30 Smart Automation in the Greater Bay Area Rise of the Robots HKUST ENGINEERING SPRING 2019 ISSUE
CONTENTS SPRING 2019 I NO.30 HKUST Engineering In Focus Magazine sengpr@ust.hk (852) 2358 5917 www.seng.ust.hk/web/eng/publication.php Published by: Communications and External Affairs School of Engineering The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Editors: Diana Liu, Dorothy Yip Contributing Editor: Sally Course Designer: Kingsley Lau hkustengineering hkustengineering seng.ust.hk HKUST expands Branch campus planned near Guangzhou 5 10 Robotics comes of age Academic-entrepreneur's smart way to automation 18 Bridging the gender gap Women engineering faculty champion careers in academia 14 Ready for Generation Z Division with designs on integrative systems 24 Dream team Students set sights on devising hi-tech products 22 Driving the future Experiential outreach draws in future innovators 29 Environmental education lessons Alumna motivates next generation to prioritize sustainability
L Advancing innovation ooking back at , it has clearly been an amazing months, lled with new beginnings and fresh endeavors at the School of Engineering (SENG). The launch of the SENG-managed, University-wide Division of Integrative Systems and Design was a proud occasion. We also welcomed the rst cohorts in several innovative undergraduate programs that span di erent departments, Schools, or address knowledge economy needs. Both developments are set to broaden the skill sets of our graduates to answer the burgeoning demand in elds such as robotics and autonomous systems, data analysis, and sustainable energy, as reported in our cover story and other articles in this issue of In Focus. The School’s strong global reputation for research and talented graduates has also led to a large number of collaborations with industry over the past year. We will be seeking to extend this in the year ahead, not just through joint laboratories but deeper understanding of where our discoveries and applications can be most impactful to society and companies. Such moves will help to ensure that SENG remains at the forefront of our fast-changing times, as an academic leader of engineering education, an explorer of novel frontiers, and a solution-builder to global challenges. As such, the School is set to play a major role in HKUST’s recently announced campus to be constructed near Guangzhou. This major University initiative will initially focus on multidisciplinary programs and postgraduate education and seek to underpin cutting-edge science and technology development in the Greater Bay Area, a national strategic development plan comprising Hong Kong, Macau, and neighboring cities. Working or undertaking an education in such a dynamic environment and area of the world, where investment in science and technology is receiving greater emphasis from both government and industry, and enthusiasm for new knowledge and making a di erence is high, makes the School a highly satisfying place to call home. Our % expansion of faculty members is underway. But in growth, our goal is not just size. Rather, we vigorously seek to fuel expanded scope and vision in emerging areas where we expect to excel, and society needs such expertise and talents to move on. In and beyond, I look forward to such an approach, and the many exciting opportunities opening up in the School and this part of the world, energizing our students, faculty, alumni, and sta to further new beginnings, achievement, and contribution. Prof. Tim CHENG Kwang-Ting Dean of Engineering 03 IN FOCUS Dean’s View
Prof. Wei SHYY was installed as the fourth President of HKUST in November during the University’s th Congregation. In his installation address, Prof. Shyy, previously the University’s Executive Vice-President and Provost, spoke about the global challenges facing humanity, including sustainability, unequal opportunities, population aging, and wealth distribution. He noted how the role of universities had evolved from elite institutions to entities responsible for advancing social, economic and human development through the originality in reasoning, discovery and innovation they championed and their general principles of being “apolitical, open, and encouraging to everyone”. Given HKUST’s emphasis on science and technology, and the positive impact that such elds have had on improving lives across society, he saw a leading role for the University in the future. The President also paid tribute to the late Dr. CHUNG Sze-Yuen, Founding Council Chairman of HKUST and a key gure in the planning and establishment of the University in the s and s (see article below). Prof. Shyy is a renowned aerospace engineering researcher, educator, and administrator. Originally from Taiwan, he undertook his master’s and doctoral studies at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, in the US. His subsequent research career has involved pioneering studies into computational fluid dynamics, combustion and propulsion, including space transport. Prof. Shyy is the author or co-author of ve books and over publications. He is a Fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics and the American Society of Mechanical Engineers. Heading for fresh heights President Prof. Wei Shyy was installed in November. 04 IN FOCUS In the News In November, HKUST was profoundly saddened by the passing of Dr. CHUNG Sze-Yuen, who served as Chairman of the University’s Planning Committee ( ) and rst Council Chairman ( ). Dr. Chung, an engineer turned politician, foresaw the need for a science and technology-focused university in Hong Kong in the s to nurture the talent the city would need as it faced a fundamental shi from manufacturing to a service and knowledge-based economy, as well as reuni cation with Mainland China in . In remembrance
