Snapshot Engineering

Newsletter No.20 Summer 2011

The Miracle Continues School of Engineering Celebrates HKUST’s th Anniversary

Calendar of Events September 24-25, 2011 December 2011 HKUST Information Day HKUST Engineering Day HKUST Campus HKUST Campus October 14-23, 2011 December 8-11, 2011 HKUST “Bring Technology to Community” Exhibition The 3rd International Symposium on Plasticity and Impact Hong Kong Science Museum HKUST Clear Water Bay Campus (Dec 8-10) and HKUST Fok Ying Tung Graduate School, Nansha Campus (Dec 10-11) The above events are subject to change without prior notice.

Don't be the Missing Link ... Editors: Diana Liu, Dorothy Yip Alumni relationships are invaluable assets to the School and Contributing Editor: Sally Course alumni. To foster the growth of our alumni network, please Address: School of Engineering keep us informed of your recent news and send us your The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology updated contact information via email to [email protected]. Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong Stay connected and keep in touch! Phone: (852) 2358-5917 Fax: (852) 2358-1458 Email: [email protected] Website: www.seng.ust.hk Facebook: www.facebook.com/SENG.HKUST PTC-G14143 24

Dean's Message New Appointments Research

2011 marks another milestone in the history of HKUST as the technology play in making the world a better place, from Concurrent Prof Ben Letaief Honored as University reaches its 20th year, and the School of Engineering improved healthcare to more efficient buildings and bridges to ■ Prof Mordecai Golin (SENG) is fully playing its part in commemorating the new consumer electronic breakthroughs. ISI Highly Cited Researcher occasion. In the different Anniversary activities the School is Professor, Computer As we look toward HKUST’s next 20 years, SENG intends to Prof Khaled Ben Letaief, Dean of organizing throughout the year, we have set out to recognize Science and Engineering continue to push forward in its research and education Engineering, gained further and include all the different people who contribute to making achievements. We are already drawing together faculty on Appointed Associate recognition as an international SENG such a success. interdisciplinary endeavors and theme-based research to Vice-President for leader in his field by being Postgraduate Studies, Faculty members have helped us to become globally tackle some of the world’s biggest challenges, such as energy honored and selected as ISI Highly HKUST renowned through their outstanding research and innovations, and the environment. We are rapidly moving forward with our Cited Researcher by Thomson and the honors and achievements they have received. They education of 21st century engineers as we look forward to ■ Prof Mitchell Tseng Reuters in the field of Computer Science and Engineering. have also trained our students to become relevant, achieving, the four-year undergraduate degree system in Hong Kong in Chair Professor, Industrial participating members of society. As a result, our students 2012 and the opportunities it will bring. A wider view will also Engineering and Logistics Honoring the fundamental have gone out into society and shown how a HKUST be enhanced by our ongoing move toward diversity among Management contributions made in 21 broad subject categories in life sciences, education can provide the formative, all-round experience to our students, looking to draw the best talents from around Appointed Associate medicine, physical sciences, engineering and social sciences, ISI Highly generate innovative entrepreneurs and leaders in industry, the world to generate a global hub of ideas and links that will Vice-President for Cited Researchers are individuals who are the most highly cited in business and government. benefit all who study at SENG. These are our goals, and with Research and Innovation, their fields and inclusion in this list is taken as a measure of the esteem the momentum of all the people who have contributed in the The Hong Kong community has provided the foundation for HKUST of these scientific researchers and is used, for example, by the past and will do so in the future, they are ones I believe we Academic Ranking of World Universities. our student body and constantly supported us while we in ■ will achieve. Prof Lionel Ni turn have worked together with community members, from Prof Ben Letaief joins an elite club of less than half of 1% of all Chair Professor, Computer schools to industries, to let people know about the impact of published researchers in the world who are recognized among the Science and Engineering engineering and how it can move Hong Kong forward. Our 250 top and most-cited researchers in a defined discipline within a alumni have been our proud ambassadors out in the world, Appointed Dean of HKUST specific time-period. Prof Ben Letaief is a Fellow of IEEE and is while on campus we have sought to generate opportunities to Fok Ying Tung Graduate currently serving as the Vice-President of the IEEE Communications School work together with fellow members of HKUST. Society. He is also the recipient of many other international Prof Khaled Ben Letaief In SENG’s 20th Anniversary celebrations, our activities distinguished awards including the prestigious IEEE Marconi Prize Dean of Engineering Award in Wireless Communications. therefore encompass all these groups. And as this issue of In Visiting Faculty Focus shows, the events – ranging from top international ■ Prof Koon Fung Lam conferences on engineering education and the future of Wireless Project Receives Top Honor innovation to a fun day on campus for alumni and their Assistant Professor, Chemical and Biomolecular families – provide powerful recognition of what we have Engineering in MOE Natural Science Awards accomplished to date. Global interaction at the highest levels, PhD – The Hong Kong University of Science and Prof Lionel Ni, Prof Yunhao Liu and Mr Mo Li, Computer Science and community engagement, SENG family spirit, and campus Technology Engineering, received a prestigious First Class honor in the Ministry of connectivity, all are part of SENG’s sterling record of ■ Prof Matthew Law Education (MOE) Awards for Research Excellence in Natural Sciences achievement. for their cutting-edge project on “Range-free Localization and Assistant Professor, Electronic and Computer Indeed, as the largest School at HKUST, with the highest Localizability for Wireless Network and IOT: Theory and Practice”. The Engineering number of undergraduates, graduates and faculty, and the award was one of five secured by HKUST in this category, the largest most comprehensive within the PhD – The Hong Kong University of Science and number among tertiary institutions in Hong Kong. The natural science engineering field in Hong Kong, SENG Technology award targets tertiary institutions in China and recognizes those who has a pivotal role to play in raising ■ Prof Yue Wang have made discoveries in basic and applied research or explained natural awareness about the essential role phenomenon or characteristics through scientific research. Assistant Professor, Industrial Engineering and that engineers play in improving our Logistics Management Profs Ni and Liu’s wireless project led to the design of one of the lives. Our consistently high global rankings world’s earliest range-free localization and localizability systems using PhD – The Hong Kong University of Science and show that we are being successful in RFID; and found a solution to the problem of accurately obtaining Technology contributing to major achievements in the real-time object locations in field. We also want to ensure people a wireless sensor network outside the engineering field recognize and the Internet of Things. how central a role innovation and

Photo Credit: Beijing-Hong Kong Academic Exchange Centre

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Research Research

SENG Research Excellence Awards Research Excellence Award Young Investigator Research Award Prof Qian Zhang Prof Matthew McKay The launch of the School of Engineering Research Excellence Computer Science and Engineering Electronic and Computer Engineering Awards recognizes the impact and contributions of the School’s faculty members and provides an inspiring tribute to the Prof Zhang, a PhD graduate of Prof McKay has established an world-class work being carried out at HKUST. In Focus Wuhan University and previously exceptional research record for a with Microsoft Research Asia, Beijing, junior faculty member, helping him to showcases the four inaugural winners. is internationally known for the become the first winner of this award outstanding quality of her research which recognizes the achievements of in mobile multimedia communication a rising star with potential for future Distinguished Research Excellence Award IEEE Fellow, a Fellow of the Society for Information Display and advanced wireless networking. leadership. , and an Elected Member of the Asia-Pacific Academy of Prof Hoi Sing Kwok Materials, among others. She gained early recognition for her work on resource alloca- Joining HKUST in 2007 after receiving his PhD at the University Electronic and Computer tion, streaming protocol and cross-layer QoS support for mul- of Sydney in Australia, Prof McKay is making strong contributions Engineering Research Excellence Award timedia streaming, which has been frequently cited. to the fundamental understanding and design of advanced signal Dr William MW Mong Chair processing methods for wireless communications. He has Prof Guohua Chen Prof Zhang was the first to propose an end-system based Professor of Nanotechnology published over 40 journal papers and received 400 citations. Chemical and Biomolecular mobility solution for heterogeneous wireless networks and Prof Kwok has become the first Engineering has made notable contributions in the area of wireless sensor One of his main areas of interest is applications of random winner of the top Research networks. In recent years, she has made pioneering advances matrix theory to signal processing and information theory. He Prof Chen has been a major Excellence Award, which honors a in cognitive and cooperative wireless networks, an emerging has become well known for being able to characterize the contributor to two key research distinguished engineering faculty member with exceptional research area. This includes opening up a new research direction achievable capacity limits of multi-channel communication areas, the drying of high-value research achievements and significant impact locally and for cognitive radio networks by utilizing cooperative relay to systems using his random matrix theory. Through his results, for products and electrochemical globally. improve the transmission diversity and correspondingly the example, the data rate of mobile telephones and WiFi can be technologies for industrial spectrum efficiency. improved. The pioneering academic was cited for his contributions to the wastewater treatment. He has also gained acclaim for the field of display technologies, an area where he has enjoyed major application of nanotechnologies to environmental protection. Among earlier accolades, she was named among the World’s Showing the global recognition he is receiving, Prof McKay was achievements since 1992, the year he joined HKUST. A Harvard Top Young Innovators in the MIT Technology Review 100 in 2004 awarded the 2011 Stephen O. Rice Prize in the Field of Such achievements have secured him this award, which PhD graduate in Applied Physics, Prof Kwok has received 58 and received the Overseas Young Investigator Award from the Communications Theory from the IEEE Communications Society. recognizes an outstanding faculty member with a proven patents, with another 30 under review, and produced over 500 National Natural Science Foundation of China in 2006. This highly regarded award is given annually for the best paper record of research excellence. refereed publications on display-related research, achieving an published in IEEE Transactions on Communications in the previous Prof Zhang, who joined HKUST in 2005, has published over outstanding H-index citation rate of 40. As an example of the impact of his work, the electrochemical three years. The paper was co-authored by Shi Jin, Xiqi Gao and 200 refereed papers in top journals and international technologies developed in his laboratory have been evaluated Iain B. Collings. During his productive career, Prof Kwok has been actively conferences and is the inventor of around 30 pending as the most likely technology to deal with the remediation of engaged in both fundamental and applied research. The international patents. She is also an active leader in her He gained a 2010 Young Author Best Paper Award from the IEEE oily wastewaters, being cited in MIT Technology Review as the development of silicon micro-displays and the technology department at HKUST and has high visibility in the professional Signal Processing Society with a paper co-authored with his PhD future option of restaurant wastewater treatment. The Hong transfer of active-matrix organic light-emitting diode (OLED) community. student Liang Sun, and Shi Jin. He also received Best Paper Kong Environmental Conservation Fund granted research displays are key developments. “He is a true-blue academic of Awards at the IEEE International Conference on Communica- funding to build a pilot plant and excellent results have been She is co-director of Huawei-HKUST Innovation Lab and the HKUST, with all his work created here,” said Prof Ross Murch, tions 2011 and the IEEE Global Communications Conference obtained to date. director of the Digital Life Research Center at HKUST. Head of Electronic and Computer Engineering. 2010. Prof Chen, who earned his PhD at McGill University and After his arrival at HKUST, Prof Kwok spotted the industrial Prof McKay has also taken a pro-active role in establishing joined HKUST in the mid-1990s, has published over 120 need for liquid crystal display technology and built up a collaborations with international experts and promoting research journal papers and shared his knowledge through active research program. He has pioneered the development of low excellence among his students. temperature polycrystalline silicon (LTPS) thin-film transistors participation in international conferences and workshops. He has been an editor of Separation and Purification Technology, a (TFT) for high resolution active-matrix displays, among many Selecting the Winners other successful technology breakthroughs. top journal in the field of chemical engineering and is an International Advisory Panel Member of the World Congress Criteria for selection of awardees included research output, and research achievements recognized by the award were Prof Kwok’s invention of color-filtered liquid-crystal display on of Chemical Engineering. silicon (LCOS) was licensed to Himax Display Inc of Taiwan originality and innovativeness; impact of research output on expected to be for work carried out mainly at HKUST. The high quality of his research training has assisted his society, industry and the relevant engineering disciplines; and the device they produced based on this invention has The Research Awards Selection Committee comprised the postgraduate students in obtaining excellent research output research training provided to students and post-doctoral been incorporated into many products, including the Nikon head or acting head of each of the School of Engineering’s and careers. Bachelor degree students have gained the benefit researchers; and their leadership role in collaboration with PJ1000 digital camera. In addition, inventions related to LTPS six departments and was chaired by Prof Joseph Lee, of Prof Chen’s cutting-edge view of research through his national and international research partners. TFT have been licensed to Sinodisplay Technology Inc to Vice-President for Research and Graduate Studies. Of four commercialize the technology for active-matrix OLED displays. participation in the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program. Nominees had to be excellent researchers over a co-opted members, three were Professors Emeriti and Prof Kwok’s contributions to the field have been recognized sustained period of time – at least the past three years – one a member of the HKUST Institute for Advanced Study. through numerous prestigious professional affiliations. He is an 04 05

Research Academic Excellence

Artificial Intelligence Journal SENG Academics Receive Top-Tier Rankings Globally in Engineering and Technology Subjects

Headquartered at HKUST Google Research Awards HKUST has maintained its remarkable global presence in Aeronautical & Manufacturing, ahead of Korea Advanced In a significant boost for HKUST’s Three Computer Science and engineering and technology in a new set of academic subject Institute of Science & Technology (KAIST) (49th) and international presence and Hong Kong’s Engineering faculty members have rankings released in April. According to the 2011 QS World University of Wisconsin-Madison (51-100th); and 51-100th in drive to become an academic hub, the had their cutting-edge studies University Rankings by Subject - Engineering and Technology, Chemical Engineering. University has become the recognized, with each receiving a the first time these tables have been published, HKUST was ranked No.1 in Greater China in Computer Science & headquarters for a prestigious Google Research Award from the 2011 QS World University Rankings - Computer Science & new journal focusing on global internet search giant. This was Information Systems and No.1 in Hong Kong in Mechanical, Information Systems Rankings Aeronautical & Manufacturing. artificial intelligence. the highest number of awards Institution World Ranking granted to academics at a single ACM Transactions on In the Computer Science & Information Systems category, university in Hong Kong in the Massachusetts Institute of Technology 1 Intelligent Systems and HKUST was placed 26th. This ranking is in line with the funding round results released in Q4 University of California, Los Angeles 8 Technology is being led by Computer Science and Engineering Department’s ranking at 2010. Columbia University 17 founding editor-in-chief Prof 26th in the world and 1st in Greater China in the Academic HKUST 26 Qiang Yang, Computer Science and Engineering, an IEEE Fellow, Prof Chi Keung Tang, Prof Sunghun Ranking of World Universities (ARWU) league table produced and a specialist in data mining and artificial intelligence. ACM, or Kim and Prof Ke Yi received by Shanghai Jiao Tong University in 2010. The Electronic and Purdue University 29 the Association for Computing Machinery, is one of the two funding for their studies in Computer Engineering Department was globally placed 28th. The University of Tokyo 35 largest and most authoritative computing associations globally, “Quasi-Dense 3D Reconstruction Dean of Engineering Prof Khaled Ben Letaief said he was Tsinghua University 43 together with the IEEE. from 2D Uncalibrated Photos” delighted to see that the School of Engineering was continuing (geo/maps), “Crash Reproduction” The new journal aims to promote multi-disciplinary artificial to excel in international rankings. “We shall strive toward (software engineering) and 2011 QS World University Rankings - Electrical and Electronic intelligence research, with topics ranging from computational making even greater impact on the world with our first-rate “Computing Statistical Summaries Engineering Rankings sustainability to computational social and cultural dynamics. education and research now and in the future,” he said. with MapReduce” (information Papers started to be accepted at the beginning of 2010 and an A total of five subject areas in engineering and technology Institution World Ranking retrieval, extraction and inaugural issue was published in October 2010. An impressive were covered in the QS rankings. Ranking indicators include organization) respectively. Massachusetts Institute of Technology 1 400 submissions were received from around the world during academic reputation, employer reputation and citations, with Princeton University 12 its first year, including top institutions such as MIT and Stanford. The Google Research Awards the high rankings of HKUST’s engineering departments being Cornell University 19 program identifies and supports faculty pursuing research in an endorsement of its world-class faculty, high-impact “This is a terrific development,” said Prof Mounir Hamdi, Chair HKUST 28 areas of mutual interest internationally, with two rounds of Professor and Head of the Computer Science and Engineering research, outstanding students, and state-of-the-art facilities. funding held annually. In the Q4 2010 round, Google University of British Columbia 30 Department. “The founding of such a prestigious journal is a Other strong HKUST subject rankings included 42nd in Civil & supported 112 awards across 20 different subject areas, Purdue University 32 clear indication of the great research stature of Prof Yang and Structural Engineering, ahead of University of Bristol (47th) totaling more than US$6 million. Hong Kong received a total Tsinghua University 40 our department as a whole.” and Texas A&M University (51-100th); 44th in Mechanical, of five awards and one joint award putting it among the top The first four issues of the journal are available at regions to gain awards, along with the US, UK and Germany. http://tist.acm.org/publications.html. Academics from 14 regions in total gained funding, with around 65% of the awards going to researchers in the US. Agreement Signed for Joint PhD Program

Expanding the School of Engineering (SENG)’s international School agreed a joint PhD program with Korea Advanced Transforming Video Technology network and visibility further, a joint PhD degree program is Institute of Science and Technology, a major research Prof Bing Zeng, Electronic and published over the past three years is selected to receive the to be established under an exciting academic and research institution in Korea. Computer Engineering, and his 2010 Best Paper Award. It was the first time since the journal’s collaboration agreement between the School and the College PhD graduate Dr Jingjing Fu, now launch in 1991 that the honor had been awarded to a Hong of Engineering at Pohang University of Science and Technology working at Microsoft Research Asia, Kong professor and his student for work completely carried (POSTECH) in Korea. have been selected to receive the out in Hong Kong. In his paper, he lays down the fundamental The four-year HKUST/POSTECH program will require 2011 IEEE Transactions on Circuits and framework for the breakthrough transformation that has been students to spend two years at each university, providing Systems for Video Technology – Best widely used in many image and video coding applications. exposure to the research environment in two leading Paper Award for their paper With the same paper, Prof Zeng also won the Best Paper Award Asia-Pacific institutions and boosting students’ “Directional Discrete Cosine at the IEEE International Symposium on Circuits and Systems competitive edge. Every student will also have two faculty Transforms: A New Framework for Image Coding”. The IEEE 2011, held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The symposium is the world’s advisors, one from each institution. The universities are journal is widely recognized as the best in the area of video premier networking forum of leading researchers in the highly seeking to admit the first cohort in Fall 2012. technology. About 200 papers are published every year, active fields of theory, design and implementation of circuits and with an acceptance rate of about 17%. Each year, one paper The agreement marks another successful collaboration systems. with a top Korean university for SENG. In 2009, the

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Academic Excellence Academic Excellence

Princeton Exchange Expands Leading Academy Faculty Honors, Research Opportunities for Undergraduates Recognizes IELM Head Awards and Achievements

In a pioneering move, HKUST has become the first Prof Vincent Poor, Dean of the School of Engineering and In recognition of his ■ Prof Oscar Au, Electronic and university in Asia to enter into an undergraduate summer Applied Science at Princeton, also welcomed the move. outstanding contributions Computer Engineering, and his team research exchange partnership in engineering with “We are very pleased to establish a partnership with over the years, Prof Fugee are among the few university teams Princeton University. HKUST Engineering School to jointly advance the levels of Tsung, Head of Industrial contributing to the competitive Joint distinction in discovery and transmission of knowledge and Engineering and Logistics Collaborative Team on Video Coding The two-way summer exchange agreement will see School understanding through this research exchange program,” he Management, has been (JCTVC), which is developing the of Engineering (SENG) students spend eight weeks at the said. elected an Academician of next-generation video coding Ivy League institution where they will engage in research the International Academy standard. Prof Au’s team has had three proposals with faculty members on designated projects. Princeton for Quality (IAQ). The accepted into the High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC) students will undertake research with HKUST academics academy is the most standard’s working draft. The first proposal on chroma and professional research teams from Hong Kong Applied prestigious international entropy coding was accepted at the Daegu (Korea) Science and Technology Research Institute (ASTRI). organization in its field. It meeting in January 2011. The second and third The arrangement is especially notable as Princeton has less comprises peer-nominated proposals were on sub-LCU Qp representation and than 10 institutional partners for reciprocal exchange members who admit individuals identified as global thought dQP calculation method respectively and were accepted worldwide. In combining hands-on research experience leaders in quality-related issues. at the Geneva meeting in March 2011. The HEVC standard will be finalized in mid 2013. with international exchange, the program also offers a Prof Tsung is only the second in Hong Kong and one of just different form of study abroad experience for SENG six academicians in Greater China to receive the accolade. ■ Prof Mansun Chan, Electronic and students. His research focuses on quality control and the Computer Engineering, and his team Dean of Engineering Prof Khaled Ben Letaief said that improvement of complex systems in both the manufacturing won a 2009 Shenzhen City Technology SENG was committed to providing an outstanding and service sectors. Prof Tsung has also taken up many Innovation Award from the Shenzhen undergraduate education that produced global leadership positions, including Regional Vice-President (Asia) Science and Technology Association citizens. “We are therefore very excited about this of the Institute of Industrial Engineers (IIE), and helped to with the project “New Generation initiative which will not only allow our students to raise wider awareness of quality techniques in the region. Nano-CMOS Device Model Research acquire an international outlook but will further Showing the growing attention now being paid to the area and Verification for SOC Design”. The project was develop their appreciation of research.” in Greater China, the Asian Network for Quality 2012 undertaken with Peking University Shenzhen Graduate Congress will be held at HKUST. Around 500 quality School. professionals from Asia are expected to attend. ■ Prof Albert Chung, Computer Engineering Program, Prof Sunghun Kim, Computer Science and Engineering, Prof Ergonomics Expert Lambros Katafygiotis, Civil and Environmental Engineering, First Choice Again for PhD Engineering Fellows and Prof Henry Lam, Chemical and Biomolecular Elected Fellow Engineering, have been named among HKUST’s 2010 Best The School of Engineering (SENG) continues to be the first The commitment and cutting-edge research of SENG’s Ten Lecturers in the annual awards event organized by choice for high-flying Hong Kong, Mainland China and world-class academics in different engineering fields are Prof Richard So, Industrial VERTEX, House II Students Association. The independent overseas engineering students admitted under the Hong among the School’s top attractions for the next generation Engineering and Logistics student initiative allows those studying at HKUST to show Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme, offered by the Research of leading researchers, according to Dean of Engineering Management, has been their appreciation of lecturers’ work and give them a vote Grants Council (RGC). Prof Khaled Ben Letaief. “With top-notch teaching, elected a Fellow of the of thanks. It was the 14th year the event had been pioneering research projects and state-of-the-art facilities, I Institute of Ergonomics and organized. In May, the RGC announced that 123 elite PhD students am sure awardees can maximize their potential here,” he Human Factors for his from around 20 countries/regions had accepted offers for ■ Prof Pascale Fung, Electronic and said. significant contributions to 2011/12, with a total of 22 awardees electing to study at Computer Engineering, and her team ergonomics. Established in SENG. This was equivalent to 44% of the total fellows The PhD Fellowship Scheme was launched by the RGC to received a Second Class Prize in the 1949, the Institute is the admitted to all engineering disciplines in Hong Kong. attract the best and brightest students from around the Shenzhen/Hong Kong Technology oldest professional society in world to study and carry out research in University Grants Innovation Competition 2010 for their The RGC’s PhD scheme is now in its second year and for the field and aims to promote Committee-funded institutions in Hong Kong. A total of ITF/APAS project on a 3G automotive both years SENG has drawn the highest number of public awareness of 4,024 applications from 103 countries/regions were received infotainment system. HKUST was the engineering awardees in Hong Kong. It also represents more ergonomics and its applications. Prof So has also been invited in the 2011/12 round. only Hong Kong institution, academic or private, to win than two-thirds of the total 32 students admitted to Schools to become editor in the area of Human Factors for Displays, a prize that year. at HKUST under the 2011/12 intake. an international journal focusing on research related to vision and displays.

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Academic Excellence Beyond Labs & Lectures

■ Associate Dean of Engineering Prof ■ Research by Prof Yi-Kuen Lee, Jang Kyo Kim, Mechanical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, on has been elected editor of Composite “Super-hydrophobic Surface with The Rise of Part A, one of the most prestigious Nano-flowers on Silicon” has been journals in the field. Prof Kim has been published on the Chinese International HKUST ROBOTICS serving on the journal's editorial board NEMS Network website and become for seven years, as well as being on the one of its most frequently viewed editorial boards of seven other international journals articles. Prof Lee has also published a A robot addressed an amazed audience at HKUST on April 12, giving an 11-minute related to areas of advanced materials and composites. paper, in collaboration with Prof Hsian-Rong Tseng at presentation at the HKUST 20th Anniversary Program Parade presented by the UCLA, on the development of the 2nd generation ■ For the second consecutive year, Prof School of Engineering (SENG). The NAO robot, recently acquired for training microfluidic circulating tumor cells (CTCs) capture Sunghun Kim, Computer Science and purposes, had been successfully programmed to give the entertaining introduction by technology which was chosen as the cover of Engineering, has been selected to members of HKUST’s Robotics Team, all of whom come from SENG. Angewandte Chemie International Edition (Mar 21, 2011 receive a highly competitive Software issue). The paper, “Highly Efficient Capture of Circulating HKUST’s Robotics Team stems from students’ successful participation in the annual Engineering Innovation Foundation Tumor Cells Using Nanostructured Silicon Substrates Robocon contest, which began in 2004. The 2011 team comprises 70 students from (SEIF) Award from Microsoft with Integrated Chaotic Micromixers” has also been Hong Kong, Mainland China and overseas, with representatives from all of the School’s Research. His proposal, “GATE: highlighted in Nature Medicine (Mar 2011 issue). departments. This marks a 75% increase on 2010 and shows the enthusiasm for this Game-based Automatic Testing Environment”, was the type of learning experience outside the regular curriculum. Altogether around 150 only one selected from Asia and among just 10 ■ Prof Wai Ho Mow, Computer Engineering SENG students signed up to participate before the Robotics Team selection was made. worldwide that were chosen from 88 study proposals in Program, has been awarded a 2010/11 Photo Credit: Sing Tao Daily 2011. The proposal will be supported by a grant of grant from the Overseas and Hong Kong, In order for more students to participate in external competitions, Robotics Team mem- US$35,000 for a year. SEIF is open to universities and Macau Young Scholars Collaborative bers have now been divided into four groups, with each taking part in one of four major research institutions worldwide and receives proposals Research Fund, set up by the National events. These are the Robocon Hong Kong Contest and three new ones, the Remotely of the highest standards. Selection criteria include the Natural Science Foundation of China, for Operated Vehicles (ROV) Competition featuring underwater robots, the Smart Car project’s impact on the software engineering community, his project “Optimal Training Sequence Competition, and NAO RoboCup. potential for wide dissemination and use of the Design and Low-Complexity Estimation/Decoding Methods To celebrate the formation of the Robotics Team, senior administrators of the University, intellectual property created, ability to complete the for Multiple-Antenna Wireless Communications”. The including President Prof F Tony Chan, presented team flags to the individual groups at project, as well as the qualifications of the principal research is being carried out in collaboration with Southwest the Program Parade. Members of the Robotics Team also took a pledge to participate in investigator. Jiaotong University in Sichuan. the contests in a competitive but sporting manner.

■ Prof Chung Yee Lee and Prof Ajay ■ A co-authored poster by Prof Hui He A few days before the Program Parade, the ROV team got off to a flying start by per- Joneja, Industrial Engineering and Qiu, Mechanical Engineering, entitled forming excellently in the Hong Kong Underwater Robot Challenge, a qualification Robots Perform Lion Dance Logistics Management, have been “Drastic Enhancement of Boiling Heat examination for the international competition. With this success, they represented Hong awarded a research grant from the Transfer with Micro- and Nano- Kong in the ROV international competition at NASA Johnson Space Center in Houston at Grand Celebration Innovation and Technology Fund for Engineering of Surface Wettability”, won in June and won the Design Elegance Award, which was judged by the aesthetics, sim- Two NAO robots also made a memo- their project “Integrated Decision the Honorable Mention-ASME Best plicity and functionality of the vehicle’s design. Grateful to the Robotics Team’s logistics rable appearance at HKUST’s Grand Support System for Dynamic Poster Award at the Micro & partner, DHL Express, for providing logistics consultation and sponsoring the air express Celebration commemorating the Vehicle-Dispatching and Scheduling with Real-time Nanotechnology Society-Wide Forum at the 2010 transportation of over 85kg. With DHL’s professional help on shipping the sophisticated University’s 20th Anniversary on April 8. Information under Operation Uncertainty”. The project American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) and delicate underwater robot machines, the robot has been safely and efficiently deliv- The robots, programmed by HKUST seeks to develop an integrated information technology International Mechanical Engineering Congress & ered between Hong Kong and Houston. Robotics Team members, performed an platform for passenger transport in real-time operation Exposition in Vancouver. The Robotics Team is supervised by Prof Zexiang Li and Prof Tim Woo, both from the impressive lion dance at the event. and information exchange to reduce operation costs ■ Prof Jiang Xu, Electronic and Electronic and Computer Engineering Department. and improve efficiency. Computer Engineering, has been selected by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Computer Society as a Distinguished Visitor. Under the society’s Distinguished Visitors Program, first-quality speakers from among its membership share the latest insights in different areas of the field with professional and student chapters of the society in different locations.

10 11 Snapshot Engineering

Newsletter No.20 Summer 2011

The Miracle Continues School of Engineering Celebrates HKUST’s th Anniversary

Calendar of Events September 24-25, 2011 December 2011 HKUST Information Day HKUST Engineering Day HKUST Campus HKUST Campus October 14-23, 2011 December 8-11, 2011 HKUST “Bring Technology to Community” Exhibition The 3rd International Symposium on Plasticity and Impact Hong Kong Science Museum HKUST Clear Water Bay Campus (Dec 8-10) and HKUST Fok Ying Tung Graduate School, Nansha Campus (Dec 10-11) The above events are subject to change without prior notice.

Don't be the Missing Link ... Editors: Diana Liu, Dorothy Yip Alumni relationships are invaluable assets to the School and Contributing Editor: Sally Course alumni. To foster the growth of our alumni network, please Address: School of Engineering keep us informed of your recent news and send us your The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology updated contact information via email to [email protected]. Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong Stay connected and keep in touch! Phone: (852) 2358-5917 Fax: (852) 2358-1458 Email: [email protected] Website: www.seng.ust.hk Facebook: www.facebook.com/SENG.HKUST PTC-G14143 24

Dean's Message New Appointments Research

2011 marks another milestone in the history of HKUST as the technology play in making the world a better place, from Concurrent Prof Ben Letaief Honored as University reaches its 20th year, and the School of Engineering improved healthcare to more efficient buildings and bridges to ■ Prof Mordecai Golin (SENG) is fully playing its part in commemorating the new consumer electronic breakthroughs. ISI Highly Cited Researcher occasion. In the different Anniversary activities the School is Professor, Computer As we look toward HKUST’s next 20 years, SENG intends to Prof Khaled Ben Letaief, Dean of organizing throughout the year, we have set out to recognize Science and Engineering continue to push forward in its research and education Engineering, gained further and include all the different people who contribute to making achievements. We are already drawing together faculty on Appointed Associate recognition as an international SENG such a success. interdisciplinary endeavors and theme-based research to Vice-President for leader in his field by being Postgraduate Studies, Faculty members have helped us to become globally tackle some of the world’s biggest challenges, such as energy honored and selected as ISI Highly HKUST renowned through their outstanding research and innovations, and the environment. We are rapidly moving forward with our Cited Researcher by Thomson and the honors and achievements they have received. They education of 21st century engineers as we look forward to ■ Prof Mitchell Tseng Reuters in the field of Computer Science and Engineering. have also trained our students to become relevant, achieving, the four-year undergraduate degree system in Hong Kong in Chair Professor, Industrial participating members of society. As a result, our students 2012 and the opportunities it will bring. A wider view will also Engineering and Logistics Honoring the fundamental have gone out into society and shown how a HKUST be enhanced by our ongoing move toward diversity among Management contributions made in 21 broad subject categories in life sciences, education can provide the formative, all-round experience to our students, looking to draw the best talents from around Appointed Associate medicine, physical sciences, engineering and social sciences, ISI Highly generate innovative entrepreneurs and leaders in industry, the world to generate a global hub of ideas and links that will Vice-President for Cited Researchers are individuals who are the most highly cited in business and government. benefit all who study at SENG. These are our goals, and with Research and Innovation, their fields and inclusion in this list is taken as a measure of the esteem the momentum of all the people who have contributed in the The Hong Kong community has provided the foundation for HKUST of these scientific researchers and is used, for example, by the past and will do so in the future, they are ones I believe we Academic Ranking of World Universities. our student body and constantly supported us while we in ■ will achieve. Prof Lionel Ni turn have worked together with community members, from Prof Ben Letaief joins an elite club of less than half of 1% of all Chair Professor, Computer schools to industries, to let people know about the impact of published researchers in the world who are recognized among the Science and Engineering engineering and how it can move Hong Kong forward. Our 250 top and most-cited researchers in a defined discipline within a alumni have been our proud ambassadors out in the world, Appointed Dean of HKUST specific time-period. Prof Ben Letaief is a Fellow of IEEE and is while on campus we have sought to generate opportunities to Fok Ying Tung Graduate currently serving as the Vice-President of the IEEE Communications School work together with fellow members of HKUST. Society. He is also the recipient of many other international Prof Khaled Ben Letaief In SENG’s 20th Anniversary celebrations, our activities distinguished awards including the prestigious IEEE Marconi Prize Dean of Engineering Award in Wireless Communications. therefore encompass all these groups. And as this issue of In Visiting Faculty Focus shows, the events – ranging from top international ■ Prof Koon Fung Lam conferences on engineering education and the future of Wireless Project Receives Top Honor innovation to a fun day on campus for alumni and their Assistant Professor, Chemical and Biomolecular families – provide powerful recognition of what we have Engineering in MOE Natural Science Awards accomplished to date. Global interaction at the highest levels, PhD – The Hong Kong University of Science and Prof Lionel Ni, Prof Yunhao Liu and Mr Mo Li, Computer Science and community engagement, SENG family spirit, and campus Technology Engineering, received a prestigious First Class honor in the Ministry of connectivity, all are part of SENG’s sterling record of ■ Prof Matthew Law Education (MOE) Awards for Research Excellence in Natural Sciences achievement. for their cutting-edge project on “Range-free Localization and Assistant Professor, Electronic and Computer Indeed, as the largest School at HKUST, with the highest Localizability for Wireless Network and IOT: Theory and Practice”. The Engineering number of undergraduates, graduates and faculty, and the award was one of five secured by HKUST in this category, the largest most comprehensive within the PhD – The Hong Kong University of Science and number among tertiary institutions in Hong Kong. The natural science engineering field in Hong Kong, SENG Technology award targets tertiary institutions in China and recognizes those who has a pivotal role to play in raising ■ Prof Yue Wang have made discoveries in basic and applied research or explained natural awareness about the essential role phenomenon or characteristics through scientific research. Assistant Professor, Industrial Engineering and that engineers play in improving our Logistics Management Profs Ni and Liu’s wireless project led to the design of one of the lives. Our consistently high global rankings world’s earliest range-free localization and localizability systems using PhD – The Hong Kong University of Science and show that we are being successful in RFID; and found a solution to the problem of accurately obtaining Technology contributing to major achievements in the real-time object locations in field. We also want to ensure people a wireless sensor network outside the engineering field recognize and the Internet of Things. how central a role innovation and

Photo Credit: Beijing-Hong Kong Academic Exchange Centre

02 03

Research Research

SENG Research Excellence Awards Research Excellence Award Young Investigator Research Award Prof Qian Zhang Prof Matthew McKay The launch of the School of Engineering Research Excellence Computer Science and Engineering Electronic and Computer Engineering Awards recognizes the impact and contributions of the School’s faculty members and provides an inspiring tribute to the Prof Zhang, a PhD graduate of Prof McKay has established an world-class work being carried out at HKUST. In Focus Wuhan University and previously exceptional research record for a with Microsoft Research Asia, Beijing, junior faculty member, helping him to showcases the four inaugural winners. is internationally known for the become the first winner of this award outstanding quality of her research which recognizes the achievements of in mobile multimedia communication a rising star with potential for future Distinguished Research Excellence Award IEEE Fellow, a Fellow of the Society for Information Display and advanced wireless networking. leadership. , and an Elected Member of the Asia-Pacific Academy of Prof Hoi Sing Kwok Materials, among others. She gained early recognition for her work on resource alloca- Joining HKUST in 2007 after receiving his PhD at the University Electronic and Computer tion, streaming protocol and cross-layer QoS support for mul- of Sydney in Australia, Prof McKay is making strong contributions Engineering Research Excellence Award timedia streaming, which has been frequently cited. to the fundamental understanding and design of advanced signal Dr William MW Mong Chair processing methods for wireless communications. He has Prof Guohua Chen Prof Zhang was the first to propose an end-system based Professor of Nanotechnology published over 40 journal papers and received 400 citations. Chemical and Biomolecular mobility solution for heterogeneous wireless networks and Prof Kwok has become the first Engineering has made notable contributions in the area of wireless sensor One of his main areas of interest is applications of random winner of the top Research networks. In recent years, she has made pioneering advances matrix theory to signal processing and information theory. He Prof Chen has been a major Excellence Award, which honors a in cognitive and cooperative wireless networks, an emerging has become well known for being able to characterize the contributor to two key research distinguished engineering faculty member with exceptional research area. This includes opening up a new research direction achievable capacity limits of multi-channel communication areas, the drying of high-value research achievements and significant impact locally and for cognitive radio networks by utilizing cooperative relay to systems using his random matrix theory. Through his results, for products and electrochemical globally. improve the transmission diversity and correspondingly the example, the data rate of mobile telephones and WiFi can be technologies for industrial spectrum efficiency. improved. The pioneering academic was cited for his contributions to the wastewater treatment. He has also gained acclaim for the field of display technologies, an area where he has enjoyed major application of nanotechnologies to environmental protection. Among earlier accolades, she was named among the World’s Showing the global recognition he is receiving, Prof McKay was achievements since 1992, the year he joined HKUST. A Harvard Top Young Innovators in the MIT Technology Review 100 in 2004 awarded the 2011 Stephen O. Rice Prize in the Field of Such achievements have secured him this award, which PhD graduate in Applied Physics, Prof Kwok has received 58 and received the Overseas Young Investigator Award from the Communications Theory from the IEEE Communications Society. recognizes an outstanding faculty member with a proven patents, with another 30 under review, and produced over 500 National Natural Science Foundation of China in 2006. This highly regarded award is given annually for the best paper record of research excellence. refereed publications on display-related research, achieving an published in IEEE Transactions on Communications in the previous Prof Zhang, who joined HKUST in 2005, has published over outstanding H-index citation rate of 40. As an example of the impact of his work, the electrochemical three years. The paper was co-authored by Shi Jin, Xiqi Gao and 200 refereed papers in top journals and international technologies developed in his laboratory have been evaluated Iain B. Collings. During his productive career, Prof Kwok has been actively conferences and is the inventor of around 30 pending as the most likely technology to deal with the remediation of engaged in both fundamental and applied research. The international patents. She is also an active leader in her He gained a 2010 Young Author Best Paper Award from the IEEE oily wastewaters, being cited in MIT Technology Review as the development of silicon micro-displays and the technology department at HKUST and has high visibility in the professional Signal Processing Society with a paper co-authored with his PhD future option of restaurant wastewater treatment. The Hong transfer of active-matrix organic light-emitting diode (OLED) community. student Liang Sun, and Shi Jin. He also received Best Paper Kong Environmental Conservation Fund granted research displays are key developments. “He is a true-blue academic of Awards at the IEEE International Conference on Communica- funding to build a pilot plant and excellent results have been She is co-director of Huawei-HKUST Innovation Lab and the HKUST, with all his work created here,” said Prof Ross Murch, tions 2011 and the IEEE Global Communications Conference obtained to date. director of the Digital Life Research Center at HKUST. Head of Electronic and Computer Engineering. 2010. Prof Chen, who earned his PhD at McGill University and After his arrival at HKUST, Prof Kwok spotted the industrial Prof McKay has also taken a pro-active role in establishing joined HKUST in the mid-1990s, has published over 120 need for liquid crystal display technology and built up a collaborations with international experts and promoting research journal papers and shared his knowledge through active research program. He has pioneered the development of low excellence among his students. temperature polycrystalline silicon (LTPS) thin-film transistors participation in international conferences and workshops. He has been an editor of Separation and Purification Technology, a (TFT) for high resolution active-matrix displays, among many Selecting the Winners other successful technology breakthroughs. top journal in the field of chemical engineering and is an International Advisory Panel Member of the World Congress Criteria for selection of awardees included research output, and research achievements recognized by the award were Prof Kwok’s invention of color-filtered liquid-crystal display on of Chemical Engineering. silicon (LCOS) was licensed to Himax Display Inc of Taiwan originality and innovativeness; impact of research output on expected to be for work carried out mainly at HKUST. The high quality of his research training has assisted his society, industry and the relevant engineering disciplines; and the device they produced based on this invention has The Research Awards Selection Committee comprised the postgraduate students in obtaining excellent research output research training provided to students and post-doctoral been incorporated into many products, including the Nikon head or acting head of each of the School of Engineering’s and careers. Bachelor degree students have gained the benefit researchers; and their leadership role in collaboration with PJ1000 digital camera. In addition, inventions related to LTPS six departments and was chaired by Prof Joseph Lee, of Prof Chen’s cutting-edge view of research through his national and international research partners. TFT have been licensed to Sinodisplay Technology Inc to Vice-President for Research and Graduate Studies. Of four commercialize the technology for active-matrix OLED displays. participation in the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program. Nominees had to be excellent researchers over a co-opted members, three were Professors Emeriti and Prof Kwok’s contributions to the field have been recognized sustained period of time – at least the past three years – one a member of the HKUST Institute for Advanced Study. through numerous prestigious professional affiliations. He is an 04 05

Research Academic Excellence

Artificial Intelligence Journal SENG Academics Receive Top-Tier Rankings Globally in Engineering and Technology Subjects

Headquartered at HKUST Google Research Awards HKUST has maintained its remarkable global presence in Aeronautical & Manufacturing, ahead of Korea Advanced In a significant boost for HKUST’s Three Computer Science and engineering and technology in a new set of academic subject Institute of Science & Technology (KAIST) (49th) and international presence and Hong Kong’s Engineering faculty members have rankings released in April. According to the 2011 QS World University of Wisconsin-Madison (51-100th); and 51-100th in drive to become an academic hub, the had their cutting-edge studies University Rankings by Subject - Engineering and Technology, Chemical Engineering. University has become the recognized, with each receiving a the first time these tables have been published, HKUST was ranked No.1 in Greater China in Computer Science & headquarters for a prestigious Google Research Award from the 2011 QS World University Rankings - Computer Science & new journal focusing on global internet search giant. This was Information Systems and No.1 in Hong Kong in Mechanical, Information Systems Rankings Aeronautical & Manufacturing. artificial intelligence. the highest number of awards Institution World Ranking granted to academics at a single ACM Transactions on In the Computer Science & Information Systems category, university in Hong Kong in the Massachusetts Institute of Technology 1 Intelligent Systems and HKUST was placed 26th. This ranking is in line with the funding round results released in Q4 University of California, Los Angeles 8 Technology is being led by Computer Science and Engineering Department’s ranking at 2010. Columbia University 17 founding editor-in-chief Prof 26th in the world and 1st in Greater China in the Academic HKUST 26 Qiang Yang, Computer Science and Engineering, an IEEE Fellow, Prof Chi Keung Tang, Prof Sunghun Ranking of World Universities (ARWU) league table produced and a specialist in data mining and artificial intelligence. ACM, or Kim and Prof Ke Yi received by Shanghai Jiao Tong University in 2010. The Electronic and Purdue University 29 the Association for Computing Machinery, is one of the two funding for their studies in Computer Engineering Department was globally placed 28th. The University of Tokyo 35 largest and most authoritative computing associations globally, “Quasi-Dense 3D Reconstruction Dean of Engineering Prof Khaled Ben Letaief said he was Tsinghua University 43 together with the IEEE. from 2D Uncalibrated Photos” delighted to see that the School of Engineering was continuing (geo/maps), “Crash Reproduction” The new journal aims to promote multi-disciplinary artificial to excel in international rankings. “We shall strive toward (software engineering) and 2011 QS World University Rankings - Electrical and Electronic intelligence research, with topics ranging from computational making even greater impact on the world with our first-rate “Computing Statistical Summaries Engineering Rankings sustainability to computational social and cultural dynamics. education and research now and in the future,” he said. with MapReduce” (information Papers started to be accepted at the beginning of 2010 and an A total of five subject areas in engineering and technology Institution World Ranking retrieval, extraction and inaugural issue was published in October 2010. An impressive were covered in the QS rankings. Ranking indicators include organization) respectively. Massachusetts Institute of Technology 1 400 submissions were received from around the world during academic reputation, employer reputation and citations, with Princeton University 12 its first year, including top institutions such as MIT and Stanford. The Google Research Awards the high rankings of HKUST’s engineering departments being Cornell University 19 program identifies and supports faculty pursuing research in an endorsement of its world-class faculty, high-impact “This is a terrific development,” said Prof Mounir Hamdi, Chair HKUST 28 areas of mutual interest internationally, with two rounds of Professor and Head of the Computer Science and Engineering research, outstanding students, and state-of-the-art facilities. funding held annually. In the Q4 2010 round, Google University of British Columbia 30 Department. “The founding of such a prestigious journal is a Other strong HKUST subject rankings included 42nd in Civil & supported 112 awards across 20 different subject areas, Purdue University 32 clear indication of the great research stature of Prof Yang and Structural Engineering, ahead of University of Bristol (47th) totaling more than US$6 million. Hong Kong received a total Tsinghua University 40 our department as a whole.” and Texas A&M University (51-100th); 44th in Mechanical, of five awards and one joint award putting it among the top The first four issues of the journal are available at regions to gain awards, along with the US, UK and Germany. http://tist.acm.org/publications.html. Academics from 14 regions in total gained funding, with around 65% of the awards going to researchers in the US. Agreement Signed for Joint PhD Program

Expanding the School of Engineering (SENG)’s international School agreed a joint PhD program with Korea Advanced Transforming Video Technology network and visibility further, a joint PhD degree program is Institute of Science and Technology, a major research Prof Bing Zeng, Electronic and published over the past three years is selected to receive the to be established under an exciting academic and research institution in Korea. Computer Engineering, and his 2010 Best Paper Award. It was the first time since the journal’s collaboration agreement between the School and the College PhD graduate Dr Jingjing Fu, now launch in 1991 that the honor had been awarded to a Hong of Engineering at Pohang University of Science and Technology working at Microsoft Research Asia, Kong professor and his student for work completely carried (POSTECH) in Korea. have been selected to receive the out in Hong Kong. In his paper, he lays down the fundamental The four-year HKUST/POSTECH program will require 2011 IEEE Transactions on Circuits and framework for the breakthrough transformation that has been students to spend two years at each university, providing Systems for Video Technology – Best widely used in many image and video coding applications. exposure to the research environment in two leading Paper Award for their paper With the same paper, Prof Zeng also won the Best Paper Award Asia-Pacific institutions and boosting students’ “Directional Discrete Cosine at the IEEE International Symposium on Circuits and Systems competitive edge. Every student will also have two faculty Transforms: A New Framework for Image Coding”. The IEEE 2011, held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The symposium is the world’s advisors, one from each institution. The universities are journal is widely recognized as the best in the area of video premier networking forum of leading researchers in the highly seeking to admit the first cohort in Fall 2012. technology. About 200 papers are published every year, active fields of theory, design and implementation of circuits and with an acceptance rate of about 17%. Each year, one paper The agreement marks another successful collaboration systems. with a top Korean university for SENG. In 2009, the

06 07

Academic Excellence Academic Excellence

Princeton Exchange Expands Leading Academy Faculty Honors, Research Opportunities for Undergraduates Recognizes IELM Head Awards and Achievements

In a pioneering move, HKUST has become the first Prof Vincent Poor, Dean of the School of Engineering and In recognition of his ■ Prof Oscar Au, Electronic and university in Asia to enter into an undergraduate summer Applied Science at Princeton, also welcomed the move. outstanding contributions Computer Engineering, and his team research exchange partnership in engineering with “We are very pleased to establish a partnership with over the years, Prof Fugee are among the few university teams Princeton University. HKUST Engineering School to jointly advance the levels of Tsung, Head of Industrial contributing to the competitive Joint distinction in discovery and transmission of knowledge and Engineering and Logistics Collaborative Team on Video Coding The two-way summer exchange agreement will see School understanding through this research exchange program,” he Management, has been (JCTVC), which is developing the of Engineering (SENG) students spend eight weeks at the said. elected an Academician of next-generation video coding Ivy League institution where they will engage in research the International Academy standard. Prof Au’s team has had three proposals with faculty members on designated projects. Princeton for Quality (IAQ). The accepted into the High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC) students will undertake research with HKUST academics academy is the most standard’s working draft. The first proposal on chroma and professional research teams from Hong Kong Applied prestigious international entropy coding was accepted at the Daegu (Korea) Science and Technology Research Institute (ASTRI). organization in its field. It meeting in January 2011. The second and third The arrangement is especially notable as Princeton has less comprises peer-nominated proposals were on sub-LCU Qp representation and than 10 institutional partners for reciprocal exchange members who admit individuals identified as global thought dQP calculation method respectively and were accepted worldwide. In combining hands-on research experience leaders in quality-related issues. at the Geneva meeting in March 2011. The HEVC standard will be finalized in mid 2013. with international exchange, the program also offers a Prof Tsung is only the second in Hong Kong and one of just different form of study abroad experience for SENG six academicians in Greater China to receive the accolade. ■ Prof Mansun Chan, Electronic and students. His research focuses on quality control and the Computer Engineering, and his team Dean of Engineering Prof Khaled Ben Letaief said that improvement of complex systems in both the manufacturing won a 2009 Shenzhen City Technology SENG was committed to providing an outstanding and service sectors. Prof Tsung has also taken up many Innovation Award from the Shenzhen undergraduate education that produced global leadership positions, including Regional Vice-President (Asia) Science and Technology Association citizens. “We are therefore very excited about this of the Institute of Industrial Engineers (IIE), and helped to with the project “New Generation initiative which will not only allow our students to raise wider awareness of quality techniques in the region. Nano-CMOS Device Model Research acquire an international outlook but will further Showing the growing attention now being paid to the area and Verification for SOC Design”. The project was develop their appreciation of research.” in Greater China, the Asian Network for Quality 2012 undertaken with Peking University Shenzhen Graduate Congress will be held at HKUST. Around 500 quality School. professionals from Asia are expected to attend. ■ Prof Albert Chung, Computer Engineering Program, Prof Sunghun Kim, Computer Science and Engineering, Prof Ergonomics Expert Lambros Katafygiotis, Civil and Environmental Engineering, First Choice Again for PhD Engineering Fellows and Prof Henry Lam, Chemical and Biomolecular Elected Fellow Engineering, have been named among HKUST’s 2010 Best The School of Engineering (SENG) continues to be the first The commitment and cutting-edge research of SENG’s Ten Lecturers in the annual awards event organized by choice for high-flying Hong Kong, Mainland China and world-class academics in different engineering fields are Prof Richard So, Industrial VERTEX, House II Students Association. The independent overseas engineering students admitted under the Hong among the School’s top attractions for the next generation Engineering and Logistics student initiative allows those studying at HKUST to show Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme, offered by the Research of leading researchers, according to Dean of Engineering Management, has been their appreciation of lecturers’ work and give them a vote Grants Council (RGC). Prof Khaled Ben Letaief. “With top-notch teaching, elected a Fellow of the of thanks. It was the 14th year the event had been pioneering research projects and state-of-the-art facilities, I Institute of Ergonomics and organized. In May, the RGC announced that 123 elite PhD students am sure awardees can maximize their potential here,” he Human Factors for his from around 20 countries/regions had accepted offers for ■ Prof Pascale Fung, Electronic and said. significant contributions to 2011/12, with a total of 22 awardees electing to study at Computer Engineering, and her team ergonomics. Established in SENG. This was equivalent to 44% of the total fellows The PhD Fellowship Scheme was launched by the RGC to received a Second Class Prize in the 1949, the Institute is the admitted to all engineering disciplines in Hong Kong. attract the best and brightest students from around the Shenzhen/Hong Kong Technology oldest professional society in world to study and carry out research in University Grants Innovation Competition 2010 for their The RGC’s PhD scheme is now in its second year and for the field and aims to promote Committee-funded institutions in Hong Kong. A total of ITF/APAS project on a 3G automotive both years SENG has drawn the highest number of public awareness of 4,024 applications from 103 countries/regions were received infotainment system. HKUST was the engineering awardees in Hong Kong. It also represents more ergonomics and its applications. Prof So has also been invited in the 2011/12 round. only Hong Kong institution, academic or private, to win than two-thirds of the total 32 students admitted to Schools to become editor in the area of Human Factors for Displays, a prize that year. at HKUST under the 2011/12 intake. an international journal focusing on research related to vision and displays.

08 09

Academic Excellence Beyond Labs & Lectures

■ Associate Dean of Engineering Prof ■ Research by Prof Yi-Kuen Lee, Jang Kyo Kim, Mechanical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, on has been elected editor of Composite “Super-hydrophobic Surface with The Rise of Part A, one of the most prestigious Nano-flowers on Silicon” has been journals in the field. Prof Kim has been published on the Chinese International HKUST ROBOTICS serving on the journal's editorial board NEMS Network website and become for seven years, as well as being on the one of its most frequently viewed editorial boards of seven other international journals articles. Prof Lee has also published a A robot addressed an amazed audience at HKUST on April 12, giving an 11-minute related to areas of advanced materials and composites. paper, in collaboration with Prof Hsian-Rong Tseng at presentation at the HKUST 20th Anniversary Program Parade presented by the UCLA, on the development of the 2nd generation ■ For the second consecutive year, Prof School of Engineering (SENG). The NAO robot, recently acquired for training microfluidic circulating tumor cells (CTCs) capture Sunghun Kim, Computer Science and purposes, had been successfully programmed to give the entertaining introduction by technology which was chosen as the cover of Engineering, has been selected to members of HKUST’s Robotics Team, all of whom come from SENG. Angewandte Chemie International Edition (Mar 21, 2011 receive a highly competitive Software issue). The paper, “Highly Efficient Capture of Circulating HKUST’s Robotics Team stems from students’ successful participation in the annual Engineering Innovation Foundation Tumor Cells Using Nanostructured Silicon Substrates Robocon contest, which began in 2004. The 2011 team comprises 70 students from (SEIF) Award from Microsoft with Integrated Chaotic Micromixers” has also been Hong Kong, Mainland China and overseas, with representatives from all of the School’s Research. His proposal, “GATE: highlighted in Nature Medicine (Mar 2011 issue). departments. This marks a 75% increase on 2010 and shows the enthusiasm for this Game-based Automatic Testing Environment”, was the type of learning experience outside the regular curriculum. Altogether around 150 only one selected from Asia and among just 10 ■ Prof Wai Ho Mow, Computer Engineering SENG students signed up to participate before the Robotics Team selection was made. worldwide that were chosen from 88 study proposals in Program, has been awarded a 2010/11 Photo Credit: Sing Tao Daily 2011. The proposal will be supported by a grant of grant from the Overseas and Hong Kong, In order for more students to participate in external competitions, Robotics Team mem- US$35,000 for a year. SEIF is open to universities and Macau Young Scholars Collaborative bers have now been divided into four groups, with each taking part in one of four major research institutions worldwide and receives proposals Research Fund, set up by the National events. These are the Robocon Hong Kong Contest and three new ones, the Remotely of the highest standards. Selection criteria include the Natural Science Foundation of China, for Operated Vehicles (ROV) Competition featuring underwater robots, the Smart Car project’s impact on the software engineering community, his project “Optimal Training Sequence Competition, and NAO RoboCup. potential for wide dissemination and use of the Design and Low-Complexity Estimation/Decoding Methods To celebrate the formation of the Robotics Team, senior administrators of the University, intellectual property created, ability to complete the for Multiple-Antenna Wireless Communications”. The including President Prof F Tony Chan, presented team flags to the individual groups at project, as well as the qualifications of the principal research is being carried out in collaboration with Southwest the Program Parade. Members of the Robotics Team also took a pledge to participate in investigator. Jiaotong University in Sichuan. the contests in a competitive but sporting manner.

