The Art of Achievement: Prof. David PUI’s Scientific Legacy

At the PAIR Seminar on 10 October 2025, Prof. David Y. H. PUI of University of Minnesota, USA, shared insights that have contributed to his career success in both academia and industry.  His talk, titled “Preparing for a Successful Career Starting with Your Graduate Theses”, focused on the essential personal qualities and skill sets for completing university education and excelling as an educator or technologist.  The seminar attracted over 100 in-person participants and an online audience of more than 15,000 across various social media platforms. 

To begin his presentation, Prof. Pui briefly introduced his works at the Particle Technology Laboratory and his contributions to research on Fine Particulate Matter (PM_2.5) as well as his longstanding collaborations with industry.  He then went on to highlight some of his former postdoctoral students, who are now prominent figures in both academia and industry in the world.  

Reflecting on his own remarkable academic journey, Prof. Pui emphasised that successful individuals should possess personal qualities such as Passion, Independence, Teamwork, Creativity, Hard Work (PITCH), and skill sets including Critical Thinking, Communication and Collaboration (CCC).  He also recounted on his experiences with international collaborations, which have not only advanced his career but also fostered lifelong friendships with his collaborators and their families.  Finally, he provided an example of how he continues to cultivate PITCH and CCC in his work, demonstrating their positive impact on society.

Following the presentation was a lively question-and-answer session moderated by Prof. CHEN Qingyan, Director of PAIR, Chair Professor of Building Thermal Science and Hong Kong Global STEM Scholar.  The audience engaged in a productive discussion with Prof. Pui.