In a major initiative for the future development of HKUST, plans for a new campus in Guangdong Province were announced in October, with the School of Engineering set to play a major role. The branch campus will be located near Guangzhou and, at . square kilometers, will be twice the size of the existing Clear Water Bay campus. It will initially concentrate on postgraduate education. Programs are expected to be thematic, solution-based, and cross-disciplinary, with thrust areas including sustainable energy and environment, robotics and autonomous systems, advanced materials and smart manufacturing, arti cial intelligence and data science, and biomedicine and biomedical engineering. Such programs resonate with the Greater Bay Area project, part of China’s strategic national blueprint. The goal is to turn the special administrative regions of Hong Kong and Macau, together with nine neighboring cities in Guangdong, into an innovation and technology hub of global impact. The campus will be located in Nansha, south of Guangzhou and adjacent to the Qingsheng station on the high-speed Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link, facilitating interaction with HKUST in Hong Kong. It will also be supported by HKUST Fok Ying Tung Research Institute, the University’s existing knowledge transfer hub in Nansha. The branch will be run as a separate entity, with construction costs and the future annual operating budget funded by the Guangzhou government. HKUST President Prof. Wei SHYY said , students would be enrolled in the rst stage, gradually rising to around , at steady state. Dean of Engineering Prof. Tim CHENG noted: “The additional site provides a great opportunity to complement – not duplicate – the current Clear Water Bay campus and there is no question that the School of Engineering will play a very important role.” The new campus will adhere to HKUST standards in teaching and learning, and academic policies. The medium of instruction will be English, and student and faculty recruitment will be global. As Mainland law requires a Mainland institution as a partner in such an undertaking, HKUST will partner with Guangzhou University. Expanding horizons Looking ahead: HKUST's Guangzhou branch campus will offer thematic, solution-based programs. 05 IN FOCUS Dr. Chung Sze-Yuen: led the initiative to found HKUST. A er playing a key role in establishing the Hong Kong Polytechnic and City Polytechnic of Hong Kong (now Hong Kong Polytechnic University and City University of Hong Kong), he then led the initiative to create HKUST. The University was established in . In addition to his role as Council Chairman, Dr. Chung served as HKUST’s Pro-Chancellor ( ) and Chairman of the Court ( ), subsequently retaining the title of Honorary Chairman. Dr. Chung graduated with rst class honors in mechanical engineering from the University of Hong Kong in . He died at the age of .
integrated smart device xed to construction workers’ safety helmets to provide real-time health and safety monitoring and site management. The France-HKUST Innovation Hub was launched in to incubate ideas and opportunities, and foster HKUST research and development partnerships in science, technology and education with French institutions and companies. The contest was co-organized with the Consulate General of France in Hong Kong & Macau and Orange Group. November brought the France-HKUST Innovation Hub’s rst public event when the nal of the Innovation Contest CSRtech took place at the University campus. Eight teams sought to introduce their novel technologies and concepts to advance corporate social responsibility (CSR) in line with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. Participants included start-up entrepreneurs, school and university students, with team members hailing from Hong Kong, Mainland China, Taiwan, and India. Two winners were eventually chosen, including a HKUST engineering and business student team. The HKUST proposal centered on a mental health monitoring system to help companies take preventative measures to assist employees under stress. The other winning concept, by Hong Kong start-up BeeInventor, involved an 06 IN FOCUS In the News Robotics and AI roll ahead Hi-tech tonic for corporate social responsibility Innovation Contest 4CSRtech: fostering business practices in line with sustainable development. Internally, HKUST has set up the Center for Arti cial Intelligence Research to spearhead holistic cross-disciplinary research in scienti c, technological, social, business and education aspects of the eld. The center, established in September, is the rst of its kind at a university in Hong Kong. Earlier in August, the University hosted the prestigious Xiangshan Science Conference, established by the State Science and Technology Commission (now Ministry of Science and Technology) and the Chinese Academy of Sciences. The two-day gathering focused on the theme of neuromorphic computing and arti cial intelligence, drawing leading scholars from Hong Kong, Macau and Mainland China. Hong Kong’s Chief Executive Mrs. Carrie LAM Cheng Yuet-Ngor and Deputy Directors of the Liaison O ce of the Central People’s Government in the HKSAR Mr. CHEN Dong and Dr. TAN Tieniu o ciated at the conference’s closing ceremony and witnessed the launch of the Hong Kong Society of Arti cial Intelligence and Robotics. The new group seeks to promote in-depth collaboration between industry, academia and the research sector and nurture an AI ecosystem in Hong Kong and the Greater Bay Area. Robotics and arti cial intelligence research and human resources in Hong Kong and the Greater Bay Area were given a signi cant boost over the summer and fall with a series of forward-looking HKUST developments and activities. A HK million donation from Guangdong Bright Dream Robotics, a subsidiary of Country Garden Holdings Company Limited, will support a professorship and scholarship program and other initiatives at the University in line with the company’s vision to extend technology innovation and talents to build a “Robot Valley” in the Greater Bay Area. HKUST is connecting up its expertise through a new center and other collaborations.
