Celebrating Global Excellence: HKUST Faculty Honored with Prestigious International and National Awards
HKUST’s global standing has been elevated further by recent accolades bestowed on two distinguished faculty members for their relentless pursuit of knowledge, innovation, and societal impact.
Excellence in Geotechnical Engineering and Disaster Mitigation
Prof. ZHANG Limin, Head and Chair Professor of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, was recently awarded a Certificate of Merit at the Fourth National Award for Excellence in Innovation.
Prof. Zhang has received this distinguished recognition for his pioneering research achievements in geotechnical engineering and his outstanding contributions to national disaster prevention and mitigation.
This triennial National Award for Excellence in Innovation is jointly organized by the China Association for Science and Technology, the Ministry of Science and Technology, the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security, and the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council.
It honors scientific organizations and professionals who have made outstanding contributions in basic research, major engineering breakthroughs, technology transfer, and social services.
A Historic Milestone in Semiconductor Research
Prof. Kei May LAU, Research Professor of the Division of Emerging Interdisciplinary Areas, has become the first scientist and engineer in Hong Kong and the Chinese Mainland to win the prestigious 2026 Heinrich Welker Award. Established in 1976, this highly esteemed international accolade recognizes seminal research in the field of III-V compound semiconductors.
Selected for her outstanding contributions to compound semiconductor materials and devices—including the hetero-epitaxy of III-V on silicon and micro-LED displays—Prof. Lau joins an elite group of past recipients that includes three Nobel Laureates and numerous distinguished global academicians.
