Two scholars from the Faculty of Engineering of The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) have been awarded the BOCHK Science and Technology Innovation Prize 2026 (STIP). They are Professor Lu Yi-chun, Professor in the Department of Mechanical and Automation Engineering, and Professor Lin Dahua, Associate Professor in the Department of Information Engineering, Medicine and Therapeutics and Director of CUHK Interdisciplinary Artificial Intelligence Research Institute (IAIRI). Each awardee receives HK$2 million in prize money in recognition of their outstanding contributions to cutting-edge research and technology translation.

Professor Lu Yi-chun: Breakthroughs in Aqueous Battery Technology for New Materials and New Energy

Professor Lu Yi-Chun's pioneering contributions in the field of aqueous flow batteries include developing molecular catalysts and charge-reinforced ion-selective membrane, enabling the commercialisation of sulfur-based flow batteries. Her work addresses the bottlenecks in safety and cost for large-scale energy storage, accelerating the global transition to green energy. Professor Lu Yi-Chun is also the founder and Chief Scientist of Luquos Energy.

Professor Lin Dahua: Multimodal Intelligence Breakthroughs in Artificial Intelligence and Robotics

Professor Lin Dahua has made systematic innovations in the fields of computer vision and multimodal intelligence, achieving breakthroughs in areas such as image and video understanding, multimodal large-scale models, and spatial intelligence. He has promoted independent innovation in key core technologies and the construction of an open-source ecosystem, facilitating the high-level application of AI research results to industry, and making significant contributions to the advancement of AI technology and industrial upgrading in China.

About the BOCHK Science and Technology Innovation Prize

The BOCHK Science and Technology Innovation Prize (STIP), established by the Hong Kong Alliance of Technology and Innovation (HKATI) and sponsored by the Bank of China (Hong Kong) Limited, is a non-governmental, merit-based award. The Prize aims to reward outstanding scientists and research teams who have made significant contributions to scientific and technological innovation, as well as the transformation of scientific and technological achievements in Hong Kong.

More details: https://stip.hk/en/

The project “Ultrafast Multi-material 3D Nano-fabrication Platform Based on Two-photon Projection Technology” led by Professor Chen Shih-Chi from Department of Mechanical and Automation Engineering has secured funding in the third round of the Research, Academic and Industry Sectors One-plus Scheme (RAISe+), initiated by the Innovation and Technology Commission (ITC) of the HKSAR Government.

Advanced manufacturing is driven by engineering innovations that drastically lower production costs and enable the fabrication of structures and devices previously impossible. Currently, the $180 billion precision manufacturing market is stifled by a “speed-precision tradeoff” where nanoscale resolution is too slow and costly for mass production. To address this, Professor Chen Shih-chi and his team at CUHK have developed the Femtosecond Projection NanoPrinter (FP NanoPrinter), a breakthrough that significantly advances the envelope of micro-additive manufacturing.

By exploiting spatiotemporal focusing and digital holography, the project utilises ground-breaking methods to parallelise the 3D printing process, setting new world records for printing rates (400mm³/hour) and resolution (20–100 nm) – resulting in a 95% reduction in manufacturing costs. Unlike conventional platforms limited to single-material plastics, this process enables the high-speed 3D integration of over 20 material classes – including metals, semiconductors, and ceramics.

These capabilities allow for the mass production of functional nanostructures, such as optical metamaterials and flexible electronics, which are critical for the future of electric transportation, healthcare, and telecommunications.

The solution is being commercialised by Astra Optics Limited, a venture-backed CUHK spin-off, now supported by the Raise+ award, focused on high-precision components ranging from AR/VR optics and photonic interconnects for AI data centres to next-generation 3D photonic computing chips.

About the RAISe+ Scheme

Launched in October 2023, the RAISe+ Scheme aims to unleash the potential of local universities to transform and commercialise R&D outcomes, and facilitate collaboration among the government, industry, university and research sectors. The RAISe+ Scheme funds, on a matching basis, research teams in eight universities supported by the University Grants Committee that have the potential to become successful start-ups. Up to HK$100 million in funding support is provided to each project.

More details: https://www.cpr.cuhk.edu.hk/en/press/cuhk-secures-funding-for-ai-surgical-robot-cancer-nanomedicine-3d-nano-fabrication-in-third-round-of-itcs-raise-scheme/

The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) and Tongji University held an inauguration ceremony and signed a cooperation agreement on 8 April for the “CUHK-Tongji University Joint Research Laboratory for Smart Transportation”. Through the laboratory, the two universities will jointly promote research and development in priority fields and key technologies, and carry out collaboration in areas such as innovative talent development, in response to major societal needs in the field of smart transportation.

CUHK’s Vice-Chancellor and President Professor Dennis Lo Yuk-ming led a delegation to the ceremony at Tongji University, including Professor Tsang Hon-ki, Dean of Engineering, and Professor Chen Benmei, Head of the Department of Mechanical and Automation Engineering. Representatives from Tongji University included President Academician Yang Jinlong and Vice President Professor Li Xiangning.

The Department of Mechanical and Automation Engineering at CUHK maintains close collaboration with Tongji University in smart transportation and unmanned systems. A jointly developed amphibious unmanned system capable of operating in both air and water has attracted widespread attention domestically and internationally, and successfully supported China’s Antarctic research mission in February 2026. In addition, a joint CUHK and Tongji University team stood out at the 16th International Micro Air Vehicle Competition (IMAV 2025) in Mexico last year, outperforming more than 10 other elite teams – including from Europe and the US – to win championships in both the indoor and outdoor categories.

The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) receives approval from the Innovation and Technology Commission (ITC) of the HKSAR Government to establish a new research center, in collaboration with National University of Singapore, under the third InnoHK research cluster, SEAM@InnoHK. This research center, The Center for Heterogeneous Integration and Production (CHIP), is led by Professor Shih-Chi Chen (Director, Department of Mechanical and Automation Engineering, CUHK), Professor Jianbin Xu (Co-Director, Department of Electronic Engineering, CUHK), and Professor Ni Zhao (Associate Director, Department of Electronic Engineering, CUHK).

CHIP is dedicated to advancing next-generation electronics through innovations in semiconductor equipment and material processing, with a focus on advancing heterogeneous integration technologies. As the semiconductor industry moves beyond Moore’s Law, 3D heterogeneous integration has become essential for enhancing the performance and functionality of modern electronics. Constructing silicon 3D-ICs at the nanoscale requires highly precise tools that are currently unavailable, while the integration of emerging semiconductors—such as 2D materials, metal oxides, and mixed ionic–electronic conductors—demands new equipment and scalable fabrication processes.

CHIP’s research is structured into three synergistic research programs, each with a distinct focus and objective: Research Program 1 focuses on developing enabling precision fabrication and metrology equipment, including wafer bonding systems, 2D lithography platforms, and laser etching machines, to set new benchmarks in speed, accuracy, and scalability for 3D and photonic ICs. Research Program 2 focuses on foundational material engineering and advanced packaging solutions, including bonding technology, chip cooling, and 2D material integration, enabling heterogeneous integration at industrial scale. Research Program 3 targets the creation of new devices and systems enabled by heterogeneous integration, including electronic-photonic co-ICs, back-end-of-line (BEOL)-compatible devices, 2D material-silicon hybrid optoelectronic chips, and flexible sensing modules. Together, these programs align closely with the roadmap of global heterogeneous integration development, addressing critical challenges in semiconductor manufacturing while enabling new applications in AI, high-performance computing, robotics, AR/VR, and beyond.