News

PolyU Outstanding Alumni Award 2025

Dr Steve CHUANG Tzu-hsiung, JP Higher Certificate in Electronic Engineering, 1985 Diploma in Electronic Engineering, 1984   Dr Steve Chuang Tzu-hsiung is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of ProVista Group, which he established in 1995. Under his leadership, this electronics conglomerate has become a market leader in solar power generation and energy storage systems, automotive and RV electronics and power solutions, and e-health IoT products, earning the Gold Prize and the title of Product of the Year at the Electronic Industries Awards for three consecutive years. Dr Chuang is the Honorary President of the Federation of Hong Kong Industries (FHKI). During his tenure as FHKI Chairman from 2023 to 2025, he dedicated himself to promoting innovation and technology and developing the new industrialisation ecosystem. In support of the 2024 Policy Address, he spearheaded the establishment of the Hong Kong New Industrialisation Development Alliance and was elected its Founding Chairman, fostering collaboration among the government, industry, academia, research and investment sectors. He has also served in numerous notable public roles, including on the Committee on Innovation, Technology and Industry Development; the Trade and Industry Advisory Board; the Sub-committee on Development of Industries under the Advisory Committee on the Northern Metropolis; and the Board of the Hong Kong Microelectronics Research and Development Institute. Dr Chuang has maintained strong ties with PolyU, actively supporting the University as an Assessor for the Angel Fund Scheme and a Steering Committee Member for the Centre for Advances in Reliability and Safety. He also led collaboration between FHKI and PolyU in developing the STEM Product Certification Framework.  

Professor Liang Liu Elected IEEE Fellow for Pioneering Contributions to Wireless Communications

The Department is proud to announce that Professor Liu Liang has been elevated to IEEE Fellow, Class of 2026. This prestigious honor is in recognition of his outstanding contributions to massive machine-type communications and wireless information and power transfer. The IEEE Fellow is one of the institute’s most prestigious honors, awarded annually to fewer than 0.1% of its voting members for exceptional contributions to engineering, technology, and related fields. Professor Liu’s pioneering research addresses fundamental challenges for the future Internet of Things (IoT) and next-generation wireless systems, paving the way for more efficient and sustainable connectivity. The Department extends its congratulations to Professor Liu on this significant achievement, which reflects his international research leadership and the impactful nature of his work. This accolade further underscores the Department’s sustained excellence and global influence in the field of advanced electrical and electronic engineering. For more information, please visit the IEEE Fellow Program page.

Dr. Pauli Lai Leads Development of AI Tool to Boost students’ English Oral Presentation Skills

Dr. Pauli Lai from the EEE Department and her team have successfully launched NinjOrAltor, an AI-powered coaching system designed to enhance students’ English oral presentation skills. This innovative tool provides real-time feedback, personalized progress tracking, addressing common language barriers faced by learners. Now available at PolyU Library’s One Button Studios, it is expected to help many students build confidence and refine their presentation skills. Students can now try it via the Library iBooking System or PolyU Library Mobile App. The project, shortlisted for the 2025 QS Reimagine Education Award, reflects EEE’s commitment to leveraging technology for student success.

Professor Hwa-yaw Tam Featured in 21st Century Business Herald, Inspires Donation to PolyU

Professor Hwa-yaw Tam, Chair Professor of Photonics and Associate Director of Photonics Research Institute (PRI), was recently profiled by 21st Century Business Herald, chronicling his over three decades of research in fibre optic sensing. The feature highlighted a career dedicated to bridging academia and industry, from deploying the world's first city-wide fibre optic sensing network for Hong Kong’s MTR to pioneering ultrafine plastic fibre sensors for cochlear implant surgery. His “product-oriented” research approach, developed during his time in industry, has led to award-winning technologies and has also actively nurtured the next generation of entrepreneurs. Under his mentorship, his research teams have incubated seven photonics companies. Following Professor Tam’s efforts to foster industry collaboration, Amonics Limited—a photonics company founded by his first PhD student—has donated HK$1.5 million to PolyU. “This generous contribution will support our ongoing research initiatives in advanced photonics and help nurture the next generation of technology researchers and innovators,” notes Professor Tam. The donation, celebrated at the PolyU Foundation Appreciation Dinner, illustrates a clear cycle of academic impact: from inspiring students to achieving global research recognition, and now, channelling that success back into pioneering future technologies at PolyU. Read the full interview on the 21st Century Business Herald website

