and incubate innovation startups capable of establishing a presence in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA). A delegation led by Dr CHEN Jie, Standing Member of the CPC Guangzhou Municipal Committee, Secretary of the CPC Huangpu District Committee and of the CPC Guangzhou Development District Working Committee, Director of Guangzhou Development District Administrative Committee, visited PolyU yesterday (14 September). They exchanged insights with the University’s senior management and researchers on establishing an innovation platform, nurturing talent and research commercialisation. The delegation included representatives from the Government of Huangpu District in Guangzhou and executives from companies. The signing ceremony was held on the PolyU campus yesterday (14 September). The collaboration strives to further realise PolyU’s potential in basic research to advance commercialisation of scientific discoveries and apply innovative solutions for societal benefits. Witnessed by Dr Chen Jie, Prof. Wing-tak WONG, Deputy President and Provost of PolyU, Mr LIANG Jun, Chief Executive Officer, Shenwan Hongyuan (H.K.) Limited, and Mr XUE Bo Ran, Chairman, Joincap Capital Group, the MoU was signed by Dr Miranda LOU, Executive Vice President of PolyU, Mr Victor WANG, Managing Director of Shenwan Hongyuan, and Mr Avan FUNG, licensed representative of Joincap Capital. Dr Miranda Lou, Executive Vice President of Poly, said, “Driven by our motto, ‘To learn and to apply, for the benefit of mankind’, PolyU strives to nurture future leaders with an innovative, entrepreneurial mindset and actively promote commercialisation of research for societal impact. This collaboration with Shenwan Hongyuan and Joincap Capital leverages our combined strengths in research, funding, market networks and project information to accelerate commercialisation of PolyU technologies and incubate scalable ventures to take root in the GBA.” Mr Liang Jun, Chief Executive Officer, Shenwan Hongyuan (H.K.) Limited, said, “As a leading Chinese securities firm serving Hong Kong for 30 years, Shenwan Hongyuan is committed to creating value through our comprehensive investment, banking and management services. With a comprehensive business focus on investment, investment banking and wealth management, Shenwan is committed to creating value for Hong Kong’s capital market and innovation and technology companies. Propelled by Hong Kong’s innovation policies and PolyU’s industry-academia-research expertise, this cooperation will empower us to jointly cultivate a thriving ecosystem for technology companies.” Mr Xue Bo Ran, Chairman, Joincap Capital Group, said, “The Guangzhou Development Zone has always adhered to an innovation-driven development strategy to promote technological innovation and industrial upgrading. PolyU is a university with global impact at the frontier of commercialising research, while Shenwan Hongyuan is a leading industrial investment enterprise in China. With roots in the GBA, Joincap Capital Group has focused on integrating Hong Kong with GBA cities in terms of technological innovation, education and finance. Through this strategic collaboration, we aim to accelerate commercialisation of PolyU’s advanced research, particularly in Guangzhou, to catalyse high-quality development in the GBA. The HKSAR Government has launched the HK$10 billion RAISe+ Scheme that provides funds on a matching basis to university research teams with good potential to commercialise research projects and develop start‑ups. Under the MoU, the joint Shenwan Hongyuan and Joincap Capital funding will set aside HK$150 million to invest in PolyU research projects. Eligible projects will be jointly nominated for government support. PolyU is the first local university to build a partnership with Shenwan and Joincap, and the collaboration seeks to facilitate PolyU technologies landing in the GBA through networking, incubation support and setting up joint labs. This will stimulate industry-academia-research collaborations, development of downstream sectors, and elevate innovation and technology in Hong Kong. The delegation visited PolyU research facilities on campus, including the State Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery approved by the Ministry of Science and Technology, the Industrial Centre and the Aviation Services Research Centre, to learn about PolyU’s world-class research technologies in multiple research fields. Moving forward, PolyU will continue to closely connect with the Mainland and carry out impactful research and knowledge transfer projects, so as to integrate with national development and fully support building up Hong Kong as an international innovation and technology centre.

