News

Uncertainty posed by AI: Geospatial science pioneer Prof. Michael GOODCHILD 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. On 1 August 2025 (Friday), Prof. Goodchild gave the 42nd PAIR Distinguished Lecture on the topic of “Geospatial Futures”.  Joined by 76 in-person participants and an online audience of 15,310, the Lecture reviewed the key developments and legacy practices in the evolution of GIS, revealing the forthcoming directions and future prospects in the field.  In the Lecture, Prof. Goodchild briefly introduced the history of GIS, discussing how innovations in areas including measurements, naming conventions, computing, global positioning system (GPS) and locating-measuring technologies have combined to propel the development of GIS. According to Prof. Goodchild, the explosion of data and diffusion of advanced technologies, including machine learning, generative AI and digital twins in the modern era, would present multiple new technical problems to GIScience, including geographic bias, transparency of machine learning, environmental cost, and uncertainty in predictions, challenging the fitness-for-use of geographic systems built.  In the Lecture, he emphasised a new direction for GIS: the achievement of more powerful and cheaper computation for finer-resolution data, better models, machine learning and 3D photorealism.  In illustrating the importance of computational breakthroughs for GIS, he shared several compelling examples of digital twin models that give virtual representations of physical landscapes such as volcanoes, coastal regions and urban environments.  In closing his presentation, Prof. Goodchild drew attention to the ethics of GIS, remarking that “while software developers are maximising the use of general-purpose GIS packages, the public should exercise responsibility in using the software appropriately and repurposing it.” Prof. Goodchild is a Senior Fellow at PAIR, and Chairman of the International Advisory Committee of the Otto Poon Charitable Foundation Smart Cities Research Institute (SCRI). Please click here for an online review.

Prof. WANG Zuankai’s ground-breaking research in energy and thermal-fluid sciences honoured with two international awards

Prof. WANG Zuankai, Associate Vice President (Research and Innovation), Dean of Graduate School, Kuok Group Professor in Nature-Inspired Engineering, and Chair Professor of Nature-Inspired Engineering, and Member of Research Institute for Intelligent Wearable Systems (RI-IWEAR) and Research Institute for Sports Science and Technology (RISports), has recently received two internationally acclaimed research awards in recognition of his ground-breaking contributions to nano-energy and interfacial engineering. These include the Nano Energy Award and the Micro Flow and Interfacial Phenomena (μFIP) Prominent Research Award. These accolades underscore Prof. WANG’s significant contributions to advancing sustainable technologies through nature-inspired design and cross-disciplinary innovation, reinforcing his global leadership in thermal-fluid sciences. Acknowledging the collective effort behind these achievements, Prof. WANG encouraged his team and young researchers, “Not afraid of tackling uncharted problems with curiosity and rigour. Recognition serves as a reminder that even incremental progress, when driven by purpose, can create a ripple effect, ultimately leading to transformative impact.” Nano Energy Award: revolutionising energy harvesting Established in 2012, the Nano Energy Award is one of the most prestigious honours in the field of nanoenergy, presented biennially at the International Conference on Nanoenergy and Nanosystems (NENS). Prof. WANG was recognised for his pioneering advancements in nature-inspired interfacial engineering for energy harvesting. Prof. WANG’s ground-breaking innovations, particularly in droplet-based electricity generators, have fundamentally reoriented the research trajectory of scalable energy harvesting. By integrating multiple energy conversion processes through interfacial engineering, his innovative designs offer sustainable solutions for harnessing energy from water, sunlight, and heat. His signature approach combines classical scientific principles with nature-inspired mechanics, enabling novel solutions to critical challenges in energy systems. These breakthroughs have catalysed a new generation of interfacial engineering-driven systems that transcend conventional efficiency boundaries. μFIP Prominent Research Award: inspiring critical applications Separately, Prof. WANG was honoured with the Micro Flow and Interfacial Phenomena (μFIP) Prominent Research Award at the Micro Flow and Interfacial Phenomena held at the University of California, Santa Barbara, between June 16–18, 2025. This award recognises his influential contributions to thermal-fluidics, particularly his development of nature-inspired surfaces that dynamically modulate interfacial and transport processes, such as wetting, adhesion, and thermal-fluid transport. These innovations have enabled wide-range applications in energy harvesting, thermal management, and flexible electronics. Prof. WANG expressed his gratitude for these honours and said, “Research that spans disciplines holds the power to resonate globally, offering innovative insights to address the complex challenges shared by humanity. These recognitions reaffirm the significance of fusing fundamental material innovations with real-world engineering pragmatism. Breakthroughs often emerge at the intersection of disciplines, and this continues to inspire me to bridge laboratory discoveries with practical solutions for a sustainable future.”

