Dr David NAVARRO-ALARCON appointed IHERD Fellow

Dr David Navarro-Alarcon, Associate Professor of the PolyU Department of Mechanical Engineering, has been appointed as a Fellow in the Institute for Higher Education Research and Development (IHERD) at PolyU. The fellowship will span a period of three years, starting from December 1, 2023, and ending on November 30, 2026. As an IHERD Fellow, Dr Navarro-Alarcon will actively participate in the planning and execution of education research and development projects. He will also share his expertise and experiences in these endeavors with his colleagues. Moreover, he will demonstrate a commitment to fostering an engaging learning environment for students and contribute to the cultivation of a vibrant teaching and learning culture across the campus. Dr Navarro-Alarcon will have the opportunity to lead or co-lead various university-wide initiatives in educational research and development, and he will also be involved in IHERD think-tanks aimed at policy development in teaching and learning to support the strategic goals of the University. Given Dr. Navarro-Alarcon's extensive experience and enthusiasm for teaching and learning, we are confident that he will inspire the campus community with a revitalizing spirit for education. His contributions will have a positive impact on students' learning experiences and outcomes.

ME Research Projects acclaimed HKIOA Acoustics Awards 2023

Two research projects by ME researchers have been chosen as the winners of the HKIOA (The Hong Kong Institute of Acoustics) Acoustics Awards 2023 for their outstanding performance and contribution to the acoustics industry.         Product / Material Invention Category - Bronze Award Awardee:         Dr Randolph LEUNG Chi Kin, Associate Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University Awarded Project Name: Novel Technology for Quantification of Tyre/Road Noise for Urban Noise Management Project Description: Road traffic noise is receiving increased attention in contemporary urbanized cities such as Hong Kong, for its wide-ranging detrimental effects on health, society, and the economy. With the rising popularity of EVs, tyre/road noise is recognized as the dominant contributor to traffic noise pollution. An advancement has been developed in enhancing the quantification capability of widely-used close-proximity (CPX) technology for measuring tyre/road noise on urban roads. This development enables real-time measurement of the sound power level of tyre/road noise, which represents an absolute metric for noise sources and is less susceptible to variations in the measurement environment in urbanized cities.         Other Excellence Category - Merits Award & Student Award Awardee: Dr ARIF Muhammad Irsalan, PhD Graduate, Department of Mechanical Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University Awarded Project Name: Design and Development of a Novel Low Noise Airfoil / Wind Turbine Blade for Environmental Noise Reduction Project Description: The World Health Organization recognizing noise pollution as the second largest environmental contributor to health problems. Environmental noise can originate from diverse engineering applications, including the production of green energy, the building services industry, and aviation. The objective of the project was to develop an innovative approach to designing low- noise airfoils, capable of significantly reducing flow noise power while maintaining the original aerodynamic performance during operation. The outcomes of the project present a readily implementable concept that advances quiet technology for contemporary low-speed flow- mechanical systems, such as wind and tidal turbines, wings for small-to-medium-sized aircraft, and propellers for air taxis.   It is very encouraging to see that ME researcher and young alumnus from the Department were acclaimed by the Hong Kong Institute of Acoustics to further develop scientific research in cutting-edge technologies and made remarkable contributions to the community.

