Prof. Cheng Li honoured with First-Class Award from Chinese Society of Vibration Engineering

The research project led by Prof. CHENG Li, Associate Dean (Research) of Faculty of Engineering and Chair Professor of Mechanical Engineering, has been honoured with the First-Class Award of the Chinese Society of Vibration Engineering Science and Technology Awards 2023.  Prof. CHENG’s awarded project is titled “Acoustic black holes and applications to vibration and noise control in equipment engineering.” Vibration and noise are major concerns and challenging problems in numerous engineering applications. His research team has conducted a series of work that has systematically unveiled the fundamental physical principles of slow wave phenomena in vibrating structures. They have also established a comprehensive analysis and design methodology, and devised new structures suitable for diverse vibration and noise control applications in equipment engineering. The project entails collaboration with Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics and Nanjing University of Science and Technology. The Chinese Society of Vibration Engineering Science and Technology Awards aim to promote innovative technology the field of vibration engineering. A total of four First-Class Awards and 12 Second-Class Awards were granted to the universities and institutions in 2023. 

Dr Zhang Xiao receives national outstanding impact award

Congratulations to Dr Zhang Xiao, Assistant Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, for winning the “2023 China Rising Stars in Science and Technology – Outstanding Impact Award” (中国新锐科技人物卓越影响奖). The results of this year’s selection were announced at the China New Technology Forum held in Zhejiang on 14 December 2023. Launched by ScholarSet in 2015, the programme elects winners of the “2023 China Top Ten Rising Stars in Science and Technology Award” and other special prizes, based on public and experts’ votes, to recognise outstanding young scholars in China for their remarkable achievements in scientific research and promoting the transformation and popularisation of scientific research outcomes. It is very encouraging to see that the young scientist from the Department was acclaimed by the Nation to further develop scientific research in cutting-edge technologies and made remarkable contributions to the community. Online coverage: 2023中国十大新锐科技人物评选结果揭晓！_大学_中心_华西 (sohu.com) 2023中国十大新锐科技人物评选结果揭晓！_腾讯新闻 (qq.com)  

ME Graduates win Special Prize and Gold Medal at 3rd Asia Exhibition of Innovations and Inventions Award Hong Kong

This year, PolyU has achieved outstanding results at the 3rd Asia Exhibition of Innovations and Inventions Award Hong Kong. Our ME graduates received prestigious recognition, including the Special Prize from Technopol Group and a Gold Medal with Congratulations of the Jury. Among the recipients were Lam Yuen Yik (Graduate 2021, BEng (Hons) in Product Analysis and Engineering Design) and Yau Pang Yeung (Graduate 2021, BEng (Hons) in Mechanical Engineering), who, along with three other student/graduates, established Libpet Tech Limited as a PolyU startup. Together, they are dedicated to developing innovative products by translating research excellence into real-world solutions that benefit society. The award-winning project is called AIoT Empowered All-Terrain Personal Vehicle for People with Disabilities. The invention incorporates artificial intelligence (AI) technology and cutting-edge features to overcome the challenge of gaps, stairs, sand, and grass. An anti-collision system and precise remote control make it convenient and safe for users to operate. The Asia Exhibition of Innovations and Inventions Hong Kong (AEII) is the Asia’s annual exhibition cum competition exclusively devoted to innovations and inventions from Asia to be hosted in Hong Kong, by partnering with Palexpo, Geneva, organizer of the International Exhibition of Inventions Geneva. The 3rd Asia Exhibition of Innovations and Inventions Award Hong Kong was held on 7 to 8 Dec 2023 at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. (https://www.inventions-asia.hk/index.html) Learn more about Libpet and its project: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=clVC4BkDdRs  

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 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.