SENG News, Issue 26

Abstract

A. Kwok Sports Aerodynamics Science Initiative: HKSI & HKUST Join Hands to Enhance Performance of Cycling Team HKUST research team led by Prof. ZHANG Xin applies technology in Formula One racing cars and aerospace engineering to improve cyclists’ performance in competitions. HKUST Develops More Efficient Disinfection Method with Ultraviolet LED Prof. Ricky LEE and his team made use of the technology to develop a closet that could kill 99.99% of the bacteria and viruses on the garment inside within a minute. Prof. Lionel NI Appointed as Founding President of HKUST(GZ) Under his leadership, the development process of the HKUST(GZ) campus is running at full steam with substantial progress made on many fronts, all against the target of opening the campus in September 2022. Prof. Khaled B. LETAIEF Elected to US National Academy of Engineering Prof. Raymond WONG Awarded Michael G. Gale Medal for Distinguished Teaching Prof. YANG Hai Received ASCE Francis C. Turner Award Prof. WANG Jiguang Received Zhong Nanshan Youth Science & Technology Innovation Award Dean of Engineering and Chair Professors Elected Fellows of Hong Kong Academy of Engineering Sciences Prof. YANG Jinglei Named a Fellow of Royal Society of Chemistry and Royal Aeronautical Society Prof. Pascale FUNG: Woman Engineer Defies All Odds Being an AI expert and a female role model, she encourages her students to believe in themselves in the face of adversities and challenges. Forging a Beautiful and Caring Path to Success Alumna Eva TSANG shares her experience and management philosophy on working in the Greater Bay Area where she has made her mark on the cosmetics industry. HKUST ISD Students Design Concepts for Future Trams Students of Division of Integrative Systems and Design (ISD) collaborated with Hong Kong Tramways to come up with innovative eco-friendly design concepts that could be incorporated into future generations of tramcars. Dr. ZHANG Yunfei Shares Insights on Innovation and Start-Up He shares his learning experience and the 10-year entrepreneurial voyage in the webinar of the HKUST Entrepreneurship Fireside Chat Series. HKUST Robotics Team Crowned Champion and First Runner-Up in HKSTP Human-Robot Basketball Competition The team utilized their knowledge to build a robot, which paired up with a human basketball player to complete tasks of passing, dribbling and shooting. Final Year Project on Real-Time Microplastics Detection Recognized by HKIE Environmental Division This marks the third straight year for a final year project team from the School of Engineering to receive the championship. HKUST Wu Zhi Qiao Team Awarded Gold Award for Volunteer Service The team helped to improve the lives of underprivileged villagers in remote areas of Mainland China by initiating and implementing footbridge construction projects. Dr. ZHANG Yunfei: The Resilient Navigator of Unmanned Voyage Alumnus Dr. ZHANG Yunfei developed his passion for invention in childhood into the current unicorn enterprise in the unmanned surface vehicles industry. If you have any difficulties viewing this email, please click here. SENG eNewsletter (Issue 26, Apr 2021) RESEARCH APPOINTMENT FACULTY ACHIEVEMENTS WOMEN IN ENGINEERING TEACHING & LEARNING ENTREPRENEURSHIP STUDENT ACHIEVEMENTS ALUMNI CONNECTIONS To comment: sengpr@ust.hk To unsubscribe: click here Copyright © 2020 School of Engineering, HKUST ALL Rights Reserved.

28/04/2021 EN 繁 简 Thumbnail Title A Visionary with Strong Execution Power Prof. Khaled B. LETAIEF Shares the Joy of His High-Achieving Career Content Banner Prof. Khaled B. Letaief, a teacher-scholar with groundbreaking research findings. Prof. Khaled B. Letaief, a teacher-scholar with groundbreaking research findings. [Download Photo] Body It was 3am in the morning when Prof. Khaled B. LETAIEF received, out of the blue, an email from the US National Academy of Engineering (NAE) notifying him about his election to the academy. This is among the highest professional distinctions accorded to an engineer.

The New Bright Professor of Engineering and Chair Professor in the Department of Electronic and Computer Engineering (ECE), cum former Dean of Engineering remained thrilled when recalling the magic moment, “Wow, I cannot believe it. Oh my God! It is like a dream coming true. It is one of the greatest honors of my life.” The professor, with numerous awards and recognitions already, is extremely excited by the NAE election in February 2021 as it involves keen competition and recognizes not only scholarly contributions, but also awardees’ professional contributions and pioneering discoveries in technology.

Congratulatory messages came from all over the world, ranging from greetings from friends and colleagues to a virtual party attended by over 100 top international scholars. Among them was Leonard Kleinrock, one of the fathers of the internet.

Earlier in August 2020 the Tunisian-born and Purdue-educated engineer, currently the world’s sixth most quoted scholar in wireless communications, appeared on national live broadcast on Tunisia’s National Science Day as he was presented the Best Tunisian Researcher Abroad accolade by the Tunisian President. There is only one recipient each year based on rigorous review by a national committee.

Setting off from Tunisia to the world Brought up in Tunisia’s French-inspired education system that was highly competitive, Prof. Letaief had always loved science and particularly mathematics. With excellent scores in the public examination in 1981, he was among the top 200 high school graduates given full scholarships by the Tunisian government for undergraduate studies in the US. These elite teenagers only started to learn English that very summer in Tunisia before flying over to North America in autumn for one semester of English studies. Prof. Letaief was sent to a specialized center for English studies in Michigan State University accordingly. In spring 1982, the young Letaief started studying in Purdue’s prestigious program in electrical engineering. Having first-year courses exempted because he had acquired the knowledge already in his high school, he completed with distinction the four-year program within three years. He then went on to do master’s and PhD at Purdue, also in electrical engineering, again with full scholarships from his home country.

“I was inspired by Purdue’s professors to become a scholar doing impactful research for humanity and providing solutions to the world,” he said. Getting his degrees there was instrumental in equipping him with the right tools to conduct advanced and cutting-edge research. Besides the rigor of education training, what he values most about studying at Purdue is learning from the faculty about research integrity such as honesty, objectivity, and openness.

Upon completion of PhD studies in 1990, he became an assistant professor at the University of Melbourne in Australia before being recruited to HKUST in 1993. He was attracted to the young university in Hong Kong because of HKUST’s vision to become Asia’s MIT, and the established professors to be hired. Big names included Justin Chuang, who has been well-known in the wireless communications field, and K. C. Smith, a microelectronics expert who authored a widely-used engineering textbook. “It all sounded very exciting,” stated Prof. Letaief.

The decision is now proved to be most intelligent. “I might not be able to achieve what I have achieved had I been somewhere else other than HKUST,” he said. He was given the Michael G. Gale Medal for Distinguished Teaching as early as 1998, the highest University-wide teaching award with only one recipient every year. His research career has progressed extremely well in HKUST’s excellent environment, leading to the 2019 Distinguished Research Excellence Award by the School of Engineering. He has also taken up management roles ranging from the Dean of Engineering, Head of the ECE Department, Director of the Wireless IC Design Center, founding Director of Huawei Innovation Laboratory, and Director of the Hong Kong Telecom Institute of Information Technology.

He has also been elected 2020 Fellow of the Hong Kong Academy of Engineering Sciences (HKAES). He feels blessed and special for being recognized for his contributions to Hong Kong, which played a significant role in his career and provides a favorable environment as well as resources for academics to thrive.

Advocating teacher-scholar philosophy Contrary to some people’s belief that one can hardly be good at both research and teaching, Prof. Letaief believes the two go hand in hand. “You need to be excellent in both education and research. You can’t just say, ‘I’m a good teacher; or I’m an excellent researcher, but I don’t care about the students’. As the Dean, I advocated this teacher-scholar philosophy and launched the Center for Engineering Education Innovation. People trust me because I do it by example.”

Dedicated to research, he continued with research pursuits when working as the Dean. So how does he manage to excel in education, research, and management? “When I joined HKUST, the University was starting from scratch with few senior faculty members. As assistant professors, we were entrusted to assume leadership roles. I soon became the department’s director of undergraduate studies while I was also in charge of laboratories from design to buying equipment. Because of the early training, things came naturally.”

During his office as the Dean between 2009 and 2015, the Engineering School’s world ranking rose from 26th to 14th. The new curriculum for 334 was launched, along with new institutes, centers, departments, and programs. Prior to that, he was the Head of the ECE Department (2003-09), which has been one of HKUST’s biggest departments with around 60 faculty members at that time.

Out of the three roles, he enjoys teaching and interacting with postgraduate students most. “I love training the next generation and helping them to excel. When publishing papers, I put students’ names first and give them credit. I hope they will become more famous than myself. I treat them like colleagues – they work with me, not for me. This was how my Purdue professors treated us then,” said the professor with a reputation for being nice and good to work with. “Moreover, professors’ research is often channeled via students. Their training is part of our research deliverables.” He feels lucky that over the years he has been able to attract a good number of students to work together to generate useful solutions. This becomes positive feedback that enables the team to attract even better students and produce fruitful research output.

Pioneer in wireless communications He accounts for his research success in his usual humble manner. “I am lucky to work on a field that makes impact and that is appreciated. Wireless communications did not exist when I went to university. There were challenges as well as potentials for groundbreaking inventions in the open field. We chose to solve difficult problems that were considered impossible by some. When one finds the solution, it becomes impactful. It opens a new field, and people start citing your papers.”

Prof. Letaief is the world’s sixth most cited scholar in wireless communications, with an h-index of 87. He is also recognized among the top 30 worldwide list of AI 2000 Most Influential Scholars, which lists the most cited scholars from the top-tier publications on internet of things (IoT) over the 2009-2019 period.

“You need to have a vision before doing anything,” he said. He and his teammates are excited to have published the paper “The Roadmap to 6G: AI Empowered Wireless Networks”, which he believes is the world’s first paper on the vision for 6G. It envisages the “why” and “what” behind 6G, its KPIs, requirements and potentials.

“From 2G to 5G, it is like the transformation from a bike, car, high-speed train to a plane – it is mainly about increasing transmission speed. For 6G however, it is not only about speed. It differs substantially from the previous generations as it is going to be AI empowered – maybe like a rocket. As there are now big data everywhere and a huge amount of IoT devices around us, the system has become too big for human-operated machines to handle. We need AI to optimize the system, without human intervention, to allocate resources, handle massive connectivity, and reduce latency. Replacing human-operated machines, the AI-empowered system has intelligent machines with neural networks that mimic how human brains work to make decisions itself.”

Prof. Letaief explains that 6G’s increased scalability, higher bandwidth and frequencies enable new practices such as remote surgery. For example, when a doctor cuts a vein on a computer in Hong Kong, a robot in New York would do the same to a physical person.

