Powering the world with greener batteries CUHK Professor Lu Yi-chun receives Hong Kong Engineering Science and Technology Award 2023

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2024-03-20
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Professor Lu Yi-chun, Professor of the Department of Mechanical and Automation Engineering at The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK), has been awarded the Hong Kong Engineering Science and Technology Award (HKEST Award) 2023 by the Hong Kong Academy of Engineering Sciences for her accomplishments and contributions in materials science, engineering and energy engineering, particularly sustainable battery technology.
 
CUHK’s Pro-Vice-Chancellor Professor Sham Mai-har extended her heartfelt congratulations to Professor Lu. She said, “Professor Lu’s groundbreaking work in sustainable battery technology has contributed to a greener future for the earth. It also aligns with CUHK’s efforts to create societal impact through research and innovation. This recognition once again acknowledges the University’s dedication to creating knowledge and pushing the boundaries of innovation.
 
Professor Lu was honoured by the recognition and stated that she and her team will continue to advance energy storage technology for a future of safe, sustainable energy.  
 
Professor Lu has made ground-breaking contributions in engineering science and technology, focusing on sustainable battery technology, to address global warming. Her work in developing advanced, environmentally friendly battery technologies aligns closely with global efforts towards sustainable energy solutions. Her key innovations include developing molecular crowding electrolytes for high-voltage aqueous batteries and pioneering the world’s first low-cost, high-power, polysulphide-based flow battery with a novel charge-reinforce ion-selective membrane and biomimetic molecular catalyst. These projects represent examples of technology transfer and commercialisation.
 
Professor Lu’s contributions extend beyond the laboratory, impacting both the academic and commercial sectors in engineering science and technology. In 2020, she co-founded Luquos Energy, a start-up incubated by CUHK, focusing on scalable, safe, sustainable battery technologies for grid storage. Luquos Energy was chosen as one of the Top 10 Flow Battery Startups to Watch in 2023 by the StartUs Insights Discovery Platform, an international data-science platform.
 
About the Hong Kong Academy of Engineering Sciences and the Hong Kong Engineering Science and Technology Award
 
The Hong Kong Academy of Engineering Sciences (HKAES), comprising leaders of the Hong Kong engineering community, aspires to play a leading role in promoting the development of engineering science and technology in Hong Kong, including the nurturing of local talents and professionals for a vibrant innovation and technology industry. With the support of the Innovation and Technology Commission of the HKSAR, the Academy launched the Hong Kong Engineering Science and Technology Award (HKEST Award) in 2022 to recognise young scientists, engineers and technologists from diverse disciplines who have excelled in developing creative solutions to problems through research, development, innovation and entrepreneurship, and have made significant advancements to the betterment of society. Up to six nominees will be selected to receive the Award.

Professor Lu Yi-chun and team

Professor Lu Yi-chun displays the green battery prototype developed at CUHK.

 

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Ady SUWARDI
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Vice-Chancellor Assistant Professor
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Faculty of Engineering organized “2023 CUHK–Mainland Optics & Photonics Workshop

Date: 
2023-12-29
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2023 CUHK–Mainland Optics & Photonics Workshop successfully took place at Faculty of Engineering during 15-17 December 2023. The three-day in-person workshop provided a free platform for academic and social interactions, joined by over 30 distinguished scholars and up to one hundred graduate students and postdoctoral fellows from Tsinghua University, CUHK, Zhejiang University, and other renowned universities/institutions in the mainland. 
 
Coordinated by Prof. Renjie Zhou (Assistant Dean for Research, Faculty of Engineering) and supported by Prof. Xiankai Sun and Chaoran Huang (Department of Electronic Engineering), Prof. Scott Yuan (Department of Biomedical Engineering), and many other colleagues in Faculty of Engineering, the workshop further fostered the existing collaborations between CUHK and mainland partners, while exploring new frontiers in research innovations and new initiatives in cultivating the next generation of leaders in the field of optics and photonics. The attendants include Prof Songlin Zhuang (Member, Chinese Academy of Engineering), Prof. Xu Liu (Distinguished Professor, Zhejiang University), Prof. Siyuan Yu (Distinguished Professor, Sun Yat-sen University), Prof. Hon Ki Tsang (Interim Dean, Faculty of Engineering), Prof. Jian-Bin Xu (Associate Dean for Research, Faculty of Engineering), Prof. Lian-Kuan Chen (Director, Lightwave Communications Laboratory), etc.  