PolyU Unveils Quantum Security Breakthrough

PolyU has successfully completed Hong Kong’s first chip-based quantum network and test. This achievement marks a major step in the commercialisation of quantum communication for Hong Kong. Led by Prof. Ai-Qun Liu, Director of the Research Institute for Quantum Technology (RIQT), Chair Professor of Quantum Engineering and Science of the EEE department, the research team developed a tiny, self-designed quantum chip. This chip powered a secure quantum encryption test over 55 kilometres of existing fibre—a new global distance record for a metropolitan network. The technology addresses a critical threat. Future quantum computers could break today's encryption, risking financial data, personal privacy, and IoT security. Quantum encryption is fundamentally unbreakable because any eavesdropping attempt automatically alters the communication, alerting the users. The PolyU chip offers high-speed, stable performance and is designed for low-cost mass production. Crucially, it is fully compatible with current network systems, allowing for easier future integration. The practical test successfully connected four nodes across Hong Kong, including PolyU, CityU, and two data centres, proving stable encrypted transmission on a live network. The institute will now expand to larger tests, paving the way for a secure Smart Quantum Network.

EEE PhD Student Mr. CAI Haowen Won Best Presentation Award at Prestigious Greater Bay Area IEEE Conference

Mr. CAI Haowen, a PhD student from the EEE department, has been honoured with the "Best Presentation Award" at the 26th IEEE Shenzhen/Hong Kong AP/MTT Postgraduate Conference. The award recognizes his exceptional research achievements and compelling presentation delivery. Widely regarded as the most influential academic platform for young researchers and postgraduate students in the field of antennas and microwave technologies within the Greater Bay Area, the conference brings together top postgraduate talents from across the region. Mr. CAI's award-winning paper, titled “Maximizing Source-to-DC Wireless Charging Efficiency for Multiple IoT Devices,” was co-authored with his Chief Supervisor, Prof. LIN Wei. The research introduces groundbreaking source-side power control and antenna matching methods, successfully overcoming critical efficiency bottlenecks in far-field wireless power transmission for scenarios involving multiple devices. The innovative work stood out among numerous high-quality submissions at the conference. This accolade not only underscores Mr. CAI's individual research prowess but also reinforces PolyU's leading reputation and impact in the advancing field of far-field wireless power transfer system design.

EEE PhD Student Mr. FANG Jiongjian Honoured with Prestigious International Award for Antenna Innovation

Mr. FANG Jiongjian, a PhD student in EEE department, has been awarded the Student Presentation Award at the 30th International Symposium on Antennas and Propagation (ISAP 2025), held in Fukuoka, Japan. The ISAP conference, a premier global event in its field, brings together leading researchers and academics. Mr. FANG distinguished himself withina highly competitive field of international submissions through the excellence of his research and presentation. His award-winning paper, titled “A Full-Metal, Electrically Small, Linearly Polarized Huygens Dipole Antenna with High Polarization Purity and High Efficiency,” presents a significant advancement in antenna design. This innovative work promises potential applications in next-generation wireless technology. The award-winning research was conducted under the guidance of his Chief Supervisor, Prof. LIN Wei. This accolade not only celebrates Mr. FANG's individual research prowess and presentation skills but also underscores PolyU's increasing reputation as a global leader in technological innovation and antenna research.

