News

PAIR Conference 2023 commences

The PolyU Academy for Interdisciplinary Research (PAIR) Conference 2023, the first and the largest event in Hong Kong higher education dedicated to professional knowledge exchange on interdisciplinary research and development, commenced yesterday (8 May). Themed on “Research Excellence for Societal Impacts”, the four-day event draws over 100 internationally renowned scholars and experts from different disciplines as distinguished speakers to share their knowledge and insights. Prof. YAN Nieng, Founding President of the Shenzhen Medical Academy of Research and Translation, delivered a plenary presentation on the frontier research of proteins that may facilitate the pharmaceutical development of pain relief solutions.   Find out more: https://polyu.hk/mDADu   Online coverage: Ta Kung Pao - https://polyu.me/3nDLdA1 Wen Wei Po - https://polyu.me/42CGz3U China News Service - https://polyu.me/3B5SJGN Sina - https://polyu.me/3LGWEid

PolyU and CR Enterprise to establish joint research institute for research on novel carbon-neutral materials

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) and the China Resources Enterprise, Limited (CR Enterprise) is going to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on 4 May 2023 for establishing the Research Institute of Carbon Neutral New Materials, cultivating research talents and promoting the incubation of innovation and technology start-up projects.

PolyU wins record-breaking number of awards at 48th Geneva Inventions Expo

PolyU has won a record-breaking 31 accolades at the 48th Geneva Inventions Expo in Switzerland. Among the 28 award-winning innovations, 17 are driven by members of PAIR’s constituent research units – a testimony of the PolyU community’s excellence in developing inventions and innovations that create long-lasting, real-world impact. Read more: https://polyu.hk/NfgoB

Professor Kathryn Ann MOLER, Vice Provost and Dean of Research of Stanford University, delivers the 7th PAIR Distinguished Lecture

The PAIR Distinguished Lecture delivered by Professor Kathryn Ann Moler was held on 12 April 2023. The hybrid lecture successfully attracted over 330 participants joining in person and online from more than 40 countries and regions in Australia, Asia, Europe and North America. It was also broadcasted live on multiple social media platforms, including Bilibili and Weibo, and viewed by over 11,000 online audience. The lecture was kick-started by Prof. CHEN Qingyan, Director of PolyU Academy for Interdisciplinary Research (PAIR), at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU), followed by a welcome speech by Prof. WONG Wing-tak, Deputy President and Provost of PolyU. In the lecture, Prof. Moler shared the experience of Stanford University in designing the university for modern research teams in the 21st century via fostering collaborative proposal writing; planning for shared capabilities in experimental facilities, data, and computation; and transforming academic structures. A question-and-answer session moderated by Prof. Chen followed. The audience was inspired to have a fruitful and inspiring exchange with Prof. Moler. Please click here for an online review.  

DoRiFood appointed Member of Advisory Council on Food and Environmental Hygiene

Dr Wong Ka-hing, Director of the Research Institute for Future Food and Associate Professor in the Department of Food Science and Nutrition, has been appointed as a serving member of the Advisory Council on Food and Environmental Hygiene by the HKSAR government for a term of two years from 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2025.    Established on 1 April 2000, the Council is to advise the Government on food and environmental hygiene issues. Press release from the HKSAR government: https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202303/31/P2023033100259.htm

PAIR Public Seminar in Green Chemical Engineering and Zeolite Catalysis

PAIR will organise a hybrid Public Seminar in green chemical industry and molecular sieve catalysis at 4:00pm on 21 April 2023 (Friday) on campus and via Zoom.  Prof. YANG Weimin, Academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, will be the keynote speaker.  Seats are limited, please register now! Find out more or register at: https://polyu.hk/UADTG

RCRE research paper named High Impact Papers by ScienceDirect

A research paper titled “Sustainable Practice in Pavement Engineering through Value-Added Collective Recycling of Waste Plastic and Waste Tyre Rubber” with Dr LENG Zhen, Associate Director of the Research Centre for Resources Engineering towards Carbon Neutrality (RCRE), as the corresponding author, has been named by ScienceDirect platform as one of the “High-Impact Papers” among the 234 papers indexed in Engineering since 2021. The paper was recognised as an ESI Hot and Highly Cited Paper. Read the Abstract: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2095809920303738

PAIR scholars visit Futian Shenzhen

On 30 March, Prof WONG Wing-tak, Deputy President and Provost of PolyU, and Prof Christopher CHAO, Vice President (Research and Innovation) of PolyU, led a delegation of PolyU scholars, including Prof. CHEN Qingyan, Director of PolyU Academy for Interdisciplinary Research (PAIR) and directors of PAIR’s constituent research units, to visit “Shenzhen–Hong Kong Innovation and Technology Co-operation Zone” located in Futian district to learn about its latest development. The delegation joined a meeting chaired by Mr OUYANG Huiyu, Vice-District Mayor of the Futian District People’s Government, exploring research projects suitable for Futian and relevant support needs. The delegation also visited Jinjiang Municipal People's Government Office in Shenzhen to explore how to strengthen university-industry cooperation.  In February, PolyU and the city government of Jinjiang signed a framework agreement to jointly establish the PolyU–Jinjiang Research Institute to strengthen interdisciplinary industry-academia research collaboration to support the development of the Belt and Road Initiatives. Read more about the collaboration: https://polyu.hk/LZBkJ

PAIR Debut Conference Coming in May! Registration is Now Open!

The PAIR Conference 2023 – Research Excellence for Societal Impact is the very first conference organised by the PolyU Academy for Interdisciplinary Research (PAIR) in hybrid mode (online and on PolyU campus) on 8–11 May 2023 (Monday–Thursday). Watch our latest promotional video to learn about the main highlights and eminent speakers of the upcoming conference!   https://polyu.hk/xahJF Register now to grab your opportunity to learn about the latest happenings in interdisciplinary research and development! https://polyu.hk/JIGuV

SCRI project awarded in ETNet Smart Living Partnership Awards 2022

An interactive platform for COVID-19 status and risk prediction developed by the Otto Poon Charitable Foundation Smart Cities Research Institute (SCRI) won the “Outstanding One-stop Virus Decision Support Platform” award in the “Health Technology (HealthTech)” category of the ETNet Smart Living Partnership Awards 2022.  An award presentation ceremony was held on 27 February 2023 at Cyberport. Funded by the Logistics and Supply Chain MultiTech R&D Centre (LSCM), the platform provides spatiotemporal predictions for COVID-19 symptom onset risk in future three days for Hong Kong, other cities in the Greater Bay Area (GBA), Taiwan, Malaysia, etc.