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PolyU scholars honoured as RGC Senior Research Fellows and Research Fellow in recognition of outstanding research achievements

Three PAIR scholars have been awarded fellowships under the Research Grants Council’s (RGC) Senior Research Fellow Scheme (SRFS) and Research Fellow Scheme (RFS) 2025/26, in recognition of their outstanding research achievements in the fields of biomedical engineering, artificial intelligence, and advanced materials. Two scholars named in the RGC SRFS are Prof. SUN Lei, Professor of the Department of Biomedical Engineering and Member of the Research Institute for Smart Ageing (RISA) and Research Institute for Sports Science and Technology (RISports); and Prof. TAN Kay Chen, Head of the Department of Data Science and Artificial Intelligence, Chair Professor of Computational Intelligence, and Member of the Otto Poon Charitable Foundation Smart Cities Research Institute (SCRI). Prof. Sun’s project, “Development of sonogenetics for non-human primates”, aims to develop a new version of sonogenetics specifically for non-human primates and to investigate its performance in terms of cellular specificity, spatial accuracy and penetration capability.  Prof. Tan’s project, “Towards adaptive pretrained vision-language foundation models for medical image analysis”, aims to develop an integrated intelligent interpretation system to provide personalised and human-centric healthcare, featuring several functionalities such as visual question answering, radiology reports and computer-aided diagnosis. Prof. ZHAO Jiong, Professor of the Department of Applied Physics and Member of the Research Institute for Advanced Manufacturing (RIAM), was named in the RGC RFS.  His project, “From slidetronics to twistronics: a twisting platform for dissipationless ferroelectricity”, primarily focuses on Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) and 2D materials.  His team will integrate cutting-edge methods with synthesis, device fabrication and theoretical frameworks to contribute to improving material quality and enabling device applications. Press release: https://polyu.me/44KjwrY   Online coverage: Dot Dot News – https://polyu.me/419eoeA (Chinese only) hkong.hk – https://polyu.me/46VZ2hh (Chinese only)

Prof. QIU Anqi elected OHBM Council Chair, driving PolyU research and international exchange to unravel mysteries of human brain

Prof. QIU Anqi, Director of the Mental Health Research Centre (MHRC), Professor in the Department of Health Technology and Informatics and Global STEM Scholar, has been elected as the Council Chair of the Organisation for Human Brain Mapping (OHBM).  Dedicated to advancing the understanding of the anatomical and functional organisation of human brain using neuroimaging, the Organisation holds large-scale international conference and satellite meeting in a selected country every year, to encourage international exchange on related topics in the field.  This year’s OHBM flagship events took place in late June 2025, and PolyU was honoured to participate and support the Organisation’s activities. At the OHBM Conference 2025 held 24–28 June, Prof. Qiu gave a keynote presentation titled “Fetal Programming of Maternal Psychological Stress: Implications for Early Brain Development and Mental Health”.  Presenting findings her longitudinal cohort study, Prof. Qiu expounded on the relationship between maternal mental health and child development, as well as the interaction between genetic and environmental factors.  She also shared her team’s latest progress in developing AI-driven models to enable early identification of mental health risks, and discussed intervention strategies to enhance child resilience. In addition, MHRC co-organised the Neuroimaging Statistics Workshop held 22–23 June.  The activity focused on emerging methods in brain image modelling, and Prof. Qiu served as session chair for the workshop, bringing participants together to explore latest research outcomes and challenges related to multi-omics, a scientific field that combines data from various “omics” fields, like genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics and metabolomics, and plays crucial role in offering a better understanding of biological systems.

