Releasing the fourth issue of the PAIR newsletter in December is particularly meaningful, as this month signals the fast-approaching end of 2022, a special moment for us to reflect on our progress and achievements. The past few months have been busy but fruitful for PAIR members. The gradual return of normal operations and relaxation of border controls in Hong Kong have allowed the full resumption of face-to-face lessons this school year along with other university-wide developments at PolyU. Our members have been busy with important aspects of higher education, from teaching and learning, to knowledge exchange and transfer, to building partnerships with governments, other universities and industries.
Thanks to the synergistic efforts of University members and staunch collaboration partners, I have been very glad to witness and contribute to the fast growth of the University and PAIR in a variety of areas. These include the organisation of knowledge-sharing and capacity-building activities, such as laboratory visits and meetings for informal exchange, the PAIR distinguished lecture series, and joint lectures with the Faculty of Humanities and the University Social Responsibility Network. The “News & Events” section will give you an overview of the important discussions at these exchange functions. A major highlight in this issue is the “Feature Stories” section, in which we give readers a closer look at the research interests and work of selected PAIR units as well as the top-notch research and award-winning solutions by PAIR directors. Our coverage of the Otto Poon Charitable Foundation Research Institute for Smart Energy (RISE), the Research Institute for Smart Ageing (RISA) and the Research Centre for Chinese Medicine Innovation (RCMI) will provide you with an understanding of PolyU’s endeavours to address challenges of energy security and population ageing and to strengthen the empirical and scientific foundation of traditional Chinese medicine for wider clinical and healthcare application. What is worth highlighting is that the directors have recently been named by Stanford University among the top 2% most-cited scientists in the areas of energy, artificial intelligence & processing, and medicinal & biomolecular chemistry, respectively. In addition, the directors of RISE and RISA have won the team award and individual award, respectively, in the President’s Awards for Outstanding Achievements in Knowledge Transfer.
Our research institutes and centres continue to strive for research and technology breakthroughs, bringing pride to the PolyU family with their remarkable achievements in the local, regional and international arenas. Over 200 PolyU scholars are recognised among the top 2% most-cited scientists; and 98 of them are members of PAIR constituent research units. You will learn more about the exciting work of PAIR researchers in the “Knowledge Transfer” and “Research Achievements” sections, which highlight new solutions such as fabrics for antibacterial and environmental protection, optical fiber-tip plasmonic biosensors, and digital healthcare platform; and new discoveries about nanoplastics, low-heat energy harvesting material, the potential role of Chinese herbal medicine to treat glaucoma, land surface phenology, and the well-being of the elderly.
Last but not least, we sincerely hope that this issue will enlighten you about some of the most pressing issues around the world and some of the latest developments in Hong Kong. If you are interested in discovering more about our units’ specific areas of work, I encourage you to visit their official websites, participate in their seminars and workshops, and even reach out to relevant teams to explore potential collaboration.
Thank you very much. My wish is that our newsletter would enrich your year-end with knowledge, inspiration and scientific discoveries.
Prof. Chen Qingyan
Director of PolyU Academy for Interdisciplinary Research
