News

SFT staff members honoured with Long Service Award

A total of 15 staff members received the Long Service Award 2024 in recognition of their years of services at the University. The awardees have been serving in PolyU for 5 years or more, some even for 30 years: Dr Cheung Hing-fu, Project Associate Dr Man Cheung, Lecturer Dr Twinkie Cheung, Research Assistant Professor Prof. Fan Jintu, Chair Professor   Mr Ryan Houlton, Lecturer Ms Anne Hon, Senior Marketing Manager Prof. Huang Qiyao, Assistant Professor Dr Samuel Lee, Senior Scientific Officer Prof. Tao Xiaoming, Chair Professor  Dr Alan Tang, Postdoctoral Fellow Mr Sunny Wan, Technical Assistant Dr Carrie Wong, Lecturer Mr Eric Wong, Technical Officer Prof. Rachel Yee, Associate Professor Dr Lisha Zhang, Research Assistant Professor SFT would like to thank these staff members for their dedicated and loyal service to PolyU. The Long Service Award Scheme has been introduced since 1990 to foster a sense of belongings among PolyU staff.

SFT Outstanding Research Achievement Award 2024 (Research Postgraduate Students)

To encourage and recognise outstanding research in the disciplines of fashion design, fashion business, and fashion technology, and promote the excellence of research postgraduate education, SFT is pleased to offer the Outstanding Research Achievement Award (Research Postgraduate Students) again this year.  We are proud to announce this year’s awardees: Chung King-yan (fashion technology), under the supervision of Prof. Xu Bingang Hu Xin (fashion technology), whose supervisor is Prof. Fei Bin Seidu Raphael Kanyire (fashion design), supervised by Prof. Kinor Jiang Shu Wenjun (fashion business), under the supervision of Profs. Fan Di and Chris Lo Zhao Yuanyuan (fashion technology), supervised by Prof. John Xin To be considered for the award, research achievements should contribute but are not limited to the following: advances in knowledge or understanding in the field of fashion design, fashion business, or/and fashion technology, innovative research methodologies, design methods, or technologies that have led to significant results, the development of new theories or concepts, or the development of new technologies, products, designs, or standards with good impact on the field.   Chung King-yan (fashion technology) "My work on internet of things (IoT) focuses on integrating textiles, materials, and technology to create innovative e-textiles with embedded sensors and self-powered devices. These textiles enable real-time health monitoring and energy harvesting, thus enhancing human-machine interfaces. I have developed flexible, printable wearable e-textiles that can be personalised and are sustainable, thus improving both wear comfort and functionality. My research work, published in reputable journals, highlights significant findings in smart materials and explores practical applications in healthcare, energy, and artificial intelligence, thus advancing knowledge in these areas, and ultimately promoting the development of next-generation green-based wearable electronics."       Hu Xin (fashion technology) "My area of research is advanced materials and technologies for innovative thermal management solutions. I have pioneered the concept of radiative cooling regulation, thus enabling transformative applications in personal thermal management and energy-efficient building systems. I have also designed year-round fabrics with self-adaptive cooling power, which address overcooling issues in traditional radiative coolers. By seamlessly integrating radiative cooling regulation into the building thermal management systems, my work bridges the gap among conventional thermal regulation technologies at different scales. This research significantly advances environmental sustainability by offering efficient and adaptable solutions for managing thermal conditions in different applications."     Seidu Raphael Kanyire (fashion design) "My area of research is on the development of smart interactive retro-reflective clothing to enhance pedestrian safety at night. This novel approach addresses the challenges of improving the visibility and conspicuity of pedestrians, and increase awareness of their presence, especially disabled individuals like the deaf and blind, by using sound, vibration, and lighting effects. I have fabricated braided electronic yarns for red/green lighting effects, interwoven into self-developed retro-reflective textiles, and developed a control unit integrated with sensors into clothing. The results have been published in several high-impact journals and presented at international conferences. By combining design and technology, my work has practical applications for enhancing road safety at night."     Shu Wenjun (fashion business) "My research focuses on operations and supply chain management in natural and sociopolitical contexts. I published a paper in a leading journal on how firms handle extreme weather risks in global supply chains. My analysis reveals that companies perceive higher trade risks and reduce sourcing when facing extreme weather threats, with supply chain flexibility as a key mitigation strategy. These findings provide actionable insights for climate-sensitive industries like fashion and textiles to manage risks and build resilience. I have also presented my research work at various conferences."      Zhao Yuanyuan (fashion technology) "My work focuses on developing functional fibres by leveraging fluid mechanics and airborne moisture. By interacting micro/nano-fibre materials with ambient humidity, I have enhanced textile functionality, particularly in antibacterial superhydrophilic and superhydrophobic textiles. I have also designed humidity-responsive polycation fibres that convert ambient moisture into fluidic flow, which improves ion transport for iontronic applications. My research work, which has been published in high-impact journals such as Nature Communications and Advanced Functional Materials, is an interdisciplinary approach that intersects materials science, nanotechnology, and textiles, with practical implications for smart, sustainable, and high-performance textile technologies."   Each awardee will receive a cash prize of $6,000 and a certificate. Congratulations to all the awardees.