■ Prof Chung Yee Lee and Prof Ajay ■ A co-authored poster by Prof Hui He A few days before the Program Parade, the ROV team got off to a flying start by per- Joneja, Industrial Engineering and Qiu, Mechanical Engineering, entitled forming excellently in the Hong Kong Underwater Robot Challenge, a qualification Robots Perform Lion Dance Logistics Management, have been “Drastic Enhancement of Boiling Heat examination for the international competition. With this success, they represented Hong awarded a research grant from the Transfer with Micro- and Nano- Kong in the ROV international competition at NASA Johnson Space Center in Houston at Grand Celebration Innovation and Technology Fund for Engineering of Surface Wettability”, won in June and won the Design Elegance Award, which was judged by the aesthetics, sim- Two NAO robots also made a memo- their project “Integrated Decision the Honorable Mention-ASME Best plicity and functionality of the vehicle’s design. Grateful to the Robotics Team’s logistics rable appearance at HKUST’s Grand Support System for Dynamic Poster Award at the Micro & partner, DHL Express, for providing logistics consultation and sponsoring the air express Celebration commemorating the Vehicle-Dispatching and Scheduling with Real-time Nanotechnology Society-Wide Forum at the 2010 transportation of over 85kg. With DHL’s professional help on shipping the sophisticated University’s 20th Anniversary on April 8. Information under Operation Uncertainty”. The project American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) and delicate underwater robot machines, the robot has been safely and efficiently deliv- The robots, programmed by HKUST seeks to develop an integrated information technology International Mechanical Engineering Congress & ered between Hong Kong and Houston. Robotics Team members, performed an platform for passenger transport in real-time operation Exposition in Vancouver. The Robotics Team is supervised by Prof Zexiang Li and Prof Tim Woo, both from the impressive lion dance at the event. and information exchange to reduce operation costs ■ Prof Jiang Xu, Electronic and Electronic and Computer Engineering Department. and improve efficiency. Computer Engineering, has been selected by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Computer Society as a Distinguished Visitor. Under the society’s Distinguished Visitors Program, first-quality speakers from among its membership share the latest insights in different areas of the field with professional and student chapters of the society in different locations.

10 11 Snapshot Engineering

Newsletter No.20 Summer 2011

The Miracle Continues School of Engineering Celebrates HKUST’s th Anniversary

Calendar of Events September 24-25, 2011 December 2011 HKUST Information Day HKUST Engineering Day HKUST Campus HKUST Campus October 14-23, 2011 December 8-11, 2011 HKUST “Bring Technology to Community” Exhibition The 3rd International Symposium on Plasticity and Impact Hong Kong Science Museum HKUST Clear Water Bay Campus (Dec 8-10) and HKUST Fok Ying Tung Graduate School, Nansha Campus (Dec 10-11) The above events are subject to change without prior notice.

Don't be the Missing Link ... Editors: Diana Liu, Dorothy Yip Alumni relationships are invaluable assets to the School and Contributing Editor: Sally Course alumni. To foster the growth of our alumni network, please Address: School of Engineering keep us informed of your recent news and send us your The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology updated contact information via email to [email protected]. Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong Stay connected and keep in touch! Phone: (852) 2358-5917 Fax: (852) 2358-1458 Email: [email protected] Website: www.seng.ust.hk Facebook: www.facebook.com/SENG.HKUST PTC-G14143 24

Dean's Message New Appointments Research

2011 marks another milestone in the history of HKUST as the technology play in making the world a better place, from Concurrent Prof Ben Letaief Honored as University reaches its 20th year, and the School of Engineering improved healthcare to more efficient buildings and bridges to ■ Prof Mordecai Golin (SENG) is fully playing its part in commemorating the new consumer electronic breakthroughs. ISI Highly Cited Researcher occasion. In the different Anniversary activities the School is Professor, Computer As we look toward HKUST’s next 20 years, SENG intends to Prof Khaled Ben Letaief, Dean of organizing throughout the year, we have set out to recognize Science and Engineering continue to push forward in its research and education Engineering, gained further and include all the different people who contribute to making achievements. We are already drawing together faculty on Appointed Associate recognition as an international SENG such a success. interdisciplinary endeavors and theme-based research to Vice-President for leader in his field by being Postgraduate Studies, Faculty members have helped us to become globally tackle some of the world’s biggest challenges, such as energy honored and selected as ISI Highly HKUST renowned through their outstanding research and innovations, and the environment. We are rapidly moving forward with our Cited Researcher by Thomson and the honors and achievements they have received. They education of 21st century engineers as we look forward to ■ Prof Mitchell Tseng Reuters in the field of Computer Science and Engineering. have also trained our students to become relevant, achieving, the four-year undergraduate degree system in Hong Kong in Chair Professor, Industrial participating members of society. As a result, our students 2012 and the opportunities it will bring. A wider view will also Engineering and Logistics Honoring the fundamental have gone out into society and shown how a HKUST be enhanced by our ongoing move toward diversity among Management contributions made in 21 broad subject categories in life sciences, education can provide the formative, all-round experience to our students, looking to draw the best talents from around Appointed Associate medicine, physical sciences, engineering and social sciences, ISI Highly generate innovative entrepreneurs and leaders in industry, the world to generate a global hub of ideas and links that will Vice-President for Cited Researchers are individuals who are the most highly cited in business and government. benefit all who study at SENG. These are our goals, and with Research and Innovation, their fields and inclusion in this list is taken as a measure of the esteem the momentum of all the people who have contributed in the The Hong Kong community has provided the foundation for HKUST of these scientific researchers and is used, for example, by the past and will do so in the future, they are ones I believe we Academic Ranking of World Universities. our student body and constantly supported us while we in ■ will achieve. Prof Lionel Ni turn have worked together with community members, from Prof Ben Letaief joins an elite club of less than half of 1% of all Chair Professor, Computer schools to industries, to let people know about the impact of published researchers in the world who are recognized among the Science and Engineering engineering and how it can move Hong Kong forward. Our 250 top and most-cited researchers in a defined discipline within a alumni have been our proud ambassadors out in the world, Appointed Dean of HKUST specific time-period. Prof Ben Letaief is a Fellow of IEEE and is while on campus we have sought to generate opportunities to Fok Ying Tung Graduate currently serving as the Vice-President of the IEEE Communications School work together with fellow members of HKUST. Society. He is also the recipient of many other international Prof Khaled Ben Letaief In SENG’s 20th Anniversary celebrations, our activities distinguished awards including the prestigious IEEE Marconi Prize Dean of Engineering Award in Wireless Communications. therefore encompass all these groups. And as this issue of In Visiting Faculty Focus shows, the events – ranging from top international ■ Prof Koon Fung Lam conferences on engineering education and the future of Wireless Project Receives Top Honor innovation to a fun day on campus for alumni and their Assistant Professor, Chemical and Biomolecular families – provide powerful recognition of what we have Engineering in MOE Natural Science Awards accomplished to date. Global interaction at the highest levels, PhD – The Hong Kong University of Science and Prof Lionel Ni, Prof Yunhao Liu and Mr Mo Li, Computer Science and community engagement, SENG family spirit, and campus Technology Engineering, received a prestigious First Class honor in the Ministry of connectivity, all are part of SENG’s sterling record of ■ Prof Matthew Law Education (MOE) Awards for Research Excellence in Natural Sciences achievement. for their cutting-edge project on “Range-free Localization and Assistant Professor, Electronic and Computer Indeed, as the largest School at HKUST, with the highest Localizability for Wireless Network and IOT: Theory and Practice”. The Engineering number of undergraduates, graduates and faculty, and the award was one of five secured by HKUST in this category, the largest most comprehensive within the PhD – The Hong Kong University of Science and number among tertiary institutions in Hong Kong. The natural science engineering field in Hong Kong, SENG Technology award targets tertiary institutions in China and recognizes those who has a pivotal role to play in raising ■ Prof Yue Wang have made discoveries in basic and applied research or explained natural awareness about the essential role phenomenon or characteristics through scientific research. Assistant Professor, Industrial Engineering and that engineers play in improving our Logistics Management Profs Ni and Liu’s wireless project led to the design of one of the lives. Our consistently high global rankings world’s earliest range-free localization and localizability systems using PhD – The Hong Kong University of Science and show that we are being successful in RFID; and found a solution to the problem of accurately obtaining Technology contributing to major achievements in the real-time object locations in field. We also want to ensure people a wireless sensor network outside the engineering field recognize and the Internet of Things. how central a role innovation and

Photo Credit: Beijing-Hong Kong Academic Exchange Centre

02 03

Research Research

SENG Research Excellence Awards Research Excellence Award Young Investigator Research Award Prof Qian Zhang Prof Matthew McKay The launch of the School of Engineering Research Excellence Computer Science and Engineering Electronic and Computer Engineering Awards recognizes the impact and contributions of the School’s faculty members and provides an inspiring tribute to the Prof Zhang, a PhD graduate of Prof McKay has established an world-class work being carried out at HKUST. In Focus Wuhan University and previously exceptional research record for a with Microsoft Research Asia, Beijing, junior faculty member, helping him to showcases the four inaugural winners. is internationally known for the become the first winner of this award outstanding quality of her research which recognizes the achievements of in mobile multimedia communication a rising star with potential for future Distinguished Research Excellence Award IEEE Fellow, a Fellow of the Society for Information Display and advanced wireless networking. leadership. , and an Elected Member of the Asia-Pacific Academy of Prof Hoi Sing Kwok Materials, among others. She gained early recognition for her work on resource alloca- Joining HKUST in 2007 after receiving his PhD at the University Electronic and Computer tion, streaming protocol and cross-layer QoS support for mul- of Sydney in Australia, Prof McKay is making strong contributions Engineering Research Excellence Award timedia streaming, which has been frequently cited. to the fundamental understanding and design of advanced signal Dr William MW Mong Chair processing methods for wireless communications. He has Prof Guohua Chen Prof Zhang was the first to propose an end-system based Professor of Nanotechnology published over 40 journal papers and received 400 citations. Chemical and Biomolecular mobility solution for heterogeneous wireless networks and Prof Kwok has become the first Engineering has made notable contributions in the area of wireless sensor One of his main areas of interest is applications of random winner of the top Research networks. In recent years, she has made pioneering advances matrix theory to signal processing and information theory. He Prof Chen has been a major Excellence Award, which honors a in cognitive and cooperative wireless networks, an emerging has become well known for being able to characterize the contributor to two key research distinguished engineering faculty member with exceptional research area. This includes opening up a new research direction achievable capacity limits of multi-channel communication areas, the drying of high-value research achievements and significant impact locally and for cognitive radio networks by utilizing cooperative relay to systems using his random matrix theory. Through his results, for products and electrochemical globally. improve the transmission diversity and correspondingly the example, the data rate of mobile telephones and WiFi can be technologies for industrial spectrum efficiency. improved. The pioneering academic was cited for his contributions to the wastewater treatment. He has also gained acclaim for the field of display technologies, an area where he has enjoyed major application of nanotechnologies to environmental protection. Among earlier accolades, she was named among the World’s Showing the global recognition he is receiving, Prof McKay was achievements since 1992, the year he joined HKUST. A Harvard Top Young Innovators in the MIT Technology Review 100 in 2004 awarded the 2011 Stephen O. Rice Prize in the Field of Such achievements have secured him this award, which PhD graduate in Applied Physics, Prof Kwok has received 58 and received the Overseas Young Investigator Award from the Communications Theory from the IEEE Communications Society. recognizes an outstanding faculty member with a proven patents, with another 30 under review, and produced over 500 National Natural Science Foundation of China in 2006. This highly regarded award is given annually for the best paper record of research excellence. refereed publications on display-related research, achieving an published in IEEE Transactions on Communications in the previous Prof Zhang, who joined HKUST in 2005, has published over outstanding H-index citation rate of 40. As an example of the impact of his work, the electrochemical three years. The paper was co-authored by Shi Jin, Xiqi Gao and 200 refereed papers in top journals and international technologies developed in his laboratory have been evaluated Iain B. Collings. During his productive career, Prof Kwok has been actively conferences and is the inventor of around 30 pending as the most likely technology to deal with the remediation of engaged in both fundamental and applied research. The international patents. She is also an active leader in her He gained a 2010 Young Author Best Paper Award from the IEEE oily wastewaters, being cited in MIT Technology Review as the development of silicon micro-displays and the technology department at HKUST and has high visibility in the professional Signal Processing Society with a paper co-authored with his PhD future option of restaurant wastewater treatment. The Hong transfer of active-matrix organic light-emitting diode (OLED) community. student Liang Sun, and Shi Jin. He also received Best Paper Kong Environmental Conservation Fund granted research displays are key developments. “He is a true-blue academic of Awards at the IEEE International Conference on Communica- funding to build a pilot plant and excellent results have been She is co-director of Huawei-HKUST Innovation Lab and the HKUST, with all his work created here,” said Prof Ross Murch, tions 2011 and the IEEE Global Communications Conference obtained to date. director of the Digital Life Research Center at HKUST. Head of Electronic and Computer Engineering. 2010. Prof Chen, who earned his PhD at McGill University and After his arrival at HKUST, Prof Kwok spotted the industrial Prof McKay has also taken a pro-active role in establishing joined HKUST in the mid-1990s, has published over 120 need for liquid crystal display technology and built up a collaborations with international experts and promoting research journal papers and shared his knowledge through active research program. He has pioneered the development of low excellence among his students. temperature polycrystalline silicon (LTPS) thin-film transistors participation in international conferences and workshops. He has been an editor of Separation and Purification Technology, a (TFT) for high resolution active-matrix displays, among many Selecting the Winners other successful technology breakthroughs. top journal in the field of chemical engineering and is an International Advisory Panel Member of the World Congress Criteria for selection of awardees included research output, and research achievements recognized by the award were Prof Kwok’s invention of color-filtered liquid-crystal display on of Chemical Engineering. silicon (LCOS) was licensed to Himax Display Inc of Taiwan originality and innovativeness; impact of research output on expected to be for work carried out mainly at HKUST. The high quality of his research training has assisted his society, industry and the relevant engineering disciplines; and the device they produced based on this invention has The Research Awards Selection Committee comprised the postgraduate students in obtaining excellent research output research training provided to students and post-doctoral been incorporated into many products, including the Nikon head or acting head of each of the School of Engineering’s and careers. Bachelor degree students have gained the benefit researchers; and their leadership role in collaboration with PJ1000 digital camera. In addition, inventions related to LTPS six departments and was chaired by Prof Joseph Lee, of Prof Chen’s cutting-edge view of research through his national and international research partners. TFT have been licensed to Sinodisplay Technology Inc to Vice-President for Research and Graduate Studies. Of four commercialize the technology for active-matrix OLED displays. participation in the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program. Nominees had to be excellent researchers over a co-opted members, three were Professors Emeriti and Prof Kwok’s contributions to the field have been recognized sustained period of time – at least the past three years – one a member of the HKUST Institute for Advanced Study. through numerous prestigious professional affiliations. He is an 04 05

Research Academic Excellence

Artificial Intelligence Journal SENG Academics Receive Top-Tier Rankings Globally in Engineering and Technology Subjects

Headquartered at HKUST Google Research Awards HKUST has maintained its remarkable global presence in Aeronautical & Manufacturing, ahead of Korea Advanced In a significant boost for HKUST’s Three Computer Science and engineering and technology in a new set of academic subject Institute of Science & Technology (KAIST) (49th) and international presence and Hong Kong’s Engineering faculty members have rankings released in April. According to the 2011 QS World University of Wisconsin-Madison (51-100th); and 51-100th in drive to become an academic hub, the had their cutting-edge studies University Rankings by Subject - Engineering and Technology, Chemical Engineering. University has become the recognized, with each receiving a the first time these tables have been published, HKUST was ranked No.1 in Greater China in Computer Science & headquarters for a prestigious Google Research Award from the 2011 QS World University Rankings - Computer Science & new journal focusing on global internet search giant. This was Information Systems and No.1 in Hong Kong in Mechanical, Information Systems Rankings Aeronautical & Manufacturing. artificial intelligence. the highest number of awards Institution World Ranking granted to academics at a single ACM Transactions on In the Computer Science & Information Systems category, university in Hong Kong in the Massachusetts Institute of Technology 1 Intelligent Systems and HKUST was placed 26th. This ranking is in line with the funding round results released in Q4 University of California, Los Angeles 8 Technology is being led by Computer Science and Engineering Department’s ranking at 2010. Columbia University 17 founding editor-in-chief Prof 26th in the world and 1st in Greater China in the Academic HKUST 26 Qiang Yang, Computer Science and Engineering, an IEEE Fellow, Prof Chi Keung Tang, Prof Sunghun Ranking of World Universities (ARWU) league table produced and a specialist in data mining and artificial intelligence. ACM, or Kim and Prof Ke Yi received by Shanghai Jiao Tong University in 2010. The Electronic and Purdue University 29 the Association for Computing Machinery, is one of the two funding for their studies in Computer Engineering Department was globally placed 28th. The University of Tokyo 35 largest and most authoritative computing associations globally, “Quasi-Dense 3D Reconstruction Dean of Engineering Prof Khaled Ben Letaief said he was Tsinghua University 43 together with the IEEE. from 2D Uncalibrated Photos” delighted to see that the School of Engineering was continuing (geo/maps), “Crash Reproduction” The new journal aims to promote multi-disciplinary artificial to excel in international rankings. “We shall strive toward (software engineering) and 2011 QS World University Rankings - Electrical and Electronic intelligence research, with topics ranging from computational making even greater impact on the world with our first-rate “Computing Statistical Summaries Engineering Rankings sustainability to computational social and cultural dynamics. education and research now and in the future,” he said. with MapReduce” (information Papers started to be accepted at the beginning of 2010 and an A total of five subject areas in engineering and technology Institution World Ranking retrieval, extraction and inaugural issue was published in October 2010. An impressive were covered in the QS rankings. Ranking indicators include organization) respectively. Massachusetts Institute of Technology 1 400 submissions were received from around the world during academic reputation, employer reputation and citations, with Princeton University 12 its first year, including top institutions such as MIT and Stanford. The Google Research Awards the high rankings of HKUST’s engineering departments being Cornell University 19 program identifies and supports faculty pursuing research in an endorsement of its world-class faculty, high-impact “This is a terrific development,” said Prof Mounir Hamdi, Chair HKUST 28 areas of mutual interest internationally, with two rounds of Professor and Head of the Computer Science and Engineering research, outstanding students, and state-of-the-art facilities. funding held annually. In the Q4 2010 round, Google University of British Columbia 30 Department. “The founding of such a prestigious journal is a Other strong HKUST subject rankings included 42nd in Civil & supported 112 awards across 20 different subject areas, Purdue University 32 clear indication of the great research stature of Prof Yang and Structural Engineering, ahead of University of Bristol (47th) totaling more than US$6 million. Hong Kong received a total Tsinghua University 40 our department as a whole.” and Texas A&M University (51-100th); 44th in Mechanical, of five awards and one joint award putting it among the top The first four issues of the journal are available at regions to gain awards, along with the US, UK and Germany. http://tist.acm.org/publications.html. Academics from 14 regions in total gained funding, with around 65% of the awards going to researchers in the US. Agreement Signed for Joint PhD Program

Expanding the School of Engineering (SENG)’s international School agreed a joint PhD program with Korea Advanced Transforming Video Technology network and visibility further, a joint PhD degree program is Institute of Science and Technology, a major research Prof Bing Zeng, Electronic and published over the past three years is selected to receive the to be established under an exciting academic and research institution in Korea. Computer Engineering, and his 2010 Best Paper Award. It was the first time since the journal’s collaboration agreement between the School and the College PhD graduate Dr Jingjing Fu, now launch in 1991 that the honor had been awarded to a Hong of Engineering at Pohang University of Science and Technology working at Microsoft Research Asia, Kong professor and his student for work completely carried (POSTECH) in Korea. have been selected to receive the out in Hong Kong. In his paper, he lays down the fundamental The four-year HKUST/POSTECH program will require 2011 IEEE Transactions on Circuits and framework for the breakthrough transformation that has been students to spend two years at each university, providing Systems for Video Technology – Best widely used in many image and video coding applications. exposure to the research environment in two leading Paper Award for their paper With the same paper, Prof Zeng also won the Best Paper Award Asia-Pacific institutions and boosting students’ “Directional Discrete Cosine at the IEEE International Symposium on Circuits and Systems competitive edge. Every student will also have two faculty Transforms: A New Framework for Image Coding”. The IEEE 2011, held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The symposium is the world’s advisors, one from each institution. The universities are journal is widely recognized as the best in the area of video premier networking forum of leading researchers in the highly seeking to admit the first cohort in Fall 2012. technology. About 200 papers are published every year, active fields of theory, design and implementation of circuits and with an acceptance rate of about 17%. Each year, one paper The agreement marks another successful collaboration systems. with a top Korean university for SENG. In 2009, the

06 07

Academic Excellence Academic Excellence

Princeton Exchange Expands Leading Academy Faculty Honors, Research Opportunities for Undergraduates Recognizes IELM Head Awards and Achievements

In a pioneering move, HKUST has become the first Prof Vincent Poor, Dean of the School of Engineering and In recognition of his ■ Prof Oscar Au, Electronic and university in Asia to enter into an undergraduate summer Applied Science at Princeton, also welcomed the move. outstanding contributions Computer Engineering, and his team research exchange partnership in engineering with “We are very pleased to establish a partnership with over the years, Prof Fugee are among the few university teams Princeton University. HKUST Engineering School to jointly advance the levels of Tsung, Head of Industrial contributing to the competitive Joint distinction in discovery and transmission of knowledge and Engineering and Logistics Collaborative Team on Video Coding The two-way summer exchange agreement will see School understanding through this research exchange program,” he Management, has been (JCTVC), which is developing the of Engineering (SENG) students spend eight weeks at the said. elected an Academician of next-generation video coding Ivy League institution where they will engage in research the International Academy standard. Prof Au’s team has had three proposals with faculty members on designated projects. Princeton for Quality (IAQ). The accepted into the High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC) students will undertake research with HKUST academics academy is the most standard’s working draft. The first proposal on chroma and professional research teams from Hong Kong Applied prestigious international entropy coding was accepted at the Daegu (Korea) Science and Technology Research Institute (ASTRI). organization in its field. It meeting in January 2011. The second and third The arrangement is especially notable as Princeton has less comprises peer-nominated proposals were on sub-LCU Qp representation and than 10 institutional partners for reciprocal exchange members who admit individuals identified as global thought dQP calculation method respectively and were accepted worldwide. In combining hands-on research experience leaders in quality-related issues. at the Geneva meeting in March 2011. The HEVC standard will be finalized in mid 2013. with international exchange, the program also offers a Prof Tsung is only the second in Hong Kong and one of just different form of study abroad experience for SENG six academicians in Greater China to receive the accolade. ■ Prof Mansun Chan, Electronic and students. His research focuses on quality control and the Computer Engineering, and his team Dean of Engineering Prof Khaled Ben Letaief said that improvement of complex systems in both the manufacturing won a 2009 Shenzhen City Technology SENG was committed to providing an outstanding and service sectors. Prof Tsung has also taken up many Innovation Award from the Shenzhen undergraduate education that produced global leadership positions, including Regional Vice-President (Asia) Science and Technology Association citizens. “We are therefore very excited about this of the Institute of Industrial Engineers (IIE), and helped to with the project “New Generation initiative which will not only allow our students to raise wider awareness of quality techniques in the region. Nano-CMOS Device Model Research acquire an international outlook but will further Showing the growing attention now being paid to the area and Verification for SOC Design”. The project was develop their appreciation of research.” in Greater China, the Asian Network for Quality 2012 undertaken with Peking University Shenzhen Graduate Congress will be held at HKUST. Around 500 quality School. professionals from Asia are expected to attend. ■ Prof Albert Chung, Computer Engineering Program, Prof Sunghun Kim, Computer Science and Engineering, Prof Ergonomics Expert Lambros Katafygiotis, Civil and Environmental Engineering, First Choice Again for PhD Engineering Fellows and Prof Henry Lam, Chemical and Biomolecular Elected Fellow Engineering, have been named among HKUST’s 2010 Best The School of Engineering (SENG) continues to be the first The commitment and cutting-edge research of SENG’s Ten Lecturers in the annual awards event organized by choice for high-flying Hong Kong, Mainland China and world-class academics in different engineering fields are Prof Richard So, Industrial VERTEX, House II Students Association. The independent overseas engineering students admitted under the Hong among the School’s top attractions for the next generation Engineering and Logistics student initiative allows those studying at HKUST to show Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme, offered by the Research of leading researchers, according to Dean of Engineering Management, has been their appreciation of lecturers’ work and give them a vote Grants Council (RGC). Prof Khaled Ben Letaief. “With top-notch teaching, elected a Fellow of the of thanks. It was the 14th year the event had been pioneering research projects and state-of-the-art facilities, I Institute of Ergonomics and organized. In May, the RGC announced that 123 elite PhD students am sure awardees can maximize their potential here,” he Human Factors for his from around 20 countries/regions had accepted offers for ■ Prof Pascale Fung, Electronic and said. significant contributions to 2011/12, with a total of 22 awardees electing to study at Computer Engineering, and her team ergonomics. Established in SENG. This was equivalent to 44% of the total fellows The PhD Fellowship Scheme was launched by the RGC to received a Second Class Prize in the 1949, the Institute is the admitted to all engineering disciplines in Hong Kong. attract the best and brightest students from around the Shenzhen/Hong Kong Technology oldest professional society in world to study and carry out research in University Grants Innovation Competition 2010 for their The RGC’s PhD scheme is now in its second year and for the field and aims to promote Committee-funded institutions in Hong Kong. A total of ITF/APAS project on a 3G automotive both years SENG has drawn the highest number of public awareness of 4,024 applications from 103 countries/regions were received infotainment system. HKUST was the engineering awardees in Hong Kong. It also represents more ergonomics and its applications. Prof So has also been invited in the 2011/12 round. only Hong Kong institution, academic or private, to win than two-thirds of the total 32 students admitted to Schools to become editor in the area of Human Factors for Displays, a prize that year. at HKUST under the 2011/12 intake. an international journal focusing on research related to vision and displays.

08 09

Academic Excellence Beyond Labs & Lectures

■ Associate Dean of Engineering Prof ■ Research by Prof Yi-Kuen Lee, Jang Kyo Kim, Mechanical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, on has been elected editor of Composite “Super-hydrophobic Surface with The Rise of Part A, one of the most prestigious Nano-flowers on Silicon” has been journals in the field. Prof Kim has been published on the Chinese International HKUST ROBOTICS serving on the journal's editorial board NEMS Network website and become for seven years, as well as being on the one of its most frequently viewed editorial boards of seven other international journals articles. Prof Lee has also published a A robot addressed an amazed audience at HKUST on April 12, giving an 11-minute related to areas of advanced materials and composites. paper, in collaboration with Prof Hsian-Rong Tseng at presentation at the HKUST 20th Anniversary Program Parade presented by the UCLA, on the development of the 2nd generation ■ For the second consecutive year, Prof School of Engineering (SENG). The NAO robot, recently acquired for training microfluidic circulating tumor cells (CTCs) capture Sunghun Kim, Computer Science and purposes, had been successfully programmed to give the entertaining introduction by technology which was chosen as the cover of Engineering, has been selected to members of HKUST’s Robotics Team, all of whom come from SENG. Angewandte Chemie International Edition (Mar 21, 2011 receive a highly competitive Software issue). The paper, “Highly Efficient Capture of Circulating HKUST’s Robotics Team stems from students’ successful participation in the annual Engineering Innovation Foundation Tumor Cells Using Nanostructured Silicon Substrates Robocon contest, which began in 2004. The 2011 team comprises 70 students from (SEIF) Award from Microsoft with Integrated Chaotic Micromixers” has also been Hong Kong, Mainland China and overseas, with representatives from all of the School’s Research. His proposal, “GATE: highlighted in Nature Medicine (Mar 2011 issue). departments. This marks a 75% increase on 2010 and shows the enthusiasm for this Game-based Automatic Testing Environment”, was the type of learning experience outside the regular curriculum. Altogether around 150 only one selected from Asia and among just 10 ■ Prof Wai Ho Mow, Computer Engineering SENG students signed up to participate before the Robotics Team selection was made. worldwide that were chosen from 88 study proposals in Program, has been awarded a 2010/11 Photo Credit: Sing Tao Daily 2011. The proposal will be supported by a grant of grant from the Overseas and Hong Kong, In order for more students to participate in external competitions, Robotics Team mem- US$35,000 for a year. SEIF is open to universities and Macau Young Scholars Collaborative bers have now been divided into four groups, with each taking part in one of four major research institutions worldwide and receives proposals Research Fund, set up by the National events. These are the Robocon Hong Kong Contest and three new ones, the Remotely of the highest standards. Selection criteria include the Natural Science Foundation of China, for Operated Vehicles (ROV) Competition featuring underwater robots, the Smart Car project’s impact on the software engineering community, his project “Optimal Training Sequence Competition, and NAO RoboCup. potential for wide dissemination and use of the Design and Low-Complexity Estimation/Decoding Methods To celebrate the formation of the Robotics Team, senior administrators of the University, intellectual property created, ability to complete the for Multiple-Antenna Wireless Communications”. The including President Prof F Tony Chan, presented team flags to the individual groups at project, as well as the qualifications of the principal research is being carried out in collaboration with Southwest the Program Parade. Members of the Robotics Team also took a pledge to participate in investigator. Jiaotong University in Sichuan. the contests in a competitive but sporting manner.

■ Prof Chung Yee Lee and Prof Ajay ■ A co-authored poster by Prof Hui He A few days before the Program Parade, the ROV team got off to a flying start by per- Joneja, Industrial Engineering and Qiu, Mechanical Engineering, entitled forming excellently in the Hong Kong Underwater Robot Challenge, a qualification Robots Perform Lion Dance Logistics Management, have been “Drastic Enhancement of Boiling Heat examination for the international competition. With this success, they represented Hong awarded a research grant from the Transfer with Micro- and Nano- Kong in the ROV international competition at NASA Johnson Space Center in Houston at Grand Celebration Innovation and Technology Fund for Engineering of Surface Wettability”, won in June and won the Design Elegance Award, which was judged by the aesthetics, sim- Two NAO robots also made a memo- their project “Integrated Decision the Honorable Mention-ASME Best plicity and functionality of the vehicle’s design. Grateful to the Robotics Team’s logistics rable appearance at HKUST’s Grand Support System for Dynamic Poster Award at the Micro & partner, DHL Express, for providing logistics consultation and sponsoring the air express Celebration commemorating the Vehicle-Dispatching and Scheduling with Real-time Nanotechnology Society-Wide Forum at the 2010 transportation of over 85kg. With DHL’s professional help on shipping the sophisticated University’s 20th Anniversary on April 8. Information under Operation Uncertainty”. The project American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) and delicate underwater robot machines, the robot has been safely and efficiently deliv- The robots, programmed by HKUST seeks to develop an integrated information technology International Mechanical Engineering Congress & ered between Hong Kong and Houston. Robotics Team members, performed an platform for passenger transport in real-time operation Exposition in Vancouver. The Robotics Team is supervised by Prof Zexiang Li and Prof Tim Woo, both from the impressive lion dance at the event. and information exchange to reduce operation costs ■ Prof Jiang Xu, Electronic and Electronic and Computer Engineering Department. and improve efficiency. Computer Engineering, has been selected by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Computer Society as a Distinguished Visitor. Under the society’s Distinguished Visitors Program, first-quality speakers from among its membership share the latest insights in different areas of the field with professional and student chapters of the society in different locations.

10 11 Snapshot Engineering

Newsletter No.20 Summer 2011

The Miracle Continues School of Engineering Celebrates HKUST’s th Anniversary

Calendar of Events September 24-25, 2011 December 2011 HKUST Information Day HKUST Engineering Day HKUST Campus HKUST Campus October 14-23, 2011 December 8-11, 2011 HKUST “Bring Technology to Community” Exhibition The 3rd International Symposium on Plasticity and Impact Hong Kong Science Museum HKUST Clear Water Bay Campus (Dec 8-10) and HKUST Fok Ying Tung Graduate School, Nansha Campus (Dec 10-11) The above events are subject to change without prior notice.

Don't be the Missing Link ... Editors: Diana Liu, Dorothy Yip Alumni relationships are invaluable assets to the School and Contributing Editor: Sally Course alumni. To foster the growth of our alumni network, please Address: School of Engineering keep us informed of your recent news and send us your The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology updated contact information via email to [email protected]. Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong Stay connected and keep in touch! Phone: (852) 2358-5917 Fax: (852) 2358-1458 Email: [email protected] Website: www.seng.ust.hk Facebook: www.facebook.com/SENG.HKUST PTC-G14143 24

Dean's Message New Appointments Research

2011 marks another milestone in the history of HKUST as the technology play in making the world a better place, from Concurrent Prof Ben Letaief Honored as University reaches its 20th year, and the School of Engineering improved healthcare to more efficient buildings and bridges to ■ Prof Mordecai Golin (SENG) is fully playing its part in commemorating the new consumer electronic breakthroughs. ISI Highly Cited Researcher occasion. In the different Anniversary activities the School is Professor, Computer As we look toward HKUST’s next 20 years, SENG intends to Prof Khaled Ben Letaief, Dean of organizing throughout the year, we have set out to recognize Science and Engineering continue to push forward in its research and education Engineering, gained further and include all the different people who contribute to making achievements. We are already drawing together faculty on Appointed Associate recognition as an international SENG such a success. interdisciplinary endeavors and theme-based research to Vice-President for leader in his field by being Postgraduate Studies, Faculty members have helped us to become globally tackle some of the world’s biggest challenges, such as energy honored and selected as ISI Highly HKUST renowned through their outstanding research and innovations, and the environment. We are rapidly moving forward with our Cited Researcher by Thomson and the honors and achievements they have received. They education of 21st century engineers as we look forward to ■ Prof Mitchell Tseng Reuters in the field of Computer Science and Engineering. have also trained our students to become relevant, achieving, the four-year undergraduate degree system in Hong Kong in Chair Professor, Industrial participating members of society. As a result, our students 2012 and the opportunities it will bring. A wider view will also Engineering and Logistics Honoring the fundamental have gone out into society and shown how a HKUST be enhanced by our ongoing move toward diversity among Management contributions made in 21 broad subject categories in life sciences, education can provide the formative, all-round experience to our students, looking to draw the best talents from around Appointed Associate medicine, physical sciences, engineering and social sciences, ISI Highly generate innovative entrepreneurs and leaders in industry, the world to generate a global hub of ideas and links that will Vice-President for Cited Researchers are individuals who are the most highly cited in business and government. benefit all who study at SENG. These are our goals, and with Research and Innovation, their fields and inclusion in this list is taken as a measure of the esteem the momentum of all the people who have contributed in the The Hong Kong community has provided the foundation for HKUST of these scientific researchers and is used, for example, by the past and will do so in the future, they are ones I believe we Academic Ranking of World Universities. our student body and constantly supported us while we in ■ will achieve. Prof Lionel Ni turn have worked together with community members, from Prof Ben Letaief joins an elite club of less than half of 1% of all Chair Professor, Computer schools to industries, to let people know about the impact of published researchers in the world who are recognized among the Science and Engineering engineering and how it can move Hong Kong forward. Our 250 top and most-cited researchers in a defined discipline within a alumni have been our proud ambassadors out in the world, Appointed Dean of HKUST specific time-period. Prof Ben Letaief is a Fellow of IEEE and is while on campus we have sought to generate opportunities to Fok Ying Tung Graduate currently serving as the Vice-President of the IEEE Communications School work together with fellow members of HKUST. Society. He is also the recipient of many other international Prof Khaled Ben Letaief In SENG’s 20th Anniversary celebrations, our activities distinguished awards including the prestigious IEEE Marconi Prize Dean of Engineering Award in Wireless Communications. therefore encompass all these groups. And as this issue of In Visiting Faculty Focus shows, the events – ranging from top international ■ Prof Koon Fung Lam conferences on engineering education and the future of Wireless Project Receives Top Honor innovation to a fun day on campus for alumni and their Assistant Professor, Chemical and Biomolecular families – provide powerful recognition of what we have Engineering in MOE Natural Science Awards accomplished to date. Global interaction at the highest levels, PhD – The Hong Kong University of Science and Prof Lionel Ni, Prof Yunhao Liu and Mr Mo Li, Computer Science and community engagement, SENG family spirit, and campus Technology Engineering, received a prestigious First Class honor in the Ministry of connectivity, all are part of SENG’s sterling record of ■ Prof Matthew Law Education (MOE) Awards for Research Excellence in Natural Sciences achievement. for their cutting-edge project on “Range-free Localization and Assistant Professor, Electronic and Computer Indeed, as the largest School at HKUST, with the highest Localizability for Wireless Network and IOT: Theory and Practice”. The Engineering number of undergraduates, graduates and faculty, and the award was one of five secured by HKUST in this category, the largest most comprehensive within the PhD – The Hong Kong University of Science and number among tertiary institutions in Hong Kong. The natural science engineering field in Hong Kong, SENG Technology award targets tertiary institutions in China and recognizes those who has a pivotal role to play in raising ■ Prof Yue Wang have made discoveries in basic and applied research or explained natural awareness about the essential role phenomenon or characteristics through scientific research. Assistant Professor, Industrial Engineering and that engineers play in improving our Logistics Management Profs Ni and Liu’s wireless project led to the design of one of the lives. Our consistently high global rankings world’s earliest range-free localization and localizability systems using PhD – The Hong Kong University of Science and show that we are being successful in RFID; and found a solution to the problem of accurately obtaining Technology contributing to major achievements in the real-time object locations in field. We also want to ensure people a wireless sensor network outside the engineering field recognize and the Internet of Things. how central a role innovation and

Photo Credit: Beijing-Hong Kong Academic Exchange Centre

02 03

Research Research

SENG Research Excellence Awards Research Excellence Award Young Investigator Research Award Prof Qian Zhang Prof Matthew McKay The launch of the School of Engineering Research Excellence Computer Science and Engineering Electronic and Computer Engineering Awards recognizes the impact and contributions of the School’s faculty members and provides an inspiring tribute to the Prof Zhang, a PhD graduate of Prof McKay has established an world-class work being carried out at HKUST. In Focus Wuhan University and previously exceptional research record for a with Microsoft Research Asia, Beijing, junior faculty member, helping him to showcases the four inaugural winners. is internationally known for the become the first winner of this award outstanding quality of her research which recognizes the achievements of in mobile multimedia communication a rising star with potential for future Distinguished Research Excellence Award IEEE Fellow, a Fellow of the Society for Information Display, and advanced wireless networking. leadership. and an Elected Member of the Asia-Pacific Academy of Prof Hoi Sing Kwok Materials, among others. She gained early recognition for her work on resource alloca- Joining HKUST in 2007 after receiving his PhD at the University Electronic and Computer tion, streaming protocol and cross-layer QoS support for mul- of Sydney in Australia, Prof McKay is making strong contributions Engineering Research Excellence Award timedia streaming, which has been frequently cited. to the fundamental understanding and design of advanced signal Dr William MW Mong Chair processing methods for wireless communications. He has Prof Guohua Chen Prof Zhang was the first to propose an end-system based Professor of Nanotechnology published over 40 journal papers and received 400 citations. Chemical and Biomolecular mobility solution for heterogeneous wireless networks and Prof Kwok has become the first Engineering has made notable contributions in the area of wireless sensor One of his main areas of interest is applications of random winner of the top Research networks. In recent years, she has made pioneering advances matrix theory to signal processing and information theory. He Prof Chen has been a major Excellence Award, which honors a in cognitive and cooperative wireless networks, an emerging has become well known for being able to characterize the contributor to two key research distinguished engineering faculty member with exceptional research area. This includes opening up a new research direction achievable capacity limits of multi-channel communication areas, the drying of high-value research achievements and significant impact locally and for cognitive radio networks by utilizing cooperative relay to systems using his random matrix theory. Through his results, for products and electrochemical globally. improve the transmission diversity and correspondingly the example, the data rate of mobile telephones and WiFi can be technologies for industrial spectrum efficiency. improved. The pioneering academic was cited for his contributions to the wastewater treatment. He has also gained acclaim for the field of display technologies, an area where he has enjoyed major application of nanotechnologies to environmental protection. Among earlier accolades, she was named among the World’s Showing the global recognition he is receiving, Prof McKay was achievements since 1992, the year he joined HKUST. A Harvard Top Young Innovators in the MIT Technology Review 100 in 2004 awarded the 2011 Stephen O. Rice Prize in the Field of Such achievements have secured him this award, which PhD graduate in Applied Physics, Prof Kwok has received 58 and received the Overseas Young Investigator Award from the Communications Theory from the IEEE Communications Society. recognizes an outstanding faculty member with a proven patents, with another 30 under review, and produced over 500 National Natural Science Foundation of China in 2006. This highly regarded award is given annually for the best paper record of research excellence. refereed publications on display-related research, achieving an published in IEEE Transactions on Communications in the previous Prof Zhang, who joined HKUST in 2005, has published over outstanding H-index citation rate of 40. As an example of the impact of his work, the electrochemical three years. The paper was co-authored by Shi Jin, Xiqi Gao and 200 refereed papers in top journals and international technologies developed in his laboratory have been evaluated Iain B. Collings. During his productive career, Prof Kwok has been actively conferences and is the inventor of around 30 pending as the most likely technology to deal with the remediation of engaged in both fundamental and applied research. The international patents. She is also an active leader in her He gained a 2010 Young Author Best Paper Award from the IEEE oily wastewaters, being cited in MIT Technology Review as the development of silicon micro-displays and the technology department at HKUST and has high visibility in the professional Signal Processing Society with a paper co-authored with his PhD future option of restaurant wastewater treatment. The Hong transfer of active-matrix organic light-emitting diode (OLED) community. student Liang Sun, and Shi Jin. He also received Best Paper Kong Environmental Conservation Fund granted research displays are key developments. “He is a true-blue academic of Awards at the IEEE International Conference on Communica- funding to build a pilot plant and excellent results have been She is co-director of Huawei-HKUST Innovation Lab and the HKUST, with all his work created here,” said Prof Ross Murch, tions 2011 and the IEEE Global Communications Conference obtained to date. director of the Digital Life Research Center at HKUST. Head of Electronic and Computer Engineering. 2010. Prof Chen, who earned his PhD at McGill University and After his arrival at HKUST, Prof Kwok spotted the industrial Prof McKay has also taken a pro-active role in establishing joined HKUST in the mid-1990s, has published over 120 need for liquid crystal display technology and built up a collaborations with international experts and promoting research journal papers and shared his knowledge through active research program. He has pioneered the development of low excellence among his students. temperature polycrystalline silicon (LTPS) thin-film transistors participation in international conferences and workshops. He has been an editor of Separation and Purification Technology, a (TFT) for high resolution active-matrix displays, among many Selecting the Winners other successful technology breakthroughs. top journal in the field of chemical engineering and is an International Advisory Panel Member of the World Congress Criteria for selection of awardees included research output, and research achievements recognized by the award were Prof Kwok’s invention of color-filtered liquid-crystal display on of Chemical Engineering. silicon (LCOS) was licensed to Himax Display Inc of Taiwan originality and innovativeness; impact of research output on expected to be for work carried out mainly at HKUST. The high quality of his research training has assisted his society, industry and the relevant engineering disciplines; and the device they produced based on this invention has The Research Awards Selection Committee comprised the postgraduate students in obtaining excellent research output research training provided to students and post-doctoral been incorporated into many products, including the Nikon head or acting head of each of the School of Engineering’s and careers. Bachelor degree students have gained the benefit researchers; and their leadership role in collaboration with PJ1000 digital camera. In addition, inventions related to LTPS six departments and was chaired by Prof Joseph Lee, of Prof Chen’s cutting-edge view of research through his national and international research partners. TFT have been licensed to Sinodisplay Technology Inc to Vice-President for Research and Graduate Studies. Of four commercialize the technology for active-matrix OLED displays. participation in the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program. Nominees had to be excellent researchers over a co-opted members, three were Professors Emeriti and Prof Kwok’s contributions to the field have been recognized sustained period of time – at least the past three years – one a member of the HKUST Institute for Advanced Study. through numerous prestigious professional affiliations. He is an 04 05

Research Academic Excellence

Artificial Intelligence Journal SENG Academics Receive Top-Tier Rankings Globally in Engineering and Technology Subjects

Headquartered at HKUST Google Research Awards HKUST has maintained its remarkable global presence in Aeronautical & Manufacturing, ahead of Korea Advanced In a significant boost for HKUST’s Three Computer Science and engineering and technology in a new set of academic subject Institute of Science & Technology (KAIST) (49th) and international presence and Hong Kong’s Engineering faculty members have rankings released in April. According to the 2011 QS World University of Wisconsin-Madison (51-100th); and 51-100th in drive to become an academic hub, the had their cutting-edge studies University Rankings by Subject - Engineering and Technology, Chemical Engineering. University has become the recognized, with each receiving a the first time these tables have been published, HKUST was ranked No.1 in Greater China in Computer Science & headquarters for a prestigious Google Research Award from the 2011 QS World University Rankings - Computer Science & new journal focusing on global internet search giant. This was Information Systems and No.1 in Hong Kong in Mechanical, Information Systems Rankings Aeronautical & Manufacturing. artificial intelligence. the highest number of awards Institution World Ranking granted to academics at a single ACM Transactions on In the Computer Science & Information Systems category, university in Hong Kong in the Massachusetts Institute of Technology 1 Intelligent Systems and HKUST was placed 26th. This ranking is in line with the funding round results released in Q4 University of California, Los Angeles 8 Technology is being led by Computer Science and Engineering Department’s ranking at 2010. Columbia University 17 founding editor-in-chief Prof 26th in the world and 1st in Greater China in the Academic HKUST 26 Qiang Yang, Computer Science and Engineering, an IEEE Fellow, Prof Chi Keung Tang, Prof Sunghun Ranking of World Universities (ARWU) league table produced and a specialist in data mining and artificial intelligence. ACM, or Kim and Prof Ke Yi received by Shanghai Jiao Tong University in 2010. The Electronic and Purdue University 29 the Association for Computing Machinery, is one of the two funding for their studies in Computer Engineering Department was globally placed 28th. The University of Tokyo 35 largest and most authoritative computing associations globally, “Quasi-Dense 3D Reconstruction Dean of Engineering Prof Khaled Ben Letaief said he was Tsinghua University 43 together with the IEEE. from 2D Uncalibrated Photos” delighted to see that the School of Engineering was continuing (geo/maps), “Crash Reproduction” The new journal aims to promote multi-disciplinary artificial to excel in international rankings. “We shall strive toward (software engineering) and 2011 QS World University Rankings - Electrical and Electronic intelligence research, with topics ranging from computational making even greater impact on the world with our first-rate “Computing Statistical Summaries Engineering Rankings sustainability to computational social and cultural dynamics. education and research now and in the future,” he said. with MapReduce” (information Papers started to be accepted at the beginning of 2010 and an A total of five subject areas in engineering and technology Institution World Ranking retrieval, extraction and inaugural issue was published in October 2010. An impressive were covered in the QS rankings. Ranking indicators include organization) respectively. Massachusetts Institute of Technology 1 400 submissions were received from around the world during academic reputation, employer reputation and citations, with Princeton University 12 its first year, including top institutions such as MIT and Stanford. The Google Research Awards the high rankings of HKUST’s engineering departments being Cornell University 19 program identifies and supports faculty pursuing research in an endorsement of its world-class faculty, high-impact “This is a terrific development,” said Prof Mounir Hamdi, Chair HKUST 28 areas of mutual interest internationally, with two rounds of Professor and Head of the Computer Science and Engineering research, outstanding students, and state-of-the-art facilities. funding held annually. In the Q4 2010 round, Google University of British Columbia 30 Department. “The founding of such a prestigious journal is a Other strong HKUST subject rankings included 42nd in Civil & supported 112 awards across 20 different subject areas, Purdue University 32 clear indication of the great research stature of Prof Yang and Structural Engineering, ahead of University of Bristol (47th) totaling more than US$6 million. Hong Kong received a total Tsinghua University 40 our department as a whole.” and Texas A&M University (51-100th); 44th in Mechanical, of five awards and one joint award putting it among the top The first four issues of the journal are available at regions to gain awards, along with the US, UK and Germany. http://tist.acm.org/publications.html. Academics from 14 regions in total gained funding, with around 65% of the awards going to researchers in the US. Agreement Signed for Joint PhD Program

Expanding the School of Engineering (SENG)’s international School agreed a joint PhD program with Korea Advanced Transforming Video Technology network and visibility further, a joint PhD degree program is Institute of Science and Technology, a major research Prof Bing Zeng, Electronic and published over the past three years is selected to receive the to be established under an exciting academic and research institution in Korea. Computer Engineering, and his 2010 Best Paper Award. It was the first time since the journal’s collaboration agreement between the School and the College PhD graduate Dr Jingjing Fu, now launch in 1991 that the honor had been awarded to a Hong of Engineering at Pohang University of Science and Technology working at Microsoft Research Asia, Kong professor and his student for work completely carried (POSTECH) in Korea. have been selected to receive the out in Hong Kong. In his paper, he lays down the fundamental The four-year HKUST/POSTECH program will require 2011 IEEE Transactions on Circuits and framework for the breakthrough transformation that has been students to spend two years at each university, providing Systems for Video Technology – Best widely used in many image and video coding applications. exposure to the research environment in two leading Paper Award for their paper With the same paper, Prof Zeng also won the Best Paper Award Asia-Pacific institutions and boosting students’ “Directional Discrete Cosine at the IEEE International Symposium on Circuits and Systems competitive edge. Every student will also have two faculty Transforms: A New Framework for Image Coding”. The IEEE 2011, held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The symposium is the world’s advisors, one from each institution. The universities are journal is widely recognized as the best in the area of video premier networking forum of leading researchers in the highly seeking to admit the first cohort in Fall 2012. technology. About 200 papers are published every year, active fields of theory, design and implementation of circuits and with an acceptance rate of about 17%. Each year, one paper The agreement marks another successful collaboration systems. with a top Korean university for SENG. In 2009, the

06 07

Academic Excellence Academic Excellence

Princeton Exchange Expands Leading Academy Faculty Honors, Research Opportunities for Undergraduates Recognizes IELM Head Awards and Achievements

In a pioneering move, HKUST has become the first Prof Vincent Poor, Dean of the School of Engineering and In recognition of his ■ Prof Oscar Au, Electronic and university in Asia to enter into an undergraduate summer Applied Science at Princeton, also welcomed the move. outstanding contributions Computer Engineering, and his team research exchange partnership in engineering with “We are very pleased to establish a partnership with over the years, Prof Fugee are among the few university teams Princeton University. HKUST Engineering School to jointly advance the levels of Tsung, Head of Industrial contributing to the competitive Joint distinction in discovery and transmission of knowledge and Engineering and Logistics Collaborative Team on Video Coding The two-way summer exchange agreement will see School understanding through this research exchange program,” he Management, has been (JCTVC), which is developing the of Engineering (SENG) students spend eight weeks at the said. elected an Academician of next-generation video coding Ivy League institution where they will engage in research the International Academy standard. Prof Au’s team has had three proposals with faculty members on designated projects. Princeton for Quality (IAQ). The accepted into the High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC) students will undertake research with HKUST academics academy is the most standard’s working draft. The first proposal on chroma and professional research teams from Hong Kong Applied prestigious international entropy coding was accepted at the Daegu (Korea) Science and Technology Research Institute (ASTRI). organization in its field. It meeting in January 2011. The second and third The arrangement is especially notable as Princeton has less comprises peer-nominated proposals were on sub-LCU Qp representation and than 10 institutional partners for reciprocal exchange members who admit individuals identified as global thought dQP calculation method respectively and were accepted worldwide. In combining hands-on research experience leaders in quality-related issues. at the Geneva meeting in March 2011. The HEVC standard will be finalized in mid 2013. with international exchange, the program also offers a Prof Tsung is only the second in Hong Kong and one of just different form of study abroad experience for SENG six academicians in Greater China to receive the accolade. ■ Prof Mansun Chan, Electronic and students. His research focuses on quality control and the Computer Engineering, and his team Dean of Engineering Prof Khaled Ben Letaief said that improvement of complex systems in both the manufacturing won a 2009 Shenzhen City Technology SENG was committed to providing an outstanding and service sectors. Prof Tsung has also taken up many Innovation Award from the Shenzhen undergraduate education that produced global leadership positions, including Regional Vice-President (Asia) Science and Technology Association citizens. “We are therefore very excited about this of the Institute of Industrial Engineers (IIE), and helped to with the project “New Generation initiative which will not only allow our students to raise wider awareness of quality techniques in the region. Nano-CMOS Device Model Research acquire an international outlook but will further Showing the growing attention now being paid to the area and Verification for SOC Design”. The project was develop their appreciation of research.” in Greater China, the Asian Network for Quality 2012 undertaken with Peking University Shenzhen Graduate Congress will be held at HKUST. Around 500 quality School. professionals from Asia are expected to attend. ■ Prof Albert Chung, Computer Engineering Program, Prof Sunghun Kim, Computer Science and Engineering, Prof Ergonomics Expert Lambros Katafygiotis, Civil and Environmental Engineering, First Choice Again for PhD Engineering Fellows and Prof Henry Lam, Chemical and Biomolecular Elected Fellow Engineering, have been named among HKUST’s 2010 Best The School of Engineering (SENG) continues to be the first The commitment and cutting-edge research of SENG’s Ten Lecturers in the annual awards event organized by choice for high-flying Hong Kong, Mainland China and world-class academics in different engineering fields are Prof Richard So, Industrial VERTEX, House II Students Association. The independent overseas engineering students admitted under the Hong among the School’s top attractions for the next generation Engineering and Logistics student initiative allows those studying at HKUST to show Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme, offered by the Research of leading researchers, according to Dean of Engineering Management, has been their appreciation of lecturers’ work and give them a vote Grants Council (RGC). Prof Khaled Ben Letaief. “With top-notch teaching, elected a Fellow of the of thanks. It was the 14th year the event had been pioneering research projects and state-of-the-art facilities, I Institute of Ergonomics and organized. In May, the RGC announced that 123 elite PhD students am sure awardees can maximize their potential here,” he Human Factors for his from around 20 countries/regions had accepted offers for ■ Prof Pascale Fung, Electronic and said. significant contributions to 2011/12, with a total of 22 awardees electing to study at Computer Engineering, and her team ergonomics. Established in SENG. This was equivalent to 44% of the total fellows The PhD Fellowship Scheme was launched by the RGC to received a Second Class Prize in the 1949, the Institute is the admitted to all engineering disciplines in Hong Kong. attract the best and brightest students from around the Shenzhen/Hong Kong Technology oldest professional society in world to study and carry out research in University Grants Innovation Competition 2010 for their The RGC’s PhD scheme is now in its second year and for the field and aims to promote Committee-funded institutions in Hong Kong. A total of ITF/APAS project on a 3G automotive both years SENG has drawn the highest number of public awareness of 4,024 applications from 103 countries/regions were received infotainment system. HKUST was the engineering awardees in Hong Kong. It also represents more ergonomics and its applications. Prof So has also been invited in the 2011/12 round. only Hong Kong institution, academic or private, to win than two-thirds of the total 32 students admitted to Schools to become editor in the area of Human Factors for Displays, a prize that year. at HKUST under the 2011/12 intake. an international journal focusing on research related to vision and displays.