He foresees that 6G will represent a revolutionary paradigm shift to support ubiquitous AI services and internet of everything (IoE) applications, including sustainable cities, augmented, mixed and virtual reality, connected autonomous systems, brain-computer interfaces, immersive gaming, autonomous transportation, e-health, and other areas. It will result in a wireless evolution from “connected things” to “connected intelligence” to enable interconnectivity among humans, things, and intelligence within a deeply intertwined cyber-physical world. The 6G standard is expected to be completed as early as 2028, while mass commercialization may occur around 2030.

Contributing to engineering profession Committed to the profession, Prof. Letaief has joined the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) for over 30 years since his days at Purdue and has the privilege to serve in different capacities. He believes that professional activities represent an essential part of a scholar’s career as such activities not only help them to be competent in their research and education, but also help them to excel. In 2005, he was elected to be founding editor-in-chief of the IEEE Transactions on Wireless Communications to create the journal from scratch with a team of 100 editors. This was one of his most rewarding experiences as he was entrusted to the role as a rising faculty. The journal is now one of the most prestigious with an impact factor of 6.779 in 2020.

As the President of the IEEE Communications Society in his two-year term from 2018 to 2019, he turned deficit into multi-million surplus by identifying new revenue sources, improving operational efficiencies, and reducing costs while finding solutions to deliver products and services to members at stable costs. Putting much emphasis on nurturing the younger generation, he introduced US$1 student membership fees and started many activities that allowed students to network with eminent leaders of the field. These helped to increase student membership significantly by over 60% at the end of his term. Under his presidency, the society redoubled its efforts in promoting technological innovation and creating new areas, as well as in extending its global reach and ethnic and gender diversity.

Among his many achievements, he is proud of his contributions to advance the analysis, design, and performance evaluation of OFDM for wireless communication systems. Specifically, he extensively studied the use of OFDM for high-speed wireless data access and developed enabling techniques for OFDM that included robust channel estimation, synchronization, and space-time processing. In addition, he created novel and groundbreaking adaptive and resource allocation schemes, which became a key technology in many wireless systems and has been vital in accelerating the explosive growth of broadband wireless communications with profound impact on sustainable smart cities, IoT, and many other areas.

He is also humbled by the NAE election, and to have 18 IEEE Best Paper Awards that involve rigorous competition. His election to IEEE Fellow, with the number for any single year not exceeding 0.1% of the voting membership, is the highest honor in his field.

There is a way As an optimist with strong passions, he has demonstrated by actions his motto “Where there’s is a will, there’s a way.”

“You need to have a vision, but the most important thing is the execution. A vision without execution is only a dream. I love challenges and try to set ambitious goals,” he says. Often considered a visionary with superb execution power and management skills, he accomplishes “impossible missions” and succeeds in motivating, leading, attracting, and working with talents.

To adolescents who want to pursue science and research, Prof. Letaief says, “If you wish to help solve grand challenges facing humanities such as sustainability, health, security, and energy, you should pursue science and research. It will not only bring you lots of fun and personal satisfaction, but also allow you to make a difference by advancing technology for humanity.”

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SENG News (Feb 17, 2021): Prof. Khaled B. LETAIEF Elected to US National Academy of Engineering SENG News (Jan 12, 2021): Dean of Engineering and Chair Professors Elected Fellows of Hong Kong Academy of Engineering Sciences SENG News (Sept 15, 2020): Prof. Khaled B. LETAIEF Named by Tunisian Government as Best Tunisian Researcher Living Abroad NEWS TAGS News Tags Recognition Electronic and Computer Engineering Wireless Communications Research Education SHARE

Prof. Letaief was presented with the national accolade for the Best Tunisian Researcher Abroad by Tunisian President Kais Saied at the award ceremony, which was broadcast live on national TV. Prof. Letaief, in his capacity as the President of the IEEE Communications Society, greeted Vint Cerf, one of the fathers of the internet, in Hawaii, US in December 2019. Prof. Letaief received the School of Engineering Distinguished Research Excellence Award from Dean of Engineering Prof. Tim Cheng in 2019. It is the highest School-wide research award with only one recipient selected over a period of three years. Prof. Letaief represented HKUST at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland in 2015. Prof. Letaief received the Long Service Award from former President Prof. Tony F. Chan in 2013 after two decades of dedicated service at the University.

23/04/2021 EN 繁 简 Thumbnail Title Integrating Research and Innovation into Sports A. Kwok Sports Aerodynamics Science Initiative: HKSI & HKUST Join Hands to Enhance Performance of Cycling Team Content Banner Dr. David Chung, Under Secretary for Innovation and Technology (fourth left), Mr. Adam Kwok, Executive Director of Sun Hung Kai Properties (center), Prof. Tim Cheng Kwang-Ting, Dean of Engineering (third left), and Prof. Zhang Xin, Chair Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering of HKUST (first left), Dr. Trisha Leahy, Chief Executive (second left), Dr. Raymond So, Director of Elite Training Science and Technology (first right), Mr. Shen Jinkang, Head Cycling Coach (third right), and elite cycling a Dr. David Chung, Under Secretary for Innovation and Technology (fourth left), Mr. Adam Kwok, Executive Director of Sun Hung Kai Properties (center), Prof. Tim Cheng Kwang-Ting, Dean of Engineering (third left), and Prof. Zhang Xin, Chair Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering of HKUST (first left), Dr. Trisha Leahy, Chief Executive (second left), Dr. Raymond So, Director of Elite Training Science and Technology (first right), Mr. Shen Jinkang, Head Cycling Coach (third right), and elite cycling athlete Lee Wai-Sze of the Hong Kong Sports Institute (fourth right), and Dr. Chan Kwok-Ki, Vice-chairman of The Cycling Association of Hong Kong, China Limited (second right), attended the ceremony to show their support of the Project. [Download Photo] Body Sun Hung Kai Properties (SHKP) Executive Director Mr. Adam KWOK Kai-Fai donated HK$6 million to the Sports Aerodynamics Science Initiative Project in addition to the Innovation and Technology Fund from the Innovation and Technology Commission of the Hong Kong SAR Government in 2019, jointly launched by the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) and the Hong Kong Sports Institute (HKSI). Over the past two years, the HKUST and HKSI teams actively conducted cycling tests and resistance tests for cyclists, as well as developing low-resistance suits for the Hong Kong Cycling Team, in order to help enhance their performances in the Tokyo Olympics. The research project was also funded by the Innovation and Technology Commission.

Dr. David CHUNG, Under Secretary for Innovation and Technology, Mr. Adam Kwok, Executive Director of SHKP, Dr. Trisha LEAHY, Chief Executive of the HKSI, Mr. SHEN Jinkang, Head Cycling Coach of the HKSI, Prof. Tim CHENG Kwang-Ting, Dean of Engineering of HKUST and Prof. ZHANG Xin, Chair Professor of Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering of HKUST, attended the press conference to share the updates of the Project. Dr. Raymond SO, Director of Elite Training Science and Technology of the HKSI, Dr. CHAN Kwok-Ki, Vice-chairman of The Cycling Association of Hong Kong, China Limited, and elite cycling athlete LEE Wai-Sze also attended to show their support of the Project.

Mr. Kwok said, "The initiative has been on-going for two years, in two major directions: First, as we all know, winning or losing in a cycling race comes down to a difference of split seconds. Hence one area is the research and development of equipment that reduces wind drag or improves riding posture, with a view to enable the Hong Kong team to shave precious seconds off record time, increasing their speed and chances of winning. Second, to help Hong Kong become an international innovation and technology hub by integrating technology into sports and accelerating innovation in sports science. In addition to helping the Hong Kong team, we also hope to cooperate with the national team in the future. Despite the delay of the Tokyo Olympics until this July, the fighting spirit of the team remains unfettered over the past two years, with the team successfully developing techniques and technology that reduce wind drag in different ways. I am extremely grateful for the efforts put in by the HKSI and HKUST’s research teams in the past two years, especially Coach Shen and Dr. So of the HKSI, and Prof. Zhang from HKUST."

Dean of Engineering Prof. Cheng expressed his gratitude to Mr. Adam Kwok: “We are truly grateful for Mr. Kwok’s support in setting up the Sports Aerodynamics Science Initiative Project in 2019, in collaboration with the HKSI, allowing our state-of-the-art research to make an impact in the global arena. Under the leadership of Prof. Zhang Xin, the team applies technology in Formula One racing cars and aerospace engineering to improve the cyclists’ performance in competitions. The joint efforts mark a major step forward to integrate research and innovation into sports Hong Kong people are proud of.”

Dr. Leahy said, “The application of sports science has become a must-do for all sports powerhouses if they want to stay at the forefront in today’s sporting world. In the past two years, the Project has conducted a series of tests for the cycling team to fortify the elite training outcomes, thus enhancing their competitiveness in the international competitions. I am delighted to see that the application of sports aerodynamics technology can also benefit sports other than cycling. The Project is kicking off cooperation with the windsurfing team recently. I look forward to receiving more good news on athletes’ outstanding achievements soon.”

The Project is a joint effort by Dr. Raymond So’s sports science team and Prof. Zhang’s team. Prof. Zhang said the University is happy to contribute to Hong Kong’s sporting arena with technology. “During the cooperation with HKSI in the past two years, we have done various tests and development for the cycling team in terms of cycling equipment, clothing, and posture, through wind tunnel tests and numerical simulations. We will continue to work closely with the HKSI in the future to apply more research output in competitions and apply the technology to other sports.”

Coach Shen said, “I am glad that the tri-party collaboration can help strengthen the training quality of the team. We are preparing for three events and the progress is satisfactory. I hope athletes can fully demonstrate their training outcomes in the Olympics.”

Elite cyclist Lee Wai-Sze echoed, “As an elite athlete, I am excited to be part of this Project. The wind tunnel and the sports aerodynamics technology help boost my overall performance and deliver our fullest potential in the competitions.”

In addition to the research on improving the postures of cyclists through sports aerodynamics technology, the HKSI and HKUST will continue their effort to research on low-resistance gear to help enhance athletes’ performance.

About The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) (www.ust.hk) is a world-class research intensive university that focuses on science, technology and business as well as humanities and social science. HKUST offers an international campus, and a holistic and interdisciplinary pedagogy to nurture well-rounded graduates with global vision, a strong entrepreneurial spirit and innovative thinking. HKUST attained the highest proportion of internationally excellent research work in the Research Assessment Exercise 2014 of Hong Kong’s University Grants Committee, and is ranked as the world’s best young university in Times Higher Education’s Young University Rankings 2020. Its graduates were ranked 10th worldwide and top in Greater China in Global University Employability Survey 2019.

