PAIR Distinguished Lectures

When physics meets biology: Prof. Yeomans of Oxford unravels how mechanical forces sculpt tissue shape

Prof. Julia M. YEOMANS of the University of Oxford, UK, delivered a PAIR Distinguished Lecture titled “Active Matter meets mechanobiology: Evading the decay to equilibrium” on 18 December 2025. The event drew over 70 in-person participants and an online audience exceeding 15,500 across various social media platforms.

Harnessing sensors and AI for sustainable urban futures: Insights from Prof. Banthia’s distinguished lecture

Prof. Nemkumar BANTHIA of The University of British Columbia, Canada, delivered a PAIR Distinguished Lecture titled “Toward Carbon-Neutral Cities: Sensors and Cyber-Physical Networks for Green Infrastructure” on 17 December 2025. The event attracted over 90 in-person participants and an online audience of more than 17,900 across various social media platforms.

Conformal bioelectronic interfaces for enhanced human–machine interaction: Prof. CHEN Xiaodong, Fellow of the Royal Society delivers PAIR Distinguished Lecture

Prof. CHEN Xiaodong of Nanyang Technological University in Singapore delivered a PAIR Distinguished Lecture titled “Conformal Bioelectronic Interface” on 24 November 2025 at PolyU. The event attracted over 80 in-person participants and an online audience of over 15,300 across various social media platforms.

Unlocking brain signals: Prof. George Malliaras, Fellow of the Royal Society, explores frontiers of electrophysiology in PAIR Distinguished Lecture

Recent advances in cortical and cutaneous electrophysiological recordings are rapidly expanding our ability to decode neural information. On 30 September 2025, Prof. George MALLIARAS from University of Cambridge, United Kingdom, delivered a PAIR Distinguished Lecture titled “How Much Can We Learn from Cortical and Cutaneous Electrophysiology?” He shared insights into the recent studies that explore the boundaries of cortical and cutaneous electrophysiology. The lecture attracted nearly 100 in-person attendees, with more than 13,500 online viewers tuning in via various social media platforms.

Member of the National Academy of Engineering Revolutionises Sustainable Energy Through Catalytic Innovation

Catalysis can accelerate chemical reactions and plays a key role in producing cleaner and more economical fuels. On 17 September 2025, Prof. WANG Yong from Washington State University, USA, delivered a PAIR Distinguished Lecture titled “Catalysis: Driving Affordable Clean Energy”. He shared insights into the potential of advanced catalytic technologies in revolutionising fuel production and reducing emissions. The lecture attracted over 120 in-person attendees, with more than 17,900 online viewers tuning in via various social media platforms.

Robot metamorphosis: Prof. DAI Jiansheng, Fellow of the U.K. Royal Academy of Engineering, delivers PAIR Distinguished Lecture

Metamorphosis is an innate natural attribute in the evolution and survival of species. The development of shape-shifting robots is a core area within the field of intelligent structures. By integrating computational intelligence, there is hope for achieving true embodied intelligence in today’s rapidly advancing world of artificial intelligence.

Uncertainty posed by AI: Geospatial science pioneer Prof. Michael GOODCHILD, Member of the US National Academy of Sciences, dissects past, present and future

Geospatial data finds applications in a wide array of fields, including urban planning, environmental management, disaster response, and transportation, leveraging spatial patterns to support decision-making in various sectors. Nevertheless, errors, imprecision, and complexities in datasets containing information about space and/or time can undermine the quality and reliability of spatial data and analyses. This issue of uncertainty in geospatial science (GIS) is expected to intensify as AI-driven geospatial applications become increasingly widespread, according to Prof. Michael GOODCHILD, Distinguished Professor Emeritus in the Department of Geography, University of California, Santa Barbara, USA.

Towards the future of long-duration energy storage: Prof. ZHAO Tianshou, Academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences on noval flow cells

Prof. ZHAO Tianshou, Director of Energy Institute for Carbon Neutrality, Chair Professor of Mechanical and Energy Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology (SUSTech), China, delivered the 41st PAIR Distinguished Lecture titled “Flow Cells for Long-Duration Energy Storage” on 4 July 2025 on the PolyU campus. The lecture drew over 90 attendees in person and captivated an online audience of more than 15,400 from different countries and regions who watched the live broadcast on social media platforms.

Exploring the frontiers of mechanics: Prof. GAO Huajian, Member of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences and the U.S. National Academy of Engineering, on mechano-X innovations

Prof. GAO Huajian, Xinghua Distinguished University Professor and Director of the Mechano-X Institute of Tsinghua University, China, delivered the 40th PAIR Distinguished Lecture titled “Mechano-X: Interdisciplinary Research and Innovation at the Frontiers of Mechanics” on 13 June 2025 on the PolyU campus. The lecture drew over 130 attendees in person and captivated an online audience of more than 14,000 from different countries and regions who watched the live broadcast on social media platforms.

Net-zero future - Nanotech expert Prof. G.Q. Max LU, Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering, Australian Academy of Science, Australian Academy of Technology and Engineering, explores revolutionary advances in green hydrogen

rof. G.Q. Max LU, President and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Surrey in the United Kingdom, delivered the 39th PAIR Distinguished Lecture titled “Functional Nanomaterials for Green Hydrogen Production and Storage” on 20 May 2025 on the PolyU campus. The lecture drew over 60 attendees in person and captivated an online audience of more than 15,900 from different countries and regions who watched the live broadcast on social media platforms.