News & Stories

Three research projects led by the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) were today awarded a combined total of HK$167 million by the Research Grants Council (RGC)’s Areas of Excellence (AoE) Scheme and the Theme-based Research Scheme (TRS) 2023/24. HKUST also leads the highest number of funded projects among all local universities, and has secured the largest single funding amount of HK$87.1 million for one of its projects. The three studies - covering climate change forecast and mitigation in the Greater Bay Area, landslide risk management, as well as regulation of digital assets in Hong Kong, will receive approximately HK$142 million from the RGC.

“When I grew up, I thought I would become a professional animal watcher in Africa,” said Prof. WANG Yu-Hsing, the new Associate Dean of Engineering (Undergraduate Studies) at HKUST. Having discovered 63 kinds of birds and numerous tree species and even come across a barking deer on the university campus, Prof. Wang is dedicated to civil engineering research projects that protect trees, birds, slopes, and air quality to eventually ensure sustainable development of the smart city via artificial intelligence (AI).

Prof. Charles NG Wang-Wai has won the second-class honor of the 2020 Natural Science Award from the State Council.

A novel cathode design concept for lithium–sulfur battery substantially improves performance of next-generation battery used in smartphones, electric vehicles, and drones

Prof. Charles NG Wang-Wai (left) and Prof. HUI Pan (right) were elected as the Royal Academy of Engineering’s Fellow and International Fellow respectively.

Engineering Faculty Received Three Outstanding Scientific Research Output Awards

“Every tree is a living thing,” says Prof. WANG Yu-Hsing, Associate Head and Professor of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, while admiring a tree on the hillside near HKUST’s waterfront. Typhoon Mangkhut in September 2018 cracked the tree almost in half. Severely damaged, Prof. Wang thought it might not make it, but it did miraculously. What fascinates him most is the tree’s resilience and tenacity in withstanding adverse weather conditions that have become more rampant due to climate change. In order to monitor the tree’s stability, Prof. Wang has installed a smart sensor at its lower trunk to monitor its’ tilting angle. The sensor mounted on the tree is developed by Prof. Wang and his research team who originally conducted a student-oriented project of using sensing technology on slopes seven years ago.

Hong Kong completed two mega infrastructure projects last year — the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge and Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link — and six more are on the way. From highways to railways, few public services are untouched by the discipline of civil engineering. However, non-technical students may still not be aware of the extent of impact civil engineering has on our everyday lives. Prof. Thomas HU of Civil and Environmental Engineering aims not only to transfer knowledge to the youth who may know nothing about civil engineering, but also instill in his students a critical and open mind. Since undertaking “Civil Engineering and Modern Society”, a Common Core course, in early 2016, he has turned it into one of the most practical and popular courses at HKUST, helping students from all sorts of disciplines understand how Hong Kong’s key issues can be solved from a civil engineering perspective.