Professors Zhong Kangping and Huang Dongmei Honored with Prestigious Awards at Global Optoelectronics Conference

The 10th Optoelectronics Global Conference (OGC) recognized the outstanding achievements of two leading researchers in its recent awards ceremony. Prof. Zhong Kangping was presented with the Young Scientist Award, while Prof. Huang Dongmei received the Optoelectronic Technology Innovation Award. Prof. Zhong Kangping was awarded the Young Scientist Award for his significant contributions to the development of high-speed optical interconnects for AI data centers. The award recognizes the creativity, research impact, and industrial applicability of his work, which effectively bridges academic innovation with practical implementation to advance optoelectronic technology. Prof. Huang Dongmei was honored with the Optoelectronic Technology Innovation Award for her pioneering breakthroughs in high-performance swept laser technology. Her research, which achieves remarkable benchmarks in sweep rate, range, and coherence length, is recognized as a transformative innovation with profound implications for industries such as medical diagnostics and industrial inspection. The Optoelectronics Global Conference (OGC) is a premier industry event hosted by the IEEE Photonics Society Guangdong Chapter. The conference was co-organized by the Department of EEE at Southern University of Science and Technology and Jinan University, with support from Nanjing University of Science and Technology. The event serves as a key platform for global experts and researchers to explore cutting-edge advancements and foster cross-disciplinary collaboration. For more information about the conference and the awards, please visit the official website at https://www.ogc2026.org.

Professors Zhong Kangping and Huang Dongmei Honored with Prestigious Awards at Global Optoelectronics Conference

Prof. Zhang Yi and his international research team have earned 2024 Best Paper Awards from two flagship IEEE journals, recognizing groundbreaking work in power electronics. The first award-winning paper, "A Sparsity-Promoting Time-Domain Evaluation Method for Thermal Transient Measurement of Power Semiconductors," published in IEEE Transactions on Power Electronics, introduces a novel algorithm that improves measurement resolution tenfold. Developed with RWTH Aachen University and Aalborg University, this innovation advances thermal analysis for high-efficiency energy systems and electric vehicles. The second recognized paper, "Guideline for Reproducible SiC MOSFET Thermal Characterization based on Source-Drain Voltage," published in IEEE Transactions on Industry Applications, establishes the first reproducible thermal testing standards for silicon carbide power transistors. This collaborative work with Aalborg University, Southwest Jiaotong University (China), Siemens, and Tesla sets new reliability benchmarks for electric vehicle and renewable energy systems. These dual awards highlight the team's significant contributions to power electronics research and development and Prof. Zhang's pioneering leadership.

Welcome Brno University of Technology’s visit to the Department

The Department was delighted to reconnect with a delegation from the Brno University of Technology (BUT) in the Czech Republic, reaffirming a thriving partnership built on a successful student study tour last August. The visit was led by Prof. Vítězslav Beran, Vice-Dean for Marketing and External Relations, and Prof. Pavel Zemčík, Vice-Dean for Research, Development, and Foreign Affairs, from BUT’s Faculty of Information Technology (FIT). It served to deepen the collaborative momentum from the study tour organized by Prof. K.A. Lee and Mr. Ivan Lau, which enabled 29 PolyU EEE students to gain invaluable international exposure at BUT. This visit enables both institutions to build on this foundation and explore concrete future collaborations. Key discussion focuses on the introduction of FIT BUT's English-taught Master's programme, a potential undergraduate student exchange programme, the study tour's long-term continuity, and other technical collaboration opportunities. The BUT visit team met our senior faculty such as Ir Prof. H.C. Man, Dean of the Faculty of Engineering; Prof. C.Y. Chung, Head of the Department ; as well as Prof. K.A. Lee, Prof. L.P. Chau, Prof. Bonnie Law, Prof. Ivan Ho, Prof. Ye Qingqing, and Mr. Ivan Lau. The meeting concluded with a shared commitment to formalizing these exciting initiatives, signalling a promising new chapter in the collaboration between EEE and BUT.