The Research Grants Council (RGC) of Hong Kong announced the funding results of the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC)/RGC Joint Research Scheme (JRS) and Collaborative Research Scheme (CRS) 2025/26. Six projects led by Engineering Professors received funding from JRS (five projects) and CRS (one project) with a total amount of over HK$8.7 million.

The 6 Principal Investigators from Faculty of Engineering who received funding from the JRS are, in alphabetical order of family name: Professor Chen Yue from the Department of Mechanical and Automation Engineering, Professor Patrick Lee Pak-ching from the Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Professor Lu Yi-chun from the Department of Mechanical and Automation Engineering, Professor Xu Qiang from the Department of Computer Science and Engineering, and Professor Yuan Yixuan from the Department of Electronic Engineering.

In addition, one collaborative research project between Hong Kong China and the Chinese Mainland is being funded by the NSFC/RGC CRS, led by Professor Mao Chuanbin from the Department of Biomedical Engineering.

The NSFC/RGC JRS and CRS support four-year research proposals jointly submitted by Chinese Mainland and Hong Kong researchers. The JRS aims to promote collaboration between researchers and teams in Hong Kong and the Chinese Mainland that complement the strengths of both sides. Each successful Hong Kong JRS applicant receives a maximum grant of HK$1.25 million. The CRS aims to support larger-scale collaborative research across disciplines and universities in the Chinese Mainland and Hong Kong, with a view to enhancing research output and impact. Each successful Hong Kong CRS applicant receives a maximum grant of HK$3.6 million.

Three research projects led by Professors from Faculty of Engineering have received grants of over HK$14 million from the Collaborative Research Fund (CRF) 2025/26 by the Research Grants Council (RGC). Among them, two projects have been awarded Young Collaborative Research Grant (YCRG), and one secured a Collaborative Research Equipment Grant (CREG).

Professor Dou Qi from Department of Computer Science and Engineering (Project title: Collaborative Intelligence and Autonomy through Cost-effective Embodied AI in Robotic Surgery) and Professor Martin Stolterfoht from Department of Electronic Engineering (Project title: Accelerating Silicon/Perovskite Tandem Photovoltaics Readiness through Phase-Stable and Hot-Spot Resistant Perovskite Design (STAR-PV)) have been awarded the Young Collaborative Research Grant with grant of HK$4.4 million and HK$4.9 million respectively.

Professor Yan Zhenyu from Department of Information Engineering (Project title: 3D-Scope: A High-precision and Low-latency 3D Indoor Modeling and Localization System for Smart Building, Epidemic Analysis, and Embodied AI) secured the Collaborative Research Equipment Grant with grant of HK$4.9 million for his project.

About the Collaborative Research Fund (CRF)

The Collaborative Research Fund (CRF) supports multi-investigator, multi-disciplinary projects to encourage more research groups to engage in creative, high-quality cross-disciplinary/cross-institutional projects. There are three types of grants under CRF: 1) The Collaborative Research Project Grant encourages research groups in UGC-funded universities to collaborate across disciplines and across universities, enhancing research output. It funds staff, equipment and general expenses. The RGC emphasises capacity building and the potential for developing research strengths. 2) The Collaborative Research Equipment Grant enables the acquisition of major research facilities or equipment for collaborative research, assists universities in leveraging support from equipment suppliers, and provides funding for group user fees to access major facilities. 3) The Young Collaborative Research Grant supports early-stage academic staff in leading and managing collaborative research, preparing them for larger funding opportunities. Only group research proposals are eligible.

More details: https://www.cpr.cuhk.edu.hk/en/press/cuhk-receives-over-hk52-million-from-rgcs-collaborative-research-fund-2025-26-to-advance-interdisciplinary-frontier-research/

The Faculty of Engineering proudly announces that Professor Zhou Renjie from the Department of Biomedical Engineering and Professor Sun Xiankai from the Department of Electronic Engineering have been elected as Fellows of the International Society for Optics and Photonics (SPIE) for the 2026 class.

Professor Zhou is currently an Associate Professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering, where he directs the Laser Metrology and Biomedicine Lab. His research is focused on advancing light microscopy technologies, specifically the field of quantitative phase imaging, and demonstrating the impact across fields.

Professor Sun is currently a Professor of Electronic Engineering and an Associate Director for Center of Optical Sciences. He is an expert on chip-scale integrated photonic, electronic, and mechanical devices and systems. His current research focuses on novel photonic and optomechanical nanodevices for both fundamental research and practical applications.

SPIE, the leading global society advancing light-based science and technology, recognizes Fellows for their outstanding scientific and technical contributions in optics, photonics, and imaging, as well as their dedicated service to the community. This year, 40 high-profile leaders in academia, industry, and government worldwide have received this prestigious honor. Professors Zhou and Sun are the only recipients from Hong Kong.

The SPIE Fellow designation is a testament to their pioneering research and impact in their respective fields. New Fellows will be formally acknowledged during SPIE conferences throughout 2026.

For the complete list of 2026 SPIE Fellows, please visit:
https://spie.org/news/spie-announces-2026-fellows

About SPIE
SPIE is an international society dedicated to advancing light-based technologies through interdisciplinary collaboration, education, and innovation.

Professor Ren Wei from the Department of Mechanical and Automation Engineering has been awarded HK$7.14 million under the Research Grants Council (RGC)’s Research Impact Fund (RIF) 2025/26. 

The project “Development of an in-situ sensing platform for deep-sea exploration”, coordinated by Professor Ren Wei from the Department of Mechanical and Automation Engineering, who is also Assistant Dean (Research) of the Faculty of Engineering, will develop high-sensitivity deep-sea detection technologies, overcoming scientific and technical bottlenecks in ocean exploration.

The RIF aims to encourage local academics to articulate the potential of research to deliver benefits to the wider community; and to encourage more impactful and translational research projects.

“Development of an in-situ sensing platform for deep-sea exploration”

Exploring the deep sea, Earth’s last frontier, is vital for understanding the origins of early life, sustainable resource development and ecosystem dynamics. Dissolved gases such as CO₂, CH₄ and H₂S, along with their isotopes, reveal hidden chemical and biological processes. However, conventional methods relying on discrete seawater sampling fail to capture fine-scale spatial and temporal variations. The research team will develop a novel sensing platform by integrating fibre-enhanced photothermal gas sensors with manned submersibles. These miniature sensors, based on hollow-core fibres and fibre-tip cavities, enable high-sensitivity detection with microlitre-scale samples. Encased in titanium-alloy vessels, the system will undergo rigorous laboratory and simulated deep-sea testing. Field deployment will target cold seeps and hydrothermal zones, including a trial at the Haima cold seep (1,400 m) and expeditions to hadal trenches (up to 10,000 m). The platform will provide unprecedented insights into dissolved gas distributions, biogeochemical cycles and global climate processes. Led by CUHK, the collaborative research team involves the Institute of Deep-sea Science and Engineering of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Harbin Institute of Technology (Weihai), Leibniz University Hannover, Hefei Institutes of Physical Science of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and LaSense Technology Limited.

The funding results of Research Impact Fund 2025/26 are available at:

https://www.ugc.edu.hk/eng/rgc/funding_opport/rif/funded%20research/rif2526.html