Prof. LI Heng ranked nation’s top scientist in Engineering and Technology by Research.com

Prof. LI Heng, Associate Director of Research Institute for Artificial Intelligence of Things (RIAIoT) and Chair Professor of Construction Informatics, has been ranked first in China and 21st globally in Engineering and Technology, in the 2025 Best Scientists Rankings by Research.com. The ranking is determined by a scientist’s D-index (Discipline H-index), which evaluates a scientist’s scholarly impact through discipline-specific publications and citation metrics. This international recognition underscores Prof. Li’s exceptional contributions to the fields of engineering and technology, as well as the profound societal impact of his research.  Prof. Li has conducted many funded research projects related to the innovative application and transfer of construction information technologies. His research interests include digital construction, smart construction, ergonomics and robotics. With an extensive research career spanning more than two decades, Prof. Li has steered the development of a diverse range of products, encompassing computer-aided drawing systems, construction planning and management systems, and sophisticated intelligent safety systems. In recent years, his research efforts have been intently directed towards the realms of cloud computing, artificial intelligence, and applications in the Internet of Things (IoT). Online coverage: Wen Wei Po - https://polyu.me/4mVG3ct (Chinese only)

MHRC members named among 2025 World’s Best Scientists by Research.com

Twelve members of the Mental Health Research Center (MHRC) have been named by leading academic research portal Research.com among the world’s best scientists in their respective disciplines, including Computer Science, Medicine, Neuroscience, Psychology, and Social Sciences and Humanities. The ranking is compiled based on a scientist’s D-index (Discipline H-index), which includes exclusively papers and citation metrics for an examined discipline. This international recognition highlights MHRC members’ exceptional contributions to their fields and the significant impact their research has had on the society. *Based on the 4th edition of Research.com ranking *In alphabetical order of disciplines and surnames of scholars World Ranking National Ranking MHRC Member D-Index Citations Publications Discipline   1504 185 (China) Prof. QIN Jing 72 19,492 316 Computer Science 716 79 (United Kingdom) Prof. Keith HAWTON 158 85,107 724 Medicine 7181 121 (China) Prof. Georg KRANZ 38 4,729 173 Neuroscience 3954 52 (China) Prof. QIU Anqi 54 10,038 206 Neuroscience 2758 35 (China) Prof. Benjamin YEE 63 15,473 186 Neuroscience 10011 99 (China) Dr Alma AU 30 2,879 106 Psychology 9782 5062 (United States) Prof. CAI Huajian 30 6,185 107 Psychology 8737 82 (China) Prof. Sylvia CHEN 34 5,092 83 Psychology 137 82 (United States) Prof. Patrick CORRIGAN 130 78,129 589 Psychology 2740 23 (China) Prof. David SHUM 62 15,108 366 Psychology 3840 35 (China) Prof. Winnie MAK 54 11,382 213 Psychology 49 1 (China) Prof. Paul YIP 104 180,365 557 Social Sciences and Humanities  

Two PAIR members receive PolyU Young Innovative Researcher Award 2025

Congratulations to the following two rising stars at PAIR for winning the PolyU Young Innovative Researcher Award (YIRA) 2025! YIRA aims to honour young PolyU researchers under the age of 35 who have demonstrated originality, contributed to technological advancement, and propelled transformational innovation into solutions to addressing global challenges through their research. Each awardee will receive a research funding support of HK$500,000 and a personal cash prize of HK$20,000 to encourage their continued pursuit of innovative and impactful research. Awardee Post Title and Department Affiliated PAIR Research Unit Research Focus Prof. LIN Wanyu Assistant Professor of Department of Data Science & Artificial Intelligence and Department of Computing Member of Research Institute for Artificial Intelligence of Things An Interpretable Deep Learning-Based Computational Framework for Crystal Materials Design Dr TAO Yong Research Assistant Professor of Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering Member of Research Centre for Resources Engineering towards Carbon Neutrality   Advancing CO2 Mineralization and Waste Concrete Valorization for a Sustainable Future  

DoMHRC honoured among Top 50 Asia Women Tech Leaders 2025 for advancing mental health and brain research