 

Workshop group photoe

Gift to Prof. Songlin Zhuang, Honorary Chairman of Chinese Society for Optical Engineering

 

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CUHK develops new modular magnetic microrobot to deliver cells into the bile duct for targeted therapy

Date: 
2024-01-24
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A collaborative research team led by Professor Zhang Li from the Faculty of Engineering, and Professor Philip Chiu Wai-yan and Professor Tony Chan Kai-fung from the Faculty of Medicine (CU Medicine) at The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK), with Professor Joseph Sung Jao-yiu from Nanyang Technological University, who is also an emeritus professor at CU Medicine, has developed a modular microrobot with lockable and detachable modules, which provides a powerful propulsive force for targeted cell delivery in the bile duct without leaving any non-degradable materials inside it. This collaborative work was published recently in the renowned international research journal Science Advances.
 
Challenges for microrobots in simultaneously achieving strong actuation capability, multifunctionality and long-term biosafety
 
Currently, cell-based therapy in the biliary tract or liver can delivered through vascular routes or endoscopy. However, the majority of the cells do not reach the targeted region due to the non-specific delivery. Magnetic microrobots could potentially revolutionise minimally invasive, cell-based therapy due to their unique advantages, such as the ability to navigate regions inside the human body that are inaccessible by conventional medical tools. However, while navigating mucous environments, integrating desirable multi-tasking capabilities into such a miniature device and guaranteeing the long-term biosafety of high-dose magnetic materials pose significant challenges.
 
Modular design of microrobots with uncompromised multifunctionality 
 
The modular magnetic microrobot designed by the research team has overcome the bottleneck for using magnetic microrobots for biomedical applications. It provides a strategy to simultaneously endow microrobots with superior magnetic actuation capabilities and cellular function without compromising either, allowing for the future development of minimally invasive, targeted cell-based therapy for bile duct diseases. 
 
Professor Zhang, Professor in the Department of Mechanical and Automation Engineering, explained, “The modular microrobot is a combination of magnetic actuation (MA) and cell scaffold (CS) modules, which are similar to a rocket and a satellite, respectively. The MA module functions as the propulsion and control component, while the CS module provides capabilities for cell loading and biodegradability, facilitating targeted therapy. The MA module (rocket) and CS module (satellite) separate after reaching the target site. The MA module, consisting of a high dose of magnetic materials, is retrieved using an endoscope, after navigating back to the deploying catheter afterwards, minimising unexpected hazards. With such a retrievable design, we could use high-dose magnetic materials to combat the dynamic, mucus-like biological environment of the gastrointestinal tract, allowing more effective and efficient delivery of cell therapy. This approach holds potential for the specific treatment of biliary disease.”
 
Professor Sung, CUHK Emeritus Professor of Medicine, Dean of Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, and Senior Vice President (Health and Life Sciences), Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, remarked, “This is like science fiction come true. The new microrobot offers a minimally invasive approach to body systems that are otherwise inaccessible to medical interventions. It can potentially be developed to treat inflammatory and/or malignant conditions. We have successfully validated our concept in vivo using rabbit models, and demonstrated the effectiveness of magnetic navigation, on-demand disassembly and post-operational retrieval.”
 
Professor Chiu, Director of the Chow Yuk Ho Technology Centre for Innovative Medicine, CU Medicine, commented, “In this collaborative research work, we demonstrated a new approach using a modular magnetic microrobot for cell delivery in the bile duct, which realises direct endoluminal delivery of cells into the targeted region in the biliary tract and sustainable cell/drug release to lesions. It also eliminates the potential risk of residual high-dose magnetic materials. This opens up a new door for endoluminal cell-based therapy of bile duct diseases.”
 
Professor Chan, Research Assistant Professor of the Chow Yuk Ho Technology Centre for Innovative Medicine, added, “The modular design allows the microrobots to be combined with different modules, extending their potential functions with respect to different applications. We also demonstrated the compatibility of modular microrobots with medical imaging modalities available in hospitals, such as X-ray fluoroscopy and ultrasound imaging, paving the way for clinical translation. We are now working closely to translate the technology for various application sites inside the body.”
 
The team envisions that the development of the modular microrobots will lead to a promising minimally invasive microrobotic platform that offers high efficiency and safety for various endoluminal interventions, as well as diverse functionality with high clinical value.
 
(extracted from the press release issued on 25 Jan 2024 by CUHK Communications and Public Relations Office)
 

The modular microrobot is a combination of magnetic actuation (MA) and cell scaffold (CS) modules, which is designed for targeted delivery in tiny lumens.

The actual size of the modular microrobot.

Professor Zhang Li (first row, first right), Professor Tony Chan Kai-fung (second row, second right) and the research team.

 

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Congratulatory Photo taking with CUHK Robocon Team 2023

Date: 
2024-01-15
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Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporate (HKSTP) and Radio Television Hong Kong (RTHK) had announced a significant partnership at their collaboration agreement signing ceremony held on 5 January 2024 (Friday), with the aim to drive advancements in digital innovation and empower the future of next generation leaders. 
 
