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PolyU scholar shares experiences on generating lifetime learning to students from research project on THE Campus

While some may think that entering student science competitions is all about the gold medals, the long-term nature of such projects is perfect fodder for learning meaningful skills.  Winning award is clearly a common goal of competition entry. However, effective management of student involvement in research project competitions should aim not only for success but also at ensuring a meaningful learning process for student researchers who dedicate considerable time to a project. Dr Pai ZHENG, Assistant Professor of Department of Industrial Systems and Engineering at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) shares his experiences with THE Campus on generating lifetime learning for students from research competition.  Dr ZHENG said, “A supervisor’s role encompasses managing the project but also mentoring students in terms of academic, social and teamwork skills. It is important to inspire and guide students, particularly in times of uncertainty and difficulty, such as if and when significant changes need to be made.”  Dr ZHENG led a research team for the aforementioned successful research project “Mutual Cognitive Human-Robot Collaborative Manufacturing System” comprised undergraduate and postgraduate students. Dr Zheng is also the principal investigator of the Research Group of AI for Industrial Digital Servitisation at PolyU.  The team won a number of local and international Information and Communication Technology (ICT) awards for their work to improve collaboration between people and robots.  Dr ZHENG said, “It must be kept in mind that, as in any science and technology discovery, a research project is a long-term learning process in which ongoing motivation of interest and persistence is crucial for success.” For more:  https://www.timeshighereducation.com/campus/how-supervisors-can-use-research-competitions-inspire-lifetime-learning  

PolyU scholars win ZPRIZE for ground-breaking Web3 technology in zero-knowledge cryptography

Computer science scholars from The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) have won the ZPRIZE in the Plonk-DIZK GPU Acceleration prize category for innovative solutions in empowering zero-knowledge cryptography. Led by Prof. Allen AU from the University’s Department of Computing and Research Assistant Professor Dr Xingye LU, the research team was awarded a cash prize of US$550,000. Zero-knowledge cryptography, also known as zero-knowledge proofs (ZKPs), allows a “prover” to convince a person of the validity of a computation without leaking any information; it is hence referred to as zero-knowledge cryptography. It is seen as a breakthrough technology impacting Web3, a decentralised online ecosystem based on blockchain, because it enables data privacy protection, efficiency improvement and scalability of transparent systems such as blockchain. Zero-knowledge cryptography is important to foster trust and promote widespread adoption of decentralised applications, which in turn is crucial for the growth of Web3. It also facilitates the development of innovative solutions for privacy-preserving data sharing and collaborative computation. A variety of industries including financial services, healthcare and supply chain management would benefit from the application of this technology. Christopher CHAO, PolyU Vice President (Research and Innovation), said, “We take great pride in our scholars’ remarkable achievements in winning the ZPRIZE. It showcases PolyU’s unwavering commitment to advancing blockchain technology and revolutionizing Web3 through innovative research and transformative solutions.” A major challenge for real-world adoption of ZKPs, particularly for applications at scale, is the high computation cost. In addressing this issue, the research team focused on enhancing the efficiency and scalability of Plonk, a popular ZKP system. The team delivered this achievement by leveraging GPU acceleration to achieve computation speedup and distributing the workload evenly across multiple servers to improve scalability. Prof. Au said, “This is crucial because generating these proofs can be computationally intensive, and so a faster and more efficient method could enable the use of zero-knowledge cryptographic in a wider range of applications.” This new implementation can generate a proof in less than one hour for a circuit of size 228 gates, which is the largest circuit with reported successful plonk proof generation. The research team’s solution has achieved a significant computation speedup of over 40% on a single machine. With the new distribution approach, the team was able to improve the overall proof generation process by a factor of 10 compared with existing method. The Plonk-DIZK GPU Acceleration Prize falls under the open division category of the ZPRIZE for general public interests. ZPRIZE is a collaborative effort across the blockchain industry that involves over 32 global partners and sponsors who contribute time, effort and resources to this industry-wide competition, with the aim of increasing the practicality and awareness of this technology. Dr Lu said, “Our submission will become open-source libraries for the benefit of the community. We hope this new technology can support the next generation of decentralized protocols and applications to enable secure, interoperable and scalable applications for the next-generation web.”

