Media Releases

PolyU’s Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology Dr Franco Leung receives the Croucher Innovation Award 2021

Dr Franco King-chi LEUNG, Assistant Professor of the Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU), has received the Croucher Innovation Award 2021 (the Award) in recognition of his outstanding achievements in supramolecular and material science research. Each award carries a value of up to HK$5 million over five years for the research expenses of the award winner. Dr Leung is pleased to receive the Award and considers it a motivation to continue his research. He said, "I am most grateful to the Croucher Foundation for their recognition of my research on a Supramolecular Robotic System of Photoresponsive Molecular Amphiphiles. I hope this research can facilitate the development of a supramolecular robotic system and be applied in medical and other fields to make a positive impact on society." Dr Leung attained a Bachelor of Science degree (BSc) in Chemical Technology and a Master of Philosophy degree (MPhil) from PolyU in 2011 and 2013 respectively. He carried out his Master’s research on catalysis and chemical biology. As one of Dr Leung’s teachers during his undergraduate studies, Prof. Wing-tak WONG, Deputy President and Provost of PolyU, was delighted to learn that his student’s research capability is being recognised. In his congratulatory message, Prof. Wong said, "PolyU is committed to advancing research development and encourages students to get a taste of research during their undergraduate studies. Dr Leung’s achievements demonstrate the promising potential of young scientists. PolyU will continue to offer staunch support to interdisciplinary research, and we look forward to the further discoveries of Dr Leung’s research." Dr Leung expanded his research scope during his Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) studies on supramolecular chemistry and material science under the guidance of Prof. Takanori Fukushima at the Tokyo Institute of Technology, Japan. In April 2017, he joined Prof. Ben L. Feringa’s group (2016 Nobel Laureate in Chemistry) at the University of Groningen, the Netherlands, as a postdoc fellow and was awarded the Croucher Postdoctoral Fellowship, where he developed photoresponsive soft materials of molecular motors and switches. Since June 2019, Dr Leung has returned to PolyU as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology. In the last two years, Dr Leung and his team’s research has been designed and orientated to exploit the full intrinsic potential of synthetic organic chemistry to build new supramolecular structures, functions and hierarchical systems. The major goal is to design novel supramolecular functional systems, across length-scale, into stimuli-responsive functional soft materials. He expects the novel soft material created can leverage its photoresponsive characteristic in a medical aspect, in order to achieve more precise treatment. Dr Leung and his team have successfully created a supramolecular robotic system of photoresponsive molecular amphiphiles which is able to be photo-actuated. Dr Leung said this development is only one stage of the entire research project, and he will continue to conduct in-depth research on applications based on this in the future. The team’s research focuses on the following two major areas: (1) Life-like Supramolecular Soft Actuators - This research programme aims to develop highly dynamic, reversible, and biocompatible supramolecular soft actuators, which are complementary to existing polymeric soft actuators; (2) Controlled Supramolecular Transformations of Hierarchical Systems - This research programme is designed to control reversible transformations of supramolecular assembly and organisations at different hierarchical levels, in supramolecular soft materials and self-assembled two-dimensional structures on various substrate surfaces. Dr Leung has been obsessed with chemistry since secondary school, and decided to devote himself to research after entering PolyU. He thanked his alma mater for laying a solid academic foundation for his scientific research. "PolyU has always attached great importance to the development of scientific research and provided support to research teams in various ways. The University’s laboratories are well-equipped with advanced equipment to facilitate researchers to carry out experiments. PolyU’s interdisciplinary research culture also helps to integrate expertise from different disciplines to deepen and widen the scope of research." Although some people are sceptical about the value of basic research, Dr Leung said with a smile that there are many basic research results that can change the world and benefit mankind. He encouraged young people who are interested in participating in scientific research to interact with friends from different fields to develop thinking from different perspectives.   *** End***

PolyU pledges to support sports development with R&D in sports sciences and academic programmes for athletes, as National Team Olympians visit the campus

Six National Team Olympians who participated in the Tokyo 2020 Games visited The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) today and appeared in a meet-and-greet session with students, alumni, staff and members of the public. The Olympic gold medallists included MA Long, the first five-time gold medallist in table tennis; rower CUI Xiaotong; weightlifter LU Xiaojun; swimming coach WANG Aimin; fencer SUN Yiwen; and SU Bingtian, an Asian record holder and the first Chinese sprinter who has qualified for a men’s 100-metre final in the Olympic Games.