Three PolyU scholars awarded under national key programme and 52 young scientists honoured by NSFC

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) has received outstanding support from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) for the year 2023. Three research projects have been awarded under the NSFC’s Key Programme, eight research projects under the General Programme, while two research projects led by young scholars have been bestowed the Excellent Young Scientists Fund (Hong Kong and Macau). Additionally, 50 researchers have been awarded the Young Scientists Fund. PolyU's young scientists and innovators have consistently demonstrated unwavering dedication to innovation and the advancement of scientific research. The unprecedented number of awardees and research projects affirms PolyU's commitment to nurturing research talents. PolyU takes pride in its top-class researchers and will continue to contribute to the technological and societal development of Hong Kong and the Nation. The Key Programme award offered by the NSFC aims to support scientists engaged in research with a sound basis. The three awarded research projects are “Detection of underground water pipe leakage based on multi-temporal PollnSAR technology” led by Prof. Xiaoli DING, Chair Professor of Geomatics; “Flow boiling technology under extremely high-temperature environment: from fundamental mechanisms to vital materials” led by Prof. Zhankai WANG, Associate Vice President (Research and Innovation); and “Low-carbon smart operation of integrated energy system considering multi-energy flow trading mechanism, interaction model and decision-making algorithm under complex time-space coupling environment” led by Prof. Zhao XU, Professor of Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering. The three research projects have received total funding support of RMB 6.18 million. These esteemed scientists from PolyU possess extensive research experience and profound academic expertise. Prof. Christopher CHAO, Vice President (Research and Innovation) of PolyU, said, “We are delighted that PolyU researchers have been awarded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China. Our scientific research prowess has been acknowledged, and we take immense pride in this accomplishment. PolyU remains dedicated to fostering a new generation of scientific researchers, attaining impactful scientific research outcomes, and fostering the advancement of innovation and technology in Hong Kong and the Greater Bay Area.” The Excellent Young Scientists Fund aims to support young scholars who have made significant achievements in fundamental research, enabling them to pursue innovative research and development. Each awardee will receive funding of RMB 2 million to support their scientific research projects in Hong Kong for a period of three years. PolyU’s scholars have been recognised by the NSFC for their cutting-edge research projects. The two awardees of the Excellent Young Scientist Fund (Hong Kong and Macau) are Dr Xinyan HUANG, Associate Professor of Department of Building Environment and Energy Engineering and Dr Kathy K. LENG, Assistant Professor of Department of Applied Physics. Dr Huang’s awarded research project is titled “Smouldering Wildfire.” The smouldering combustion of decomposed plant litter and organic soils is the largest combustion and fire phenomenon on Earth, resulting in tremendous economic losses, regional haze events and ecological damage. This multi-disciplinary research project, investigating combustion, safety, ecology and geology, aims to control and reduce mega-scale smouldering wildfires. The research project not only provides scientific guidelines to help reduce carbon emissions from smouldering wildfires but also helps reduce the hazards of wildfires in the Belt-and-Road countries, thereby promoting China as a leader in fighting against global climate change. Dr Leng’s awarded research project is titled “Molecularly Thin 2D Hybrid Perovskite and Innovative Devices.” Molecularly thin 2D hybrid perovskites are a new class of 2D materials characterised by high structural flexibility and interesting optoelectronic properties. The ability to tune the responses of such materials by external stimuli enables applications in intelligent and functional devices. They also serve as new platforms for fundamental physics studies. Dr Leng has published a series of original works in this frontier area, and she will continue her research on the large-scale growth and device applications of these materials. The outstanding scientific research capabilities of PolyU's young scientists have been highly recognised. A total of 50 young researchers of PolyU have been awarded the Young Scientists Fund which aims to inspire innovative thinking among young scholars to nurture research talent for scientific and technological advancement. These young PolyU researchers come from various faculties and schools including the Faculty of Business, Faculty of Construction and Environment, Faculty of Engineering, Faculty of Health and Social Sciences, Faculty of Science, School of Fashion and Textiles, and School of Hotel and Tourism Management. They cover a wide range of research areas. Thirteen of the awarded research projects were initiated by the Shenzhen Research Institute of PolyU, which serves as an extended campus base of PolyU and is equipped with research units and laboratories.