08 09

Academic Excellence Beyond Labs & Lectures

■ Associate Dean of Engineering Prof ■ Research by Prof Yi-Kuen Lee, Jang Kyo Kim, Mechanical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, on has been elected editor of Composite “Super-hydrophobic Surface with The Rise of Part A, one of the most prestigious Nano-flowers on Silicon” has been journals in the field. Prof Kim has been published on the Chinese International HKUST ROBOTICS serving on the journal's editorial board NEMS Network website and become for seven years, as well as being on the one of its most frequently viewed editorial boards of seven other international journals articles. Prof Lee has also published a A robot addressed an amazed audience at HKUST on April 12, giving an 11-minute related to areas of advanced materials and composites. paper, in collaboration with Prof Hsian-Rong Tseng at presentation at the HKUST 20th Anniversary Program Parade presented by the UCLA, on the development of the 2nd generation ■ For the second consecutive year, Prof School of Engineering (SENG). The NAO robot, recently acquired for training microfluidic circulating tumor cells (CTCs) capture Sunghun Kim, Computer Science and purposes, had been successfully programmed to give the entertaining introduction by technology which was chosen as the cover of Engineering, has been selected to members of HKUST’s Robotics Team, all of whom come from SENG. Angewandte Chemie International Edition (Mar 21, 2011 receive a highly competitive Software issue). The paper, “Highly Efficient Capture of Circulating HKUST’s Robotics Team stems from students’ successful participation in the annual Engineering Innovation Foundation Tumor Cells Using Nanostructured Silicon Substrates Robocon contest, which began in 2004. The 2011 team comprises 70 students from (SEIF) Award from Microsoft with Integrated Chaotic Micromixers” has also been Hong Kong, Mainland China and overseas, with representatives from all of the School’s Research. His proposal, “GATE: highlighted in Nature Medicine (Mar 2011 issue). departments. This marks a 75% increase on 2010 and shows the enthusiasm for this Game-based Automatic Testing Environment”, was the type of learning experience outside the regular curriculum. Altogether around 150 only one selected from Asia and among just 10 ■ Prof Wai Ho Mow, Computer Engineering SENG students signed up to participate before the Robotics Team selection was made. worldwide that were chosen from 88 study proposals in Program, has been awarded a 2010/11 Photo Credit: Sing Tao Daily 2011. The proposal will be supported by a grant of grant from the Overseas and Hong Kong, In order for more students to participate in external competitions, Robotics Team mem- US$35,000 for a year. SEIF is open to universities and Macau Young Scholars Collaborative bers have now been divided into four groups, with each taking part in one of four major research institutions worldwide and receives proposals Research Fund, set up by the National events. These are the Robocon Hong Kong Contest and three new ones, the Remotely of the highest standards. Selection criteria include the Natural Science Foundation of China, for Operated Vehicles (ROV) Competition featuring underwater robots, the Smart Car project’s impact on the software engineering community, his project “Optimal Training Sequence Competition, and NAO RoboCup. potential for wide dissemination and use of the Design and Low-Complexity Estimation/Decoding Methods To celebrate the formation of the Robotics Team, senior administrators of the University, intellectual property created, ability to complete the for Multiple-Antenna Wireless Communications”. The including President Prof Tony F Chan, presented team flags to the individual groups at project, as well as the qualifications of the principal research is being carried out in collaboration with Southwest the Program Parade. Members of the Robotics Team also took a pledge to participate in investigator. Jiaotong University in Sichuan. the contests in a competitive but sporting manner.

■ Prof Chung Yee Lee and Prof Ajay ■ A co-authored poster by Prof Hui He A few days before the Program Parade, the ROV team got off to a flying start by per- Joneja, Industrial Engineering and Qiu, Mechanical Engineering, entitled forming excellently in the Hong Kong Underwater Robot Challenge, a qualification Robots Perform Lion Dance Logistics Management, have been “Drastic Enhancement of Boiling Heat examination for the international competition. With this success, they represented Hong awarded a research grant from the Transfer with Micro- and Nano- Kong in the ROV international competition at NASA Johnson Space Center in Houston at Grand Celebration Innovation and Technology Fund for Engineering of Surface Wettability”, won in June and won the Design Elegance Award, which was judged by the aesthetics, sim- Two NAO robots also made a memo- their project “Integrated Decision the Honorable Mention-ASME Best plicity and functionality of the vehicle’s design. Grateful to the Robotics Team’s logistics rable appearance at HKUST’s Grand Support System for Dynamic Poster Award at the Micro & partner, DHL Express, for providing logistics consultation and sponsoring the air express Celebration commemorating the Vehicle-Dispatching and Scheduling with Real-time Nanotechnology Society-Wide Forum at the 2010 transportation of over 85kg. With DHL’s professional help on shipping the sophisticated University’s 20th Anniversary on April 8. Information under Operation Uncertainty”. The project American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) and delicate underwater robot machines, the robot has been safely and efficiently deliv- The robots, programmed by HKUST seeks to develop an integrated information technology International Mechanical Engineering Congress & ered between Hong Kong and Houston. Robotics Team members, performed an platform for passenger transport in real-time operation Exposition in Vancouver. The Robotics Team is supervised by Prof Zexiang Li and Prof Tim Woo, both from the impressive lion dance at the event. and information exchange to reduce operation costs ■ Prof Jiang Xu, Electronic and Electronic and Computer Engineering Department. and improve efficiency. Computer Engineering, has been selected by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Computer Society as a Distinguished Visitor. Under the society’s Distinguished Visitors Program, first-quality speakers from among its membership share the latest insights in different areas of the field with professional and student chapters of the society in different locations.

10 11 Snapshot Engineering

Newsletter No.20 Summer 2011

The Miracle Continues School of Engineering Celebrates HKUST’s th Anniversary

Calendar of Events September 24-25, 2011 December 2011 HKUST Information Day HKUST Engineering Day HKUST Campus HKUST Campus October 14-23, 2011 December 8-11, 2011 HKUST “Bring Technology to Community” Exhibition The 3rd International Symposium on Plasticity and Impact Hong Kong Science Museum HKUST Clear Water Bay Campus (Dec 8-10) and HKUST Fok Ying Tung Graduate School, Nansha Campus (Dec 10-11) The above events are subject to change without prior notice.

Don't be the Missing Link ... Editors: Diana Liu, Dorothy Yip Alumni relationships are invaluable assets to the School and Contributing Editor: Sally Course alumni. To foster the growth of our alumni network, please Address: School of Engineering keep us informed of your recent news and send us your The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology updated contact information via email to [email protected]. Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong Stay connected and keep in touch! Phone: (852) 2358-5917 Fax: (852) 2358-1458 Email: [email protected] Website: www.seng.ust.hk Facebook: www.facebook.com/SENG.HKUST PTC-G14143 24

Dean's Message New Appointments Research

2011 marks another milestone in the history of HKUST as the technology play in making the world a better place, from Concurrent Prof Ben Letaief Honored as University reaches its 20th year, and the School of Engineering improved healthcare to more efficient buildings and bridges to ■ Prof Mordecai Golin (SENG) is fully playing its part in commemorating the new consumer electronic breakthroughs. ISI Highly Cited Researcher occasion. In the different Anniversary activities the School is Professor, Computer As we look toward HKUST’s next 20 years, SENG intends to Prof Khaled Ben Letaief, Dean of organizing throughout the year, we have set out to recognize Science and Engineering continue to push forward in its research and education Engineering, gained further and include all the different people who contribute to making achievements. We are already drawing together faculty on Appointed Associate recognition as an international SENG such a success. interdisciplinary endeavors and theme-based research to Vice-President for leader in his field by being Postgraduate Studies, Faculty members have helped us to become globally tackle some of the world’s biggest challenges, such as energy honored and selected as ISI Highly HKUST renowned through their outstanding research and innovations, and the environment. We are rapidly moving forward with our Cited Researcher by Thomson and the honors and achievements they have received. They education of 21st century engineers as we look forward to ■ Prof Mitchell Tseng Reuters in the field of Computer Science and Engineering. have also trained our students to become relevant, achieving, the four-year undergraduate degree system in Hong Kong in Chair Professor, Industrial participating members of society. As a result, our students 2012 and the opportunities it will bring. A wider view will also Engineering and Logistics Honoring the fundamental have gone out into society and shown how a HKUST be enhanced by our ongoing move toward diversity among Management contributions made in 21 broad subject categories in life sciences, education can provide the formative, all-round experience to our students, looking to draw the best talents from around Appointed Associate medicine, physical sciences, engineering and social sciences, ISI Highly generate innovative entrepreneurs and leaders in industry, the world to generate a global hub of ideas and links that will Vice-President for Cited Researchers are individuals who are the most highly cited in business and government. benefit all who study at SENG. These are our goals, and with Research and Innovation, their fields and inclusion in this list is taken as a measure of the esteem the momentum of all the people who have contributed in the The Hong Kong community has provided the foundation for HKUST of these scientific researchers and is used, for example, by the past and will do so in the future, they are ones I believe we Academic Ranking of World Universities. our student body and constantly supported us while we in ■ will achieve. Prof Lionel Ni turn have worked together with community members, from Prof Ben Letaief joins an elite club of less than half of 1% of all Chair Professor, Computer schools to industries, to let people know about the impact of published researchers in the world who are recognized among the Science and Engineering engineering and how it can move Hong Kong forward. Our 250 top and most-cited researchers in a defined discipline within a alumni have been our proud ambassadors out in the world, Appointed Dean of HKUST specific time-period. Prof Ben Letaief is a Fellow of IEEE and is while on campus we have sought to generate opportunities to Fok Ying Tung Graduate currently serving as the Vice-President of the IEEE Communications School work together with fellow members of HKUST. Society. He is also the recipient of many other international Prof Khaled Ben Letaief In SENG’s 20th Anniversary celebrations, our activities distinguished awards including the prestigious IEEE Marconi Prize Dean of Engineering Award in Wireless Communications. therefore encompass all these groups. And as this issue of In Visiting Faculty Focus shows, the events – ranging from top international ■ Prof Koon Fung Lam conferences on engineering education and the future of Wireless Project Receives Top Honor innovation to a fun day on campus for alumni and their Assistant Professor, Chemical and Biomolecular families – provide powerful recognition of what we have Engineering in MOE Natural Science Awards accomplished to date. Global interaction at the highest levels, PhD – The Hong Kong University of Science and Prof Lionel Ni, Prof Yunhao Liu and Mr Mo Li, Computer Science and community engagement, SENG family spirit, and campus Technology Engineering, received a prestigious First Class honor in the Ministry of connectivity, all are part of SENG’s sterling record of ■ Prof Matthew Law Education (MOE) Awards for Research Excellence in Natural Sciences achievement. for their cutting-edge project on “Range-free Localization and Assistant Professor, Electronic and Computer Indeed, as the largest School at HKUST, with the highest Localizability for Wireless Network and IOT: Theory and Practice”. The Engineering number of undergraduates, graduates and faculty, and the award was one of five secured by HKUST in this category, the largest most comprehensive within the PhD – The Hong Kong University of Science and number among tertiary institutions in Hong Kong. The natural science engineering field in Hong Kong, SENG Technology award targets tertiary institutions in China and recognizes those who has a pivotal role to play in raising ■ Prof Yue Wang have made discoveries in basic and applied research or explained natural awareness about the essential role phenomenon or characteristics through scientific research. Assistant Professor, Industrial Engineering and that engineers play in improving our Logistics Management Profs Ni and Liu’s wireless project led to the design of one of the lives. Our consistently high global rankings world’s earliest range-free localization and localizability systems using PhD – The Hong Kong University of Science and show that we are being successful in RFID; and found a solution to the problem of accurately obtaining Technology contributing to major achievements in the real-time object locations in field. We also want to ensure people a wireless sensor network outside the engineering field recognize and the Internet of Things. how central a role innovation and

Photo Credit: Beijing-Hong Kong Academic Exchange Centre

02 03

Research Research

SENG Research Excellence Awards Research Excellence Award Young Investigator Research Award Prof Qian Zhang Prof Matthew McKay The launch of the School of Engineering Research Excellence Computer Science and Engineering Electronic and Computer Engineering Awards recognizes the impact and contributions of the School’s faculty members and provides an inspiring tribute to the Prof Zhang, a PhD graduate of Prof McKay has established an world-class work being carried out at HKUST. In Focus Wuhan University and previously exceptional research record for a with Microsoft Research Asia, Beijing, junior faculty member, helping him to showcases the four inaugural winners. is internationally known for the become the first winner of this award outstanding quality of her research which recognizes the achievements of in mobile multimedia communication a rising star with potential for future Distinguished Research Excellence Award IEEE Fellow, a Fellow of the Society for Information Display, and advanced wireless networking. leadership. and an Elected Member of the Asia-Pacific Academy of Prof Hoi Sing Kwok Materials, among others. She gained early recognition for her work on resource alloca- Joining HKUST in 2007 after receiving his PhD at the University Electronic and Computer tion, streaming protocol and cross-layer QoS support for mul- of Sydney in Australia, Prof McKay is making strong contributions Engineering Research Excellence Award timedia streaming, which has been frequently cited. to the fundamental understanding and design of advanced signal Dr William MW Mong Chair processing methods for wireless communications. He has Prof Guohua Chen Prof Zhang was the first to propose an end-system based Professor of Nanotechnology published over 40 journal papers and received 400 citations. Chemical and Biomolecular mobility solution for heterogeneous wireless networks and Prof Kwok has become the first Engineering has made notable contributions in the area of wireless sensor One of his main areas of interest is applications of random winner of the top Research networks. In recent years, she has made pioneering advances matrix theory to signal processing and information theory. He Prof Chen has been a major Excellence Award, which honors a in cognitive and cooperative wireless networks, an emerging has become well known for being able to characterize the contributor to two key research distinguished engineering faculty member with exceptional research area. This includes opening up a new research direction achievable capacity limits of multi-channel communication areas, the drying of high-value research achievements and significant impact locally and for cognitive radio networks by utilizing cooperative relay to systems using his random matrix theory. Through his results, for products and electrochemical globally. improve the transmission diversity and correspondingly the example, the data rate of mobile telephones and WiFi can be technologies for industrial spectrum efficiency. improved. The pioneering academic was cited for his contributions to the wastewater treatment. He has also gained acclaim for the field of display technologies, an area where he has enjoyed major application of nanotechnologies to environmental protection. Among earlier accolades, she was named among the World’s Showing the global recognition he is receiving, Prof McKay was achievements since 1992, the year he joined HKUST. A Harvard Top Young Innovators in the MIT Technology Review 100 in 2004 awarded the 2011 Stephen O. Rice Prize in the Field of Such achievements have secured him this award, which PhD graduate in Applied Physics, Prof Kwok has received 58 and received the Overseas Young Investigator Award from the Communications Theory from the IEEE Communications Society. recognizes an outstanding faculty member with a proven patents, with another 30 under review, and produced over 500 National Natural Science Foundation of China in 2006. This highly regarded award is given annually for the best paper record of research excellence. refereed publications on display-related research, achieving an published in IEEE Transactions on Communications in the previous Prof Zhang, who joined HKUST in 2005, has published over outstanding H-index citation rate of 40. As an example of the impact of his work, the electrochemical three years. The paper was co-authored by Shi Jin, Xiqi Gao and 200 refereed papers in top journals and international technologies developed in his laboratory have been evaluated Iain B. Collings. During his productive career, Prof Kwok has been actively conferences and is the inventor of around 30 pending as the most likely technology to deal with the remediation of engaged in both fundamental and applied research. The international patents. She is also an active leader in her He gained a 2010 Young Author Best Paper Award from the IEEE oily wastewaters, being cited in MIT Technology Review as the development of silicon micro-displays and the technology department at HKUST and has high visibility in the professional Signal Processing Society with a paper co-authored with his PhD future option of restaurant wastewater treatment. The Hong transfer of active-matrix organic light-emitting diode (OLED) community. student Liang Sun, and Shi Jin. He also received Best Paper Kong Environmental Conservation Fund granted research displays are key developments. “He is a true-blue academic of Awards at the IEEE International Conference on Communica- funding to build a pilot plant and excellent results have been She is co-director of Huawei-HKUST Innovation Lab and the HKUST, with all his work created here,” said Prof Ross Murch, tions 2011 and the IEEE Global Communications Conference obtained to date. director of the Digital Life Research Center at HKUST. Head of Electronic and Computer Engineering. 2010. Prof Chen, who earned his PhD at McGill University and After his arrival at HKUST, Prof Kwok spotted the industrial Prof McKay has also taken a pro-active role in establishing joined HKUST in the mid-1990s, has published over 120 need for liquid crystal display technology and built up a collaborations with international experts and promoting research journal papers and shared his knowledge through active research program. He has pioneered the development of low excellence among his students. temperature polycrystalline silicon (LTPS) thin-film transistors participation in international conferences and workshops. He has been an editor of Separation and Purification Technology, a (TFT) for high resolution active-matrix displays, among many Selecting the Winners other successful technology breakthroughs. top journal in the field of chemical engineering and is an International Advisory Panel Member of the World Congress Criteria for selection of awardees included research output, and research achievements recognized by the award were Prof Kwok’s invention of color-filtered liquid-crystal display on of Chemical Engineering. silicon (LCOS) was licensed to Himax Display Inc of Taiwan originality and innovativeness; impact of research output on expected to be for work carried out mainly at HKUST. The high quality of his research training has assisted his society, industry and the relevant engineering disciplines; and the device they produced based on this invention has The Research Awards Selection Committee comprised the postgraduate students in obtaining excellent research output research training provided to students and post-doctoral been incorporated into many products, including the Nikon head or acting head of each of the School of Engineering’s and careers. Bachelor degree students have gained the benefit researchers; and their leadership role in collaboration with PJ1000 digital camera. In addition, inventions related to LTPS six departments and was chaired by Prof Joseph Lee, of Prof Chen’s cutting-edge view of research through his national and international research partners. TFT have been licensed to Sinodisplay Technology Inc to Vice-President for Research and Graduate Studies. Of four commercialize the technology for active-matrix OLED displays. participation in the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program. Nominees had to be excellent researchers over a co-opted members, three were Professors Emeriti and Prof Kwok’s contributions to the field have been recognized sustained period of time – at least the past three years – one a member of the HKUST Institute for Advanced Study. through numerous prestigious professional affiliations. He is an 04 05

Research Academic Excellence

Artificial Intelligence Journal SENG Academics Receive Top-Tier Rankings Globally in Engineering and Technology Subjects

Headquartered at HKUST Google Research Awards HKUST has maintained its remarkable global presence in Aeronautical & Manufacturing, ahead of Korea Advanced In a significant boost for HKUST’s Three Computer Science and engineering and technology in a new set of academic subject Institute of Science & Technology (KAIST) (49th) and international presence and Hong Kong’s Engineering faculty members have rankings released in April. According to the 2011 QS World University of Wisconsin-Madison (51-100th); and 51-100th in drive to become an academic hub, the had their cutting-edge studies University Rankings by Subject - Engineering and Technology, Chemical Engineering. University has become the recognized, with each receiving a the first time these tables have been published, HKUST was ranked No.1 in Greater China in Computer Science & headquarters for a prestigious Google Research Award from the 2011 QS World University Rankings - Computer Science & new journal focusing on global internet search giant. This was Information Systems and No.1 in Hong Kong in Mechanical, Information Systems Rankings Aeronautical & Manufacturing. artificial intelligence. the highest number of awards Institution World Ranking granted to academics at a single ACM Transactions on In the Computer Science & Information Systems category, university in Hong Kong in the Massachusetts Institute of Technology 1 Intelligent Systems and HKUST was placed 26th. This ranking is in line with the funding round results released in Q4 University of California, Los Angeles 8 Technology is being led by Computer Science and Engineering Department’s ranking at 2010. Columbia University 17 founding editor-in-chief Prof 26th in the world and 1st in Greater China in the Academic HKUST 26 Qiang Yang, Computer Science and Engineering, an IEEE Fellow, Prof Chi Keung Tang, Prof Sunghun Ranking of World Universities (ARWU) league table produced and a specialist in data mining and artificial intelligence. ACM, or Kim and Prof Ke Yi received by Shanghai Jiao Tong University in 2010. The Electronic and Purdue University 29 the Association for Computing Machinery, is one of the two funding for their studies in Computer Engineering Department was globally placed 28th. The University of Tokyo 35 largest and most authoritative computing associations globally, “Quasi-Dense 3D Reconstruction Dean of Engineering Prof Khaled Ben Letaief said he was Tsinghua University 43 together with the IEEE. from 2D Uncalibrated Photos” delighted to see that the School of Engineering was continuing (geo/maps), “Crash Reproduction” The new journal aims to promote multi-disciplinary artificial to excel in international rankings. “We shall strive toward (software engineering) and 2011 QS World University Rankings - Electrical and Electronic intelligence research, with topics ranging from computational making even greater impact on the world with our first-rate “Computing Statistical Summaries Engineering Rankings sustainability to computational social and cultural dynamics. education and research now and in the future,” he said. with MapReduce” (information Papers started to be accepted at the beginning of 2010 and an A total of five subject areas in engineering and technology Institution World Ranking retrieval, extraction and inaugural issue was published in October 2010. An impressive were covered in the QS rankings. Ranking indicators include organization) respectively. Massachusetts Institute of Technology 1 400 submissions were received from around the world during academic reputation, employer reputation and citations, with Princeton University 12 its first year, including top institutions such as MIT and Stanford. The Google Research Awards the high rankings of HKUST’s engineering departments being Cornell University 19 program identifies and supports faculty pursuing research in an endorsement of its world-class faculty, high-impact “This is a terrific development,” said Prof Mounir Hamdi, Chair HKUST 28 areas of mutual interest internationally, with two rounds of Professor and Head of the Computer Science and Engineering research, outstanding students, and state-of-the-art facilities. funding held annually. In the Q4 2010 round, Google University of British Columbia 30 Department. “The founding of such a prestigious journal is a Other strong HKUST subject rankings included 42nd in Civil & supported 112 awards across 20 different subject areas, Purdue University 32 clear indication of the great research stature of Prof Yang and Structural Engineering, ahead of University of Bristol (47th) totaling more than US$6 million. Hong Kong received a total Tsinghua University 40 our department as a whole.” and Texas A&M University (51-100th); 44th in Mechanical, of five awards and one joint award putting it among the top The first four issues of the journal are available at regions to gain awards, along with the US, UK and Germany. http://tist.acm.org/publications.html. Academics from 14 regions in total gained funding, with around 65% of the awards going to researchers in the US. Agreement Signed for Joint PhD Program

Expanding the School of Engineering (SENG)’s international School agreed a joint PhD program with Korea Advanced Transforming Video Technology network and visibility further, a joint PhD degree program is Institute of Science and Technology, a major research Prof Bing Zeng, Electronic and published over the past three years is selected to receive the to be established under an exciting academic and research institution in Korea. Computer Engineering, and his 2010 Best Paper Award. It was the first time since the journal’s collaboration agreement between the School and the College PhD graduate Dr Jingjing Fu, now launch in 1991 that the honor had been awarded to a Hong of Engineering at Pohang University of Science and Technology working at Microsoft Research Asia, Kong professor and his student for work completely carried (POSTECH) in Korea. have been selected to receive the out in Hong Kong. In his paper, he lays down the fundamental The four-year HKUST/POSTECH program will require 2011 IEEE Transactions on Circuits and framework for the breakthrough transformation that has been students to spend two years at each university, providing Systems for Video Technology – Best widely used in many image and video coding applications. exposure to the research environment in two leading Paper Award for their paper With the same paper, Prof Zeng also won the Best Paper Award Asia-Pacific institutions and boosting students’ “Directional Discrete Cosine at the IEEE International Symposium on Circuits and Systems competitive edge. Every student will also have two faculty Transforms: A New Framework for Image Coding”. The IEEE 2011, held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The symposium is the world’s advisors, one from each institution. The universities are journal is widely recognized as the best in the area of video premier networking forum of leading researchers in the highly seeking to admit the first cohort in Fall 2012. technology. About 200 papers are published every year, active fields of theory, design and implementation of circuits and with an acceptance rate of about 17%. Each year, one paper The agreement marks another successful collaboration systems. with a top Korean university for SENG. In 2009, the

06 07

Academic Excellence Academic Excellence

Princeton Exchange Expands Leading Academy Faculty Honors, Research Opportunities for Undergraduates Recognizes IELM Head Awards and Achievements

In a pioneering move, HKUST has become the first Prof Vincent Poor, Dean of the School of Engineering and In recognition of his ■ Prof Oscar Au, Electronic and university in Asia to enter into an undergraduate summer Applied Science at Princeton, also welcomed the move. outstanding contributions Computer Engineering, and his team research exchange partnership in engineering with “We are very pleased to establish a partnership with over the years, Prof Fugee are among the few university teams Princeton University. HKUST Engineering School to jointly advance the levels of Tsung, Head of Industrial contributing to the competitive Joint distinction in discovery and transmission of knowledge and Engineering and Logistics Collaborative Team on Video Coding The two-way summer exchange agreement will see School understanding through this research exchange program,” he Management, has been (JCTVC), which is developing the of Engineering (SENG) students spend eight weeks at the said. elected an Academician of next-generation video coding Ivy League institution where they will engage in research the International Academy standard. Prof Au’s team has had three proposals with faculty members on designated projects. Princeton for Quality (IAQ). The accepted into the High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC) students will undertake research with HKUST academics academy is the most standard’s working draft. The first proposal on chroma and professional research teams from Hong Kong Applied prestigious international entropy coding was accepted at the Daegu (Korea) Science and Technology Research Institute (ASTRI). organization in its field. It meeting in January 2011. The second and third The arrangement is especially notable as Princeton has less comprises peer-nominated proposals were on sub-LCU Qp representation and than 10 institutional partners for reciprocal exchange members who admit individuals identified as global thought dQP calculation method respectively and were accepted worldwide. In combining hands-on research experience leaders in quality-related issues. at the Geneva meeting in March 2011. The HEVC standard will be finalized in mid 2013. with international exchange, the program also offers a Prof Tsung is only the second in Hong Kong and one of just different form of study abroad experience for SENG six academicians in Greater China to receive the accolade. ■ Prof Mansun Chan, Electronic and students. His research focuses on quality control and the Computer Engineering, and his team Dean of Engineering Prof Khaled Ben Letaief said that improvement of complex systems in both the manufacturing won a 2009 Shenzhen City Technology SENG was committed to providing an outstanding and service sectors. Prof Tsung has also taken up many Innovation Award from the Shenzhen undergraduate education that produced global leadership positions, including Regional Vice-President (Asia) Science and Technology Association citizens. “We are therefore very excited about this of the Institute of Industrial Engineers (IIE), and helped to with the project “New Generation initiative which will not only allow our students to raise wider awareness of quality techniques in the region. Nano-CMOS Device Model Research acquire an international outlook but will further Showing the growing attention now being paid to the area and Verification for SOC Design”. The project was develop their appreciation of research.” in Greater China, the Asian Network for Quality 2012 undertaken with Peking University Shenzhen Graduate Congress will be held at HKUST. Around 500 quality School. professionals from Asia are expected to attend. ■ Prof Albert Chung, Computer Engineering Program, Prof Sunghun Kim, Computer Science and Engineering, Prof Ergonomics Expert Lambros Katafygiotis, Civil and Environmental Engineering, First Choice Again for PhD Engineering Fellows and Prof Henry Lam, Chemical and Biomolecular Elected Fellow Engineering, have been named among HKUST’s 2010 Best The School of Engineering (SENG) continues to be the first The commitment and cutting-edge research of SENG’s Ten Lecturers in the annual awards event organized by choice for high-flying Hong Kong, Mainland China and world-class academics in different engineering fields are Prof Richard So, Industrial VERTEX, House II Students Association. The independent overseas engineering students admitted under the Hong among the School’s top attractions for the next generation Engineering and Logistics student initiative allows those studying at HKUST to show Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme, offered by the Research of leading researchers, according to Dean of Engineering Management, has been their appreciation of lecturers’ work and give them a vote Grants Council (RGC). Prof Khaled Ben Letaief. “With top-notch teaching, elected a Fellow of the of thanks. It was the 14th year the event had been pioneering research projects and state-of-the-art facilities, I Institute of Ergonomics and organized. In May, the RGC announced that 123 elite PhD students am sure awardees can maximize their potential here,” he Human Factors for his from around 20 countries/regions had accepted offers for ■ Prof Pascale Fung, Electronic and said. significant contributions to 2011/12, with a total of 22 awardees electing to study at Computer Engineering, and her team ergonomics. Established in SENG. This was equivalent to 44% of the total fellows The PhD Fellowship Scheme was launched by the RGC to received a Second Class Prize in the 1949, the Institute is the admitted to all engineering disciplines in Hong Kong. attract the best and brightest students from around the Shenzhen/Hong Kong Technology oldest professional society in world to study and carry out research in University Grants Innovation Competition 2010 for their The RGC’s PhD scheme is now in its second year and for the field and aims to promote Committee-funded institutions in Hong Kong. A total of ITF/APAS project on a 3G automotive both years SENG has drawn the highest number of public awareness of 4,024 applications from 103 countries/regions were received infotainment system. HKUST was the engineering awardees in Hong Kong. It also represents more ergonomics and its applications. Prof So has also been invited in the 2011/12 round. only Hong Kong institution, academic or private, to win than two-thirds of the total 32 students admitted to Schools to become editor in the area of Human Factors for Displays, a prize that year. at HKUST under the 2011/12 intake. an international journal focusing on research related to vision and displays.

08 09

Academic Excellence Beyond Labs & Lectures

■ Associate Dean of Engineering Prof ■ Research by Prof Yi-Kuen Lee, Jang Kyo Kim, Mechanical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, on has been elected editor of Composite “Super-hydrophobic Surface with The Rise of Part A, one of the most prestigious Nano-flowers on Silicon” has been journals in the field. Prof Kim has been published on the Chinese International HKUST ROBOTICS serving on the journal's editorial board NEMS Network website and become for seven years, as well as being on the one of its most frequently viewed editorial boards of seven other international journals articles. Prof Lee has also published a A robot addressed an amazed audience at HKUST on April 12, giving an 11-minute related to areas of advanced materials and composites. paper, in collaboration with Prof Hsian-Rong Tseng at presentation at the HKUST 20th Anniversary Program Parade presented by the UCLA, on the development of the 2nd generation ■ For the second consecutive year, Prof School of Engineering (SENG). The NAO robot, recently acquired for training microfluidic circulating tumor cells (CTCs) capture Sunghun Kim, Computer Science and purposes, had been successfully programmed to give the entertaining introduction by technology which was chosen as the cover of Engineering, has been selected to members of HKUST’s Robotics Team, all of whom come from SENG. Angewandte Chemie International Edition (Mar 21, 2011 receive a highly competitive Software issue). The paper, “Highly Efficient Capture of Circulating HKUST’s Robotics Team stems from students’ successful participation in the annual Engineering Innovation Foundation Tumor Cells Using Nanostructured Silicon Substrates Robocon contest, which began in 2004. The 2011 team comprises 70 students from (SEIF) Award from Microsoft with Integrated Chaotic Micromixers” has also been Hong Kong, Mainland China and overseas, with representatives from all of the School’s Research. His proposal, “GATE: highlighted in Nature Medicine (Mar 2011 issue). departments. This marks a 75% increase on 2010 and shows the enthusiasm for this Game-based Automatic Testing Environment”, was the type of learning experience outside the regular curriculum. Altogether around 150 only one selected from Asia and among just 10 ■ Prof Wai Ho Mow, Computer Engineering SENG students signed up to participate before the Robotics Team selection was made. worldwide that were chosen from 88 study proposals in Program, has been awarded a 2010/11 Photo Credit: Sing Tao Daily 2011. The proposal will be supported by a grant of grant from the Overseas and Hong Kong, In order for more students to participate in external competitions, Robotics Team mem- US$35,000 for a year. SEIF is open to universities and Macau Young Scholars Collaborative bers have now been divided into four groups, with each taking part in one of four major research institutions worldwide and receives proposals Research Fund, set up by the National events. These are the Robocon Hong Kong Contest and three new ones, the Remotely of the highest standards. Selection criteria include the Natural Science Foundation of China, for Operated Vehicles (ROV) Competition featuring underwater robots, the Smart Car project’s impact on the software engineering community, his project “Optimal Training Sequence Competition, and NAO RoboCup. potential for wide dissemination and use of the Design and Low-Complexity Estimation/Decoding Methods To celebrate the formation of the Robotics Team, senior administrators of the University, intellectual property created, ability to complete the for Multiple-Antenna Wireless Communications”. The including President Prof Tony F Chan, presented team flags to the individual groups at project, as well as the qualifications of the principal research is being carried out in collaboration with Southwest the Program Parade. Members of the Robotics Team also took a pledge to participate in investigator. Jiaotong University in Sichuan. the contests in a competitive but sporting manner.

■ Prof Chung Yee Lee and Prof Ajay ■ A co-authored poster by Prof Hui He A few days before the Program Parade, the ROV team got off to a flying start by per- Joneja, Industrial Engineering and Qiu, Mechanical Engineering, entitled forming excellently in the Hong Kong Underwater Robot Challenge, a qualification Robots Perform Lion Dance Logistics Management, have been “Drastic Enhancement of Boiling Heat examination for the international competition. With this success, they represented Hong awarded a research grant from the Transfer with Micro- and Nano- Kong in the ROV international competition at NASA Johnson Space Center in Houston at Grand Celebration Innovation and Technology Fund for Engineering of Surface Wettability”, won in June and won the Design Elegance Award, which was judged by the aesthetics, sim- Two NAO robots also made a memo- their project “Integrated Decision the Honorable Mention-ASME Best plicity and functionality of the vehicle’s design. Grateful to the Robotics Team’s logistics rable appearance at HKUST’s Grand Support System for Dynamic Poster Award at the Micro & partner, DHL Express, for providing logistics consultation and sponsoring the air express Celebration commemorating the Vehicle-Dispatching and Scheduling with Real-time Nanotechnology Society-Wide Forum at the 2010 transportation of over 85kg. With DHL’s professional help on shipping the sophisticated University’s 20th Anniversary on April 8. Information under Operation Uncertainty”. The project American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) and delicate underwater robot machines, the robot has been safely and efficiently deliv- The robots, programmed by HKUST seeks to develop an integrated information technology International Mechanical Engineering Congress & ered between Hong Kong and Houston. Robotics Team members, performed an platform for passenger transport in real-time operation Exposition in Vancouver. The Robotics Team is supervised by Prof Zexiang Li and Prof Tim Woo, both from the impressive lion dance at the event. and information exchange to reduce operation costs ■ Prof Jiang Xu, Electronic and Electronic and Computer Engineering Department. and improve efficiency. Computer Engineering, has been selected by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Computer Society as a Distinguished Visitor. Under the society’s Distinguished Visitors Program, first-quality speakers from among its membership share the latest insights in different areas of the field with professional and student chapters of the society in different locations.

10 11 Snapshot Engineering

Newsletter No.20 Summer 2011

The Miracle Continues School of Engineering Celebrates HKUST’s th Anniversary

Calendar of Events September 24-25, 2011 December 2011 HKUST Information Day HKUST Engineering Day HKUST Campus HKUST Campus October 14-23, 2011 December 8-11, 2011 HKUST “Bring Technology to Community” Exhibition The 3rd International Symposium on Plasticity and Impact Hong Kong Science Museum HKUST Clear Water Bay Campus (Dec 8-10) and HKUST Fok Ying Tung Graduate School, Nansha Campus (Dec 10-11) The above events are subject to change without prior notice.

Don't be the Missing Link ... Editors: Diana Liu, Dorothy Yip Alumni relationships are invaluable assets to the School and Contributing Editor: Sally Course alumni. To foster the growth of our alumni network, please Address: School of Engineering keep us informed of your recent news and send us your The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology updated contact information via email to [email protected]. Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong Stay connected and keep in touch! Phone: (852) 2358-5917 Fax: (852) 2358-1458 Email: [email protected] Website: www.seng.ust.hk Facebook: www.facebook.com/SENG.HKUST PTC-G14143 24

Dean's Message New Appointments Research

2011 marks another milestone in the history of HKUST as the technology play in making the world a better place, from Concurrent Prof Ben Letaief Honored as University reaches its 20th year, and the School of Engineering improved healthcare to more efficient buildings and bridges to ■ Prof Mordecai Golin (SENG) is fully playing its part in commemorating the new consumer electronic breakthroughs. ISI Highly Cited Researcher occasion. In the different Anniversary activities the School is Professor, Computer As we look toward HKUST’s next 20 years, SENG intends to Prof Khaled Ben Letaief, Dean of organizing throughout the year, we have set out to recognize Science and Engineering continue to push forward in its research and education Engineering, gained further and include all the different people who contribute to making achievements. We are already drawing together faculty on Appointed Associate recognition as an international SENG such a success. interdisciplinary endeavors and theme-based research to Vice-President for leader in his field by being Postgraduate Studies, Faculty members have helped us to become globally tackle some of the world’s biggest challenges, such as energy honored and selected as ISI Highly HKUST renowned through their outstanding research and innovations, and the environment. We are rapidly moving forward with our Cited Researcher by Thomson and the honors and achievements they have received. They education of 21st century engineers as we look forward to ■ Prof Mitchell Tseng Reuters in the field of Computer Science and Engineering. have also trained our students to become relevant, achieving, the four-year undergraduate degree system in Hong Kong in Chair Professor, Industrial participating members of society. As a result, our students 2012 and the opportunities it will bring. A wider view will also Engineering and Logistics Honoring the fundamental have gone out into society and shown how a HKUST be enhanced by our ongoing move toward diversity among Management contributions made in 21 broad subject categories in life sciences, education can provide the formative, all-round experience to our students, looking to draw the best talents from around Appointed Associate medicine, physical sciences, engineering and social sciences, ISI Highly generate innovative entrepreneurs and leaders in industry, the world to generate a global hub of ideas and links that will Vice-President for Cited Researchers are individuals who are the most highly cited in business and government. benefit all who study at SENG. These are our goals, and with Research and Innovation, their fields and inclusion in this list is taken as a measure of the esteem the momentum of all the people who have contributed in the The Hong Kong community has provided the foundation for HKUST of these scientific researchers and is used, for example, by the past and will do so in the future, they are ones I believe we Academic Ranking of World Universities. our student body and constantly supported us while we in ■ will achieve. Prof Lionel Ni turn have worked together with community members, from Prof Ben Letaief joins an elite club of less than half of 1% of all Chair Professor, Computer schools to industries, to let people know about the impact of published researchers in the world who are recognized among the Science and Engineering engineering and how it can move Hong Kong forward. Our 250 top and most-cited researchers in a defined discipline within a alumni have been our proud ambassadors out in the world, Appointed Dean of HKUST specific time-period. Prof Ben Letaief is a Fellow of IEEE and is while on campus we have sought to generate opportunities to Fok Ying Tung Graduate currently serving as the Vice-President of the IEEE Communications School work together with fellow members of HKUST. Society. He is also the recipient of many other international Prof Khaled Ben Letaief In SENG’s 20th Anniversary celebrations, our activities distinguished awards including the prestigious IEEE Marconi Prize Dean of Engineering Award in Wireless Communications. therefore encompass all these groups. And as this issue of In Visiting Faculty Focus shows, the events – ranging from top international ■ Prof Koon Fung Lam conferences on engineering education and the future of Wireless Project Receives Top Honor innovation to a fun day on campus for alumni and their Assistant Professor, Chemical and Biomolecular families – provide powerful recognition of what we have Engineering in MOE Natural Science Awards accomplished to date. Global interaction at the highest levels, PhD – The Hong Kong University of Science and Prof Lionel Ni, Prof Yunhao Liu and Mr Mo Li, Computer Science and community engagement, SENG family spirit, and campus Technology Engineering, received a prestigious First Class honor in the Ministry of connectivity, all are part of SENG’s sterling record of ■ Prof Matthew Law Education (MOE) Awards for Research Excellence in Natural Sciences achievement. for their cutting-edge project on “Range-free Localization and Assistant Professor, Electronic and Computer Indeed, as the largest School at HKUST, with the highest Localizability for Wireless Network and IOT: Theory and Practice”. The Engineering number of undergraduates, graduates and faculty, and the award was one of five secured by HKUST in this category, the largest most comprehensive within the PhD – The Hong Kong University of Science and number among tertiary institutions in Hong Kong. The natural science engineering field in Hong Kong, SENG Technology award targets tertiary institutions in China and recognizes those who has a pivotal role to play in raising ■ Prof Yue Wang have made discoveries in basic and applied research or explained natural awareness about the essential role phenomenon or characteristics through scientific research. Assistant Professor, Industrial Engineering and that engineers play in improving our Logistics Management Profs Ni and Liu’s wireless project led to the design of one of the lives. Our consistently high global rankings world’s earliest range-free localization and localizability systems using PhD – The Hong Kong University of Science and show that we are being successful in RFID; and found a solution to the problem of accurately obtaining Technology contributing to major achievements in the real-time object locations in field. We also want to ensure people a wireless sensor network outside the engineering field recognize and the Internet of Things. how central a role innovation and

Photo Credit: Beijing-Hong Kong Academic Exchange Centre

02 03

Research Research

SENG Research Excellence Awards Research Excellence Award Young Investigator Research Award Prof Qian Zhang Prof Matthew McKay The launch of the School of Engineering Research Excellence Computer Science and Engineering Electronic and Computer Engineering Awards recognizes the impact and contributions of the School’s faculty members and provides an inspiring tribute to the Prof Zhang, a PhD graduate of Prof McKay has established an world-class work being carried out at HKUST. In Focus Wuhan University and previously exceptional research record for a with Microsoft Research Asia, Beijing, junior faculty member, helping him to showcases the four inaugural winners. is internationally known for the become the first winner of this award outstanding quality of her research which recognizes the achievements of in mobile multimedia communication a rising star with potential for future Distinguished Research Excellence Award IEEE Fellow, a Fellow of the Society for Information Display and advanced wireless networking. leadership. , and an Elected Member of the Asia-Pacific Academy of Prof Hoi Sing Kwok Materials, among others. She gained early recognition for her work on resource alloca- Joining HKUST in 2007 after receiving his PhD at the University Electronic and Computer tion, streaming protocol and cross-layer QoS support for mul- of Sydney in Australia, Prof McKay is making strong contributions Engineering Research Excellence Award timedia streaming, which has been frequently cited. to the fundamental understanding and design of advanced signal Dr William MW Mong Chair processing methods for wireless communications. He has Prof Guohua Chen Prof Zhang was the first to propose an end-system based Professor of Nanotechnology published over 40 journal papers and received 400 citations. Chemical and Biomolecular mobility solution for heterogeneous wireless networks and Prof Kwok has become the first Engineering has made notable contributions in the area of wireless sensor One of his main areas of interest is applications of random winner of the top Research networks. In recent years, she has made pioneering advances matrix theory to signal processing and information theory. He Prof Chen has been a major Excellence Award, which honors a in cognitive and cooperative wireless networks, an emerging has become well known for being able to characterize the contributor to two key research distinguished engineering faculty member with exceptional research area. This includes opening up a new research direction achievable capacity limits of multi-channel communication areas, the drying of high-value research achievements and significant impact locally and for cognitive radio networks by utilizing cooperative relay to systems using his random matrix theory. Through his results, for products and electrochemical globally. improve the transmission diversity and correspondingly the example, the data rate of mobile telephones and WiFi can be technologies for industrial spectrum efficiency. improved. The pioneering academic was cited for his contributions to the wastewater treatment. He has also gained acclaim for the field of display technologies, an area where he has enjoyed major application of nanotechnologies to environmental protection. Among earlier accolades, she was named among the World’s Showing the global recognition he is receiving, Prof McKay was achievements since 1992, the year he joined HKUST. A Harvard Top Young Innovators in the MIT Technology Review 100 in 2004 awarded the 2011 Stephen O. Rice Prize in the Field of Such achievements have secured him this award, which PhD graduate in Applied Physics, Prof Kwok has received 58 and received the Overseas Young Investigator Award from the Communications Theory from the IEEE Communications Society. recognizes an outstanding faculty member with a proven patents, with another 30 under review, and produced over 500 National Natural Science Foundation of China in 2006. This highly regarded award is given annually for the best paper record of research excellence. refereed publications on display-related research, achieving an published in IEEE Transactions on Communications in the previous Prof Zhang, who joined HKUST in 2005, has published over outstanding H-index citation rate of 40. As an example of the impact of his work, the electrochemical three years. The paper was co-authored by Shi Jin, Xiqi Gao and 200 refereed papers in top journals and international technologies developed in his laboratory have been evaluated Iain B. Collings. During his productive career, Prof Kwok has been actively conferences and is the inventor of around 30 pending as the most likely technology to deal with the remediation of engaged in both fundamental and applied research. The international patents. She is also an active leader in her He gained a 2010 Young Author Best Paper Award from the IEEE oily wastewaters, being cited in MIT Technology Review as the development of silicon micro-displays and the technology department at HKUST and has high visibility in the professional Signal Processing Society with a paper co-authored with his PhD future option of restaurant wastewater treatment. The Hong transfer of active-matrix organic light-emitting diode (OLED) community. student Liang Sun, and Shi Jin. He also received Best Paper Kong Environmental Conservation Fund granted research displays are key developments. “He is a true-blue academic of Awards at the IEEE International Conference on Communica- funding to build a pilot plant and excellent results have been She is co-director of Huawei-HKUST Innovation Lab and the HKUST, with all his work created here,” said Prof Ross Murch, tions 2011 and the IEEE Global Communications Conference obtained to date. director of the Digital Life Research Center at HKUST. Head of Electronic and Computer Engineering. 2010. Prof Chen, who earned his PhD at McGill University and After his arrival at HKUST, Prof Kwok spotted the industrial Prof McKay has also taken a pro-active role in establishing joined HKUST in the mid-1990s, has published over 120 need for liquid crystal display technology and built up a collaborations with international experts and promoting research journal papers and shared his knowledge through active research program. He has pioneered the development of low excellence among his students. temperature polycrystalline silicon (LTPS) thin-film transistors participation in international conferences and workshops. He has been an editor of Separation and Purification Technology, a (TFT) for high resolution active-matrix displays, among many Selecting the Winners other successful technology breakthroughs. top journal in the field of chemical engineering and is an International Advisory Panel Member of the World Congress Criteria for selection of awardees included research output, and research achievements recognized by the award were Prof Kwok’s invention of color-filtered liquid-crystal display on of Chemical Engineering. silicon (LCOS) was licensed to Himax Display Inc of Taiwan originality and innovativeness; impact of research output on expected to be for work carried out mainly at HKUST. The high quality of his research training has assisted his society, industry and the relevant engineering disciplines; and the device they produced based on this invention has The Research Awards Selection Committee comprised the postgraduate students in obtaining excellent research output research training provided to students and post-doctoral been incorporated into many products, including the Nikon head or acting head of each of the School of Engineering’s and careers. Bachelor degree students have gained the benefit researchers; and their leadership role in collaboration with PJ1000 digital camera. In addition, inventions related to LTPS six departments and was chaired by Prof Joseph Lee, of Prof Chen’s cutting-edge view of research through his national and international research partners. TFT have been licensed to Sinodisplay Technology Inc to Vice-President for Research and Graduate Studies. Of four commercialize the technology for active-matrix OLED displays. participation in the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program. Nominees had to be excellent researchers over a co-opted members, three were Professors Emeriti and Prof Kwok’s contributions to the field have been recognized sustained period of time – at least the past three years – one a member of the HKUST Institute for Advanced Study. through numerous prestigious professional affiliations. He is an 04 05

Research Academic Excellence

Artificial Intelligence Journal SENG Academics Receive Top-Tier Rankings Globally in Engineering and Technology Subjects

Headquartered at HKUST Google Research Awards HKUST has maintained its remarkable global presence in Aeronautical & Manufacturing, ahead of Korea Advanced In a significant boost for HKUST’s Three Computer Science and engineering and technology in a new set of academic subject Institute of Science & Technology (KAIST) (49th) and international presence and Hong Kong’s Engineering faculty members have rankings released in April. According to the 2011 QS World University of Wisconsin-Madison (51-100th); and 51-100th in drive to become an academic hub, the had their cutting-edge studies University Rankings by Subject - Engineering and Technology, Chemical Engineering. University has become the recognized, with each receiving a the first time these tables have been published, HKUST was ranked No.1 in Greater China in Computer Science & headquarters for a prestigious Google Research Award from the 2011 QS World University Rankings - Computer Science & new journal focusing on global internet search giant. This was Information Systems and No.1 in Hong Kong in Mechanical, Information Systems Rankings Aeronautical & Manufacturing. artificial intelligence. the highest number of awards Institution World Ranking granted to academics at a single ACM Transactions on In the Computer Science & Information Systems category, university in Hong Kong in the Massachusetts Institute of Technology 1 Intelligent Systems and HKUST was placed 26th. This ranking is in line with the funding round results released in Q4 University of California, Los Angeles 8 Technology is being led by Computer Science and Engineering Department’s ranking at 2010. Columbia University 17 founding editor-in-chief Prof 26th in the world and 1st in Greater China in the Academic HKUST 26 Qiang Yang, Computer Science and Engineering, an IEEE Fellow, Prof Chi Keung Tang, Prof Sunghun Ranking of World Universities (ARWU) league table produced and a specialist in data mining and artificial intelligence. ACM, or Kim and Prof Ke Yi received by Shanghai Jiao Tong University in 2010. The Electronic and Purdue University 29 the Association for Computing Machinery, is one of the two funding for their studies in Computer Engineering Department was globally placed 28th. The University of Tokyo 35 largest and most authoritative computing associations globally, “Quasi-Dense 3D Reconstruction Dean of Engineering Prof Khaled Ben Letaief said he was Tsinghua University 43 together with the IEEE. from 2D Uncalibrated Photos” delighted to see that the School of Engineering was continuing (geo/maps), “Crash Reproduction” The new journal aims to promote multi-disciplinary artificial to excel in international rankings. “We shall strive toward (software engineering) and 2011 QS World University Rankings - Electrical and Electronic intelligence research, with topics ranging from computational making even greater impact on the world with our first-rate “Computing Statistical Summaries Engineering Rankings sustainability to computational social and cultural dynamics. education and research now and in the future,” he said. with MapReduce” (information Papers started to be accepted at the beginning of 2010 and an A total of five subject areas in engineering and technology Institution World Ranking retrieval, extraction and inaugural issue was published in October 2010. An impressive were covered in the QS rankings. Ranking indicators include organization) respectively. Massachusetts Institute of Technology 1 400 submissions were received from around the world during academic reputation, employer reputation and citations, with Princeton University 12 its first year, including top institutions such as MIT and Stanford. The Google Research Awards the high rankings of HKUST’s engineering departments being Cornell University 19 program identifies and supports faculty pursuing research in an endorsement of its world-class faculty, high-impact “This is a terrific development,” said Prof Mounir Hamdi, Chair HKUST 28 areas of mutual interest internationally, with two rounds of Professor and Head of the Computer Science and Engineering research, outstanding students, and state-of-the-art facilities. funding held annually. In the Q4 2010 round, Google University of British Columbia 30 Department. “The founding of such a prestigious journal is a Other strong HKUST subject rankings included 42nd in Civil & supported 112 awards across 20 different subject areas, Purdue University 32 clear indication of the great research stature of Prof Yang and Structural Engineering, ahead of University of Bristol (47th) totaling more than US$6 million. Hong Kong received a total Tsinghua University 40 our department as a whole.” and Texas A&M University (51-100th); 44th in Mechanical, of five awards and one joint award putting it among the top The first four issues of the journal are available at regions to gain awards, along with the US, UK and Germany. http://tist.acm.org/publications.html. Academics from 14 regions in total gained funding, with around 65% of the awards going to researchers in the US. Agreement Signed for Joint PhD Program

Expanding the School of Engineering (SENG)’s international School agreed a joint PhD program with Korea Advanced Transforming Video Technology network and visibility further, a joint PhD degree program is Institute of Science and Technology, a major research Prof Bing Zeng, Electronic and published over the past three years is selected to receive the to be established under an exciting academic and research institution in Korea. Computer Engineering, and his 2010 Best Paper Award. It was the first time since the journal’s collaboration agreement between the School and the College PhD graduate Dr Jingjing Fu, now launch in 1991 that the honor had been awarded to a Hong of Engineering at Pohang University of Science and Technology working at Microsoft Research Asia, Kong professor and his student for work completely carried (POSTECH) in Korea. have been selected to receive the out in Hong Kong. In his paper, he lays down the fundamental The four-year HKUST/POSTECH program will require 2011 IEEE Transactions on Circuits and framework for the breakthrough transformation that has been students to spend two years at each university, providing Systems for Video Technology – Best widely used in many image and video coding applications. exposure to the research environment in two leading Paper Award for their paper With the same paper, Prof Zeng also won the Best Paper Award Asia-Pacific institutions and boosting students’ “Directional Discrete Cosine at the IEEE International Symposium on Circuits and Systems competitive edge. Every student will also have two faculty Transforms: A New Framework for Image Coding”. The IEEE 2011, held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The symposium is the world’s advisors, one from each institution. The universities are journal is widely recognized as the best in the area of video premier networking forum of leading researchers in the highly seeking to admit the first cohort in Fall 2012. technology. About 200 papers are published every year, active fields of theory, design and implementation of circuits and with an acceptance rate of about 17%. Each year, one paper The agreement marks another successful collaboration systems. with a top Korean university for SENG. In 2009, the

06 07

Academic Excellence Academic Excellence

Princeton Exchange Expands Leading Academy Faculty Honors, Research Opportunities for Undergraduates Recognizes IELM Head Awards and Achievements

In a pioneering move, HKUST has become the first Prof Vincent Poor, Dean of the School of Engineering and In recognition of his ■ Prof Oscar Au, Electronic and university in Asia to enter into an undergraduate summer Applied Science at Princeton, also welcomed the move. outstanding contributions Computer Engineering, and his team research exchange partnership in engineering with “We are very pleased to establish a partnership with over the years, Prof Fugee are among the few university teams Princeton University. HKUST Engineering School to jointly advance the levels of Tsung, Head of Industrial contributing to the competitive Joint distinction in discovery and transmission of knowledge and Engineering and Logistics Collaborative Team on Video Coding The two-way summer exchange agreement will see School understanding through this research exchange program,” he Management, has been (JCTVC), which is developing the of Engineering (SENG) students spend eight weeks at the said. elected an Academician of next-generation video coding Ivy League institution where they will engage in research the International Academy standard. Prof Au’s team has had three proposals with faculty members on designated projects. Princeton for Quality (IAQ). The accepted into the High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC) students will undertake research with HKUST academics academy is the most standard’s working draft. The first proposal on chroma and professional research teams from Hong Kong Applied prestigious international entropy coding was accepted at the Daegu (Korea) Science and Technology Research Institute (ASTRI). organization in its field. It meeting in January 2011. The second and third The arrangement is especially notable as Princeton has less comprises peer-nominated proposals were on sub-LCU Qp representation and than 10 institutional partners for reciprocal exchange members who admit individuals identified as global thought dQP calculation method respectively and were accepted worldwide. In combining hands-on research experience leaders in quality-related issues. at the Geneva meeting in March 2011. The HEVC standard will be finalized in mid 2013. with international exchange, the program also offers a Prof Tsung is only the second in Hong Kong and one of just different form of study abroad experience for SENG six academicians in Greater China to receive the accolade. ■ Prof Mansun Chan, Electronic and students. His research focuses on quality control and the Computer Engineering, and his team Dean of Engineering Prof Khaled Ben Letaief said that improvement of complex systems in both the manufacturing won a 2009 Shenzhen City Technology SENG was committed to providing an outstanding and service sectors. Prof Tsung has also taken up many Innovation Award from the Shenzhen undergraduate education that produced global leadership positions, including Regional Vice-President (Asia) Science and Technology Association citizens. “We are therefore very excited about this of the Institute of Industrial Engineers (IIE), and helped to with the project “New Generation initiative which will not only allow our students to raise wider awareness of quality techniques in the region. Nano-CMOS Device Model Research acquire an international outlook but will further Showing the growing attention now being paid to the area and Verification for SOC Design”. The project was develop their appreciation of research.” in Greater China, the Asian Network for Quality 2012 undertaken with Peking University Shenzhen Graduate Congress will be held at HKUST. Around 500 quality School. professionals from Asia are expected to attend. ■ Prof Albert Chung, Computer Engineering Program, Prof Sunghun Kim, Computer Science and Engineering, Prof Ergonomics Expert Lambros Katafygiotis, Civil and Environmental Engineering, First Choice Again for PhD Engineering Fellows and Prof Henry Lam, Chemical and Biomolecular Elected Fellow Engineering, have been named among HKUST’s 2010 Best The School of Engineering (SENG) continues to be the first The commitment and cutting-edge research of SENG’s Ten Lecturers in the annual awards event organized by choice for high-flying Hong Kong, Mainland China and world-class academics in different engineering fields are Prof Richard So, Industrial VERTEX, House II Students Association. The independent overseas engineering students admitted under the Hong among the School’s top attractions for the next generation Engineering and Logistics student initiative allows those studying at HKUST to show Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme, offered by the Research of leading researchers, according to Dean of Engineering Management, has been their appreciation of lecturers’ work and give them a vote Grants Council (RGC). Prof Khaled Ben Letaief. “With top-notch teaching, elected a Fellow of the of thanks. It was the 14th year the event had been pioneering research projects and state-of-the-art facilities, I Institute of Ergonomics and organized. In May, the RGC announced that 123 elite PhD students am sure awardees can maximize their potential here,” he Human Factors for his from around 20 countries/regions had accepted offers for ■ Prof Pascale Fung, Electronic and said. significant contributions to 2011/12, with a total of 22 awardees electing to study at Computer Engineering, and her team ergonomics. Established in SENG. This was equivalent to 44% of the total fellows The PhD Fellowship Scheme was launched by the RGC to received a Second Class Prize in the 1949, the Institute is the admitted to all engineering disciplines in Hong Kong. attract the best and brightest students from around the Shenzhen/Hong Kong Technology oldest professional society in world to study and carry out research in University Grants Innovation Competition 2010 for their The RGC’s PhD scheme is now in its second year and for the field and aims to promote Committee-funded institutions in Hong Kong. A total of ITF/APAS project on a 3G automotive both years SENG has drawn the highest number of public awareness of 4,024 applications from 103 countries/regions were received infotainment system. HKUST was the engineering awardees in Hong Kong. It also represents more ergonomics and its applications. Prof So has also been invited in the 2011/12 round. only Hong Kong institution, academic or private, to win than two-thirds of the total 32 students admitted to Schools to become editor in the area of Human Factors for Displays, a prize that year. at HKUST under the 2011/12 intake. an international journal focusing on research related to vision and displays.