PolyU welcomes the Joint Maintenance Management Cooperation Arrangement signed by Hong Kong, Mainland and Macau aviation authorities

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) welcomed the signing of the Joint Maintenance Management Cooperation Arrangement between Hong Kong, Mainland China and Macau. The Arrangement will offer more career opportunities to Hong Kong’s young people aspiring to work in the aviation industry, and further strengthen Hong Kong's position as a leading international aviation hub. The Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC), the Civil Aviation Department of Hong Kong (CAD) and the Civil Aviation Authority of Macao (AACM) signed the Arrangement today. It aims to enable holders of aircraft maintenance licences issued by the three authorities to work in the aircraft maintenance organisations located in the three places. PolyU’s Ir Professor H.C. Man, Dean of Faculty of Engineering, appreciated the tremendous effort and hard work of CAD to conclude the Cooperation Arrangement. He said, “We are glad that the Aircraft Maintenance Engineer Licence qualifications obtained by our graduates are recognised by CAAC and AACM, allowing our graduates to have opportunities to work in Mainland China and Macau.” PolyU’s Department of Aeronautical and Aviation Engineering (AAE) currently runs two Bachelor of Engineering Schemes (Air Transport Engineering and Aviation Engineering), which have integrated the CAD-approved aircraft maintenance training syllabus. While AAE is fully responsible for the provision of all theoretical training, it is collaborating very closely with the Hong Kong Aircraft Engineering Company (HAECO) to provide a large part of the practical training to its students. Upon successful completion of both the theoretical and practical assessments, as well as fulfilment of all the subsequent practical experience gained from the actual aircraft maintenance environment, PolyU’s graduates will be able to apply for the Aircraft Maintenance Engineer Licence. AAE intends to increase the number of intakes for eligible students in the Greater Bay Area to foster the development of the aviation industry in the region.   *** Ends ***

PolyU welcomes the re-appointments of Dr Lam Tai-fai, Dr Lawrence Li Kwok-chang and Ms Loretta Fong Wan-huen as Council Chairman, Deputy Chairman and Treasurer of the University respectively

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) is pleased that Mrs Carrie LAM CHENG Yuet-ngor, Chancellor of PolyU, has re-appointed Dr LAM Tai-fai as PolyU’s Council Chairman for a term of three years with effect from 1 January 2022. Dr Lawrence LI Kwok-chang and Ms Loretta FONG Wan-huen are also re-appointed as Deputy Council Chairman and Treasurer of the University respectively for a term of three years.

PolyU launches its 85th Anniversary celebration, pledging to help Hong Kong shine as an international innovation and technology hub

The celebration of the 85th Anniversary of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) commenced today with a kick-off ceremony held at the Jockey Club Auditorium.

AiDLab Officially Launched Today as a Pioneer in Integration of AI and Design - Delivering first-in-market intelligent design solutions and world-class academic excellence

Established to lead the global dialogue on creative innovation, the Laboratory for Artificial Intelligence in Design (AiDLab), was officially launched today as one of the multiple research centres within the InnoHK research clusters under the flagship initiative announced in the Chief Executive’s 2021 Policy Address. Founded jointly by The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) and the Royal College of Art (RCA), United Kingdom, the laboratory is the region’s first research platform that focuses on the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) with creative design. AiDLab brings together top international academics, designers, and engineers, to conduct human-centred interdisciplinary research providing multi-faceted solutions for current global issues using AI and distinct innovative designs.