Prof. QIU Anqi, Director of the Mental Health Research Centre (MHRC), Professor in the Department of Health Technology and Informatics and Global STEM Scholar, has been recognised as one of the “Top 50 Asia Women Tech Leaders 2025”. This recognition stands as a testament to Prof. Qiu’s outstanding contributions to the fields of neuroimaging and biomedical engineering, particularly in advancing research on mental health and brain development. Prof. Qiu has spearheaded ground-breaking projects utilising advanced neuroimaging and computational techniques, significantly advancing research on early brain development. Her innovative approach has uncovered critical insights into how maternal mood influences fetal brain health, leading to transformative changes in prenatal mental health screening. Additionally, she pioneered a non-invasive imaging method that enhances MRI safety for paediatric patients, setting new standards in the field. Moreover, Prof. Qiu has introduced novel research that advances our understanding of the neural mechanisms underlying the relationship between obesity and its implications on cognitive health in adults. The research underscores the clinical importance of a multifaceted approach to the long-term monitoring and management of obesity. It reveals a distinct and progressive pattern of brain deterioration linked to obesity, suggesting that sustained obesity may accelerate brain ageing. Beyond Prof. Qiu’s professional achievements, this award also recognises her remarkable leadership. As a dedicated mentor, she continues to inspire and empower women in STEM. Her influence and commitment to fostering the next generation of female technology leaders are commendable. The Asia Women Tech Leaders Awards was recently held in Singapore. Its “Top 50 Asia Women Tech Leaders” aims to honour women who drive technological innovation, lead research, and manage complex tech projects with expertise and operational excellence. For more about Prof. Qiu’s impactful research: PolyU research reveals sustained obesity may accelerate brain ageing PolyU scholar confirms maternal positive mental health correlated to children’s brain development For more about MHRC: https://www.polyu.edu.hk/mhrc/