PolyU showcases research in Asia Summit on Global Health

PolyU participates in the Asia Summit on Global Health (ASGH), showcasing its research expertise in health innovation. PolyU is honored to lead panel discussion on the theme of “Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area as the Powerhouse of Healthcare Innovation”. Prof Wong Wing-tak, Deputy President and Provost of PolyU is the panel chair. Valuable experience and insights on health innovation and collaboration are shared by the speakers. The sharing also drew substantial interest of government officials, business leaders, researchers and event participants with interactive sharing. The exhibition also showcases PolyU’s research expertise in healthcare, life sciences, AI innovations and material application, as well as impactful innovations of InnoHK R&D Centres, to highlight Hong Kong's strengths in the healthcare sector. ASGH is a cross-disciplinary platform which will bring together senior government officials, academia, investors, influential business leaders, as well as financial and professional service providers from related sectors around the world to exchange insights and explore business opportunities and partnership in advancing global health.

PolyU contributes to environmental protection supported by the Environment and Conservation Fund

Eleven projects of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) are funded by the Environment and Conservation Fund (ECF) with a total awarded amount of HK$6.23 million. This achievement demonstrates PolyU’s research excellence and expertise on environmental protection in different disciplines across construction and building, engineering and applied science. The awarded research projects cover a variety of topics, including climate change, waste reduction and management, recycling, air and water quality protection etc. PolyU scientists are dedicated to the innovative adoption of technologies, addressing Hong Kong’s environmental challenges and needs. The eleven awarded projects initiate new technologies and solutions such as waste minimization, energy efficiency, recycling, decarbonization and thermal management to improve Hong Kong’s living environment on air, land and sea. The ECF was set up by the government of HKSAR to provide funding support for educational, research and other projects and activities in relation to environmental improvement and conservation of local environment since 1994. Details of the 11 ECF funded projects: Principal Investigator Project Title Awarded Amount (HK$) Prof. CHAO Yu-hang Christopher, Vice President (Research and Innovation) A Feasibility Study on Various Types of High-Efficiency Chillers in Hong Kong: A Life-Cycle Assessment 1,000,000 Prof. DU Ya-ping, Professor of Department of Building Environment and Energy Engineering CO2 and CH4 Conversion into High-Value Liquid Chemicals and Fuels in One Step at Room Temperature by Sliding Arc Plasma-Catalyst Synergy 500,000 Dr. FU Sau Chung, Research Assistant Professor of Department of Building Environment and Energy Engineering Development of an energy efficient technology for removal of microplastics from wastewater 495,000 Dr. DONG You, Associate Professor of Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering Coastal Hazard Protection Benefits of Ecosystems in Hong Kong under Global Climate Change 806,400 Dr. ZHANG Shipeng, Research Assistant Professor of Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering High-Performance Artificial Aggregate derived from Municipal Solid Waste Incineration Bottom Ash 452,000 Dr. SHEN Xi, Assistant Professor of Department of Aeronautical and Aviation Engineering Development of a non-contact solar-thermal converter material for sustainable solar desalination 499,400 Ir Prof. WEN Chih-yung, Head and Chair Professor of Aeronautical Engineering, Associate Director of Research Institute for Sports Science and Technology A Novel Real-Time Thermal Management solution Using Lightweight CFD and Reinforcement Learning for Hong Kong's Next-Generation Data Center 500,000 Dr. WANG Minghao Research Assistant Professor of Department of Electrical Engineering Dynamic decarbonization audit and cost-efficient management system of multiphysical photovoltaic power generation systems in smart cities 500,000 Dr. REN Jingzheng Associate Professor of Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering Converting waste plastics into value-added products: process design, simulation, and feasibility analysis 482,000 Dr. LI Meng-jung Molly Assistant Professor of Department of Applied Physics Process intensification reinforces the carbon-free ammonia-to-hydrogen efficiency through microwave heating 500,000 Dr. ZHAO Jiong Assistant Professor of Department of Applied Physics Convert the Coffee Grounds into Two-Dimensional Graphene Thin Film 500,000  

PolyU and NGOs develop innovative and effective intervention services to help families cope with adversity