08 09

Academic Excellence Beyond Labs & Lectures

■ Associate Dean of Engineering Prof ■ Research by Prof Yi-Kuen Lee, Jang Kyo Kim, Mechanical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, on has been elected editor of Composite “Super-hydrophobic Surface with The Rise of Part A, one of the most prestigious Nano-flowers on Silicon” has been journals in the field. Prof Kim has been published on the Chinese International HKUST ROBOTICS serving on the journal's editorial board NEMS Network website and become for seven years, as well as being on the one of its most frequently viewed editorial boards of seven other international journals articles. Prof Lee has also published a A robot addressed an amazed audience at HKUST on April 12, giving an 11-minute related to areas of advanced materials and composites. paper, in collaboration with Prof Hsian-Rong Tseng at presentation at the HKUST 20th Anniversary Program Parade presented by the UCLA, on the development of the 2nd generation ■ For the second consecutive year, Prof School of Engineering (SENG). The NAO robot, recently acquired for training microfluidic circulating tumor cells (CTCs) capture Sunghun Kim, Computer Science and purposes, had been successfully programmed to give the entertaining introduction by technology which was chosen as the cover of Engineering, has been selected to members of HKUST’s Robotics Team, all of whom come from SENG. Angewandte Chemie International Edition (Mar 21, 2011 receive a highly competitive Software issue). The paper, “Highly Efficient Capture of Circulating HKUST’s Robotics Team stems from students’ successful participation in the annual Engineering Innovation Foundation Tumor Cells Using Nanostructured Silicon Substrates Robocon contest, which began in 2004. The 2011 team comprises 70 students from (SEIF) Award from Microsoft with Integrated Chaotic Micromixers” has also been Hong Kong, Mainland China and overseas, with representatives from all of the School’s Research. His proposal, “GATE: highlighted in Nature Medicine (Mar 2011 issue). departments. This marks a 75% increase on 2010 and shows the enthusiasm for this Game-based Automatic Testing Environment”, was the type of learning experience outside the regular curriculum. Altogether around 150 only one selected from Asia and among just 10 ■ Prof Wai Ho Mow, Computer Engineering SENG students signed up to participate before the Robotics Team selection was made. worldwide that were chosen from 88 study proposals in Program, has been awarded a 2010/11 Photo Credit: Sing Tao Daily 2011. The proposal will be supported by a grant of grant from the Overseas and Hong Kong, In order for more students to participate in external competitions, Robotics Team mem- US$35,000 for a year. SEIF is open to universities and Macau Young Scholars Collaborative bers have now been divided into four groups, with each taking part in one of four major research institutions worldwide and receives proposals Research Fund, set up by the National events. These are the Robocon Hong Kong Contest and three new ones, the Remotely of the highest standards. Selection criteria include the Natural Science Foundation of China, for Operated Vehicles (ROV) Competition featuring underwater robots, the Smart Car project’s impact on the software engineering community, his project “Optimal Training Sequence Competition, and NAO RoboCup. potential for wide dissemination and use of the Design and Low-Complexity Estimation/Decoding Methods To celebrate the formation of the Robotics Team, senior administrators of the University, intellectual property created, ability to complete the for Multiple-Antenna Wireless Communications”. The including President Prof F Tony Chan, presented team flags to the individual groups at project, as well as the qualifications of the principal research is being carried out in collaboration with Southwest the Program Parade. Members of the Robotics Team also took a pledge to participate in investigator. Jiaotong University in Sichuan. the contests in a competitive but sporting manner.

■ Prof Chung Yee Lee and Prof Ajay ■ A co-authored poster by Prof Hui He A few days before the Program Parade, the ROV team got off to a flying start by per- Joneja, Industrial Engineering and Qiu, Mechanical Engineering, entitled forming excellently in the Hong Kong Underwater Robot Challenge, a qualification Robots Perform Lion Dance Logistics Management, have been “Drastic Enhancement of Boiling Heat examination for the international competition. With this success, they represented Hong awarded a research grant from the Transfer with Micro- and Nano- Kong in the ROV international competition at NASA Johnson Space Center in Houston at Grand Celebration Innovation and Technology Fund for Engineering of Surface Wettability”, won in June and won the Design Elegance Award, which was judged by the aesthetics, sim- Two NAO robots also made a memo- their project “Integrated Decision the Honorable Mention-ASME Best plicity and functionality of the vehicle’s design. Grateful to the Robotics Team’s logistics rable appearance at HKUST’s Grand Support System for Dynamic Poster Award at the Micro & partner, DHL Express, for providing logistics consultation and sponsoring the air express Celebration commemorating the Vehicle-Dispatching and Scheduling with Real-time Nanotechnology Society-Wide Forum at the 2010 transportation of over 85kg. With DHL’s professional help on shipping the sophisticated University’s 20th Anniversary on April 8. Information under Operation Uncertainty”. The project American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) and delicate underwater robot machines, the robot has been safely and efficiently deliv- The robots, programmed by HKUST seeks to develop an integrated information technology International Mechanical Engineering Congress & ered between Hong Kong and Houston. Robotics Team members, performed an platform for passenger transport in real-time operation Exposition in Vancouver. The Robotics Team is supervised by Prof Zexiang Li and Prof Tim Woo, both from the impressive lion dance at the event. and information exchange to reduce operation costs ■ Prof Jiang Xu, Electronic and Electronic and Computer Engineering Department. and improve efficiency. Computer Engineering, has been selected by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Computer Society as a Distinguished Visitor. Under the society’s Distinguished Visitors Program, first-quality speakers from among its membership share the latest insights in different areas of the field with professional and student chapters of the society in different locations.

10 11 Snapshot Engineering

Newsletter No.20 Summer 2011

The Miracle Continues School of Engineering Celebrates HKUST’s th Anniversary

Calendar of Events September 24-25, 2011 December 2011 HKUST Information Day HKUST Engineering Day HKUST Campus HKUST Campus October 14-23, 2011 December 8-11, 2011 HKUST “Bring Technology to Community” Exhibition The 3rd International Symposium on Plasticity and Impact Hong Kong Science Museum HKUST Clear Water Bay Campus (Dec 8-10) and HKUST Fok Ying Tung Graduate School, Nansha Campus (Dec 10-11) The above events are subject to change without prior notice.

Don't be the Missing Link ... Editors: Diana Liu, Dorothy Yip Alumni relationships are invaluable assets to the School and Contributing Editor: Sally Course alumni. To foster the growth of our alumni network, please Address: School of Engineering keep us informed of your recent news and send us your The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology updated contact information via email to [email protected]. Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong Stay connected and keep in touch! Phone: (852) 2358-5917 Fax: (852) 2358-1458 Email: [email protected] Website: www.seng.ust.hk Facebook: www.facebook.com/SENG.HKUST PTC-G14143 24

Dean's Message New Appointments Research

2011 marks another milestone in the history of HKUST as the technology play in making the world a better place, from Concurrent Prof Ben Letaief Honored as University reaches its 20th year, and the School of Engineering improved healthcare to more efficient buildings and bridges to ■ Prof Mordecai Golin (SENG) is fully playing its part in commemorating the new consumer electronic breakthroughs. ISI Highly Cited Researcher occasion. In the different Anniversary activities the School is Professor, Computer As we look toward HKUST’s next 20 years, SENG intends to Prof Khaled Ben Letaief, Dean of organizing throughout the year, we have set out to recognize Science and Engineering continue to push forward in its research and education Engineering, gained further and include all the different people who contribute to making achievements. We are already drawing together faculty on Appointed Associate recognition as an international SENG such a success. interdisciplinary endeavors and theme-based research to Vice-President for leader in his field by being Postgraduate Studies, Faculty members have helped us to become globally tackle some of the world’s biggest challenges, such as energy honored and selected as ISI Highly HKUST renowned through their outstanding research and innovations, and the environment. We are rapidly moving forward with our Cited Researcher by Thomson and the honors and achievements they have received. They education of 21st century engineers as we look forward to ■ Prof Mitchell Tseng Reuters in the field of Computer Science and Engineering. have also trained our students to become relevant, achieving, the four-year undergraduate degree system in Hong Kong in Chair Professor, Industrial participating members of society. As a result, our students 2012 and the opportunities it will bring. A wider view will also Engineering and Logistics Honoring the fundamental have gone out into society and shown how a HKUST be enhanced by our ongoing move toward diversity among Management contributions made in 21 broad subject categories in life sciences, education can provide the formative, all-round experience to our students, looking to draw the best talents from around Appointed Associate medicine, physical sciences, engineering and social sciences, ISI Highly generate innovative entrepreneurs and leaders in industry, the world to generate a global hub of ideas and links that will Vice-President for Cited Researchers are individuals who are the most highly cited in business and government. benefit all who study at SENG. These are our goals, and with Research and Innovation, their fields and inclusion in this list is taken as a measure of the esteem the momentum of all the people who have contributed in the The Hong Kong community has provided the foundation for HKUST of these scientific researchers and is used, for example, by the past and will do so in the future, they are ones I believe we Academic Ranking of World Universities. our student body and constantly supported us while we in ■ will achieve. Prof Lionel Ni turn have worked together with community members, from Prof Ben Letaief joins an elite club of less than half of 1% of all Chair Professor, Computer schools to industries, to let people know about the impact of published researchers in the world who are recognized among the Science and Engineering engineering and how it can move Hong Kong forward. Our 250 top and most-cited researchers in a defined discipline within a alumni have been our proud ambassadors out in the world, Appointed Dean of HKUST specific time-period. Prof Ben Letaief is a Fellow of IEEE and is while on campus we have sought to generate opportunities to Fok Ying Tung Graduate currently serving as the Vice-President of the IEEE Communications School work together with fellow members of HKUST. Society. He is also the recipient of many other international Prof Khaled Ben Letaief In SENG’s 20th Anniversary celebrations, our activities distinguished awards including the prestigious IEEE Marconi Prize Dean of Engineering Award in Wireless Communications. therefore encompass all these groups. And as this issue of In Visiting Faculty Focus shows, the events – ranging from top international ■ Prof Koon Fung Lam conferences on engineering education and the future of Wireless Project Receives Top Honor innovation to a fun day on campus for alumni and their Assistant Professor, Chemical and Biomolecular families – provide powerful recognition of what we have Engineering in MOE Natural Science Awards accomplished to date. Global interaction at the highest levels, PhD – The Hong Kong University of Science and Prof Lionel Ni, Prof Yunhao Liu and Mr Mo Li, Computer Science and community engagement, SENG family spirit, and campus Technology Engineering, received a prestigious First Class honor in the Ministry of connectivity, all are part of SENG’s sterling record of ■ Prof Matthew Law Education (MOE) Awards for Research Excellence in Natural Sciences achievement. for their cutting-edge project on “Range-free Localization and Assistant Professor, Electronic and Computer Indeed, as the largest School at HKUST, with the highest Localizability for Wireless Network and IOT: Theory and Practice”. The Engineering number of undergraduates, graduates and faculty, and the award was one of five secured by HKUST in this category, the largest most comprehensive within the PhD – The Hong Kong University of Science and number among tertiary institutions in Hong Kong. The natural science engineering field in Hong Kong, SENG Technology award targets tertiary institutions in China and recognizes those who has a pivotal role to play in raising ■ Prof Yue Wang have made discoveries in basic and applied research or explained natural awareness about the essential role phenomenon or characteristics through scientific research. Assistant Professor, Industrial Engineering and that engineers play in improving our Logistics Management Profs Ni and Liu’s wireless project led to the design of one of the lives. Our consistently high global rankings world’s earliest range-free localization and localizability systems using PhD – The Hong Kong University of Science and show that we are being successful in RFID; and found a solution to the problem of accurately obtaining Technology contributing to major achievements in the real-time object locations in field. We also want to ensure people a wireless sensor network outside the engineering field recognize and the Internet of Things. how central a role innovation and

Photo Credit: Beijing-Hong Kong Academic Exchange Centre

02 03

Research Research

SENG Research Excellence Awards Research Excellence Award Young Investigator Research Award Prof Qian Zhang Prof Matthew McKay The launch of the School of Engineering Research Excellence Computer Science and Engineering Electronic and Computer Engineering Awards recognizes the impact and contributions of the School’s faculty members and provides an inspiring tribute to the Prof Zhang, a PhD graduate of Prof McKay has established an world-class work being carried out at HKUST. In Focus Wuhan University and previously exceptional research record for a with Microsoft Research Asia, Beijing, junior faculty member, helping him to showcases the four inaugural winners. is internationally known for the become the first winner of this award outstanding quality of her research which recognizes the achievements of in mobile multimedia communication a rising star with potential for future Distinguished Research Excellence Award IEEE Fellow, a Fellow of the Society for Information Display and advanced wireless networking. leadership. , and an Elected Member of the Asia-Pacific Academy of Prof Hoi Sing Kwok Materials, among others. She gained early recognition for her work on resource alloca- Joining HKUST in 2007 after receiving his PhD at the University Electronic and Computer tion, streaming protocol and cross-layer QoS support for mul- of Sydney in Australia, Prof McKay is making strong contributions Engineering Research Excellence Award timedia streaming, which has been frequently cited. to the fundamental understanding and design of advanced signal Dr William MW Mong Chair processing methods for wireless communications. He has Prof Guohua Chen Prof Zhang was the first to propose an end-system based Professor of Nanotechnology published over 40 journal papers and received 400 citations. Chemical and Biomolecular mobility solution for heterogeneous wireless networks and Prof Kwok has become the first Engineering has made notable contributions in the area of wireless sensor One of his main areas of interest is applications of random winner of the top Research networks. In recent years, she has made pioneering advances matrix theory to signal processing and information theory. He Prof Chen has been a major Excellence Award, which honors a in cognitive and cooperative wireless networks, an emerging has become well known for being able to characterize the contributor to two key research distinguished engineering faculty member with exceptional research area. This includes opening up a new research direction achievable capacity limits of multi-channel communication areas, the drying of high-value research achievements and significant impact locally and for cognitive radio networks by utilizing cooperative relay to systems using his random matrix theory. Through his results, for products and electrochemical globally. improve the transmission diversity and correspondingly the example, the data rate of mobile telephones and WiFi can be technologies for industrial spectrum efficiency. improved. The pioneering academic was cited for his contributions to the wastewater treatment. He has also gained acclaim for the field of display technologies, an area where he has enjoyed major application of nanotechnologies to environmental protection. Among earlier accolades, she was named among the World’s Showing the global recognition he is receiving, Prof McKay was achievements since 1992, the year he joined HKUST. A Harvard Top Young Innovators in the MIT Technology Review 100 in 2004 awarded the 2011 Stephen O. Rice Prize in the Field of Such achievements have secured him this award, which PhD graduate in Applied Physics, Prof Kwok has received 58 and received the Overseas Young Investigator Award from the Communications Theory from the IEEE Communications Society. recognizes an outstanding faculty member with a proven patents, with another 30 under review, and produced over 500 National Natural Science Foundation of China in 2006. This highly regarded award is given annually for the best paper record of research excellence. refereed publications on display-related research, achieving an published in IEEE Transactions on Communications in the previous Prof Zhang, who joined HKUST in 2005, has published over outstanding H-index citation rate of 40. As an example of the impact of his work, the electrochemical three years. The paper was co-authored by Shi Jin, Xiqi Gao and 200 refereed papers in top journals and international technologies developed in his laboratory have been evaluated Iain B. Collings. During his productive career, Prof Kwok has been actively conferences and is the inventor of around 30 pending as the most likely technology to deal with the remediation of engaged in both fundamental and applied research. The international patents. She is also an active leader in her He gained a 2010 Young Author Best Paper Award from the IEEE oily wastewaters, being cited in MIT Technology Review as the development of silicon micro-displays and the technology department at HKUST and has high visibility in the professional Signal Processing Society with a paper co-authored with his PhD future option of restaurant wastewater treatment. The Hong transfer of active-matrix organic light-emitting diode (OLED) community. student Liang Sun, and Shi Jin. He also received Best Paper Kong Environmental Conservation Fund granted research displays are key developments. “He is a true-blue academic of Awards at the IEEE International Conference on Communica- funding to build a pilot plant and excellent results have been She is co-director of Huawei-HKUST Innovation Lab and the HKUST, with all his work created here,” said Prof Ross Murch, tions 2011 and the IEEE Global Communications Conference obtained to date. director of the Digital Life Research Center at HKUST. Head of Electronic and Computer Engineering. 2010. Prof Chen, who earned his PhD at McGill University and After his arrival at HKUST, Prof Kwok spotted the industrial Prof McKay has also taken a pro-active role in establishing joined HKUST in the mid-1990s, has published over 120 need for liquid crystal display technology and built up a collaborations with international experts and promoting research journal papers and shared his knowledge through active research program. He has pioneered the development of low excellence among his students. temperature polycrystalline silicon (LTPS) thin-film transistors participation in international conferences and workshops. He has been an editor of Separation and Purification Technology, a (TFT) for high resolution active-matrix displays, among many Selecting the Winners other successful technology breakthroughs. top journal in the field of chemical engineering and is an International Advisory Panel Member of the World Congress Criteria for selection of awardees included research output, and research achievements recognized by the award were Prof Kwok’s invention of color-filtered liquid-crystal display on of Chemical Engineering. silicon (LCOS) was licensed to Himax Display Inc of Taiwan originality and innovativeness; impact of research output on expected to be for work carried out mainly at HKUST. The high quality of his research training has assisted his society, industry and the relevant engineering disciplines; and the device they produced based on this invention has The Research Awards Selection Committee comprised the postgraduate students in obtaining excellent research output research training provided to students and post-doctoral been incorporated into many products, including the Nikon head or acting head of each of the School of Engineering’s and careers. Bachelor degree students have gained the benefit researchers; and their leadership role in collaboration with PJ1000 digital camera. In addition, inventions related to LTPS six departments and was chaired by Prof Joseph Lee, of Prof Chen’s cutting-edge view of research through his national and international research partners. TFT have been licensed to Sinodisplay Technology Inc to Vice-President for Research and Graduate Studies. Of four commercialize the technology for active-matrix OLED displays. participation in the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program. Nominees had to be excellent researchers over a co-opted members, three were Professors Emeriti and Prof Kwok’s contributions to the field have been recognized sustained period of time – at least the past three years – one a member of the HKUST Institute for Advanced Study. through numerous prestigious professional affiliations. He is an 04 05

Research Academic Excellence

Artificial Intelligence Journal SENG Academics Receive Top-Tier Rankings Globally in Engineering and Technology Subjects

Headquartered at HKUST Google Research Awards HKUST has maintained its remarkable global presence in Aeronautical & Manufacturing, ahead of Korea Advanced In a significant boost for HKUST’s Three Computer Science and engineering and technology in a new set of academic subject Institute of Science & Technology (KAIST) (49th) and international presence and Hong Kong’s Engineering faculty members have rankings released in April. According to the 2011 QS World University of Wisconsin-Madison (51-100th); and 51-100th in drive to become an academic hub, the had their cutting-edge studies University Rankings by Subject - Engineering and Technology, Chemical Engineering. University has become the recognized, with each receiving a the first time these tables have been published, HKUST was ranked No.1 in Greater China in Computer Science & headquarters for a prestigious Google Research Award from the 2011 QS World University Rankings - Computer Science & new journal focusing on global internet search giant. This was Information Systems and No.1 in Hong Kong in Mechanical, Information Systems Rankings Aeronautical & Manufacturing. artificial intelligence. the highest number of awards Institution World Ranking granted to academics at a single ACM Transactions on In the Computer Science & Information Systems category, university in Hong Kong in the Massachusetts Institute of Technology 1 Intelligent Systems and HKUST was placed 26th. This ranking is in line with the funding round results released in Q4 University of California, Los Angeles 8 Technology is being led by Computer Science and Engineering Department’s ranking at 2010. Columbia University 17 founding editor-in-chief Prof 26th in the world and 1st in Greater China in the Academic HKUST 26 Qiang Yang, Computer Science and Engineering, an IEEE Fellow, Prof Chi Keung Tang, Prof Sunghun Ranking of World Universities (ARWU) league table produced and a specialist in data mining and artificial intelligence. ACM, or Kim and Prof Ke Yi received by Shanghai Jiao Tong University in 2010. The Electronic and Purdue University 29 the Association for Computing Machinery, is one of the two funding for their studies in Computer Engineering Department was globally placed 28th. The University of Tokyo 35 largest and most authoritative computing associations globally, “Quasi-Dense 3D Reconstruction Dean of Engineering Prof Khaled Ben Letaief said he was Tsinghua University 43 together with the IEEE. from 2D Uncalibrated Photos” delighted to see that the School of Engineering was continuing (geo/maps), “Crash Reproduction” The new journal aims to promote multi-disciplinary artificial to excel in international rankings. “We shall strive toward (software engineering) and 2011 QS World University Rankings - Electrical and Electronic intelligence research, with topics ranging from computational making even greater impact on the world with our first-rate “Computing Statistical Summaries Engineering Rankings sustainability to computational social and cultural dynamics. education and research now and in the future,” he said. with MapReduce” (information Papers started to be accepted at the beginning of 2010 and an A total of five subject areas in engineering and technology Institution World Ranking retrieval, extraction and inaugural issue was published in October 2010. An impressive were covered in the QS rankings. Ranking indicators include organization) respectively. Massachusetts Institute of Technology 1 400 submissions were received from around the world during academic reputation, employer reputation and citations, with Princeton University 12 its first year, including top institutions such as MIT and Stanford. The Google Research Awards the high rankings of HKUST’s engineering departments being Cornell University 19 program identifies and supports faculty pursuing research in an endorsement of its world-class faculty, high-impact “This is a terrific development,” said Prof Mounir Hamdi, Chair HKUST 28 areas of mutual interest internationally, with two rounds of Professor and Head of the Computer Science and Engineering research, outstanding students, and state-of-the-art facilities. funding held annually. In the Q4 2010 round, Google University of British Columbia 30 Department. “The founding of such a prestigious journal is a Other strong HKUST subject rankings included 42nd in Civil & supported 112 awards across 20 different subject areas, Purdue University 32 clear indication of the great research stature of Prof Yang and Structural Engineering, ahead of University of Bristol (47th) totaling more than US$6 million. Hong Kong received a total Tsinghua University 40 our department as a whole.” and Texas A&M University (51-100th); 44th in Mechanical, of five awards and one joint award putting it among the top The first four issues of the journal are available at regions to gain awards, along with the US, UK and Germany. http://tist.acm.org/publications.html. Academics from 14 regions in total gained funding, with around 65% of the awards going to researchers in the US. Agreement Signed for Joint PhD Program

Expanding the School of Engineering (SENG)’s international School agreed a joint PhD program with Korea Advanced Transforming Video Technology network and visibility further, a joint PhD degree program is Institute of Science and Technology, a major research Prof Bing Zeng, Electronic and published over the past three years is selected to receive the to be established under an exciting academic and research institution in Korea. Computer Engineering, and his 2010 Best Paper Award. It was the first time since the journal’s collaboration agreement between the School and the College PhD graduate Dr Jingjing Fu, now launch in 1991 that the honor had been awarded to a Hong of Engineering at Pohang University of Science and Technology working at Microsoft Research Asia, Kong professor and his student for work completely carried (POSTECH) in Korea. have been selected to receive the out in Hong Kong. In his paper, he lays down the fundamental The four-year HKUST/POSTECH program will require 2011 IEEE Transactions on Circuits and framework for the breakthrough transformation that has been students to spend two years at each university, providing Systems for Video Technology – Best widely used in many image and video coding applications. exposure to the research environment in two leading Paper Award for their paper With the same paper, Prof Zeng also won the Best Paper Award Asia-Pacific institutions and boosting students’ “Directional Discrete Cosine at the IEEE International Symposium on Circuits and Systems competitive edge. Every student will also have two faculty Transforms: A New Framework for Image Coding”. The IEEE 2011, held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The symposium is the world’s advisors, one from each institution. The universities are journal is widely recognized as the best in the area of video premier networking forum of leading researchers in the highly seeking to admit the first cohort in Fall 2012. technology. About 200 papers are published every year, active fields of theory, design and implementation of circuits and with an acceptance rate of about 17%. Each year, one paper The agreement marks another successful collaboration systems. with a top Korean university for SENG. In 2009, the

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Academic Excellence Academic Excellence

Princeton Exchange Expands Leading Academy Faculty Honors, Research Opportunities for Undergraduates Recognizes IELM Head Awards and Achievements

In a pioneering move, HKUST has become the first Prof Vincent Poor, Dean of the School of Engineering and In recognition of his ■ Prof Oscar Au, Electronic and university in Asia to enter into an undergraduate summer Applied Science at Princeton, also welcomed the move. outstanding contributions Computer Engineering, and his team research exchange partnership in engineering with “We are very pleased to establish a partnership with over the years, Prof Fugee are among the few university teams Princeton University. HKUST Engineering School to jointly advance the levels of Tsung, Head of Industrial contributing to the competitive Joint distinction in discovery and transmission of knowledge and Engineering and Logistics Collaborative Team on Video Coding The two-way summer exchange agreement will see School understanding through this research exchange program,” he Management, has been (JCTVC), which is developing the of Engineering (SENG) students spend eight weeks at the said. elected an Academician of next-generation video coding Ivy League institution where they will engage in research the International Academy standard. Prof Au’s team has had three proposals with faculty members on designated projects. Princeton for Quality (IAQ). The accepted into the High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC) students will undertake research with HKUST academics academy is the most standard’s working draft. The first proposal on chroma and professional research teams from Hong Kong Applied prestigious international entropy coding was accepted at the Daegu (Korea) Science and Technology Research Institute (ASTRI). organization in its field. It meeting in January 2011. The second and third The arrangement is especially notable as Princeton has less comprises peer-nominated proposals were on sub-LCU Qp representation and than 10 institutional partners for reciprocal exchange members who admit individuals identified as global thought dQP calculation method respectively and were accepted worldwide. In combining hands-on research experience leaders in quality-related issues. at the Geneva meeting in March 2011. The HEVC standard will be finalized in mid 2013. with international exchange, the program also offers a Prof Tsung is only the second in Hong Kong and one of just different form of study abroad experience for SENG six academicians in Greater China to receive the accolade. ■ Prof Mansun Chan, Electronic and students. His research focuses on quality control and the Computer Engineering, and his team Dean of Engineering Prof Khaled Ben Letaief said that improvement of complex systems in both the manufacturing won a 2009 Shenzhen City Technology SENG was committed to providing an outstanding and service sectors. Prof Tsung has also taken up many Innovation Award from the Shenzhen undergraduate education that produced global leadership positions, including Regional Vice-President (Asia) Science and Technology Association citizens. “We are therefore very excited about this of the Institute of Industrial Engineers (IIE), and helped to with the project “New Generation initiative which will not only allow our students to raise wider awareness of quality techniques in the region. Nano-CMOS Device Model Research acquire an international outlook but will further Showing the growing attention now being paid to the area and Verification for SOC Design”. The project was develop their appreciation of research.” in Greater China, the Asian Network for Quality 2012 undertaken with Peking University Shenzhen Graduate Congress will be held at HKUST. Around 500 quality School. professionals from Asia are expected to attend. ■ Prof Albert Chung, Computer Engineering Program, Prof Sunghun Kim, Computer Science and Engineering, Prof Ergonomics Expert Lambros Katafygiotis, Civil and Environmental Engineering, First Choice Again for PhD Engineering Fellows and Prof Henry Lam, Chemical and Biomolecular Elected Fellow Engineering, have been named among HKUST’s 2010 Best The School of Engineering (SENG) continues to be the first The commitment and cutting-edge research of SENG’s Ten Lecturers in the annual awards event organized by choice for high-flying Hong Kong, Mainland China and world-class academics in different engineering fields are Prof Richard So, Industrial VERTEX, House II Students Association. The independent overseas engineering students admitted under the Hong among the School’s top attractions for the next generation Engineering and Logistics student initiative allows those studying at HKUST to show Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme, offered by the Research of leading researchers, according to Dean of Engineering Management, has been their appreciation of lecturers’ work and give them a vote Grants Council (RGC). Prof Khaled Ben Letaief. “With top-notch teaching, elected a Fellow of the of thanks. It was the 14th year the event had been pioneering research projects and state-of-the-art facilities, I Institute of Ergonomics and organized. In May, the RGC announced that 123 elite PhD students am sure awardees can maximize their potential here,” he Human Factors for his from around 20 countries/regions had accepted offers for ■ Prof Pascale Fung, Electronic and said. significant contributions to 2011/12, with a total of 22 awardees electing to study at Computer Engineering, and her team ergonomics. Established in SENG. This was equivalent to 44% of the total fellows The PhD Fellowship Scheme was launched by the RGC to received a Second Class Prize in the 1949, the Institute is the admitted to all engineering disciplines in Hong Kong. attract the best and brightest students from around the Shenzhen/Hong Kong Technology oldest professional society in world to study and carry out research in University Grants Innovation Competition 2010 for their The RGC’s PhD scheme is now in its second year and for the field and aims to promote Committee-funded institutions in Hong Kong. A total of ITF/APAS project on a 3G automotive both years SENG has drawn the highest number of public awareness of 4,024 applications from 103 countries/regions were received infotainment system. HKUST was the engineering awardees in Hong Kong. It also represents more ergonomics and its applications. Prof So has also been invited in the 2011/12 round. only Hong Kong institution, academic or private, to win than two-thirds of the total 32 students admitted to Schools to become editor in the area of Human Factors for Displays, a prize that year. at HKUST under the 2011/12 intake. an international journal focusing on research related to vision and displays.

08 09

Academic Excellence Beyond Labs & Lectures

■ Associate Dean of Engineering Prof ■ Research by Prof Yi-Kuen Lee, Jang Kyo Kim, Mechanical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, on has been elected editor of Composite “Super-hydrophobic Surface with The Rise of Part A, one of the most prestigious Nano-flowers on Silicon” has been journals in the field. Prof Kim has been published on the Chinese International HKUST ROBOTICS serving on the journal's editorial board NEMS Network website and become for seven years, as well as being on the one of its most frequently viewed editorial boards of seven other international journals articles. Prof Lee has also published a A robot addressed an amazed audience at HKUST on April 12, giving an 11-minute related to areas of advanced materials and composites. paper, in collaboration with Prof Hsian-Rong Tseng at presentation at the HKUST 20th Anniversary Program Parade presented by the UCLA, on the development of the 2nd generation ■ For the second consecutive year, Prof School of Engineering (SENG). The NAO robot, recently acquired for training microfluidic circulating tumor cells (CTCs) capture Sunghun Kim, Computer Science and purposes, had been successfully programmed to give the entertaining introduction by technology which was chosen as the cover of Engineering, has been selected to members of HKUST’s Robotics Team, all of whom come from SENG. Angewandte Chemie International Edition (Mar 21, 2011 receive a highly competitive Software issue). The paper, “Highly Efficient Capture of Circulating HKUST’s Robotics Team stems from students’ successful participation in the annual Engineering Innovation Foundation Tumor Cells Using Nanostructured Silicon Substrates Robocon contest, which began in 2004. The 2011 team comprises 70 students from (SEIF) Award from Microsoft with Integrated Chaotic Micromixers” has also been Hong Kong, Mainland China and overseas, with representatives from all of the School’s Research. His proposal, “GATE: highlighted in Nature Medicine (Mar 2011 issue). departments. This marks a 75% increase on 2010 and shows the enthusiasm for this Game-based Automatic Testing Environment”, was the type of learning experience outside the regular curriculum. Altogether around 150 only one selected from Asia and among just 10 ■ Prof Wai Ho Mow, Computer Engineering SENG students signed up to participate before the Robotics Team selection was made. worldwide that were chosen from 88 study proposals in Program, has been awarded a 2010/11 Photo Credit: Sing Tao Daily 2011. The proposal will be supported by a grant of grant from the Overseas and Hong Kong, In order for more students to participate in external competitions, Robotics Team mem- US$35,000 for a year. SEIF is open to universities and Macau Young Scholars Collaborative bers have now been divided into four groups, with each taking part in one of four major research institutions worldwide and receives proposals Research Fund, set up by the National events. These are the Robocon Hong Kong Contest and three new ones, the Remotely of the highest standards. Selection criteria include the Natural Science Foundation of China, for Operated Vehicles (ROV) Competition featuring underwater robots, the Smart Car project’s impact on the software engineering community, his project “Optimal Training Sequence Competition, and NAO RoboCup. potential for wide dissemination and use of the Design and Low-Complexity Estimation/Decoding Methods To celebrate the formation of the Robotics Team, senior administrators of the University, intellectual property created, ability to complete the for Multiple-Antenna Wireless Communications”. The including President Prof F Tony Chan, presented team flags to the individual groups at project, as well as the qualifications of the principal research is being carried out in collaboration with Southwest the Program Parade. Members of the Robotics Team also took a pledge to participate in investigator. Jiaotong University in Sichuan. the contests in a competitive but sporting manner.

■ Prof Chung Yee Lee and Prof Ajay ■ A co-authored poster by Prof Hui He A few days before the Program Parade, the ROV team got off to a flying start by per- Joneja, Industrial Engineering and Qiu, Mechanical Engineering, entitled forming excellently in the Hong Kong Underwater Robot Challenge, a qualification Robots Perform Lion Dance Logistics Management, have been “Drastic Enhancement of Boiling Heat examination for the international competition. With this success, they represented Hong awarded a research grant from the Transfer with Micro- and Nano- Kong in the ROV international competition at NASA Johnson Space Center in Houston at Grand Celebration Innovation and Technology Fund for Engineering of Surface Wettability”, won in June and won the Design Elegance Award, which was judged by the aesthetics, sim- Two NAO robots also made a memo- their project “Integrated Decision the Honorable Mention-ASME Best plicity and functionality of the vehicle’s design. Grateful to the Robotics Team’s logistics rable appearance at HKUST’s Grand Support System for Dynamic Poster Award at the Micro & partner, DHL Express, for providing logistics consultation and sponsoring the air express Celebration commemorating the Vehicle-Dispatching and Scheduling with Real-time Nanotechnology Society-Wide Forum at the 2010 transportation of over 85kg. With DHL’s professional help on shipping the sophisticated University’s 20th Anniversary on April 8. Information under Operation Uncertainty”. The project American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) and delicate underwater robot machines, the robot has been safely and efficiently deliv- The robots, programmed by HKUST seeks to develop an integrated information technology International Mechanical Engineering Congress & ered between Hong Kong and Houston. Robotics Team members, performed an platform for passenger transport in real-time operation Exposition in Vancouver. The Robotics Team is supervised by Prof Zexiang Li and Prof Tim Woo, both from the impressive lion dance at the event. and information exchange to reduce operation costs ■ Prof Jiang Xu, Electronic and Electronic and Computer Engineering Department. and improve efficiency. Computer Engineering, has been selected by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Computer Society as a Distinguished Visitor. Under the society’s Distinguished Visitors Program, first-quality speakers from among its membership share the latest insights in different areas of the field with professional and student chapters of the society in different locations.

10 11 Snapshot Engineering

Newsletter No.20 Summer 2011

The Miracle Continues School of Engineering Celebrates HKUST’s th Anniversary

Calendar of Events September 24-25, 2011 December 2011 HKUST Information Day HKUST Engineering Day HKUST Campus HKUST Campus October 14-23, 2011 December 8-11, 2011 HKUST “Bring Technology to Community” Exhibition The 3rd International Symposium on Plasticity and Impact Hong Kong Science Museum HKUST Clear Water Bay Campus (Dec 8-10) and HKUST Fok Ying Tung Graduate School, Nansha Campus (Dec 10-11) The above events are subject to change without prior notice.

Don't be the Missing Link ... Editors: Diana Liu, Dorothy Yip Alumni relationships are invaluable assets to the School and Contributing Editor: Sally Course alumni. To foster the growth of our alumni network, please Address: School of Engineering keep us informed of your recent news and send us your The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology updated contact information via email to [email protected]. Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong Stay connected and keep in touch! Phone: (852) 2358-5917 Fax: (852) 2358-1458 Email: [email protected] Website: www.seng.ust.hk Facebook: www.facebook.com/SENG.HKUST PTC-G14143 24

Dean's Message New Appointments Research

2011 marks another milestone in the history of HKUST as the technology play in making the world a better place, from Concurrent Prof Ben Letaief Honored as University reaches its 20th year, and the School of Engineering improved healthcare to more efficient buildings and bridges to ■ Prof Mordecai Golin (SENG) is fully playing its part in commemorating the new consumer electronic breakthroughs. ISI Highly Cited Researcher occasion. In the different Anniversary activities the School is Professor, Computer As we look toward HKUST’s next 20 years, SENG intends to Prof Khaled Ben Letaief, Dean of organizing throughout the year, we have set out to recognize Science and Engineering continue to push forward in its research and education Engineering, gained further and include all the different people who contribute to making achievements. We are already drawing together faculty on Appointed Associate recognition as an international SENG such a success. interdisciplinary endeavors and theme-based research to Vice-President for leader in his field by being Postgraduate Studies, Faculty members have helped us to become globally tackle some of the world’s biggest challenges, such as energy honored and selected as ISI Highly HKUST renowned through their outstanding research and innovations, and the environment. We are rapidly moving forward with our Cited Researcher by Thomson and the honors and achievements they have received. They education of 21st century engineers as we look forward to ■ Prof Mitchell Tseng Reuters in the field of Computer Science and Engineering. have also trained our students to become relevant, achieving, the four-year undergraduate degree system in Hong Kong in Chair Professor, Industrial participating members of society. As a result, our students 2012 and the opportunities it will bring. A wider view will also Engineering and Logistics Honoring the fundamental have gone out into society and shown how a HKUST be enhanced by our ongoing move toward diversity among Management contributions made in 21 broad subject categories in life sciences, education can provide the formative, all-round experience to our students, looking to draw the best talents from around Appointed Associate medicine, physical sciences, engineering and social sciences, ISI Highly generate innovative entrepreneurs and leaders in industry, the world to generate a global hub of ideas and links that will Vice-President for Cited Researchers are individuals who are the most highly cited in business and government. benefit all who study at SENG. These are our goals, and with Research and Innovation, their fields and inclusion in this list is taken as a measure of the esteem the momentum of all the people who have contributed in the The Hong Kong community has provided the foundation for HKUST of these scientific researchers and is used, for example, by the past and will do so in the future, they are ones I believe we Academic Ranking of World Universities. our student body and constantly supported us while we in ■ will achieve. Prof Lionel Ni turn have worked together with community members, from Prof Ben Letaief joins an elite club of less than half of 1% of all Chair Professor, Computer schools to industries, to let people know about the impact of published researchers in the world who are recognized among the Science and Engineering engineering and how it can move Hong Kong forward. Our 250 top and most-cited researchers in a defined discipline within a alumni have been our proud ambassadors out in the world, Appointed Dean of HKUST specific time-period. Prof Ben Letaief is a Fellow of IEEE and is while on campus we have sought to generate opportunities to Fok Ying Tung Graduate currently serving as the Vice-President of the IEEE Communications School work together with fellow members of HKUST. Society. He is also the recipient of many other international Prof Khaled Ben Letaief In SENG’s 20th Anniversary celebrations, our activities distinguished awards including the prestigious IEEE Marconi Prize Dean of Engineering Award in Wireless Communications. therefore encompass all these groups. And as this issue of In Visiting Faculty Focus shows, the events – ranging from top international ■ Prof Koon Fung Lam conferences on engineering education and the future of Wireless Project Receives Top Honor innovation to a fun day on campus for alumni and their Assistant Professor, Chemical and Biomolecular families – provide powerful recognition of what we have Engineering in MOE Natural Science Awards accomplished to date. Global interaction at the highest levels, PhD – The Hong Kong University of Science and Prof Lionel Ni, Prof Yunhao Liu and Mr Mo Li, Computer Science and community engagement, SENG family spirit, and campus Technology Engineering, received a prestigious First Class honor in the Ministry of connectivity, all are part of SENG’s sterling record of ■ Prof Matthew Law Education (MOE) Awards for Research Excellence in Natural Sciences achievement. for their cutting-edge project on “Range-free Localization and Assistant Professor, Electronic and Computer Indeed, as the largest School at HKUST, with the highest Localizability for Wireless Network and IOT: Theory and Practice”. The Engineering number of undergraduates, graduates and faculty, and the award was one of five secured by HKUST in this category, the largest most comprehensive within the PhD – The Hong Kong University of Science and number among tertiary institutions in Hong Kong. The natural science engineering field in Hong Kong, SENG Technology award targets tertiary institutions in China and recognizes those who has a pivotal role to play in raising ■ Prof Yue Wang have made discoveries in basic and applied research or explained natural awareness about the essential role phenomenon or characteristics through scientific research. Assistant Professor, Industrial Engineering and that engineers play in improving our Logistics Management Profs Ni and Liu’s wireless project led to the design of one of the lives. Our consistently high global rankings world’s earliest range-free localization and localizability systems using PhD – The Hong Kong University of Science and show that we are being successful in RFID; and found a solution to the problem of accurately obtaining Technology contributing to major achievements in the real-time object locations in field. We also want to ensure people a wireless sensor network outside the engineering field recognize and the Internet of Things. how central a role innovation and

Photo Credit: Beijing-Hong Kong Academic Exchange Centre

02 03

Research Research

SENG Research Excellence Awards Research Excellence Award Young Investigator Research Award Prof Qian Zhang Prof Matthew McKay The launch of the School of Engineering Research Excellence Computer Science and Engineering Electronic and Computer Engineering Awards recognizes the impact and contributions of the School’s faculty members and provides an inspiring tribute to the Prof Zhang, a PhD graduate of Prof McKay has established an world-class work being carried out at HKUST. In Focus Wuhan University and previously exceptional research record for a with Microsoft Research Asia, Beijing, junior faculty member, helping him to showcases the four inaugural winners. is internationally known for the become the first winner of this award outstanding quality of her research which recognizes the achievements of in mobile multimedia communication a rising star with potential for future Distinguished Research Excellence Award IEEE Fellow, a Fellow of the Society for Information Display and advanced wireless networking. leadership. , and an Elected Member of the Asia-Pacific Academy of Prof Hoi Sing Kwok Materials, among others. She gained early recognition for her work on resource alloca- Joining HKUST in 2007 after receiving his PhD at the University Electronic and Computer tion, streaming protocol and cross-layer QoS support for mul- of Sydney in Australia, Prof McKay is making strong contributions Engineering Research Excellence Award timedia streaming, which has been frequently cited. to the fundamental understanding and design of advanced signal Dr William MW Mong Chair processing methods for wireless communications. He has Prof Guohua Chen Prof Zhang was the first to propose an end-system based Professor of Nanotechnology published over 40 journal papers and received 400 citations. Chemical and Biomolecular mobility solution for heterogeneous wireless networks and Prof Kwok has become the first Engineering has made notable contributions in the area of wireless sensor One of his main areas of interest is applications of random winner of the top Research networks. In recent years, she has made pioneering advances matrix theory to signal processing and information theory. He Prof Chen has been a major Excellence Award, which honors a in cognitive and cooperative wireless networks, an emerging has become well known for being able to characterize the contributor to two key research distinguished engineering faculty member with exceptional research area. This includes opening up a new research direction achievable capacity limits of multi-channel communication areas, the drying of high-value research achievements and significant impact locally and for cognitive radio networks by utilizing cooperative relay to systems using his random matrix theory. Through his results, for products and electrochemical globally. improve the transmission diversity and correspondingly the example, the data rate of mobile telephones and WiFi can be technologies for industrial spectrum efficiency. improved. The pioneering academic was cited for his contributions to the wastewater treatment. He has also gained acclaim for the field of display technologies, an area where he has enjoyed major application of nanotechnologies to environmental protection. Among earlier accolades, she was named among the World’s Showing the global recognition he is receiving, Prof McKay was achievements since 1992, the year he joined HKUST. A Harvard Top Young Innovators in the MIT Technology Review 100 in 2004 awarded the 2011 Stephen O. Rice Prize in the Field of Such achievements have secured him this award, which PhD graduate in Applied Physics, Prof Kwok has received 58 and received the Overseas Young Investigator Award from the Communications Theory from the IEEE Communications Society. recognizes an outstanding faculty member with a proven patents, with another 30 under review, and produced over 500 National Natural Science Foundation of China in 2006. This highly regarded award is given annually for the best paper record of research excellence. refereed publications on display-related research, achieving an published in IEEE Transactions on Communications in the previous Prof Zhang, who joined HKUST in 2005, has published over outstanding H-index citation rate of 40. As an example of the impact of his work, the electrochemical three years. The paper was co-authored by Shi Jin, Xiqi Gao and 200 refereed papers in top journals and international technologies developed in his laboratory have been evaluated Iain B. Collings. During his productive career, Prof Kwok has been actively conferences and is the inventor of around 30 pending as the most likely technology to deal with the remediation of engaged in both fundamental and applied research. The international patents. She is also an active leader in her He gained a 2010 Young Author Best Paper Award from the IEEE oily wastewaters, being cited in MIT Technology Review as the development of silicon micro-displays and the technology department at HKUST and has high visibility in the professional Signal Processing Society with a paper co-authored with his PhD future option of restaurant wastewater treatment. The Hong transfer of active-matrix organic light-emitting diode (OLED) community. student Liang Sun, and Shi Jin. He also received Best Paper Kong Environmental Conservation Fund granted research displays are key developments. “He is a true-blue academic of Awards at the IEEE International Conference on Communica- funding to build a pilot plant and excellent results have been She is co-director of Huawei-HKUST Innovation Lab and the HKUST, with all his work created here,” said Prof Ross Murch, tions 2011 and the IEEE Global Communications Conference obtained to date. director of the Digital Life Research Center at HKUST. Head of Electronic and Computer Engineering. 2010. Prof Chen, who earned his PhD at McGill University and After his arrival at HKUST, Prof Kwok spotted the industrial Prof McKay has also taken a pro-active role in establishing joined HKUST in the mid-1990s, has published over 120 need for liquid crystal display technology and built up a collaborations with international experts and promoting research journal papers and shared his knowledge through active research program. He has pioneered the development of low excellence among his students. temperature polycrystalline silicon (LTPS) thin-film transistors participation in international conferences and workshops. He has been an editor of Separation and Purification Technology, a (TFT) for high resolution active-matrix displays, among many Selecting the Winners other successful technology breakthroughs. top journal in the field of chemical engineering and is an International Advisory Panel Member of the World Congress Criteria for selection of awardees included research output, and research achievements recognized by the award were Prof Kwok’s invention of color-filtered liquid-crystal display on of Chemical Engineering. silicon (LCOS) was licensed to Himax Display Inc of Taiwan originality and innovativeness; impact of research output on expected to be for work carried out mainly at HKUST. The high quality of his research training has assisted his society, industry and the relevant engineering disciplines; and the device they produced based on this invention has The Research Awards Selection Committee comprised the postgraduate students in obtaining excellent research output research training provided to students and post-doctoral been incorporated into many products, including the Nikon head or acting head of each of the School of Engineering’s and careers. Bachelor degree students have gained the benefit researchers; and their leadership role in collaboration with PJ1000 digital camera. In addition, inventions related to LTPS six departments and was chaired by Prof Joseph Lee, of Prof Chen’s cutting-edge view of research through his national and international research partners. TFT have been licensed to Sinodisplay Technology Inc to Vice-President for Research and Graduate Studies. Of four commercialize the technology for active-matrix OLED displays. participation in the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program. Nominees had to be excellent researchers over a co-opted members, three were Professors Emeriti and Prof Kwok’s contributions to the field have been recognized sustained period of time – at least the past three years – one a member of the HKUST Institute for Advanced Study. through numerous prestigious professional affiliations. He is an 04 05

Research Academic Excellence

Artificial Intelligence Journal SENG Academics Receive Top-Tier Rankings Globally in Engineering and Technology Subjects

Headquartered at HKUST Google Research Awards HKUST has maintained its remarkable global presence in Aeronautical & Manufacturing, ahead of Korea Advanced In a significant boost for HKUST’s Three Computer Science and engineering and technology in a new set of academic subject Institute of Science & Technology (KAIST) (49th) and international presence and Hong Kong’s Engineering faculty members have rankings released in April. According to the 2011 QS World University of Wisconsin-Madison (51-100th); and 51-100th in drive to become an academic hub, the had their cutting-edge studies University Rankings by Subject - Engineering and Technology, Chemical Engineering. University has become the recognized, with each receiving a the first time these tables have been published, HKUST was ranked No.1 in Greater China in Computer Science & headquarters for a prestigious Google Research Award from the 2011 QS World University Rankings - Computer Science & new journal focusing on global internet search giant. This was Information Systems and No.1 in Hong Kong in Mechanical, Information Systems Rankings Aeronautical & Manufacturing. artificial intelligence. the highest number of awards Institution World Ranking granted to academics at a single ACM Transactions on In the Computer Science & Information Systems category, university in Hong Kong in the Massachusetts Institute of Technology 1 Intelligent Systems and HKUST was placed 26th. This ranking is in line with the funding round results released in Q4 University of California, Los Angeles 8 Technology is being led by Computer Science and Engineering Department’s ranking at 2010. Columbia University 17 founding editor-in-chief Prof 26th in the world and 1st in Greater China in the Academic HKUST 26 Qiang Yang, Computer Science and Engineering, an IEEE Fellow, Prof Chi Keung Tang, Prof Sunghun Ranking of World Universities (ARWU) league table produced and a specialist in data mining and artificial intelligence. ACM, or Kim and Prof Ke Yi received by Shanghai Jiao Tong University in 2010. The Electronic and Purdue University 29 the Association for Computing Machinery, is one of the two funding for their studies in Computer Engineering Department was globally placed 28th. The University of Tokyo 35 largest and most authoritative computing associations globally, “Quasi-Dense 3D Reconstruction Dean of Engineering Prof Khaled Ben Letaief said he was Tsinghua University 43 together with the IEEE. from 2D Uncalibrated Photos” delighted to see that the School of Engineering was continuing (geo/maps), “Crash Reproduction” The new journal aims to promote multi-disciplinary artificial to excel in international rankings. “We shall strive toward (software engineering) and 2011 QS World University Rankings - Electrical and Electronic intelligence research, with topics ranging from computational making even greater impact on the world with our first-rate “Computing Statistical Summaries Engineering Rankings sustainability to computational social and cultural dynamics. education and research now and in the future,” he said. with MapReduce” (information Papers started to be accepted at the beginning of 2010 and an A total of five subject areas in engineering and technology Institution World Ranking retrieval, extraction and inaugural issue was published in October 2010. An impressive were covered in the QS rankings. Ranking indicators include organization) respectively. Massachusetts Institute of Technology 1 400 submissions were received from around the world during academic reputation, employer reputation and citations, with Princeton University 12 its first year, including top institutions such as MIT and Stanford. The Google Research Awards the high rankings of HKUST’s engineering departments being Cornell University 19 program identifies and supports faculty pursuing research in an endorsement of its world-class faculty, high-impact “This is a terrific development,” said Prof Mounir Hamdi, Chair HKUST 28 areas of mutual interest internationally, with two rounds of Professor and Head of the Computer Science and Engineering research, outstanding students, and state-of-the-art facilities. funding held annually. In the Q4 2010 round, Google University of British Columbia 30 Department. “The founding of such a prestigious journal is a Other strong HKUST subject rankings included 42nd in Civil & supported 112 awards across 20 different subject areas, Purdue University 32 clear indication of the great research stature of Prof Yang and Structural Engineering, ahead of University of Bristol (47th) totaling more than US$6 million. Hong Kong received a total Tsinghua University 40 our department as a whole.” and Texas A&M University (51-100th); 44th in Mechanical, of five awards and one joint award putting it among the top The first four issues of the journal are available at regions to gain awards, along with the US, UK and Germany. http://tist.acm.org/publications.html. Academics from 14 regions in total gained funding, with around 65% of the awards going to researchers in the US. Agreement Signed for Joint PhD Program

Expanding the School of Engineering (SENG)’s international School agreed a joint PhD program with Korea Advanced Transforming Video Technology network and visibility further, a joint PhD degree program is Institute of Science and Technology, a major research Prof Bing Zeng, Electronic and published over the past three years is selected to receive the to be established under an exciting academic and research institution in Korea. Computer Engineering, and his 2010 Best Paper Award. It was the first time since the journal’s collaboration agreement between the School and the College PhD graduate Dr Jingjing Fu, now launch in 1991 that the honor had been awarded to a Hong of Engineering at Pohang University of Science and Technology working at Microsoft Research Asia, Kong professor and his student for work completely carried (POSTECH) in Korea. have been selected to receive the out in Hong Kong. In his paper, he lays down the fundamental The four-year HKUST/POSTECH program will require 2011 IEEE Transactions on Circuits and framework for the breakthrough transformation that has been students to spend two years at each university, providing Systems for Video Technology – Best widely used in many image and video coding applications. exposure to the research environment in two leading Paper Award for their paper With the same paper, Prof Zeng also won the Best Paper Award Asia-Pacific institutions and boosting students’ “Directional Discrete Cosine at the IEEE International Symposium on Circuits and Systems competitive edge. Every student will also have two faculty Transforms: A New Framework for Image Coding”. The IEEE 2011, held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The symposium is the world’s advisors, one from each institution. The universities are journal is widely recognized as the best in the area of video premier networking forum of leading researchers in the highly seeking to admit the first cohort in Fall 2012. technology. About 200 papers are published every year, active fields of theory, design and implementation of circuits and with an acceptance rate of about 17%. Each year, one paper The agreement marks another successful collaboration systems. with a top Korean university for SENG. In 2009, the

06 07

Academic Excellence Academic Excellence

Princeton Exchange Expands Leading Academy Faculty Honors, Research Opportunities for Undergraduates Recognizes IELM Head Awards and Achievements

In a pioneering move, HKUST has become the first Prof Vincent Poor, Dean of the School of Engineering and In recognition of his ■ Prof Oscar Au, Electronic and university in Asia to enter into an undergraduate summer Applied Science at Princeton, also welcomed the move. outstanding contributions Computer Engineering, and his team research exchange partnership in engineering with “We are very pleased to establish a partnership with over the years, Prof Fugee are among the few university teams Princeton University. HKUST Engineering School to jointly advance the levels of Tsung, Head of Industrial contributing to the competitive Joint distinction in discovery and transmission of knowledge and Engineering and Logistics Collaborative Team on Video Coding The two-way summer exchange agreement will see School understanding through this research exchange program,” he Management, has been (JCTVC), which is developing the of Engineering (SENG) students spend eight weeks at the said. elected an Academician of next-generation video coding Ivy League institution where they will engage in research the International Academy standard. Prof Au’s team has had three proposals with faculty members on designated projects. Princeton for Quality (IAQ). The accepted into the High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC) students will undertake research with HKUST academics academy is the most standard’s working draft. The first proposal on chroma and professional research teams from Hong Kong Applied prestigious international entropy coding was accepted at the Daegu (Korea) Science and Technology Research Institute (ASTRI). organization in its field. It meeting in January 2011. The second and third The arrangement is especially notable as Princeton has less comprises peer-nominated proposals were on sub-LCU Qp representation and than 10 institutional partners for reciprocal exchange members who admit individuals identified as global thought dQP calculation method respectively and were accepted worldwide. In combining hands-on research experience leaders in quality-related issues. at the Geneva meeting in March 2011. The HEVC standard will be finalized in mid 2013. with international exchange, the program also offers a Prof Tsung is only the second in Hong Kong and one of just different form of study abroad experience for SENG six academicians in Greater China to receive the accolade. ■ Prof Mansun Chan, Electronic and students. His research focuses on quality control and the Computer Engineering, and his team Dean of Engineering Prof Khaled Ben Letaief said that improvement of complex systems in both the manufacturing won a 2009 Shenzhen City Technology SENG was committed to providing an outstanding and service sectors. Prof Tsung has also taken up many Innovation Award from the Shenzhen undergraduate education that produced global leadership positions, including Regional Vice-President (Asia) Science and Technology Association citizens. “We are therefore very excited about this of the Institute of Industrial Engineers (IIE), and helped to with the project “New Generation initiative which will not only allow our students to raise wider awareness of quality techniques in the region. Nano-CMOS Device Model Research acquire an international outlook but will further Showing the growing attention now being paid to the area and Verification for SOC Design”. The project was develop their appreciation of research.” in Greater China, the Asian Network for Quality 2012 undertaken with Peking University Shenzhen Graduate Congress will be held at HKUST. Around 500 quality School. professionals from Asia are expected to attend. ■ Prof Albert Chung, Computer Engineering Program, Prof Sunghun Kim, Computer Science and Engineering, Prof Ergonomics Expert Lambros Katafygiotis, Civil and Environmental Engineering, First Choice Again for PhD Engineering Fellows and Prof Henry Lam, Chemical and Biomolecular Elected Fellow Engineering, have been named among HKUST’s 2010 Best The School of Engineering (SENG) continues to be the first The commitment and cutting-edge research of SENG’s Ten Lecturers in the annual awards event organized by choice for high-flying Hong Kong, Mainland China and world-class academics in different engineering fields are Prof Richard So, Industrial VERTEX, House II Students Association. The independent overseas engineering students admitted under the Hong among the School’s top attractions for the next generation Engineering and Logistics student initiative allows those studying at HKUST to show Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme, offered by the Research of leading researchers, according to Dean of Engineering Management, has been their appreciation of lecturers’ work and give them a vote Grants Council (RGC). Prof Khaled Ben Letaief. “With top-notch teaching, elected a Fellow of the of thanks. It was the 14th year the event had been pioneering research projects and state-of-the-art facilities, I Institute of Ergonomics and organized. In May, the RGC announced that 123 elite PhD students am sure awardees can maximize their potential here,” he Human Factors for his from around 20 countries/regions had accepted offers for ■ Prof Pascale Fung, Electronic and said. significant contributions to 2011/12, with a total of 22 awardees electing to study at Computer Engineering, and her team ergonomics. Established in SENG. This was equivalent to 44% of the total fellows The PhD Fellowship Scheme was launched by the RGC to received a Second Class Prize in the 1949, the Institute is the admitted to all engineering disciplines in Hong Kong. attract the best and brightest students from around the Shenzhen/Hong Kong Technology oldest professional society in world to study and carry out research in University Grants Innovation Competition 2010 for their The RGC’s PhD scheme is now in its second year and for the field and aims to promote Committee-funded institutions in Hong Kong. A total of ITF/APAS project on a 3G automotive both years SENG has drawn the highest number of public awareness of 4,024 applications from 103 countries/regions were received infotainment system. HKUST was the engineering awardees in Hong Kong. It also represents more ergonomics and its applications. Prof So has also been invited in the 2011/12 round. only Hong Kong institution, academic or private, to win than two-thirds of the total 32 students admitted to Schools to become editor in the area of Human Factors for Displays, a prize that year. at HKUST under the 2011/12 intake. an international journal focusing on research related to vision and displays.