The recent launch of the GREAT Smart Cities Center is set to provide an interdisciplinary home for academics, industry, and government to collaborate on future city development and advances. GREAT refers to the attributes of a good future city, namely, Green, Resilient, Empowering, Adaptable and Transformative while “Smart” means the intelligence applied to these ve attributes. The Center, which held its inaugural symposium in , brings together academics from a range of areas across the University to foster di erent aspects of smart city development and to demonstrate how such synergy can tackle problems that are beyond any one discipline. “The Center can create common ground,” said Chair Professor LO Hong-Kam, Civil and Environmental Engineering and Director of the GREAT Smart Cities Center. Sample projects associated with the Center include enhancing walkability in Hong Kong, smart urban water supply systems, and a personalized real-time air quality informatics system for exposure (PRAISE-HK). Along with cutting-edge research, the Center strives to foster the expertise and professionals who can contribute to smart city development, facilitate policy formulation, and help develop large-scale projects and interdisciplinary collaborations. The creation of the Center is in line with global and local developments in this area. At its rst symposium, academics and professionals from Hong Kong, Mainland China, Japan, Korea, Singapore and the US o ered a variety of perspectives on smart city development. The University’s smart city development platform will foster interdisciplinary advances. Research on the environment, health and well-being has gained a valuable platform for translating concepts and laboratory studies into products to address community needs with the establishment of the HKUST-CIL Joint Laboratory of Innovative Environmental Health Technologies. The joint lab set up by the University and Chiaphua Industries Limited (CIL) will initially seek to translate HKUST smart disinfectants focused on HiNW light disinfection, a malodor control hydrogel, and colloidal antibacterial technology into commercial products. Lab researchers will work with government departments, non-governmental organizations, and establish a global network of research partners to further extend its reach and capabilities. Healthy development HKUST has become the rst university globally to set up an arti cial intelligence lab with Korean internet search portal NAVER and its global mobile platform LINE. The joint lab partnership with the University’s Big Data Institute will enhance research on data science and arti cial intelligence through the development of algorithms, models and prototype implementations on smartphones and other mobile platforms. In addition, it will support a PhD student fellowship program and organize workshops and events. Joint AI lab launched with NAVER/LINE 07 IN FOCUS GREAT expectations for urban living
Chair Professor KWOK Hoi-Sing, Electronic and Computer Engineering, and his research team have developed an award-winning liquid crystal display (LCD) that improves energy e ciency by three to ve times and image resolution by three times, all for a lower cost. The advanced technology is suitable for portable electronic devices, such as smartphones and laptops, enabling their batteries to last longer. It could also be applied to virtual reality headsets and other high-end displays given the improved resolution and color performance, Prof. Kwok noted. The technology, known as active matrix ferroelectric liquid crystal display (FLCD), can replace traditional color lters, which limit energy e ciency as they block and use up % of backlight and energy as well as consume % of display manufacturing costs. To do so, the researchers developed eld sequential color technology, using fast ferroelectric liquid crystal, to display color images sequentially. FLCD leverages human vision capabilities to fuse the fast-switching images into a full-color picture. Color saturation was enhanced by employing RGB LED in the backlight rather than LED and image resolution increased as sub-pixels for di erent colors were eliminated. The overall result was a cheaper yet higher-quality display. Prof. Kwok is Director of the State Key Laboratory of Advanced Displays and Optoelectronics Technologies, which is based at the University, and Dr. William M. W. Mong Professor of Nanotechnology. He and his researchers worked on the development in collaboration with Taiwanese electronics manufacturer AU Optronics. In , the team’s technology received the Best Prototype award within the Innovation Zone of Display Week , a leading international annual event organized by The Society for Information Display. A modular drum centrifuge facility is being developed at HKUST, with support from the Hong Kong Research Grants Council’s Collaborative Research Fund. The new multi-million-dollar facility, together with the existing beam centrifuge, will form a world-leading centrifuge cluster for advanced studies in hazard prevention, o shore resource engineering, and environmental protection. These will include research into mountain and estuary hazard mitigation and simulation of long-distance landslides, debris flows and wave-induced phenomena, among others. While HKUST’s original g-ton beam centrifuge is capable of simulating centralized problems, such as piles, the g-ton, g, . m diameter drum centrifuge can simulate distributed problems occurring over distances of up to , meters. The facility, jointly developed by researchers from HKUST and other Hong Kong universities, in collaboration with Cambridge University and South China University of Technology, will help to keep Hong Kong at the forefront of physical modeling of geotechnical processes. It will also be available for use by industry researchers. Centrifuge modeling upgrade to boost hazard prevention Coming up with a colorful solution: research team leaders Prof. Kwok Hoi-Sing (left) and Prof. Abhishek Srivastava. 08 IN FOCUS In the News Fresh light on displays The new drum centrifuge for research into mountain and estuary hazard mitigation and environmental protection.