PAIR researchers shine at International Exhibition of Inventions Geneva

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) won a total of 36 accolades at the 50th International Exhibition of Inventions Geneva (Geneva Inventions Expo), a widely recognised annual event devoted exclusively to invention. This remarkable achievement highlights the University’s strong research capabilities and commitment to innovation on the global stage. Thirty-three PolyU innovations seized 36 accolades, including 2 Special Prizes, 10 Gold Medals with Congratulations of the Jury, 8 Gold Medals, 11 Silver Medals, 4 Bronze Medals and 1 Special Merit Award. The project titled “Surface Sampling and Packing System for Chang’e-5 and -6 Lunar Sample Return Missions”, developed by the research team led by Prof. YUNG Kai-leung, Director of Research Centre for Deep Space Explorations (RCDSE), Sir Sze-yuen Chung Professor in Precision Engineering and Chair Professor of Precision Engineering, Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, in collaboration with the China Academy of Space Technology, garnered the Saudi Arabia Award for Excellence in Innovation – Ministry of Education Prize and a Gold Medal with Jury Commendation. This is the first space-qualified robotic Sampling and automatic packaging system of its kind, and had successfully collected over 1.5kg of surface samples on the lunar front side and 1.6kg on the far side. On the Chang’e-6 mission, this system also marked the first-ever lunar far-side surface sampling. Another project titled “Hearing Hope: A Smart Sensor for Enhanced Safety and Precision in Hearing Restoration Procedures”, developed by the research team led by Prof. TAM Hwa-yaw, Associate Director of Photonics Research Institute (PRI) and Chair Professor of Photonics, Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, won the Thailand Award for Best International Invention and Innovation as well as a Gold Medal with Jury Commendation. This medical device enhances surgical precision and reduces trauma in cochlear implantation by incorporating an optical fibre sensor within the electrode array.  Projects led by PAIR researchers: *In order of prize level and alphabetical order of project names Project Principal Investigator(s) Saudi Innovation Excellence Prize – Ministry of Education Gold Medal with Congratulations of the Jury Surface Sampling and Packing System for Chang’e-5 and -6 Lunar Sample Return Missions Prof. YUNG Kai-leung Director of Research Centre for Deep Space Explorations; Sir Sze-yuen Chung Professor in Precision Engineering; Chair Professor of Precision Engineering and Associate Head of Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering Thailand Award for the Best International Invention & Innovation Gold Medal with Congratulations of the Jury Hearing Hope: A Smart Sensor for Enhanced Safety and Precision in Hearing Restoration Procedures Prof. TAM Hwa-yaw Associate Director of Photonics Research Institute; Chair Professor of Photonics, Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering Special Merit Award from French Inventors Federation and Europe-France Inventors Gold Medal with Congratulations of the Jury Seeing the Invisible: Generating Non-invasive Angiography as an Alternative to Invasive Retinal Examinations Dr SHI Danli Member of Research Centre for SHARP Vision; Research Assistant Professor, School of Optometry   Gold Medal with Congratulations of the Jury A Customisable Wearable Saliva Sensing Platform Prof. YAN Feng Associate Director of Research Institute for Intelligent Wearable Systems; Member of Otto Poon Charitable Foundation Research Institute for Smart Energy; Chair Professor of Organic Electronics, Department of Applied Physics Smart Fire Extinguisher for Spacecraft Prof. HUANG Xinyan Member of Research Institute for Sustainable Urban Development, Research Centre for Resources Engineering towards Carbon Neutrality and Otto Poon Charitable Foundation Research Institute for Smart Energy; Associate Professor, Department of Building Environment and Energy Engineering; Co-founder, Widemount Dynamics Tech Limited (a PolyU startup) CO2-driven Superhydrophobic Carbon-sink Concrete Prof. POON Chi-sun Director of Research Centre for Resources Engineering towards Carbon Neutrality; Michael Anson Professor in Civil Engineering; Chair Professor of Sustainable Construction Material and Head of Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering SweatMD: Health-monitoring Wearable Sweat Sensor Prof. SHOU Dahua Associate Director of Research Centre of Textiles for Future Fashion; Member of Otto Poon Charitable Foundation Research Institute for Smart Energy; Member of Research Centre for Resources Engineering towards Carbon Neutrality; Associate Director of PolyU–Xingguo Technology and Innovation Research Institute; Limin Endowed Young Scholar in Advanced Textiles Technologies; Associate Professor, School of Fashion and Textiles Gold Medal A Multi-objective Yaw-control System for Wind Farm Optimisation Based on Novel 3D Wake Model   Prof. YANG Hongxing Management Committee Member of Research Institute for Sustainable Urban Development; Member of Otto Poon Charitable Foundation Research Institute for Smart Energy; Professor, Department of Building Environment and Energy Engineering AI-empowered Digital Twin for Smart Building Management Prof. XIAO Fu Associate Director of Otto Poon Charitable Foundation Research Institute for Smart Energy; Management Committee Member of Research Centre for Digital Transformation of Tourism; Member of Research Institute for Sustainable Urban Development; Associate Dean, Faculty of Construction and Environment; Professor, Department of Building Environment and Energy Multi-mode Optical Characterisation Interferometer (MOCI) Prof. CHEUNG Chi-fai Benny Associate Director of Research Centre for SHARP Vision; Management Committee Member of Research Centre for Resources Engineering towards Carbon Neutrality; Member of Research Institute for Advanced Manufacturing; Chair Professor of Ultra-precision Machining and Metrology, Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering; Director, State Key Laboratory of Ultra-precision Machining Technology   Smart Structural Integrity Monitoring Syste