PolyU secures funding for 27 Projects from the Health and Medical Research Fund for promising healthcare solutions

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) has received total funding support of HK$25.1 million for 27 projects from the Health and Medical Research Fund (HMRF) in its 2021 funding exercise, signifying an increase in both the number of projects and total amount awarded.  The PolyU projects that received awards represent a broad spectrum of disciplines in which the University excels, including biology and chemical technology, health technology, nursing care, optometry, rehabilitation sciences, linguistics and the social sciences.  Researchers from the PolyU Faculty of Health and Social Sciences, Faculty of Humanities, Faculty of Science and School of Design are among those awarded funding to develop innovative and impactful solutions, aiming at enhancing the quality of medical and mental healthcare.  Their ground-breaking research addresses pressing health issues and offer innovative solutions that benefit individuals across all age groups. The projects cover a broad spectrum of subjects, including cognitive and physical training for older adults, early detection of postpartum depression, adolescent idiopathic scoliosis, Parkinson’s disease, autism disorder and system-biology analytics for schizophrenia. Other projects focus on advancing medical progress in critical disease in areas such as liver cancer radiotherapy and palliative care.  In the field of eye health, projects encompass myopia control, development of an anti-glaucoma agent and development of drugs for antibiotic and infection treatment. Moreover, specific projects aim to support caregivers by enhancing their mental health care services while also meeting the needs of patients. Prof. Christopher CHAO, Vice President (Research and Innovation), said, “The funded projects showcase PolyU’s prowess in impactful research, leveraging the University’s strength in interdisciplinary studies. These 27 studies encompass diverse medical and mental facets of human needs, spanning from diagnosis to treatment, prevention, recovery, and both physical and psychological care. This unique breadth of expertise highlights the University’s longstanding excellence in these fields.”  Effective clinical diagnosis and analysis Effective clinical diagnosis and analysis have been advanced through the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies, such as deep learning and machine learning. Professor Weixong ZHANG, Chair Professor of Bioinformatics and Integrative Genomics at the Department of Health Technology and Informatics, leads the project “Subtyping and Diagnosis of Schizophrenia by Systems-biology Analytics.” AI technologies are used to integrate genomic and neuroimaging data to understand disease etiology and subtypes of schizophrenia for personalised medicine. Accurate measurement of tumour motion and volume for better radiotherapy planning is initiated in the project “Investigation of a Deep Learning-empowered 4D multi-parametric MRI (4D-mpMRI) Technique for Liver Cancer Radiotherapy in a Prospective Clinical Trial.” Led by Dr Tian LI, Research Assistant Professor of the Department of Health Technology and Informatics, the project aims to enhance the image quality and clinical efficacy of 4D-mpMRI radiotherapy technique.  Physical and mental wellbeing management  Technology plays a crucial role in rehabilitation management. Autism spectrum disorder remains a highly disabling condition with no cure. Recently, transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), a non-invasive neuromodulation technique, has shown promise as a treatment to reduce core symptoms in patients with autism. Dr Yvonne Ming Yee HAN, Associate Professor of the Department of Rehabilitation Sciences leads the project “Cumulative and Booster Effects of Multisession Prefrontal Transcranial Direct-current Stimulation on Cognitive and Social Impairments in Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder.” The project aims to study the long-term efficacy of tDCS for improving the cognitive and social functions of individuals with autism.  Online acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) education can improve mental wellbeing of teenagers with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis and their parents. Dr Yu Lok WONG, Associate Professor of the Department of Rehabilitation Sciences leads the project “Effectiveness of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy Versus Active Controls in Improving Psychological Functions of Parents and Children with Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis: A Randomized Controlled Trial” which aims to identify the benefits of ACT. Creative technologies have been applied to enhance the efficacy of physical and mental treatment in both clinical and community settings. Dr Shanshan WANG, Research Assistant Professor of the School of Nursing, leads the project “Effects of e-bibliotherapy on the Psychological Wellbeing of Informal Caregivers of People with Dementia: A Randomized Controlled Trial.” An e-bibliotherapy app/manual has been developed to improve the psychological wellbeing and health-related quality of life for caregivers.  