Fall was a busy time for fresh starts at the School of Engineering with the rst undergraduates taking up their studies in four innovative bachelor degree programs. In line with the growing emphasis on multidisciplinary knowledge and skills in many of today’s emerging elds and careers, the BEng in Sustainable Energy Engineering is jointly o ered by the Departments of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Electronic and Computer Engineering, and Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering. The BSc in Data Science and Technology is a cross-School undertaking by the Departments of Computer Science and Engineering in the School of Engineering and Mathematics in the School of Science. The BEng in Decision Analytics, a signi cant emerging area in the knowledge economy (see P ), and the BSc in Integrative Systems and Design, a University-wide program employing a project-based learning approach rather than a xed curriculum, are also now underway. The former is run by the Department of Industrial Engineering and Decision Analytics while the latter is managed by the Division of Integrative Systems and Design (see P - ). “The School is delighted to o er undergraduates, locally and from outside Hong Kong, the chance to move into and make an impact on these key elds of tomorrow,” said Prof. Philip MOK, Associate Dean of Engineering (Undergraduate Studies). “And to help them do so through leading educational approaches and a student experience that will truly make a di erence to their lives – and the lives of others.” (see P ). A BEng in Bioengineering will be launched by the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering in Fall . A novel interactive endeavor launched by HKUST is set to build the next generation of technology and science innovators by fueling interest in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) among school students. The STEM@HKUST One-stop Online Platform (https://stem.ust.hk/) provides materials to encourage young learners to investigate daily life problems in a scienti c way. It also supports school teachers in their e orts to build the essential attributes of a STEM explorer, namely a critical mindset and problem-solving skills. The website presents original videos by the University’s faculty, sta , and students, which explain everyday phenomena and answer intriguing questions about how the world works. Learners and teachers can also put forward their own topics or the experiments they would like to see featured. The platform was co-founded by Prof. WOO Kam-Tim, Founding Director of the Center for Global & Community Engagement, School of Engineering, and Prof. King CHOW, Director of the University’s Center for the Development of the Gi ed and Talented. Prof. Chow noted that STEM subjects in local schools were still largely textbook and practice-oriented rather than focused on developing the thinking required to be successful in these elds. STEM education actually lies in developing students’ capabilities to analyze systematically, identify a feasible solution, and evaluate the validity experimentally, he said. Spurring early interest in STEM 09 IN FOCUS Cutting-edge degrees for changing times Platform co-founder Prof. Woo Kam-Tim boosts interest in STEM among school students.
10 IN FOCUS or a researcher dedicated to pushing the frontiers of machine motion and dexterity, it is tting that Prof. LI Zexiang’s own life should be one constantly on the move. The electronic and computer engineering front-runner was among the earliest Mainland China students to study robotics as it took o in leading US research universities in the s. He was a driving force behind DJI and is still the company chairman of what has rapidly become the world’s largest consumer drone group, with over % market share. Now the indefatigable academic is again setting his sights sky high as a leading contributor to the hi-tech start-up ecosystem being powered forward in southern China’s Greater Bay Area, a region comprising Hong Kong, Macau, and nine neighboring cities in the Pearl River Delta. F Cover Story Robotics comes of age Prof. Li Zexiang is an academic-entrepreneur with a mission to incubate human creative talents and next-generation companies to speed the age of smart automation
From researcher to entrepreneur Prof. Li’s own realization of how the academic world could work with industry to push forward economic and social development came when a Hong Kong business person arrived at the School of Engineering in the s with a real-life problem. The industrialist had bought a machine from Japan to help with his aluminum can production line, but could not get it to do what he needed. Nor could the original manufacturer help. “Initially, I turned him down as xing an actual machine was not really my interest or skill set at the time. But he was desperate. So I asked one of my postdocs to pull out a controller board that we had developed for a robotic hand. Then the researcher spent a month at the factory to retro t the original controller. From then on, we began to think, how could we take our research from the laboratory and turn it into useful products for industries located around us.” Setting up Googol In , Prof. Li registered Googol Technology, a month ahead of a US company with a similar name. The business moniker was suggested by his mathematician wife from a term used by Edward Kasner, an earlier math dynamo, to represent the huge number of . Prof. Li later received a request for use of his company name. “We refused because we had the right spelling!” Googol became the rst hi-tech company in Asia Paci c focused on motion controllers and controller-based systems, the fundamental drivers for microelectronics, robots, computer numerical control (CNC) machine tools, production automation, and other industrial control applications. Prof. Li became one of the University’s early academic-entrepreneurs. By , Googol held the largest market share in its sector in China. Prof. Li’s expertise lies in multi- ngered robotic hands, precision assembly, and motion controllers, the “brains” that generate the speed and mode used to make a machine move. All are key areas for greater automation in the computer, communications and consumer electronics ( C) manufacturing industry, which has a major presence in the Pearl River Delta and forms a vital part of the global supply chain for products such as smartphones and electrical appliances. He joined the School of Engineering in in HKUST’s formative days, a er years exploring robotics and arti cial intelligence research at Carnegie Mellon University, University of California, Berkeley, MIT and New York University. As early as , he set up the University’s Automation Technology Center. At the Center, Prof. Li, his students and colleagues engage in the theoretical study of assembly processes along with the so ware and hardware development that can be transferred out to assist industry in the region. Projects currently underway include C technology to automate electronic component assembly tasks and an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) system leveraging cutting-edge robotics to provide auto-landing, positioning, and sensor-fusion navigation. He is also a member of the HKUST Robotics Institute, a multidisciplinary University-wide platform set up in . But the proudest of his many achievements to date, he noted, is to have helped to integrate education and research with entrepreneurship by fusing previously separate elements into a single entity. Besides DJI, companies now spun-o from the Center or Prof. Li’s mentorship include QKM Technology for innovative C robotics solutions ( ), ePropulsion Technology for high-performance electric marine propulsion systems ( ), and Walnut Technology ( ), creator of intelligent skateboards, equipped with the world’s rst e-board posture control system. 11 IN FOCUS Seeking to automate electronic component assembly tasks. Prof. Li Zexiang (left) and (above) a novel UAV system under development.
