News

Dr Jiaxin Lv Named to MIT Technology Review’s 2025 Innovators Under 35 China List

The Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering proudly congratulates Dr Jiaxin Lv, Research Assistant Professor of ISE, on being named to the 2025 MIT Technology Review Innovators Under 35 China (TR35 China) list in the Inventors category. This prestigious recognition celebrates young innovators whose work is shaping the future of technology and industry. Dr Lv’s pioneering Multi-container Extrusion (MCE) technology enables the seamless manufacturing of ultra-wide, thin-walled light alloy components — a breakthrough that eliminates segmented welding and dramatically enhances production efficiency. The innovation increases profile width by more than three times compared to traditional methods while reducing extrusion pressure by 70–90%. By integrating AI-assisted optimisation and multi-scale material modelling, Dr Lv has significantly shortened product development cycles and holds four cross-border core patents as the primary inventor. Her technology was successfully commercialised in 2024, leading to the establishment of a 6,500-ton industrial production line. When applied to passenger vehicles, these lightweight components achieve up to 50% weight reduction and approximately 30% lower carbon emissions, redefining standards for sustainable manufacturing. Established by MIT Technology Review, the TR35 global list honours outstanding young innovators across frontier technology fields. Since 2017, TR35 China has recognised exceptional scientific and technological leaders driving international impact. Congratulations once again to Dr Lv for this remarkable achievement that exemplifies PolyU ISE’s commitment to innovation and excellence.   PolyU Media Release

BPS-ISE Student Award - Developing Future Talent for a Sustainable Future

On 12 June 2026, the Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering (ISE) hosted the Cheque Presentation Ceremony for the BPS-ISE Student Award to celebrate a generous donation from BPS Global Charity Foundation that will greatly benefit our students and academic programmes. The honored guest, Mr Vincent Cheung, President of BPS Global Group presented the symbolic cheque to Prof. Xiaowen Fu, Head of ISE Department. The BPS-ISE Student Award will recognise outstanding students pursuing studies in the BSc (Hons) Scheme in Intelligent Supply Chain and Engineering Management, BSc (Hons) Scheme in Logistics and Enterprise Engineering, BSc (Hons) in Logistics Engineering with Management and the offshore Master of Science in Information Systems programme jointly offered by the PolyU and Xi’an Jiaotong University. Through this initiative, more than 30 awards will be granted over two academic years (2025/2026 and 2026/2027), supporting academic excellence and encouraging students to become future innovators and leaders in building more efficient, resilient and sustainable supply chains and supporting industries. Education and talent development are key pillars of a sustainable future. By supporting promising students today, we are helping to cultivate skilled professionals who will drive technological advancement, responsible business practices and positive societal impact tomorrow.

Success for ISE Student Team at 2026 Hangzhou International Embodied Robot Scenario Application Competition

We are delighted to announce that a research team led by Prof. Pai Zheng, Associate Professor and Wong Tit Shing Young Scholar in Smart Robotics, has been awarded the 1st Runner-up Prize at the 2026 Hangzhou International Embodied Robot Scenario Application Competition. The final, held on 15 May 2026 at the Yunqi Town International Convention Centre, saw the team excel in the "ORCA Simulation-Based Industrial Robot Scenario Operation Challenge." Under Prof. Zheng’s guidance, the team—comprising students Zhu Ziqing (Team Leader), Gao Yuyang, Zhao Boya, Su Chenxin, and Gu Pengkun—demonstrated exceptional expertise in physical AI simulation and system integration. The ORCA challenge, a core sub-event organized by Songying Technology, focused on authentic industrial logistics scenarios. Participants were required to build autonomous robot systems capable of executing full-process tasks—such as sorting, scanning, and packing—within a high-fidelity virtual environment. Following rigorous online preliminary rounds and an intense on-site final, the team stood out among top competitors, showcasing mastery in physical AI simulation, algorithm design, and system integration.   About the Competition Hosted by the Zhejiang Provincial Department of Economy and Information Technology, this event is China’s first national-level competition exclusively focused on the scenario-based application of embodied robots. Themed "Wisdom Inspires the Future, Scenarios Without Boundaries," it is supported by top-tier authorities, including the National Robot Testing and Evaluation Center (Headquarters), the National Robot Quality Supervision and Inspection Center, and the Yangtze River Delta National Technology Innovation Center. Attracting over 200 elite teams nationwide and more than RMB 1 billion in industrial funding, the competition serves as a critical platform linking academia, industry, and capital for embodied intelligence. The event drew participation from leading institutions such as Zhejiang University, Westlake University, Fudan University, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, and Tongji University, underscoring its high academic standing and industrial significance.