About the Hong Kong Sports Institute Guided by the HKSAR Government’s current policy direction, and using its professional expertise in elite sport, the Hong Kong Sports Institute’s (HKSI) (www.hksi.org.hk) vision is to become the region’s elite training systems delivery leader by providing state-of-the-art, evidence-based, elite sports training and athlete support systems resulting in sustainable world-class sports results. As the Government’s designated organization to provide the high performance training system for eligible sports, the HKSI is committed to working in partnership with the Government, the Sports Federation & Olympic Committee of Hong Kong, China and the National Sports Associations to provide an environment in which sports talent can be identified, nurtured, and developed to pursue excellence in the international sporting arena.

(This news was originally published by the HKUST Public Affairs Office here.)

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To help enhance cyclists’ performances in the Tokyo Olympics, the Hong Kong Sports Institute (HKSI) and the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) teams actively conducted cycling tests and resistance tests for cyclists, as well as developing low-resistance suits for the Hong Kong team in the past two years. Elite cycling athlete Lee Wai-Sze participated in the Sports Aerodynamics Science Initiative Project. Sun Hung Kai Properties (SHKP) Executive Director Mr. Adam Kwok Kai-Fai donated HK$6 million in 2019 to the Sports Aerodynamics Science Initiative Project, jointly launched by the Hong Kong Sports Institute (HKSI) and the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST). Over the past two years, the HKSI and HKUST teams actively conducted cycling tests and resistance tests for cyclists, as well as developing low-resistance suits for the Hong Kong team. A tour was organized to let the media have a glim

29/03/2021 EN 繁 简 Thumbnail Title Killing 99.99% of Bacteria & Viruses on Garment HKUST Develops More Efficient Disinfection Method with Ultraviolet LED Content Banner Prof. Ricky LEE Shi-Wei (middle), Chair Professor of the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at HKUST, demonstrates how the UVC LED disinfection closet works, along with Mr. LAM Kwok-Wai (left) and Mr. Martin MAK, Principal and Assistant Warden respectively of the Po Leung Kuk Yu Lee Mo Fan Memorial School. Prof. Ricky LEE Shi-Wei (middle), Chair Professor of the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at HKUST, demonstrates how the UVC LED disinfection closet works, along with Mr. LAM Kwok-Wai (left) and Mr. Martin MAK, Principal and Assistant Warden respectively of the Po Leung Kuk Yu Lee Mo Fan Memorial School. [Download Photo] Body Researchers at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) have discovered a novel way to enhance the efficiency of the ultraviolet (UVC) light-emitting diode (LED) disinfection technique, and developed a closet that could kill 99.99% of the bacteria and viruses on the garment inside within a minute. The closet is now in use at three special schools under Po Leung Kuk.

UVC is widely used for disinfecting purposes in private and public facilities, but the light source of existing UVC disinfection products is mainly mercury lamps, which not only have lower germicidal efficiency, but are also bulkier with a much shorter lifespan than the LED light. Moreover, mercury lamp has a longer disinfection cycle and requires time for warming up while LED emits light instantly. Since last year, over 140 nations, including US, EU, China, Japan and Australia, have implemented a treaty on gradually phasing out the use of toxic mercury in commercial and industrial processes.

However, despite LED light’s superiority over its mercury-based counterpart, it is not yet widely adopted in sterilization products due to its narrow beam angle and low output efficiency with traditional single-layer reflector. Now, Prof. Ricky LEE Shi-Wei, Chair Professor of the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering and Director of the Electronic Packaging Laboratory at HKUST, offered a solution with the stacked silicon reflector developed by his team. Through its unique structure and optical design, this new reflector has not only nearly doubled the UVC output efficiency from 50% to over 90%, but has also extended the sterilization distance by more than 5 times to 26cm, while simultaneously achieving uniform radiation.

Funded by the Innovation and Technology Commission under the Public Sector Trial Scheme for Coronavirus Disease 2019, HKUST has built a disinfection closet using this new UVC LED packaging technology. In collaboration with Po Leung Kuk, the closet is now being trialed in three of its special schools.

Mr. LAM Kwok-Wai, Principal of Po Leung Kuk Yu Lee Mo Fan Memorial School which has participated in the scheme, said Po Leung Kuk was very pleased about this collaboration. “The closet is an effective tool which not only greatly enhances disinfection efficiency, reduces our staff’s workloads, but also safeguards the health and safety of our staff and students during the pandemic. Prof. Lee’s team has been very attentive to our practical needs since the design stage and has added partitions to the closet so that garments, students’ items and toys can be sanitized simultaneously in just one minute,” he said, adding that Po Leung Kuk expects the continued partnership by extending this innovative technology to other dormitories and service units under the group, so as to benefit more people in need.

Prof. Lee said, "We are happy to see that our research work can help make an impact on people’s daily lives. We will continue to explore new areas of applications for our technology, such as self-cleansing air purifiers and air conditioners, water dispensers or sweeping robots. We look forward to more collaborations with the industry on developing larger scale UVC LED products."

Prof. Lee is a world renowned expert in electronics and LED packaging. He has dedicated his career to advancing microelectronics and optoelectronic devices such as LED lights. In 2009, the MTR replaced its train carriage lighting system with the High Brightness Light Emitting Diode (HD-LED) Solid State Lighting (SSL) modules developed by Prof. Lee and his team, which was widely recognized for its benefits over traditional fluorescent tubes in terms of energy and cost efficiency as well as environmental friendliness.

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HKUST Electronic Packaging Laboratory (This news was originally published by the HKUST Public Affairs Office here.)

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Comparison of the efficiency between mercury lamp and UVC LED. The closet is now being trialled in three of Po Leung Kuk special schools - including Po Leung Kuk Mr. & Mrs. Chan Pak Keung Tsing Yi School (as pictured). Apart from garments, students` items and toys can also be sanitized in the closet.

19/04/2021 EN 繁 简 Thumbnail Title University Leadership Prof. Lionel NI Appointed as Founding President of HKUST(GZ) Content Banner Prof. Lionel Ni Prof. Lionel Ni [Download Photo] Body The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) announced today that the HKUST Council and the Governing Board of The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (Guangzhou) (HKUST(GZ)), have unanimously approved the appointment of Prof. Lionel NI Ming-Shuan as the Founding President of HKUST(GZ), effective after the official approval of the Ministry of Education for the formal establishment of HKUST(GZ).

Prof. Ni is a highly accomplished scholar in computer science and engineering with broad research interests and wide international recognition. He received, among others, the esteemed Overseas Outstanding Contribution Award from China Computer Federation in 2009 and is honored the Second Class Award in Natural Science for Research Excellence by the State Council, China, 2011. He was also appointed as the Chief Scientist of the renowned National Basic Research Program of China (973 Program) under the Ministry of Science and Technology in Mainland China between 2006 and 2011.

First joining the University in 2002 as Head of the Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Prof. Ni was later promoted to the Dean of HKUST Fok Ying Tung Graduate School and Special Assistant to the President between 2010 and 2014. He was also the director of several research institutes between 2006 and 2014. During 2015 to 2019, Prof. Ni was appointed as the Vice Rector (Academic Affairs) of the University of Macau. He rejoined HKUST as Provost in 2019.

During the past two years, Prof. Ni has been actively leading different academic initiatives and new developments with forward-looking pedagogy and innovative technology to suit changing needs and situations. Under Prof. Ni’s leadership, the development process of the HKUST(GZ) campus is running at full steam with substantial progress made on many fronts, ranging from academic and research development, campus planning and design development, faculty and staff recruitment, to student admission for the Guangzhou pilot scheme, all against the target of opening the campus in September 2022.

Mr. Andrew LIAO Cheung-Sing, Chairman of the HKUST Council, was pleased about the new appointment. “Prof. Ni has been instrumental in spearheading HKUST’s innovative teaching and learning, especially during the past two years when the University was struck by the global pandemic amid other challenges. Given his seasoned administrative experience and passion in driving excellence, I am confident that he will steer well the establishment of HKUST(GZ) in nurturing global innovative talents in the Greater Bay Area and contribute to the technological development and advancement in the region and beyond.”

Prof. Wei SHYY, Chairman of the HKUST(GZ) Governing Board and President of HKUST, also extended his warm congratulations to Prof. Ni. “Given his first-hand knowledge and experience at HKUST, Prof. Ni is the most qualified candidate to lead HKUST(GZ) in fulfilling our vision for the “Unified HKUST, Complementary Campuses” framework. With his longstanding dedication and leadership, the HKUST community will render Lionel enthusiastic support as he leads the new endeavor.”

Prof. Ni earned his PhD in electrical and computer engineering from Purdue University in the US and served as the Microelectronic Systems Architecture Program Director at US National Science Foundation from 1995 to 1996. He was a full Professor in Computer Science and Engineering at Michigan State University in the US until 2002 prior to joining HKUST.

With the above new appointment at HKUST(GZ), Prof. Ni will resign from his current position as the Provost of HKUST with effect from June 1, 2021. HKUST will conduct a global search for his replacement.

(This news was originally published by the HKUST Public Affairs Office here.)

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Impression of the HKUST(GZ) campus. Photo credit: KPF

17/02/2021 Thumbnail Title Academic Leadership Recognized Prof. Khaled B. LETAIEF Elected to US National Academy of Engineering Content Banner Prof. Khaled B. Letaief was recognized by the prestigious US National Academy of Engineering for contributions to wireless systems research and academic leadership. Prof. Khaled B. Letaief was recognized by the prestigious US National Academy of Engineering for contributions to wireless systems research and academic leadership. [Download Photo] Body Prof. Khaled B. LETAIEF, New Bright Professor of Engineering and Chair Professor of Electronic and Computer Engineering, has been elected one of the 23 new international members of the US National Academy of Engineering (NAE), for contributions to adaptive resource allocation in multiuser orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing wireless systems and for academic leadership.

Election to the NAE is among the highest professional distinctions accorded to an engineer. Its membership honors those who have made outstanding contributions to “engineering research, practice, or education, including, where appropriate, significant contributions to the engineering literature” and to “the pioneering of new and developing fields of technology, making major advancements in traditional fields of engineering, or developing/implementing innovative approaches to engineering education.”

The newly elected class includes 106 members from the US and 23 international members, bringing the total US membership to 2,355 and the number of international members to 298. The new members will be formally inducted during the NAE’s annual meeting on Oct 3, 2021 in Washington, DC.

“This is without question the highlight of my career as being an academician in the US is among the highest professional honors in engineering. As a “home-grown” faculty member at HKUST in Hong Kong, I am deeply honored and humbled to receive this distinction and join such a group of outstanding leaders from academia and industry,” said Prof. Letaief.

Prof. Khaled B. Letaief is an internationally recognized leader in wireless communications and networks with research interest in artificial intelligence, big data analytics systems, mobile cloud and edge computing, tactile Internet, 5G systems and beyond.