World Fuel Cell Conference 2025 successfully held

The World Fuel Cell Conference 2025, organised jointly by the Research Institute for Smart Energy of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, City University of Hong Kong, the University of University of Waterloo, Canada, and the International Association for Green Energy, was successfully held on PolyU campus, 9–12 July 2025. Chaired by Prof. NI Meng, Associate Dean (Research) of the Faculty of Construction and Environment and Management Committee Member of RISE, the conference brought together more than 300 speakers and participants from 15 different countries and regions for valuable exchanges on topics including hydrogen production, hydrogen storage, fuel cells, and innovative systems. Conference details: https://www.iahe-fcd.org/wfcc2025 Online coverage: Toutiao – https://polyu.me/4lPZTov

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)

PAIR featured on THE Campus, sharing insights on short course design

Raising public awareness about interdisciplinary research is crucial for driving sci-tech innovations that offer promising solutions to social challenges including human health and well-being.  Curious about how PolyU makes interdisciplinary research accessible to everyone through popular science education? Let’s learn more from Prof. CHEN Qingyan, Director of PAIR, who shares insights on Times Higher Education Campus (THE Campus) about the Academy’s special considerations and strategies for designing the PAIR Advanced Education Programme.  This programme is PAIR’s new education initiative to provide short courses that give members of the public insight into cutting-edge interdisciplinary research related to their daily lives. Read the full article: https://www.timeshighereducation.com/campus/make-interdisciplinary-research-accessible-everyone Course enrolment and details: https://www.polyu.edu.hk/pair/education/

PolyU launches advanced education programme, offering short courses to keep learners abreast of sci-tech developments

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) is committed to promoting interdisciplinary research to provide solutions to pressing societal problems.  In 2022, the University established the PolyU Academy for Interdisciplinary Research (PAIR) with an aim to facilitate interdisciplinary research, transfer technologies to stakeholders, inspire innovation across disciplines, and collaborate with top institutions in the world. To raise the community’s understanding of interdisciplinary collaboration and its importance in driving positive transformations within societies, the Academy launches the PAIR Advanced Education Programme, to disseminate foundational and advanced knowledge in science and technology on topics that are closely related to daily living. The first course, focusing on “Healthy Life and Smart Living”, will start this fall.  This thirteen-week course, designed by PolyU experts in related disciplines, covers six applied science disciplines including: food and nutrition, sports, smart ageing, mental health, sharp vision, and Chinese medicine.  Through the course, learners will understand the overall landscape of some of the pressing problems currently facing the world, as well as PolyU-led innovations that aim to tackle these issues, and technology challenges in related fields. The course does not require learners to have relevant knowledge background and is particularly suitable to individuals who wish to broaden their understanding of interdisciplinary science and know about recent developments in science and technology.  The course is offered in dual mode, that is, students can choose to attend classes in-person or online, providing flexible learning options to interested learners coming from Hong Kong and abroad.  Learners fulfilling attendance requirement are eligible to apply for a certificate of completion. To encourage the community’s active participation in sci-tech learning, the first course is offered free of charge to eligible members of the public.  The course has received enthusiastic response since its launch.  Quota for physical class attendance is now full, while quota for online attendance is available on a first come, first served basis.  Course enrolment will close on 31 July.  For enrolment or details, please visit the programme website: https://www.polyu.edu.hk/pair/education/.

PolyU and Soy-Sky FarmTech establish joint laboratory for innovative soy research and functional food development

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) and Soy-Sky FarmTech Company Limited (Soy-Sky FarmTech) have announced the establishment of the PolyU-Soy-Sky FarmTech Joint Laboratory for Innovative Soy Research and Functional Food Development (the Laboratory).  The Laboratory is dedicated to advancing research on soy-based functional foods and promoting the translation of sustainable agricultural technologies. The donation ceremony for the Joint Laboratory was held on 10 July on the PolyU campus, where Prof. Jin-Guang TENG, President of PolyU, and Mr Kenneth TING, Chairman of Soy-Sky FarmTech, exchanged commemorative souvenirs.  Other distinguished guests in attendance included Ms Clara CHAN, Chief Executive Officer of the Hong Kong Investment Corporation Limited (HKIC), members of PolyU senior management and scholars, Soy-Sky FarmTech senior management, shareholders and industry partners. Through interdisciplinary collaboration, the Laboratory will conduct innovative research on soybeans and food development, support the industry in developing novel soy-based functional foods and related sustainability, and foster a “Healthy Eating and Sustainable Living” culture.  PolyU and Soy-Sky FarmTech aim to jointly advance the Nation’s agricultural and food technology sectors, extend research achievements to Belt and Road countries, and work together to build a healthier and greener future. Press release: https://polyu.me/44yUqw3 Online coverage: Mirage News – https://polyu.me/3UhF3C8 Hong Kong Commercial Daily – https://polyu.me/4nWDgAk (Chinese only) MeetHK – https://polyu.me/4542ULQ (Chinese only)