12 IN FOCUS Cover Story Transforming students into innovators Meanwhile, experiential learning began to feature in Prof. Li’s teaching at the School of Engineering. One of the rst students to take his class providing training for the Hong Kong section of Robocon, a robotics competition organized by the Asia-Paci c Broadcasting Union, was Frank WANG Tao, later founder of DJI (see box on P ). In , the rst year the Hong Kong contest was held, the HKUST team did not win. But the students’ interest had been red up and the next year they did triumph, subsequently earning a place among the top three in the Asia-Paci c nal in Beijing. Frank Wang went on to utilize his Robocon experience to build an autopilot for model helicopters; and to launch DJI (see box on P ). Meanwhile, Prof. Li and the School took note of more than the contest results. It was clear that the students taking part gained hands-on experience of creating a product, from mechanical machining to how to buy components from suppliers in Shenzhen. In addition, major attributes that the successful students called upon, and developed through such learning beyond the classroom, were all key elements for innovation and entrepreneurship: persistence in the face of initial failure, big goals, and con dence that they could develop systems that were times better than others. In , the School o cially introduced experiential learning, which now involves hundreds of students annually in local and overseas engineering design contests and cornerstone projects. Xbot and X-Tech With his own entrepreneurial experiences and relentless energy, Prof. Li began to look for further opportunities to synergize human talents emerging from HKUST and other Hong Kong universities with the manufacturing ecosystem of the Greater Bay Area. In , he established the Songshan Lake Xbot Park, in partnership with the Dongguan government, as an incubator for robotics and smart hardware start-ups. The park o ers entrepreneurial mentorship, seed funding, and supply chain support, and has already incubated around companies, drawing young businesses not only from the region On the move During Prof. Li Zexiang’s years as a student and researcher in the US, he undertook a host of subjects. For his bachelor degree at Carnegie Mellon University, he majored in electrical engineering and economics. On moving to the University of California, Berkeley, he pursued a master’s in mathematics then a doctorate in electrical engineering and computer science. As a postdoctoral fellow at MIT, he studied arti cial intelligence. On moving to New York University as an assistant professor, he worked at the robotics and manufacturing lab in the Courant Institute, founded by renowned mathematician and computer scientist Jacob “Jack” SCHWARTZ. It was Schwartz’s influence that propelled Prof. Li’s theoretical leanings toward application, working on multi- ngered robotic hands for automated manufacturing, among others. “That’s where I got my own hands dirty,” he said. Jiangmen Zhaoqing Prof. Li was among the rst to study robotics in the 1980s, carrying out research at leading US universities.
13 IN FOCUS but also from around the world. From the experience gained from this venture, Prof. Li launched the Hong Kong X-Tech Startup Platform in , together with Sequoia Capital China founding and managing partner Neil SHEN and Prof. CHEN Guanhua of the University of Hong Kong. Hong Kong and the Greater Bay Area have a great chance to be the next start-up powerhouse, according to Prof. Li. “We did a lot of benchmarking, with incubators in Silicon Valley, Beijing, and other places. Our estimate, con rmed by suppliers and chipmakers who provide support here and elsewhere, was that we are ve to times faster when it comes to iteration and probably one-tenth or one- h the cost. That is our competitive edge.” What lies ahead To inspire the even younger generation, Prof. Li is now starting a secondary school with an emphasis on science, technology, engineering, the arts, and math (STEAM) near the University’s Clear Water Bay campus, together with the Shaw Foundation, which runs the prestigious annual Shaw Prize for the sciences. He foresees automation and robotics as a positive way to deal with economic and social challenges arising from aging populations. There will also be more machines to add convenience and improve quality of life overall. “We are already working on areas such as construction, autonomous driving, and logistics. So you won’t see a sudden switch to a di erent way of living. But, a er a while, people will not remember what life was like before such products were available.” Going places In postgraduate studies with Prof. Li Zexiang, DJI drone company founder Frank Wang continued to work on his autopilot and establishing his business. He used his early unmanned aerial vehicles, or drones, to conduct aerial surveys and damage assessment following the devastating Sichuan earthquake in and one year later succeeded in sending the rst unmanned autonomous vehicle to overfly and take aerial footage of Mount Everest. In , a er attending a US product show, the young entrepreneur was asked by an American aerial cinematography company to design a new kind of gimbal, a device for keeping an instrument level in a moving aircra , to stabilize camera shots from the air. “We then saw many customers were buying the gimbal and autopilot together with a GoPro camera to create their own drone for aerial photography. DJI decided to build all-in-one consumer drones and to go it alone. We would establish our own brand name and channels,” said Prof. Li, who is chairman of DJI. “It was a lot of learning for engineering students, but Frank Wang was not afraid to do anything.” Hong Kong Macau Shenzhen Zhongshan Foshan Dongguan Huizhou Guangzhou Zhuhai Greater Bay Area Designs on the future: Prof. Li sees automation and robotics as a way to improve overall quality of life. Prof. Li and then postgraduate student Frank Wang, founder of DJI, preparing for the early drone test ight over Mount Everest. Recently Prof. Li and Frank Wang received the prestigious IEEE Robotics and Automation Award for their unique contributions to the development and commercialization of civilian drones, aerial imaging technology, robotics engineering advancement, innovation, and entrepreneurship.
