ME Postdoc Wins Top Awards at PolyU International Future Challenge (Nanjing Section)

Congratulations to Dr Wang Lin, a Postdoctoral Fellow in the Department of Mechanical Engineering (ME), supervised by Prof. Zhang Dan, for winning two prestigious awards at the PolyU x Suzhou Kowloon Hospital International Future Challenge (Nanjing Region) finals held on 14 August in Nanjing. Among 15 outstanding teams, Dr Wang secured the Kowloon Innovation Cup (Championship) with a RMB 100,000 cash prize and the First Prize with RMB 60,000. Sponsored by The Wharf (Holdings) Limited and supported by the Nanjing Municipal People's Government. The Competition focuses on seven core domains: Healthcare, Medical Devices, Biotechnology Rehabilitation Technology, Internet of Things, Intelligent Robotics Engineering Technology, Low Altitude Economy as well as AI applications in these domains. Winning teams gain access to PolyU’s Mainland Translational Research Institutes (MTRIs), the PolyVentures startup ecosystem, and opportunities to join Nanjing’s high-quality incubators. The top four teams will advance to the Grand Final in Shenzhen this December, competing against leading teams from other regions. The PolyU International Future Challenge (IFC)—the University’s flagship innovation and entrepreneurship competition—adopts a unique "1+N" framework, with Hong Kong, China as the main hub and additional rounds in six Chinese Mainland cities (Huizhou, Wenzhou, Qianhai, Shanghai, Nanjing, and Jinjiang). Open to global innovators, the competition partners with leading enterprises and PolyU MTRIs to offer participants mentorship, corporate visits, business consultations, and overseas opportunities.  

Prof. Cheng Song Leads Groundbreaking Collaboration with Boeing and COMAC

Prof. CHENG Song from the Department of Mechanical Engineering at PolyU has received an industrial support from Boeing and COMAC to launch a groundbreaking 4.5 million HKD project, aiming at developing sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) with blending ratios greater than 50% with conventional jet fuels. SAFs are produced from renewable resources and have the potential to reduce lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions by up to 80% compared to conventional jet fuel. SAF is widely recognized as one of the most promising solutions for decarbonizing the aviation sector, enabling airlines to significantly lower their carbon footprint while maintaining high safety and performance standards. The development and adoption of high-blend SAFs are critical steps toward achieving the aviation industry’s net-zero emissions goals. This project seeks to address this urgent need. By focusing on high-blend and even unblended SAF, the project will push the boundaries of current fuel standards and pave the way for a new era of cleaner, more sustainable air travel. In addition to laboratory research, engine testing, the project will also explore the supply chain, infrastructure, and policy frameworks necessary to support widespread adoption of high-blend SAFs.  

ME PhD Students Clinch Outstanding Results at 3rd PolyU Research Student Conference

Congratulations to four PhD students from the Department of Mechanical Engineering (ME) for their impressive results at the 3rd PolyU Research Student Conference (PRSC 2025) held on 2 to 4 July 2025. We are very proud of the outstanding performances of our PolyU ME PhD students. They demonstrated exceptional academic presentation and research communication skills, effectively explaining their research and its significance to non-specialist audiences. PRSC aims to promote innovative and high-quality research. It is the flagship research student conference, providing Research Postgraduate (RPg) students and students from the College of Undergraduate Researchers and Innovators (CURI) at PolyU with the opportunity to present their research work and findings. The conference also facilitates networking among students from different disciplines, fostering a collaborative and supportive research community at PolyU. Awardee Award Presentation Title Supervisor  XIA Qing Best Paper Second Runner-up Sustainable nitrate production via radical-driven electrochemical nitrogen oxidation Prof. ZHANG Xiao LI Wenzhi Best Presentation Award Elucidating the degradation mechanism of direct ammonia fuel cells Prof. AN Liang LI Weisong, ZHAI Yanjie Best Presentation Runner-up  A biomimic electrochemical CO2 capture and release system Prof. ZHANG Xiao LANG Yanfeng Best Poster Runner-up  Reconstruction of Ultrasonic Wavefields in the Space–Wavenumber Domain under Inadequate Spatial Sampling for Structural Damage Detection  Prof. SU Zhongqing  

Prof. Wang Zuankai’s groundbreaking research in energy and thermal-fluid sciences honoured with two international awards