Over a thousand children participate in an inclusive design research project of a country park, as part of the PolyU School of Design’s research on children and public design

The Public Design Lab of the School of Design at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) launched an inclusive design research project (the Project) named “Playful Public Design by Children” in 2019. Using the real-life setting of Shing Mum Country Park, the Project engaged a group of kid art educators and over a thousand children together with their parents to study the inclusive design of country parks. The Project is a critical breakthrough in research collaboration between a university design research lab and a creative learning studio. It not only enabled the Public Design Lab’s researchers and designers to explore children’s participation in public design, but also facilitated CreativeKids’ design facilitators and researchers to collect data on children’s observations, concerns, ideas and solutions. The Project furthermore provided valuable references for researchers and art education practitioners to carry out public design research both with and for young children. The Public Design Lab will present the Exhibition of “Playful Public Design by Children”, showcasing the creative design and thinking process of the participants with augmented reality and project videos. The Exhibition is currently open until 31 December 2021 in Gallery A, Podium Level, Jockey Club Innovation Tower, PolyU. Officiating guests attending the opening event held earlier included: Mr Eric Yim, Chairman of the Industry Advisory Committee at PolyU’s School of Design; Professor Michael SIU, Chair Professor of Public Design at PolyU’s School of Design; Dr LEUNG Siu-fai, Director of the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department; Ms Winnie HO Wing-yin, Director of the Architectural Services Department; and Dr Angelina LO, Founder Director of CreativeKids. The children and their parents who participated in the Project also shared their design ideas at the event. In recognition of its impact and creativeness, “Playful Public Design by Children” was selected by the Hong Kong Institute of Architects (HKIA) to represent Hong Kong in the Golden Cubes Award 2020 (international level) organised by the International Union of Architects (UIA). Launched in March 2019, the Project “Playful Public Design by Children” was co-led by the Public Design Lab of PolyU’s School of Design and CreativeKids, a local art design education studio for children and youth. A total of 1,023 children and their parents participated in the Project, which lasted for over a year. According to the development capabilities and interests of the participants, a number of playful design projects were designed for four age groups: (1) Signage design for prohibiting monkey feeding for children aged between 3.5 to 5.5; (2) Whirly facilities design, playful tools design and butterflies study for those aged between 5.5 to 8; (3) Gazebos design, tree-based outdoor space design and treehouse and observation towers design for those aged between 8 and 12; (4) self-directed design and recycling bins design workshop for teenagers aged between 12 and 18. For more details of the “Playful Public Design by Children” Project, please visit the website:https://www.sd.polyu.edu.hk/en/research/design-legacy-public-design-lab#playful-chinese.   ***** END *****

PolyU to confer Honorary Doctorates upon Two Distinguished Individuals

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) announced that the University will confer honorary doctorates upon two distinguished individuals in recognition of their outstanding achievements in their respective professions. The two recipients are (in alphabetical order of surname): Mr CHEUNG Ka-long and Professor YANG Mengfei.

PolyU receives staunch support from the Otto Poon Charitable Foundation for the establishment of the Smart Cities Research Institute and the Research Institute for Smart Energy