To help families cope with stress and adversity, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU), with the support of The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust, has partnered with Hong Kong Children and Youth Services, Hong Kong Family Welfare Society, The Salvation Army, and Tung Wah Group of Hospitals to deliver a three–year project ‘Jockey Club “Promoting Family Resilience” Project’ (the Project). Since 2021, the Project has launched various programmes including an e-learning training course on family resilience and community-based family intervention services to help families respond to changes and disruptions brought about by the pandemic and adapt to the constantly changing social environment. Family resilience is the ability of a family to cope with and adapt to challenging situations and external threats; it includes family cohesion and flexibility, open family communication, and a shared sense of purpose and positive outlook. By developing family resilience, families can better navigate difficult circumstances and maintain a sense of stability, mutual support and positive communication even in the face of adversity. The e-learning training course is a 12-hour tailor-made e-learning program from which parents can learn about the concepts of family resilience, reflect on their own family situation and capacity, and apply family resilience strategies in their daily life. Eight months after the launch of the training course, there have been over 5,000 beneficiaries. Prof. Daniel SHEK, Associate Vice President (Undergraduate Programme), Chair Professor of Applied Social Sciences, and Li and Fung Professor in Service Leadership Education of PolyU, said over 97% of the participants reported that they acquired the concepts of family resilience and had a better understanding of their own family characteristics, and 95% found that they face adversity more positively and were more willing to shoulder the burdens of other family members. Moreover, those participants who had completed the 12-hour modules showed a decrease in personal stress, anxiety and depression, and an increase in family resilience including more positive family values and stronger optimistic beliefs, more cohesion and flexibility among family members, and better family communication and problem-solving capabilities. The project team also conducted a quasi-experimental study to assess the effectiveness of the training course by comparing an experimental group (i.e., those who had completed the e-learning course) and a comparison group (i.e., those who had not joined the course). The experimental group reported a decrease in anxiety and depressive symptoms, and an increase in family resilience after participating in the programmes, when compared with the comparison group. What also makes the Project unique are the community-based family intervention programmes which also aim to enhance family resilience in the community. Over the past two years, over 7,000 families have joined these programmes. Four such programmes have been developed jointly by the collaborating NGOs and PolyU, and implemented by the NGOs. They incorporate different programme designs and concepts of family resilience: 1) family adventure-based training; 2) family-based art workshops; 3) family photo albums; and 4) mindful journeys for families. The programmes comprise six-sessions and include group sessions and outdoor activities, with entire families invited to participate. Nearly 900 families have joined these programmes in the past two years. Dr Janet LEUNG, Associate Professor of Applied Social Sciences of PolyU, said programme evaluation showed that 97% of participants reported that they were more optimistic in facing adversity, communicated better and developed mutual support among their family members. Furthermore, participants showed a decrease of mental health symptoms (stress, anxiety and depression) among family members, and an increase in family resilience (positive family beliefs, family flexibility and cohesion, and family communication and collaborative problem-solving). Moreover, results of a quasi-experimental study indicated that an experimental group (i.e., those families that joined the programmes) showed a decrease in anxiety, an increase in family resilience and better marital satisfaction after participation, when compared with the comparison group (i.e., those families that did not join our programmes). Families in Hong Kong still face different challenges and difficulties during the post-pandemic stage. The prolonged pandemic has taken a significant toll on individual and family mental health. The unpredictable economic condition with high inflation has also created worries within families. Moreover, when schools resume normal, families may need to adjust to new routines again and, in managing learning loss, parents and children are anxious to catch up, which can cause significant stress. In facing the challenges ahead, it is clear that family-based programmes that effectively promote family resilience are essential. The Project will help Hong Kong families better understand and enhance their resilience. It also hopes to train professionals including social workers and psychologists to further optimise intervention services to help families cope with adversity. Jockey Club “Promoting Family Resilience” Project Website: https://family-fhss.polyu.edu.hk Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JCFamilyResiliencehk/

PolyU hosts premier interdisciplinary research conference in the Greater Bay Area with Prof. Yan Nieng and over 100 leading experts as distinguished speakers

The first and largest interdisciplinary research and development conference in Hong Kong commenced at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) today, with some 100 internationally renowned experts as distinguished speakers to share their knowledge and insights during the 4-day conference. The PolyU Academy for Interdisciplinary Research (PAIR) Conference provided an opportunity for stakeholders from industry, academia, and governments worldwide to engage in closer exchange and collaboration, enriching and expanding interdisciplinary knowledge to foster a brighter and more sustainable future. Under the theme of “Research Excellence for Societal Impacts”, the Conference has 15 streams focused on three core areas: advanced technologies and manufacturing, good health and well-being, and smart and sustainable cities. Besides insightful keynote and discussion sessions, the programme also comprises laboratory visits and presentations of select research papers. At the Conference opening session, Prof. YAN Nieng, Founding President of the Shenzhen Medical Academy of Research and Translation and a world-leading structural biologist, delivered an insightful presentation on the frontier research of proteins that may play a key role in the pharmaceutical development of pain relief solutions. Prof. Jin-Guang TENG, President of PolyU, said, “This academic conference is specifically dedicated to interdisciplinary research and emerging technologies, which are especially relevant in today's complex world. Tackling pressing societal issues, such as climate change, an ageing population, poverty, energy shortages and so forth requires game-changing interdisciplinary solutions that transcend the boundaries of individual disciplines.” Prof. Christopher CHAO, Vice President (Research and Innovation) of PolyU and Chairman of the Conference’s Scientific Committee, said, “As we finally emerge from the pandemic and return to normality, this year's Conference marks a new chapter for academia in Hong Kong and around the world to establish, renew and deepen interdisciplinary collaboration for the benefit of society.” Prof. CHEN Qingyan, Director of PAIR and Chair Professor of Building Thermal Science of PolyU, said, “The Conference is important for us to understand what it means to be innovative, interdisciplinary, and agile. It is a major step towards closer interinstitutional and cross-sectoral collaboration to embrace the challenges ahead.” Officially inaugurated in July 2022, PAIR is PolyU’s interdisciplinary research hub with 16 research institutes and centres and over 400 senior researchers, making it the largest research platform of its kind in the Greater Bay Area.  