08 09

Academic Excellence Beyond Labs & Lectures

■ Associate Dean of Engineering Prof ■ Research by Prof Yi-Kuen Lee, Jang Kyo Kim, Mechanical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, on has been elected editor of Composite “Super-hydrophobic Surface with The Rise of Part A, one of the most prestigious Nano-flowers on Silicon” has been journals in the field. Prof Kim has been published on the Chinese International HKUST ROBOTICS serving on the journal's editorial board NEMS Network website and become for seven years, as well as being on the one of its most frequently viewed editorial boards of seven other international journals articles. Prof Lee has also published a A robot addressed an amazed audience at HKUST on April 12, giving an 11-minute related to areas of advanced materials and composites. paper, in collaboration with Prof Hsian-Rong Tseng at presentation at the HKUST 20th Anniversary Program Parade presented by the UCLA, on the development of the 2nd generation ■ For the second consecutive year, Prof School of Engineering (SENG). The NAO robot, recently acquired for training microfluidic circulating tumor cells (CTCs) capture Sunghun Kim, Computer Science and purposes, had been successfully programmed to give the entertaining introduction by technology which was chosen as the cover of Engineering, has been selected to members of HKUST’s Robotics Team, all of whom come from SENG. Angewandte Chemie International Edition (Mar 21, 2011 receive a highly competitive Software issue). The paper, “Highly Efficient Capture of Circulating HKUST’s Robotics Team stems from students’ successful participation in the annual Engineering Innovation Foundation Tumor Cells Using Nanostructured Silicon Substrates Robocon contest, which began in 2004. The 2011 team comprises 70 students from (SEIF) Award from Microsoft with Integrated Chaotic Micromixers” has also been Hong Kong, Mainland China and overseas, with representatives from all of the School’s Research. His proposal, “GATE: highlighted in Nature Medicine (Mar 2011 issue). departments. This marks a 75% increase on 2010 and shows the enthusiasm for this Game-based Automatic Testing Environment”, was the type of learning experience outside the regular curriculum. Altogether around 150 only one selected from Asia and among just 10 ■ Prof Wai Ho Mow, Computer Engineering SENG students signed up to participate before the Robotics Team selection was made. worldwide that were chosen from 88 study proposals in Program, has been awarded a 2010/11 Photo Credit: Sing Tao Daily 2011. The proposal will be supported by a grant of grant from the Overseas and Hong Kong, In order for more students to participate in external competitions, Robotics Team mem- US$35,000 for a year. SEIF is open to universities and Macau Young Scholars Collaborative bers have now been divided into four groups, with each taking part in one of four major research institutions worldwide and receives proposals Research Fund, set up by the National events. These are the Robocon Hong Kong Contest and three new ones, the Remotely of the highest standards. Selection criteria include the Natural Science Foundation of China, for Operated Vehicles (ROV) Competition featuring underwater robots, the Smart Car project’s impact on the software engineering community, his project “Optimal Training Sequence Competition, and NAO RoboCup. potential for wide dissemination and use of the Design and Low-Complexity Estimation/Decoding Methods To celebrate the formation of the Robotics Team, senior administrators of the University, intellectual property created, ability to complete the for Multiple-Antenna Wireless Communications”. The including President Prof F Tony Chan, presented team flags to the individual groups at project, as well as the qualifications of the principal research is being carried out in collaboration with Southwest the Program Parade. Members of the Robotics Team also took a pledge to participate in investigator. Jiaotong University in Sichuan. the contests in a competitive but sporting manner.

■ Prof Chung Yee Lee and Prof Ajay ■ A co-authored poster by Prof Hui He A few days before the Program Parade, the ROV team got off to a flying start by per- Joneja, Industrial Engineering and Qiu, Mechanical Engineering, entitled forming excellently in the Hong Kong Underwater Robot Challenge, a qualification Robots Perform Lion Dance Logistics Management, have been “Drastic Enhancement of Boiling Heat examination for the international competition. With this success, they represented Hong awarded a research grant from the Transfer with Micro- and Nano- Kong in the ROV international competition at NASA Johnson Space Center in Houston at Grand Celebration Innovation and Technology Fund for Engineering of Surface Wettability”, won in June and won the Design Elegance Award, which was judged by the aesthetics, sim- Two NAO robots also made a memo- their project “Integrated Decision the Honorable Mention-ASME Best plicity and functionality of the vehicle’s design. Grateful to the Robotics Team’s logistics rable appearance at HKUST’s Grand Support System for Dynamic Poster Award at the Micro & partner, DHL Express, for providing logistics consultation and sponsoring the air express Celebration commemorating the Vehicle-Dispatching and Scheduling with Real-time Nanotechnology Society-Wide Forum at the 2010 transportation of over 85kg. With DHL’s professional help on shipping the sophisticated University’s 20th Anniversary on April 8. Information under Operation Uncertainty”. The project American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) and delicate underwater robot machines, the robot has been safely and efficiently deliv- The robots, programmed by HKUST seeks to develop an integrated information technology International Mechanical Engineering Congress & ered between Hong Kong and Houston. Robotics Team members, performed an platform for passenger transport in real-time operation Exposition in Vancouver. The Robotics Team is supervised by Prof Zexiang Li and Prof Tim Woo, both from the impressive lion dance at the event. and information exchange to reduce operation costs ■ Prof Jiang Xu, Electronic and Electronic and Computer Engineering Department. and improve efficiency. Computer Engineering, has been selected by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Computer Society as a Distinguished Visitor. Under the society’s Distinguished Visitors Program, first-quality speakers from among its membership share the latest insights in different areas of the field with professional and student chapters of the society in different locations.

10 11 Snapshot Engineering

Newsletter No.20 Summer 2011

The Miracle Continues School of Engineering Celebrates HKUST’s th Anniversary

Calendar of Events September 24-25, 2011 December 2011 HKUST Information Day HKUST Engineering Day HKUST Campus HKUST Campus October 14-23, 2011 December 8-11, 2011 HKUST “Bring Technology to Community” Exhibition The 3rd International Symposium on Plasticity and Impact Hong Kong Science Museum HKUST Clear Water Bay Campus (Dec 8-10) and HKUST Fok Ying Tung Graduate School, Nansha Campus (Dec 10-11) The above events are subject to change without prior notice.

Don't be the Missing Link ... Editors: Diana Liu, Dorothy Yip Alumni relationships are invaluable assets to the School and Contributing Editor: Sally Course alumni. To foster the growth of our alumni network, please Address: School of Engineering keep us informed of your recent news and send us your The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology updated contact information via email to [email protected]. Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong Stay connected and keep in touch! Phone: (852) 2358-5917 Fax: (852) 2358-1458 Email: [email protected] Website: www.seng.ust.hk Facebook: www.facebook.com/SENG.HKUST PTC-G14143 24

Dean's Message New Appointments Research

2011 marks another milestone in the history of HKUST as the technology play in making the world a better place, from Concurrent Prof Ben Letaief Honored as University reaches its 20th year, and the School of Engineering improved healthcare to more efficient buildings and bridges to ■ Prof Mordecai Golin (SENG) is fully playing its part in commemorating the new consumer electronic breakthroughs. ISI Highly Cited Researcher occasion. In the different Anniversary activities the School is Professor, Computer As we look toward HKUST’s next 20 years, SENG intends to Prof Khaled Ben Letaief, Dean of organizing throughout the year, we have set out to recognize Science and Engineering continue to push forward in its research and education Engineering, gained further and include all the different people who contribute to making achievements. We are already drawing together faculty on Appointed Associate recognition as an international SENG such a success. interdisciplinary endeavors and theme-based research to Vice-President for leader in his field by being Postgraduate Studies, Faculty members have helped us to become globally tackle some of the world’s biggest challenges, such as energy honored and selected as ISI Highly HKUST renowned through their outstanding research and innovations, and the environment. We are rapidly moving forward with our Cited Researcher by Thomson and the honors and achievements they have received. They education of 21st century engineers as we look forward to ■ Prof Mitchell Tseng Reuters in the field of Computer Science and Engineering. have also trained our students to become relevant, achieving, the four-year undergraduate degree system in Hong Kong in Chair Professor, Industrial participating members of society. As a result, our students 2012 and the opportunities it will bring. A wider view will also Engineering and Logistics Honoring the fundamental have gone out into society and shown how a HKUST be enhanced by our ongoing move toward diversity among Management contributions made in 21 broad subject categories in life sciences, education can provide the formative, all-round experience to our students, looking to draw the best talents from around Appointed Associate medicine, physical sciences, engineering and social sciences, ISI Highly generate innovative entrepreneurs and leaders in industry, the world to generate a global hub of ideas and links that will Vice-President for Cited Researchers are individuals who are the most highly cited in business and government. benefit all who study at SENG. These are our goals, and with Research and Innovation, their fields and inclusion in this list is taken as a measure of the esteem the momentum of all the people who have contributed in the The Hong Kong community has provided the foundation for HKUST of these scientific researchers and is used, for example, by the past and will do so in the future, they are ones I believe we Academic Ranking of World Universities. our student body and constantly supported us while we in ■ will achieve. Prof Lionel Ni turn have worked together with community members, from Prof Ben Letaief joins an elite club of less than half of 1% of all Chair Professor, Computer schools to industries, to let people know about the impact of published researchers in the world who are recognized among the Science and Engineering engineering and how it can move Hong Kong forward. Our 250 top and most-cited researchers in a defined discipline within a alumni have been our proud ambassadors out in the world, Appointed Dean of HKUST specific time-period. Prof Ben Letaief is a Fellow of IEEE and is while on campus we have sought to generate opportunities to Fok Ying Tung Graduate currently serving as the Vice-President of the IEEE Communications School work together with fellow members of HKUST. Society. He is also the recipient of many other international Prof Khaled Ben Letaief In SENG’s 20th Anniversary celebrations, our activities distinguished awards including the prestigious IEEE Marconi Prize Dean of Engineering Award in Wireless Communications. therefore encompass all these groups. And as this issue of In Visiting Faculty Focus shows, the events – ranging from top international ■ Prof Koon Fung Lam conferences on engineering education and the future of Wireless Project Receives Top Honor innovation to a fun day on campus for alumni and their Assistant Professor, Chemical and Biomolecular families – provide powerful recognition of what we have Engineering in MOE Natural Science Awards accomplished to date. Global interaction at the highest levels, PhD – The Hong Kong University of Science and Prof Lionel Ni, Prof Yunhao Liu and Mr Mo Li, Computer Science and community engagement, SENG family spirit, and campus Technology Engineering, received a prestigious First Class honor in the Ministry of connectivity, all are part of SENG’s sterling record of ■ Prof Matthew Law Education (MOE) Awards for Research Excellence in Natural Sciences achievement. for their cutting-edge project on “Range-free Localization and Assistant Professor, Electronic and Computer Indeed, as the largest School at HKUST, with the highest Localizability for Wireless Network and IOT: Theory and Practice”. The Engineering number of undergraduates, graduates and faculty, and the award was one of five secured by HKUST in this category, the largest most comprehensive within the PhD – The Hong Kong University of Science and number among tertiary institutions in Hong Kong. The natural science engineering field in Hong Kong, SENG Technology award targets tertiary institutions in China and recognizes those who has a pivotal role to play in raising ■ Prof Yue Wang have made discoveries in basic and applied research or explained natural awareness about the essential role phenomenon or characteristics through scientific research. Assistant Professor, Industrial Engineering and that engineers play in improving our Logistics Management Profs Ni and Liu’s wireless project led to the design of one of the lives. Our consistently high global rankings world’s earliest range-free localization and localizability systems using PhD – The Hong Kong University of Science and show that we are being successful in RFID; and found a solution to the problem of accurately obtaining Technology contributing to major achievements in the real-time object locations in field. We also want to ensure people a wireless sensor network outside the engineering field recognize and the Internet of Things. how central a role innovation and

Photo Credit: Beijing-Hong Kong Academic Exchange Centre

02 03

Research Research

SENG Research Excellence Awards Research Excellence Award Young Investigator Research Award Prof Qian Zhang Prof Matthew McKay The launch of the School of Engineering Research Excellence Computer Science and Engineering Electronic and Computer Engineering Awards recognizes the impact and contributions of the School’s faculty members and provides an inspiring tribute to the Prof Zhang, a PhD graduate of Prof McKay has established an world-class work being carried out at HKUST. In Focus Wuhan University and previously exceptional research record for a with Microsoft Research Asia, Beijing, junior faculty member, helping him to showcases the four inaugural winners. is internationally known for the become the first winner of this award outstanding quality of her research which recognizes the achievements of in mobile multimedia communication a rising star with potential for future Distinguished Research Excellence Award IEEE Fellow, a Fellow of the Society for Information Display and advanced wireless networking. leadership. , and an Elected Member of the Asia-Pacific Academy of Prof Hoi Sing Kwok Materials, among others. She gained early recognition for her work on resource alloca- Joining HKUST in 2007 after receiving his PhD at the University Electronic and Computer tion, streaming protocol and cross-layer QoS support for mul- of Sydney in Australia, Prof McKay is making strong contributions Engineering Research Excellence Award timedia streaming, which has been frequently cited. to the fundamental understanding and design of advanced signal Dr William MW Mong Chair processing methods for wireless communications. He has Prof Guohua Chen Prof Zhang was the first to propose an end-system based Professor of Nanotechnology published over 40 journal papers and received 400 citations. Chemical and Biomolecular mobility solution for heterogeneous wireless networks and Prof Kwok has become the first Engineering has made notable contributions in the area of wireless sensor One of his main areas of interest is applications of random winner of the top Research networks. In recent years, she has made pioneering advances matrix theory to signal processing and information theory. He Prof Chen has been a major Excellence Award, which honors a in cognitive and cooperative wireless networks, an emerging has become well known for being able to characterize the contributor to two key research distinguished engineering faculty member with exceptional research area. This includes opening up a new research direction achievable capacity limits of multi-channel communication areas, the drying of high-value research achievements and significant impact locally and for cognitive radio networks by utilizing cooperative relay to systems using his random matrix theory. Through his results, for products and electrochemical globally. improve the transmission diversity and correspondingly the example, the data rate of mobile telephones and WiFi can be technologies for industrial spectrum efficiency. improved. The pioneering academic was cited for his contributions to the wastewater treatment. He has also gained acclaim for the field of display technologies, an area where he has enjoyed major application of nanotechnologies to environmental protection. Among earlier accolades, she was named among the World’s Showing the global recognition he is receiving, Prof McKay was achievements since 1992, the year he joined HKUST. A Harvard Top Young Innovators in the MIT Technology Review 100 in 2004 awarded the 2011 Stephen O. Rice Prize in the Field of Such achievements have secured him this award, which PhD graduate in Applied Physics, Prof Kwok has received 58 and received the Overseas Young Investigator Award from the Communications Theory from the IEEE Communications Society. recognizes an outstanding faculty member with a proven patents, with another 30 under review, and produced over 500 National Natural Science Foundation of China in 2006. This highly regarded award is given annually for the best paper record of research excellence. refereed publications on display-related research, achieving an published in IEEE Transactions on Communications in the previous Prof Zhang, who joined HKUST in 2005, has published over outstanding H-index citation rate of 40. As an example of the impact of his work, the electrochemical three years. The paper was co-authored by Shi Jin, Xiqi Gao and 200 refereed papers in top journals and international technologies developed in his laboratory have been evaluated Iain B. Collings. During his productive career, Prof Kwok has been actively conferences and is the inventor of around 30 pending as the most likely technology to deal with the remediation of engaged in both fundamental and applied research. The international patents. She is also an active leader in her He gained a 2010 Young Author Best Paper Award from the IEEE oily wastewaters, being cited in MIT Technology Review as the development of silicon micro-displays and the technology department at HKUST and has high visibility in the professional Signal Processing Society with a paper co-authored with his PhD future option of restaurant wastewater treatment. The Hong transfer of active-matrix organic light-emitting diode (OLED) community. student Liang Sun, and Shi Jin. He also received Best Paper Kong Environmental Conservation Fund granted research displays are key developments. “He is a true-blue academic of Awards at the IEEE International Conference on Communica- funding to build a pilot plant and excellent results have been She is co-director of Huawei-HKUST Innovation Lab and the HKUST, with all his work created here,” said Prof Ross Murch, tions 2011 and the IEEE Global Communications Conference obtained to date. director of the Digital Life Research Center at HKUST. Head of Electronic and Computer Engineering. 2010. Prof Chen, who earned his PhD at McGill University and After his arrival at HKUST, Prof Kwok spotted the industrial Prof McKay has also taken a pro-active role in establishing joined HKUST in the mid-1990s, has published over 120 need for liquid crystal display technology and built up a collaborations with international experts and promoting research journal papers and shared his knowledge through active research program. He has pioneered the development of low excellence among his students. temperature polycrystalline silicon (LTPS) thin-film transistors participation in international conferences and workshops. He has been an editor of Separation and Purification Technology, a (TFT) for high resolution active-matrix displays, among many Selecting the Winners other successful technology breakthroughs. top journal in the field of chemical engineering and is an International Advisory Panel Member of the World Congress Criteria for selection of awardees included research output, and research achievements recognized by the award were Prof Kwok’s invention of color-filtered liquid-crystal display on of Chemical Engineering. silicon (LCOS) was licensed to Himax Display Inc of Taiwan originality and innovativeness; impact of research output on expected to be for work carried out mainly at HKUST. The high quality of his research training has assisted his society, industry and the relevant engineering disciplines; and the device they produced based on this invention has The Research Awards Selection Committee comprised the postgraduate students in obtaining excellent research output research training provided to students and post-doctoral been incorporated into many products, including the Nikon head or acting head of each of the School of Engineering’s and careers. Bachelor degree students have gained the benefit researchers; and their leadership role in collaboration with PJ1000 digital camera. In addition, inventions related to LTPS six departments and was chaired by Prof Joseph Lee, of Prof Chen’s cutting-edge view of research through his national and international research partners. TFT have been licensed to Sinodisplay Technology Inc to Vice-President for Research and Graduate Studies. Of four commercialize the technology for active-matrix OLED displays. participation in the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program. Nominees had to be excellent researchers over a co-opted members, three were Professors Emeriti and Prof Kwok’s contributions to the field have been recognized sustained period of time – at least the past three years – one a member of the HKUST Institute for Advanced Study. through numerous prestigious professional affiliations. He is an 04 05

Research Academic Excellence

Artificial Intelligence Journal SENG Academics Receive Top-Tier Rankings Globally in Engineering and Technology Subjects

Headquartered at HKUST Google Research Awards HKUST has maintained its remarkable global presence in Aeronautical & Manufacturing, ahead of Korea Advanced In a significant boost for HKUST’s Three Computer Science and engineering and technology in a new set of academic subject Institute of Science & Technology (KAIST) (49th) and international presence and Hong Kong’s Engineering faculty members have rankings released in April. According to the 2011 QS World University of Wisconsin-Madison (51-100th); and 51-100th in drive to become an academic hub, the had their cutting-edge studies University Rankings by Subject - Engineering and Technology, Chemical Engineering. University has become the recognized, with each receiving a the first time these tables have been published, HKUST was ranked No.1 in Greater China in Computer Science & headquarters for a prestigious Google Research Award from the 2011 QS World University Rankings - Computer Science & new journal focusing on global internet search giant. This was Information Systems and No.1 in Hong Kong in Mechanical, Information Systems Rankings Aeronautical & Manufacturing. artificial intelligence. the highest number of awards Institution World Ranking granted to academics at a single ACM Transactions on In the Computer Science & Information Systems category, university in Hong Kong in the Massachusetts Institute of Technology 1 Intelligent Systems and HKUST was placed 26th. This ranking is in line with the funding round results released in Q4 University of California, Los Angeles 8 Technology is being led by Computer Science and Engineering Department’s ranking at 2010. Columbia University 17 founding editor-in-chief Prof 26th in the world and 1st in Greater China in the Academic HKUST 26 Qiang Yang, Computer Science and Engineering, an IEEE Fellow, Prof Chi Keung Tang, Prof Sunghun Ranking of World Universities (ARWU) league table produced and a specialist in data mining and artificial intelligence. ACM, or Kim and Prof Ke Yi received by Shanghai Jiao Tong University in 2010. The Electronic and Purdue University 29 the Association for Computing Machinery, is one of the two funding for their studies in Computer Engineering Department was globally placed 28th. The University of Tokyo 35 largest and most authoritative computing associations globally, “Quasi-Dense 3D Reconstruction Dean of Engineering Prof Khaled Ben Letaief said he was Tsinghua University 43 together with the IEEE. from 2D Uncalibrated Photos” delighted to see that the School of Engineering was continuing (geo/maps), “Crash Reproduction” The new journal aims to promote multi-disciplinary artificial to excel in international rankings. “We shall strive toward (software engineering) and 2011 QS World University Rankings - Electrical and Electronic intelligence research, with topics ranging from computational making even greater impact on the world with our first-rate “Computing Statistical Summaries Engineering Rankings sustainability to computational social and cultural dynamics. education and research now and in the future,” he said. with MapReduce” (information Papers started to be accepted at the beginning of 2010 and an A total of five subject areas in engineering and technology Institution World Ranking retrieval, extraction and inaugural issue was published in October 2010. An impressive were covered in the QS rankings. Ranking indicators include organization) respectively. Massachusetts Institute of Technology 1 400 submissions were received from around the world during academic reputation, employer reputation and citations, with Princeton University 12 its first year, including top institutions such as MIT and Stanford. The Google Research Awards the high rankings of HKUST’s engineering departments being Cornell University 19 program identifies and supports faculty pursuing research in an endorsement of its world-class faculty, high-impact “This is a terrific development,” said Prof Mounir Hamdi, Chair HKUST 28 areas of mutual interest internationally, with two rounds of Professor and Head of the Computer Science and Engineering research, outstanding students, and state-of-the-art facilities. funding held annually. In the Q4 2010 round, Google University of British Columbia 30 Department. “The founding of such a prestigious journal is a Other strong HKUST subject rankings included 42nd in Civil & supported 112 awards across 20 different subject areas, Purdue University 32 clear indication of the great research stature of Prof Yang and Structural Engineering, ahead of University of Bristol (47th) totaling more than US$6 million. Hong Kong received a total Tsinghua University 40 our department as a whole.” and Texas A&M University (51-100th); 44th in Mechanical, of five awards and one joint award putting it among the top The first four issues of the journal are available at regions to gain awards, along with the US, UK and Germany. http://tist.acm.org/publications.html. Academics from 14 regions in total gained funding, with around 65% of the awards going to researchers in the US. Agreement Signed for Joint PhD Program

Expanding the School of Engineering (SENG)’s international School agreed a joint PhD program with Korea Advanced Transforming Video Technology network and visibility further, a joint PhD degree program is Institute of Science and Technology, a major research Prof Bing Zeng, Electronic and published over the past three years is selected to receive the to be established under an exciting academic and research institution in Korea. Computer Engineering, and his 2010 Best Paper Award. It was the first time since the journal’s collaboration agreement between the School and the College PhD graduate Dr Jingjing Fu, now launch in 1991 that the honor had been awarded to a Hong of Engineering at Pohang University of Science and Technology working at Microsoft Research Asia, Kong professor and his student for work completely carried (POSTECH) in Korea. have been selected to receive the out in Hong Kong. In his paper, he lays down the fundamental The four-year HKUST/POSTECH program will require 2011 IEEE Transactions on Circuits and framework for the breakthrough transformation that has been students to spend two years at each university, providing Systems for Video Technology – Best widely used in many image and video coding applications. exposure to the research environment in two leading Paper Award for their paper With the same paper, Prof Zeng also won the Best Paper Award Asia-Pacific institutions and boosting students’ “Directional Discrete Cosine at the IEEE International Symposium on Circuits and Systems competitive edge. Every student will also have two faculty Transforms: A New Framework for Image Coding”. The IEEE 2011, held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The symposium is the world’s advisors, one from each institution. The universities are journal is widely recognized as the best in the area of video premier networking forum of leading researchers in the highly seeking to admit the first cohort in Fall 2012. technology. About 200 papers are published every year, active fields of theory, design and implementation of circuits and with an acceptance rate of about 17%. Each year, one paper The agreement marks another successful collaboration systems. with a top Korean university for SENG. In 2009, the

06 07

Academic Excellence Academic Excellence

Princeton Exchange Expands Leading Academy Faculty Honors, Research Opportunities for Undergraduates Recognizes IELM Head Awards and Achievements

In a pioneering move, HKUST has become the first Prof Vincent Poor, Dean of the School of Engineering and In recognition of his ■ Prof Oscar Au, Electronic and university in Asia to enter into an undergraduate summer Applied Science at Princeton, also welcomed the move. outstanding contributions Computer Engineering, and his team research exchange partnership in engineering with “We are very pleased to establish a partnership with over the years, Prof Fugee are among the few university teams Princeton University. HKUST Engineering School to jointly advance the levels of Tsung, Head of Industrial contributing to the competitive Joint distinction in discovery and transmission of knowledge and Engineering and Logistics Collaborative Team on Video Coding The two-way summer exchange agreement will see School understanding through this research exchange program,” he Management, has been (JCTVC), which is developing the of Engineering (SENG) students spend eight weeks at the said. elected an Academician of next-generation video coding Ivy League institution where they will engage in research the International Academy standard. Prof Au’s team has had three proposals with faculty members on designated projects. Princeton for Quality (IAQ). The accepted into the High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC) students will undertake research with HKUST academics academy is the most standard’s working draft. The first proposal on chroma and professional research teams from Hong Kong Applied prestigious international entropy coding was accepted at the Daegu (Korea) Science and Technology Research Institute (ASTRI). organization in its field. It meeting in January 2011. The second and third The arrangement is especially notable as Princeton has less comprises peer-nominated proposals were on sub-LCU Qp representation and than 10 institutional partners for reciprocal exchange members who admit individuals identified as global thought dQP calculation method respectively and were accepted worldwide. In combining hands-on research experience leaders in quality-related issues. at the Geneva meeting in March 2011. The HEVC standard will be finalized in mid 2013. with international exchange, the program also offers a Prof Tsung is only the second in Hong Kong and one of just different form of study abroad experience for SENG six academicians in Greater China to receive the accolade. ■ Prof Mansun Chan, Electronic and students. His research focuses on quality control and the Computer Engineering, and his team Dean of Engineering Prof Khaled Ben Letaief said that improvement of complex systems in both the manufacturing won a 2009 Shenzhen City Technology SENG was committed to providing an outstanding and service sectors. Prof Tsung has also taken up many Innovation Award from the Shenzhen undergraduate education that produced global leadership positions, including Regional Vice-President (Asia) Science and Technology Association citizens. “We are therefore very excited about this of the Institute of Industrial Engineers (IIE), and helped to with the project “New Generation initiative which will not only allow our students to raise wider awareness of quality techniques in the region. Nano-CMOS Device Model Research acquire an international outlook but will further Showing the growing attention now being paid to the area and Verification for SOC Design”. The project was develop their appreciation of research.” in Greater China, the Asian Network for Quality 2012 undertaken with Peking University Shenzhen Graduate Congress will be held at HKUST. Around 500 quality School. professionals from Asia are expected to attend. ■ Prof Albert Chung, Computer Engineering Program, Prof Sunghun Kim, Computer Science and Engineering, Prof Ergonomics Expert Lambros Katafygiotis, Civil and Environmental Engineering, First Choice Again for PhD Engineering Fellows and Prof Henry Lam, Chemical and Biomolecular Elected Fellow Engineering, have been named among HKUST’s 2010 Best The School of Engineering (SENG) continues to be the first The commitment and cutting-edge research of SENG’s Ten Lecturers in the annual awards event organized by choice for high-flying Hong Kong, Mainland China and world-class academics in different engineering fields are Prof Richard So, Industrial VERTEX, House II Students Association. The independent overseas engineering students admitted under the Hong among the School’s top attractions for the next generation Engineering and Logistics student initiative allows those studying at HKUST to show Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme, offered by the Research of leading researchers, according to Dean of Engineering Management, has been their appreciation of lecturers’ work and give them a vote Grants Council (RGC). Prof Khaled Ben Letaief. “With top-notch teaching, elected a Fellow of the of thanks. It was the 14th year the event had been pioneering research projects and state-of-the-art facilities, I Institute of Ergonomics and organized. In May, the RGC announced that 123 elite PhD students am sure awardees can maximize their potential here,” he Human Factors for his from around 20 countries/regions had accepted offers for ■ Prof Pascale Fung, Electronic and said. significant contributions to 2011/12, with a total of 22 awardees electing to study at Computer Engineering, and her team ergonomics. Established in SENG. This was equivalent to 44% of the total fellows The PhD Fellowship Scheme was launched by the RGC to received a Second Class Prize in the 1949, the Institute is the admitted to all engineering disciplines in Hong Kong. attract the best and brightest students from around the Shenzhen/Hong Kong Technology oldest professional society in world to study and carry out research in University Grants Innovation Competition 2010 for their The RGC’s PhD scheme is now in its second year and for the field and aims to promote Committee-funded institutions in Hong Kong. A total of ITF/APAS project on a 3G automotive both years SENG has drawn the highest number of public awareness of 4,024 applications from 103 countries/regions were received infotainment system. HKUST was the engineering awardees in Hong Kong. It also represents more ergonomics and its applications. Prof So has also been invited in the 2011/12 round. only Hong Kong institution, academic or private, to win than two-thirds of the total 32 students admitted to Schools to become editor in the area of Human Factors for Displays, a prize that year. at HKUST under the 2011/12 intake. an international journal focusing on research related to vision and displays.

08 09

Academic Excellence Beyond Labs & Lectures

■ Associate Dean of Engineering Prof ■ Research by Prof Yi-Kuen Lee, Jang Kyo Kim, Mechanical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, on has been elected editor of Composite “Super-hydrophobic Surface with The Rise of Part A, one of the most prestigious Nano-flowers on Silicon” has been journals in the field. Prof Kim has been published on the Chinese International HKUST ROBOTICS serving on the journal's editorial board NEMS Network website and become for seven years, as well as being on the one of its most frequently viewed editorial boards of seven other international journals articles. Prof Lee has also published a A robot addressed an amazed audience at HKUST on April 12, giving an 11-minute related to areas of advanced materials and composites. paper, in collaboration with Prof Hsian-Rong Tseng at presentation at the HKUST 20th Anniversary Program Parade presented by the UCLA, on the development of the 2nd generation ■ For the second consecutive year, Prof School of Engineering (SENG). The NAO robot, recently acquired for training microfluidic circulating tumor cells (CTCs) capture Sunghun Kim, Computer Science and purposes, had been successfully programmed to give the entertaining introduction by technology which was chosen as the cover of Engineering, has been selected to members of HKUST’s Robotics Team, all of whom come from SENG. Angewandte Chemie International Edition (Mar 21, 2011 receive a highly competitive Software issue). The paper, “Highly Efficient Capture of Circulating HKUST’s Robotics Team stems from students’ successful participation in the annual Engineering Innovation Foundation Tumor Cells Using Nanostructured Silicon Substrates Robocon contest, which began in 2004. The 2011 team comprises 70 students from (SEIF) Award from Microsoft with Integrated Chaotic Micromixers” has also been Hong Kong, Mainland China and overseas, with representatives from all of the School’s Research. His proposal, “GATE: highlighted in Nature Medicine (Mar 2011 issue). departments. This marks a 75% increase on 2010 and shows the enthusiasm for this Game-based Automatic Testing Environment”, was the type of learning experience outside the regular curriculum. Altogether around 150 only one selected from Asia and among just 10 ■ Prof Wai Ho Mow, Computer Engineering SENG students signed up to participate before the Robotics Team selection was made. worldwide that were chosen from 88 study proposals in Program, has been awarded a 2010/11 Photo Credit: Sing Tao Daily 2011. The proposal will be supported by a grant of grant from the Overseas and Hong Kong, In order for more students to participate in external competitions, Robotics Team mem- US$35,000 for a year. SEIF is open to universities and Macau Young Scholars Collaborative bers have now been divided into four groups, with each taking part in one of four major research institutions worldwide and receives proposals Research Fund, set up by the National events. These are the Robocon Hong Kong Contest and three new ones, the Remotely of the highest standards. Selection criteria include the Natural Science Foundation of China, for Operated Vehicles (ROV) Competition featuring underwater robots, the Smart Car project’s impact on the software engineering community, his project “Optimal Training Sequence Competition, and NAO RoboCup. potential for wide dissemination and use of the Design and Low-Complexity Estimation/Decoding Methods To celebrate the formation of the Robotics Team, senior administrators of the University, intellectual property created, ability to complete the for Multiple-Antenna Wireless Communications”. The including President Prof F Tony Chan, presented team flags to the individual groups at project, as well as the qualifications of the principal research is being carried out in collaboration with Southwest the Program Parade. Members of the Robotics Team also took a pledge to participate in investigator. Jiaotong University in Sichuan. the contests in a competitive but sporting manner.

■ Prof Chung Yee Lee and Prof Ajay ■ A co-authored poster by Prof Hui He A few days before the Program Parade, the ROV team got off to a flying start by per- Joneja, Industrial Engineering and Qiu, Mechanical Engineering, entitled forming excellently in the Hong Kong Underwater Robot Challenge, a qualification Robots Perform Lion Dance Logistics Management, have been “Drastic Enhancement of Boiling Heat examination for the international competition. With this success, they represented Hong awarded a research grant from the Transfer with Micro- and Nano- Kong in the ROV international competition at NASA Johnson Space Center in Houston at Grand Celebration Innovation and Technology Fund for Engineering of Surface Wettability”, won in June and won the Design Elegance Award, which was judged by the aesthetics, sim- Two NAO robots also made a memo- their project “Integrated Decision the Honorable Mention-ASME Best plicity and functionality of the vehicle’s design. Grateful to the Robotics Team’s logistics rable appearance at HKUST’s Grand Support System for Dynamic Poster Award at the Micro & partner, DHL Express, for providing logistics consultation and sponsoring the air express Celebration commemorating the Vehicle-Dispatching and Scheduling with Real-time Nanotechnology Society-Wide Forum at the 2010 transportation of over 85kg. With DHL’s professional help on shipping the sophisticated University’s 20th Anniversary on April 8. Information under Operation Uncertainty”. The project American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) and delicate underwater robot machines, the robot has been safely and efficiently deliv- The robots, programmed by HKUST seeks to develop an integrated information technology International Mechanical Engineering Congress & ered between Hong Kong and Houston. Robotics Team members, performed an platform for passenger transport in real-time operation Exposition in Vancouver. The Robotics Team is supervised by Prof Zexiang Li and Prof Tim Woo, both from the impressive lion dance at the event. and information exchange to reduce operation costs ■ Prof Jiang Xu, Electronic and Electronic and Computer Engineering Department. and improve efficiency. Computer Engineering, has been selected by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Computer Society as a Distinguished Visitor. Under the society’s Distinguished Visitors Program, first-quality speakers from among its membership share the latest insights in different areas of the field with professional and student chapters of the society in different locations.

10 11 Snapshot Engineering

Newsletter No.20 Summer 2011

The Miracle Continues School of Engineering Celebrates HKUST’s th Anniversary

Calendar of Events September 24-25, 2011 December 2011 HKUST Information Day HKUST Engineering Day HKUST Campus HKUST Campus October 14-23, 2011 December 8-11, 2011 HKUST “Bring Technology to Community” Exhibition The 3rd International Symposium on Plasticity and Impact Hong Kong Science Museum HKUST Clear Water Bay Campus (Dec 8-10) and HKUST Fok Ying Tung Graduate School, Nansha Campus (Dec 10-11) The above events are subject to change without prior notice.

Don't be the Missing Link ... Editors: Diana Liu, Dorothy Yip Alumni relationships are invaluable assets to the School and Contributing Editor: Sally Course alumni. To foster the growth of our alumni network, please Address: School of Engineering keep us informed of your recent news and send us your The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology updated contact information via email to [email protected]. Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong Stay connected and keep in touch! Phone: (852) 2358-5917 Fax: (852) 2358-1458 Email: [email protected] Website: www.seng.ust.hk Facebook: www.facebook.com/SENG.HKUST PTC-G14143 24

Dean's Message New Appointments Research

2011 marks another milestone in the history of HKUST as the technology play in making the world a better place, from Concurrent Prof Ben Letaief Honored as University reaches its 20th year, and the School of Engineering improved healthcare to more efficient buildings and bridges to ■ Prof Mordecai Golin (SENG) is fully playing its part in commemorating the new consumer electronic breakthroughs. ISI Highly Cited Researcher occasion. In the different Anniversary activities the School is Professor, Computer As we look toward HKUST’s next 20 years, SENG intends to Prof Khaled Ben Letaief, Dean of organizing throughout the year, we have set out to recognize Science and Engineering continue to push forward in its research and education Engineering, gained further and include all the different people who contribute to making achievements. We are already drawing together faculty on Appointed Associate recognition as an international SENG such a success. interdisciplinary endeavors and theme-based research to Vice-President for leader in his field by being Postgraduate Studies, Faculty members have helped us to become globally tackle some of the world’s biggest challenges, such as energy honored and selected as ISI Highly HKUST renowned through their outstanding research and innovations, and the environment. We are rapidly moving forward with our Cited Researcher by Thomson and the honors and achievements they have received. They education of 21st century engineers as we look forward to ■ Prof Mitchell Tseng Reuters in the field of Computer Science and Engineering. have also trained our students to become relevant, achieving, the four-year undergraduate degree system in Hong Kong in Chair Professor, Industrial participating members of society. As a result, our students 2012 and the opportunities it will bring. A wider view will also Engineering and Logistics Honoring the fundamental have gone out into society and shown how a HKUST be enhanced by our ongoing move toward diversity among Management contributions made in 21 broad subject categories in life sciences, education can provide the formative, all-round experience to our students, looking to draw the best talents from around Appointed Associate medicine, physical sciences, engineering and social sciences, ISI Highly generate innovative entrepreneurs and leaders in industry, the world to generate a global hub of ideas and links that will Vice-President for Cited Researchers are individuals who are the most highly cited in business and government. benefit all who study at SENG. These are our goals, and with Research and Innovation, their fields and inclusion in this list is taken as a measure of the esteem the momentum of all the people who have contributed in the The Hong Kong community has provided the foundation for HKUST of these scientific researchers and is used, for example, by the past and will do so in the future, they are ones I believe we Academic Ranking of World Universities. our student body and constantly supported us while we in ■ will achieve. Prof Lionel Ni turn have worked together with community members, from Prof Ben Letaief joins an elite club of less than half of 1% of all Chair Professor, Computer schools to industries, to let people know about the impact of published researchers in the world who are recognized among the Science and Engineering engineering and how it can move Hong Kong forward. Our 250 top and most-cited researchers in a defined discipline within a alumni have been our proud ambassadors out in the world, Appointed Dean of HKUST specific time-period. Prof Ben Letaief is a Fellow of IEEE and is while on campus we have sought to generate opportunities to Fok Ying Tung Graduate currently serving as the Vice-President of the IEEE Communications School work together with fellow members of HKUST. Society. He is also the recipient of many other international Prof Khaled Ben Letaief In SENG’s 20th Anniversary celebrations, our activities distinguished awards including the prestigious IEEE Marconi Prize Dean of Engineering Award in Wireless Communications. therefore encompass all these groups. And as this issue of In Visiting Faculty Focus shows, the events – ranging from top international ■ Prof Koon Fung Lam conferences on engineering education and the future of Wireless Project Receives Top Honor innovation to a fun day on campus for alumni and their Assistant Professor, Chemical and Biomolecular families – provide powerful recognition of what we have Engineering in MOE Natural Science Awards accomplished to date. Global interaction at the highest levels, PhD – The Hong Kong University of Science and Prof Lionel Ni, Prof Yunhao Liu and Mr Mo Li, Computer Science and community engagement, SENG family spirit, and campus Technology Engineering, received a prestigious First Class honor in the Ministry of connectivity, all are part of SENG’s sterling record of ■ Prof Matthew Law Education (MOE) Awards for Research Excellence in Natural Sciences achievement. for their cutting-edge project on “Range-free Localization and Assistant Professor, Electronic and Computer Indeed, as the largest School at HKUST, with the highest Localizability for Wireless Network and IOT: Theory and Practice”. The Engineering number of undergraduates, graduates and faculty, and the award was one of five secured by HKUST in this category, the largest most comprehensive within the PhD – The Hong Kong University of Science and number among tertiary institutions in Hong Kong. The natural science engineering field in Hong Kong, SENG Technology award targets tertiary institutions in China and recognizes those who has a pivotal role to play in raising ■ Prof Yue Wang have made discoveries in basic and applied research or explained natural awareness about the essential role phenomenon or characteristics through scientific research. Assistant Professor, Industrial Engineering and that engineers play in improving our Logistics Management Profs Ni and Liu’s wireless project led to the design of one of the lives. Our consistently high global rankings world’s earliest range-free localization and localizability systems using PhD – The Hong Kong University of Science and show that we are being successful in RFID; and found a solution to the problem of accurately obtaining Technology contributing to major achievements in the real-time object locations in field. We also want to ensure people a wireless sensor network outside the engineering field recognize and the Internet of Things. how central a role innovation and

Photo Credit: Beijing-Hong Kong Academic Exchange Centre

02 03

Research Research

SENG Research Excellence Awards Research Excellence Award Young Investigator Research Award Prof Qian Zhang Prof Matthew McKay The launch of the School of Engineering Research Excellence Computer Science and Engineering Electronic and Computer Engineering Awards recognizes the impact and contributions of the School’s faculty members and provides an inspiring tribute to the Prof Zhang, a PhD graduate of Prof McKay has established an world-class work being carried out at HKUST. In Focus Wuhan University and previously exceptional research record for a with Microsoft Research Asia, Beijing, junior faculty member, helping him to showcases the four inaugural winners. is internationally known for the become the first winner of this award outstanding quality of her research which recognizes the achievements of in mobile multimedia communication a rising star with potential for future Distinguished Research Excellence Award IEEE Fellow, a Fellow of the Society for Information Display and advanced wireless networking. leadership. , and an Elected Member of the Asia-Pacific Academy of Prof Hoi Sing Kwok Materials, among others. She gained early recognition for her work on resource alloca- Joining HKUST in 2007 after receiving his PhD at the University Electronic and Computer tion, streaming protocol and cross-layer QoS support for mul- of Sydney in Australia, Prof McKay is making strong contributions Engineering Research Excellence Award timedia streaming, which has been frequently cited. to the fundamental understanding and design of advanced signal Dr William MW Mong Chair processing methods for wireless communications. He has Prof Guohua Chen Prof Zhang was the first to propose an end-system based Professor of Nanotechnology published over 40 journal papers and received 400 citations. Chemical and Biomolecular mobility solution for heterogeneous wireless networks and Prof Kwok has become the first Engineering has made notable contributions in the area of wireless sensor One of his main areas of interest is applications of random winner of the top Research networks. In recent years, she has made pioneering advances matrix theory to signal processing and information theory. He Prof Chen has been a major Excellence Award, which honors a in cognitive and cooperative wireless networks, an emerging has become well known for being able to characterize the contributor to two key research distinguished engineering faculty member with exceptional research area. This includes opening up a new research direction achievable capacity limits of multi-channel communication areas, the drying of high-value research achievements and significant impact locally and for cognitive radio networks by utilizing cooperative relay to systems using his random matrix theory. Through his results, for products and electrochemical globally. improve the transmission diversity and correspondingly the example, the data rate of mobile telephones and WiFi can be technologies for industrial spectrum efficiency. improved. The pioneering academic was cited for his contributions to the wastewater treatment. He has also gained acclaim for the field of display technologies, an area where he has enjoyed major application of nanotechnologies to environmental protection. Among earlier accolades, she was named among the World’s Showing the global recognition he is receiving, Prof McKay was achievements since 1992, the year he joined HKUST. A Harvard Top Young Innovators in the MIT Technology Review 100 in 2004 awarded the 2011 Stephen O. Rice Prize in the Field of Such achievements have secured him this award, which PhD graduate in Applied Physics, Prof Kwok has received 58 and received the Overseas Young Investigator Award from the Communications Theory from the IEEE Communications Society. recognizes an outstanding faculty member with a proven patents, with another 30 under review, and produced over 500 National Natural Science Foundation of China in 2006. This highly regarded award is given annually for the best paper record of research excellence. refereed publications on display-related research, achieving an published in IEEE Transactions on Communications in the previous Prof Zhang, who joined HKUST in 2005, has published over outstanding H-index citation rate of 40. As an example of the impact of his work, the electrochemical three years. The paper was co-authored by Shi Jin, Xiqi Gao and 200 refereed papers in top journals and international technologies developed in his laboratory have been evaluated Iain B. Collings. During his productive career, Prof Kwok has been actively conferences and is the inventor of around 30 pending as the most likely technology to deal with the remediation of engaged in both fundamental and applied research. The international patents. She is also an active leader in her He gained a 2010 Young Author Best Paper Award from the IEEE oily wastewaters, being cited in MIT Technology Review as the development of silicon micro-displays and the technology department at HKUST and has high visibility in the professional Signal Processing Society with a paper co-authored with his PhD future option of restaurant wastewater treatment. The Hong transfer of active-matrix organic light-emitting diode (OLED) community. student Liang Sun, and Shi Jin. He also received Best Paper Kong Environmental Conservation Fund granted research displays are key developments. “He is a true-blue academic of Awards at the IEEE International Conference on Communica- funding to build a pilot plant and excellent results have been She is co-director of Huawei-HKUST Innovation Lab and the HKUST, with all his work created here,” said Prof Ross Murch, tions 2011 and the IEEE Global Communications Conference obtained to date. director of the Digital Life Research Center at HKUST. Head of Electronic and Computer Engineering. 2010. Prof Chen, who earned his PhD at McGill University and After his arrival at HKUST, Prof Kwok spotted the industrial Prof McKay has also taken a pro-active role in establishing joined HKUST in the mid-1990s, has published over 120 need for liquid crystal display technology and built up a collaborations with international experts and promoting research journal papers and shared his knowledge through active research program. He has pioneered the development of low excellence among his students. temperature polycrystalline silicon (LTPS) thin-film transistors participation in international conferences and workshops. He has been an editor of Separation and Purification Technology, a (TFT) for high resolution active-matrix displays, among many Selecting the Winners other successful technology breakthroughs. top journal in the field of chemical engineering and is an International Advisory Panel Member of the World Congress Criteria for selection of awardees included research output, and research achievements recognized by the award were Prof Kwok’s invention of color-filtered liquid-crystal display on of Chemical Engineering. silicon (LCOS) was licensed to Himax Display Inc of Taiwan originality and innovativeness; impact of research output on expected to be for work carried out mainly at HKUST. The high quality of his research training has assisted his society, industry and the relevant engineering disciplines; and the device they produced based on this invention has The Research Awards Selection Committee comprised the postgraduate students in obtaining excellent research output research training provided to students and post-doctoral been incorporated into many products, including the Nikon head or acting head of each of the School of Engineering’s and careers. Bachelor degree students have gained the benefit researchers; and their leadership role in collaboration with PJ1000 digital camera. In addition, inventions related to LTPS six departments and was chaired by Prof Joseph Lee, of Prof Chen’s cutting-edge view of research through his national and international research partners. TFT have been licensed to Sinodisplay Technology Inc to Vice-President for Research and Graduate Studies. Of four commercialize the technology for active-matrix OLED displays. participation in the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program. Nominees had to be excellent researchers over a co-opted members, three were Professors Emeriti and Prof Kwok’s contributions to the field have been recognized sustained period of time – at least the past three years – one a member of the HKUST Institute for Advanced Study. through numerous prestigious professional affiliations. He is an 04 05