Prof. WONG Man-sing Charles Associate Director of Research Institute for Sustainable Urban Development; Associate Dean, Faculty of Construction and Environment; Professor, Department of Land Surveying and Geo-Informatics Mr CHAN Pak Kwan Managing Director & Co-founder, LeafIoT Technology Limited (a PolyU startup) Behaviour Recognition Method, Device and Wearable Device Prof.HE Mingguang Director of Research Centre for SHARP Vision; Henry G. Leong Professor in Elderly Vision Health; Chair Professor of Experimental Ophthalmology, School of Optometry Dr TO Yuen-ying Elaine Postdoctoral Fellow in Ophthalmology, School of Optometry Eye-on-a-chip Device Dr ZHOU Liping Member of Research Centre for SHARP Vision; Research Assistant Professor, School of Optometry and Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology; Principal Investigator, InnoHK Centre for Eye and Vision Research; Director, Eyenova Biotech Limited (a PolyU startup) Dr PHAN Chau-Minh Research Assistant Professor, School of Optometry and Vision Science, University of Waterloo; Principal Investigator, InnoHK Centre for Eye and Vision Research; Director, Eyenova Biotech Limited (a PolyU startup) Silver Medal Last-centimetre Drone Delivery in Urban Environments   Prof. HUANG Hailong Member of Research Institute for Sustainable Urban Development, Research Institute for Sports Science and Technology, Research Institute for Artificial Intelligence of Things and Otto Poon Charitable Foundation Smart Cities Research Institute; Assistant Professor, Department of Aeronautical and Aviation Engineering IHAC Film: Intelligent Humidity Control and Atmospheric Water Collection Film Prof. YAN Jinyue Jerry Management Committee Member of Research Institute for Sustainable Urban Development; Member of Otto Poon Charitable Foundation Research Institute for Smart Energy; Chair Professor of Energy and Buildings, Department of Building Environment and Energy Engineering AI-based Railway Obstacle Intrusion Detection System with Multimodal Transformers Prof. NI Yiqing Member of Research Institute for Sustainable Urban Development; Yim, Mak, Kwok & Chung Professor in Smart Structures; Chair Professor of Smart Structures and Rail Transit; Director of National Rail Transit Electrification and Automation Engineering Technology Research Centre (Hong Kong Branch); Director of PolyU–Hangzhou Technology and Innovation Research Institute LungRT Pro: Advanced Radiotherapy Support System     Prof. CAI Jing Management Committee Member of Research Institute for Intelligent Wearable Systems and Research Institute for Smart Ageing; Head and Professor, Department of Health Technology and Informatics; Technical Advisor, InsightRT Limited (a PolyU startup)   EmoFriends Prof. WANG Jia Stephen Member of Research Institute for Artificial Intelligence of Things, Research Institute for Intelligent Wearable Systems and Otto Poon Charitable Foundation Smart Cities Research Institute; Professor, School of Design The EyeFatigue Tracker: Exploring Visual Health through Wearable Devices and Deep-Learning Technology Dr CHEN Yanxian Member of Research Centre for SHARP Vision; Research Assistant Professor, School of Optometry   STARS: Smartphone AI Refraction System Prof. DO Chi-wai Member of Research Institute for Future Food, Research Institute for Smart Ageing, Research Centre for Chinese Medicine Innovation and Research Centre for SHARP Vision; Associate Professor, School of Optometry Prof. Grace NGAI Member of Research Centre for SHARP Vision; Associate Professor, Department of Computing Biomimetics Nanoplatform for the Treatment of Retinal Diseases     Prof. DO Chi-wai Member of Research Institute for Future Food, Research Institute for Smart Ageing, Research Centre for Chinese Medicine Innovation and Research Centre for SHARP Vision; Associate Professor, School of Optometry Prof. Emmanuel HO Professor, School of Pharmacy, University of Waterloo; Principal Investigator, InnoHK Centre for Eye and Vision Research Wellsees Orthokeratology Contact Lens Dr Jason Ki-Kit LAU Technical Director, Wellsees Technologies Co Ltd Mr Roger Jing ZHANG Founder, Wellsees Technologies Co., Ltd. Prof. KEEChea-su Associate Director of Research Centre for SHARP Vision; Member of Research Institute for Artificial Intelligence of Things Head, School of Optometry; Co-Founder, Wellsees Technologies Co., Ltd. Dr Andy WANG Associate Professor, College of Mechatronics and Control Engineering, Shenzhen University; Co-Founder, Wellsees Technologies Co., Ltd. (a PolyU startup) BronzeMedal Advanced Self-cleaning Oil Fume Purification System for Commercial Kitchens Prof. LEE Shun-cheng Member of Research Institute for Sustainable Urban Development; Professor, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering; Technical Advisor, AeroGreen Technology Company Limited (a PolyU startup) Dr LI Xinwei Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering; Founder, AeroGreen Technology Company Limited (a PolyU startup) Dr HAN Shuwen Alumnus, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering; Chief Technology Officer, AeroGreen Technology Company Limited (a PolyU startup) Next-generation Sportswear with Polylactic Acid, Auxetic Knitting Structure and Ergonomic Design Prof. Erin CHO Member of Research Centre of Textiles for Future Fashion; Dean of School of Fashion and Textiles; Limin Professor in Integrated Strategies and Leadership in Fashion; Advisor, Leopitorca Global Limited (a PolyU startup)   3D-printed Superior Light and Breathable Wearable Textiles Prof. JIANG Shou-xiang Kinor Member of Research Institute for Intelligent Wearable Systems and Research Centre of Textiles for Future Fashion; Professor, School of Fashion and Textiles   Press release: https://polyu.me/4ii7Sb7   Online coverage: The Standard - https://polyu.me/4ijMEKe Ming Pao Daily News - https://polyu.me/44s3T8L Sing Tao Daily - https://polyu.me/3Re2Fq3 Headline Daily - https://polyu.me/4lJ7ndo Ta Kung Pao - https://polyu.me/42HIWW1 Wen Wei Po - https://polyu.me/44s3e7h; https://polyu.me/3RL0hHo Hong Kong Commercial Daily - https://polyu.me/3EjtdTP Bastille Post - https://polyu.me/4j6SVKe Hong Kong Economic Journal - https://polyu.me/3G7yWwy (subscription required) HK01 - https://polyu.me/4jkux8b      