Professor Tao Xiaoming elected as 2025 HKAE Fellows

The Hong Kong Academy of Engineering (HKAE) announced the list of 2025 HKAE Fellows, with 11 outstanding professionals selected. Professor Tao Xiaoming, Director of Research Institute for Intelligent Wearable Systems (RI-IWEAR) and Vincent and Lily Woo Professor in Textile Technology, was selected for her outstanding contributions and professional knowledge in the field of engineering. These fellows were elected at its 31st annual general meeting on 9 December 2024 and were formally inducted at a ceremony held on 20 January 2025 at Hotel ICON. Ir Dr Alex Siu-kun Chan, President of the HKAE, expressed hopes that the new fellows will combine knowledge and experience to strengthen HKAE’s mission to promote excellence and innovation in engineering. Established in 1994, HKAE is a prestigious organization dedicated to the promotion and advancement of the field of engineering in Hong Kong. It aims to foster collaboration, innovation, and excellence in engineering, contributing to the advancement of society and the development of Hong Kong and our Nation. It comprises a distinguished group of Fellows from various disciplines, recognized as leaders in their profession, with remarkable achievements in engineering sciences and applications.

Dr Nico Liu receives President’s Awards for Outstanding Achievement 2024/25

SFT is delighted to announce that Dr Nico Liu has been honored with the prestigious President’s Awards for Outstanding Achievement (Outstanding Young Teacher) 2024/25. Dr Liu stood out among a pool of exceptional candidates through a rigorous and multi-tiered assessment process. Alongside her, two other individual staff members and a team have also been recognized for their exceptional contributions and achievements this year. The President's Award symbolises the highest form of institutional recognition, honoring the unwavering dedication and outstanding accomplishments of PolyU staff. Please join us in extending our warmest congratulations to Dr Liu. We commend Dr Liu for her pioneering teaching methods and her commitment to inspiring and nurturing young minds. Her dedication to excellence in education truly embodies the essence of this distinguished award.

Prof. Joanne Yip secures RGC Collaborative Research Fund for impactful interdisciplinary innovation

We are delighted to announce that Professor Joanne Yip, Associate Dean of SFT, has been awarded over HK$5 million from the Collaborative Research Fund (CRF) 2024/25 administered by the esteemed Research Grant Council (RGC). This funding is for her project titled "Optimising Spinal Curvature Corrective Outcomes in Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis: An Investigation into Spinal Flexibility, Biomechanical Behavior and Predictive Modeling", in collaboration with The Chinese University of Hong Kong and the University of Hong Kong. Prof. Yip's funded project intends to enhance treatment for patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) by focusing on their spinal flexibility during the clinical decision-making process. The project includes a randomised controlled trial to test a new soft brace against observation for those with a Cobb angle smaller than 25°. Additionally, a deep learning predictive model will be developed to assist clinicians in creating effective treatment strategies and understanding the progression of AIS. The project also involves developing a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-compatible robotic device for real-time spinal curvature adjustment and a finite element model to study AIS biomechanics. The trial will compare the effectiveness of the soft brace with observation and rigid bracing groups, and examine in-brace correction, brace failure rates, and quality of life to guide future treatment strategies and brace designs. Established by the RGC, the CRF supports multi-investigator, multi-disciplinary projects to encourage research groups to engage in creative and high-quality cross-disciplinary/cross-institutional projects.  Congratulations to Prof. Yip again on receiving funding through the CRF!