Way forward strategies especially with Robocon had been elaborated at the Ceremony. HKSTP and RTHK will tap into Hong Kong’s AI and Robotics (AIR) talent by jointly organising the International ABU Robocon in 2026. By hosting the regional competition, HKSTP and RTHK hope to nurture cross-disciplinary expertise in AI and robotics among education institutions and boost the city’s standing as a hub for world-class AI and broader I&T development.
 
Being the Champion of Robocon Hong Kong Contest 2023, “The Lord of the Rings” team from CUHK represented Hong Kong at the ABU Robocon 2023 in last August and defeated 13 champion teams to win the first runner-up and the Best Design Award. To recognize the excellent performance of CUHK Team, the CUHK Robocon Team 2023 was invited to join and witness the kickstart of this meaningful alliance, a congratulatory photo was taken at the Ceremony. 
 

Champion of Robocon Hong Kong Contest 2023, “The Lord of the Rings” team from CUHK. Guests (second row, from left): Professor Tsang Hon Ki, Interim Dean of Engineering, CUHK; Ir Dr HL Yiu, Chief Corporate Development Officer of HKSTP; Albert Wong, CEO of HKSTP; Professor Sun Dong, Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry; Eddie Cheung, Director of Broadcasting; Raymond Sy, Deputy Director of Broadcasting; Natalie Chan, Assistant Director of Broadcasting (TV & Corporate Businesses), and Dr Crystal Fok, Head of STP Platform of HKSTP

 

 

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Prof. Zhou Renjie receives 2023/24 RGC Research Impact Fund

Date: 
2024-01-12
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A research project led by Professor Zhou Renjie, Associate Professor, Department of Biomedical Engineering was awarded the 2023/24 Research Impact Fund (RIF) by the Research Grants Council (RGC). The project title is “Quantitative Phase Imaging Promoting Cell Biology, Biomedicine, New Materials and Beyond”.
 
The Research Impact Fund was launched in 2017 to encourage local universities to conduct more impactful research and collaborate with stakeholders outside academia. It offers maximum grants of $10 million to each successful project, with the university or other partner providing the remaining 30% of the project cost. The duration of each project must be three to five years.
 
About the project: 
 
Quantitative phase microscopy (QPM) is an emerging optical imaging technique for label-free, high-resolution imaging of living cells and other tiny substances. In QPM, the wavefront or phase
delay of a specimen is mapped so that it can be used to infer the specimen’s shape, internal structures, material composition and so on. This novel microscopy technology allows for monitoring of intracellular dynamics and their responses to different treatments without harming
the cells. Other advantages of QPM include high-precision, high throughput measurement capabilities that can potentially facilitate quality control during advanced manufacturing, especially chip manufacturing at the atomic scale. However, the precision of current QPM systems is limited, and they are difficult to operate and expensive, limiting access to them and their ability to make a profound impact.
 
The research team is committed to developing novel high-performance QPM systems and demonstrating their broad application. With the aim of commercializing QPM technologies, they will cooperate with industry to add custom functions to their QPM systems, making them easy to use and cost-effective for user-specific applications. The team will also disseminate knowledge to the scientific and industrial communities so the technologies can be more widely applied.
 
 

Professor Zhou Renjie

 

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【Our Memories beyond Flash】 Photo Story Collection for CUHK 60th Anniversary Celebratory Event by Faculty of Engineering

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To celebrate for the 60th anniversary of CUHK, we invite CUHK Engineering alumni, students, and staffs to share with us their photo stories about CUHK Engineering.  This is a precious opportunity to reminisce about the remarkable moments in CUHK Engineering history.  Past photo stories can also rekindle fond memories and affection for CUHK across generations. 

 

Details:

All CUHK Engineering alumni, students and staffs are welcome to submit photos and stories through the online platform. To commemorate our precious memories about the Faculty, the photo and excerpts of the stories will be filmed and showcased on the TV wall at Ho Sin-Hang Engineering Building for 2024. 

 

Eligibility:

All CUHK Engineering alumni, students and staff are invited to submit photo stories.  Simple identity check will be performed. 

 

Souvenirs:

For gratitude and bringing good memories to members of the Faculty of Engineering, some Faculty-designed souvenirs will be given to all participants.

 

Important dates:

Submission Deadline:  4 February 2024

Roll out of video of collected photos: May 2024

 

Specifications for submission:

  1. Photos, together with the brief stories (in no more than 50 words, either in Chinese or English), could be on anything relevant to CUHK Engineering.
  2. The original source of photos can be in any format, including but not limited to a digital file, digital print, color print, or black and white print.  However, only electronic submission in JPEG/JPG/TIFF/PNG/PDF format with at least 300 dpi will be accepted.  Each file size shall not exceed 5 MB.  Participants may be requested raw files or higher-resolution versions of the photos for publication needs.
  3. Multiple submissions by participants are allowed.  