11th CIRP Conference on Assembly Technologies and Systems (CIRP CATS 2026) Successfully Held at PolyU

The 11th CIRP Conference on Assembly Technologies and Systems (CIRP CATS 2026) was successfully hosted by The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) from April 27 to 30, 2026. Jointly organized with the KTH Royal Institute of Technology, the event marked the conference’s prestigious return to Hong Kong after 14 years. Co-chaired by Ir Prof. Pai ZHENG (Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, PolyU) and Prof. Lihui WANG (KTH), the conference was themed “Human-Machine Symbiotic Assembly and Disassembly.” It attracted nearly 200 participants from 67 institutions across 15 countries and regions. The rigorous program featured 128 peer-reviewed papers, five keynote speeches, and 138 oral presentations delivered across 24 technical sessions. The academic program centered on the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI), digitalization, and robotics. Keynote speakers—including distinguished fellows from Academia Europaea and the Canadian Academy of Engineering—addressed the future of human-centric AI and robot learning. Technical sessions explored frontier topics such as digital twins, augmented reality, and foundation models in manufacturing. Recognition of excellence was a highlight of the event. The Best Paper Award was presented to a joint team from Technische Universität Berlin and Carl Zeiss, while student awards recognized innovative research in generative AI and large language models from PolyU, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, and other leading institutions. Beyond the lecture halls, participants visited PolyU’s cutting-edge facilities, including the Human-Machine Symbiotic Design and Manufacturing Centre (HMS-DMC) , the State Key Laboratory of Ultra-precision Machining Technology (SKL-UPMT), and the Artificial Intelligence and Robotics Laboratory (AIR Lab). The event concluded with a cultural tour of Hong Kong’s landmarks, showcasing the city’s vibrant character. Supported by sponsors including Siemens and NOKOV, the conference proceedings will be published in Procedia CIRP in August 2026. The global community now looks forward to the 12th CIRP CATS, scheduled for May 2028 in Athens, Greece.

PIE & PISM Career Sharing & Academic Advising Dinner 2026

On 15 April 2026, the Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering (ISE) hosted the PIE & PISM Career Sharing & Academic Advising Dinner at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University. The event brought together academic staff, industry professionals, and around 40–50 students for an evening of career sharing, academic advising, and networking. The dinner featured guest speakers from sectors including e-commerce, artificial intelligence, supply quality management, healthcare, logistics, and business development. The Department extends its sincere appreciation to the following speakers: Mr. Wilson Ho, Honorary Chairman, Hong Kong Ecommerce Association Dr. Jacky Ting, Head of AI Innovation, AS Watson Group Mr. Tony Chan, Senior Supplier Quality Manager, Mattel Ms. Joyce Keung, Occupational therapist II, Yan Chai Hospital Ms. Linda Choi, Senior Manager, OOCL Logistics Mr. Linus Au, Sales Director, L&Y Asia Pacific Ltd. Students engaged actively in discussions, gaining first-hand insights into career pathways, workplace expectations, and industry trends, while receiving advice on academic planning and career preparation.

PolyU and Linkerbot collaborate to advance embodied AI research, pioneering innovation in smart manufacturing and robotics technologies

On 29 April, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) and Linkerbot Beijing Technology Co., Ltd. (Linkerbot) signed a framework cooperation agreement to advance embodied artificial intelligence (AI). The partnership will focus on frontier technologies including AI-driven dexterous robotic hands, vision language action (VLA) models, and integrated flexible sensing and actuation systems, aiming to accelerate innovation in smart manufacturing and robotics. The agreement was signed at PolyU by Prof. Zheng Zijian, Vice President (Knowledge Transfer), and Ms. Zuo Jiaping, Co founder and Vice President of Linkerbot. Prof. Xiaowen Fu, Chair Professor of Logistics Engineering and Head of the Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, joined other faculty members and company representatives in witnessing the ceremony. Embodied AI has been highlighted in China’s “15th Five Year Plan” as a new growth driver. PolyU will leverage its strengths in AI, materials science, and sensing technologies, while Linkerbot contributes expertise in robotic hardware and deployment. The first phase of projects will cover human robot collaboration, synergy of skill primitive learning and vision-language-tactile models, VLA foundation models, and integrated flexible sensing and actuation systems for intelligent assistive exoskeletons. Together, the two parties aim to build an innovation ecosystem integrating research, industry, and application. This partnership supports national strategies to empower industries with AI, driving breakthroughs in dexterous manipulation and human robot collaboration, and contributing to technological innovation and smart manufacturing.   [Original source: PolyU Media Release]

