Outstanding Research Postgraduate Alumni Award 2025

Dr Dong Zhenhua started his research career at PolyU as a PhD student in the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering (EEE) in 2012. After obtaining his doctoral degree in 2016, he joined Huawei as a technical leader in the pre-research department. He currently serves as the Chief Architect for Optical Distribution Networks (ODN) of Huawei. His research interests include optical performance monitoring, fibre sensing and Autonomous Driving Network.

Dr Dong holds more than 100 authorised invention patents and has authored or co-authored over 20 research papers and one book chapter, which have garnered more than 800 citations. His research outcomes have been widely applied across numerous optical network products. One of his most significant contributions is inventing the "Fibre Iris" solution—also referred to as DQ ODN—a pioneering innovation that digitises and brings manageability to optical fibre networks. These networks have traditionally been considered unmanageable "dumb resources" due to their passive nature. This solution dramatically shortens broadband deployment time from one week to just one day and reduces the mean time to repair from 24 hours to 60 minutes, which empowers operators to build Internet infrastructure with unprecedented efficiency, while enabling end-users to better enjoy the conveniences of an AI-driven world. The DQ ODN solution was honoured with the "Intelligent Fibre Deployment Solution of the Year" award at the Broadband World Forum in 2021 and was also recognised as one of the "Huawei Top Ten Inventions."

Professor Duan Yuanfeng started his research journey at PolyU as a PhD student in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE) in 2001. After obtaining his doctoral degree in 2004, Professor Duan worked as a research associate, research fellow and assistant professor at PolyU. Later on, he joined Zhejiang University as an associate professor in 2008 and was promoted to full professor in 2015. He was elected as Changjiang Scholar Distinguished Professor of 2024 and has been serving as a professor at Guangxi University since 2025.

With research interests focused on the Health Monitoring and Vibration Control of Bridges and Structures, Professor Duan is the recipient of National Natural Science Grant for Excellent Young Scholar, Zhejiang Provincial Grant for Distinguished Young Scholar, and Fok Ying Tung Grant. Professor Duan has been the principal investigator of over 30 national and local key projects such as the National Key Research and Development Programme, the key project of the National Natural Science Foundation Joint Fund, etc. He has published more than 130 papers and held 25 authorised invention patents of China, US, Japan and Korea. He also delivered plenary speeches, keynote speeches, and invited talks at over 30 national or international conferences. His research outputs have been applied to health monitoring or vibration control of more than 60 large-scale structures, such as Main Stadium of FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, China Quanzhou Bay Bridge, Hong Kong's Tseung Kwan O Cross Bay Bridge, Taiwan’s Heart River Bridge, etc. Professor Duan has received significant recognition for his teaching and research accomplishments, being awarded the second prize in the National Teaching Achievement Award and four science and technology awards at the provincial and ministerial levels.

Professor Li Danfeng is the Associate Professor of Physics and Associate Dean (Research and Postgraduate Education) in the College of Science at City University of Hong Kong. He received his BEng degree from Zhejiang University and his MPhil from PolyU under the supervision of Professor Ji-yan Dai. He earned his PhD in the Department of Quantum Matter Physics at the University of Geneva, working with Professor Jean-Marc Triscone, and subsequently joined Stanford University as a Swiss National Science Foundation postdoctoral fellow in the group of Professor Harold Y. Hwang.

His research lies at the intersection of condensed matter physics and materials science, focusing on atomic-scale synthesis of complex oxide heterostructures, kinetic engineering of unconventional quantum materials, low-dimensional superconductivity, and emergent interfacial phenomena. In 2019, he co-led the discovery of the first nickelate superconductor, a long-sought milestone that sparked global interest in nickel-based superconductivity and opened a new frontier in quantum materials research.

Professor Li has received wide international recognition for his pioneering contributions, including the 2025 Asian Young Scientist Fellowship, 2024 Outstanding Research Award in Oxide Electronics, 2023 AAPPS–APCTP C. N. Yang Award, and selection to the 2021 MIT Technology Review Innovators Under 35 (China) list.