PolyU and AUW sign MOU for educational collaboration

We are delighted to announce a new partnership with the Asian University for Women (AUW). This collaboration aims to enhance collaboration in education, research, and cultural exchange. On 7 January, Professor Erin Cho, Dean of SFT, and Dr Rubana Huq, Vice Chancellor at AUW, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). This MOU represents a significant step in establishing a framework for ongoing discussions and initiatives focused on promoting academic collaboration. The partnership seeks to enrich educational experiences and foster innovation, benefiting both students and academic staff.

Professor Xu Bingang’s team publishes in Nature Communications

With the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence and the Internet of Things (AIoT), electromagnetic waves have become essential carriers for both energy and information exchange. AIoT devices require a stable supply of energy and robust ability to adapt to different environments to ensure continuous operation and reliable connectivity in complex settings. Therefore, developing a smart, sustainable, and seamlessly integrated wireless energy interaction system that facilitates contactless reception, conversion, and transmission of energy and signals is critical. Recently, Professor Xu Bingang and his team made a fundamental breakthrough in this field by carrying out an innovative study on the wireless, chipless coupled interaction between electromagnetic and air moisture by controlling the ionic diode effect. Using a coupled wireless energy interactive system, a bilayer polymer ionic diode can synergistically harvest electromagnetic and moist energies. Impressively, the electromagnetic-electricity conversion efficiency reaches 25.74% under 100 Hz wave frequency. This groundbreaking work paves the way for future intelligent systems, including self-powered monitoring, wireless charging, and information encryption, with broad application potential. This work makes a vital step towards enabling smart interactivities for wirelessly driven wearable flexible electronics. The findings are published in Nature Communications (https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-55030-2). The first author is Dr Gao Zhenguo, a postdoctoral fellow at SFT under the supervision of Professor Xu.

LeTu: Revolutionising travel with AI-driven personalised experiences for the elderly

Led by Dr Aemika Zou, Assistant Professor, a group of MA students in Global Fashion Management, including Hua Wanning, Li Xiaofang, Wang Jing, and Zhao Yuxin, won second prize at the national AI innovation competition organised by the China Artificial Intelligence Association and the Next Generation Artificial Intelligence Development Research Center of the Ministry of Science and Technology. This award winning project, 'LeTu' （樂兔）, is an innovative AI-driven concept for the travel industry. Using their comprehensive market insights and innovative spirit, this team has developed a concept that aims to meet the travel needs of the elderly, thus enhancing their quality of life through personalised travel experiences.   The "LeTu" project was initiated to allow the elderly to pursue a higher quality of life after retirement, and fulfil their desire to enrich their life experience and maintain a positive attitude through travel. The team observed that existing travel services on the market do not fully consider the material and spiritual needs of the elderly. Using AI technology, the platform offers customised travel solutions for the elderly, with the aim to make each trip a delightful journey for both their body and mind. The team anticipates that the "LeTu" app will bridge the gap between the elderly and modern technology, thus allowing them to easily enjoy intelligent and personalised travel services. The team is confident that the application of AI technology in the tourism field has broad prospects. They will continue to explore and innovate, and apply AI technology to more travel scenarios, so that travellers will have access to richer and more personalised services.

