COMP eNews Spring 2025

As an alumnus of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, I am honoured to receive the World CIO200 Award by the Global CIO Forum. This achievement reflects the invaluable support and guidance I have received from PolyU throughout my journey.

I extend my heartfelt thanks to Daniel Lai BBS, JP, esteemed Outstanding Alumnus and former PolyU VP, for presenting me with this award. A special acknowledgment goes to Prof. Henry Chan for joining me at the ceremony; your presence made this moment even more significant.

This recognition highlights the exceptional education and opportunities provided by PolyU Computing, reinforcing the strong foundation we have built together. Let us continue to strive for excellence, innovate, and make a positive impact in the technology world. Together, we can achieve great things!

“Printing” Dreams Into Reality: A PolyU Alumnus’s Journey of Innovation and Impact

“Innovation begins with courage.” Since graduating from PolyU with a degree in Enterprise Information Systems in 2014, I’ve pursued a path that combines stability and passion - working in an investment bank by day while building Starz Origin, a startup dedicated to sustainability through 3D printing and AI. Balancing these two worlds hasn’t been easy, but every challenge has brought growth and fulfillment.

Turning my vision into reality - seeing our creative, eco-friendly solutions make a difference and inspiring others through workshops - reminds me that dreams are possible for anyone who dares to act. Recognition in entrepreneurship contests is rewarding, but the real achievement is proving to myself and others that it’s never too late to chase big ambitions. To fellow PolyU students and alumni: trust your journey, embrace challenges, and let your courage turn your dreams into impact.

A Rewarding Journey Through the First Half of 2025

I’m an MSc and PhD alumnus of COMP, now Full Professor at the University of Chester, U.K. My wife, Anna Sung, also worked on several COMP projects during her time at PolyU, and we now work at the same University. The first half of 2025 has been rewarding.

In January, we received API credits from OpenAI. In February, we launched an AI-driven healthcare project with Nigerian medical schools. In March, Anna and I published a paper on AI-enhanced learning in a top journal, and I joined the European Science Foundation as an expert reviewer. In April, I was shortlisted as an Inspirational Educator at Chester. That same month, our AI-powered environmental tool was featured in the EU’s Copernicus Data Space Ecosystem as a case study, which demonstrates how to integrate AI to analyse satellite data. In May, I was awarded Chartered Scientist status by the Science Council and elected as an IEEE Senior Member. Most importantly, on 5 May, our daughter Anka was born, her name evokes the phoenix.