The 9th ME Research Presentation Competition

The 9th PolyU Mechanical Engineering Research Presentation Competition was successfully held on November 28, 2023. This annual event provides research students with a platform to showcase their project results and share knowledge with the PolyU community. Dr Li Mengying, the Research Student Liaison Officer, introduced the competition and emphasized the importance of academic pitching skills. The aim is to train research students to effectively communicate their academic ideas to both peers and non-experts. Dr Tang Hui, the Associate Head (Research), addressed the opening of this 9th annual competition, noting its significance in providing invaluable opportunities for ME research students to showcase their talents. This year, fifteen academics from three main discipline areas (Control, Acoustics and Dynamics; Materials and Solid Mechanics; Thermofluids and Combustion) were invited to form the panel of judges. As one of the panel members, Prof. Wang Zuankai, the Associate Vice President (Research and Innovation), emphasized that presentations serve as a means to convey ideas, concepts, and visions to others. He expressed his wish for students to deliver their talks effectively, logically, and authentically. Each of the twenty research student participants delivered a high-impact three-minute presentation. Through their professional and engaging presentations, they successfully bridged the gap between academic and technical terminology and the layman's understanding. Many participants showcased outstanding academic pitching skills. Prof. Wang Liqiu encouraged students to brainstorm precise project titles and deliver vivid presentations. Prof. Zhang Dan, another Chair Professor who recently joined the Department, appreciated the students' dedication and passion for research and was deeply impressed by the wide spectrum of research areas they covered and their ability to integrate theories into practical applications. Following the oral presentations, participants engaged with the audience during the research posters exhibition. The displayed posters not only highlighted their research project results but also provided an opportunity for participants to convey their ideas and interact with viewers and professionals. The event was attended by other research students and PolyU staff members, who also had the chance to vote for the People's Choice award. The participants actively sought support from the large audience in securing votes. Prof. Su Zhongqing, the Head of the Department, concluded the competition by quoting Einstein, stating, "If you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it well enough." Congratulations to all the participants on their fabulous presentations and excellent research work!   Champion: Mr ZHANG Wanglinhan (Supervisor: Prof. SU Zhongqing) Title: Medical AI-Assisted Wearable Hydrogel Microneedle Array for Ultrasound Continuous Glucose Monitoring 1st Runner-Up: Mr LI Weisong (Supervisor: Dr ZHANG Xiao) Title: Electrochemical CO2 capture 2nd Runner-Up: Miss DENG Nan (Supervisor: Dr LI Mengying) Title: The life of photons in atmosphere and in water  2nd Runner-Up: Mr WU Lizhen (Supervisor: Dr AN Liang) Title: Bubble Management in Water-splitting Reactors for Green Hydrogen Production Merit: Miss HU Xiaodan (Supervisor: Dr MA Yuan) Title: A new bionic sweating finger for tuning friction actively Merit: Mr HAN Yu (Supervisor: Dr CHENG Song) Title: On the experimental characterization and modeling of trans-/super-critical spray combustion People’s Choice: Miss BAI Yuran (Supervisor: Dr AN Liang) Title: Operation of Fuel Cells under Extreme Conditions

ME Co-hosted the 13th Cross-Strait Acoustics Conference

The 13th Cross-Strait Acoustics Conference was successfully held in the Hong Kong Polytechnic University on November 26-27 2023. The event was co-organized by the Department of Mechanical Engineering (ME) of the Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) and Hong Kong Institute of Acoustics (HKIOA). In collaboration with the event are the Shanghai Acoustical Society, the Acoustical Society of Shaanxi Province, and the Macau Instituto de Acustica. The event brought together over 50 experts and professionals in acoustics from China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Macau, creating a diverse and vibrant exchange of knowledge, and a collaborative atmosphere on the latest acoustical development and technology in the cross­strait region. The conference hosted over 20 presentations from 16 different institutions, covering various topics such as architectural acoustics, environmental noise, aerodynamic noise, and sound engineering. The diverse contents of the presentations allowed participants to explore multiple disciplines within acoustics and the understand the field's current research trends. The conference featured three keynote speakers, including Director LI Xiaodong from the Acoustical Society of China, Dr LEUNG Chi Kin from Department of Mechanical Engineering, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, and Prof. RONG Juin Shyu from the Taiwan Acoustical Association, who shared their expertise and insights on various aspects of acoustics. These speakers provided valuable insights to various acoustics researches, and the latest advancements and challenges in their application. The Hong Kong Institute of Acoustics (HKIOA) was founded in 1993 in Hong Kong by a group of local acousticians. The Institute aims to promote the knowledge and practice of acoustics and also maintain and present the integrity and status of the profession to the public and the government. The 13th Cross-Strait Acoustics Conference started off in 2008. PolyU ME has a long connection with HKIOA, through the event organization back to the 46th International Congress and Exposition on Noise Control Engineering (Inter-Noise) 2017 and the 11th Cross­-Strait Acoustics Conference in 2018.