Prof. WANG Zuankai, Associate Vice President (Research and Innovation), Dean of Graduate School, Kuok Group Professor in Nature-Inspired Engineering and Chair Professor of the PolyU Department of Mechanical Engineering, has recently received two internationally acclaimed research awards in recognition of his groundbreaking contributions to nano-energy and interfacial engineering. These include the Nano Energy Award and the Micro Flow and Interfacial Phenomena (µFIP) Prominent Research Award. These accolades underscore Prof. WANG’s significant contributions to advancing sustainable technologies through nature-inspired design and cross-disciplinary innovation, reinforcing his global leadership in thermal-fluid sciences. Acknowledging the collective effort behind these achievements, Prof. WANG encouraged his team and young researchers, “Not afraid of tackling uncharted problems with curiosity and rigour. Recognition serves as a reminder that even incremental progress, when driven by purpose, can create a ripple effect, ultimately leading to transformative impact.” Nano Energy Award: revolutionising energy harvesting Established in 2012, the Nano Energy Award is one of the most prestigious honours in the field of nanoenergy, presented biennially at the International Conference on Nanoenergy and Nanosystems (NENS). Prof. WANG was recognised for his pioneering advancements in nature-inspired interfacial engineering for energy harvesting. Prof. WANG’s groundbreaking innovations, particularly in droplet-based electricity generators, have fundamentally reoriented the research trajectory of scalable energy harvesting. By integrating multiple energy conversion processes through interfacial engineering, his innovative designs offer sustainable solutions for harnessing energy from water, sunlight, and heat. His signature approach combines classical scientific principles with nature-inspired mechanics, enabling novel solutions to critical challenges in energy systems. These breakthroughs have catalysed a new generation of interfacial engineering-driven systems that transcend conventional efficiency boundaries. µFIP Prominent Research Award: inspiring critical applications Separately, Prof. WANG was honoured with the Micro Flow and Interfacial Phenomena (µFIP) Prominent Research Award at the Micro Flow and Interfacial Phenomena held at the University of California, Santa Barbara, between June 16-18, 2025. This award recognises his influential contributions to thermal-fluidics, particularly his development of nature-inspired surfaces that dynamically modulate interfacial and transport processes, such as wetting, adhesion, and thermal-fluid transport. These innovations have enabled wide-range applications in energy harvesting, thermal management, and flexible electronics. Prof. WANG expressed his gratitude for these honours and said, “Research that spans disciplines holds the power to resonate globally, offering innovative insights to address the complex challenges shared by humanity. These recognitions reaffirm the significance of fusing fundamental material innovations with real-world engineering pragmatism. Breakthroughs often emerge at the intersection of disciplines, and this continues to inspire me to bridge laboratory discoveries with practical solutions for a sustainable future.”    

ME Student Team Wins Bronze Award in ASMPT Technology Award 2025

A team of PolyU undergraduates from the Department of Mechanical Engineering (ME) was awarded the Bronze Award at the ASMPT Technology Award 2025 for their final year project, "Design and Development of a Robot Fish." The PolyU team, supervised by Prof. TANG Hui, Associate Head (Research) and Associate Professor from the ME department, comprised LIANG Wendi, HE Zhengyang and YU Jiale. Their project developed a biomimetic robotic fish that achieves efficient underwater locomotion, stable depth control, and visual tracking capability. The ASMPT Technology Award, the initiative led by ASMPT Limited and a symbol of their commitment to technological innovation in Hong Kong. Now in its tenth year, the competition invites engineering and science students from CityU, CUHK, HKBU, HKU, HKUST and PolyU to submit their outstanding projects focusing on Engineering and Technology-related/ Science-related field. This year, 12 exceptional projects were nominated by the 6 participating universities to compete for awards. The nominees presented their projects in 20-minute sessions, followed by a 10-minute Q&A with a panel of judges comprising ASMPT professionals, university scholar, and industry experts. ASMPT Limited is a leading global supplier of hardware and software solutions for the manufacture of semiconductors and electronics. Headquartered in Singapore, ASMPT’s offerings encompass the semiconductor assembly & packaging, and SMT (surface mount technology) industries.    

Success in securing GRF/ECS 2025/26

In the 2025/26 results of grants from the Research Grants Council’s General Research Fund (GRF) and Early Career Scheme (ECS) announced in June 2025, ME’s success rate was 31% in 2025/26 exercise.  Eight of our GRF/ECS proposals were funded. Congratulations to the following colleagues who were successful in securing a GRF/ECS grant in this round. Principal Investigator Co-Investigator  Project Title  Prof. Choy Yat Sze  Prof. Wang Hanfeng (Central South University, China) Design and Modeling of a sway structural frame for integrated flow control, broadband noise reduction and vibration suppression Prof. Fu Mingwang Nil Development of high-performance functionally graded materials by additive manufacturing with tailorable gradient compositions based on heterogeneous deformation-induced effect Prof. Jiao Zengbao Prof. Wang Xun-Li (CityU) Atomic structure, stability, and deformation mechanisms of ultrastrong-yet-ductile refractory high-entropy alloys with coherent nanoprecipitates Prof. Su Zhongqing Prof. Jeong Jae-Woong (Korea Advanced Institute of Science & Technology (KAIST)) Augmenting Ultrasound for Continuous Glucose Monitoring Through a Wearable Hydrogel Microneedle Interface: Mechanism Study, Prototype Development and in vivo Validation Prof. Tang Hui Dr Zhang Hongfu (PolyU ME)  Prof. Noack Bernd (Harbin Institute of Technology (Shenzhen); Technische Universität Berlin) Active flow control via manifold learning-based adaptive reduced-order modeling Prof. Wang Liqiu  Nil Micro-pixelwise Reprogrammable Soft Poly-magnets Prof. Zhang Baoping  Nil  Probing Ultrafast Liquid Transport in Confined Spaces Prof. Zheng Guangping Nil  Achieving superior soft magnetic and mechanical properties of high-entropy metallic nano-glasses by a mechanochemical processing route combining severe plastic deformation and thermal shock