PolyU researchers unveil novel strategy to achieve both strength and toughness in 2D materials design, advancing applications in electronic and photonic devices

The mechanical strength and toughness of engineering materials are often mutually exclusive, posing challenges for material design and selection. To address this, a research team from The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) has uncovered an innovative strategy: by simply twisting the layers of 2D materials, they can enhance toughness without compromising material’s strength. Typical transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) is a class of 2D materials known for their unique electronic, optical and mechanical properties. While 2D materials often exhibit exceptional strength, they are extremely brittle.  Enhancing both the strength and toughness of bulk materials for engineering applications has remained a significant challenge. To overcome these limitations, a research team led by Prof. ZHAO Jiong, Professor of the PolyU Department of Applied Physics and Member of the Research Institute for Advanced Manufacturing (RIAM), has pioneered a novel twisting engineering approach whereby twisted bilayer structures enable sequential fracture events, addressing the conflict between strength and toughness in 2D materials. By focusing on TMDs, such as molybdenum disulfide (MoS₂) and tungsten disulfide (WS₂), the team discovered a new fracture mechanism in twisted bilayers.  The finding was supported by nanoindentation and theoretical analysis. Using in situ transmission electron microscopy, the team found that when cracks propagate in twisted bilayer structures, the lattice orientation mismatch between the upper and lower layers leads to the formation of interlocking crack paths. Following the initial fracture, the crack edges in both layers spontaneously form stable grain boundary structures through interlayer self-assembly.  This distinctive “crack self-healing” mechanism protects subsequent fracture tips from stress concentration, effectively preventing further crack propagation. Notably, this process consumes more energy than conventional fracture, and the degree of toughness enhancement can be tuned by adjusting the twist and twist angle. This breakthrough facilitates the design of strong and tough new 2D materials, promoting their broader applications in photonic and electronic devices. The findings have been published in the international journal Nature Materials. Press release: https://polyu.me/453uoBk Online coverage: Mirage News – https://polyu.me/4kBNFhX Dot Dot News – https://polyu.me/4lYAysf (Chinese only)  

MHRC receives donation from the Lux Academy Hong Kong Investment Limited to develop occupational therapy service for mental hospitals in mainland China

Prof. Hector TSANG, Chair Professor of Rehabilitation Sciences and Co-Founder of the Mental Health Research Centre (MHRC) at PolyU, has received a generous donation from Lux Academy Hong Kong Investment Limited for a four-year project titled “A Translational Research on the Development of Evidence-based Occupational Therapy Service in a Mental Hospital of the Mainland”. Long-term rehabilitation and community-based support play an important role in helping patients with mental illnesses to regain functional skills, autonomy and confidence, and facilitating their recovery and social integration. The current mental health system in mainland China predominantly focuses on medication and hospitalisation as treatment method. However, this strategy has not been able to effectively reduce the relapse in patients in the long run, and heavily relies on caregiver support, thus putting burden on families and communities. In view of Mainland’s need for a new mental health treatment model, the PolyU research team will design evidence-based occupational therapy services for persons with mental illnesses, and collaborate with mental hospitals in mainland China in implementing the novel programme. The project would help drive a shift of focus in Mainland’s mental health care from hospitalisation to community-based support, and from cure to recovery.

Prof. Sylvia CHEN receives JESSICA Most Successful Women Award

Prof. Sylvia Xiaohua CHEN, Associate Dean of the Faculty of Health and Social Sciences, Chair Professor of the Department of Applied Social Sciences, Director of the Yan Oi Tong Au Suet Ming Child Development Centre and Co-Founder of the Mental Health Research Centre (MHRC) at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, has been selected as one of the recipients of the JESSICA Most Successful Women Award 2025. The JESSICA Most Successful Women Award was established in 2001 to recognise exceptional female leaders who have made significant contributions to their industries, communities, and society across Hong Kong, Greater China, and beyond. Prof. Chen is a Registered Psychologist of the Hong Kong Psychological Society and a Chartered Psychologist of the British Psychological Society.  She has been elected as a Fellow of The World Academy of Sciences (TWAS), the Hong Kong Academy of the Humanities, the Association for Psychological Science, the Society for Personality and Social Psychology, and the Hong Kong Psychological Society, and a Senior Fellow of Higher Education Academy (now Advance HE), UK.  She has served as President of Asian Association of Social Psychology, and currently serves as Editor-in-Chief for the Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology and General Editor of Cambridge University Press Culture and Psychology Series.  She has received various academic awards, including the Outstanding International Psychologist Award conferred by the American Psychological Association, and the Humanities and Social Sciences Prestigious Fellowship Scheme awarded by the Research Grants Council. Learn more about Prof. Chen’s journey across cultures: https://www.jessicahk.com/global/sylvia-xiaohua-chen