​

Online platform for submitting photo stories: 

https://cloud.itsc.cuhk.edu.hk/webform/view.php?id=13676522

 

You are invited to read through terms and regulations of this event before submitting photo stories.

 

For enquiries, please contact us by e-mail to cuhkergg@cuhk.edu.hk.

 

Look forward to knowing your cherished memories of CUHK Engineering!

Venue
Faculty of Engineering
Date: 
Monday, January 15, 2024
Time
Monday, January 15, 2024 to Sunday, February 4, 2024
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【Our Memories beyond Flash】 Photo Story Collection for CUHK 60th Anniversary Celebratory Event by Faculty of Engineering
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Prof. WONG Kam Fai receives the Saint Francis Prize in Techno-Humanities (2024)

Date: 
2024-01-04
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Prof. WONG Kam Fai, Associate Dean (External Affairs) received the Saint Francis Prize in Techno-Humanities (2024) organized by Caritas Institute of Higher Education. 
 
As a world-recognized researcher in Natural Language Processing (NLP), an elected Fellow of the Association of Computational Linguistics, and an Honorary Fellow of the Professional Validation Council of Hong Kong Industries, Prof. Wong has published more than 250 papers and a number of books for the popularization of science. In 2011, he received the Medal of Honour from the HKSAR Government for his valuable contribution to the development of information, communication, and technology (ICT). 
 
Prof. Wong is selected for the Prize in the area of Language for his outstanding contribution in Natural Language Processing (NLP), promotion of Asian NLP research, and popularization of science in Hong Kong. 
 

 

Prof. WONG Kam Fai.

 

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中大學者黃錦輝發表約250篇科普論文 奪聖方濟各人文科技獎　

為表揚對發展人文科技作出貢獻的學者，明愛專上學院葉應桃李如意人文及語言學院今（4日）舉辦第2屆聖方濟各人文科技獎頒獎禮，包括中大工程學院教授兼副院長黃錦輝在推動亞洲自然語言處理研究及香港科學普及上具傑出貢獻，而在語言範疇方面獲獎，並獲頒15,000美元獎金。

Date: 
Thursday, January 4, 2024
Media: 
HKET Daily
Media LInk: 
http://t.ly/q8Sr0

Two teams of Engineering students win gold prizes in the 9th China International College Students’ “Internet+” Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition

Date: 
2023-12-22
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The following two teams of Engineering students win gold prizes in the 9th China International College Students’ “Internet+” Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition:

Project Name – An Intelligent Robotic System for Neurosurgery

Under the supervision of Professor Cheng Shing-shin from the Department of Mechanical and Automation Engineering and Professor George Wong Kwok-chu from the Department of Surgery, Yan Junyan and his team members, Qiu Yufu, Chen Jibiao and Fang Haiyang from the Department of Mechanical and Automation Engineering, have introduced the world’s first flexible robot with an intelligent navigation system for neurosurgery. The robot’s end effector can avoid damaging important functional areas of the brain and achieve a level of precision superior to the average neurosurgeon.

Project Name – Dexterous Multi-layer Rigid-flexible Hybrid Structure Robotic System

The project team comprising Wang Xuchen, Ng Wee-shen and Lin Hongbin has developed a series of multi-layer rigid-flexible hybrid structure robotic products that can dexterously perform difficult tasks in confined spaces, under the supervision of Professor Au Kwok-wai Samuel and Professor Ma Xin from the Department of Mechanical and Automation Engineering. These products include minimally invasive surgical robots for narrow physiological structures in ear, nose and throat surgery, as well as industrial robots for inspection and secondary machining of aerospace components with physically inaccessible or confined spaces.

The prizes were presented at the National & Greater Bay Area Youth Innovation & Entrepreneurship Competitions – Hong Kong Regional Award Ceremony, which was organised by the Hong Kong New Generation Cultural Association. For details, please refer to: https://www.cpr.cuhk.edu.hk/en/press/cuhk-wins-seven-awards-at-the-national-greater-bay-area-youth-innovation-entrepreneurship-competitions-hong-kong-regional-award-ceremony-2023/.

Ms. Lillian Cheong, Under Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry (centre) presents the prize to Yan Junyan (right) and Qiu Yufu (left) of the project team “An Intelligent Robotic System for Neurosurgery”

Ms. Lillian Cheong presents the prize to Professor Ma Xin (far left), supervisor from Department of Mechanical and Automation Engineering, and his students Wang Xuchen (second left) and Lin Hongbin (far right) of the project team “Dexterous Multi-layer Rigid-flexible Hybrid Structure Robotic System”

 

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