He joined HKUST in 1993 and had served in many high-level administrative positions, including Dean of Engineering (2009-2015) and Head of Department of Electronic and Computer Engineering (2003-2009) at HKUST, and Provost of Hamad Bin Khalifa University (2015-2018) in Qatar. He also took leadership roles in professional societies, such as President of the IEEE Communications Society (2018-2019), the world’s leading organization for communications professionals, and Founding Editor-in-Chief (2002-2006) of the well-regarded IEEE Transactions on Wireless Communications.

In his research areas, he has over 640 papers with over 38,360 citations and an h-index of 88. He also has 15 patents, including 11 US inventions. A Fellow of IEEE and HKIE, he has recently added to his long list of accolades with Tunisia’s national award for the Best Tunisian Researcher or Inventor Abroad and Fellow of the Hong Kong Academy of Engineering Sciences (HKAES) in 2020.

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NAE news (Feb 9, 2021): National Academy of Engineering Elects 106 Members and 23 International Members News by Purdue University's School of Electrical and Computer Engineering (Feb 15, 2021): Two Purdue ECE alumni elected to National Academy of Engineering NEWS TAGS News Tags Recognition Electronic and Computer Engineering Wireless Communications Networking and Computer Systems Research Education

03/02/2021 Thumbnail Title The Alchemist of Teaching and Learning Prof. Raymond WONG Chi-Wing Awarded Michael G. Gale Medal for Distinguished Teaching Content Banner Prof. Raymond Wong Chi-Wing received the Michael G. Gale Medal for Distinguished Teaching 2020. Prof. Raymond Wong Chi-Wing received the Michael G. Gale Medal for Distinguished Teaching 2020. [Download Photo] Body Prof. Raymond WONG Chi-Wing, Department of Computer Science and Engineering (CSE), has won the prestigious Michael G. Gale Medal for Distinguished Teaching in 2020. The honor was established by the University Council of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) in 1994 and is awarded to the faculty member who best exemplifies the continued pursuit of excellence, devotion to teaching and the ability to inspire and motivate others. It is presented annually to one outstanding faculty member from across all Schools at HKUST.

Prof. Wong joined HKUST in 2008 after receiving his PhD from the Chinese University of Hong Kong. His research interests primarily lie in the areas of big data, data mining, and database systems.

“Being an alchemist” is the teaching philosophy of Prof. Wong, who works his “magic” on his students by upholding nine principles of teaching – Active interaction, Listening, Care, High-quality teaching, Eagerness to take challenges, Motivate students to work harder and develop their skills, Inspire students, Sharing, and Technology. The inquiry-based learning approach he adopts in his classes has resulted in numerous high-achieving research students under his supervision receiving awards within and outside the University during his 12-year tenure at HKUST.

Prof. Wong’s strong commitment to creating an engaging, interactive, and supportive classroom environment, and designing courses that help students meet real-life decision making challenges, such as the highly popular common core program “COMP 1942 Exploring and Visualizing Data”, has led to him being recognized with the Honorary Mention in the HKUST Common Core Teaching Excellence Award twice.

Prof. Wong clearly understands that an excellent teacher should care for, listen to, and motivate his students instead of simply imparting academic knowledge, so he strives to help students develop not only intellectually but in all aspects of life. There are numerous nomination letters from students who appreciated the time and care he gave them, helping them with problems and decisions that impacted their future careers and lives.

Related link: Citation of Prof. Raymond Wong

NEWS TAGS News Tags Recognition Award Computer Science and Engineering Teaching and Learning Education SHARE

(From left to right) Prof. Yeung Dit-Yan, Head of Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Provost Prof. Lionel M. Ni, Prof. Raymond Wong Chi-Wing, President Prof. Wei Shyy, and Dean of Engineering Prof. Tim Cheng Before the pandemic, Prof. Raymond Wong used to hold meal gatherings with his undergraduate students to listen to their needs and share his insights. Prof. Raymond Wong also engaged both his postgraduate and undergraduate students through regular activities outside classroom.

16/04/2021 EN 繁 简 Thumbnail Title World Leader in Transportation Research Prof. YANG Hai Received ASCE Francis C. Turner Award Content Banner Prof. Yang Hai is recognized for his outstanding research, selfless mentorship, and exceptional editorial expertise. Prof. Yang Hai is recognized for his outstanding research, selfless mentorship, and exceptional editorial expertise. [Download Photo] Body Prof. YANG Hai, Chair Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering, clinched the 2021 Francis C. Turner Award by the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE).

The award, established in 1988 by ASCE Transportation and Development Institute (T&DI), is conferred to individuals making profound contributions to the advancement of the knowledge and practice of transportation engineering. Prof. Yang was recognized for his outstanding leadership in the fields of transportation network modeling and transportation economics, as well as extraordinary record in both research and mentoring.

Having established himself as a top authority on the analysis of transportation networks and transportation economics, Prof. Yang has published highly influential papers in prestigious journals such as Transportation Research Part B, Transportation Research Part C, Transportation Science, and Networks and Spatial Economics. His papers have accumulated over 24,000 citations in Google Scholar, which places him among the very top civil engineering researchers in the world. Prof. Yang served as the editor-in-chief of Transportation Research Part B: Methodological from 2013 to 2018, during which the journal was made even more influential with its quantity of papers published annually doubled and the impact factor increased. Currently, he is a distinguished editorial board member of this leading journal. The significance of Prof. Yang’s work is reflected not only in enhancing the understanding of complex transportation problems and advancing transportation thinking, but also in achieving practical impact. His work on on-demand transportation (including ridesharing services such as Uber and traditional taxi services) has been highly influential and has been adapted to both public and private sectors to improve the operations and efficiencies of such services.

Apart from his accomplishments in research, Prof. Yang was described as a deeply committed educator, with measurable and recognized impact, resulting in many of his graduated PhD students winning numerous awards and establishing their own highly successful academic careers.

Prof. Yang joined HKUST in 1993. Prior to this accolade, he received the 2020 Frank M. Masters Transportation Engineering Award, also by ASCE, and a number of awards and honors over the past years. These include the State Natural Science Award by the State Council (2011), Chang Jiang Chair Professorship by the Ministry of Education (2012), and Research Excellence Award of the HKUST School of Engineering (2012).

NEWS TAGS News Tags Recognition Transportation Research Civil and Environmental Engineering

03/02/2021 EN 繁 简 Thumbnail Title National Accolade for Young Scientist Prof. WANG Jiguang Received Zhong Nanshan Youth Science and Technology Innovation Award Content Banner Prof. Wang Jiguang is the only awardee from Hong Kong among the 10 inaugural recipients of the prestigious Zhong Nanshan Youth Science and Technology Innovation Award. Prof. Wang Jiguang is the only awardee from Hong Kong among the 10 inaugural recipients of the prestigious Zhong Nanshan Youth Science and Technology Innovation Award. [Download Photo] Body Prof. WANG Jiguang, Division of Life Science and Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, received the Zhong Nanshan Youth Science and Technology Innovation Award (鍾南山青年科技創新獎). The honor is bestowed upon individuals who demonstrate outstanding contributions in the fields of medicine and life science.

The award and its fund, newly established in 2020, aim to cultivate innovation and technology talents and foster innovative development in the areas of medicine and life science, as well as promote public health and epidemic prevention. The award is presented annually to no more than 10 Chinese youths under the age of 38. In its inaugural year, Prof. Wang is the only recipient from Hong Kong among the 10 awardees.

Prof. Wang obtained his PhD in Applied Mathematics from the Academy of Mathematics and Systems Science of the Chinese Academy of Sciences in 2011. He then worked as a Postdoctoral Research Scientist in the Department of Biomedical Informatics at Columbia University, where he developed TEDG, a computational method that reconstructs the evolution history of chronic lymphocytic leukemia. In 2015, he was named as an Irving Institute Precision Medicine Fellow and promoted to Associate Research Scientist of the department. He joined HKUST as an Assistant Professor in 2016.

Prof. Wang has been focusing on the study of computational biology and precision medicine of glioblastoma. His current interests also include the research of applying machine learning and data science technologies to biology and medicine.

Prior to the current award, he also clinched the prestigious accolade of Excellent Young Scientist in 2019 by the National Natural Science Foundation of China. Internally, received the School of Engineering Young Investigator Research Award 2018-19. His papers were published on top journals including Nature, Cell, Nature Genetics and Nature Communications.

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About the Zhong Nanshan Youth Science and Technology Innovation Award (in Chinese) SENG news (Oct 21, 2020): Prof. WANG Jiguang Marries Math with Biology to Help Find Cure to Rare Brain Cancer NEWS TAGS News Tags Recognition Chemical and Biological Engineering Life Science Innovation Cancer Genomics Biomedical Engineering

12/01/2021 Thumbnail Title Eminent Leaders Recognized Dean of Engineering and Chair Professors Elected Fellows of Hong Kong Academy of Engineering Sciences Content Banner (From left) Prof. Tim Cheng, Prof. Khaled B. Letaief, and Prof. Zhang Qian are newly elected Fellows of the Hong Kong Academy of Engineering Sciences. (From left) Prof. Tim Cheng, Prof. Khaled B. Letaief, and Prof. Zhang Qian are newly elected Fellows of the Hong Kong Academy of Engineering Sciences. [Download Photo] Body Dean of Engineering Prof. Tim CHENG, New Bright Professor of Engineering Prof. Khaled B. LETAIEF, and Tencent Professor of Engineering Prof. ZHANG Qian were elected 2020 Fellows of the Hong Kong Academy of Engineering Sciences (HKAES).

HKAES is an organization of Hong Kong’s most eminent engineers of various disciplines who are recognized leaders of the profession with distinguished achievements in engineering sciences or applications. The fellowship is characterized by dedication to serving Hong Kong, the Mainland China and the region with top-quality engineering expertise. All are elected by their peers for personal achievements of exceptional merit and distinction. A total of six Fellows were newly elected in 2020.

An internationally leading researcher with excellent experience in fostering cross-disciplinary research collaboration, Prof. Tim Cheng is a world authority in the field of VLSI testing and design verification, as well as an impactful contributor across a wide range of research areas including design automation of electronic and photonic systems, mobile computer vision, and learning-based multimedia computing.

He joined HKUST as the Dean of Engineering in 2016 and is concurrently a Chair Professor jointly in the Departments of Electronic & Computer Engineering and Computer Science & Engineering.

Prior to this, he spent more than two decades at the University of California, Santa Barbara where he took up various important academic leadership roles, such as Founding Director of the Computer Engineering Program (1999-2002), Chair of Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering (2005-2008), Acting Associate Vice-Chancellor for Research (2013) and Associate Vice-Chancellor for Research (2014-2016).

He has published more than 400 technical papers, co-authored five books, held 12 US patents, and transferred several of his inventions into successful commercial products. He is a Fellow of IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) and his works are of high impact with due recognition from the field, including most recently Taiwan’s Pan Wen Yuan Foundation Award for Outstanding Research in 2020.