ME Scholars ranked among World’s Top 2% Most-cited Scientists

In the newly released metrics compiled by Stanford University, 24 scholars of PolyU’s Department of Mechanical Engineering (ME) have been ranked among the world’s top 2% most-cited scientists in their main disciplines for career-long citation impact. 13 of them are current ME members. In addition, 4 other current ME academics have also been ranked for single recent year impact *. Scientists are classified into 22 scientific fields and 174 sub-fields according to the standard Science-Metrix classification. Field- and subfield-specific percentiles are also provided for all scientists with at least 5 papers. Career-long data are updated to end-of-2022 and single recent year data pertain to citations received during calendar year 2022. The selection is based on the top 100,000 scientists by c-score (with and without self-citations) or a percentile rank of 2% or above in the sub-field. This version (6) is based on the October 1, 2023 snapshot from Scopus, updated to end of citation year 2022. This work uses Scopus data provided by Elsevier through ICSR Lab (https://www.elsevier.com/icsr/icsrlab). Calculations were performed using all Scopus author profiles as of October 1, 2023. The recognition reflects the significant influence and research excellence of the Department’s scientists, who are committed to furthering their knowledge for the benefit of the world. Congratulations to the following ME scholars who have been ranked among the top 2% of scientists in the world in their respective fields: Dr An Liang Prof. Christopher Chao Yu Hang Prof. Chen Guohua Prof. Cheng Li Prof. Cheung Chun Shun Prof. Fu Mingwang Prof. Wallace Leung Woon Fong Prof. Su Zhongqing Prof. Wang Liqiu Prof. Wang Zuankai Dr Yao Haimin Prof. Zhang Dan Dr Zheng Guangping Dr Jiao Zengbao * Dr Tang Hui * Dr Wu Maochun * Dr Yu Xiang * Prof. Ronald So Ming Cho (Emeritus Professor) Prof. Woo Chung Ho (Emeritus Professor) Prof. Chan Tat Leung (former staff) Prof. Jing Xingjian (former staff) Prof. Alan Lau Kin Tak (former staff) Prof. Leung Chun Wah (former staff) Dr Liu Yang (former staff) Prof. Shi Sanqiang (former staff) Prof. Wen Chih-Yung (former staff) Prof. Zhou Limin (former staff) Prof. Zhou Yu (former staff) Data available at Elsevier Published: 4 October 2023 | Version 6 | DOI:10.17632/btchxktzyw.6  

Dr Wu Maochun named Fellow of International Association of Advanced Materials

Dr Wu Maochun, Assistant Professor & Presidential Young Scholar of PolyU Department of Mechanical Engineering, has been admitted as a Fellow of International Association of Advanced Materials (IAAM) in recognition for his contribution to Batteries, Supercapacitors and Solid Electrolyte Materials. The Fellow of IAAM is a notable distinction that the IAAM confers upon researchers and scientists to recognize their important contribution and efforts for the advancement of materials. It is recognized as a prestigious title that is only conferred upon deserving researchers who have made significant contribution to the world of Advanced Materials Science, Engineering, and Technology. IAAM is a renowned non-profit international scientific research organization active in the world of advanced materials. The organization works to facilitate a highly interactive community of advanced materials researchers and to stimulate partnerships, collaborations, and joint ventures that can translate into the rapid development of the scientific world. With the motto of "Advancement of materials to global excellence", IAAM strives to utilize the sector of advanced materials to find solutions to the pressing issues of the world.

ME chaired a PAIR Researchers Corner on "Robotics Research at PolyU"

On 15 Sep 2023, Dr David NAVARRO-ALARCON chaired a PAIR Researchers Corner on "Robotics Research at PolyU", where researchers from PolyU Department of Aeronautical and Aviation Engineering (AAE), Department of Biomedical Engineering (BME), Department of Industrial & Systems Engineering (ISE), and Department of Mechanical Engineering (ME) shared their work on various aspects of the broad field of robotics. The PolyU Academy for Interdisciplinary Research (PAIR) is a central research platform at PolyU dedicated to providing world-leading interdisciplinary solutions to significant societal challenges. The PAIR Researchers Corner serves as a platform to foster interaction and collaboration among research scholars across various disciplines within our university community. Its goal is to create interdisciplinary research opportunities and facilitate academic growth. The PAIR Researchers Corner on "Robotics Research at PolyU" was attended by Dr Kar Hang CHU (ME), Dr Xiaoling HU (BME), Dr Hailong HUANG (AAE), Prof. Yangmin LI (ISE), Dr David NAVARRO-ALARCON (ME), Dr Lidong YANG (ISE), Prof. Dan ZHANG (ME) and Dr Pai ZHENG (ISE). The attendees discussed the necessity of creating a stronger international presence of PolyU, and the importance of joining forces to apply to large grants and establish joint innovation centres. It was a very fruitful forum as participants, with their various disciplines of expertise, had provided valuable advice and constructive suggestions for future development in robotics research.

Hydrogen generation breakthrough co-first authored by ME young researcher published in Nature