Research Academic Excellence

Artificial Intelligence Journal SENG Academics Receive Top-Tier Rankings Globally in Engineering and Technology Subjects

Headquartered at HKUST Google Research Awards HKUST has maintained its remarkable global presence in Aeronautical & Manufacturing, ahead of Korea Advanced In a significant boost for HKUST’s Three Computer Science and engineering and technology in a new set of academic subject Institute of Science & Technology (KAIST) (49th) and international presence and Hong Kong’s Engineering faculty members have rankings released in April. According to the 2011 QS World University of Wisconsin-Madison (51-100th); and 51-100th in drive to become an academic hub, the had their cutting-edge studies University Rankings by Subject - Engineering and Technology, Chemical Engineering. University has become the recognized, with each receiving a the first time these tables have been published, HKUST was ranked No.1 in Greater China in Computer Science & headquarters for a prestigious Google Research Award from the 2011 QS World University Rankings - Computer Science & new journal focusing on global internet search giant. This was Information Systems and No.1 in Hong Kong in Mechanical, Information Systems Rankings Aeronautical & Manufacturing. artificial intelligence. the highest number of awards Institution World Ranking granted to academics at a single ACM Transactions on In the Computer Science & Information Systems category, university in Hong Kong in the Massachusetts Institute of Technology 1 Intelligent Systems and HKUST was placed 26th. This ranking is in line with the funding round results released in Q4 University of California, Los Angeles 8 Technology is being led by Computer Science and Engineering Department’s ranking at 2010. Columbia University 17 founding editor-in-chief Prof 26th in the world and 1st in Greater China in the Academic HKUST 26 Qiang Yang, Computer Science and Engineering, an IEEE Fellow, Prof Chi Keung Tang, Prof Sunghun Ranking of World Universities (ARWU) league table produced and a specialist in data mining and artificial intelligence. ACM, or Kim and Prof Ke Yi received by Shanghai Jiao Tong University in 2010. The Electronic and Purdue University 29 the Association for Computing Machinery, is one of the two funding for their studies in Computer Engineering Department was globally placed 28th. The University of Tokyo 35 largest and most authoritative computing associations globally, “Quasi-Dense 3D Reconstruction Dean of Engineering Prof Khaled Ben Letaief said he was Tsinghua University 43 together with the IEEE. from 2D Uncalibrated Photos” delighted to see that the School of Engineering was continuing (geo/maps), “Crash Reproduction” The new journal aims to promote multi-disciplinary artificial to excel in international rankings. “We shall strive toward (software engineering) and 2011 QS World University Rankings - Electrical and Electronic intelligence research, with topics ranging from computational making even greater impact on the world with our first-rate “Computing Statistical Summaries Engineering Rankings sustainability to computational social and cultural dynamics. education and research now and in the future,” he said. with MapReduce” (information Papers started to be accepted at the beginning of 2010 and an A total of five subject areas in engineering and technology Institution World Ranking retrieval, extraction and inaugural issue was published in October 2010. An impressive were covered in the QS rankings. Ranking indicators include organization) respectively. Massachusetts Institute of Technology 1 400 submissions were received from around the world during academic reputation, employer reputation and citations, with Princeton University 12 its first year, including top institutions such as MIT and Stanford. The Google Research Awards the high rankings of HKUST’s engineering departments being Cornell University 19 program identifies and supports faculty pursuing research in an endorsement of its world-class faculty, high-impact “This is a terrific development,” said Prof Mounir Hamdi, Chair HKUST 28 areas of mutual interest internationally, with two rounds of Professor and Head of the Computer Science and Engineering research, outstanding students, and state-of-the-art facilities. funding held annually. In the Q4 2010 round, Google University of British Columbia 30 Department. “The founding of such a prestigious journal is a Other strong HKUST subject rankings included 42nd in Civil & supported 112 awards across 20 different subject areas, Purdue University 32 clear indication of the great research stature of Prof Yang and Structural Engineering, ahead of University of Bristol (47th) totaling more than US$6 million. Hong Kong received a total Tsinghua University 40 our department as a whole.” and Texas A&M University (51-100th); 44th in Mechanical, of five awards and one joint award putting it among the top The first four issues of the journal are available at regions to gain awards, along with the US, UK and Germany. http://tist.acm.org/publications.html. Academics from 14 regions in total gained funding, with around 65% of the awards going to researchers in the US. Agreement Signed for Joint PhD Program

Expanding the School of Engineering (SENG)’s international School agreed a joint PhD program with Korea Advanced Transforming Video Technology network and visibility further, a joint PhD degree program is Institute of Science and Technology, a major research Prof Bing Zeng, Electronic and published over the past three years is selected to receive the to be established under an exciting academic and research institution in Korea. Computer Engineering, and his 2010 Best Paper Award. It was the first time since the journal’s collaboration agreement between the School and the College PhD graduate Dr Jingjing Fu, now launch in 1991 that the honor had been awarded to a Hong of Engineering at Pohang University of Science and Technology working at Microsoft Research Asia, Kong professor and his student for work completely carried (POSTECH) in Korea. have been selected to receive the out in Hong Kong. In his paper, he lays down the fundamental The four-year HKUST/POSTECH program will require 2011 IEEE Transactions on Circuits and framework for the breakthrough transformation that has been students to spend two years at each university, providing Systems for Video Technology – Best widely used in many image and video coding applications. exposure to the research environment in two leading Paper Award for their paper With the same paper, Prof Zeng also won the Best Paper Award Asia-Pacific institutions and boosting students’ “Directional Discrete Cosine at the IEEE International Symposium on Circuits and Systems competitive edge. Every student will also have two faculty Transforms: A New Framework for Image Coding”. The IEEE 2011, held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The symposium is the world’s advisors, one from each institution. The universities are journal is widely recognized as the best in the area of video premier networking forum of leading researchers in the highly seeking to admit the first cohort in Fall 2012. technology. About 200 papers are published every year, active fields of theory, design and implementation of circuits and with an acceptance rate of about 17%. Each year, one paper The agreement marks another successful collaboration systems. with a top Korean university for SENG. In 2009, the

06 07

Academic Excellence Academic Excellence

Princeton Exchange Expands Leading Academy Faculty Honors, Research Opportunities for Undergraduates Recognizes IELM Head Awards and Achievements

In a pioneering move, HKUST has become the first Prof Vincent Poor, Dean of the School of Engineering and In recognition of his ■ Prof Oscar Au, Electronic and university in Asia to enter into an undergraduate summer Applied Science at Princeton, also welcomed the move. outstanding contributions Computer Engineering, and his team research exchange partnership in engineering with “We are very pleased to establish a partnership with over the years, Prof Fugee are among the few university teams Princeton University. HKUST Engineering School to jointly advance the levels of Tsung, Head of Industrial contributing to the competitive Joint distinction in discovery and transmission of knowledge and Engineering and Logistics Collaborative Team on Video Coding The two-way summer exchange agreement will see School understanding through this research exchange program,” he Management, has been (JCTVC), which is developing the of Engineering (SENG) students spend eight weeks at the said. elected an Academician of next-generation video coding Ivy League institution where they will engage in research the International Academy standard. Prof Au’s team has had three proposals with faculty members on designated projects. Princeton for Quality (IAQ). The accepted into the High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC) students will undertake research with HKUST academics academy is the most standard’s working draft. The first proposal on chroma and professional research teams from Hong Kong Applied prestigious international entropy coding was accepted at the Daegu (Korea) Science and Technology Research Institute (ASTRI). organization in its field. It meeting in January 2011. The second and third The arrangement is especially notable as Princeton has less comprises peer-nominated proposals were on sub-LCU Qp representation and than 10 institutional partners for reciprocal exchange members who admit individuals identified as global thought dQP calculation method respectively and were accepted worldwide. In combining hands-on research experience leaders in quality-related issues. at the Geneva meeting in March 2011. The HEVC standard will be finalized in mid 2013. with international exchange, the program also offers a Prof Tsung is only the second in Hong Kong and one of just different form of study abroad experience for SENG six academicians in Greater China to receive the accolade. ■ Prof Mansun Chan, Electronic and students. His research focuses on quality control and the Computer Engineering, and his team Dean of Engineering Prof Khaled Ben Letaief said that improvement of complex systems in both the manufacturing won a 2009 Shenzhen City Technology SENG was committed to providing an outstanding and service sectors. Prof Tsung has also taken up many Innovation Award from the Shenzhen undergraduate education that produced global leadership positions, including Regional Vice-President (Asia) Science and Technology Association citizens. “We are therefore very excited about this of the Institute of Industrial Engineers (IIE), and helped to with the project “New Generation initiative which will not only allow our students to raise wider awareness of quality techniques in the region. Nano-CMOS Device Model Research acquire an international outlook but will further Showing the growing attention now being paid to the area and Verification for SOC Design”. The project was develop their appreciation of research.” in Greater China, the Asian Network for Quality 2012 undertaken with Peking University Shenzhen Graduate Congress will be held at HKUST. Around 500 quality School. professionals from Asia are expected to attend. ■ Prof Albert Chung, Computer Engineering Program, Prof Sunghun Kim, Computer Science and Engineering, Prof Ergonomics Expert Lambros Katafygiotis, Civil and Environmental Engineering, First Choice Again for PhD Engineering Fellows and Prof Henry Lam, Chemical and Biomolecular Elected Fellow Engineering, have been named among HKUST’s 2010 Best The School of Engineering (SENG) continues to be the first The commitment and cutting-edge research of SENG’s Ten Lecturers in the annual awards event organized by choice for high-flying Hong Kong, Mainland China and world-class academics in different engineering fields are Prof Richard So, Industrial VERTEX, House II Students Association. The independent overseas engineering students admitted under the Hong among the School’s top attractions for the next generation Engineering and Logistics student initiative allows those studying at HKUST to show Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme, offered by the Research of leading researchers, according to Dean of Engineering Management, has been their appreciation of lecturers’ work and give them a vote Grants Council (RGC). Prof Khaled Ben Letaief. “With top-notch teaching, elected a Fellow of the of thanks. It was the 14th year the event had been pioneering research projects and state-of-the-art facilities, I Institute of Ergonomics and organized. In May, the RGC announced that 123 elite PhD students am sure awardees can maximize their potential here,” he Human Factors for his from around 20 countries/regions had accepted offers for ■ Prof Pascale Fung, Electronic and said. significant contributions to 2011/12, with a total of 22 awardees electing to study at Computer Engineering, and her team ergonomics. Established in SENG. This was equivalent to 44% of the total fellows The PhD Fellowship Scheme was launched by the RGC to received a Second Class Prize in the 1949, the Institute is the admitted to all engineering disciplines in Hong Kong. attract the best and brightest students from around the Shenzhen/Hong Kong Technology oldest professional society in world to study and carry out research in University Grants Innovation Competition 2010 for their The RGC’s PhD scheme is now in its second year and for the field and aims to promote Committee-funded institutions in Hong Kong. A total of ITF/APAS project on a 3G automotive both years SENG has drawn the highest number of public awareness of 4,024 applications from 103 countries/regions were received infotainment system. HKUST was the engineering awardees in Hong Kong. It also represents more ergonomics and its applications. Prof So has also been invited in the 2011/12 round. only Hong Kong institution, academic or private, to win than two-thirds of the total 32 students admitted to Schools to become editor in the area of Human Factors for Displays, a prize that year. at HKUST under the 2011/12 intake. an international journal focusing on research related to vision and displays.

08 09

Academic Excellence Beyond Labs & Lectures

■ Associate Dean of Engineering Prof ■ Research by Prof Yi-Kuen Lee, Jang Kyo Kim, Mechanical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, on has been elected editor of Composite “Super-hydrophobic Surface with The Rise of Part A, one of the most prestigious Nano-flowers on Silicon” has been journals in the field. Prof Kim has been published on the Chinese International HKUST ROBOTICS serving on the journal's editorial board NEMS Network website and become for seven years, as well as being on the one of its most frequently viewed editorial boards of seven other international journals articles. Prof Lee has also published a A robot addressed an amazed audience at HKUST on April 12, giving an 11-minute related to areas of advanced materials and composites. paper, in collaboration with Prof Hsian-Rong Tseng at presentation at the HKUST 20th Anniversary Program Parade presented by the UCLA, on the development of the 2nd generation ■ For the second consecutive year, Prof School of Engineering (SENG). The NAO robot, recently acquired for training microfluidic circulating tumor cells (CTCs) capture Sunghun Kim, Computer Science and purposes, had been successfully programmed to give the entertaining introduction by technology which was chosen as the cover of Engineering, has been selected to members of HKUST’s Robotics Team, all of whom come from SENG. Angewandte Chemie International Edition (Mar 21, 2011 receive a highly competitive Software issue). The paper, “Highly Efficient Capture of Circulating HKUST’s Robotics Team stems from students’ successful participation in the annual Engineering Innovation Foundation Tumor Cells Using Nanostructured Silicon Substrates Robocon contest, which began in 2004. The 2011 team comprises 70 students from (SEIF) Award from Microsoft with Integrated Chaotic Micromixers” has also been Hong Kong, Mainland China and overseas, with representatives from all of the School’s Research. His proposal, “GATE: highlighted in Nature Medicine (Mar 2011 issue). departments. This marks a 75% increase on 2010 and shows the enthusiasm for this Game-based Automatic Testing Environment”, was the type of learning experience outside the regular curriculum. Altogether around 150 only one selected from Asia and among just 10 ■ Prof Wai Ho Mow, Computer Engineering SENG students signed up to participate before the Robotics Team selection was made. worldwide that were chosen from 88 study proposals in Program, has been awarded a 2010/11 Photo Credit: Sing Tao Daily 2011. The proposal will be supported by a grant of grant from the Overseas and Hong Kong, In order for more students to participate in external competitions, Robotics Team mem- US$35,000 for a year. SEIF is open to universities and Macau Young Scholars Collaborative bers have now been divided into four groups, with each taking part in one of four major research institutions worldwide and receives proposals Research Fund, set up by the National events. These are the Robocon Hong Kong Contest and three new ones, the Remotely of the highest standards. Selection criteria include the Natural Science Foundation of China, for Operated Vehicles (ROV) Competition featuring underwater robots, the Smart Car project’s impact on the software engineering community, his project “Optimal Training Sequence Competition, and NAO RoboCup. potential for wide dissemination and use of the Design and Low-Complexity Estimation/Decoding Methods To celebrate the formation of the Robotics Team, senior administrators of the University, intellectual property created, ability to complete the for Multiple-Antenna Wireless Communications”. The including President Prof Tony F Chan, presented team flags to the individual groups at project, as well as the qualifications of the principal research is being carried out in collaboration with Southwest the Program Parade. Members of the Robotics Team also took a pledge to participate in investigator. Jiaotong University in Sichuan. the contests in a competitive but sporting manner.

■ Prof Chung Yee Lee and Prof Ajay ■ A co-authored poster by Prof Hui He A few days before the Program Parade, the ROV team got off to a flying start by per- Joneja, Industrial Engineering and Qiu, Mechanical Engineering, entitled forming excellently in the Hong Kong Underwater Robot Challenge, a qualification Robots Perform Lion Dance Logistics Management, have been “Drastic Enhancement of Boiling Heat examination for the international competition. With this success, they represented Hong awarded a research grant from the Transfer with Micro- and Nano- Kong in the ROV international competition at NASA Johnson Space Center in Houston at Grand Celebration Innovation and Technology Fund for Engineering of Surface Wettability”, won in June and won the Design Elegance Award, which was judged by the aesthetics, sim- Two NAO robots also made a memo- their project “Integrated Decision the Honorable Mention-ASME Best plicity and functionality of the vehicle’s design. Grateful to the Robotics Team’s logistics rable appearance at HKUST’s Grand Support System for Dynamic Poster Award at the Micro & partner, DHL Express, for providing logistics consultation and sponsoring the air express Celebration commemorating the Vehicle-Dispatching and Scheduling with Real-time Nanotechnology Society-Wide Forum at the 2010 transportation of over 85kg. With DHL’s professional help on shipping the sophisticated University’s 20th Anniversary on April 8. Information under Operation Uncertainty”. The project American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) and delicate underwater robot machines, the robot has been safely and efficiently deliv- The robots, programmed by HKUST seeks to develop an integrated information technology International Mechanical Engineering Congress & ered between Hong Kong and Houston. Robotics Team members, performed an platform for passenger transport in real-time operation Exposition in Vancouver. The Robotics Team is supervised by Prof Zexiang Li and Prof Tim Woo, both from the impressive lion dance at the event. and information exchange to reduce operation costs ■ Prof Jiang Xu, Electronic and Electronic and Computer Engineering Department. and improve efficiency. Computer Engineering, has been selected by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Computer Society as a Distinguished Visitor. Under the society’s Distinguished Visitors Program, first-quality speakers from among its membership share the latest insights in different areas of the field with professional and student chapters of the society in different locations.

10 11 Snapshot Engineering

Newsletter No.20 Summer 2011

The Miracle Continues School of Engineering Celebrates HKUST’s th Anniversary

Calendar of Events September 24-25, 2011 December 2011 HKUST Information Day HKUST Engineering Day HKUST Campus HKUST Campus October 14-23, 2011 December 8-11, 2011 HKUST “Bring Technology to Community” Exhibition The 3rd International Symposium on Plasticity and Impact Hong Kong Science Museum HKUST Clear Water Bay Campus (Dec 8-10) and HKUST Fok Ying Tung Graduate School, Nansha Campus (Dec 10-11) The above events are subject to change without prior notice.

Don't be the Missing Link ... Editors: Diana Liu, Dorothy Yip Alumni relationships are invaluable assets to the School and Contributing Editor: Sally Course alumni. To foster the growth of our alumni network, please Address: School of Engineering keep us informed of your recent news and send us your The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology updated contact information via email to [email protected]. Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong Stay connected and keep in touch! Phone: (852) 2358-5917 Fax: (852) 2358-1458 Email: [email protected] Website: www.seng.ust.hk Facebook: www.facebook.com/SENG.HKUST PTC-G14143 24

Dean's Message New Appointments Research

2011 marks another milestone in the history of HKUST as the technology play in making the world a better place, from Concurrent Prof Ben Letaief Honored as University reaches its 20th year, and the School of Engineering improved healthcare to more efficient buildings and bridges to ■ Prof Mordecai Golin (SENG) is fully playing its part in commemorating the new consumer electronic breakthroughs. ISI Highly Cited Researcher occasion. In the different Anniversary activities the School is Professor, Computer As we look toward HKUST’s next 20 years, SENG intends to Prof Khaled Ben Letaief, Dean of organizing throughout the year, we have set out to recognize Science and Engineering continue to push forward in its research and education Engineering, gained further and include all the different people who contribute to making achievements. We are already drawing together faculty on Appointed Associate recognition as an international SENG such a success. interdisciplinary endeavors and theme-based research to Vice-President for leader in his field by being Postgraduate Studies, Faculty members have helped us to become globally tackle some of the world’s biggest challenges, such as energy honored and selected as ISI Highly HKUST renowned through their outstanding research and innovations, and the environment. We are rapidly moving forward with our Cited Researcher by Thomson and the honors and achievements they have received. They education of 21st century engineers as we look forward to ■ Prof Mitchell Tseng Reuters in the field of Computer Science and Engineering. have also trained our students to become relevant, achieving, the four-year undergraduate degree system in Hong Kong in Chair Professor, Industrial participating members of society. As a result, our students 2012 and the opportunities it will bring. A wider view will also Engineering and Logistics Honoring the fundamental have gone out into society and shown how a HKUST be enhanced by our ongoing move toward diversity among Management contributions made in 21 broad subject categories in life sciences, education can provide the formative, all-round experience to our students, looking to draw the best talents from around Appointed Associate medicine, physical sciences, engineering and social sciences, ISI Highly generate innovative entrepreneurs and leaders in industry, the world to generate a global hub of ideas and links that will Vice-President for Cited Researchers are individuals who are the most highly cited in business and government. benefit all who study at SENG. These are our goals, and with Research and Innovation, their fields and inclusion in this list is taken as a measure of the esteem the momentum of all the people who have contributed in the The Hong Kong community has provided the foundation for HKUST of these scientific researchers and is used, for example, by the past and will do so in the future, they are ones I believe we Academic Ranking of World Universities. our student body and constantly supported us while we in ■ will achieve. Prof Lionel Ni turn have worked together with community members, from Prof Ben Letaief joins an elite club of less than half of 1% of all Chair Professor, Computer schools to industries, to let people know about the impact of published researchers in the world who are recognized among the Science and Engineering engineering and how it can move Hong Kong forward. Our 250 top and most-cited researchers in a defined discipline within a alumni have been our proud ambassadors out in the world, Appointed Dean of HKUST specific time-period. Prof Ben Letaief is a Fellow of IEEE and is while on campus we have sought to generate opportunities to Fok Ying Tung Graduate currently serving as the Vice-President of the IEEE Communications School work together with fellow members of HKUST. Society. He is also the recipient of many other international Prof Khaled Ben Letaief In SENG’s 20th Anniversary celebrations, our activities distinguished awards including the prestigious IEEE Marconi Prize Dean of Engineering Award in Wireless Communications. therefore encompass all these groups. And as this issue of In Visiting Faculty Focus shows, the events – ranging from top international ■ Prof Koon Fung Lam conferences on engineering education and the future of Wireless Project Receives Top Honor innovation to a fun day on campus for alumni and their Assistant Professor, Chemical and Biomolecular families – provide powerful recognition of what we have Engineering in MOE Natural Science Awards accomplished to date. Global interaction at the highest levels, PhD – The Hong Kong University of Science and Prof Lionel Ni, Prof Yunhao Liu and Mr Mo Li, Computer Science and community engagement, SENG family spirit, and campus Technology Engineering, received a prestigious First Class honor in the Ministry of connectivity, all are part of SENG’s sterling record of ■ Prof Matthew Law Education (MOE) Awards for Research Excellence in Natural Sciences achievement. for their cutting-edge project on “Range-free Localization and Assistant Professor, Electronic and Computer Indeed, as the largest School at HKUST, with the highest Localizability for Wireless Network and IOT: Theory and Practice”. The Engineering number of undergraduates, graduates and faculty, and the award was one of five secured by HKUST in this category, the largest most comprehensive within the PhD – The Hong Kong University of Science and number among tertiary institutions in Hong Kong. The natural science engineering field in Hong Kong, SENG Technology award targets tertiary institutions in China and recognizes those who has a pivotal role to play in raising ■ Prof Yue Wang have made discoveries in basic and applied research or explained natural awareness about the essential role phenomenon or characteristics through scientific research. Assistant Professor, Industrial Engineering and that engineers play in improving our Logistics Management Profs Ni and Liu’s wireless project led to the design of one of the lives. Our consistently high global rankings world’s earliest range-free localization and localizability systems using PhD – The Hong Kong University of Science and show that we are being successful in RFID; and found a solution to the problem of accurately obtaining Technology contributing to major achievements in the real-time object locations in field. We also want to ensure people a wireless sensor network outside the engineering field recognize and the Internet of Things. how central a role innovation and

Photo Credit: Beijing-Hong Kong Academic Exchange Centre

02 03

Research Research

SENG Research Excellence Awards Research Excellence Award Young Investigator Research Award Prof Qian Zhang Prof Matthew McKay The launch of the School of Engineering Research Excellence Computer Science and Engineering Electronic and Computer Engineering Awards recognizes the impact and contributions of the School’s faculty members and provides an inspiring tribute to the Prof Zhang, a PhD graduate of Prof McKay has established an world-class work being carried out at HKUST. In Focus Wuhan University and previously exceptional research record for a with Microsoft Research Asia, Beijing, junior faculty member, helping him to showcases the four inaugural winners. is internationally known for the become the first winner of this award outstanding quality of her research which recognizes the achievements of in mobile multimedia communication a rising star with potential for future Distinguished Research Excellence Award IEEE Fellow, a Fellow of the Society for Information Display and advanced wireless networking. leadership. , and an Elected Member of the Asia-Pacific Academy of Prof Hoi Sing Kwok Materials, among others. She gained early recognition for her work on resource alloca- Joining HKUST in 2007 after receiving his PhD at the University Electronic and Computer tion, streaming protocol and cross-layer QoS support for mul- of Sydney in Australia, Prof McKay is making strong contributions Engineering Research Excellence Award timedia streaming, which has been frequently cited. to the fundamental understanding and design of advanced signal Dr William MW Mong Chair processing methods for wireless communications. He has Prof Guohua Chen Prof Zhang was the first to propose an end-system based Professor of Nanotechnology published over 40 journal papers and received 400 citations. Chemical and Biomolecular mobility solution for heterogeneous wireless networks and Prof Kwok has become the first Engineering has made notable contributions in the area of wireless sensor One of his main areas of interest is applications of random winner of the top Research networks. In recent years, she has made pioneering advances matrix theory to signal processing and information theory. He Prof Chen has been a major Excellence Award, which honors a in cognitive and cooperative wireless networks, an emerging has become well known for being able to characterize the contributor to two key research distinguished engineering faculty member with exceptional research area. This includes opening up a new research direction achievable capacity limits of multi-channel communication areas, the drying of high-value research achievements and significant impact locally and for cognitive radio networks by utilizing cooperative relay to systems using his random matrix theory. Through his results, for products and electrochemical globally. improve the transmission diversity and correspondingly the example, the data rate of mobile telephones and WiFi can be technologies for industrial spectrum efficiency. improved. The pioneering academic was cited for his contributions to the wastewater treatment. He has also gained acclaim for the field of display technologies, an area where he has enjoyed major application of nanotechnologies to environmental protection. Among earlier accolades, she was named among the World’s Showing the global recognition he is receiving, Prof McKay was achievements since 1992, the year he joined HKUST. A Harvard Top Young Innovators in the MIT Technology Review 100 in 2004 awarded the 2011 Stephen O. Rice Prize in the Field of Such achievements have secured him this award, which PhD graduate in Applied Physics, Prof Kwok has received 58 and received the Overseas Young Investigator Award from the Communications Theory from the IEEE Communications Society. recognizes an outstanding faculty member with a proven patents, with another 30 under review, and produced over 500 National Natural Science Foundation of China in 2006. This highly regarded award is given annually for the best paper record of research excellence. refereed publications on display-related research, achieving an published in IEEE Transactions on Communications in the previous Prof Zhang, who joined HKUST in 2005, has published over outstanding H-index citation rate of 40. As an example of the impact of his work, the electrochemical three years. The paper was co-authored by Shi Jin, Xiqi Gao and 200 refereed papers in top journals and international technologies developed in his laboratory have been evaluated Iain B. Collings. During his productive career, Prof Kwok has been actively conferences and is the inventor of around 30 pending as the most likely technology to deal with the remediation of engaged in both fundamental and applied research. The international patents. She is also an active leader in her He gained a 2010 Young Author Best Paper Award from the IEEE oily wastewaters, being cited in MIT Technology Review as the development of silicon micro-displays and the technology department at HKUST and has high visibility in the professional Signal Processing Society with a paper co-authored with his PhD future option of restaurant wastewater treatment. The Hong transfer of active-matrix organic light-emitting diode (OLED) community. student Liang Sun, and Shi Jin. He also received Best Paper Kong Environmental Conservation Fund granted research displays are key developments. “He is a true-blue academic of Awards at the IEEE International Conference on Communica- funding to build a pilot plant and excellent results have been She is co-director of Huawei-HKUST Innovation Lab and the HKUST, with all his work created here,” said Prof Ross Murch, tions 2011 and the IEEE Global Communications Conference obtained to date. director of the Digital Life Research Center at HKUST. Head of Electronic and Computer Engineering. 2010. Prof Chen, who earned his PhD at McGill University and After his arrival at HKUST, Prof Kwok spotted the industrial Prof McKay has also taken a pro-active role in establishing joined HKUST in the mid-1990s, has published over 120 need for liquid crystal display technology and built up a collaborations with international experts and promoting research journal papers and shared his knowledge through active research program. He has pioneered the development of low excellence among his students. temperature polycrystalline silicon (LTPS) thin-film transistors participation in international conferences and workshops. He has been an editor of Separation and Purification Technology, a (TFT) for high resolution active-matrix displays, among many Selecting the Winners other successful technology breakthroughs. top journal in the field of chemical engineering and is an International Advisory Panel Member of the World Congress Criteria for selection of awardees included research output, and research achievements recognized by the award were Prof Kwok’s invention of color-filtered liquid-crystal display on of Chemical Engineering. silicon (LCOS) was licensed to Himax Display Inc of Taiwan originality and innovativeness; impact of research output on expected to be for work carried out mainly at HKUST. The high quality of his research training has assisted his society, industry and the relevant engineering disciplines; and the device they produced based on this invention has The Research Awards Selection Committee comprised the postgraduate students in obtaining excellent research output research training provided to students and post-doctoral been incorporated into many products, including the Nikon head or acting head of each of the School of Engineering’s and careers. Bachelor degree students have gained the benefit researchers; and their leadership role in collaboration with PJ1000 digital camera. In addition, inventions related to LTPS six departments and was chaired by Prof Joseph Lee, of Prof Chen’s cutting-edge view of research through his national and international research partners. TFT have been licensed to Sinodisplay Technology Inc to Vice-President for Research and Graduate Studies. Of four commercialize the technology for active-matrix OLED displays. participation in the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program. Nominees had to be excellent researchers over a co-opted members, three were Professors Emeriti and Prof Kwok’s contributions to the field have been recognized sustained period of time – at least the past three years – one a member of the HKUST Institute for Advanced Study. through numerous prestigious professional affiliations. He is an 04 05

Research Academic Excellence

Artificial Intelligence Journal SENG Academics Receive Top-Tier Rankings Globally in Engineering and Technology Subjects

Headquartered at HKUST Google Research Awards HKUST has maintained its remarkable global presence in Aeronautical & Manufacturing, ahead of Korea Advanced In a significant boost for HKUST’s Three Computer Science and engineering and technology in a new set of academic subject Institute of Science & Technology (KAIST) (49th) and international presence and Hong Kong’s Engineering faculty members have rankings released in April. According to the 2011 QS World University of Wisconsin-Madison (51-100th); and 51-100th in drive to become an academic hub, the had their cutting-edge studies University Rankings by Subject - Engineering and Technology, Chemical Engineering. University has become the recognized, with each receiving a the first time these tables have been published, HKUST was ranked No.1 in Greater China in Computer Science & headquarters for a prestigious Google Research Award from the 2011 QS World University Rankings - Computer Science & new journal focusing on global internet search giant. This was Information Systems and No.1 in Hong Kong in Mechanical, Information Systems Rankings Aeronautical & Manufacturing. artificial intelligence. the highest number of awards Institution World Ranking granted to academics at a single ACM Transactions on In the Computer Science & Information Systems category, university in Hong Kong in the Massachusetts Institute of Technology 1 Intelligent Systems and HKUST was placed 26th. This ranking is in line with the funding round results released in Q4 University of California, Los Angeles 8 Technology is being led by Computer Science and Engineering Department’s ranking at 2010. Columbia University 17 founding editor-in-chief Prof 26th in the world and 1st in Greater China in the Academic HKUST 26 Qiang Yang, Computer Science and Engineering, an IEEE Fellow, Prof Chi Keung Tang, Prof Sunghun Ranking of World Universities (ARWU) league table produced and a specialist in data mining and artificial intelligence. ACM, or Kim and Prof Ke Yi received by Shanghai Jiao Tong University in 2010. The Electronic and Purdue University 29 the Association for Computing Machinery, is one of the two funding for their studies in Computer Engineering Department was globally placed 28th. The University of Tokyo 35 largest and most authoritative computing associations globally, “Quasi-Dense 3D Reconstruction Dean of Engineering Prof Khaled Ben Letaief said he was Tsinghua University 43 together with the IEEE. from 2D Uncalibrated Photos” delighted to see that the School of Engineering was continuing (geo/maps), “Crash Reproduction” The new journal aims to promote multi-disciplinary artificial to excel in international rankings. “We shall strive toward (software engineering) and 2011 QS World University Rankings - Electrical and Electronic intelligence research, with topics ranging from computational making even greater impact on the world with our first-rate “Computing Statistical Summaries Engineering Rankings sustainability to computational social and cultural dynamics. education and research now and in the future,” he said. with MapReduce” (information Papers started to be accepted at the beginning of 2010 and an A total of five subject areas in engineering and technology Institution World Ranking retrieval, extraction and inaugural issue was published in October 2010. An impressive were covered in the QS rankings. Ranking indicators include organization) respectively. Massachusetts Institute of Technology 1 400 submissions were received from around the world during academic reputation, employer reputation and citations, with Princeton University 12 its first year, including top institutions such as MIT and Stanford. The Google Research Awards the high rankings of HKUST’s engineering departments being Cornell University 19 program identifies and supports faculty pursuing research in an endorsement of its world-class faculty, high-impact “This is a terrific development,” said Prof Mounir Hamdi, Chair HKUST 28 areas of mutual interest internationally, with two rounds of Professor and Head of the Computer Science and Engineering research, outstanding students, and state-of-the-art facilities. funding held annually. In the Q4 2010 round, Google University of British Columbia 30 Department. “The founding of such a prestigious journal is a Other strong HKUST subject rankings included 42nd in Civil & supported 112 awards across 20 different subject areas, Purdue University 32 clear indication of the great research stature of Prof Yang and Structural Engineering, ahead of University of Bristol (47th) totaling more than US$6 million. Hong Kong received a total Tsinghua University 40 our department as a whole.” and Texas A&M University (51-100th); 44th in Mechanical, of five awards and one joint award putting it among the top The first four issues of the journal are available at regions to gain awards, along with the US, UK and Germany. http://tist.acm.org/publications.html. Academics from 14 regions in total gained funding, with around 65% of the awards going to researchers in the US. Agreement Signed for Joint PhD Program

Expanding the School of Engineering (SENG)’s international School agreed a joint PhD program with Korea Advanced Transforming Video Technology network and visibility further, a joint PhD degree program is Institute of Science and Technology, a major research Prof Bing Zeng, Electronic and published over the past three years is selected to receive the to be established under an exciting academic and research institution in Korea. Computer Engineering, and his 2010 Best Paper Award. It was the first time since the journal’s collaboration agreement between the School and the College PhD graduate Dr Jingjing Fu, now launch in 1991 that the honor had been awarded to a Hong of Engineering at Pohang University of Science and Technology working at Microsoft Research Asia, Kong professor and his student for work completely carried (POSTECH) in Korea. have been selected to receive the out in Hong Kong. In his paper, he lays down the fundamental The four-year HKUST/POSTECH program will require 2011 IEEE Transactions on Circuits and framework for the breakthrough transformation that has been students to spend two years at each university, providing Systems for Video Technology – Best widely used in many image and video coding applications. exposure to the research environment in two leading Paper Award for their paper With the same paper, Prof Zeng also won the Best Paper Award Asia-Pacific institutions and boosting students’ “Directional Discrete Cosine at the IEEE International Symposium on Circuits and Systems competitive edge. Every student will also have two faculty Transforms: A New Framework for Image Coding”. The IEEE 2011, held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The symposium is the world’s advisors, one from each institution. The universities are journal is widely recognized as the best in the area of video premier networking forum of leading researchers in the highly seeking to admit the first cohort in Fall 2012. technology. About 200 papers are published every year, active fields of theory, design and implementation of circuits and with an acceptance rate of about 17%. Each year, one paper The agreement marks another successful collaboration systems. with a top Korean university for SENG. In 2009, the

06 07

Academic Excellence Academic Excellence

Princeton Exchange Expands Leading Academy Faculty Honors, Research Opportunities for Undergraduates Recognizes IELM Head Awards and Achievements

In a pioneering move, HKUST has become the first Prof Vincent Poor, Dean of the School of Engineering and In recognition of his ■ Prof Oscar Au, Electronic and university in Asia to enter into an undergraduate summer Applied Science at Princeton, also welcomed the move. outstanding contributions Computer Engineering, and his team research exchange partnership in engineering with “We are very pleased to establish a partnership with over the years, Prof Fugee are among the few university teams Princeton University. HKUST Engineering School to jointly advance the levels of Tsung, Head of Industrial contributing to the competitive Joint distinction in discovery and transmission of knowledge and Engineering and Logistics Collaborative Team on Video Coding The two-way summer exchange agreement will see School understanding through this research exchange program,” he Management, has been (JCTVC), which is developing the of Engineering (SENG) students spend eight weeks at the said. elected an Academician of next-generation video coding Ivy League institution where they will engage in research the International Academy standard. Prof Au’s team has had three proposals with faculty members on designated projects. Princeton for Quality (IAQ). The accepted into the High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC) students will undertake research with HKUST academics academy is the most standard’s working draft. The first proposal on chroma and professional research teams from Hong Kong Applied prestigious international entropy coding was accepted at the Daegu (Korea) Science and Technology Research Institute (ASTRI). organization in its field. It meeting in January 2011. The second and third The arrangement is especially notable as Princeton has less comprises peer-nominated proposals were on sub-LCU Qp representation and than 10 institutional partners for reciprocal exchange members who admit individuals identified as global thought dQP calculation method respectively and were accepted worldwide. In combining hands-on research experience leaders in quality-related issues. at the Geneva meeting in March 2011. The HEVC standard will be finalized in mid 2013. with international exchange, the program also offers a Prof Tsung is only the second in Hong Kong and one of just different form of study abroad experience for SENG six academicians in Greater China to receive the accolade. ■ Prof Mansun Chan, Electronic and students. His research focuses on quality control and the Computer Engineering, and his team Dean of Engineering Prof Khaled Ben Letaief said that improvement of complex systems in both the manufacturing won a 2009 Shenzhen City Technology SENG was committed to providing an outstanding and service sectors. Prof Tsung has also taken up many Innovation Award from the Shenzhen undergraduate education that produced global leadership positions, including Regional Vice-President (Asia) Science and Technology Association citizens. “We are therefore very excited about this of the Institute of Industrial Engineers (IIE), and helped to with the project “New Generation initiative which will not only allow our students to raise wider awareness of quality techniques in the region. Nano-CMOS Device Model Research acquire an international outlook but will further Showing the growing attention now being paid to the area and Verification for SOC Design”. The project was develop their appreciation of research.” in Greater China, the Asian Network for Quality 2012 undertaken with Peking University Shenzhen Graduate Congress will be held at HKUST. Around 500 quality School. professionals from Asia are expected to attend. ■ Prof Albert Chung, Computer Engineering Program, Prof Sunghun Kim, Computer Science and Engineering, Prof Ergonomics Expert Lambros Katafygiotis, Civil and Environmental Engineering, First Choice Again for PhD Engineering Fellows and Prof Henry Lam, Chemical and Biomolecular Elected Fellow Engineering, have been named among HKUST’s 2010 Best The School of Engineering (SENG) continues to be the first The commitment and cutting-edge research of SENG’s Ten Lecturers in the annual awards event organized by choice for high-flying Hong Kong, Mainland China and world-class academics in different engineering fields are Prof Richard So, Industrial VERTEX, House II Students Association. The independent overseas engineering students admitted under the Hong among the School’s top attractions for the next generation Engineering and Logistics student initiative allows those studying at HKUST to show Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme, offered by the Research of leading researchers, according to Dean of Engineering Management, has been their appreciation of lecturers’ work and give them a vote Grants Council (RGC). Prof Khaled Ben Letaief. “With top-notch teaching, elected a Fellow of the of thanks. It was the 14th year the event had been pioneering research projects and state-of-the-art facilities, I Institute of Ergonomics and organized. In May, the RGC announced that 123 elite PhD students am sure awardees can maximize their potential here,” he Human Factors for his from around 20 countries/regions had accepted offers for ■ Prof Pascale Fung, Electronic and said. significant contributions to 2011/12, with a total of 22 awardees electing to study at Computer Engineering, and her team ergonomics. Established in SENG. This was equivalent to 44% of the total fellows The PhD Fellowship Scheme was launched by the RGC to received a Second Class Prize in the 1949, the Institute is the admitted to all engineering disciplines in Hong Kong. attract the best and brightest students from around the Shenzhen/Hong Kong Technology oldest professional society in world to study and carry out research in University Grants Innovation Competition 2010 for their The RGC’s PhD scheme is now in its second year and for the field and aims to promote Committee-funded institutions in Hong Kong. A total of ITF/APAS project on a 3G automotive both years SENG has drawn the highest number of public awareness of 4,024 applications from 103 countries/regions were received infotainment system. HKUST was the engineering awardees in Hong Kong. It also represents more ergonomics and its applications. Prof So has also been invited in the 2011/12 round. only Hong Kong institution, academic or private, to win than two-thirds of the total 32 students admitted to Schools to become editor in the area of Human Factors for Displays, a prize that year. at HKUST under the 2011/12 intake. an international journal focusing on research related to vision and displays.

08 09

Academic Excellence Beyond Labs & Lectures

■ Associate Dean of Engineering Prof ■ Research by Prof Yi-Kuen Lee, Jang Kyo Kim, Mechanical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, on has been elected editor of Composite “Super-hydrophobic Surface with The Rise of Part A, one of the most prestigious Nano-flowers on Silicon” has been journals in the field. Prof Kim has been published on the Chinese International HKUST ROBOTICS serving on the journal's editorial board NEMS Network website and become for seven years, as well as being on the one of its most frequently viewed editorial boards of seven other international journals articles. Prof Lee has also published a A robot addressed an amazed audience at HKUST on April 12, giving an 11-minute related to areas of advanced materials and composites. paper, in collaboration with Prof Hsian-Rong Tseng at presentation at the HKUST 20th Anniversary Program Parade presented by the UCLA, on the development of the 2nd generation ■ For the second consecutive year, Prof School of Engineering (SENG). The NAO robot, recently acquired for training microfluidic circulating tumor cells (CTCs) capture Sunghun Kim, Computer Science and purposes, had been successfully programmed to give the entertaining introduction by technology which was chosen as the cover of Engineering, has been selected to members of HKUST’s Robotics Team, all of whom come from SENG. Angewandte Chemie International Edition (Mar 21, 2011 receive a highly competitive Software issue). The paper, “Highly Efficient Capture of Circulating HKUST’s Robotics Team stems from students’ successful participation in the annual Engineering Innovation Foundation Tumor Cells Using Nanostructured Silicon Substrates Robocon contest, which began in 2004. The 2011 team comprises 70 students from (SEIF) Award from Microsoft with Integrated Chaotic Micromixers” has also been Hong Kong, Mainland China and overseas, with representatives from all of the School’s Research. His proposal, “GATE: highlighted in Nature Medicine (Mar 2011 issue). departments. This marks a 75% increase on 2010 and shows the enthusiasm for this Game-based Automatic Testing Environment”, was the type of learning experience outside the regular curriculum. Altogether around 150 only one selected from Asia and among just 10 ■ Prof Wai Ho Mow, Computer Engineering SENG students signed up to participate before the Robotics Team selection was made. worldwide that were chosen from 88 study proposals in Program, has been awarded a 2010/11 Photo Credit: Sing Tao Daily 2011. The proposal will be supported by a grant of grant from the Overseas and Hong Kong, In order for more students to participate in external competitions, Robotics Team mem- US$35,000 for a year. SEIF is open to universities and Macau Young Scholars Collaborative bers have now been divided into four groups, with each taking part in one of four major research institutions worldwide and receives proposals Research Fund, set up by the National events. These are the Robocon Hong Kong Contest and three new ones, the Remotely of the highest standards. Selection criteria include the Natural Science Foundation of China, for Operated Vehicles (ROV) Competition featuring underwater robots, the Smart Car project’s impact on the software engineering community, his project “Optimal Training Sequence Competition, and NAO RoboCup. potential for wide dissemination and use of the Design and Low-Complexity Estimation/Decoding Methods To celebrate the formation of the Robotics Team, senior administrators of the University, intellectual property created, ability to complete the for Multiple-Antenna Wireless Communications”. The including President Prof Tony F Chan, presented team flags to the individual groups at project, as well as the qualifications of the principal research is being carried out in collaboration with Southwest the Program Parade. Members of the Robotics Team also took a pledge to participate in investigator. Jiaotong University in Sichuan. the contests in a competitive but sporting manner.

■ Prof Chung Yee Lee and Prof Ajay ■ A co-authored poster by Prof Hui He A few days before the Program Parade, the ROV team got off to a flying start by per- Joneja, Industrial Engineering and Qiu, Mechanical Engineering, entitled forming excellently in the Hong Kong Underwater Robot Challenge, a qualification Robots Perform Lion Dance Logistics Management, have been “Drastic Enhancement of Boiling Heat examination for the international competition. With this success, they represented Hong awarded a research grant from the Transfer with Micro- and Nano- Kong in the ROV international competition at NASA Johnson Space Center in Houston at Grand Celebration Innovation and Technology Fund for Engineering of Surface Wettability”, won in June and won the Design Elegance Award, which was judged by the aesthetics, sim- Two NAO robots also made a memo- their project “Integrated Decision the Honorable Mention-ASME Best plicity and functionality of the vehicle’s design. Grateful to the Robotics Team’s logistics rable appearance at HKUST’s Grand Support System for Dynamic Poster Award at the Micro & partner, DHL Express, for providing logistics consultation and sponsoring the air express Celebration commemorating the Vehicle-Dispatching and Scheduling with Real-time Nanotechnology Society-Wide Forum at the 2010 transportation of over 85kg. With DHL’s professional help on shipping the sophisticated University’s 20th Anniversary on April 8. Information under Operation Uncertainty”. The project American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) and delicate underwater robot machines, the robot has been safely and efficiently deliv- The robots, programmed by HKUST seeks to develop an integrated information technology International Mechanical Engineering Congress & ered between Hong Kong and Houston. Robotics Team members, performed an platform for passenger transport in real-time operation Exposition in Vancouver. The Robotics Team is supervised by Prof Zexiang Li and Prof Tim Woo, both from the impressive lion dance at the event. and information exchange to reduce operation costs ■ Prof Jiang Xu, Electronic and Electronic and Computer Engineering Department. and improve efficiency. Computer Engineering, has been selected by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Computer Society as a Distinguished Visitor. Under the society’s Distinguished Visitors Program, first-quality speakers from among its membership share the latest insights in different areas of the field with professional and student chapters of the society in different locations.

10 11 20th Anniversary

The School of Engineering is proud to commemorate HKUST’s 20th Anniversary through arranging and participating in the following special events that highlight the University’s emphasis on innovation, high The Second International achievement, knowledge transfer and team spirit. Workshop on Innovative Engineering Alumni HKUST Engineering Engineering Education Day Fun Day IEEE Technology Time SENG/CIVL/IAS Joint Langham Place Hotel, Hong The Making of the World’s HKUST, Dec 2011 Largest Digital Photo SENG/IAS Joint Distin- HKUST, 28 May 2011 Machine Symposium HKUST “Bring Distinguished Lecture Kong, 19-21 Jan 2011 HKUST 20th Anniversary Technology to Workshop guished Lecture by Prof Sheraton Hong Kong by Prof Robert Mair Celebration Program Organized by Organized by HKUST, 22 Jan 2011 Vincent Poor Community” HKUST School of Engineering HKUST, 18-19 Mar 2011 Parade by School of HKUST School of Engineering Hotel, 1-3 Jun 2011 Exhibition HKUST, Nov 2011 HKUST, 21 Mar 2011 Organized by Organized by Engineering Organized by Institute of Electrical and Electronics Hong Kong Science Organized by HKUST Center for Engineering Education HKUST School of Engineering Organized by HKUST, 12 Apr 2011 Engineers (IEEE) HKUST School of Engineering Innovation (E2I) Museum, HKUST Department of Computer Science HKUST School of Engineering Co-organized by HKUST Department of Civil & Sungkyunkwan University Hub Center for and Engineering HKUST Institute for Advanced Study (IAS) HKUST and Hong Kong Applied 14-23 Oct 2011 Environmental Engineering Innovative Engineering Education Organized by Science and Technology Research HKUST Institute for Advanced Study HKUST School of Engineering 5 9 1 Institute (ASTRI) Organized by 2 6 HKUST School of Engineering 8 3 7 4

EVENT 1 EVENT 2 EVENT 3 EVENT 4 EVENT 5 EVENT 6 The Second International The Making of the SENG/IAS Joint HKUST 20th Anniversary Engineering Alumni Fun IEEE Technology Time Workshop on Innovative World’s Largest Digital Distinguished Lecture by Celebration Program Day Machine Symposium Engineering Education Photo Workshop Prof Vincent Poor Parade by A happy time was spent by all on May 28 School of Engineering Intriguing insight into next-generation A successful gathering of more than 100 Prof Pedro Sander, Computer Science Eminent academic Prof Vincent Poor, at a celebratory School of Engineering advances was provided at the first IEEE engineering educators took place in and Engineering, conducted an Dean of the School of Engineering and A lively parade was held to showcase the alumni family day gathering. symposium devoted to future Hong Kong in January, co-organized by eye-opening interactive workshop that Applied Science and Michael Henry special events organized by the School of More on P15&24 technologies, which was held in Hong the Center for Engineering Education introduced the technologies and Strater University Professor of Engineering to commemorate the Kong and co-organized by HKUST. Innovation and Sungkyunkwan methods involved in creating his global Electrical Engineering at Princeton University’s latest historical milestone. More on P14 University Hub Center for Innovative record-breaking digital photo to elite University, gave an engaging One of the stars of the show was a NAO Engineering Education. Topics included high school students from local and presentation on “Information and robot, which gave a fun introduction to assessment, accreditation and international schools in Hong Kong. Inference in the Wireless Physical the occasion with its rundown of the intercultural issues, among others. The Adding to the special nature of the Layer”. In his talk, Prof Poor explored celebratory line-up. Around 150 students keynote speakers were Prof David event, the “train-the-trainer” approach information theoretic or inferential and academics participated including Radcliffe, Purdue University, and Prof was used, with students encouraged to problems, each motivated by an HKUST President Prof Tony F Chan, Elizabeth Godfrey, University of pass on the knowledge they acquired applications-layer issue. Over 90 Vice-President Prof Y S Wong, Associate Technology Sydney. to classmates, family and friends, people attended the lecture. Provost Dr David Mole, Dean of More on P14 greatly increasing the potential number Engineering Prof Khaled Ben Letaief, of people to gain knowledge from the and Associate Deans of Engineering EVENTS 7,8,9 activity. Prof Roger Cheng and Prof Charles Ng. Coming Soon! More on P14 More on robotics on P11 Look out for more outstanding 20A events from the School of Engineering in the Fall. Events comprise an inspiring “Bring Technology to Community” exhibition, with contributions by School of Engineering faculty, students and alumni; a thought-provoking distinguished lecture by Cambridge University civil engineering expert Prof Robert Mair; and SENG’s Engineering Day.

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20th Anniversary 20th Anniversary

Advancing Engineering Education Across Borders Center) and supported by the Korea Institute for Advancement of Technology (KIAT) and Korea’s Ministry of Education, Science and Technology.

In addition to welcome addresses by Prof Sung-Jin Song, Director of the SKKU Hub Center and Chairman of the Organizing Committee, and Prof Khaled Ben Letaief, Dean of Engineering at HKUST, a total of 14 keynote and invited speakers made Multinational experience-sharing was the order of the day when presentations on topics related to accreditation of engineering the School of Engineering’s Center for Engineering Education programs, program-level assessment of learning outcomes, faculty Innovation (E2I) brought together more than 100 engineering Fun, Games and development, and interdisciplinary and intercultural issues in educators from over 30 universities in the Second International engineering education. Workshop on Innovative Engineering Education (IEE 2011) to review and share good practices in innovative engineering A post-conference workshop on the use of pedagogies, It was all go on May 28 when over 330 of the School’s alumni and their education. assessment strategies, and technology in enhancing student families took part in “The Engineering Alumni Fun Day”. Afternoon events learning was held at HKUST. Those attending the fruitful two-day forum in January came from included soccer and basketball competitions and a highly popular South Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan, US and Australia. The event was The two gatherings provided excellent opportunities for mini-carnival for all ages at HKUST, followed by a Homecoming Dinner to organized in collaboration with the Sungkyunkwan University participants to network and identify potential areas for celebrate HKUST’s 20th anniversary at the Chinese Restaurant on Hub Center for Innovative Engineering Education (SKKU Hub collaboration in the future. campus. Those attending were able to meet up with professors, reminisce with old friends and catch up with their recent news, as well as enjoy the Fast Forward to the Technologies of the Future performances and activities specially arranged for the evening. A glimpse of the future was the intriguing prospect at the first General Co-Chair and HKUST Dean of Engineering Prof Khaled Heartfelt appreciation to members* of the Hong Kong Electrical Appliances IEEE Technology Time Machine (TTM) symposium, which was Ben Letaief. Through co-hosting the Symposium, Prof Ben Letaief Manufacturers Association and other donors for sponsorship of prizes: held in Hong Kong in June and co-organized by HKUST and the hopes to drive strategic research planning in achieving the goal of Allan International Holdings Ltd.* Hong Kong Applied Science and Technology Research Institute the School to provide innovative and creative solution for (ASTRI). Themed “Technologies Beyond 2020”, the exciting industries and the society. Chiaphua Industries Ltd.* event organized by the Institute of Electrical and Chung Mei Industries Ltd.* At the “Global R&D Leaders” panel discussion, HKUST President Electronics Engineers (IEEE) focused on a Fook Tin Technologies Ltd.* Prof Tony F Chan highlighted that business and industry should number of potentially high-impact emerging G.E.W. Corporation Ltd.* collaborate closely with universities to promote revolutionary technologies and scenarios. Goldwise Development Co. innovative ideas. Panelists shared on innovation and advancement Hong Kong Ferry (Holdings) The kick off ceremony was officiated by in areas ranging from radio access technology, biomedical Co. Ltd. Mr John Tsang Chun-wah, Financial sciences, implants of sensors in coronary arteries to human Philips Electronics HK Ltd.* Secretary of the Hong Kong SAR centric intelligent societies and new organic electronic materials. Sonca Products Ltd.* Government; Dr Gordon Day, IEEE Prof Hoi Sing Kwok, Electronic and Computer Engineering, gave a Techtronic Industries Co. Ltd.* President-Elect; and members of the keynote speech on display technologies, the field where he is TTM Organizing Committee, including globally renowned in.