Integration of the traditional exercise Qigong and VR-based training is introduced in the project “A VR-based Real-time Interactive Tutoring System for Qigong Training among Older Adults with Mild Cognitive Impairment and Their Familial Caregivers: A Feasibility Study.” The project is led by Dr Hailiang WANG, Assistant Professor of the School of Design, and aims to design an innovative VR-based Qigong exercise platform for older adults to delay the progressive course of dementia.  Infection management and antibiotic drug development The management of infections and development of antibiotic drugs have long been important areas of focus in medicine. Prof. Sheng CHEN, Head of the Department of Food Science and Nutrition and Chair Professor of Microbiology leads the project “Development of Bithionol Analogues as β-Lactamase Inhibitor for Clinical Treatment of Infections Caused by Enterobacteriaceae Strains Carrying Class B1 Metallo-β-Lactamases.” The objective of this project is to develop drug candidates for the treatment of infections. Dr Wing Leung WONG, Assistant Professor of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology, leads the project “Investigation of Unnatural Amino Acid-based Diseleno Derivatives as the Target-specific Covalent Inhibitor of New Delhi Metallo-β-lactamase-1 (NDM-1).” The aim of this project is to combat antibiotic resistance in bacteria, particularly superbugs.  Preventive measures in optometry Research in primary eye care is of fundamental importance in protecting vision and preventing eye-related disease in the long-term. Dr Chi- wai DO, Associate Professor of the School of Optometry leads the project “Characterization of Baicalein, a Natural Molecule, as Anti-glaucoma Agent.” The project is conducting research on baicalein, a natural molecule, to examine its therapeutic significance in treating glaucoma, a sight-threatening eye disease.  Focusing on myopia control in school-children, Dr Ka Man CHUN, Research Assistant Professor of the School of Optometry leads the project “Combination Effect of Optical Defocus and Low Dose Atropine in Myopia Control – A Randomized Clinical Trial.” The project combines optical and pharmaceutical intervention to control the progression of myopia in schoolchildren.  About HMRF  The Health and Medical Research Fund (HMRF) was established by the Health Bureau in 2011. It aims to build research capacity and to encourage, facilitate and support health and medical research to inform health policies, improve population health, strengthen the health system, enhance healthcare practices, advance the standard and quality of care, and promote clinical excellence, through the generation and application of evidence-based scientific knowledge in health and medicine. In addition to health and medical research, the HMRF also provides support for health promotion projects, research infrastructure and research capacity building initiatives.  Click here for details of the 27 funded projects.    

Exploration for New Catalysts Dedicated to a Green Environment

While challenging, research for promising catalysts using effective methods has an immense impact on the environment.  Human activities and the burning of fossil fuels result in carbon emissions, which release significant greenhouse gases that lead to global warming. Achieving carbon neutrality is critical in combating the climate crisis. Dr Bolong HUANG, Associate Professor of Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU), is dedicated to research in catalysis for the development of new catalyst materials that support sustainable energy supply and conversion technologies, aligning with the global vision of protecting the environment. Ever since the discovery of catalysts 200 years ago, they have become a significant area of research in modern times due to their ability to alter reaction path and accelerate the reaction with lower activation energy towards desired products. Even small quantities of catalysts can have a significant impact. Nowadays, catalysts are indispensable in over 90% of the chemical industry, influencing every aspect of our lives, including oil refining, plastics production, fertiliser manufacturing, medicine development, and energy supply.    Advanced cross-disciplinary research Research in catalysis spans multiple disciplines, encompassing physics, chemistry, biology, and materials sciences. As catalysis involves both chemical reactions and physical processes, solid knowledge across scientific fields is pivotal for designing novel catalysts with high performance.  In catalysis research, Dr HUANG has applied theoretical calculations and machine learning techniques to develop novel catalysts for important chemical reactions in sustainable development. These include water-splitting hydrogen (H2) generation, oxygen reduction and evolution for fuel cells and metal-air batteries, and carbon dioxide (CO2) reduction for controlling carbon emission. Dr HUANG said, “My theoretical calculations not only accelerate the discovery of novel catalysts but also gain crucial insights into fundamental reaction mechanisms. I am driven to pursue catalysis research to identify more novel functional materials that can be applied in sustainable developments.”   