Innovation lready today, every time you jump on a plane, you are sitting inside a giant integrative system: a host of technologies that not only need to work seamlessly together but also accumulated design thinking on the best way to make people comfortable, safe, and the experience pleasant enough to encourage a return journey. Just ahead lie internet-of-things homes, lled with smart appliances and perhaps a robot helper, autonomous cars, as well as mega-complexities demanding solutions, such as climate change and eco-friendly cities. All will require graduates who themselves serve as integrative elements, working with the insight of an engineer, scientist, business executive, economist, designer and philosopher to solve the challenges and create the . innovations to propel lives sustainably forward. Post-millennial talents The Division of Integrative Systems and Design is HKUST’s bold response to the provision of these post-millennial human talents. Fittingly, it is designed with a distinctive style of its own, o ering original multidisciplinary education with a curriculum based on a “need-to-know” basis rather than the traditional “learn this because we feel it is good for you” approach. This has led to the adoption of a project-based mode of knowledge-gathering, where students are responsible for achieving a real-world objective as a team. As a result, learners realize how certain theories and skills will help them attain that task. “Many students these days do not simply accept what is being taught. They always want to know why. This way, students see for themselves the purpose in taking courses,” said Prof. C. Y. TSUI, Head of the Division. “They understand why they need to acquire speci c knowledge.” A 14 IN FOCUS It’s all go in the pioneering Division of Integrative Systems and Design as it prepares students to lead the way toward Industrial Revolution 4.0 Ready for Generation Z Prof. C. Y. Tsui, Head of the Division of Integrative Systems and Design, with undergraduates: “I want our students to be diverse in how they apply their knowledge.”
The Division’s name, discussed at length ahead of its launch in , is particularly important, Prof. Tsui noted. “Integrated means already combined. Integrative is where you are drawing elements from others. We felt the latter was more reflective of reality – and what we wanted to do.” Education with a difference The rst undergraduate program got underway in Fall with a cohort of undergraduates, who are curious, passionate about being involved in learning, and ready to collaborate. The eventual aim is per year. Once students enter the Division, they nd faculty members – one-third of whom are currently women – serve as coaches, “the guide on the side”, rather than supervisors. Educators and researchers joining the Division are drawn from inside and outside the University, and range from robotics and human computing interface experts to embedded systems specialists. But each shares the same commitment to working in a multidisciplinary team and intensively with students. “Integrated means already combined. Integrative is where you are drawing elements from others” For postgraduates, the established interdisciplinary MPhil in Technology Leadership and Entrepreneurship has moved within the Division while a PhD program will also be launched. Research will be focused on the design and optimization of integrative systems and design methodologies. Social impact, not just publications in highly ranked journals, will also be an important part of the research agenda. Design mindset Developing a traditional design school focused on areas such as industrial design or product design is not the Division’s aim, Prof. Tsui said. “What we want to do is embed the designer’s holistic way of looking at a project – how to de ne the problem with the end user in mind, empathize with the user, look at the overall social implications – into innovation and technology education. In this way, students will know how to construct and integrate systems and processes in line with social needs.” Working with companies is a must for students to gain real-world experience. An industrial consortium is set to provide the problem-based projects that learners will tackle. Academic exchange partners with institutions that have like-minded programs are also being put in place to provide overseas insights. Another adventurous aspect is that the Division is not just focused on one School domain, even though it is managed by the School of Engineering. Instead, it is envisaged that the intake and program will extend University-wide, given that students in all elds in a world of melting boundaries can bene t from learning to work together to overcome the challenges facing Generation Z and beyond. Harmony in diversity Prof. Tsui, who recently nished a four-year term as Associate Dean of Engineering (Undergraduate Studies), views his new role as both a challenge and exceptionally meaningful. The outcome he seeks is for a spectrum of graduates equipped with design and system thinking, communication skills, creativity and an entrepreneurial mindset who will prove irreplaceable in a world of rising arti cial intelligence and robotics. “Our students will be able to contribute in di erent ways as entrepreneurs and innovators, or by helping to transform a company’s culture from within, or helping those in need in society. Although we are dealing with integrative systems, I want our graduates to be diverse in how they apply their knowledge. And to possess a human edge that machines cannot replace.” 15 IN FOCUS One-third of the Division’s faculty are female: (from left) Ms. Luisa Mok, Dr. Carrie Ling and Dr. Winnie Leung.