Zooming In on the Big Picture Photography has taken on a new dimension for over 50 elite which allowed them to zoom in on even distant areas and high school students from local and international schools in clearly see all the details. Hong Kong following an interactive workshop on how to create Later, they set out to make their own multi-image panoramas of multi-image panoramas by Prof Pedro Sander, Computer the HKUST campus by taking pictures and using software to Science and Engineering. Prof Sander broke the global record in “stitch” the images together. They also acquired knowledge of December 2010 when he created the world’s largest digital the algorithms and concepts behind the software. photo of 150 billion pixels. Prof Sander said, “Through this workshop, I hope that students During the workshop sessions, Prof Sander introduced the will see further evidence that working on engineering and technologies and methods involved in creating his pioneering computer technology is interesting, fun, useful and also highly photograph depicting his hometown of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. intertwined with our daily lives.” Students were fascinated by the power of the photograph,

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Students Students

Flying High The Rewards of Early Research Training

Over World’s Deepest Canyon It has been a wonderfully eventful year for MPhil Computer with Prof Dit-Yan Yeung in Year 2 and Year 3 as providing Science and Engineering student Emprise Yun Kwan Chan. essential early training that has given him a head start at He has become this year’s champion of HKUST’s Mr Armin postgraduate level. and Mrs Lillian Kitchell Undergraduate Research Award It also inspired his paper “A Convex Formulation of scheme. He has also seen his research project on social Modularity Maximization for Community Detection”, which networks and machine learning lead to a paper that was Emprise will present in July at the major International Joint recently accepted by a top international artificial intelligence Conferences on Artificial Intelligence (IJCAI) in Barcelona, conference. Spain. The paper was co-authored with Prof Yeung. Entering HKUST as a straight A student, Emprise has made Postgraduate students Frank Wang and Jianyu Song, Electronic many blind spots in the Among the five winners in the research award scheme, four stellar progress at the University, finishing his difficult double and Computer Engineering, have soared to new heights in complex topography of were from the School of Engineering. The winners were degree in Computer Science and Math (General Math) in their research and development with the successful the canyon made the selected from 2010 UROP participants. autonomous flight of a self-designed unmanned helicopter location a perfect testing just 2.5 years. He is now on course to complete his MPhil in across the Yarlung Zangbo Grand Canyon, the world’s deepest ground. News of the flight just 1.5 years. canyon. Located in Tibet, the canyon, also referred to as “the was released in December Emprise credits his early research experience on the last territory of mystery on Earth”, is 504.6 km long and 2010. Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP) 6,009m deep at its lowest point, nearly three times the depth Earlier models of the of the Grand Canyon in the US. Most of its many different HKUST unmanned terrains have never been traversed. helicopter have tackled the Turning Breakthroughs The helicopter, which flew over the canyon in September 2010, rigors of Mount Everest and was equipped with the world’s most compact automated assisted earthquake relief in into Businesses piloting system and had an intelligent tracking system which Sichuan by taking surveillance Triple honors were achieved by teams from the Electronic and enabled the user to adjust its route during the flight. The photos to support Computer Engineering (ECE) Department in this year’s HKUST Learning to Unleash challenge for the students was to ensure that the helicopter post-disaster restoration 2011 Entrepreneurship Competition, with three separate groups could continue its designated tasks and safely return to base work in areas too dangerous winning awards out of 11 finalists and an original 124 teams who the Entrepreneurial Spirit even if wireless and global positioning signals were lost. The for manned flights. entered the contest. In March, nine students from Dual Degree Program in Technology and Management (T&M) joined the prestigious MIT The First Runner-up prize went to LEDoS, led by Prof Kei May Lau, Global Startup Workshop 2011 in Seoul, Korea. The leading for its breakthrough display technology based on proprietary forum, held in different international locations annually, micro-projection devices, which provides cost-effective HKUST Students Shine in Inter-University Contest encourages entrepreneurship around the world and seeks to customizable hardware and software for digital display applications foster the ecosystems to support it. A top trio of Computer Science and Engineering postgraduate coach Derek Hu. ranging from digital signage to traffic signs. undergraduates beat 38 other teams from universities in At the three-day workshop, which this year focused on The contest aims to strengthen students’ capabilities in iFlight Technology team, led by Prof Zexiang Li, received the Third Hong Kong and Macau to take the Champion Team Award Unleashing Entrepreneurial Potential to Invigorate the Economy, relation to the DB2 database management system. Runner-up award for technology that has turned it into one of the T&M students were able to listen to discussions and network at this year’s exciting IBM DB2 UDB Inter-University world’s leading developers and manufacturers of helicopter with a wide range of people from all over the world. The event Programming Contest in January. The competition attracted autopilot systems while the Student Award was won by Bull B Tech, brings together entrepreneurial leaders, executives, financiers, participants from eight universities. led by undergraduate Yik Hei Chan, for a product that streamlines professors, students, government agents and private parties to Desmond Hung (Year 3), Qifeng Chen (Year 2) and Jueyi the business-to-customer process and has many applications in the share best practices, stimulate creativity and promote Wang (Year 1) showed their outstanding programming and retail industry. entrepreneurship. problem solving skills by successfully completing a series of The competition, which first started five years ago, seeks to foster In another memorable experience at the gathering, T&M student questions to score the highest marks in the shortest time. entrepreneurship throughout the University, involving different Kanishk Bali, Year 3, won The three students formed one of five HKUST teams members of the HKUST community and different Schools. third prize in the Elevator entering the contest, which also saw HKUST receive the Pitch Competition, overall Champion University Award for the highest total competing against more scores earned by its teams. Students from Computer than 40 other entrants. Science and Engineering, Computer Engineering Program, and Economics took part, with support and encouragement provided by faculty coach Prof Wilfred Ng and

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Students Students

Final-Year Projects Secure Award-Winning Success Student Honors, Awards and Achievements

The remarkable Braille Embosser final-year project by 2010 In this year’s Hong Kong ICT Awards, the students’ Braille ■ PhD candidate Vincent ■ PhD student Wenqi Du, Electronic and Computer Engineering (ECE) graduates continues Embosser gained the Gold Award, Best Social Responsibility and Man Pun Chan, Elec- Civil and Environmental to make waves in the community, winning three top awards in the Best Commercial Value accolades in the Best Innovation & tronic and Computer Engineering, has won Hong Kong ICT Awards 2011 and a Gold Award at The Hong Research (College & Undergraduates) category. Engineering, won First the Arup Research Prize Kong Electronic Industries Association (HKEIA) Innovation & In the HKEIA competition, a second ECE final-year project also Prize in the Student 2011. The accolade, Technology Project Competition 2010. proved a winner, with “Face Recognition in Embedded System” by Paper Award at the funded by Ove Arup & Patrick Kwan Pak Lee and Matthew Kin Man Ting together with Pak Ming Cheung, Pui Hang Lai, and Kwan Wai Tsang receiving the 2010 Institute of Electri- Partners Hong Kong other ECE classmates recycled dot-matrix and ink-jet printers into Merit Award. cal and Electronics Engi- Ltd, is awarded to cost-effective Braille Embossers for the visually challenged. A neers (IEEE) Asia Pacific undergraduate or post- Both projects were supervised by Prof Tim Woo. regular Braille Embosser sells for HK$30,000. The Conference on Circuits and Systems. His winning paper, graduate students to promote creativity and high stan- ECE students’ machine costs just HK$1,000. “A Monolithic 2nd-Order Boundary Controller for Buck dards of technology. Wenqi’s research seeks to develop Converter with Fast Transient Response”, was co- guidelines for seismic design of buildings in Hong Kong The double success adds to other engineering design authored by Prof Philip Mok. The biennial conference is a and the results of his work are expected to bring great awards for the invention, including the Gold Award major international forum established by the IEEE Circuits benefit to the local building industry. and Most Innovative Award in the 2010 Amway and Systems Society for researchers to exchange their ■ Electronic and Com- Pan-Pearl River Delta Region Universities IT Project latest findings. Competition and a Merit Award in the 10th puter Engineering International Asia Pacific ICT Alliance Awards 2010. ■ A HKUST Programming Team (HKUST Optimus Prime) PhD candidate reached the world finals of the prestigious ACM Shaoqi Feng received International Collegiate Programming Contest in Florida, the Best Student US, following their triumph in this year’s regional contests Paper Award (2nd Honoring Academic Excellence in Hanoi and Kuala Lumpur. The team comprised Danqi Runner-up) at the Chen, Year 2, Computer Engineering Program, Yuliang Li, 11th IEEE Photonics An elite group of 96 SENG undergraduates who had gained a Year 2, and PhD candidate Lu Wang, Computer Science Society Hong Kong place on the Dean’s List at least twice in the preceding three and Engineering. The team was led by Prof Ke Yi and Chapter Postgraduate Conference. His winning paper, semesters were honored for their academic excellence at a postgraduate coach Hao Hu. This year, around 7,000 “Electro-optical Tunable Time Delay and Advance in a ceremony in May, together with their peers from other Schools teams worldwide participated in the regional contests, Silicon Feedback-microring Resonator”, was co-authored at HKUST. Over 350 students achieved this honor. HKUST with 102 teams qualifying for the finals. by Dr Xianshu Luo and Prof Andrew Poon. President Prof Tony F Chan and other senior administrators attended the event. Principals and teachers from the students’ ■ MPhil student Pak ■ PhD student Cuiting Guo, Industrial Engineering and Logis- secondary schools were also invited to join the ceremony. Ming Cheung, Elec- tics Management, received the Best Short Paper Award at tronic and Computer the IEEE Virtual Reality Conference 2011, held in Singapore. Engineering, won the The conference is the most prestigious international con- Building Academic Bridges Through Mainland Exchange Champion Award in ference focusing on virtual reality. The paper looked at the the Design for Elderly question: “Could OKAN be an Objective Indicator of the A group of seven Civil and Environmental Engineering (CIVL) Qinghe Zhang and Prof Donghai Liu gave the Hong Kong visitors Competition 2011. Susceptibility to Visually Induced Motion Sickness?” students enjoyed an eye-opening five-day exchange to two an introduction to the university’s programs and research fields. His winning proposal mainland universities in March to gain greater understanding of Students also toured the construction lab at Tsinghua University ■ An Industrial Engineering and Logistics Management under- focused on designing e-games under the “Innovative Ideas how the field is taught and what research is undertaken at the and the hydraulic and hydropower simulation lab at Tianjin graduate team comprising Zhiyi He, Year 2, Sihua Luo, Year for Quality Living” category. The contest was held as part different institutions. University. 1, and Yik Hang Pang, Year 1, gained the Second Runner-up of Hong Kong Engineering Week 2011. award in the Hong Kong Society for Quality student project The visit, entitled “Student – Civil – Global”, was organized for As part of the exchange, a group of around 10 students and a ■ Darren Sin Wang Chiu, competition. The competition is open to university students HKUST members of the Student Chapter of the Canadian professor from Tsinghua University Year 2, Computer in industrial, manufacturing, quality or related disciplines, Society for Civil Engineering Hong Kong branch, and was open to will visit HKUST this June. Engineering and Global and provides them with an opportunity to work on an both undergraduates and postgraduates. Students, together with Business Management, actual industrial case and propose a resolution. CIVL Chair Professor Moe Cheung, visited Tsinghua University in was awarded the Beijing and Tianjin University. 2009-10 Hong Kong At Tsinghua University, Prof Cheung gave a seminar on the design, Institution of Engineers construction and management of the Confederation Bridge, the (HKIE) Scholarship for largest public private partnership project in Canada, while Prof his outstanding academic achievement. Peng Pan from Tsinghua presented his latest research on earthquake-resistant structural systems to the CIVL group. During the exchange at Tianjin University, Prof Qinghua Han, Prof

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Students Campus News

■ Electronic and Computer ■ Electronic and Computer Engineering PhD students International Industry-Education Drive to Boost Innovation Engineering PhD student Mahdi Nikdast, Xiaowen Wu and Yaoyao Ye gained the Xiaocheng Jing won First Best Poster Presentation Award (2nd place) at the AMD In a highly significant competencies in the four fields. development, the School Prize in the Student Technical Forum and Exhibition 2010, held in Taipei. Their The consortium is one of five set up by Hewlett Packard in 2010 of Engineering has become Paper Contest at the research project, “A Formal Analysis of Crosstalk Noise focusing on the transformation of STEM education. Member part of a leading 2010 IEEE International in Mesh-based Optical Network-on-Chip for Chip organizations were selected through an open, competitive global industry-education global Conference on Electron Multiprocessors”, was co-authored by Prof Jiang Xu. call for proposals. Devices and Solid-State AMD is a leading semiconductor company. social innovation program “We are excited about the impact of this initiative and the network Circuits with her paper “Soft-Start Circuit with Duty Ratio designed to develop more effective approaches to education in of consortia in the long term,” said Prof Mounir Hamdi, Head of Controlled Voltage Clamping and Adaptive Sizing science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) worldwide. Computer Science and Engineering and Project Lead. Such funding Technique for Integrated DC-DC Converters”. PhD As part of the HP Catalyst Initiative, set up by leading technology would help the University deliver projects that will shape the way student Chenchang Zhan, Electronic and Computer multinational Hewlett Packard, HKUST has received a generous education develops and society evolves as well as empower Engineering, came third with his paper grant of US$150,000 which will be put toward a new teaching lab students to collaborate globally, he noted. “Output-Capacitor-Free Adaptively Biased Low-Dropout equipped with high-end computers for Computer Science and Regulators”. Zhan also won the Student Paper Award at Engineering students. Ms Gabi Zedlmayer, Vice President, Office of Global Social ■ Postgraduate student Zhijian Zhou, the IEEE International Symposium on Circuits and Innovation at Hewlett Packard, explained that the HP Catalyst Electronic and Computer The University is among 35 educational institutions across 11 Systems held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in May with his paper Initiative underscored the company’s vision of a world where Engineering, has been awarded First countries to be selected by Hewlett Packard to receive a grant in “An Output-Capacitor-Free Adaptively Biased innovation and collaboration are enabled by investments in Runner-up in the Postgraduate 2010. It is also a member of the newly established Hewlett Low-Dropout Regulator with Sub-Threshold technology and education. “The program is designed to help foster Category of the Student Paper Packard-sponsored Measuring Learning Consortium, led by Undershoot-Reduction for SoC”, co-authored with Prof potential solutions to society’s most critical challenges by educating Contest held by the IEEE Hong Kong Carnegie Mellon University in the US. The six-member multinational Wing-Hung Ki. A total of 658 papers were presented in and nurturing leaders,” she said. “This will be critical in ensuring we Section 2010, for his paper “The group will explore new technologies for measuring students’ the symposium. Only 3 papers were awarded the Student develop new communities and find new ways of doing things.” Design, Fabrication and Paper Award. Characterization of Piezoresistive ■ PhD student Liang Lu, Tactile Sensor for Fingerprint Innovative Technology Research Exploring the Story of Industrial Engineering and Sensing”. 2010 ECE graduate Yue Yu Logistics Management, was awarded First Runner-up in the Shared with Semiconductor Lasers Undergraduate Category for her received First Prize in the International School Teachers Prof Dieter Bimberg, Chair of Applied Solid State Physics paper “Modified-MMSE Equalization for Noise and Best Student Paper at Technical University of Berlin for the past 30 years, gave Interference Mitigation in SU-MIMO Systems” Over 70 science teachers from six international secondary schools Competition at the a fascinating talk on “Our Daily Life with Semiconductor Second Production and under the English Schools Foundation (ESF) gained interesting ■ Sixteen students from Dual Degree Program in Lasers” at HKUST in January. Operations Management insight into some of the latest technological advances at the School Technology and Management (T&M) had a great Society (POMS)-Hong Kong International Conference. of Engineering’s first professional development day for secondary The talk, jointly organized by the School of Engineering opportunity to learn more about the business world The conference was organized by the POMS-Hong school educators in May. and HKUST Institute for Advanced Study, examined the when they participated in the Schmidt-HKUST amazing success story related to semiconductor lasers. It Kong and Taiwan Chapters, the Department of The international school teachers were welcomed to HKUST by Corporate Project in Fall 2010. During the three-month explored how a fundamental physics breakthrough Industrial Engineering and Logistics Management and Provost Prof Wei Shyy. This was followed by a presentation by project, the four student teams looked at ways to regarded as useless to the economy 50 years ago, has the HKUST Logistics and Supply Chain Management Dean of Engineering Prof Khaled Ben Letaief and talks by faculty promote and facilitate adoption of Radio Frequency evolved through further engineering and discovery to Institute. members on a range of hot topics, including green buildings, wind Identification (RFID). To do so, they attended become a key part of modern life. energy, mobile technology, and terahertz imaging. Participants also ■ Hing Yik Ng, Year 2, Mechanical conferences, corporate seminars and conducted market had the opportunity to tour HKUST’s leading research facilities and The new knowledge and understanding went on to spur Engineering, received the analysis, among other activities, before presenting their scenic campus, and hear about student life from the School’s intercontinental optical communication, the basis of the Outstanding Student Award 2010 proposals to a panel of judges comprising senior Student Ambassadors. internet, and to form the backbone of modern energy from the Aircraft Engineer executives and business professionals. The winning team efficient systems. DVDs, the optical mouse, and medical Development Scheme (AEDS) in recommended using short-range wireless technology to Dean Ben Letaief said he hoped the successful event marked the applications, are just some examples of the recognition of her high-flying connect social networks with physical location beginning of a long-term relationship between the School of products now performance in examinations and information. Engineering and the ESF, which is Hong Kong’s largest international associated with participation in AEDS activities. AEDS is organized by school network educating around 16,000 students and over 50 the discovery. the Manufacturing and Industrial Division of the Hong nationalities. Kong Institution of Engineers and supported by the Hong Kong Aircraft Engineering Co Ltd and the Royal Aeronautical Society (Hong Kong Branch). It seeks to encourage undergraduates to plan and prepare for a career in aircraft engineering and maintenance.

20 21

Campus News Alumni

Forums Foster Industrial Engineering Links IELM Mentorship Directing Tunnel Projects and Flying Planes Two significant meetings of minds from Hong Kong and beyond provided Dinner Two civil engineering alumni discuss how their studies at SENG put opportunities for thought-provoking discussion on some of the latest issues them on diverse roads to success. related to industrial engineering and logistics management in January. Over 160 mentors and student mentees from the Industrial Engineering and From January 6-7, over 120 overseas, Mainland China and Taiwan delegates Logistics Management Department DR MORGAN YANG, 1996 PhD really good preparation for my career. I also see the strengths attended the Second POMS-HK International Conference held at HKUST. The enjoyed an informal get-together at the Director of Operations, China of other HKUST graduates who come to work at the successful two-day event, organized by the Industrial Engineering and Logistics IELM Mentorship Dinner in November. The AECOM company. They are skilful at advanced computer Management (IELM) Department, HKUST Logistics & Supply Chain Management mentorship program provides simulations and have a strong background in Institute and the Production and Operations Management Society (POMS) – undergraduates with an opportunity to “After my PhD, focused mechanics. Their training may have been demanding Hong Kong Chapter, focused on “POM in the Economic Recovery”. learn from a business mentor, expand on wind-induced vibration but it means they are confident too.” of cable-stayed bridges, I Drawing together practitioners and academics, the conference provided a highly networks and build social skills. joined Maunsell (later useful platform for knowledge-sharing on production and operations management integrated into AECOM) to CLAUDIA SIN, 2007 BEng issues in the face of changing economic times and insights on the design, planning, Workshop on Liquid work on geotechnical and Second Officer, Hong Kong Dragon Airlines Ltd implementation and management of production systems and their impact. Crystals for Photonics tunnel projects. I was the “Flying has been my dream since I was young. On January 8, IELM hosted the 1st Forum for the Council of Industrial Prof VG Chigrinov, Electronic and project manager for the Although aviation degrees are not yet offered locally, Engineering Department Heads in Greater China (CIEDHC). The gathering Computer Engineering, hosted a design and construction of my HKUST civil engineering degree equipped me to brought together 40 department heads from Mainland China, Taiwan and Hong Workshop on Liquid Crystals for the North Point-Quarry Bay fulfill my dream of becoming a pilot. The engineering training at Kong to promote the development of industrial engineering and related areas in Photonics from 8-10 Dec 2010 at HKUST. section of the MTR’s Tseung Kwan O line and other signature SENG emphasizes logical thinking and analytical skills, which Greater China and to strengthen exchanges among industrial engineering The event provided a useful forum for tunnel projects in Hong Kong. helped me a lot in my career, especially in meeting the challenges departments in the region. liquid crystal scientists, researchers and “The Yangtze River tunnel-bridge, linking Shanghai’s Pudong of my 14-month cadet training in Australia. During my years at Presentations were provided by a number of academics, including Prof Ershi Qi, engineers from around the world to district and Chongming Island, was my significant Mainland SENG, I was also lucky enough to win several scholarships to gain Dean of the School of Management, Tianjin University, and Prof Ching Jong Liao, present their pioneering research and project. It opened in 2009 and is one of the world’s largest flying experience in Australia, New Zealand and Hong Kong. exchange ideas. An article on the Industrial Management Department and Vice President of National Taiwan shield-driven tunnels, with a diameter of 15.44m. “While a SENG student, I won a local eBay business competition University of Science and Technology, who both gave detailed accounts of workshop was later published in Liquid “The Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge is one of the most with two of my Civil Engineering classmates and this gave us the industrial engineering developments in their respective locations. Prof Fugee Crystals Today, an official publication of the challenging projects in the world for civil engineers as the valuable opportunity to work as interns in three different eBay Tsung, Head of IELM at HKUST, was elected Founding President of the Council. International Liquid Crystal Society. sea-crossing fixed link, involving the construction of the largest offices in Asia. In addition, I represented the University in the MECH Postgraduates’ immersed tunnel connecting man-made islands, is over 30km. “Introducing and Demonstrating Earthquake Engineering It gives me many challenges, including environmental and Research in Schools Competition” in Taiwan. Society sustainability issues, but also valuable experience in such a “I think I developed a unique project. In the past few months, members of the great deal at SENG and Mechanical Engineering Postgraduates’ “The world is flat and changing rapidly, with increasing client my all-round education Society have been able to take part in a demands. Innovation is therefore a key aspect of civil there broadened my series of fun events organized to help engineering’s future. Students will need to have the flexibility horizons considerably, students meet new people and enjoy time to handle such a working environment. helping me to achieve out from their research. Activities included my career goal.” “I was the first PhD graduate in Civil Engineering at HKUST bike riding, a barbecue, and the Society’s and I felt my time at the School of Engineering (SENG) was second basketball competition, all of which proved highly enjoyable and a great way to relax. Main Board Listing for Perception Digital

Electronic and Computer Enterprise Market (GEM) of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange to Engineering (ECE) the Main Board. The company was first listed on the GEM board alumnus and HKUST’s in December 2009. first PhD graduate Prof Perception Digital Holdings Limited is the first and largest listed Jack Lau achieved further company set up under the HKUST Entrepreneurship Program. It success in June when specializes in technological solutions for consumer electronics and the hi-tech company he technology commercialization, and holds more than 25 patents. founded transferred its Major customers include leading international brands and Fortune listing from the Growth Global 500 companies.

22 23 20th Anniversary

The School of Engineering is proud to commemorate HKUST’s 20th Anniversary through arranging and participating in the following special events that highlight the University’s emphasis on innovation, high The Second International achievement, knowledge transfer and team spirit. Workshop on Innovative Engineering Alumni HKUST Engineering Engineering Education Day Fun Day IEEE Technology Time SENG/CIVL/IAS Joint Langham Place Hotel, Hong The Making of the World’s HKUST, Dec 2011 Largest Digital Photo SENG/IAS Joint Distin- HKUST, 28 May 2011 Machine Symposium HKUST “Bring Distinguished Lecture Kong, 19-21 Jan 2011 HKUST 20th Anniversary Technology to Workshop guished Lecture by Prof Sheraton Hong Kong by Prof Robert Mair Celebration Program Organized by Organized by HKUST, 22 Jan 2011 Vincent Poor Community” HKUST School of Engineering HKUST, 18-19 Mar 2011 Parade by School of HKUST School of Engineering Hotel, 1-3 Jun 2011 Exhibition HKUST, Nov 2011 HKUST, 21 Mar 2011 Organized by Organized by Engineering Organized by Institute of Electrical and Electronics Hong Kong Science Organized by HKUST Center for Engineering Education HKUST School of Engineering Organized by HKUST, 12 Apr 2011 Engineers (IEEE) HKUST School of Engineering Innovation (E2I) Museum, HKUST Department of Computer Science HKUST School of Engineering Co-organized by HKUST Department of Civil & Sungkyunkwan University Hub Center for and Engineering HKUST Institute for Advanced Study (IAS) HKUST and Hong Kong Applied 14-23 Oct 2011 Environmental Engineering Innovative Engineering Education Organized by Science and Technology Research HKUST Institute for Advanced Study HKUST School of Engineering 5 9 1 Institute (ASTRI) Organized by 2 6 HKUST School of Engineering 8 3 7 4

EVENT 1 EVENT 2 EVENT 3 EVENT 4 EVENT 5 EVENT 6 The Second International The Making of the SENG/IAS Joint HKUST 20th Anniversary Engineering Alumni Fun IEEE Technology Time Workshop on Innovative World’s Largest Digital Distinguished Lecture by Celebration Program Day Machine Symposium Engineering Education Photo Workshop Prof Vincent Poor Parade by A happy time was spent by all on May 28 School of Engineering Intriguing insight into next-generation A successful gathering of more than 100 Prof Pedro Sander, Computer Science Eminent academic Prof Vincent Poor, at a celebratory School of Engineering advances was provided at the first IEEE engineering educators took place in and Engineering, conducted an Dean of the School of Engineering and A lively parade was held to showcase the alumni family day gathering. symposium devoted to future Hong Kong in January, co-organized by eye-opening interactive workshop that Applied Science and Michael Henry special events organized by the School of More on P15&24 technologies, which was held in Hong the Center for Engineering Education introduced the technologies and Strater University Professor of Engineering to commemorate the Kong and co-organized by HKUST. Innovation and Sungkyunkwan methods involved in creating his global Electrical Engineering at Princeton University’s latest historical milestone. More on P14 University Hub Center for Innovative record-breaking digital photo to elite University, gave an engaging One of the stars of the show was a NAO Engineering Education. Topics included high school students from local and presentation on “Information and robot, which gave a fun introduction to assessment, accreditation and international schools in Hong Kong. Inference in the Wireless Physical the occasion with its rundown of the intercultural issues, among others. The Adding to the special nature of the Layer”. In his talk, Prof Poor explored celebratory line-up. Around 150 students keynote speakers were Prof David event, the “train-the-trainer” approach information theoretic or inferential and academics participated including Radcliffe, Purdue University, and Prof was used, with students encouraged to problems, each motivated by an HKUST President Prof Tony F Chan, Elizabeth Godfrey, University of pass on the knowledge they acquired applications-layer issue. Over 90 Vice-President Prof Y S Wong, Associate Technology Sydney. to classmates, family and friends, people attended the lecture. Provost Dr David Mole, Dean of More on P14 greatly increasing the potential number Engineering Prof Khaled Ben Letaief, of people to gain knowledge from the and Associate Deans of Engineering EVENTS 7,8,9 activity. Prof Roger Cheng and Prof Charles Ng. Coming Soon! More on P14 More on robotics on P11 Look out for more outstanding 20A events from the School of Engineering in the Fall. Events comprise an inspiring “Bring Technology to Community” exhibition, with contributions by School of Engineering faculty, students and alumni; a thought-provoking distinguished lecture by Cambridge University civil engineering expert Prof Robert Mair; and SENG’s Engineering Day.

12 13

20th Anniversary 20th Anniversary

Advancing Engineering Education Across Borders Center) and supported by the Korea Institute for Advancement of Technology (KIAT) and Korea’s Ministry of Education, Science and Technology.

In addition to welcome addresses by Prof Sung-Jin Song, Director of the SKKU Hub Center and Chairman of the Organizing Committee, and Prof Khaled Ben Letaief, Dean of Engineering at HKUST, a total of 14 keynote and invited speakers made Multinational experience-sharing was the order of the day when presentations on topics related to accreditation of engineering the School of Engineering’s Center for Engineering Education programs, program-level assessment of learning outcomes, faculty Innovation (E2I) brought together more than 100 engineering Fun, Games and development, and interdisciplinary and intercultural issues in educators from over 30 universities in the Second International engineering education. Workshop on Innovative Engineering Education (IEE 2011) to review and share good practices in innovative engineering A post-conference workshop on the use of pedagogies, It was all go on May 28 when over 330 of the School’s alumni and their education. assessment strategies, and technology in enhancing student families took part in “The Engineering Alumni Fun Day”. Afternoon events learning was held at HKUST. Those attending the fruitful two-day forum in January came from included soccer and basketball competitions and a highly popular South Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan, US and Australia. The event was The two gatherings provided excellent opportunities for mini-carnival for all ages at HKUST, followed by a Homecoming Dinner to organized in collaboration with the Sungkyunkwan University participants to network and identify potential areas for celebrate HKUST’s 20th anniversary at the Chinese Restaurant on Hub Center for Innovative Engineering Education (SKKU Hub collaboration in the future. campus. Those attending were able to meet up with professors, reminisce with old friends and catch up with their recent news, as well as enjoy the Fast Forward to the Technologies of the Future performances and activities specially arranged for the evening. A glimpse of the future was the intriguing prospect at the first General Co-Chair and HKUST Dean of Engineering Prof Khaled Heartfelt appreciation to members* of the Hong Kong Electrical Appliances IEEE Technology Time Machine (TTM) symposium, which was Ben Letaief. Through co-hosting the Symposium, Prof Ben Letaief Manufacturers Association and other donors for sponsorship of prizes: held in Hong Kong in June and co-organized by HKUST and the hopes to drive strategic research planning in achieving the goal of Allan International Holdings Ltd.* Hong Kong Applied Science and Technology Research Institute the School to provide innovative and creative solution for (ASTRI). Themed “Technologies Beyond 2020”, the exciting industries and the society. Chiaphua Industries Ltd.* event organized by the Institute of Electrical and Chung Mei Industries Ltd.* At the “Global R&D Leaders” panel discussion, HKUST President Electronics Engineers (IEEE) focused on a Fook Tin Technologies Ltd.* Prof Tony F Chan highlighted that business and industry should number of potentially high-impact emerging G.E.W. Corporation Ltd.* collaborate closely with universities to promote revolutionary technologies and scenarios. Goldwise Development Co. innovative ideas. Panelists shared on innovation and advancement Hong Kong Ferry (Holdings) The kick off ceremony was officiated by in areas ranging from radio access technology, biomedical Co. Ltd. Mr John Tsang Chun-wah, Financial sciences, implants of sensors in coronary arteries to human Philips Electronics HK Ltd.* Secretary of the Hong Kong SAR centric intelligent societies and new organic electronic materials. Sonca Products Ltd.* Government; Dr Gordon Day, IEEE Prof Hoi Sing Kwok, Electronic and Computer Engineering, gave a Techtronic Industries Co. Ltd.* President-Elect; and members of the keynote speech on display technologies, the field where he is TTM Organizing Committee, including globally renowned in.

Zooming In on the Big Picture Photography has taken on a new dimension for over 50 elite which allowed them to zoom in on even distant areas and high school students from local and international schools in clearly see all the details. Hong Kong following an interactive workshop on how to create Later, they set out to make their own multi-image panoramas of multi-image panoramas by Prof Pedro Sander, Computer the HKUST campus by taking pictures and using software to Science and Engineering. Prof Sander broke the global record in “stitch” the images together. They also acquired knowledge of December 2010 when he created the world’s largest digital the algorithms and concepts behind the software. photo of 150 billion pixels. Prof Sander said, “Through this workshop, I hope that students During the workshop sessions, Prof Sander introduced the will see further evidence that working on engineering and technologies and methods involved in creating his pioneering computer technology is interesting, fun, useful and also highly photograph depicting his hometown of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. intertwined with our daily lives.” Students were fascinated by the power of the photograph,

14 15

Students Students

Flying High The Rewards of Early Research Training

Over World’s Deepest Canyon It has been a wonderfully eventful year for MPhil Computer with Prof Dit-Yan Yeung in Year 2 and Year 3 as providing Science and Engineering student Emprise Yun Kwan Chan. essential early training that has given him a head start at He has become this year’s champion of HKUST’s Mr Armin postgraduate level. and Mrs Lillian Kitchell Undergraduate Research Award It also inspired his paper “A Convex Formulation of scheme. He has also seen his research project on social Modularity Maximization for Community Detection”, which networks and machine learning lead to a paper that was Emprise will present in July at the major International Joint recently accepted by a top international artificial intelligence Conferences on Artificial Intelligence (IJCAI) in Barcelona, conference. Spain. The paper was co-authored with Prof Yeung. Entering HKUST as a straight A student, Emprise has made Postgraduate students Frank Wang and Jianyu Song, Electronic many blind spots in the Among the five winners in the research award scheme, four stellar progress at the University, finishing his difficult double and Computer Engineering, have soared to new heights in complex topography of were from the School of Engineering. The winners were degree in Computer Science and Math (General Math) in their research and development with the successful the canyon made the selected from 2010 UROP participants. autonomous flight of a self-designed unmanned helicopter location a perfect testing just 2.5 years. He is now on course to complete his MPhil in across the Yarlung Zangbo Grand Canyon, the world’s deepest ground. News of the flight just 1.5 years. canyon. Located in Tibet, the canyon, also referred to as “the was released in December Emprise credits his early research experience on the last territory of mystery on Earth”, is 504.6 km long and 2010. Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP) 6,009m deep at its lowest point, nearly three times the depth Earlier models of the of the Grand Canyon in the US. Most of its many different HKUST unmanned terrains have never been traversed. helicopter have tackled the Turning Breakthroughs The helicopter, which flew over the canyon in September 2010, rigors of Mount Everest and was equipped with the world’s most compact automated assisted earthquake relief in into Businesses piloting system and had an intelligent tracking system which Sichuan by taking surveillance Triple honors were achieved by teams from the Electronic and enabled the user to adjust its route during the flight. The photos to support Computer Engineering (ECE) Department in this year’s HKUST Learning to Unleash challenge for the students was to ensure that the helicopter post-disaster restoration 2011 Entrepreneurship Competition, with three separate groups could continue its designated tasks and safely return to base work in areas too dangerous winning awards out of 11 finalists and an original 124 teams who the Entrepreneurial Spirit even if wireless and global positioning signals were lost. The for manned flights. entered the contest. In March, nine students from Dual Degree Program in Technology and Management (T&M) joined the prestigious MIT The First Runner-up prize went to LEDoS, led by Prof Kei May Lau, Global Startup Workshop 2011 in Seoul, Korea. The leading for its breakthrough display technology based on proprietary forum, held in different international locations annually, micro-projection devices, which provides cost-effective HKUST Students Shine in Inter-University Contest encourages entrepreneurship around the world and seeks to customizable hardware and software for digital display applications foster the ecosystems to support it. A top trio of Computer Science and Engineering postgraduate coach Derek Hu. ranging from digital signage to traffic signs. undergraduates beat 38 other teams from universities in At the three-day workshop, which this year focused on The contest aims to strengthen students’ capabilities in iFlight Technology team, led by Prof Zexiang Li, received the Third Hong Kong and Macau to take the Champion Team Award Unleashing Entrepreneurial Potential to Invigorate the Economy, relation to the DB2 database management system. Runner-up award for technology that has turned it into one of the T&M students were able to listen to discussions and network at this year’s exciting IBM DB2 UDB Inter-University world’s leading developers and manufacturers of helicopter with a wide range of people from all over the world. The event Programming Contest in January. The competition attracted autopilot systems while the Student Award was won by Bull B Tech, brings together entrepreneurial leaders, executives, financiers, participants from eight universities. led by undergraduate Yik Hei Chan, for a product that streamlines professors, students, government agents and private parties to Desmond Hung (Year 3), Qifeng Chen (Year 2) and Jueyi the business-to-customer process and has many applications in the share best practices, stimulate creativity and promote Wang (Year 1) showed their outstanding programming and retail industry. entrepreneurship. problem solving skills by successfully completing a series of The competition, which first started five years ago, seeks to foster In another memorable experience at the gathering, T&M student questions to score the highest marks in the shortest time. entrepreneurship throughout the University, involving different Kanishk Bali, Year 3, won The three students formed one of five HKUST teams members of the HKUST community and different Schools. third prize in the Elevator entering the contest, which also saw HKUST receive the Pitch Competition, overall Champion University Award for the highest total competing against more scores earned by its teams. Students from Computer than 40 other entrants. Science and Engineering, Computer Engineering Program, and Economics took part, with support and encouragement provided by faculty coach Prof Wilfred Ng and

16 17

Students Students

Final-Year Projects Secure Award-Winning Success Student Honors, Awards and Achievements

The remarkable Braille Embosser final-year project by 2010 In this year’s Hong Kong ICT Awards, the students’ Braille ■ PhD candidate Vincent ■ PhD student Wenqi Du, Electronic and Computer Engineering (ECE) graduates continues Embosser gained the Gold Award, Best Social Responsibility and Man Pun Chan, Elec- Civil and Environmental to make waves in the community, winning three top awards in the Best Commercial Value accolades in the Best Innovation & tronic and Computer Engineering, has won Hong Kong ICT Awards 2011 and a Gold Award at The Hong Research (College & Undergraduates) category. Engineering, won First the Arup Research Prize Kong Electronic Industries Association (HKEIA) Innovation & In the HKEIA competition, a second ECE final-year project also Prize in the Student 2011. The accolade, Technology Project Competition 2010. proved a winner, with “Face Recognition in Embedded System” by Paper Award at the funded by Ove Arup & Patrick Kwan Pak Lee and Matthew Kin Man Ting together with Pak Ming Cheung, Pui Hang Lai, and Kwan Wai Tsang receiving the 2010 Institute of Electri- Partners Hong Kong other ECE classmates recycled dot-matrix and ink-jet printers into Merit Award. cal and Electronics Engi- Ltd, is awarded to cost-effective Braille Embossers for the visually challenged. A neers (IEEE) Asia Pacific undergraduate or post- Both projects were supervised by Prof Tim Woo. regular Braille Embosser sells for HK$30,000. The Conference on Circuits and Systems. His winning paper, graduate students to promote creativity and high stan- ECE students’ machine costs just HK$1,000. “A Monolithic 2nd-Order Boundary Controller for Buck dards of technology. Wenqi’s research seeks to develop Converter with Fast Transient Response”, was co- guidelines for seismic design of buildings in Hong Kong The double success adds to other engineering design authored by Prof Philip Mok. The biennial conference is a and the results of his work are expected to bring great awards for the invention, including the Gold Award major international forum established by the IEEE Circuits benefit to the local building industry. and Most Innovative Award in the 2010 Amway and Systems Society for researchers to exchange their ■ Electronic and Com- Pan-Pearl River Delta Region Universities IT Project latest findings. Competition and a Merit Award in the 10th puter Engineering International Asia Pacific ICT Alliance Awards 2010. ■ A HKUST Programming Team (HKUST Optimus Prime) PhD candidate reached the world finals of the prestigious ACM Shaoqi Feng received International Collegiate Programming Contest in Florida, the Best Student US, following their triumph in this year’s regional contests Paper Award (2nd Honoring Academic Excellence in Hanoi and Kuala Lumpur. The team comprised Danqi Runner-up) at the Chen, Year 2, Computer Engineering Program, Yuliang Li, 11th IEEE Photonics An elite group of 96 SENG undergraduates who had gained a Year 2, and PhD candidate Lu Wang, Computer Science Society Hong Kong place on the Dean’s List at least twice in the preceding three and Engineering. The team was led by Prof Ke Yi and Chapter Postgraduate Conference. His winning paper, semesters were honored for their academic excellence at a postgraduate coach Hao Hu. This year, around 7,000 “Electro-optical Tunable Time Delay and Advance in a ceremony in May, together with their peers from other Schools teams worldwide participated in the regional contests, Silicon Feedback-microring Resonator”, was co-authored at HKUST. Over 350 students achieved this honor. HKUST with 102 teams qualifying for the finals. by Dr Xianshu Luo and Prof Andrew Poon. President Prof Tony F Chan and other senior administrators attended the event. Principals and teachers from the students’ ■ MPhil student Pak ■ PhD student Cuiting Guo, Industrial Engineering and Logis- secondary schools were also invited to join the ceremony. Ming Cheung, Elec- tics Management, received the Best Short Paper Award at tronic and Computer the IEEE Virtual Reality Conference 2011, held in Singapore. Engineering, won the The conference is the most prestigious international con- Building Academic Bridges Through Mainland Exchange Champion Award in ference focusing on virtual reality. The paper looked at the the Design for Elderly question: “Could OKAN be an Objective Indicator of the A group of seven Civil and Environmental Engineering (CIVL) Qinghe Zhang and Prof Donghai Liu gave the Hong Kong visitors Competition 2011. Susceptibility to Visually Induced Motion Sickness?” students enjoyed an eye-opening five-day exchange to two an introduction to the university’s programs and research fields. His winning proposal mainland universities in March to gain greater understanding of Students also toured the construction lab at Tsinghua University ■ An Industrial Engineering and Logistics Management under- focused on designing e-games under the “Innovative Ideas how the field is taught and what research is undertaken at the and the hydraulic and hydropower simulation lab at Tianjin graduate team comprising Zhiyi He, Year 2, Sihua Luo, Year for Quality Living” category. The contest was held as part different institutions. University. 1, and Yik Hang Pang, Year 1, gained the Second Runner-up of Hong Kong Engineering Week 2011. award in the Hong Kong Society for Quality student project The visit, entitled “Student – Civil – Global”, was organized for As part of the exchange, a group of around 10 students and a ■ Darren Sin Wang Chiu, competition. The competition is open to university students HKUST members of the Student Chapter of the Canadian professor from Tsinghua University Year 2, Computer in industrial, manufacturing, quality or related disciplines, Society for Civil Engineering Hong Kong branch, and was open to will visit HKUST this June. Engineering and Global and provides them with an opportunity to work on an both undergraduates and postgraduates. Students, together with Business Management, actual industrial case and propose a resolution. CIVL Chair Professor Moe Cheung, visited Tsinghua University in was awarded the Beijing and Tianjin University. 2009-10 Hong Kong At Tsinghua University, Prof Cheung gave a seminar on the design, Institution of Engineers construction and management of the Confederation Bridge, the (HKIE) Scholarship for largest public private partnership project in Canada, while Prof his outstanding academic achievement. Peng Pan from Tsinghua presented his latest research on earthquake-resistant structural systems to the CIVL group. During the exchange at Tianjin University, Prof Qinghua Han, Prof

18 19

Students Campus News

■ Electronic and Computer ■ Electronic and Computer Engineering PhD students International Industry-Education Drive to Boost Innovation Engineering PhD student Mahdi Nikdast, Xiaowen Wu and Yaoyao Ye gained the Xiaocheng Jing won First Best Poster Presentation Award (2nd place) at the AMD In a highly significant competencies in the four fields. development, the School Prize in the Student Technical Forum and Exhibition 2010, held in Taipei. Their The consortium is one of five set up by Hewlett Packard in 2010 of Engineering has become Paper Contest at the research project, “A Formal Analysis of Crosstalk Noise focusing on the transformation of STEM education. Member part of a leading 2010 IEEE International in Mesh-based Optical Network-on-Chip for Chip organizations were selected through an open, competitive global industry-education global Conference on Electron Multiprocessors”, was co-authored by Prof Jiang Xu. call for proposals. Devices and Solid-State AMD is a leading semiconductor company. social innovation program “We are excited about the impact of this initiative and the network Circuits with her paper “Soft-Start Circuit with Duty Ratio designed to develop more effective approaches to education in of consortia in the long term,” said Prof Mounir Hamdi, Head of Controlled Voltage Clamping and Adaptive Sizing science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) worldwide. Computer Science and Engineering and Project Lead. Such funding Technique for Integrated DC-DC Converters”. PhD As part of the HP Catalyst Initiative, set up by leading technology would help the University deliver projects that will shape the way student Chenchang Zhan, Electronic and Computer multinational Hewlett Packard, HKUST has received a generous education develops and society evolves as well as empower Engineering, came third with his paper grant of US$150,000 which will be put toward a new teaching lab students to collaborate globally, he noted. “Output-Capacitor-Free Adaptively Biased Low-Dropout equipped with high-end computers for Computer Science and Regulators”. Zhan also won the Student Paper Award at Engineering students. Ms Gabi Zedlmayer, Vice President, Office of Global Social ■ Postgraduate student Zhijian Zhou, the IEEE International Symposium on Circuits and Innovation at Hewlett Packard, explained that the HP Catalyst Electronic and Computer The University is among 35 educational institutions across 11 Systems held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in May with his paper Initiative underscored the company’s vision of a world where Engineering, has been awarded First countries to be selected by Hewlett Packard to receive a grant in “An Output-Capacitor-Free Adaptively Biased innovation and collaboration are enabled by investments in Runner-up in the Postgraduate 2010. It is also a member of the newly established Hewlett Low-Dropout Regulator with Sub-Threshold technology and education. “The program is designed to help foster Category of the Student Paper Packard-sponsored Measuring Learning Consortium, led by Undershoot-Reduction for SoC”, co-authored with Prof potential solutions to society’s most critical challenges by educating Contest held by the IEEE Hong Kong Carnegie Mellon University in the US. The six-member multinational Wing-Hung Ki. A total of 658 papers were presented in and nurturing leaders,” she said. “This will be critical in ensuring we Section 2010, for his paper “The group will explore new technologies for measuring students’ the symposium. Only 3 papers were awarded the Student develop new communities and find new ways of doing things.” Design, Fabrication and Paper Award. Characterization of Piezoresistive ■ PhD student Liang Lu, Tactile Sensor for Fingerprint Innovative Technology Research Exploring the Story of Industrial Engineering and Sensing”. 2010 ECE graduate Yue Yu Logistics Management, was awarded First Runner-up in the Shared with Semiconductor Lasers Undergraduate Category for her received First Prize in the International School Teachers Prof Dieter Bimberg, Chair of Applied Solid State Physics paper “Modified-MMSE Equalization for Noise and Best Student Paper at Technical University of Berlin for the past 30 years, gave Interference Mitigation in SU-MIMO Systems” Over 70 science teachers from six international secondary schools Competition at the a fascinating talk on “Our Daily Life with Semiconductor Second Production and under the English Schools Foundation (ESF) gained interesting ■ Sixteen students from Dual Degree Program in Lasers” at HKUST in January. Operations Management insight into some of the latest technological advances at the School Technology and Management (T&M) had a great Society (POMS)-Hong Kong International Conference. of Engineering’s first professional development day for secondary The talk, jointly organized by the School of Engineering opportunity to learn more about the business world The conference was organized by the POMS-Hong school educators in May. and HKUST Institute for Advanced Study, examined the when they participated in the Schmidt-HKUST amazing success story related to semiconductor lasers. It Kong and Taiwan Chapters, the Department of The international school teachers were welcomed to HKUST by Corporate Project in Fall 2010. During the three-month explored how a fundamental physics breakthrough Industrial Engineering and Logistics Management and Provost Prof Wei Shyy. This was followed by a presentation by project, the four student teams looked at ways to regarded as useless to the economy 50 years ago, has the HKUST Logistics and Supply Chain Management Dean of Engineering Prof Khaled Ben Letaief and talks by faculty promote and facilitate adoption of Radio Frequency evolved through further engineering and discovery to Institute. members on a range of hot topics, including green buildings, wind Identification (RFID). To do so, they attended become a key part of modern life. energy, mobile technology, and terahertz imaging. Participants also ■ Hing Yik Ng, Year 2, Mechanical conferences, corporate seminars and conducted market had the opportunity to tour HKUST’s leading research facilities and The new knowledge and understanding went on to spur Engineering, received the analysis, among other activities, before presenting their scenic campus, and hear about student life from the School’s intercontinental optical communication, the basis of the Outstanding Student Award 2010 proposals to a panel of judges comprising senior Student Ambassadors. internet, and to form the backbone of modern energy from the Aircraft Engineer executives and business professionals. The winning team efficient systems. DVDs, the optical mouse, and medical Development Scheme (AEDS) in recommended using short-range wireless technology to Dean Ben Letaief said he hoped the successful event marked the applications, are just some examples of the recognition of her high-flying connect social networks with physical location beginning of a long-term relationship between the School of products now performance in examinations and information. Engineering and the ESF, which is Hong Kong’s largest international associated with participation in AEDS activities. AEDS is organized by school network educating around 16,000 students and over 50 the discovery. the Manufacturing and Industrial Division of the Hong nationalities. Kong Institution of Engineers and supported by the Hong Kong Aircraft Engineering Co Ltd and the Royal Aeronautical Society (Hong Kong Branch). It seeks to encourage undergraduates to plan and prepare for a career in aircraft engineering and maintenance.

20 21

Campus News Alumni

Forums Foster Industrial Engineering Links IELM Mentorship Directing Tunnel Projects and Flying Planes Two significant meetings of minds from Hong Kong and beyond provided Dinner Two civil engineering alumni discuss how their studies at SENG put opportunities for thought-provoking discussion on some of the latest issues them on diverse roads to success. related to industrial engineering and logistics management in January. Over 160 mentors and student mentees from the Industrial Engineering and From January 6-7, over 120 overseas, Mainland China and Taiwan delegates Logistics Management Department DR MORGAN YANG, 1996 PhD really good preparation for my career. I also see the strengths attended the Second POMS-HK International Conference held at HKUST. The enjoyed an informal get-together at the Director of Operations, China of other HKUST graduates who come to work at the successful two-day event, organized by the Industrial Engineering and Logistics IELM Mentorship Dinner in November. The AECOM company. They are skilful at advanced computer Management (IELM) Department, HKUST Logistics & Supply Chain Management mentorship program provides simulations and have a strong background in Institute and the Production and Operations Management Society (POMS) – undergraduates with an opportunity to “After my PhD, focused mechanics. Their training may have been demanding Hong Kong Chapter, focused on “POM in the Economic Recovery”. learn from a business mentor, expand on wind-induced vibration but it means they are confident too.” of cable-stayed bridges, I Drawing together practitioners and academics, the conference provided a highly networks and build social skills. joined Maunsell (later useful platform for knowledge-sharing on production and operations management integrated into AECOM) to CLAUDIA SIN, 2007 BEng issues in the face of changing economic times and insights on the design, planning, Workshop on Liquid work on geotechnical and Second Officer, Hong Kong Dragon Airlines Ltd implementation and management of production systems and their impact. Crystals for Photonics tunnel projects. I was the “Flying has been my dream since I was young. On January 8, IELM hosted the 1st Forum for the Council of Industrial Prof VG Chigrinov, Electronic and project manager for the Although aviation degrees are not yet offered locally, Engineering Department Heads in Greater China (CIEDHC). The gathering Computer Engineering, hosted a design and construction of my HKUST civil engineering degree equipped me to brought together 40 department heads from Mainland China, Taiwan and Hong Workshop on Liquid Crystals for the North Point-Quarry Bay fulfill my dream of becoming a pilot. The engineering training at Kong to promote the development of industrial engineering and related areas in Photonics from 8-10 Dec 2010 at HKUST. section of the MTR’s Tseung Kwan O line and other signature SENG emphasizes logical thinking and analytical skills, which Greater China and to strengthen exchanges among industrial engineering The event provided a useful forum for tunnel projects in Hong Kong. helped me a lot in my career, especially in meeting the challenges departments in the region. liquid crystal scientists, researchers and “The Yangtze River tunnel-bridge, linking Shanghai’s Pudong of my 14-month cadet training in Australia. During my years at Presentations were provided by a number of academics, including Prof Ershi Qi, engineers from around the world to district and Chongming Island, was my significant Mainland SENG, I was also lucky enough to win several scholarships to gain Dean of the School of Management, Tianjin University, and Prof Ching Jong Liao, present their pioneering research and project. It opened in 2009 and is one of the world’s largest flying experience in Australia, New Zealand and Hong Kong. exchange ideas. An article on the Industrial Management Department and Vice President of National Taiwan shield-driven tunnels, with a diameter of 15.44m. “While a SENG student, I won a local eBay business competition University of Science and Technology, who both gave detailed accounts of workshop was later published in Liquid “The Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge is one of the most with two of my Civil Engineering classmates and this gave us the industrial engineering developments in their respective locations. Prof Fugee Crystals Today, an official publication of the challenging projects in the world for civil engineers as the valuable opportunity to work as interns in three different eBay Tsung, Head of IELM at HKUST, was elected Founding President of the Council. International Liquid Crystal Society. sea-crossing fixed link, involving the construction of the largest offices in Asia. In addition, I represented the University in the MECH Postgraduates’ immersed tunnel connecting man-made islands, is over 30km. “Introducing and Demonstrating Earthquake Engineering It gives me many challenges, including environmental and Research in Schools Competition” in Taiwan. Society sustainability issues, but also valuable experience in such a “I think I developed a unique project. In the past few months, members of the great deal at SENG and Mechanical Engineering Postgraduates’ “The world is flat and changing rapidly, with increasing client my all-round education Society have been able to take part in a demands. Innovation is therefore a key aspect of civil there broadened my series of fun events organized to help engineering’s future. Students will need to have the flexibility horizons considerably, students meet new people and enjoy time to handle such a working environment. helping me to achieve out from their research. Activities included my career goal.” “I was the first PhD graduate in Civil Engineering at HKUST bike riding, a barbecue, and the Society’s and I felt my time at the School of Engineering (SENG) was second basketball competition, all of which proved highly enjoyable and a great way to relax. Main Board Listing for Perception Digital

Electronic and Computer Enterprise Market (GEM) of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange to Engineering (ECE) the Main Board. The company was first listed on the GEM board alumnus and HKUST’s in December 2009. first PhD graduate Prof Perception Digital Holdings Limited is the first and largest listed Jack Lau achieved further company set up under the HKUST Entrepreneurship Program. It success in June when specializes in technological solutions for consumer electronics and the hi-tech company he technology commercialization, and holds more than 25 patents. founded transferred its Major customers include leading international brands and Fortune listing from the Growth Global 500 companies.

22 23 20th Anniversary

The School of Engineering is proud to commemorate HKUST’s 20th Anniversary through arranging and participating in the following special events that highlight the University’s emphasis on innovation, high The Second International achievement, knowledge transfer and team spirit. Workshop on Innovative Engineering Alumni HKUST Engineering Engineering Education Day Fun Day IEEE Technology Time SENG/CIVL/IAS Joint Langham Place Hotel, Hong The Making of the World’s HKUST, Dec 2011 Largest Digital Photo SENG/IAS Joint Distin- HKUST, 28 May 2011 Machine Symposium HKUST “Bring Distinguished Lecture Kong, 19-21 Jan 2011 HKUST 20th Anniversary Technology to Workshop guished Lecture by Prof Sheraton Hong Kong by Prof Robert Mair Celebration Program Organized by Organized by HKUST, 22 Jan 2011 Vincent Poor Community” HKUST School of Engineering HKUST, 18-19 Mar 2011 Parade by School of HKUST School of Engineering Hotel, 1-3 Jun 2011 Exhibition HKUST, Nov 2011 HKUST, 21 Mar 2011 Organized by Organized by Engineering Organized by Institute of Electrical and Electronics Hong Kong Science Organized by HKUST Center for Engineering Education HKUST School of Engineering Organized by HKUST, 12 Apr 2011 Engineers (IEEE) HKUST School of Engineering Innovation (E2I) Museum, HKUST Department of Computer Science HKUST School of Engineering Co-organized by HKUST Department of Civil & Sungkyunkwan University Hub Center for and Engineering HKUST Institute for Advanced Study (IAS) HKUST and Hong Kong Applied 14-23 Oct 2011 Environmental Engineering Innovative Engineering Education Organized by Science and Technology Research HKUST Institute for Advanced Study HKUST School of Engineering 5 9 1 Institute (ASTRI) Organized by 2 6 HKUST School of Engineering 8 3 7 4

EVENT 1 EVENT 2 EVENT 3 EVENT 4 EVENT 5 EVENT 6 The Second International The Making of the SENG/IAS Joint HKUST 20th Anniversary Engineering Alumni Fun IEEE Technology Time Workshop on Innovative World’s Largest Digital Distinguished Lecture by Celebration Program Day Machine Symposium Engineering Education Photo Workshop Prof Vincent Poor Parade by A happy time was spent by all on May 28 School of Engineering Intriguing insight into next-generation A successful gathering of more than 100 Prof Pedro Sander, Computer Science Eminent academic Prof Vincent Poor, at a celebratory School of Engineering advances was provided at the first IEEE engineering educators took place in and Engineering, conducted an Dean of the School of Engineering and A lively parade was held to showcase the alumni family day gathering. symposium devoted to future Hong Kong in January, co-organized by eye-opening interactive workshop that Applied Science and Michael Henry special events organized by the School of More on P15&24 technologies, which was held in Hong the Center for Engineering Education introduced the technologies and Strater University Professor of Engineering to commemorate the Kong and co-organized by HKUST. Innovation and Sungkyunkwan methods involved in creating his global Electrical Engineering at Princeton University’s latest historical milestone. More on P14 University Hub Center for Innovative record-breaking digital photo to elite University, gave an engaging One of the stars of the show was a NAO Engineering Education. Topics included high school students from local and presentation on “Information and robot, which gave a fun introduction to assessment, accreditation and international schools in Hong Kong. Inference in the Wireless Physical the occasion with its rundown of the intercultural issues, among others. The Adding to the special nature of the Layer”. In his talk, Prof Poor explored celebratory line-up. Around 150 students keynote speakers were Prof David event, the “train-the-trainer” approach information theoretic or inferential and academics participated including Radcliffe, Purdue University, and Prof was used, with students encouraged to problems, each motivated by an HKUST President Prof Tony F Chan, Elizabeth Godfrey, University of pass on the knowledge they acquired applications-layer issue. Over 90 Vice-President Prof Y S Wong, Associate Technology Sydney. to classmates, family and friends, people attended the lecture. Provost Dr David Mole, Dean of More on P14 greatly increasing the potential number Engineering Prof Khaled Ben Letaief, of people to gain knowledge from the and Associate Deans of Engineering EVENTS 7,8,9 activity. Prof Roger Cheng and Prof Charles Ng. Coming Soon! More on P14 More on robotics on P11 Look out for more outstanding 20A events from the School of Engineering in the Fall. Events comprise an inspiring “Bring Technology to Community” exhibition, with contributions by School of Engineering faculty, students and alumni; a thought-provoking distinguished lecture by Cambridge University civil engineering expert Prof Robert Mair; and SENG’s Engineering Day.