Prof. Khaled B. Letaief, Chair Professor of Electronic and Computer Engineering, is an internationally recognized leader in wireless communications and networks with research interest in artificial intelligence, big data analytics systems, mobile cloud and edge computing, tactile Internet, 5G systems and beyond.

He joined HKUST in 1993 and had served in many high-level administrative positions, including Dean of Engineering (2009-2015) and Head of Department of Electronic and Computer Engineering (2003-2009) at HKUST, and Provost of Hamad Bin Khalifa University (2015-2018) in Qatar. He also took leadership roles in professional societies, such as President of the IEEE Communications Society (2018-2019), the world’s leading organization for communications professionals, and Founding Editor-in-Chief (2002-2006) of the well-regarded IEEE Transactions on Wireless Communications.

In his research areas, he has over 640 papers with over 37,500 citations and an h-index of 88. He also has 15 patents, including 11 US inventions. A Fellow of IEEE and HKIE, he has recently added to his long list of accolades with Tunisia’s national award for the Best Tunisian Researcher or Inventor Abroad in 2020.

Prof. Zhang Qian joined HKUST in 2005 and is currently a Chair Professor of Computer Science and Engineering. She is also a Co-Director of Huawei-HKUST Innovation Lab and the Director of Digital Life Research Center of HKUST. Her research interests include Internet of Things (IoT), smart health, mobile computing and sensing, wireless networking, as well as cyber security.

She has published more than 400 refereed papers in international leading journals and key conferences in her fields and is the inventor of more than 50 granted and 20 pending international patents. She has served as the Editor-in-Chief of IEEE Transactions on Mobile Computing since January 2020.

Prof. Zhang has received many awards and honors since her early career, including IEEE Fellow (2011), MIT TR100 (MIT Technology Review) world’s top young innovator award (2004), Best Asia Pacific Young Researcher Award by IEEE Communications Society (2004), and a number of best paper awards in top conferences. She held the Changjiang Chair Professor title in Huazhong University of Science and Technology from 2012 to 2015.

NEWS TAGS News Tags Recognition Research and Technology Electronic and Computer Engineering Computer Science and Engineering

29/03/2021 EN 繁 简 Thumbnail Title Cross-Disciplinary Contributions to Chemistry and Engineering Prof. YANG Jinglei Named a Fellow of Royal Society of Chemistry Content Banner Prof. Yang Jinglei’s research interfaces cross-disciplinary areas ranging from chemistry, materials engineering, manufacturing to mechanics. Prof. Yang Jinglei’s research interfaces cross-disciplinary areas ranging from chemistry, materials engineering, manufacturing to mechanics. [Download Photo] Body Prof. YANG Jinglei, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, has been named a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC). Conferred to individuals who have made major contributions to chemistry, the honor recognizes Prof. Yang’s accomplishments in materials chemistry, surface/interface science, and composite engineering.

Prof. Yang’s research aims at tackling engineering problems via materials innovation, which interfaces cross-disciplinary areas ranging from chemistry, materials engineering, manufacturing to mechanics. His current interests lie in using data-driven materials genome approach to design and manufacture bioinspired multifunctional composites and structures to address the challenging issues in aerospace, building, and transportation sectors. He has extensive fundamental and applied research experiences in the areas and has completed or has been leading more than 30 projects supported by the government and industrial partners since 2009 in microencapsulation, self-healing materials, self-cleaning nanocoatings, energy-efficient materials, and multifunctional composites, and smart manufacturing, etc.

Prof. Yang obtained his PhD degree from the Institute for Composite Materials at Technical University of Kaiserslautern, Germany in 2006. He then joined the Beckman Institute, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign as a postdoc research associate and later Nanyang Technological University (NTU) as an assistant professor. He received the Wilfried Ensinger Award supported by the Scientific Alliance of the University Professors of Polymer Technology (WAK) Germany (2008), Koh Boon Hwee Scholars Inspirational Teaching Award from NTU (2013), and Distinguished Young Investigator of China Frontiers of Engineering Award from Chinese Academy of Engineering (2019). He was included in the top 1% list of global materials scientists assessed by standardized citation metrics (2020) and named a Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society (2021). He has/had also been an editorial board member or associate editor of Composites Communications, Plastics, Rubber and Composites, Functional Composites and Structures, and Journal of Micromechanics and Molecular Physics, etc. Currently, he is the Acting Head of Sustainable Energy and Environment Thrust of Function Hub, HKUST(GZ), Executive Director of HKUST-Bright Dream Robotics Joint Research Institute, and Director of Center for Engineering Materials and Reliability.

Founded in 1841, RSC is a world-leading chemistry society based in the United Kingdom and is the largest organization in Europe for advancing chemical sciences. Its membership totals over 50,000 worldwide. RSC fellows hold positions of influence in the community and have invaluable experience, expertise and commitment to promoting the value of chemical science.

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SENG News (Jan 26, 2021): Prof. YANG Jinglei Elected a Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society NEWS TAGS News Tags Recognition Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Materials Chemistry

08/03/2021 EN 繁 简 Thumbnail Title A Female Role Model Prof. Pascale FUNG: Woman Engineer Defies All Odds Content Banner Prof. Fung was discouraged to be an engineer when in high school but she stood by her choice with her contrarian personality. Prof. Fung was discouraged to be an engineer when in high school but she stood by her choice with her contrarian personality. [Download Photo] Body Known for her outstanding achievements in artificial intelligence, Professor Pascale FUNG’s contributions go beyond her research breakthroughs and the building of intelligent systems. Having been teaching at HKUST for 24 years, Prof. Fung is also a female role model. Here is an exchange of views between a female engineering student and an AI expert about their upbringing as well as female perspective in engineering and life pursuit.

As an engineering undergraduate myself, I was lucky enough to speak to Prof. Fung, which I never had a chance before. I was a little nervous while waiting for her for the interview. But when Prof. Fung walked into the room, I was amazed by her strong sense of enthusiasm and more importantly, confidence. I instantly knew that I was going to learn so much from her.

“I would prove you wrong” Growing up, Prof. Fung had a wide range of interests from arts, business to science, among which she was particularly fascinated by robots and science fiction. She decided to be an engineer when in high school. Her parents were very supportive but not the people around her.

“My uncle told my mom that I was smart and number one in many things but I could never beat the boys in mathematics,” says Prof. Fung. “I thought I was going to prove him wrong, and since then I never got a B in math in my life.”

She was even discouraged by a school counselor who advised her to be a medical doctor instead of an engineer because being a doctor is an “expected” profession for girls interested in science.

“I said I wanted to be an engineer, not a medical doctor. I’m not into biology and I’m afraid of blood,” she says with a laugh. “I was told engineering was really hard especially for girls and then I said that’s what I wanted to do, so I did it!”

Everyone needs a mentor to foster one’s talent. Prof. Fung was lucky to have a lab technician who opened her a door to engineering, much like Queen’s Gambit, the hit TV series about a talented woman chess player who was taught chess by a school janitor.

“I went to an all-girls high school and there was no engineering club for us,” recalls Prof. Fung. “This lab technical taught a few girls and me about engineering and computer programming, just like an after-school class. I even started an electronics club though I was the only member.”

The “proving people wrong” spirit that Prof. Fung demonstrates is empowering to me. My father, an engineer himself, has been telling me that females do not have any advantages in the industry. When I told him I wanted to pursue engineering, he strongly persuaded me to go for architecture instead. Working in the field for so many years, my father was not trying to discourage me, but to protect me. That was when I knew being a female engineer would never be easy. However, seeing women succeed in the STEM field has motivated me, and having role models out there proved that I am on the right track.

“We need more female role models” Being in the engineering profession for many years, Prof. Fung has seen progress in gender equality in STEM-related industries. When I mentioned the fact that it is still improving at a slow pace, and to my surprise, Prof. Fung said it was rather expected.

“The conversation of gender equality in workplace has only started a while ago, so I do not anticipate a significant change to be seen until at least 5 to 10 years later,” says Prof. Fung with a sense of cautious optimism, and she looks forward to more encouragement towards females.

“There is still a small minority of women engineers in leadership positions,” she says. “If we don’t have women in senior positions, there won’t be enough role models. Then how can we encourage young women, like yourself to pursue a career in STEM?”

As a mother herself, Prof. Fung thinks the burden of being a homemaker is somehow one of the biggest reasons why ambitious women are reluctant to take up leadership roles.

“Professional women are still the ones who take care of the family, children and elderly at home, which is a significant burden for them,” explains Prof. Fung.

“Until men start sharing family responsibilities, there will always be a challenge for women.”

I had an instant realization that it had often been women who have to make this difficult choice: family or career. Maybe it is time for us to create a society where women are encouraged to do what they want with their jobs and lives.

Prof. Fung also points out a light in women in engineering. All the expected responsibilities allow females, in general, to be relatively more of a multitasker.

“Women tend to be more empathetic and understanding of others,” she says this female perspective tends to make them better team players in the workplace. “There is a general trend where female engineers participate more in human-related engineering fields, such as social robotics and education.”

This empathy perspective got a more personal manifestation when Prof. Fung was diagnosed with cancer in 2015. Working on her own treatment plan together with her doctor, she was reading the medical papers where she learned how machine learning could be used to study illnesses and diseases.

“Some people’s research saved my life,” she says. “I studied my treatment as a project and started to think what my research can help the world.”

Prof. Fung’s research team has recently launched “Meet Nora!”, a self-help platform for anyone undergoing quarantine because of COVID-19 to keep themselves emotionally healthy.

“You’ve got to believe in yourself” “I love what I do. It gives me meaning,” that is how Prof. Fung concluded her career and life pursuit so far.

When I think about it, Prof. Fung’s attitude of proving people wrong helped her walk this far in her journey in engineering. It is almost as if I can find the same quality in any other women out there, myself included, aspiring to win life.

“To be successful is to ignore people who told you that you could not,” says Prof. Fung with pride and firmness. “That is what I always tell my daughter and students. The more you want to do, the more people want to doubt you. But it’s really important to believe you can. We need to encourage them and make them believe that they can.”

At the end of the day, yes, we do face adversities, challenges, and discrimination. Yet, if we pick ourselves up and carry on, we can prove, not just to others, but to ourselves that we are empowered and strong.

Watch the interview with Prof. Pascale Fung here.

Article contributed by Dorothy CHIU Yin-Ching, School of Engineering

(This news was originally published by the HKUST Public Affairs Office here.)

NEWS TAGS News Tags Women in Engineering Women / Gender Artificial Intelligence Electronic and Computer Engineering Careers Robotics Data Science SHARE

Prof. Fung says it is important to have more females in leadership positions to serve as role models for aspiring female engineers. Prof. Fung is the founding chair of Women Faculty Association at HKUST, where she says, students can find people who care about gender equality.