otivation is the key to a good education, notes Prof. Philip K. T. MOK, who recently took up the post of Associate Dean of Engineering (Undergraduate Studies). The student-centered educator views teaching as a quest to nd what res up undergraduates’ interest in engineering, recognizing that individuals di er in their capabilities and outlooks, and such di erences need to be taken into account. That takes patience and persistence. But it is certainly worth it, Prof. Mok believes, when the outcome is next-generation dynamos as lled with enthusiasm for your subject and engineering as you are. Integrated vision Indeed, a er a career rst launched in the Department of Electronic and Computer Engineering in , Prof. Mok (PhD, University of Toronto) still radiates an abundance of zest for his eld, where the IEEE Fellow focuses his energies on semiconductor devices, integrated circuit design, and power management. When he joined HKUST, only founded in , it was a new university with a research focus, a dynamic and enterprising culture, and a young and energetic faculty. This meant Prof. Mok could focus on teaching and research at the same time, contributing both to the community’s future talent pool as well as innovation. Currently, he also heads the University’s Integrated Circuits Design Center. On the education front, he is a three-time winner of the School of Engineering’s Teaching Excellence Appreciation Award. Productive learning He views School of Engineering education as o ering a productive variety of cutting-edge learning experiences, such as flipped classrooms, experiential learning, local and international student competitions, and undergraduate research opportunities. Such an approach creates flexibility and caters to students with di erent interests and potential. The timely introduction of new degree programs that answer society’s evolving needs, and as elds emerge, is an equally important feature. “It is only if you nd and follow your passion that you will excel” To help young engineers discover their true interest – and hence their self-motivation – he urges students to be curious, con dent, always ready to learn new knowledge, and to verify the know-how they acquire. “It is only if you nd and follow your passion that you will excel.” He is also keen to see School of Engineering graduates aspire to improve people’s lives. Take his own specialization in power management, for instance, which involves green electronics to use energy e ciently, minimize wastage and conserve the environment. “Engineering is essentially an applied science to bene t mankind,” he said. Faculty Insight Learning to unlock potential M 16 IN FOCUS Prof. Philip Mok enjoys spurring students’ enthusiasm for engineering. An education that recognizes individual needs and talents can propel students to excel as engineers, explains Prof. Philip Mok
* E.g. QS World University Rankings by Subject 2018: Engineering and Technology: No.17. More School rankings details: http://bit.ly/2BBo9XK s science and technology innovation moves to the strategic forefront in Hong Kong and southern China, the School of Engineering is actively seeking to optimize emerging opportunities for faculty, students, and graduates, says Prof. Richard H. Y. SO, who became Associate Dean of Engineering (Research and Graduate Studies) in July . From research to impact Consistently high rankings* in global league tables provide recognition of the quality of research carried out in the School’s comprehensive engineering remit. Now the HK$ billion investment in innovation and technology announced in Hong Kong’s budget, openings in the Greater Bay Area, and alliances to access new countries to attract top talents, are some of the ways that the School can keep moving ahead, he said. “We have to help colleagues grasp these chances, translate basic research into impact, and establish stronger links with industry to achieve win-win situations for both HKUST and Hong Kong.” “He is thrilled to see a research and development culture unfolding in Hong Kong” A highly successful researcher himself, Prof. So (PhD, University of Southampton) joined the Department of Industrial Engineering and Decision Analytics in . He specializes in ergonomics, human factors, and functional brain studies, with a focus on human visual and auditory systems and bio-inspired smart algorithms. His research has been applied to innovative hearing aids which isolate desired sounds from unwanted noise. Another invention aims to prevent virtual reality users from feeling dizzy, a phenomenon that a ects one-third of people a er prolonged exposure. He also became the rst in Hong Kong to be elected a Fellow of the International Ergonomics Association in , an honor held by less than people worldwide at the time of his election. R&D impetus Prof. So is thrilled to see a research and development (R&D) culture unfolding in Hong Kong, with his PhD and postdoctoral students now starting to nd positions available in local start-ups and expanding options for technology and science-related careers in the city. “Asian companies, including those in Mainland China and Hong Kong, are gradually building their own R&D divisions, and this positive trend is spreading to small and medium-sized enterprises,” he said. Excitingly, once R&D directors and chief scientists start to be hired, he foresees Hong Kong will be able to retain its scienti c and technological talents as the job openings, career ladder, and leadership will nally be there. Hong Kong takes o as innovation hub A 17 IN FOCUS Prof. Richard So welcomes the growing scope for the School’s postgraduates and researchers Prof. Richard So (above), and discussing modeling human auditory responses with former student-turned-entrepreneur Calvin Zhang.
he Asian Deans’ Forum – The Rising Stars Women in Engineering Workshop took place at HKUST over four days in October, bringing together PhD candidates and early career female professionals from di erent engineering disciplines and institutions around the world to explore and discuss careers in academia and the development of women academic leaders in Asia. The workshop, held for the rst time in Asia, attracted applicants, with shortlisted to take part. Twenty-two other participants were nominated to join by their institutions. Attendees came from Harvard University, Imperial College London, ETH Zurich, and Massachusetts General Hospital, among other institutions. Spotlight T 18 IN FOCUS Bridging the gender gap International panel discussion with engineering academics.