Green Hydrogen, produced through electrocatalytic water splitting, is gaining recognition as a promising and sustainable alternative to fossil fuels. The production efficiency of this process relies heavily on the electrocatalyst used. However, there is still limited knowledge about how the crystal phase of catalysts affects their performance. To bridge this knowledge gap, Dr Zhang Xiao (Assistant Professor of Department of Mechanical Engineering, PolyU) collaborated with an international team to develop innovative catalysts using a phase-controlled growth process. The discovery, Dr Zhang as the co-first author, published in one of the world’s premier science journals, Nature. The paper titled “Phase-dependent growth of Pt on MoS2 for highly efficient H2 evolution” was published on 13 September 2023 in London. (Nature, 621, 300–305 (2023), 10.1038/s41586-023-06339-3). The research team utilized transition-metal dichalcogenide (TMD) nanosheets as supports, which directed the growth of noble metals and resulted in improved efficiency and stability during the electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). It was found that the hexagonal-phase (2H) template enables the epitaxial growth of platinum (Pt) nanoparticles, while the unconventional 1T'-phase template supports the dispersion of single Pt atoms (s-Pt). This important finding led to the creation of a highly efficient catalyst, s-Pt/1T'-MoS2, for HER. Remarkably, this catalyst demonstrated sustainability by operating continuously for 500 hours in a water electrolyzer. This groundbreaking discovery revolutionizes phase engineering in nanomaterials, unlocking exciting new opportunities for designing and creating highly efficient catalysts. With its contribution to cleaner energy sources and promotion of sustainable growth, this research is a major milestone in the field of renewable energy, showcasing its great potential to achieve carbon neutrality goals of Hong Kong.

109th Departmental Advisory Committee Meeting

The 109th Departmental Advisory Committee (DAC) meeting was held face to face on 30 August 2023, under the chairmanship of Ir Dr Angus Cheung, Chief Executive Officer of Aerovision Technology Limited. We were grateful to have new committee members joining us. They were: Ir Kevin Lau, Senior Director – Generation, CLP Power Hong Kong Limited Mr Lingang Zhu, Director, Structure and Stress Division, Commercial Aircraft of China Ltd. Prof Massimo Ruzzene, Vice Chancellor for Research & Innovation and Dean of the Institutes, University of Colorado Boulder Dr Bruce Wang, Founder and CEO, EcoFlow Inc. Dr Hui Tang, Associate Head & Associate Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering, PolyU Dr Henry Chu, Associate Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering, PolyU Dr Xiao Zhang, Assistant Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering, PolyU Mr Farrukh Rasheed, Full-time BEng Student, Department of Mechanical Engineering, PolyU Mr Yeung Wai Kin, Full-time PhD Student, Department of Mechanical Engineering, PolyU The DAC is comprised of 2 ex-officio members (i.e., the Faculty Dean and Department Head), 10 local and overseas members from the academia, industry and professionals as well as 3 internal members and 2 student representatives from the Department. The meeting kicked off with the Head Prof. Zhongqing Su’s report on the latest updates of the Department. Following up on the 108th DAC meeting, various measures and actions have been taken. Responses to the advice from the last DAC meeting were summarized in this meeting. Since the last DAC, the Department has organized a number of key events, received remarkable research achievements, and surged in world rankings by ME subject. The growth and development in various aspects, including the student achievements/activities, the academic programme developments, and relationship with alumni, were shared in the meeting. On the other hand, the meeting reviewed the student intake, graduate employment, comments from Departmental Academic Advisor (DAA), and staffing, resources and budget. It was a very fruitful meeting as members, with their wide range of expertise, had provided valuable advice and constructive suggestions to the Department for future development in teaching and learning, research and consultancy, and strategic plans.

Prof. Wang Zuankai wins prestigious Falling Walls Award for breakthrough engineering innovation

PolyU Associate Vice President (Research and Innovation) and Chair Professor of Nature-Inspired Engineering Prof. Zuankai Wang has been honoured as one of ten winners of the 2023 Falling Walls Science Breakthroughs of the Year award in the Engineering and Technology category. The annual award from the Berlin-based Falling Walls Foundation recognises the most impactful recent discoveries in science and society worldwide. Prof. Wang’s innovation on structured thermal amour is recognised with the accolade of “Breaking the Wall to the Leidenfrost Effect”. His research “Inhibiting the Leidenfrost effect above 1,000°C for sustained thermal cooling”, published in Nature in 2022, tackles the challenges posed by the Leidenfrost effect since 1756. The impact of his work is far-reaching. Breaking the Leidenfrost effect at high temperatures also extends the temperature range of superwettablity, one of the Top 10 Emerging Technologies by the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry in 2021. The current manifestation of superwettability is confined to a highly restricted temperature range. Prof. Wang’s groundbreaking discovery dramatically extends the temperature range of superwettability above 1,000°C, unleashing limitless applications in chemistry and beyond. Prof. Wang draws on diverse knowledge from several disciplines for his award-winning work. He encourages his research team to be proactive, passionate and persistent in making remarkable advances through answering scientific questions and tackling technological challenges. He added, “Sometimes, a small idea and experiment can be a turning point of our life. We persist in making remarkable advancements in research by answering critical scientific questions and tackling long-standing technological challenges.”