ISE Graduate Received HKIE-LTD Best Student Papers Award 2025

We are delighted to announce that Mr. Zhonghuan HUANG (Alex), a 2025 graduate of our BSc (Hons) in Logistics Engineering and Management (LEM) programme, has been honoured with the Best Student Papers Award 2025 (Merit) by the Hong Kong Institution of Engineers – Logistics and Transport Division (HKIE-LTD). His award-winning final-year project, titled "Evolutionary Fuzzy System for Supply Chain and Operations Management", was supervised by Dr Paul Y.P. Tsang. In this project, Alex explored how an evolutionary fuzzy system can be applied to address time-series demand forecasting challenges in supply chain management, striking a balance between model interpretability and performance to support high-stakes decision-making by industrial practitioners. Using Walmart sales data, he conducted computational experiments comparing his proposed type-2 evolutionary fuzzy system with several well-established approaches, including ARIMA and LSTM. His work offers a fresh perspective on enhancing decision-making transparency while maintaining strong forecasting accuracy. This accolade celebrates not only Alex's individual excellence but also the high standards of innovation and problem-solving that our LEM programme instils in its students. We extend our warmest congratulations to Alex on this outstanding achievement and look forward to his future contributions to the logistics and supply chain sector.

Congratulations to the Winners of the Faculty Awards

We are delighted to share that three of our professors have been honoured with the Faculty of Engineering Research Grant Achievement Award 2024 at the PolyU Faculty of Engineering Spring Reception cum Faculty Awards Presentation Ceremony, held on 6 March 2026 at the PolyU Alumni Atrium. This award recognizes the outstanding performance of Faculty of Engineering academic staff in securing external competitive research grants. Prof. George HUANG – Chair Professor of Smart Manufacturing, Director of Research Institute for Advanced Manufacturing Ir Prof. Ming LI – Assistant Professor, Assistant Director of PolyU Academy for Artificial Intelligence Prof. Sandy TO – Professor, Associate Director of State Key Laboratory of Ultra-precision Machining Technology (Names are listed in alphabetical order by surname.) In addition, Prof. Sandy TO has also received the Faculty Awards for Outstanding Achievement 2025 – Merit Award (Category: Research Student Supervision – Individual). The Faculty Awards for Outstanding Achievement are selected by a Faculty Assessment Panel, comprising the Heads (or their delegates) of departments under the Faculty of Engineering, and chaired by the Dean of Faculty. Nominees are put forward by individual departments, with selection based on the University’s indicative criteria for assessment. We extend our heartfelt congratulations to Prof. George HUANG, Ir Prof. Ming LI, and Prof. Sandy TO on their remarkable achievements!

Career Talk for LEM and EEM Students 2026

The Department successfully hosted the Career Talk for LEM and EEM students on 26 February 2026, attracting 42 enthusiastic participants. We invited alumni from leading companies to share invaluable insights into job opportunities and career prospects. Our esteemed alumni speakers included: Mr. Victor Chu, Project Engineer, KONE Corporation Ms. Renee Ip, Senior Business Analyst, Orient Overseas Container Line (OOCL) Mr. Huang Zhonghuan, Manager of Procurement, XCMG Construction Machinery Co., Ltd. Mr. Hugo Hon, Application Consultant, ACW Solutions In addition, two special alumni guests — Mr. Ryan Li, Manager, Data Strategy, Hong Kong Jockey Club, and Mr. Kelvin Sin, Global AI Product Manager, HSBC Global Payment Solutions — joined the event to network with fellow alumni and students. The evening concluded with a dinner, providing attendees with further opportunities to exchange ideas, build connections, and strengthen professional ties.

ISE co-organised Annual Conference and AGM 2025 of the Hong Kong Principals’ Institute

On 15 December 2025, ISE was honoured to co-organise the 2025 Annual Conference cum AGM of the Hong Kong Principals’ Institute. The event fostered a dynamic and engaging atmosphere, uniting education experts and school leaders to exchange fresh perspectives on navigating change with resilience and cultivating a culture of lifelong learning in schools, alongside broader issues of educational leadership and school development in a rapidly evolving landscape.  Dr Sze Chun Fai, Jeff, JP, Under Secretary for Education gave the opening address at the conference. Two distinguished guests were also invited to share valuable insights and experiences. Mr Tong Kai Hang, Anthony, BBS, Chairman of the Board of the Li Po Chun College of Hong Kong Mr Chow Yat Ming, Joe, PMSM, Commissioner of Police After the event, some participating principals were invited to learn about the department’s work, it’s latest initiatives and the JUPAS programmes. They also engaged in conversations with ISE students and joined guided tours to our laboratories, gaining first-hand exposure to our teaching and research facilities.