The quest for effective catalysts Focusing on designing novel catalysts and investigating catalysis mechanisms for various chemical reactions, Dr HUANG’s studies have garnered high citations worldwide, all driven by the ultimate goal of fostering a sustainable future. Throughout the research journey, Dr HUANG said major challenges revolve around identifying the most suitable catalysts and developing effective methods. Due to the diverse range of catalysts in terms of morphologies, composition, activity, and stability, the quest for the most effective and robust catalyst for a specific application requires extensive efforts in the trial-and-error process. By combining theoretical calculations and machine learning techniques, Dr HUANG’s team accomplishes a comprehensive screening of single-atom catalysts across the periodic table. This approach allows them to identify the most suitable candidates to generate different high-value chemicals from CO2. The research titled “Accelerating atomic catalyst discovery by theoretical calculations-machine learning strategy” was published in Advanced Energy Materials in February 2020. The highly cited study presents crucial guidelines for experimental catalyst design and synthesis from two independent theoretical perspectives: density functional theory (DFT) and machine learning (ML) to achieve parallel explorations. The proposed advanced research strategy demonstrates the significant potential of atomic catalysts for efficient hydrogen generation. Dr HUANG said, “My research satisfaction stems from the fact that my works can inspire more researchers and influential scientists in this field, in which all researches together accelerate the developments of advanced catalyst research for sustainable energy technologies.”  For research on CO2 reduction reaction (CO2RR) toward the generation of C2 products (e.g. ethanol, ethylene, acetic acid), there has been the challenge of developing efficient and stable atomic catalysts to achieve high faradaic efficiency and selectivity, which are desirable for broad industrial applications due to their high value and energy density.  Dr HUANG’s research, “Double-dependence correlations in graphdiyne-supported atomic catalysts to promote CO2RR toward the Generation of C2 Products,” provides an advanced understanding of the complicated CO2RR mechanisms, which is expected to aid the development of novel atomic catalysis for efficient C2 products generation. The research was published in Advanced Energy Materials in December 2022. This highly cited work provides valuable insights and references for screening and predicting efficient atomic catalysts to overcome the current bottleneck in achieving efficient conversion from CO2 to high-value-added C2 products.   Staying focused Creating sustainable energy harvesting and conversion systems is crucial in addressing both the energy crisis and pollution caused by the use of fossil fuels. To achieve this, novel catalysts have been developed to accelerate electrochemical reactions such as hydrogen evolution and oxygen evolution/reduction reactions for sustainable energy systems such as fuel cells and water-electrolyser. Meanwhile, applying advanced catalysts in CO2RR systems also supplies promising solutions for reducing carbon emissions towards carbon neutrality. Therefore, developing advanced and efficient catalysts are still one of the most important research topics for sustainable energy technologies.  Dr HUANG said, “A highly cited researcher must have an unwavering focus on the core interest and devote great efforts to solve key challenges in related fields.” Despite encountering numerous ups and downs throughout the research journey, Dr HUANG acknowledges these experiences and inspiration are critical for reaching impactful and meaningful research outputs in the future.  Looking ahead, Dr HUANG is committed to leveraging his expertise and experiences in theoretical calculations to design more advanced catalysts. The ultimate goal is to contribute to the advancement of technology for sustainable development.  Research Interests: Theoretical calculations of electronic structures on nanomaterials, energy materials, solid functional materials, and rare earth materials, as well as their applications in multi-scale energy conversion and supply systems.  Highly Cited Researcher: 2022 (Clarivate Analytics) Selected Highly Cited Publications: B. Huang, M. Sun, H. H. Wong, T. Wu, et. al., Double-dependence Correlations in Graphdiyne-supported Atomic Catalysts to Promote CO2RR towards the Generation of C2 Products, Advanced Energy Materials, 13, 2023.  B. Huang, M. Sun, H. H. Wong, T. Wu, et. al., Stepping Out of Transition Metals: Activating the Dual Atomic Catalyst through Main Group Elements, Advanced Energy Materials, 11, 2021. B. Huang, M. Sun, A. W. Dougherty, Y. Li, et. al., Accelerating the atomic catalyst discovery by theoretical calculations-machine learning strategy, Advanced Energy Materials, 10, 2020. Download Version