SFT recipients of the Outstanding PolyU Alumni Award 2024

The Outstanding PolyU Alumni Award publicly recognises outstanding PolyU graduates for their professional achievements and significant contributions to the community and their alma mater.  We are delighted to announce that Dr Vien Cheung (BSc, 1999), Associate Professor of University of Leeds, UK; Mr Ray Lau (BA, 1989), Director of Jeanswest international (HK) Ltd. (Glorious Sun Group); General Manager, Jeanswest eCom Ltd. (Glorious Sun Group); and Dr Shou Dahua (PhD, 2013), Associate Professor of SFT and Limin Endowed Young Scholar in Advanced Textiles Technologies, are the recipients of the PolyU Fashion Outstanding Alumni Award 2024 in the categories of entrepreneurial, professional and scholarly achievements, respectively. Both SFT and PolyU commend their invaluable contributions and entrepreneurial achievements. Dr Vien Cheung, Associate Professor of University of Leeds, UK Dr Cheung holds an academic post as Associate Professor at the University of Leeds. Her research specialises in the areas of colour vision, colour and imaging science and colour design. Her ethos on integrity and diversity has driven her to explore how colour and imaging technology can shift ‘black and white’ judgements into a wider perception of the world. Dr Cheung was the recipient of the Selwyn Award from The Royal Photographic Society (2008), Service Award from  the Society for Imaging Science and Technology (2016), and Silver (2011) and Gold (2023) Medals from the Society of Dyers and Colourists, for her significant contributions to colour and imaging research and education, and in the interests of the allied industries and communities over the years. Dr Cheung is Past President of the International Colour Association which has a global membership of 28 regional/territorial colour associations over five continents. She is active in charitable and educational organisations including the Colour Group of Great Britain in which she is the Chairman and the Society of Dyers and Colourists where she serves as Honorary Secretary. She is also a panellist for the Advance Higher Education’s Race Equality Charter. Mr Ray Lau, Director of Jeanswest international (HK) Ltd. (Glorious Sun Group); General Manager, Jeanswest eCom Ltd. (Glorious Sun Group) Mr Lau graduated with a Bachelor's degree (Honours) in Textiles and Apparel Marketing and a Master's degree in Information Systems at PolyU. Mr Lau recently served as the head of mainland China e-commerce business for the Hong Kong Glorious Group, and his leadership has resulted in the Jeanswest brand becoming a top brand in the apparel category on major mainland Chinese e-commerce platforms through digital transformation. In 2021, he was honoured with the title of "China Textile Industry Annual Innovator". His social positions include President of the T-shirt Branch of the China Knitting Industry Association, Executive Director of the Council of the China Textile Engineering Society, and Executive Deputy Director of the E-commerce Professional Committee of the China Garment Association. Dr Shou Dahua, SFT Associate Professor and Limin Endowed Young Scholar in Advanced Textiles Technologies Dr Shou is Limin Endowed Young Scholar in Advanced Textiles Technologies and Associate Professor at SFT, PolyU. He is the founding programme Leader of the MSc in Intelligent Wearable Technology. Dr Shou earned his Ph.D. from PolyU in 2013, followed by postdoctoral research at The University of Sydney and Cornell University. His research interests include personal thermal and moisture management, intelligent wearables, and soft robotics. Dr Shou received the Distinguished Achievement Award from The Fiber Society (only one recipient worldwide annually) in 2023 and was listed among the Top 2% Scientists Worldwide in 2022 and 2023. He has won Gold Medal at the Geneva Invention Exhibition and TechConnect Global Innovation Award twice. His work has been featured on Yahoo Tech and “InnoAction” on i-Cable. He serves as Associate Editor and an editorial board member for seven SCI journals (Q1/Q2) and is Deputy Director of the Expert Committee of the National Textile and Apparel Comfort Technology R&D Center, China Textile Engineering Society. Dr Shou has published nearly 100 SCI papers in leading journals and holds three U.S. patents and over ten Chinese patents. We would like to extend our heartfelt congratulations again to all the alumni for their exceptional contributions and achievements!

Dr Zhang Hanchao recipient of 2023 Super Reviewer Award from Environmental Science & Technology

Congratulations to Dr Zhang Hanchao, Research Assistant Professor, who was one of the recipients of the 2023 Super Reviewer Award from Environmental Science & Technology, a top journal that publishes work on environmental, engineering, and sustainability topics (Q1, 7/81 in Engineering, Environmental, IF=10.9). He was also honoured with the Excellence in Review Award from the same journal in 2022. The peer-review system is the cornerstone of current academic journal publications, and the dedication of reviewers constitutes an important part of this system. The Environmental Science & Technology journal selects 12 reviewers for the Super Reviewer Award and 30 reviewers to honour for the Excellence in Review Award each year. All of these reviewers are from the top universities worldwide and have a good understanding of their related fields. After joining SFT in July 2024, Dr Zhang intends to further promote the development of textile engineering processes and materials that are environmentally friendly and sustainable.