Thanks to a generous donation from the Otto Poon Charitable Foundation (the Foundation), The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) has established two research institutes in support of the University’s research endeavours in the areas of smart cities and sustainable energy. The two research institutes are named the Otto Poon Charitable Foundation Smart Cities Research Institute (SCRI) and the Otto Poon Charitable Foundation Research Institute for Smart Energy (RISE) in appreciation of the Foundation’s significant contributions. Officiated by Dr David Chung, Under Secretary for Innovation and Technology of the HKSAR Government, the naming ceremony was held earlier this month. It was attended by Ir Dr Otto Poon Lok-to, Founder of the Otto Poon Charitable Foundation, Dr Lam Tai-fai, PolyU’s Council Chairman, Professor Jin-Guang Teng, PolyU’s President and others. In his welcoming remarks, PolyU’s Council Chairman Dr Lam Tai-fai extended his heartfelt gratitude to Ir Dr Otto Poon Lok-to for his long-standing support to PolyU, “Dr Poon is a strong advocate of using innovation and technology to solve societal problems. Smart cities and energy challenges are two topics of great importance to society today. We are excited to join hands with Dr Poon to set up two research institutes focusing on these strategic areas in order to contribute to the further development of Hong Kong, the Nation and the wider international community.” The Under Secretary for Innovation and Technology, Dr David Chung, said that the Government had been collaborating with the two Otto Poon Charitable Foundation Research Institutes in conducting trials and pilots in a number of smart city projects, ranging from the application of urban informatics to smart and sustainable energy, in order to improve the quality of life of our citizens. “The Innovation and Technology Bureau will continue to develop Hong Kong into a smart city and to make space for our local talents to help contribute to the betterment of Hong Kong as well as our country. I urge all of you to take advantage of the opportunities brought about by the National 14th Five-year Plan and development in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. There is much to gain from collaboration with our neighbour cities and we have much to learn from each other, especially on the new frontier of smart city development. PolyU, with its outstanding research institutes and academics, will have a big role to play in building Hong Kong into an international I&T hub,” Dr Chung added. Founder of the Otto Poon Charitable Foundation Ir Dr Otto Poon Lok-to remarked that “the notion of smart cities embraces a wide array of topics. The establishment of SCRI will serve as a catalyst to blend the various elements of smart cities together in order to contribute to the success of Hong Kong’s Smart City Blue Print 2.0.” Ir Dr Poon also raised concerns regarding climate change, and noted that renewable energy and energy storage were two essential research topics. He appreciated PolyU researchers' dedicated commitment to advancing the frontiers of technology and knowledge to cope with energy challenges. Professor Jin-Guang Teng, President of PolyU, thanked Ir Dr Poon for his unwavering support to PolyU over the years and said “Interdisciplinary collaboration can provide solutions to address societal challenges. Against this backdrop, the University has established the PolyU Academy for Interdisciplinary Research (PAIR), a hub to promote research and innovation across disciplines. To date, ten research institutes and five research centres have been established to offer impactful solutions in areas including land and space creation, smart ageing, advanced manufacturing, smart cities, smart energy and more.” Established in 2020, SCRI and RISE will bring together PolyU experts from diversified fields to develop impactful interdisciplinary research. SCRI aims at being a global centre of excellence in urban informatics and a living smart cities laboratory for Hong Kong and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area in order to promote smart cities development in Hong Kong and in the country. Its research focus areas include Smart Mobility, Smart Living, Smart Environment, Smart People, Smart Government, and Smart Economy. SCRI is collaborating with some of the world’s top universities including the University of Cambridge and University College London, as well as major industrial players to develop innovative solutions. SCRI’s innovations have received worldwide recognition and won two Gold Medals at 2021 Inventions Geneva Evaluation Days and two prizes in the 2021 Smart 50 Awards. RISE strives to pursue translational research on innovative solutions for energy-related problems. Its five research focus areas include District Energy Systems and Smart Grid, Smart Buildings and Smart Energy Systems, Advanced Energy Storage Technologies, Advanced and Renewable Energy Conversion Technologies, and Advanced Energy Materials. RISE’s world-class research has been recognised in various global research rankings. According to a recent report by Stanford University, 16 RISE members have been listed among the top 2% of scientists in relevant research fields globally, with three members ranking in the top 25 places. In addition, three RISE scholars have been acknowledged in the Highly Cited Researchers 2020 list by Clarivate Analytics. For more details about the research institutes, please visit the respective websites: Otto Poon Charitable Foundation Smart Cities Research Institute (SCRI) https://www.polyu.edu.hk/scri/ Otto Poon Charitable Foundation Research Institute for Smart Energy (RISE) https://www.polyu.edu.hk/rise/   ***** End *****

PolyU innovations in advanced textiles, new materials synthesis and centimetre-precision positioning win TechConnect awards

