The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) and Chiaphua Industries Limited (CIL) officially establish the HKUST-CIL Joint Laboratory of Environmental Health Technologies today (Hong Kong, 9 May, 2018). The Joint Lab aims to nurture cutting-edge research in environmental health technologies to enhance the quality of the environment as well as health and well-being of individuals and communities. It will receive funding from CIL for the coming five years.

The establishment of the Joint Lab will provide a platform for translating conceptual ideas and laboratory research on environmental health technologies into tangible products that address urgent community needs, creating tremendous societal and commercial value at large. The Joint Lab will not only strive for research excellence, but also actively engage in the areas of technology translation, product conceptualization, scaling-up and manufacturing, quality assurance and user experience. The Joint Lab will also provide HKUST postgraduate and undergraduate students with invaluable training on lab research, product development and field test studies to enhance their career opportunities and entrepreneurial skills.

The Joint Laboratory celebrated its opening in the Sze-Yuen Chung Council Chamber of HKUST today, with the presence of Dr David Wai-keung CHUNG, JP, Under Secretary for Innovation and Technology of the HKSAR Government, Prof Wei SHYY, Acting President of HKUST, Prof Nancy IP, Vice-President for Research and Graduate Studies of HKUST, Prof King Lun YEUNG, Associate Dean of Engineering (Research and Graduate Studies) of HKUST, Mr Herbert CHENG, Chief Executive Officer of CIL, Mrs Sheilah CHATJAVAL, General Counsel of CIL, and Mr Sidney CHENG, Director of CIL. At the occasion, the contract of the Joint Lab was signed by Prof Nancy Ip and Mr Herbert Cheng, followed by the unveiling ceremony of a commemorative plaque.

Prof Wei Shyy expressed his gratitude to Mr Herbert Cheng and said, “Mr Cheng has been a long-time friend of HKUST and dedicated to supporting the education of young people in Hong Kong. This Joint Lab marks a major step forward in our concerted effort to drive research and innovation. It will integrate the strong industry experience of CIL and research expertise of HKUST to further extend both parties’ global impact by delivering more ground-breaking products for the health of the society and the environment.”

Mr Herbert Cheng said, “This is not the first time we collaborated with HKUST. But this time, we are particularly proud of the results. Thanks to the innovative leadership of Prof Yeung, we have turned out something that may make Chiaphua a household name in household products, a product that may also erase Hong Kong’s image as a place where you don’t expect to see any research in science and technology with great social impact.”

The HKUST-CIL Joint Laboratory of Environmental Health Technologies will be led by Prof King Lun Yeung (Department of Chemical & Biological Engineering and Division of Environment & Sustainability (ENVR)), Prof Joseph KWAN (Health, Safety & Environment Office and ENVR), and Dr Wei HAN (ENVR). In the next two years, the Joint Lab aims to translate three HKUST technologies (HiNW light disinfection, malodor-control (MOC) hydrogel, and colloidal antibacterial) into viable commercial products. The longer-term goal is to develop next-generation smart technologies through innovation in materials to improve our health and environment and to address the needs of a greying population and emerging health threats.

The team will work closely with the Hospital Authority, Centre for Health Protection, Water Supplies Department, Drainage Services Department, and also non-governmental organizations including Haven of Hope Christian Service to create better products and to assess their performance under practical use situations for making enhancements. The Joint Lab will also establish a global network of partners including the Guangzhou State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, Advanced Microscopy Laboratory (Spain), Kobe Centre for Membrane and Film Technology (Japan), and Virus Research Center, Clinical Research Division, National Hospital Organization, Sendai Medical Center (Japan) to further strengthen the capability of the laboratory.

The opening ceremony was followed by an introduction session by Prof King Lun Yeung on his team’s research projects, with his students giving demonstrations of the smart disinfection technologies developed at HKUST.

About Chiaphua Industries Limited
From humble beginnings in the early 1920s as a small, privately-held metal stamping business, Chiaphua Industries (www.chiaphua.com.hk) has grown into a robust global enterprise. Chiaphua's long history has given the company a firm foundation from which to build upon for continuing success today. Over the last 50 years, Chiaphua has been involved in the manufacturing of an extensive range of industrial and consumer products, including computers, clocks, sea-freight containers, lighters, toys, silver-plated hollowware, security and telecommunications equipment, electrical appliances, motors and power tools.Chiaphua Industries' success is built on the guiding principles of integrity, harmony and partnership laid down by our founding members. These values have enabled us to forge a number of long-standing joint venture alliances with some of the world's biggest and most recognized consumer brand companies.

In addition to our joint venture partnerships, Chiaphua Industries also maintains contract manufacturing relationships with many of the world's leading brand name companies. Through this global network, we enjoy worldwide representation in the oral care, household appliances, writing instruments, telecommunications and environmental treatment markets. Besides being a manufacturing powerhouse, we are also expanding into the retail, hospitality and real estate business in recent years following our Group's success. Chiaphua Industries is a highly respected multinational and has considerable international stature. It is recognized for its entrepreneurial spirit and its strong sense of integrity, garnering the respect and loyalty of world-class customers and partners. In its continued commitment to excellence, the organization encompasses traditional values of Enterprise and Harmony. Commitment to excellence has been achieved through working closely with Chinese and overseas organizations in research and development, enabling Chiaphua to introduce innovative products to world markets.

About The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
Established in 1991, HKUST (www.ust.hk) is a world-class research university focusing on science, technology and business as well as humanities and social science. HKUST offers an international campus, and a holistic and interdisciplinary pedagogy to nurture well-rounded graduates with global vision, a strong entrepreneurial spirit and innovative thinking. In the engineering and technology area, HKUST was ranked No.17 in the QS World University Rankings 2018 and No.18 in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2018.