08/03/2021 Thumbnail Title Greater Bay Area Entrepreneur Forging a Beautiful and Caring Path to Success Content Banner HKUST Chemical and Biological Engineering alumna Eva Tsang shares her experiences and management philosophy on working in the Greater Bay Area where she has made her mark on the cosmetics industry. HKUST Chemical and Biological Engineering alumna Eva Tsang shares her experiences and management philosophy on working in the Greater Bay Area where she has made her mark on the cosmetics industry. [Download Photo] Body When HKUST Engineering Alumna Eva TSANG Chin-Lam (1999 BEng in Chemical Engineering), currently Executive Director of Opal Cosmetics (HK) Limited, walked gracefully down the red carpet in a glittering gown to accept the Greater Bay Area (GBA) Outstanding Women Entrepreneur Award 2020, she was buoyed by the belief that the honor was an endorsement of her two decades of entrepreneurship. Having been blessed with a career without dramatic turning points, she shares that she has simply kept moving forward one step at a time. She skims over the difficulties, diffusing any bitterness with her bright smile, demonstrating the strong positive spirit that propelled her forward.

“Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, I have spent a year entirely in Hong Kong for the first time in over a decade,” Eva shares. “A few years after I graduated, I went to Mainland China to work. I am normally there from Monday to Friday and come back to Hong Kong for the weekends.”

“I chose to work on the Mainland firstly because I saw the opportunity for the engineering profession there. My life plan was to learn as much as I could,” she says, acknowledging that basing herself in China was not easy, especially in the early years.

“There was much I needed to adapt to, I had to deal with innumerable small challenges with my colleagues. For example, sudden power outages or the lightning rod not being set up properly,” she recalls, with amusement. None of this dimmed her desire to learn and explore.

Over the years, Eva has witnessed the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, in terms of people, industry, living standards and technology. She encourages young people to bravely venture into the area, saying, “Just give it a try when you are young.”

Woman on the go As a woman with a family, whose job involved frequent travel, managing her schedule was tricky. “I have to plan ahead. Let’s just say I had to raise my child and guide his schoolwork remotely, sometimes using pre-recorded videos. I saw my friends regularly traveling for leisure, when I was busy all the time,” she says, then adds firmly: “It all depends on your choices and priorities. Having a life plan is of vital importance.”

Nevertheless, she believes gender is irrelevant to success, that it is talent that matters. “Girls need not pay attention to other people’s opinions on whether they should study engineering or be entrepreneurs as long as they can prove themselves.” She believes that women who choose engineering tend to be open-minded and have strong wills.

Asked why she chose HKUST, Eva cheerfully explains it was because she wanted to accept the challenge as it was a new university at the time and that she chose chemical engineering as she wanted to study an applied science. “The university has had a great influence on both my career and life. I am grateful to HKUST students and faculty for maintaining the university’s reputation and scaling new heights, so that alumni are always proud of their alma mater.”

Eva’s leadership skills were already in evidence at university, where she was the first female chairperson of the Engineering Students’ Union. “While there was hesitation about my ability in the beginning, I took action to prove myself. I gained precious experience on how to form a team and had the opportunity to organize international events which brought students from over 10 countries and regions to the HKUST campus.” All this broadened her horizons by showing her how big the world is.

Luck and opportunity “I have been lucky to find a company that knows how to appreciate my talents,” Eva says of Opal Cosmetics, which she joined in 2004.

She believes a beautiful life depends on your attitude to managing it. This philosophy is in sync with the values of the industry. “Cosmetics enable people to project beauty. The industry is concerned with developing better products to add value to customers’ lifestyles,” she observes.

Asked what contributed to her success, Eva first cites “being proactive and knowing how to seize opportunities”. Deciding to go to China when she did is an example of this. She has been constantly seeking change and learning to adapt over the years. “Second, you have to be forward-looking. Even if you consider your job an ordinary one, are you able to identify opportunities when they arise?”

Having acceded to top management, Eva sees great value in being caring. “How can we create a caring work environment? A salary increase or promotion alone cannot achieve this, but could it help employees design their own career path or recognize their strengths, thus discovering the value of existence? That’s my ultimate concern, and it is also an important factor in motivating staff, retaining talent and fostering corporate development.”

Eva realized a long time ago that success does not depend on a single person but on a team, and the enterprise as a whole. “What people need most is hope, whether in the company or in the project. Entrepreneurs must pay attention to this.”

Decathlon in 2020 It is perhaps fitting that Eva was recognized for her achievements last year, which she describes as the most challenging year of her career. Responsible for overseeing the operations and management of the company’s sales and marketing department, she reveals she had to make full use of all the skills she has developed, particularly in crisis management.

“The whole team had to adapt to the market quickly yet accurately. In 2020, our flexibility and experience were fully reflected in how we handled crises.”

With many companies in the industry facing bankruptcy, Eva reflected deeply on which direction to take in response to market needs. “I realized we could no longer focus on our regular business and had to immediately pivot and devote ourselves to the introduction of PPE (personal protective equipment) products.”

She is profoundly impressed by her team’s agility. “I could not go back to the Mainland, and our factories faced questions over whether they could operate and how to ensure safety. In Hong Kong, we had to overcome marketing, logistical and other problems while preventing the spread of infection. It seemed like we were running a decathlon.”

The silver lining is that the company’s business has grown significantly while Eva witnessed the resilience of her team. “After the experience of 2020, we are no longer afraid of 2021, which may be even worse,” she says with confidence.

She has also been inspired by the industry’s sense of mission last year. “Instead of making money, we were motivated by the idea that we had the ability to do something for the people of Hong Kong.”

The events of the past year have prompted her to reflect on history and how to face it. “Hong Kong has faced an economic recession almost every 10 years. Even if the crisis is more serious this time, as long as you have the ability to manage it, you can find opportunities and go on with hope.”

NEWS TAGS News Tags Entrepreneurship Greater Bay Area Women in Engineering Recognition Alumni Chemical and Biological Engineering SHARE

Eva would like to introduce more of her ideas in the coming years and to support Hong Kong charities. She hopes this might have a positive influence on others. She is also hoping to get involved in the youth development program to help the next generation understand more about the opportunities in the Greater Bay Area. Eva poses for a photo with her colleagues and friends at the Greater Bay Area Outstanding Women Entrepreneur Awards 2020, where she received an award. Eva (second left), the first female chairperson of the Engineering Students’ Union, and her committee members, organized the Association of East Asian Research Universities (AEARU) Student Camp 1998. The organizing committee, including Eva (front row, fifth from right), with all the participants of the Association of East Asian Research Universities (AEARU) Student Camp 1998. Eva (middle) greeted undergraduates from the University of Tokyo and the University of Seoul during the summer camp, touring Hong Kong landmarks with them.

05/02/2021 EN 繁 简 Thumbnail Title Sustain Green Transport HKUST ISD Students Design Concepts for Future Trams Content Banner Prof. Tsui Chi-Ying, Head of HKUST Division of Integrative Systems and Design (third right), Dr. Luisa Mok Sze-Man, Lecturer of HKUST Division of Integrative Systems and Design (second left), Mr. Cyril Aubin, Managing Director of Hong Kong Tramways (third left), Mr. Nixon Cheung, Head of Commercial and Brand of Hong Kong Tramways (first left), and Year 2 students of Integrative Systems and Design Katie Chong (second right) and Jasmine Li (first right) Prof. Tsui Chi-Ying, Head of HKUST Division of Integrative Systems and Design (third right), Dr. Luisa Mok Sze-Man, Lecturer of HKUST Division of Integrative Systems and Design (second left), Mr. Cyril Aubin, Managing Director of Hong Kong Tramways (third left), Mr. Nixon Cheung, Head of Commercial and Brand of Hong Kong Tramways (first left), and Year 2 students of Integrative Systems and Design Katie Chong (second right) and Jasmine Li (first right) [Download Photo] Body Students of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology’s (HKUST) Division of Integrative Systems and Design (ISD) have collaborated with Hong Kong Tramways to come up with innovative eco-friendly design concepts that could be incorporated into future generations of tramcars.

The project, entitled “Trams in the Hong Kong transport system: designing the 8th-generation tram for low-carbon transport futures,” was an ISD and Tramways joint effort to hone students’ critical thinking in approaching complex problems in society, particularly those related to the global challenges of climate change. In the last semester, students conducted research and designed with objectives of enhancing passenger flow or the air-ventilation of the tram, aiming to realize low-carbon transport futures.

Head of ISD, Prof. TSUI Chi-Ying, thanked Tramways for giving the 27 second-year students a unique opportunity to work on the project last semester. “Trams are an iconic and ingenious mode of low-carbon transport in Hong Kong. I am grateful that Tramways has provided our students with a platform to nurture their creativity and utilize their innovative ideas. Our students are young and creative, yet how they will develop their ideas in useful and elegant ways is what we want to see,” said Prof. Tsui.

Managing Director of Hong Kong Tramways, Mr. Cyril AUBIN, said, “I am delighted with the ISD students’ performance and concern about the environment and pursuit for low-carbon living. Their aspirations are in sync with Tramways’ vision. Furthermore, their concern about the customer and the comfort of people using the tram has impressed me. Designing trams is not just about the transport, but also about connecting with people, our city and history – the students are able to capture all that.”

One of the designs is “Flow,” in which air is dragged through two sets of meticulously-designed vertical ribs placed at the front and rear of the air tunnel on the upper deck. In addition, air is brought to the lower deck through an open staircase design.

“We have also applied semantic design language to promote passenger experience with a wavy ceiling. We want passengers to both feel cooler and realize how the improved air flow works,” said Katie CHONG, who worked on the project with Joshua WONG and Cici CHEN.

Another team developed “Seabreeze”, a modular design that makes use of the Coanda effect as realized in a seashell. It enhances the natural evaporative cooling effect by increasing each module’s surface area. Aesthetically, its wavy outlook echoes the wind blowing from the ocean.

Team member Jasmine LI said, “We have tried to upgrade air ventilation so as to encourage more people to use this fascinating low-emission means of transport.” Her teammates are Colman CHEUK and Connie CHOW.

ISD Lecturer Dr. Luisa MOK Sze-Man said, “This course develops students’ systems thinking integrated with a design approach to solve problems in real life. Coming from the design discipline, I like teaching engineering students because of their background and interest in technology, which highly enhance design solutions for, in particular, climate change challenges.”

The project was part of ISD’s course works for students to explore design interventions for systems change. It covered an iterative design development process of deliberations, verifications of concepts, testing of prototypes, and repeated improvements on designs. During the last semester, the students created a total of 10 models for tramcars.

Watch the course video here.