Ir Dr ZHENG Pai honoured with “HKIE Young Engineer of the Year Award 2025”

Congratulations to Ir Dr ZHENG Pai, Member of the Research Institute for Advanced Manufacturing (RIAM), Wong Tit Shing Young Scholar in Smart Robotics and Associate Professor in the Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, on being conferred the Young Engineer of the Year Award 2025 by The Hong Kong Institution of Engineers (HKIE).  The award presentation took place at the HKIE Grand 50th Annual Dinner on 3 April 2025 at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre.  The Award is organised to recognise local outstanding young engineers who have made valuable contributions to the continuous development of Hong Kong through their engineering achievements.  It stands as a prestigious accolade within the engineering profession, honouring the dedication and innovation of emerging leaders in the field.  

Prof. Daniel LUO named distinguished member of Association for Computing Machinery

Prof. Daniel LUO Xiapu, Member of the Research Institute for Artificial Intelligence of Things (RIAIoT) and Otto Poon Charitable Foundation Smart Cities Research Institute (SCRI), Associate Dean (Research) of the Faculty of Computer and Mathematical Sciences and Professor in the Department of Computing, has been inducted as a Distinguished Member of the Association for Computing Machinery for 2024, in recognition of his seminal contributions to safeguarding blockchain and smart contracts along with Android and its applications. A total of 56 scholars were awarded this prestigious honour, and they were selected by their peers for their significant technical achievements and volunteer service to the professional community.   Online coverage: ifeng.com - https://polyu.me/3Qj2EjT NetEase - https://polyu.me/41gnqqM Sina - https://polyu.me/4gI5rOk Sohu - https://polyu.me/4hEcxos

Prof. DUAN Huan-feng honoured with “2024 Dayu Water Conservancy Science and Technology Progress Award”

Congratulations to Prof. DUAN Huan-feng, Member of the Research Institute for Land and Space (RILS) and the Research Institute for Sustainable Urban Development (RISUD), Professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, on receiving the “2024 Dayu Water Conservancy Science and Technology Progress Award (2nd Class)” by the Ministry of Water Resources of China, for his project titled “Key Technologies for Real-time Hydraulic Simulation and Precise Regulation of Complex Urban Water Supply Networks”. This accolade is given to individuals who have made exceptional technological innovations and significant contributions to the advancement of water science and technology, bringing substantial economic and social benefits. Prof. Duan’s research focuses on the critical areas of hydraulics and water resources, including urban hydraulics, urban asset management, coastal urban flooding, hydro-environmental management and computational fluid mechanics. He has spearheaded numerous significant research projects and secured grants from various funding bodies in Hong Kong and the Mainland China.