China Resources and PolyU to drive the establishment of Joint Research Institute of Carbon Neutral New Materials

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU), China Resources Enterprise, Limited (China Resources) and China Resources Research Institute of Science and Technology signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) yesterday (4 May) on research collaboration in carbon neutrality and sustainability-driven projects, talent development and start-up projects, and a framework agreement to drive the establishment of the CR-PolyU Joint Research Institute for Carbon Neutral New Materials. Witnessed by Mr Xiangming WANG, Chairman of China Resources Group; Ms Cheng WU, Deputy Director-General of the Department of Educational, Scientific and Technological Affairs of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region; Dr Tai Fai LAM, Council Chairman of PolyU; and Prof. Jin-Guang TENG, President of PolyU, the agreement was signed by Mr Ying CHEN, Assistant General Manager of China Resources Group, Chairman and CEO of China Resources Enterprise, and Prof. Christopher CHAO, Vice President (Research and Innovation) of PolyU. Mr Xiangming Wang said, “This collaboration relies on the abundant industrial resources of China Resources Group, combined with the strong scientific research capabilities and technology of PolyU. The aim is to extensively apply the results of research into new materials to industry, and jointly establish an ‘Industry-University-Research Integration’ research center to conduct commercial transformation and incubate startup projects. Against the backdrop of the Nation’s active promotion of the dual-carbon policy and the demand for new industrialisation in Hong Kong, the collaboration drives demand-driven development, strengthens the integration of production and application, and aims to solidify the research foundation of material science, sustainable development and other research directions to promote technological research and development, new products and new business models, and achieve open innovation.” PolyU President Prof. Jin-Guang Teng said, “This collaboration will facilitate talent nurturing for researchers and provide support for knowledge transfer. On the one hand, the two parties will provide more external opportunities for PolyU graduate students to exchange and collaborate. On the other hand, China Resources will provide incubation support for PolyU’s startups. These will help Hong Kong become an international I&T hub in the Greater Bay Area. Moving forward, China Resources and PolyU will jointly carry out frontier technology research and designated subject and technological innovation in basic fields based on the joint research institute platform, so as to attract researchers and incubate scientific and technological innovation start-up projects in sustainable development fields.

PolyU to set up research centre on culture and art technology with NVIDIA

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) is collaborating with NVIDIA to establish a joint research centre for the innovation of culture, art technology and interactive media with the goal of nurturing talents and conducting collaborative research. The joint Research Centre on Culture and Art Technology (CAT) is to be set up by PolyU and NVIDIA. It is NVIDIA’s leading global research centre partnered with an education institution to facilitate art, design and media innovation. The School of Design (SD) of PolyU will team with NVIDIA for the establishment of CAT, which aims to become a leading research centre in culture and art technology. Leveraging Hong Kong’s position in China’s Greater Bay Area (GBA) with vibrant art and creative activities, CAT intends to become the hub of culture and art technology research internationally, driving creative innovation in the art-tech field. This academia-industry collaboration combines the strengths of NVIDIA technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI), data analytics and high performance computing, and PolyU’s expertise in cross-disciplinary research and education, to promote and create impactful and creative research on art technology. A memorandum of understanding to establish the centre was signed by Prof. Christopher CHAO, Vice President (Research and Innovation) of PolyU, and Dr Simon SEE, Senior Director of NVIDIA AI Technology Center. Prof. CHAO said, “PolyU is pleased to collaborate with NVIDIA in the areas of creative industry and art-tech. Combining PolyU’s strength in design education and research excellence and NVIDIA’s artificial intelligence computing expertise, I believe this synergy of academia and industry will generate a significant positive impact in the near-future. PolyU’s leading interdisciplinary research will be translated into practical use to create innovative solutions for the creative, art and entertainment industries.” Dr SEE said, “The collaboration between PolyU Design and NVIDIA on the establishment of the world's first joint research centre with a leading design school will be groundbreaking for creative and art technology. This collaboration will drive cutting-edge research and enable the development of innovative solutions for the creative industry with the help of AI.” Prof. Henry DUH, Centre Director of PolyU-NVIDIA Joint Research Centre of PolyU said, “PolyU always seeks for strong community engagement to produce timely and cutting-edge industry relevant research. By leveraging NVIDIA’s expertise in artificial intelligence, we will provide a collaborative platform for GBA culture groups and art communities to create new forms of arts.” Under this collaboration, PolyU will work with NVIDIA to organize a series of events including workshops, sharing sessions, art-tech exhibition, as well as the hackathon in Asia to reach the community and to facilitate knowledge sharing, innovation and entrepreneurship.