About HKUST Division of Integrative Systems and Design

The Division of Integrative Systems and Design provides students with multidisciplinary training in integrative systems and design. It has a student-centric curriculum, constructed according to students’ talents and interests, and a project-based learning approach whereby students study and work in teams. Students acquire knowledge of design and systems thinking, expertise in specific technologies, and an entrepreneurial spirit through “learning by doing.” The emergence of disruptive innovations requires cutting-edge science and engineering advancement and creates a huge demand for innovators who can integrate know-how that spans disciplines with a human-centred mindset.

About Hong Kong Tramways

Hong Kong Tramways Limited (Tramways) has been serving Hong Kong since 1904 and operates nowadays a fleet of 165 tramcars including two antique party tramcars, a unique “TramOramic Tour” sightseeing tramcar and an unprecedented Circus Tram which focuses on promoting Hong Kong’s art and culture experiences. Tramways is the world’s unique fleet of double-deck tramcars in operation, carrying up to 200,000 passengers every day. It has been keeping up efforts in developing a world-wide recognized icon, while offering the greenest, the most affordable and the most joyful transport mode in Hong Kong.

Tramways is owned by RATP Dev Asia.

NEWS TAGS News Tags Integrative Systems and Design Design Thinking Experiential Learning Transportation Environment Undergraduate SHARE

Katie Chong (right) and Jasmine Li (left) enthusiastically presented their design concepts named “Flow” and “Seabreeze” respectively. In the design “Flow”, air is dragged through two sets of meticulously-designed vertical ribs placed at the front and rear of the air tunnel on the upper deck. In addition, air is brought to the lower deck through an open staircase design. “Seabreeze” is a modular design that makes use of the Coanda effect as realized in a seashell. It enhances the natural evaporative cooling effect by increasing each module’s surface area. Aesthetically, its wavy outlook echoes the wind blowing from the ocean. “The other door” design: A new door is placed on the upper deck for passengers to leave the tram directly in order to alleviate congestion and shorten waiting time. “Wavy flow” design: By installing a new S-curved seat in the middle of the cabin, the existing single passenger route is split into two and hence enhances passenger flow.

31/12/2020 Thumbnail Title The Voyage of Entrepreneurship Dr. ZHANG Yunfei Shares Insights on Innovation and Start-Up Content Banner Prof. Tim Cheng (top left), Dean of Engineering, introducing Dr. Zhang Yunfei (bottom) as the guest speaker and Prof. Jack Lau (top right) as the moderator in the third webinar of the HKUST Entrepreneurship Fireside Chat Series. Prof. Tim Cheng (top left), Dean of Engineering, introducing Dr. Zhang Yunfei (bottom) as the guest speaker and Prof. Jack Lau (top right) as the moderator in the third webinar of the HKUST Entrepreneurship Fireside Chat Series. [Download Photo] Body The third episode in the HKUST Entrepreneurship Fireside Chat Series returned on December 15, 2020, entitled “A 10-year Journey from an Engineering PhD Student to a Revolutionary Entrepreneur”. The featured guest speaker was Dr. ZHANG Yunfei, Founder and President of Zhuhai Yunzhou Intelligence Technology Ltd. (Yunzhou), China’s first unmanned surface vehicles (USV) company. Starting off with a warm welcome from Dean of Engineering Prof. Tim CHENG, the webinar brought a homecoming yet insightful conversation on innovation and entrepreneurship between Dr. Zhang and the moderator Prof. Jack LAU, both HKUST PhD graduates.

Transformative 10 years in entrepreneurship Dr. Zhang used to like building ship models since childhood. He received his MPhil and PhD degrees in Mechanical Engineering at HKUST in 2009 and 2020 respectively. Since commencing his PhD study, he embarked on unmanned ships research with other HKUST students during their spare time. Looking at the achievements of Yunzhou, he considered that starting and sustaining an enterprise is never plain sailing.

As Dr. Zhang recalled, the team conducted extensive research and development spanning over three years for their first unmanned ship, which was only launched two and a half years after Yunzhou was established. Throughout the decade, Yunzhou continued to innovate and develop unmanned ships of different tonnage and size, in order to cope with the needs of different massive projects. For example, to conduct monitoring of the waters for the project of immersed tunnel of Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge and the Western Artificial Island. Seeing the growth of the market, in 2020, Yunzhou has produced more than 1,000 unmanned ships and its sales have outgrown the previous year by five times.

Nonetheless, launching a start-up requires more than technology and its end-product. Dr. Zhang mentioned that while engineering students devote their passion to designing products, some often omit the importance of understanding the market demand. This realization came to Dr. Zhang when he considered starting a business. He and his partners therefore spent a whole year conducting market research across provinces and regions such as Yunnan, Sichuan and Guangxi, in order to gain thorough understanding of market needs. It was when they confirmed the feasibility of the idea that they formally started Yunzhou in 2010.

Learning beyond boundaries Dr. Zhang said his learning experience at HKUST and Shenzhen Experimental School had significant impact on his path, transforming him from a PhD student to a successful entrepreneur as both allowed him to cultivate his hobbies through the free space and facilities. Because of this, he attaches great importance to education and creating better opportunities for future talents. In 2020, Yunzhou held the first Wanshan Smart Boat Open Competition, inviting teams of tertiary students to put theories learned and algorithms designed into actual models.

As an HKUST alumnus, Dr. Zhang cares much about the development of the juniors. Earlier, he gifted two Dolphin 1 surface rescue vehicles to HKUST. The software of the vehicles was also made open for students to study and explore, or eventually to come up with new algorithms or creations.

To all his juniors aiming to start their own businesses, he believes it is crucial to have a clear vision of their career aspirations. He suggested students adopt a “T-shaped” learning framework. Horizontally, he encourages them to expand their skill sets, which should be comprehensive including technical knowledge and necessary skills in managing a business such as communications and financial management. Vertically, he stresses the importance to deepen their expertise in the industry for growth and development.

Never-ending exploration Looking ahead, Dr. Zhang said, throughout the past decade, he has been constantly learning and visualizing how unmanned system on water could serve societal needs. With the vision to explore the unknowns in the ocean which could be correlated to climate change and natural disasters, Yunzhou is working on another revolutionary technology – Intelligent Mobile Ocean Stereo Observation System (IMSOS), which integrates cross-media domain including underwater, road and aerial to operations in marine or environment scientific research. The technological evolution is expected to break new ground for future development strategy in the industry. Being the pilot in the industry with its creativity, Yunzhou shall continue to venture into the ocean and beyond.

Watch the full recording of this webinar here or read the transcript here.

NEWS TAGS News Tags Entrepreneurship Startup Alumni Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Postgraduate

30/03/2021 EN 繁 简 Thumbnail Title Work Hard, Play Harder HKUST Robotics Team Crowned Champion and First Runner-Up in HKSTP Human-Robot Basketball Competition Content Banner HKUST Robotics Team won the championship on the second day of the HKSTP Human-Robot Basketball Competition held in Hong Kong Science Park. HKUST Robotics Team won the championship on the second day of the HKSTP Human-Robot Basketball Competition held in Hong Kong Science Park. [Download Photo] Body The HKUST Robotics Team was crowned both the first runner-up on the first day and the champion on the second day of the HKSTP Human-Robot Basketball Competition held in Hong Kong Science Park on March 11-12, 2021. Robots of university teams paired up with a human basketball shooter from the Park community and completed the tasks of passing, dribbling, and shooting to attain scores. The team with the highest score in all matches was titled the champion of the day.

The HKUST team was formed by nine engineering and science students from various disciplines, including electronic engineering, computer engineering, computer science, civil engineering, and mechanical engineering. They utilized their theoretical and practical knowledge gained from the HKUST Robotics Team and other courses to build a robot that was able to grab and hold multiple size 7 basketballs, which were later used for passing and scoring.

In the first half of the match, teams had to program a basketball robot to collect basketballs scattered on the field and passed them to the team’s human player standing in the receiving zone. In the second half, the robot needed to avoid obstacles and passed the ball to the human basketball shooter standing at the other end to shoot the ball.

With close collaboration between the robot and the basketball player, the HKUST team won nearly all the games on both days and achieved the highest score to be the champion on the second day of the competition. HKUST students had put their efforts into building a fully functional robot within limited time and shown their ability to react fast with an improved version of the robot on the second day.

This pleasing achievement was a result of creativity and collaboration from all team members, who supported each other to overcome challenges and were keen to exchange ideas. The team had quickly come up with a feasible solution according to the game rules and made good use of their existing resources on building and improving the robot. This competition also provided a great platform for them to apply what they have learnt from school and their previous competition experiences.

Hosted by the Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation (HKSTP) in its newly built basketball court, the competition invited four teams from two local universities (The Chinese University of Hong Kong and The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology) and aims to promote a “Work. Live. Play. Learn.” innovation culture within the Park community.

Student list

Watch the videos of the competition on March 11 & March 12.

This news was prepared with the help of HKUST Robotics Team members LEE Lok-Yin and Nicole YUEH Chee-Lin, both Year 1 postgraduates from the Department of Electronic and Computer Engineering.

NEWS TAGS News Tags Robotics Innovation Student Competition Award SHARE

A student drove the basketball robot. Team members worked hard to fine-tune the robot.

22/12/2020 Thumbnail Title Championship for Three Years Final Year Project on Real-Time Microplastics Detection Recognized by HKIE Environmental Division Content Banner The Smart Fish conducts microplastics sampling near the seaside of the HKUST campus. The Smart Fish conducts microplastics sampling near the seaside of the HKUST campus. [Download Photo] Body Ateam of 2020 graduates from the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering (CBE) in the School of Engineering and Department of Ocean Science (OCES) in the School of Science won the championship of HKIE Environmental Division Prize for Best Final Year Environmental Project 2019-2020 for their final year project on “Real-time Detection of Microplastics Using a Smart Fish Model”. This marks the third straight year for a final year project team from the School of Engineering to receive the championship.

Jointly supervised by Prof. Frank LAM Leung-Yuk of CBE Department and Prof. Cindy LAM Ka-Sin of OCES Department, the cross-disciplinary team was made up of CHEUNG King-Pok, WONG Pui-Him, both BEng in Chemical and Environmental Engineering, HO Man-Yat, BEng in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, and CHOW Chun-Sing, BSc in Environmental Science.

The project is a cutting-edge prototype for the online quantification of microplastics (small pieces of plastic with a diameter of less than 5mm) on the seawater surface. Microplastics are ubiquitous in the environment and pose a serious threat to the ocean and aquatic life. Conventional approaches in microplastics research are costly, time-consuming and labor-intensive, hindering the broadening of knowledge frontiers in this area.

The Smart Fish developed by the team provides real-time monitoring and detection of microplastics and water quality in surface water. This significantly reduces the cost and manpower in microplastics sampling and helps alleviate marine pollution. They also developed a feasible and practical staining methodology to differentiate microplastics from other wastes in the seawater sample as well as an image capturing system that transfers real-time data to users via an interactive mobile app.