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) was awarded three prestigious prizes at this year’s TechConnect World Innovation Conference and Expo (TechConnect) in Washington DC. PolyU research teams excelled in the area of “Materials & Manufacturing” with two innovations being awarded TechConnect 2021 Global Innovation Awards. The PolyU innovators had developed a nature-inspired ‘sweatable’ textile material capable of ultra-fast sweat dissipation; as well as inventing an environmentally friendly technique to synthesizing MXenes – a promising energy storage material designed to meet rising global energy demands. In the area of “AI, Data, Cyber & Software”, PolyU has developed 3D LiDAR-aided GNSS precise positioning technology that allows highly robust centimetre-level global positioning in urban environments for automated driving, which also received a TechConnect 2021 Global Innovation Award. PolyU is the only higher education institution in Hong Kong this year that received the awards, which recognise the top 15% of submitted technologies based on their potential positive impact in different technological areas. Other awarded innovators include those from global-renowned universities, institutes and laboratories, including several national laboratories affiliated with the US Department of Energy. It is the fifth year that PolyU research teams have been awarded the prestigious prizes at the world's largest multi-sector event for fostering development and commercialising innovations. Professor Christopher CHAO, Vice President (Research and Innovation) of PolyU, congratulated the teams. He said: “I am delighted that PolyU’s latest innovations – from advanced manufacturing, materials and electronics micro-systems to AI, data and software technologies – have been recognised and showcased at TechConnect. Not only does this acknowledge the value of PolyU’s impactful research and the innovations that shape smart city development and tackle various environmental and public health issues, but it also paves the way for further research collaboration in the global arena.” PolyU’s three award-winning innovations are: Sweatextile: A Nature-Inspired Textile of Unidirectional Water Transport and Dissipation for Moisture Management, Comfort and Protection by Dr SHOU Dahua, Professor FAN Jintu and Dr WEI Xin, Institute of Textiles and Clothing Going beyond the capabilities of existing wicking textiles, Sweatextile mimics the perspiration action of human skin, quickly directing and dissipating excessive sweat as water droplets on the outer surface, keeping the wearer dry, comfortable and having greater energy and endurance. In addition to enjoying fast wicking and moisture dissipation, Sweatextile protects wearers from external liquids such as rain and contaminated water. This innovation can benefit a wide range of consumers including outdoor enthusiasts and highly-active professionals. HF-free facile and rapid synthesis of MXenes related materials for Efficient Energy Conversion and Storage Applications by Professor HAO Jianhua and Ms PANG Sin-Yi, Department of Applied Physics MXenes have widespread uses in electrochemical energy storage and biological application due to their high robustness and non-toxicity. Traditional synthetic routes require the use of highly toxic hydrofluoric (HF) acid to synthesize MXenes, which raises considerable safety and environmental concerns. To overcome this problem, a HF-free electrochemical method has been developed to synthesize MXenes. The resulting MXenes exhibit stable and highly efficient energy storage and hydrogen gas synthesis capabilities, offering promising applications aiming to address the fast-approaching energy crisis and increasing energy demands. 3D LiDAR Aided GNSS Precise Positioning for Level 4 Autonomous Driving by Dr HSU Li-Ta and Dr WEN Weisong, Department of Aeronautical and Aviation Engineering The 3D LiDAR-Aided GNSS Precise Positioning technology developed by PolyU tightly couples its environmental perception capability with high-precision satellite positioning technology to achieve an intelligent self-adjusting satellite ranging measurement modeling and correction. This allows highly robust centimetre-level high-precision global positioning in urban environments to be achieved for Level 4 autonomous driving. Besides the three award-winning innovations, a number of other PolyU inventions were also shortlisted in the TechConnect Innovation Showcase which recognises promising technologies within their respective fields. The PolyU showcase included advanced material and manufacturing innovations, such as: an integrated microfluidic system that can replicate natural photosynthesis with greater energy efficiency; an eco-friendly smart coating material which adopts a “smart” cooling mechanism that can both enhance daytime cooling and minimize nighttime heat loss; and a novel antimicrobial 3D printing technology that enables new medical usage of 3D printing products to combat contact transmission of lethal microbes in public areas. For more details of the event and the awards, please refer to the official website of TechConnect at https://www.techconnectworld.com/World2021 and the list of awardees at https://www.techconnectworld.com/World2021/participate/innovation/awards.html.   ***End***