Member organizations of the Asian Deans’ Forum collaborating in the event together with HKUST included National Taiwan University, National University of Singapore, Seoul National University, and the University of Tokyo. The workshop was co-sponsored by the University of New South Wales. Guest of honor at the opening ceremony was Hong Kong principal o cial Ms. Teresa CHENG, Secretary for Justice, who o ciated with HKUST President Prof. Wei SHYY, Dean of Engineering Prof. Tim CHENG, and other Asian Deans’ Forum representatives. In her plenary remarks, Ms. Cheng, a senior counsel and also a chartered engineer, noted the under-representation of women in engineering in many areas of Asia and praised the workshop for drawing attention to the openings that existed in the region for top young female engineering academics. Keynote speeches by established women engineers in academia encouraged female scholars to pursue engineering research and teaching careers, discussing how to optimize life in academia, build a strong research group, and become a faculty member, along with knowledge transfer and work-life balance. Panel discussions, mentoring, and meetings with deans and department heads of participating universities also formed part of the line-up. 19 IN FOCUS Meeting of minds: the Asian Deans’ Forum is a gathering of engineering heads of member institutions to share experiences and foster development of leading engineering knowledge, research, and academic human resources in Asia. Rising Star participant Dr. Sisi Jian is set to join the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at HKUST following the workshop. Workshop participants enjoy HKUST life. Visionary nanotechnologist Prof. Evelyn Hu (Harvard). Career mentoring… … and being enthused about engineering opportunities.
20 IN FOCUS tudents seeking careers in the service sector should seriously consider the new opportunities emerging in the knowledge economy, where growth depends on information and its e ective use to solve societal problems. One key area is decision analytics. This involves analysis of data (including statistical and machine learning techniques), simulation, modeling, and prescriptive analytics tools to support measurably better decisions for companies and governments. The eld has its roots in several disciplines. It borrows from industrial engineering its contributions to manufacturing and logistics. Management science provides some of the modeling background while operations research supplies optimization methodology, simulation, and stochastic processes. Many of these disciplines were developed at a time when data were scarce and computing power expensive. The current abundance of data and tremendous advances in computer power make it possible to merge these disciplines with statistical and machine learning, and arti cial intelligence to support decision making in the knowledge economy. As an example, data collected from consumers’ choices can help companies design and price products and services to improve pro ts and capacity utilization while providing consumers with products that are better aligned with their needs. “Decision analytics supports companies and governments in making measurably better decisions” Take the travel and leisure industry. The airfare for the same flight on the same departure date will experience price fluctuations that are influenced by the booking date (number of days before departure), travel restrictions (such as Saturday night stay, or returning within days), ancillary services included (luggage handling, boarding priority, advance seat assignments, mileage accrual, and others), remaining capacity and expected demand. The intelligent design of fares (restrictions and ancillary services) together with dynamic pricing o en results in a win-win for airline companies and consumers who travel for leisure or for business. Airlines can boost revenues, while consumers can purchase tickets that better t their travel intentions (for example, bundling discounts for tickets and hotel rooms for the leisure segment and providing availability for last-minute tickets for those who travel for business). Decision analytics leverages data, modeling and analytics to support companies and government organizations in making more informed decisions. At HKUST, our Decision Analytics program provides students with a range of flexible problem-solving skills that can be applied in di erent areas, including ntech, nancial engineering, consulting, risk management, healthcare, as well as logistics and advanced manufacturing. This is the future trend where decision analysts are present in companies to maximize pro t margins, improve overall consumer experience and better utilize scarce resources. The rise of decision analytics in the knowledge economy Prof. Guillermo GALLEGO is Department Head and Chair Professor of the Department of Industrial Engineering and Decision Analytics and Crown Worldwide Professor of Engineering. He has published in uential papers on dynamic pricing and revenue optimization, supply chain management, discrete choice modeling, and demand and supply analytics. He works closely with global companies and government agencies. By Prof. Guillermo Gallego S Faculty Column Watch the video exploring the Department of Industrial Engineering and Decision Analytics. Vision of the future
21 IN FOCUS MSc in Financial Technology First multidisciplinary program of its kind in Hong Kong and Mainland China More details Time to make your move into the burgeoning eld of FinTech With the HKUST Master of Science in Financial Technology, you get to learn the business insights, engineering principles and mechanisms, and quantitative techniques needed to analyze and employ new and emerging nancial technologies. All in one program. Build your competitive edge AI, blockchain, corporate nance, data analysis, data mining, decision analytics, and more… Run jointly by the School of Business and Management, School of Engineering, and School of Science. First intake in Fall 2019. Application deadlines February 1, 2019 (Full-time, one year) April 1, 2019 (Part-time, two years) Applications now open Admission on a rolling basis 理 學 院 “Find out how to combine novel technologies and innovation to improve nancial services” Prof. Cai Ning Program Director
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