The success of the project brings a breakthrough in the research field of microplastics quantification and sheds light on marine monitoring technology and ocean exploration.

Related links:

A video of the project on STEM@HKUST News on CBE Department and OCES Department NEWS TAGS News Tags Recognition Undergraduate Chemical and Biological Engineering Environmental Protection SHARE

(From second left) Prof. Frank Lam, Prof. Cindy Lam, Chow Chun-Sing, Ho Man-Yat, Cheung King-Pok, and Wong Pui-Him Adopting a streamlined design like the shape of a devil fish to reduce water resistance, the Smart Fish works on the water surface where most microplastics can be found.

20/01/2021 Thumbnail Title Bridge to China HKUST Wu Zhi Qiao Team Awarded Gold Award for Volunteer Service Content Banner The HKUST Wu Zhi Qiao Leadership Team: (from left to right) Wan Hiu-Kin (BEng in Mechanical Engineering, Class of 2020), Lam Yuk-Chak (BBA in Global Business and Operations Management, Class of 2022), Yip Yui-Ho (Dual Degree Program in Technology and Management, Class of 2021), and Zhan Yichun (BSc in Global China Studies, Class of 2021) The HKUST Wu Zhi Qiao Leadership Team: (from left to right) Wan Hiu-Kin (BEng in Mechanical Engineering, Class of 2020), Lam Yuk-Chak (BBA in Global Business and Operations Management, Class of 2022), Yip Yui-Ho (Dual Degree Program in Technology and Management, Class of 2021), and Zhan Yichun (BSc in Global China Studies, Class of 2021) [Download Photo] Body The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) Wu Zhi Qiao Team helps improve the lives of underprivileged villagers in remote areas of Mainland China by initiating and implementing footbridge construction projects. Their contribution of over 1,000 hours of community service in 2019 was recognized by a Gold Award for Volunteer Service (Group) from the Social Welfare Department of the Hong Kong government.

The team took part in a Wu Zhi Qiao (Bridge to China) Charitable Foundation project in Guangxi Zhongting Village in 2019, in partnership with Chongqing Jiaotong University and Zhejiang University. In the project, the team constructed a pedestrian truss bridge and an incinerator, and carried out various repair works and community engagement activities. Their work included the engineering, procurement, construction, administration, and operation processes of the project.

One memorable episode for the team was the construction of the incinerator. Situated nearly four hours away from the closest city center, the Zhongting Village had an immense need for a better waste management system. Hence, the team designed, engineered and constructed a simple incinerator from scratch. One major challenge was the lack of large machinery to assist the construction, so they had to use simple methods and tools with basic materials such as wood to cast the cement and bricks to build the incinerator.

Their efforts paid off when they received much positive feedback on the project from the villagers, and most importantly, they were able to connect with the villagers and students from other universities to build stronger bonds and foster cultural exchanges. “The mission of the HKUST Wu Zhi Qiao Team is beyond constructing physical bridges alone and we also aim to build spiritual bridges with our volunteers and the local villagers. Hence we engaged with the villagers in various ways to build these relationships,” said LAM Yuk-Chak, a Year 3 student of BBA in Global Business and Operations Management and one of the leaders in the team.

“It is very encouraging to see the students’ commitment to making a difference to the rural villages. They gained practical experiences of working on a sustainable initiative with people of different backgrounds as well as insights into the local community and culture. All these are valuable experiences that enable them to develop as future leaders,” said Prof. ZHANG Limin, who advises the HKUST Wu Zhi Qiao Team with Prof. Ben CHAN. Both of them are from the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering.

The team is made up of 14 undergraduates in different disciplines from the Schools of Engineering, Business & Management, Humanities & Social Science, and the Interdisciplinary Programs Office.

While the team was not involved in any major projects or work in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, they are now preparing for a new project this year in Gansu. They look forward to building the bridge and have already received favorable response from the villagers in anticipation of the bridge, which is set to greatly improve their commute between shores.

NEWS TAGS News Tags Community Engagement Undergraduate Sustainable Development Civil and Environmental Engineering SHARE

Student volunteers stablized the bridge structure. Student volunteers pushed the bridge structure with the assistance of machinery. Student volunteers and supervisors helped fix the electric wiring at local villagers’ home.

16/02/2021 Thumbnail Title Lessons for Aspiring Young Entrepreneurs ZHANG Yunfei: The Resilient Navigator of Unmanned Voyage Content Banner Zhang Yunfei said building a supply chain can help lower the cost and enhance product quality, so it is important to find the first buyer of the new product. Zhang Yunfei said building a supply chain can help lower the cost and enhance product quality, so it is important to find the first buyer of the new product. [Download Photo] Body The achievements of new inventions came from long journeys of exploration, from research and development to market recognition, that not many people would notice. ZHANG Yunfei, Founder and President of Zhuhai Yunzhou Intelligence Technology Ltd. (Yunzhou), the world-leading unmanned ship corporation, had little clue his interest would shape the unicorn enterprise Yunzhou is today when he first started the business a decade ago. His entrepreneurial journey offers precious lessons for aspiring young entrepreneurs.

Zhang Yunfei loved boats as a child. With some help from his father, he made his first ship model when he was a primary-school pupil. He joined aircraft model and technology interest groups in middle school and would build model airplanes with classmates for competitions.

His passion for invention grew stronger with times. When pursuing a master’s degree at HKUST, Zhang and a group of like-minded fellow students decided to create something more advanced than model airplanes. After countless battles of ideas, their first unmanned boat set sail from Clear Water Bay.

The unmanned boat was converted from a model airplane, fitted with sensors and instruments for sampling water quality.

"We simply wanted to apply what we learned, trying to use unmanned boats to detect water quality parameters, without much forethought,” he says.

His team has since participated in many entrepreneurship competitions and won some of them. As the concept and technology of unmanned ships began to be recognized, he and his team flirted with the idea of entrepreneurship and gradually became more clued up on business concepts, such as product performance, market positioning and market demand.

They soon realized a product without market will only limit its functions and scale.

"More than a decade ago, there was no information on unmanned ships in the market, let alone demand. No direct users, no supply chain, no industrial chain. There was nothing," he says.

The team felt they should not rush into starting a business, and instead they should study the market carefully.

In 2009, the team travelled to more than ten Chinese provinces, municipalities, and regions, including Yunnan, Sichuan, Guangxi, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Hunan, and Beijing, where water pollution were serious, to study the use of unmanned ships for monitoring water quality and clean-up. They contacted the local environmental protection department, and spoke to environmental experts to examine market demand, product functionality and capacity. After a year of exploration, they determined the opportunity was a solid one.

"We saw that China's water quality monitoring and treatment methods were relatively lagging due to the lack of manpower and equipment. Unmanned ships can fill the void with their great advantages in cleaning rivers, sampling monitoring, and pollution source investigation," he says.

Now that the opportunities were clear, the next step was to step up product research and development to be the best in the field. In 2010, the team set up Yunzhou, China's first unmanned boat company, officially developing the new market.

However, only after setting up the company did they start to realize that they would have to work through nitty-gritty problems that were really taxing them.

"In the early days, there was no professional management team and clear division of labor. Employees often performed multiple jobs, like marketing, research, and even managed finances," he says.

At that time, they had little clue what financing was. The team used the prize money won in a competition and their self-raised funds to gather more than 4 million yuan for daily operations. But for a technology start-up with a heavy research and development investment, that was a drop in the bucket. The lukewarm market response and pressure prompted some team members to leave the firm.

Zhang and the remaining team continued to hone their research and development and took part in competitions to maximize product exposure.

A turning point came in 2013 when the team's research won the highest-level scientific research competition in Mainland China - the China Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition. He took advantage of the new status to obtain financing for Yunzhou and even sold the company's first unmanned ship.

Yunzhou seized the momentum and actively promoted the use of unmanned boats in water environmental protection, ocean surveys, and water accident rescue. Their products have since played important roles in the Tianjin Port explosion, leakage accident in a Gansu mine, and water pollution in Xixia County in Henan, performing rescue, pollution source investigation and treatment. The success stories brought Yunzhou rising popularity, extending their business reach to more than 30 countries and regions around the world.

When asked about the future development direction of unmanned ships, Zhang is convinced that water operations will begin to benefit from artificial intelligence. Yunzhou is developing the Intelligent Mobile Ocean Stereo Observing System, which integrates drones, unmanned ships, and submersibles to monitor the ocean in a larger range with lower cost and improved efficiency.

Looking at the industry’s future, Zhang has a comprehensive vision. "The industry is still in its early stages, so there is much room for us to make the pie bigger. This year we will launch a platform strategy to make our technology accessible, and deepen cooperation and integration with the industry,” he adds that more resources will be invested to help the industry establish professional standards and regulations.

After ten years of entrepreneurship, what does he think is the key to success? "I can't tell. I am fully committed when I do things and I put a lot of pressure on myself, but I can also quickly find ways to release the pressure. I often say that there is nothing that a midnight snack can’t fix. I don’t regret on anything as Yunzhou’s development has been smooth,” he says.

For young people aspiring to start a business, his word of advice is to develop a “T-shaped” thinking.

"By vertically, one has to delve into the professional field diligently. By horizontally, I mean the understanding of different fields, such as market and finance. You can't succeed with a narrow focus on your own professional field," he says.

Zhang started his unmanned ship business while still studying for a doctoral program at HKUST. Reminiscing about the years at the University, what he enjoyed most was the learning and research environment.

"HKUST gives us maximum freedom and a dynamic learning and growth environment. Most laboratories are open to students and at the same time they are well managed,” he says. He welcomes HKUST students to explore career opportunities at Yunzhou to help the unmanned ship industry grow.

In the future, he plans to provide practical opportunities and funding to students and scholars to cultivate the next generation of scientific research talents in unmanned ships, while actively promoting learning and exchanges among young people in the Greater Bay Area, he says.

Related link:

SENG News (Dec 31, 2020): Dr. ZHANG Yunfei Shares Insights on Innovation and Start-Up

(This news was originally published by the HKUST Public Affairs Office here.)

NEWS TAGS News Tags Greater Bay Area Entrepreneurship Research and Technology Startup Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering SHARE

Zhang Yunfei came to study at HKUST in 2007 and received his MPhil and PhD degrees in Mechanical Engineering in 2009 and 2020 respectively. Zhang Yunfei and his team, before starting their business, conducted thorough research in over 10 provinces, municipalities and regions in Mainland China to identify market opportunities and product position. Xiangshan Marine Scientific & Technology Port is China’s first base for unmanned ships industry. Yunzhou’s unmanned ship joined Chinese research vessel Xuelong for the Antarctic scientific expedition to carry out survey duties.