PolyU journal Nexus hosts forum on smart sustainable development promoting interdisciplinary research and innovation

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) and Cell Press co-hosted the Nexus Forum 2025 from 8 to 10 May. Themed “Collaborative Innovation for Smart Sustainable Development”, the Forum served as a vital platform for promoting exchange and collaboration in interdisciplinary research and innovation, facilitating the advancement of smart technology and sustainable development.

The three-day Forum featured keynote speeches, a panel discussion, oral and poster presentations, and an editorial workshop, attracting over 170 participants, including academic experts and authors, as well as consulate and industry representatives from Canada, the United Kingdom, the United States, Australia, Japan, Singapore, Sweden, the United Arab Emirates, Hong Kong, and mainland China. Additionally, over 300 PolyU faculty members and students also participated in the event.

During the opening ceremony,  Prof. Jin-Guang TENG, PolyU President; Prof. Christopher CHAO, Vice President (Research and Innovation); Prof. Qingyan CHEN, Chair Professor of Building Thermal Science and Director of the PolyU Academy for Interdisciplinary Research (PAIR); and Prof. Jerry YAN, Chair Professor of Energy and Buildings and Editor-in-Chief of Nexus, warmly welcomed the participants from around the world.

Prof. Jin-Guang Teng remarked, “In celebrating the first anniversary of Nexus, we reaffirm our commitment to advancing innovative research in applied sciences, engineering, technology, and inter- and multi-disciplinary fields to address some of the world’s most pressing challenges. This forum and Nexus reflect PolyU’s unwavering dedication to pioneering research and scholarship that directly benefits society. Looking ahead, PolyU will continue to champion transformative research through strategic platforms including the PolyU Academy for Interdisciplinary Research, which conducts breakthrough interdisciplinary research in frontier domains of socioeconomic importance; the newly established PolyU Academy for Artificial Intelligence (PAAI), which strengthens our leadership in cutting-edge AI research and applications; and our network of translational research institutes across various cities in mainland China that address local industrial and societal needs.”

The Forum featured three inspiring keynote speeches centred around three core themes: innovative techniques for sustainable cities, industrial and interdisciplinary solutions for sustainability, and carbon neutrality and energy system transformation. The speeches sparked thought-provoking discussion on the latest technologies and industry developments in these areas, highlighting how collaborative innovation and research can help shape a sustainable future for all.

The distinguished keynote speakers included Prof. Michael OBERSTEINER, Director of Environmental Change Institute of University of Oxford; Prof. HE Kebin and Prof. TU Shandong, Members of Chinese Academy of Engineering; Ms Louise BERGHOLM, Consul General of Sweden to Hong Kong and Macau; Prof. YANG Hongxia, Executive Director of PAAI; as well as scholars and representatives from Tsinghua University, San Diego State University, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, East China University of Science and Technology, The University of Hong Kong, The Chinese University of Hong Kong (Shenzhen), Lingnan University, CLP Power Hong Kong, HK Electric, the Hong Kong Green Building Council, and Strategy Department of Tencent.

The first two keynote speeches covered topics such as Sweden’s best practices in developing sustainable cities, generative AI applications, innovative engineering solutions for sustainable built environments, and breakthroughs in electric vehicle battery storage technology. The third keynote, themed “Carbon Neutrality and Energy System Transformation”, is co-organised by the PolyU International Centre of Urban Energy Nexus and the Tsinghua University Institute for Carbon Neutrality. It focused on the latest achievements in cutting-edge multidisciplinary research in carbon and earth sciences, environmental science, energy and power engineering, data science, and intelligent technology. Topics included climate risk mitigation strategies, sustainable Modular Integrated Construction, and AI-driven co-simulation in power and carbon markets.

At the panel discussion titled “Technology Innovation for Decarbonisation of the Power Sector”, scholars from PolyU, local, mainland China, and overseas universities, as well as representatives from two local power companies introduced and explored the research projects supported by the Strategic Topics Grant under the Hong Kong Research Grants Council.

In addition, multiple oral and poster sessions were organised to allow participants to share their views and exchange research findings on different topics, thereby facilitating knowledge exchange and transfer. The editing workshop, co-organised by the PolyU Graduate School, drew over 180 PolyU postgraduate and undergraduate students. Editors-in-chief and editors from seven academic journals, including Nexus and Nature Energy, introduced young researchers to the skills and tools necessary for writing scientific papers. The workshop aimed to enhance the readability and impact of their manuscripts, and to demonstrate the skills of integrating advanced technologies into research.

Nexus is Cell Press’s first partner journal in cross-disciplinary subjects and the first title published in collaboration with a university. To learn more, please visit https://www.cell.com/nexus/home.

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