ME PhD Student Wins Best Poster Award at 2025 IEEE FENDT

Congratulations to Mr ZHANG Shuchang, a PhD student in the Department of Mechanical Engineering (ME), for winning the Best Poster Award at the 2025 IEEE Far East NDT New Technology & Application Forum (FENDT), held from 23 to 26 June 2025 in Wuhan, China. Under the supervision of Prof. SU Zhongqing, Mr Zhang presented his research titled “Ultrafast Photoacoustic Characterization of Unsupported Ultrathin Films”, which stood out among other participants from the Far east region. Technically sponsored by IEEE, FENDT aims to strengthen academic collaboration and advance innovation in non-destructive testing (NDT). Since its inception in Nanjing in 2004, the forum has grown into China’s premier NDT event, fostering breakthroughs in the field.  

ME PhD Student Shines in Faculty 3MT Competition 2025

Congratulations to WANG Qing, a research student representing the Department of Mechanical Engineering (ME), won the Champion and People’s Choice Award in the Three Minute Thesis (3MT) Competition 2025 organized by the PolyU Faculty of Engineering. 3MT® celebrates the exciting research conducted by research postgraduate students. Developed by the University of Queensland, Australia, the competition cultivates students’ academic presentation and research communication skills, and supports their capacity to effectively explain their research and its significance in three minutes, in a language appropriate to non-specialist audiences. 3MT® is now a globally recognized competition that has been held in over 900 universities across more than 80 countries worldwide. On 19 June 2025, the PolyU Faculty of Engineering held the 3MT Competition. Five affiliated departments nominated their research students to participate in it. The participants each delivered a high-impact brief presentation within 3-minute. Most of them demonstrated good academic pitching skills. A panel of judges by representatives from the five affiliated departments was formed and selected the best presenters. WANG Qing is currently a PhD student in ME under the supervision of Prof. AN Liang. “To Be a Doctor of Green Hydrogen Generator” is the title about her research project for this competition. Her lively narration of academic research has won her two awards. We are very proud of her outstanding performance. Learn more at PolyU Faculty of Engineering Three Minute Thesis (3MT®) Competition

Prof. Mai Yiu Wing Ranked 1st in China and 7th Globally in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering

Two scholars from PolyU have been recognized as the top in China in their respective disciplines by the international academic platform Research.com in its 2025 Best Scholar rankings. Prof. Mai Yiu Wing, Distinguished Chair Professor of Composites Science and Engineering in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, ranked 1st in the country and 7th globally in the field of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering. Prof. Li Heng, Associate Director of the Research Institute for Artificial Intelligence of Things and Chair Professor of Construction Informatics, ranked 1st in China and 21st globally in Engineering and Technology. These rankings are based on a scientist’s D-index (Discipline H-index), which considers publications and citation metrics within the examined discipline. The Department is particularly proud of Prof. Mai Ying Wing for being named the top scientist in the world. This international recognition reflects the significant influence and research excellence of the Department’s scientists, who are dedicated to advancing knowledge for the benefit of the world.  Learn More: Research.com World's Best Scientists 2025   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.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.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.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.  

Engineering Your Future: Career Paths in Mechanical Engineering

The "Engineering Your Future: Career Paths in Mechanical Engineering" was successfully held on June 5, 2025. The event brought together around 50 current HKDSE (Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education Examination) students, providing them with valuable insights into the mechanical engineering field. The event featured top graduates, industry experts and student representative who shared their stories and industry insights. In his welcoming remarks, Prof. Su Zhongqing, Head of the Department, expressed enthusiasm for the gathering and highlighted the importance of connecting students with industry professionals. He introduced the field of mechanical engineering, explaining its significance in various domains and its role in driving technological innovation. Prof. Su encouraged attendees to actively engage with the speakers and peers, as these connections could play a significant role in shaping their future careers. His remarks set a positive tone for the evening, fostering an atmosphere of inspiration among all participants. Following the opening remarks, Ir C K Tam, who serves as the HKIE Mechanical Discipline Advisory Deputy Chairman and Senior Director of The Jardine Engineering Corp., Ltd. He shared his inspiring story about the road to success and captivated the audience with his insights into the future of mechanical engineering, highlighting emerging trends and opportunities within the industry. Additionally, Ir Winky Lui, an E&M Engineer from the Electrical and Mechanical Services Department of the HKSAR Government, shared her personal job-seeking experiences and offered valuable advice on navigating the engineering job market. Miss Jessica Du, a current student and Immediate Past President of the Mechanical Engineering Student Association, inspired attendees with her journey through her studies and extracurricular activities in PolyU, emphasizing the importance of engagement beyond academics. The event also provided a unique networking opportunity, allowing students to interact with professors, speakers, and peers in small groups. A delightful dinner buffet was offered, creating a comfortable and relaxed setting for participants. This informal setting encouraged meaningful discussions about career paths, academic advice, and industry experiences. We eagerly look forward to more sharing events in the future!