PolyU hosted NSFC-RGC Conference on Frontiers of Industrial Big Data and Intelligent Systems attended by international experts on human-machine integration discussion

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) successfully held the 2023 NSFC-RGC Conference on Frontiers of Industrial Big Data and Intelligent Systems from April 28 to May 1, 2023. The conference was jointly sponsored by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) and the Research Grants Council (RGC) of Hong Kong.   As an essential part of the NSFC-RGC Joint Research Funding Programme, the event aimed to promote academic cooperation between mainland and Hong Kong researchers or teams and to explore cutting-edge scientific issues related to "Towards Human-Machine Symbiotic Industrial Transformation”. The conference was hosted by PolyU and co-organised by 9 universities in Hong Kong and mainland China. The conference committee comprised representatives from the collaborating universities. Ir Prof H.C. MAN, Chair Professor of Materials Engineering and Dean of Faculty of Engineering at PolyU, served as one of the honorary chairs. Dr Pai ZHENG, Assistant Professor at the Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering at PolyU, also served as one of the conference chair. The conference attracted 247 experts and scholars from 62 universities and research institutions in Mainland China, Hong Kong, and seven overseas countries and regions. The participants included renowned researchers in the fields such as smart manufacturing, data science, and artificial intelligence. During the conference banquet held on April 28, Prof Christina WONG, Director of Research and Innovation at PolyU, delivered a speech expressing her best wishes for attendees to build friendships and research collaborations in Hong Kong. The participants engaged in in-depth exchanges and discussions on theories, methods, and applications of industrial big data and intelligent systems, showcasing the latest progress and development trends in the field. Nine keynote speakers shared their latest research findings, including Prof George Q. HUANG, Chair Professor of Smart Manufacturing at PolyU. The conference was a great success, offering fresh ideas and insights to promote human-machine integrated industrial transformation. Additionally, it established a valuable cooperation platform for researchers to connect and exchange, fostering cooperation in scientific research projects, talent cultivation, resource sharing, and other crucial aspects. These achievements are of great significance for driving industrial transformation through human-machine collaboration.

PolyU scholar honoured the National Disruptive Technology Contest by Ministry of Science & Technology

The research project “Low-temperature molding technology for precision optical components based on new nanocomposite glass materials” (基於新型納米複合玻璃材料的精密光學元件低溫成型技術) led by scholar of the Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) is honoured the 2022 Merit Award of National Disruptive Technology Contest (全國顛覆性技術創新大賽領域賽優秀獎) in the field of new materials by Torch High Technology Industry Development Center of Ministry of Science & Technology (MOST). A total of 2,851 projects from all over China participated in the Contest, and PolyU is the only Hong Kong institution being honoured. The PolyU driven start-up project, led by Prof. W.B. Lee, Emeritus Professor of Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, develops the technology for the precision molding of a modified nanocomposite glass materials which could be formed at a low temperature below 300 OC, followed by sintering or formed at room temperature with ultra-violet curing without vacuum requirement in the manufacturing of aspheric or free formed optical glass lens. The project is also a collaboration with the Nano Manufacturing Laboratory of the City University of Hong Kong. This research will bring significant innovative breakthrough to the precision optics manufacturing industry. The research results can be applied in low-cost, high-volume manufacturing of optical components such as lenses and Fresnel lenses, for applications in next-generation portable devices, smartphones for driverless cars, holographic displays and VR glasses, and light field display technology of metaverse etc. The National Disruptive Technology Contest focuses on integrated circuit, artificial intelligence, future networks and communications, biotechnology, new materials, green technology, high-end equipment manufacturing and multiple disciplines, and other technology which could bring cutting-edge innovation and breakthrough.