12 13

20th Anniversary 20th Anniversary

Advancing Engineering Education Across Borders Center) and supported by the Korea Institute for Advancement of Technology (KIAT) and Korea’s Ministry of Education, Science and Technology.

In addition to welcome addresses by Prof Sung-Jin Song, Director of the SKKU Hub Center and Chairman of the Organizing Committee, and Prof Khaled Ben Letaief, Dean of Engineering at HKUST, a total of 14 keynote and invited speakers made Multinational experience-sharing was the order of the day when presentations on topics related to accreditation of engineering the School of Engineering’s Center for Engineering Education programs, program-level assessment of learning outcomes, faculty Innovation (E2I) brought together more than 100 engineering Fun, Games and development, and interdisciplinary and intercultural issues in educators from over 30 universities in the Second International engineering education. Workshop on Innovative Engineering Education (IEE 2011) to review and share good practices in innovative engineering A post-conference workshop on the use of pedagogies, It was all go on May 28 when over 330 of the School’s alumni and their education. assessment strategies, and technology in enhancing student families took part in “The Engineering Alumni Fun Day”. Afternoon events learning was held at HKUST. Those attending the fruitful two-day forum in January came from included soccer and basketball competitions and a highly popular South Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan, US and Australia. The event was The two gatherings provided excellent opportunities for mini-carnival for all ages at HKUST, followed by a Homecoming Dinner to organized in collaboration with the Sungkyunkwan University participants to network and identify potential areas for celebrate HKUST’s 20th anniversary at the Chinese Restaurant on Hub Center for Innovative Engineering Education (SKKU Hub collaboration in the future. campus. Those attending were able to meet up with professors, reminisce with old friends and catch up with their recent news, as well as enjoy the Fast Forward to the Technologies of the Future performances and activities specially arranged for the evening. A glimpse of the future was the intriguing prospect at the first General Co-Chair and HKUST Dean of Engineering Prof Khaled Heartfelt appreciation to members* of the Hong Kong Electrical Appliances IEEE Technology Time Machine (TTM) symposium, which was Ben Letaief. Through co-hosting the Symposium, Prof Ben Letaief Manufacturers Association and other donors for sponsorship of prizes: held in Hong Kong in June and co-organized by HKUST and the hopes to drive strategic research planning in achieving the goal of Allan International Holdings Ltd.* Hong Kong Applied Science and Technology Research Institute the School to provide innovative and creative solution for (ASTRI). Themed “Technologies Beyond 2020”, the exciting industries and the society. Chiaphua Industries Ltd.* event organized by the Institute of Electrical and Chung Mei Industries Ltd.* At the “Global R&D Leaders” panel discussion, HKUST President Electronics Engineers (IEEE) focused on a Fook Tin Technologies Ltd.* Prof Tony F Chan highlighted that business and industry should number of potentially high-impact emerging G.E.W. Corporation Ltd.* collaborate closely with universities to promote revolutionary technologies and scenarios. Goldwise Development Co. innovative ideas. Panelists shared on innovation and advancement Hong Kong Ferry (Holdings) The kick off ceremony was officiated by in areas ranging from radio access technology, biomedical Co. Ltd. Mr John Tsang Chun-wah, Financial sciences, implants of sensors in coronary arteries to human Philips Electronics HK Ltd.* Secretary of the Hong Kong SAR centric intelligent societies and new organic electronic materials. Sonca Products Ltd.* Government; Dr Gordon Day, IEEE Prof Hoi Sing Kwok, Electronic and Computer Engineering, gave a Techtronic Industries Co. Ltd.* President-Elect; and members of the keynote speech on display technologies, the field where he is TTM Organizing Committee, including globally renowned in.

Zooming In on the Big Picture Photography has taken on a new dimension for over 50 elite which allowed them to zoom in on even distant areas and high school students from local and international schools in clearly see all the details. Hong Kong following an interactive workshop on how to create Later, they set out to make their own multi-image panoramas of multi-image panoramas by Prof Pedro Sander, Computer the HKUST campus by taking pictures and using software to Science and Engineering. Prof Sander broke the global record in “stitch” the images together. They also acquired knowledge of December 2010 when he created the world’s largest digital the algorithms and concepts behind the software. photo of 150 billion pixels. Prof Sander said, “Through this workshop, I hope that students During the workshop sessions, Prof Sander introduced the will see further evidence that working on engineering and technologies and methods involved in creating his pioneering computer technology is interesting, fun, useful and also highly photograph depicting his hometown of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. intertwined with our daily lives.” Students were fascinated by the power of the photograph,

14 15

Students Students

Flying High The Rewards of Early Research Training

Over World’s Deepest Canyon It has been a wonderfully eventful year for MPhil Computer with Prof Dit-Yan Yeung in Year 2 and Year 3 as providing Science and Engineering student Emprise Yun Kwan Chan. essential early training that has given him a head start at He has become this year’s champion of HKUST’s Mr Armin postgraduate level. and Mrs Lillian Kitchell Undergraduate Research Award It also inspired his paper “A Convex Formulation of scheme. He has also seen his research project on social Modularity Maximization for Community Detection”, which networks and machine learning lead to a paper that was Emprise will present in July at the major International Joint recently accepted by a top international artificial intelligence Conferences on Artificial Intelligence (IJCAI) in Barcelona, conference. Spain. The paper was co-authored with Prof Yeung. Entering HKUST as a straight A student, Emprise has made Postgraduate students Frank Wang and Jianyu Song, Electronic many blind spots in the Among the five winners in the research award scheme, four stellar progress at the University, finishing his difficult double and Computer Engineering, have soared to new heights in complex topography of were from the School of Engineering. The winners were degree in Computer Science and Math (General Math) in their research and development with the successful the canyon made the selected from 2010 UROP participants. autonomous flight of a self-designed unmanned helicopter location a perfect testing just 2.5 years. He is now on course to complete his MPhil in across the Yarlung Zangbo Grand Canyon, the world’s deepest ground. News of the flight just 1.5 years. canyon. Located in Tibet, the canyon, also referred to as “the was released in December Emprise credits his early research experience on the last territory of mystery on Earth”, is 504.6 km long and 2010. Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP) 6,009m deep at its lowest point, nearly three times the depth Earlier models of the of the Grand Canyon in the US. Most of its many different HKUST unmanned terrains have never been traversed. helicopter have tackled the Turning Breakthroughs The helicopter, which flew over the canyon in September 2010, rigors of Mount Everest and was equipped with the world’s most compact automated assisted earthquake relief in into Businesses piloting system and had an intelligent tracking system which Sichuan by taking surveillance Triple honors were achieved by teams from the Electronic and enabled the user to adjust its route during the flight. The photos to support Computer Engineering (ECE) Department in this year’s HKUST Learning to Unleash challenge for the students was to ensure that the helicopter post-disaster restoration 2011 Entrepreneurship Competition, with three separate groups could continue its designated tasks and safely return to base work in areas too dangerous winning awards out of 11 finalists and an original 124 teams who the Entrepreneurial Spirit even if wireless and global positioning signals were lost. The for manned flights. entered the contest. In March, nine students from Dual Degree Program in Technology and Management (T&M) joined the prestigious MIT The First Runner-up prize went to LEDoS, led by Prof Kei May Lau, Global Startup Workshop 2011 in Seoul, Korea. The leading for its breakthrough display technology based on proprietary forum, held in different international locations annually, micro-projection devices, which provides cost-effective HKUST Students Shine in Inter-University Contest encourages entrepreneurship around the world and seeks to customizable hardware and software for digital display applications foster the ecosystems to support it. A top trio of Computer Science and Engineering postgraduate coach Derek Hu. ranging from digital signage to traffic signs. undergraduates beat 38 other teams from universities in At the three-day workshop, which this year focused on The contest aims to strengthen students’ capabilities in iFlight Technology team, led by Prof Zexiang Li, received the Third Hong Kong and Macau to take the Champion Team Award Unleashing Entrepreneurial Potential to Invigorate the Economy, relation to the DB2 database management system. Runner-up award for technology that has turned it into one of the T&M students were able to listen to discussions and network at this year’s exciting IBM DB2 UDB Inter-University world’s leading developers and manufacturers of helicopter with a wide range of people from all over the world. The event Programming Contest in January. The competition attracted autopilot systems while the Student Award was won by Bull B Tech, brings together entrepreneurial leaders, executives, financiers, participants from eight universities. led by undergraduate Yik Hei Chan, for a product that streamlines professors, students, government agents and private parties to Desmond Hung (Year 3), Qifeng Chen (Year 2) and Jueyi the business-to-customer process and has many applications in the share best practices, stimulate creativity and promote Wang (Year 1) showed their outstanding programming and retail industry. entrepreneurship. problem solving skills by successfully completing a series of The competition, which first started five years ago, seeks to foster In another memorable experience at the gathering, T&M student questions to score the highest marks in the shortest time. entrepreneurship throughout the University, involving different Kanishk Bali, Year 3, won The three students formed one of five HKUST teams members of the HKUST community and different Schools. third prize in the Elevator entering the contest, which also saw HKUST receive the Pitch Competition, overall Champion University Award for the highest total competing against more scores earned by its teams. Students from Computer than 40 other entrants. Science and Engineering, Computer Engineering Program, and Economics took part, with support and encouragement provided by faculty coach Prof Wilfred Ng and

16 17

Students Students

Final-Year Projects Secure Award-Winning Success Student Honors, Awards and Achievements

The remarkable Braille Embosser final-year project by 2010 In this year’s Hong Kong ICT Awards, the students’ Braille ■ PhD candidate Vincent ■ PhD student Wenqi Du, Electronic and Computer Engineering (ECE) graduates continues Embosser gained the Gold Award, Best Social Responsibility and Man Pun Chan, Elec- Civil and Environmental to make waves in the community, winning three top awards in the Best Commercial Value accolades in the Best Innovation & tronic and Computer Engineering, has won Hong Kong ICT Awards 2011 and a Gold Award at The Hong Research (College & Undergraduates) category. Engineering, won First the Arup Research Prize Kong Electronic Industries Association (HKEIA) Innovation & In the HKEIA competition, a second ECE final-year project also Prize in the Student 2011. The accolade, Technology Project Competition 2010. proved a winner, with “Face Recognition in Embedded System” by Paper Award at the funded by Ove Arup & Patrick Kwan Pak Lee and Matthew Kin Man Ting together with Pak Ming Cheung, Pui Hang Lai, and Kwan Wai Tsang receiving the 2010 Institute of Electri- Partners Hong Kong other ECE classmates recycled dot-matrix and ink-jet printers into Merit Award. cal and Electronics Engi- Ltd, is awarded to cost-effective Braille Embossers for the visually challenged. A neers (IEEE) Asia Pacific undergraduate or post- Both projects were supervised by Prof Tim Woo. regular Braille Embosser sells for HK$30,000. The Conference on Circuits and Systems. His winning paper, graduate students to promote creativity and high stan- ECE students’ machine costs just HK$1,000. “A Monolithic 2nd-Order Boundary Controller for Buck dards of technology. Wenqi’s research seeks to develop Converter with Fast Transient Response”, was co- guidelines for seismic design of buildings in Hong Kong The double success adds to other engineering design authored by Prof Philip Mok. The biennial conference is a and the results of his work are expected to bring great awards for the invention, including the Gold Award major international forum established by the IEEE Circuits benefit to the local building industry. and Most Innovative Award in the 2010 Amway and Systems Society for researchers to exchange their ■ Electronic and Com- Pan-Pearl River Delta Region Universities IT Project latest findings. Competition and a Merit Award in the 10th puter Engineering International Asia Pacific ICT Alliance Awards 2010. ■ A HKUST Programming Team (HKUST Optimus Prime) PhD candidate reached the world finals of the prestigious ACM Shaoqi Feng received International Collegiate Programming Contest in Florida, the Best Student US, following their triumph in this year’s regional contests Paper Award (2nd Honoring Academic Excellence in Hanoi and Kuala Lumpur. The team comprised Danqi Runner-up) at the Chen, Year 2, Computer Engineering Program, Yuliang Li, 11th IEEE Photonics An elite group of 96 SENG undergraduates who had gained a Year 2, and PhD candidate Lu Wang, Computer Science Society Hong Kong place on the Dean’s List at least twice in the preceding three and Engineering. The team was led by Prof Ke Yi and Chapter Postgraduate Conference. His winning paper, semesters were honored for their academic excellence at a postgraduate coach Hao Hu. This year, around 7,000 “Electro-optical Tunable Time Delay and Advance in a ceremony in May, together with their peers from other Schools teams worldwide participated in the regional contests, Silicon Feedback-microring Resonator”, was co-authored at HKUST. Over 350 students achieved this honor. HKUST with 102 teams qualifying for the finals. by Dr Xianshu Luo and Prof Andrew Poon. President Prof Tony F Chan and other senior administrators attended the event. Principals and teachers from the students’ ■ MPhil student Pak ■ PhD student Cuiting Guo, Industrial Engineering and Logis- secondary schools were also invited to join the ceremony. Ming Cheung, Elec- tics Management, received the Best Short Paper Award at tronic and Computer the IEEE Virtual Reality Conference 2011, held in Singapore. Engineering, won the The conference is the most prestigious international con- Building Academic Bridges Through Mainland Exchange Champion Award in ference focusing on virtual reality. The paper looked at the the Design for Elderly question: “Could OKAN be an Objective Indicator of the A group of seven Civil and Environmental Engineering (CIVL) Qinghe Zhang and Prof Donghai Liu gave the Hong Kong visitors Competition 2011. Susceptibility to Visually Induced Motion Sickness?” students enjoyed an eye-opening five-day exchange to two an introduction to the university’s programs and research fields. His winning proposal mainland universities in March to gain greater understanding of Students also toured the construction lab at Tsinghua University ■ An Industrial Engineering and Logistics Management under- focused on designing e-games under the “Innovative Ideas how the field is taught and what research is undertaken at the and the hydraulic and hydropower simulation lab at Tianjin graduate team comprising Zhiyi He, Year 2, Sihua Luo, Year for Quality Living” category. The contest was held as part different institutions. University. 1, and Yik Hang Pang, Year 1, gained the Second Runner-up of Hong Kong Engineering Week 2011. award in the Hong Kong Society for Quality student project The visit, entitled “Student – Civil – Global”, was organized for As part of the exchange, a group of around 10 students and a ■ Darren Sin Wang Chiu, competition. The competition is open to university students HKUST members of the Student Chapter of the Canadian professor from Tsinghua University Year 2, Computer in industrial, manufacturing, quality or related disciplines, Society for Civil Engineering Hong Kong branch, and was open to will visit HKUST this June. Engineering and Global and provides them with an opportunity to work on an both undergraduates and postgraduates. Students, together with Business Management, actual industrial case and propose a resolution. CIVL Chair Professor Moe Cheung, visited Tsinghua University in was awarded the Beijing and Tianjin University. 2009-10 Hong Kong At Tsinghua University, Prof Cheung gave a seminar on the design, Institution of Engineers construction and management of the Confederation Bridge, the (HKIE) Scholarship for largest public private partnership project in Canada, while Prof his outstanding academic achievement. Peng Pan from Tsinghua presented his latest research on earthquake-resistant structural systems to the CIVL group. During the exchange at Tianjin University, Prof Qinghua Han, Prof

18 19

Students Campus News

■ Electronic and Computer ■ Electronic and Computer Engineering PhD students International Industry-Education Drive to Boost Innovation Engineering PhD student Mahdi Nikdast, Xiaowen Wu and Yaoyao Ye gained the Xiaocheng Jing won First Best Poster Presentation Award (2nd place) at the AMD In a highly significant competencies in the four fields. development, the School Prize in the Student Technical Forum and Exhibition 2010, held in Taipei. Their The consortium is one of five set up by Hewlett Packard in 2010 of Engineering has become Paper Contest at the research project, “A Formal Analysis of Crosstalk Noise focusing on the transformation of STEM education. Member part of a leading 2010 IEEE International in Mesh-based Optical Network-on-Chip for Chip organizations were selected through an open, competitive global industry-education global Conference on Electron Multiprocessors”, was co-authored by Prof Jiang Xu. call for proposals. Devices and Solid-State AMD is a leading semiconductor company. social innovation program “We are excited about the impact of this initiative and the network Circuits with her paper “Soft-Start Circuit with Duty Ratio designed to develop more effective approaches to education in of consortia in the long term,” said Prof Mounir Hamdi, Head of Controlled Voltage Clamping and Adaptive Sizing science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) worldwide. Computer Science and Engineering and Project Lead. Such funding Technique for Integrated DC-DC Converters”. PhD As part of the HP Catalyst Initiative, set up by leading technology would help the University deliver projects that will shape the way student Chenchang Zhan, Electronic and Computer multinational Hewlett Packard, HKUST has received a generous education develops and society evolves as well as empower Engineering, came third with his paper grant of US$150,000 which will be put toward a new teaching lab students to collaborate globally, he noted. “Output-Capacitor-Free Adaptively Biased Low-Dropout equipped with high-end computers for Computer Science and Regulators”. Zhan also won the Student Paper Award at Engineering students. Ms Gabi Zedlmayer, Vice President, Office of Global Social ■ Postgraduate student Zhijian Zhou, the IEEE International Symposium on Circuits and Innovation at Hewlett Packard, explained that the HP Catalyst Electronic and Computer The University is among 35 educational institutions across 11 Systems held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in May with his paper Initiative underscored the company’s vision of a world where Engineering, has been awarded First countries to be selected by Hewlett Packard to receive a grant in “An Output-Capacitor-Free Adaptively Biased innovation and collaboration are enabled by investments in Runner-up in the Postgraduate 2010. It is also a member of the newly established Hewlett Low-Dropout Regulator with Sub-Threshold technology and education. “The program is designed to help foster Category of the Student Paper Packard-sponsored Measuring Learning Consortium, led by Undershoot-Reduction for SoC”, co-authored with Prof potential solutions to society’s most critical challenges by educating Contest held by the IEEE Hong Kong Carnegie Mellon University in the US. The six-member multinational Wing-Hung Ki. A total of 658 papers were presented in and nurturing leaders,” she said. “This will be critical in ensuring we Section 2010, for his paper “The group will explore new technologies for measuring students’ the symposium. Only 3 papers were awarded the Student develop new communities and find new ways of doing things.” Design, Fabrication and Paper Award. Characterization of Piezoresistive ■ PhD student Liang Lu, Tactile Sensor for Fingerprint Innovative Technology Research Exploring the Story of Industrial Engineering and Sensing”. 2010 ECE graduate Yue Yu Logistics Management, was awarded First Runner-up in the Shared with Semiconductor Lasers Undergraduate Category for her received First Prize in the International School Teachers Prof Dieter Bimberg, Chair of Applied Solid State Physics paper “Modified-MMSE Equalization for Noise and Best Student Paper at Technical University of Berlin for the past 30 years, gave Interference Mitigation in SU-MIMO Systems” Over 70 science teachers from six international secondary schools Competition at the a fascinating talk on “Our Daily Life with Semiconductor Second Production and under the English Schools Foundation (ESF) gained interesting ■ Sixteen students from Dual Degree Program in Lasers” at HKUST in January. Operations Management insight into some of the latest technological advances at the School Technology and Management (T&M) had a great Society (POMS)-Hong Kong International Conference. of Engineering’s first professional development day for secondary The talk, jointly organized by the School of Engineering opportunity to learn more about the business world The conference was organized by the POMS-Hong school educators in May. and HKUST Institute for Advanced Study, examined the when they participated in the Schmidt-HKUST amazing success story related to semiconductor lasers. It Kong and Taiwan Chapters, the Department of The international school teachers were welcomed to HKUST by Corporate Project in Fall 2010. During the three-month explored how a fundamental physics breakthrough Industrial Engineering and Logistics Management and Provost Prof Wei Shyy. This was followed by a presentation by project, the four student teams looked at ways to regarded as useless to the economy 50 years ago, has the HKUST Logistics and Supply Chain Management Dean of Engineering Prof Khaled Ben Letaief and talks by faculty promote and facilitate adoption of Radio Frequency evolved through further engineering and discovery to Institute. members on a range of hot topics, including green buildings, wind Identification (RFID). To do so, they attended become a key part of modern life. energy, mobile technology, and terahertz imaging. Participants also ■ Hing Yik Ng, Year 2, Mechanical conferences, corporate seminars and conducted market had the opportunity to tour HKUST’s leading research facilities and The new knowledge and understanding went on to spur Engineering, received the analysis, among other activities, before presenting their scenic campus, and hear about student life from the School’s intercontinental optical communication, the basis of the Outstanding Student Award 2010 proposals to a panel of judges comprising senior Student Ambassadors. internet, and to form the backbone of modern energy from the Aircraft Engineer executives and business professionals. The winning team efficient systems. DVDs, the optical mouse, and medical Development Scheme (AEDS) in recommended using short-range wireless technology to Dean Ben Letaief said he hoped the successful event marked the applications, are just some examples of the recognition of her high-flying connect social networks with physical location beginning of a long-term relationship between the School of products now performance in examinations and information. Engineering and the ESF, which is Hong Kong’s largest international associated with participation in AEDS activities. AEDS is organized by school network educating around 16,000 students and over 50 the discovery. the Manufacturing and Industrial Division of the Hong nationalities. Kong Institution of Engineers and supported by the Hong Kong Aircraft Engineering Co Ltd and the Royal Aeronautical Society (Hong Kong Branch). It seeks to encourage undergraduates to plan and prepare for a career in aircraft engineering and maintenance.

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Campus News Alumni

Forums Foster Industrial Engineering Links IELM Mentorship Directing Tunnel Projects and Flying Planes Two significant meetings of minds from Hong Kong and beyond provided Dinner Two civil engineering alumni discuss how their studies at SENG put opportunities for thought-provoking discussion on some of the latest issues them on diverse roads to success. related to industrial engineering and logistics management in January. Over 160 mentors and student mentees from the Industrial Engineering and From January 6-7, over 120 overseas, Mainland China and Taiwan delegates Logistics Management Department DR MORGAN YANG, 1996 PhD really good preparation for my career. I also see the strengths attended the Second POMS-HK International Conference held at HKUST. The enjoyed an informal get-together at the Director of Operations, China of other HKUST graduates who come to work at the successful two-day event, organized by the Industrial Engineering and Logistics IELM Mentorship Dinner in November. The AECOM company. They are skilful at advanced computer Management (IELM) Department, HKUST Logistics & Supply Chain Management mentorship program provides simulations and have a strong background in Institute and the Production and Operations Management Society (POMS) – undergraduates with an opportunity to “After my PhD, focused mechanics. Their training may have been demanding Hong Kong Chapter, focused on “POM in the Economic Recovery”. learn from a business mentor, expand on wind-induced vibration but it means they are confident too.” of cable-stayed bridges, I Drawing together practitioners and academics, the conference provided a highly networks and build social skills. joined Maunsell (later useful platform for knowledge-sharing on production and operations management integrated into AECOM) to CLAUDIA SIN, 2007 BEng issues in the face of changing economic times and insights on the design, planning, Workshop on Liquid work on geotechnical and Second Officer, Hong Kong Dragon Airlines Ltd implementation and management of production systems and their impact. Crystals for Photonics tunnel projects. I was the “Flying has been my dream since I was young. On January 8, IELM hosted the 1st Forum for the Council of Industrial Prof VG Chigrinov, Electronic and project manager for the Although aviation degrees are not yet offered locally, Engineering Department Heads in Greater China (CIEDHC). The gathering Computer Engineering, hosted a design and construction of my HKUST civil engineering degree equipped me to brought together 40 department heads from Mainland China, Taiwan and Hong Workshop on Liquid Crystals for the North Point-Quarry Bay fulfill my dream of becoming a pilot. The engineering training at Kong to promote the development of industrial engineering and related areas in Photonics from 8-10 Dec 2010 at HKUST. section of the MTR’s Tseung Kwan O line and other signature SENG emphasizes logical thinking and analytical skills, which Greater China and to strengthen exchanges among industrial engineering The event provided a useful forum for tunnel projects in Hong Kong. helped me a lot in my career, especially in meeting the challenges departments in the region. liquid crystal scientists, researchers and “The Yangtze River tunnel-bridge, linking Shanghai’s Pudong of my 14-month cadet training in Australia. During my years at Presentations were provided by a number of academics, including Prof Ershi Qi, engineers from around the world to district and Chongming Island, was my significant Mainland SENG, I was also lucky enough to win several scholarships to gain Dean of the School of Management, Tianjin University, and Prof Ching Jong Liao, present their pioneering research and project. It opened in 2009 and is one of the world’s largest flying experience in Australia, New Zealand and Hong Kong. exchange ideas. An article on the Industrial Management Department and Vice President of National Taiwan shield-driven tunnels, with a diameter of 15.44m. “While a SENG student, I won a local eBay business competition University of Science and Technology, who both gave detailed accounts of workshop was later published in Liquid “The Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge is one of the most with two of my Civil Engineering classmates and this gave us the industrial engineering developments in their respective locations. Prof Fugee Crystals Today, an official publication of the challenging projects in the world for civil engineers as the valuable opportunity to work as interns in three different eBay Tsung, Head of IELM at HKUST, was elected Founding President of the Council. International Liquid Crystal Society. sea-crossing fixed link, involving the construction of the largest offices in Asia. In addition, I represented the University in the MECH Postgraduates’ immersed tunnel connecting man-made islands, is over 30km. “Introducing and Demonstrating Earthquake Engineering It gives me many challenges, including environmental and Research in Schools Competition” in Taiwan. Society sustainability issues, but also valuable experience in such a “I think I developed a unique project. In the past few months, members of the great deal at SENG and Mechanical Engineering Postgraduates’ “The world is flat and changing rapidly, with increasing client my all-round education Society have been able to take part in a demands. Innovation is therefore a key aspect of civil there broadened my series of fun events organized to help engineering’s future. Students will need to have the flexibility horizons considerably, students meet new people and enjoy time to handle such a working environment. helping me to achieve out from their research. Activities included my career goal.” “I was the first PhD graduate in Civil Engineering at HKUST bike riding, a barbecue, and the Society’s and I felt my time at the School of Engineering (SENG) was second basketball competition, all of which proved highly enjoyable and a great way to relax. Main Board Listing for Perception Digital

Electronic and Computer Enterprise Market (GEM) of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange to Engineering (ECE) the Main Board. The company was first listed on the GEM board alumnus and HKUST’s in December 2009. first PhD graduate Prof Perception Digital Holdings Limited is the first and largest listed Jack Lau achieved further company set up under the HKUST Entrepreneurship Program. It success in June when specializes in technological solutions for consumer electronics and the hi-tech company he technology commercialization, and holds more than 25 patents. founded transferred its Major customers include leading international brands and Fortune listing from the Growth Global 500 companies.

22 23 20th Anniversary

The School of Engineering is proud to commemorate HKUST’s 20th Anniversary through arranging and participating in the following special events that highlight the University’s emphasis on innovation, high The Second International achievement, knowledge transfer and team spirit. Workshop on Innovative Engineering Alumni HKUST Engineering Engineering Education Day Fun Day IEEE Technology Time SENG/CIVL/IAS Joint Langham Place Hotel, Hong The Making of the World’s HKUST, Dec 2011 Largest Digital Photo SENG/IAS Joint Distin- HKUST, 28 May 2011 Machine Symposium HKUST “Bring Distinguished Lecture Kong, 19-21 Jan 2011 HKUST 20th Anniversary Technology to Workshop guished Lecture by Prof Sheraton Hong Kong by Prof Robert Mair Celebration Program Organized by Organized by HKUST, 22 Jan 2011 Vincent Poor Community” HKUST School of Engineering HKUST, 18-19 Mar 2011 Parade by School of HKUST School of Engineering Hotel, 1-3 Jun 2011 Exhibition HKUST, Nov 2011 HKUST, 21 Mar 2011 Organized by Organized by Engineering Organized by Institute of Electrical and Electronics Hong Kong Science Organized by HKUST Center for Engineering Education HKUST School of Engineering Organized by HKUST, 12 Apr 2011 Engineers (IEEE) HKUST School of Engineering Innovation (E2I) Museum, HKUST Department of Computer Science HKUST School of Engineering Co-organized by HKUST Department of Civil & Sungkyunkwan University Hub Center for and Engineering HKUST Institute for Advanced Study (IAS) HKUST and Hong Kong Applied 14-23 Oct 2011 Environmental Engineering Innovative Engineering Education Organized by Science and Technology Research HKUST Institute for Advanced Study HKUST School of Engineering 5 9 1 Institute (ASTRI) Organized by 2 6 HKUST School of Engineering 8 3 7 4

EVENT 1 EVENT 2 EVENT 3 EVENT 4 EVENT 5 EVENT 6 The Second International The Making of the SENG/IAS Joint HKUST 20th Anniversary Engineering Alumni Fun IEEE Technology Time Workshop on Innovative World’s Largest Digital Distinguished Lecture by Celebration Program Day Machine Symposium Engineering Education Photo Workshop Prof Vincent Poor Parade by A happy time was spent by all on May 28 School of Engineering Intriguing insight into next-generation A successful gathering of more than 100 Prof Pedro Sander, Computer Science Eminent academic Prof Vincent Poor, at a celebratory School of Engineering advances was provided at the first IEEE engineering educators took place in and Engineering, conducted an Dean of the School of Engineering and A lively parade was held to showcase the alumni family day gathering. symposium devoted to future Hong Kong in January, co-organized by eye-opening interactive workshop that Applied Science and Michael Henry special events organized by the School of More on P15&24 technologies, which was held in Hong the Center for Engineering Education introduced the technologies and Strater University Professor of Engineering to commemorate the Kong and co-organized by HKUST. Innovation and Sungkyunkwan methods involved in creating his global Electrical Engineering at Princeton University’s latest historical milestone. More on P14 University Hub Center for Innovative record-breaking digital photo to elite University, gave an engaging One of the stars of the show was a NAO Engineering Education. Topics included high school students from local and presentation on “Information and robot, which gave a fun introduction to assessment, accreditation and international schools in Hong Kong. Inference in the Wireless Physical the occasion with its rundown of the intercultural issues, among others. The Adding to the special nature of the Layer”. In his talk, Prof Poor explored celebratory line-up. Around 150 students keynote speakers were Prof David event, the “train-the-trainer” approach information theoretic or inferential and academics participated including Radcliffe, Purdue University, and Prof was used, with students encouraged to problems, each motivated by an HKUST President Prof Tony F Chan, Elizabeth Godfrey, University of pass on the knowledge they acquired applications-layer issue. Over 90 Vice-President Prof Y S Wong, Associate Technology Sydney. to classmates, family and friends, people attended the lecture. Provost Dr David Mole, Dean of More on P14 greatly increasing the potential number Engineering Prof Khaled Ben Letaief, of people to gain knowledge from the and Associate Deans of Engineering EVENTS 7,8,9 activity. Prof Roger Cheng and Prof Charles Ng. Coming Soon! More on P14 More on robotics on P11 Look out for more outstanding 20A events from the School of Engineering in the Fall. Events comprise an inspiring “Bring Technology to Community” exhibition, with contributions by School of Engineering faculty, students and alumni; a thought-provoking distinguished lecture by Cambridge University civil engineering expert Prof Robert Mair; and SENG’s Engineering Day.

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20th Anniversary 20th Anniversary

Advancing Engineering Education Across Borders Center) and supported by the Korea Institute for Advancement of Technology (KIAT) and Korea’s Ministry of Education, Science and Technology.

In addition to welcome addresses by Prof Sung-Jin Song, Director of the SKKU Hub Center and Chairman of the Organizing Committee, and Prof Khaled Ben Letaief, Dean of Engineering at HKUST, a total of 14 keynote and invited speakers made Multinational experience-sharing was the order of the day when presentations on topics related to accreditation of engineering the School of Engineering’s Center for Engineering Education programs, program-level assessment of learning outcomes, faculty Innovation (E2I) brought together more than 100 engineering Fun, Games and development, and interdisciplinary and intercultural issues in educators from over 30 universities in the Second International engineering education. Workshop on Innovative Engineering Education (IEE 2011) to review and share good practices in innovative engineering A post-conference workshop on the use of pedagogies, It was all go on May 28 when over 330 of the School’s alumni and their education. assessment strategies, and technology in enhancing student families took part in “The Engineering Alumni Fun Day”. Afternoon events learning was held at HKUST. Those attending the fruitful two-day forum in January came from included soccer and basketball competitions and a highly popular South Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan, US and Australia. The event was The two gatherings provided excellent opportunities for mini-carnival for all ages at HKUST, followed by a Homecoming Dinner to organized in collaboration with the Sungkyunkwan University participants to network and identify potential areas for celebrate HKUST’s 20th anniversary at the Chinese Restaurant on Hub Center for Innovative Engineering Education (SKKU Hub collaboration in the future. campus. Those attending were able to meet up with professors, reminisce with old friends and catch up with their recent news, as well as enjoy the Fast Forward to the Technologies of the Future performances and activities specially arranged for the evening. A glimpse of the future was the intriguing prospect at the first General Co-Chair and HKUST Dean of Engineering Prof Khaled Heartfelt appreciation to members* of the Hong Kong Electrical Appliances IEEE Technology Time Machine (TTM) symposium, which was Ben Letaief. Through co-hosting the Symposium, Prof Ben Letaief Manufacturers Association and other donors for sponsorship of prizes: held in Hong Kong in June and co-organized by HKUST and the hopes to drive strategic research planning in achieving the goal of Allan International Holdings Ltd.* Hong Kong Applied Science and Technology Research Institute the School to provide innovative and creative solution for (ASTRI). Themed “Technologies Beyond 2020”, the exciting industries and the society. Chiaphua Industries Ltd.* event organized by the Institute of Electrical and Chung Mei Industries Ltd.* At the “Global R&D Leaders” panel discussion, HKUST President Electronics Engineers (IEEE) focused on a Fook Tin Technologies Ltd.* Prof Tony F Chan highlighted that business and industry should number of potentially high-impact emerging G.E.W. Corporation Ltd.* collaborate closely with universities to promote revolutionary technologies and scenarios. Goldwise Development Co. innovative ideas. Panelists shared on innovation and advancement Hong Kong Ferry (Holdings) The kick off ceremony was officiated by in areas ranging from radio access technology, biomedical Co. Ltd. Mr John Tsang Chun-wah, Financial sciences, implants of sensors in coronary arteries to human Philips Electronics HK Ltd.* Secretary of the Hong Kong SAR centric intelligent societies and new organic electronic materials. Sonca Products Ltd.* Government; Dr Gordon Day, IEEE Prof Hoi Sing Kwok, Electronic and Computer Engineering, gave a Techtronic Industries Co. Ltd.* President-Elect; and members of the keynote speech on display technologies, the field where he is TTM Organizing Committee, including globally renowned in.

Zooming In on the Big Picture Photography has taken on a new dimension for over 50 elite which allowed them to zoom in on even distant areas and high school students from local and international schools in clearly see all the details. Hong Kong following an interactive workshop on how to create Later, they set out to make their own multi-image panoramas of multi-image panoramas by Prof Pedro Sander, Computer the HKUST campus by taking pictures and using software to Science and Engineering. Prof Sander broke the global record in “stitch” the images together. They also acquired knowledge of December 2010 when he created the world’s largest digital the algorithms and concepts behind the software. photo of 150 billion pixels. Prof Sander said, “Through this workshop, I hope that students During the workshop sessions, Prof Sander introduced the will see further evidence that working on engineering and technologies and methods involved in creating his pioneering computer technology is interesting, fun, useful and also highly photograph depicting his hometown of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. intertwined with our daily lives.” Students were fascinated by the power of the photograph,

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Students Students

Flying High The Rewards of Early Research Training

Over World’s Deepest Canyon It has been a wonderfully eventful year for MPhil Computer with Prof Dit-Yan Yeung in Year 2 and Year 3 as providing Science and Engineering student Emprise Yun Kwan Chan. essential early training that has given him a head start at He has become this year’s champion of HKUST’s Mr Armin postgraduate level. and Mrs Lillian Kitchell Undergraduate Research Award It also inspired his paper “A Convex Formulation of scheme. He has also seen his research project on social Modularity Maximization for Community Detection”, which networks and machine learning lead to a paper that was Emprise will present in July at the major International Joint recently accepted by a top international artificial intelligence Conferences on Artificial Intelligence (IJCAI) in Barcelona, conference. Spain. The paper was co-authored with Prof Yeung. Entering HKUST as a straight A student, Emprise has made Postgraduate students Frank Wang and Jianyu Song, Electronic many blind spots in the Among the five winners in the research award scheme, four stellar progress at the University, finishing his difficult double and Computer Engineering, have soared to new heights in complex topography of were from the School of Engineering. The winners were degree in Computer Science and Math (General Math) in their research and development with the successful the canyon made the selected from 2010 UROP participants. autonomous flight of a self-designed unmanned helicopter location a perfect testing just 2.5 years. He is now on course to complete his MPhil in across the Yarlung Zangbo Grand Canyon, the world’s deepest ground. News of the flight just 1.5 years. canyon. Located in Tibet, the canyon, also referred to as “the was released in December Emprise credits his early research experience on the last territory of mystery on Earth”, is 504.6 km long and 2010. Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP) 6,009m deep at its lowest point, nearly three times the depth Earlier models of the of the Grand Canyon in the US. Most of its many different HKUST unmanned terrains have never been traversed. helicopter have tackled the Turning Breakthroughs The helicopter, which flew over the canyon in September 2010, rigors of Mount Everest and was equipped with the world’s most compact automated assisted earthquake relief in into Businesses piloting system and had an intelligent tracking system which Sichuan by taking surveillance Triple honors were achieved by teams from the Electronic and enabled the user to adjust its route during the flight. The photos to support Computer Engineering (ECE) Department in this year’s HKUST Learning to Unleash challenge for the students was to ensure that the helicopter post-disaster restoration 2011 Entrepreneurship Competition, with three separate groups could continue its designated tasks and safely return to base work in areas too dangerous winning awards out of 11 finalists and an original 124 teams who the Entrepreneurial Spirit even if wireless and global positioning signals were lost. The for manned flights. entered the contest. In March, nine students from Dual Degree Program in Technology and Management (T&M) joined the prestigious MIT The First Runner-up prize went to LEDoS, led by Prof Kei May Lau, Global Startup Workshop 2011 in Seoul, Korea. The leading for its breakthrough display technology based on proprietary forum, held in different international locations annually, micro-projection devices, which provides cost-effective HKUST Students Shine in Inter-University Contest encourages entrepreneurship around the world and seeks to customizable hardware and software for digital display applications foster the ecosystems to support it. A top trio of Computer Science and Engineering postgraduate coach Derek Hu. ranging from digital signage to traffic signs. undergraduates beat 38 other teams from universities in At the three-day workshop, which this year focused on The contest aims to strengthen students’ capabilities in iFlight Technology team, led by Prof Zexiang Li, received the Third Hong Kong and Macau to take the Champion Team Award Unleashing Entrepreneurial Potential to Invigorate the Economy, relation to the DB2 database management system. Runner-up award for technology that has turned it into one of the T&M students were able to listen to discussions and network at this year’s exciting IBM DB2 UDB Inter-University world’s leading developers and manufacturers of helicopter with a wide range of people from all over the world. The event Programming Contest in January. The competition attracted autopilot systems while the Student Award was won by Bull B Tech, brings together entrepreneurial leaders, executives, financiers, participants from eight universities. led by undergraduate Yik Hei Chan, for a product that streamlines professors, students, government agents and private parties to Desmond Hung (Year 3), Qifeng Chen (Year 2) and Jueyi the business-to-customer process and has many applications in the share best practices, stimulate creativity and promote Wang (Year 1) showed their outstanding programming and retail industry. entrepreneurship. problem solving skills by successfully completing a series of The competition, which first started five years ago, seeks to foster In another memorable experience at the gathering, T&M student questions to score the highest marks in the shortest time. entrepreneurship throughout the University, involving different Kanishk Bali, Year 3, won The three students formed one of five HKUST teams members of the HKUST community and different Schools. third prize in the Elevator entering the contest, which also saw HKUST receive the Pitch Competition, overall Champion University Award for the highest total competing against more scores earned by its teams. Students from Computer than 40 other entrants. Science and Engineering, Computer Engineering Program, and Economics took part, with support and encouragement provided by faculty coach Prof Wilfred Ng and

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Students Students

Final-Year Projects Secure Award-Winning Success Student Honors, Awards and Achievements

The remarkable Braille Embosser final-year project by 2010 In this year’s Hong Kong ICT Awards, the students’ Braille ■ PhD candidate Vincent ■ PhD student Wenqi Du, Electronic and Computer Engineering (ECE) graduates continues Embosser gained the Gold Award, Best Social Responsibility and Man Pun Chan, Elec- Civil and Environmental to make waves in the community, winning three top awards in the Best Commercial Value accolades in the Best Innovation & tronic and Computer Engineering, has won Hong Kong ICT Awards 2011 and a Gold Award at The Hong Research (College & Undergraduates) category. Engineering, won First the Arup Research Prize Kong Electronic Industries Association (HKEIA) Innovation & In the HKEIA competition, a second ECE final-year project also Prize in the Student 2011. The accolade, Technology Project Competition 2010. proved a winner, with “Face Recognition in Embedded System” by Paper Award at the funded by Ove Arup & Patrick Kwan Pak Lee and Matthew Kin Man Ting together with Pak Ming Cheung, Pui Hang Lai, and Kwan Wai Tsang receiving the 2010 Institute of Electri- Partners Hong Kong other ECE classmates recycled dot-matrix and ink-jet printers into Merit Award. cal and Electronics Engi- Ltd, is awarded to cost-effective Braille Embossers for the visually challenged. A neers (IEEE) Asia Pacific undergraduate or post- Both projects were supervised by Prof Tim Woo. regular Braille Embosser sells for HK$30,000. The Conference on Circuits and Systems. His winning paper, graduate students to promote creativity and high stan- ECE students’ machine costs just HK$1,000. “A Monolithic 2nd-Order Boundary Controller for Buck dards of technology. Wenqi’s research seeks to develop Converter with Fast Transient Response”, was co- guidelines for seismic design of buildings in Hong Kong The double success adds to other engineering design authored by Prof Philip Mok. The biennial conference is a and the results of his work are expected to bring great awards for the invention, including the Gold Award major international forum established by the IEEE Circuits benefit to the local building industry. and Most Innovative Award in the 2010 Amway and Systems Society for researchers to exchange their ■ Electronic and Com- Pan-Pearl River Delta Region Universities IT Project latest findings. Competition and a Merit Award in the 10th puter Engineering International Asia Pacific ICT Alliance Awards 2010. ■ A HKUST Programming Team (HKUST Optimus Prime) PhD candidate reached the world finals of the prestigious ACM Shaoqi Feng received International Collegiate Programming Contest in Florida, the Best Student US, following their triumph in this year’s regional contests Paper Award (2nd Honoring Academic Excellence in Hanoi and Kuala Lumpur. The team comprised Danqi Runner-up) at the Chen, Year 2, Computer Engineering Program, Yuliang Li, 11th IEEE Photonics An elite group of 96 SENG undergraduates who had gained a Year 2, and PhD candidate Lu Wang, Computer Science Society Hong Kong place on the Dean’s List at least twice in the preceding three and Engineering. The team was led by Prof Ke Yi and Chapter Postgraduate Conference. His winning paper, semesters were honored for their academic excellence at a postgraduate coach Hao Hu. This year, around 7,000 “Electro-optical Tunable Time Delay and Advance in a ceremony in May, together with their peers from other Schools teams worldwide participated in the regional contests, Silicon Feedback-microring Resonator”, was co-authored at HKUST. Over 350 students achieved this honor. HKUST with 102 teams qualifying for the finals. by Dr Xianshu Luo and Prof Andrew Poon. President Prof Tony F Chan and other senior administrators attended the event. Principals and teachers from the students’ ■ MPhil student Pak ■ PhD student Cuiting Guo, Industrial Engineering and Logis- secondary schools were also invited to join the ceremony. Ming Cheung, Elec- tics Management, received the Best Short Paper Award at tronic and Computer the IEEE Virtual Reality Conference 2011, held in Singapore. Engineering, won the The conference is the most prestigious international con- Building Academic Bridges Through Mainland Exchange Champion Award in ference focusing on virtual reality. The paper looked at the the Design for Elderly question: “Could OKAN be an Objective Indicator of the A group of seven Civil and Environmental Engineering (CIVL) Qinghe Zhang and Prof Donghai Liu gave the Hong Kong visitors Competition 2011. Susceptibility to Visually Induced Motion Sickness?” students enjoyed an eye-opening five-day exchange to two an introduction to the university’s programs and research fields. His winning proposal mainland universities in March to gain greater understanding of Students also toured the construction lab at Tsinghua University ■ An Industrial Engineering and Logistics Management under- focused on designing e-games under the “Innovative Ideas how the field is taught and what research is undertaken at the and the hydraulic and hydropower simulation lab at Tianjin graduate team comprising Zhiyi He, Year 2, Sihua Luo, Year for Quality Living” category. The contest was held as part different institutions. University. 1, and Yik Hang Pang, Year 1, gained the Second Runner-up of Hong Kong Engineering Week 2011. award in the Hong Kong Society for Quality student project The visit, entitled “Student – Civil – Global”, was organized for As part of the exchange, a group of around 10 students and a ■ Darren Sin Wang Chiu, competition. The competition is open to university students HKUST members of the Student Chapter of the Canadian professor from Tsinghua University Year 2, Computer in industrial, manufacturing, quality or related disciplines, Society for Civil Engineering Hong Kong branch, and was open to will visit HKUST this June. Engineering and Global and provides them with an opportunity to work on an both undergraduates and postgraduates. Students, together with Business Management, actual industrial case and propose a resolution. CIVL Chair Professor Moe Cheung, visited Tsinghua University in was awarded the Beijing and Tianjin University. 2009-10 Hong Kong At Tsinghua University, Prof Cheung gave a seminar on the design, Institution of Engineers construction and management of the Confederation Bridge, the (HKIE) Scholarship for largest public private partnership project in Canada, while Prof his outstanding academic achievement. Peng Pan from Tsinghua presented his latest research on earthquake-resistant structural systems to the CIVL group. During the exchange at Tianjin University, Prof Qinghua Han, Prof

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Students Campus News

■ Electronic and Computer ■ Electronic and Computer Engineering PhD students International Industry-Education Drive to Boost Innovation Engineering PhD student Mahdi Nikdast, Xiaowen Wu and Yaoyao Ye gained the Xiaocheng Jing won First Best Poster Presentation Award (2nd place) at the AMD In a highly significant competencies in the four fields. development, the School Prize in the Student Technical Forum and Exhibition 2010, held in Taipei. Their The consortium is one of five set up by Hewlett Packard in 2010 of Engineering has become Paper Contest at the research project, “A Formal Analysis of Crosstalk Noise focusing on the transformation of STEM education. Member part of a leading 2010 IEEE International in Mesh-based Optical Network-on-Chip for Chip organizations were selected through an open, competitive global industry-education global Conference on Electron Multiprocessors”, was co-authored by Prof Jiang Xu. call for proposals. Devices and Solid-State AMD is a leading semiconductor company. social innovation program “We are excited about the impact of this initiative and the network Circuits with her paper “Soft-Start Circuit with Duty Ratio designed to develop more effective approaches to education in of consortia in the long term,” said Prof Mounir Hamdi, Head of Controlled Voltage Clamping and Adaptive Sizing science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) worldwide. Computer Science and Engineering and Project Lead. Such funding Technique for Integrated DC-DC Converters”. PhD As part of the HP Catalyst Initiative, set up by leading technology would help the University deliver projects that will shape the way student Chenchang Zhan, Electronic and Computer multinational Hewlett Packard, HKUST has received a generous education develops and society evolves as well as empower Engineering, came third with his paper grant of US$150,000 which will be put toward a new teaching lab students to collaborate globally, he noted. “Output-Capacitor-Free Adaptively Biased Low-Dropout equipped with high-end computers for Computer Science and Regulators”. Zhan also won the Student Paper Award at Engineering students. Ms Gabi Zedlmayer, Vice President, Office of Global Social ■ Postgraduate student Zhijian Zhou, the IEEE International Symposium on Circuits and Innovation at Hewlett Packard, explained that the HP Catalyst Electronic and Computer The University is among 35 educational institutions across 11 Systems held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in May with his paper Initiative underscored the company’s vision of a world where Engineering, has been awarded First countries to be selected by Hewlett Packard to receive a grant in “An Output-Capacitor-Free Adaptively Biased innovation and collaboration are enabled by investments in Runner-up in the Postgraduate 2010. It is also a member of the newly established Hewlett Low-Dropout Regulator with Sub-Threshold technology and education. “The program is designed to help foster Category of the Student Paper Packard-sponsored Measuring Learning Consortium, led by Undershoot-Reduction for SoC”, co-authored with Prof potential solutions to society’s most critical challenges by educating Contest held by the IEEE Hong Kong Carnegie Mellon University in the US. The six-member multinational Wing-Hung Ki. A total of 658 papers were presented in and nurturing leaders,” she said. “This will be critical in ensuring we Section 2010, for his paper “The group will explore new technologies for measuring students’ the symposium. Only 3 papers were awarded the Student develop new communities and find new ways of doing things.” Design, Fabrication and Paper Award. Characterization of Piezoresistive ■ PhD student Liang Lu, Tactile Sensor for Fingerprint Innovative Technology Research Exploring the Story of Industrial Engineering and Sensing”. 2010 ECE graduate Yue Yu Logistics Management, was awarded First Runner-up in the Shared with Semiconductor Lasers Undergraduate Category for her received First Prize in the International School Teachers Prof Dieter Bimberg, Chair of Applied Solid State Physics paper “Modified-MMSE Equalization for Noise and Best Student Paper at Technical University of Berlin for the past 30 years, gave Interference Mitigation in SU-MIMO Systems” Over 70 science teachers from six international secondary schools Competition at the a fascinating talk on “Our Daily Life with Semiconductor Second Production and under the English Schools Foundation (ESF) gained interesting ■ Sixteen students from Dual Degree Program in Lasers” at HKUST in January. Operations Management insight into some of the latest technological advances at the School Technology and Management (T&M) had a great Society (POMS)-Hong Kong International Conference. of Engineering’s first professional development day for secondary The talk, jointly organized by the School of Engineering opportunity to learn more about the business world The conference was organized by the POMS-Hong school educators in May. and HKUST Institute for Advanced Study, examined the when they participated in the Schmidt-HKUST amazing success story related to semiconductor lasers. It Kong and Taiwan Chapters, the Department of The international school teachers were welcomed to HKUST by Corporate Project in Fall 2010. During the three-month explored how a fundamental physics breakthrough Industrial Engineering and Logistics Management and Provost Prof Wei Shyy. This was followed by a presentation by project, the four student teams looked at ways to regarded as useless to the economy 50 years ago, has the HKUST Logistics and Supply Chain Management Dean of Engineering Prof Khaled Ben Letaief and talks by faculty promote and facilitate adoption of Radio Frequency evolved through further engineering and discovery to Institute. members on a range of hot topics, including green buildings, wind Identification (RFID). To do so, they attended become a key part of modern life. energy, mobile technology, and terahertz imaging. Participants also ■ Hing Yik Ng, Year 2, Mechanical conferences, corporate seminars and conducted market had the opportunity to tour HKUST’s leading research facilities and The new knowledge and understanding went on to spur Engineering, received the analysis, among other activities, before presenting their scenic campus, and hear about student life from the School’s intercontinental optical communication, the basis of the Outstanding Student Award 2010 proposals to a panel of judges comprising senior Student Ambassadors. internet, and to form the backbone of modern energy from the Aircraft Engineer executives and business professionals. The winning team efficient systems. DVDs, the optical mouse, and medical Development Scheme (AEDS) in recommended using short-range wireless technology to Dean Ben Letaief said he hoped the successful event marked the applications, are just some examples of the recognition of her high-flying connect social networks with physical location beginning of a long-term relationship between the School of products now performance in examinations and information. Engineering and the ESF, which is Hong Kong’s largest international associated with participation in AEDS activities. AEDS is organized by school network educating around 16,000 students and over 50 the discovery. the Manufacturing and Industrial Division of the Hong nationalities. Kong Institution of Engineers and supported by the Hong Kong Aircraft Engineering Co Ltd and the Royal Aeronautical Society (Hong Kong Branch). It seeks to encourage undergraduates to plan and prepare for a career in aircraft engineering and maintenance.

20 21

Campus News Alumni

Forums Foster Industrial Engineering Links IELM Mentorship Directing Tunnel Projects and Flying Planes Two significant meetings of minds from Hong Kong and beyond provided Dinner Two civil engineering alumni discuss how their studies at SENG put opportunities for thought-provoking discussion on some of the latest issues them on diverse roads to success. related to industrial engineering and logistics management in January. Over 160 mentors and student mentees from the Industrial Engineering and From January 6-7, over 120 overseas, Mainland China and Taiwan delegates Logistics Management Department DR MORGAN YANG, 1996 PhD really good preparation for my career. I also see the strengths attended the Second POMS-HK International Conference held at HKUST. The enjoyed an informal get-together at the Director of Operations, China of other HKUST graduates who come to work at the successful two-day event, organized by the Industrial Engineering and Logistics IELM Mentorship Dinner in November. The AECOM company. They are skilful at advanced computer Management (IELM) Department, HKUST Logistics & Supply Chain Management mentorship program provides simulations and have a strong background in Institute and the Production and Operations Management Society (POMS) – undergraduates with an opportunity to “After my PhD, focused mechanics. Their training may have been demanding Hong Kong Chapter, focused on “POM in the Economic Recovery”. learn from a business mentor, expand on wind-induced vibration but it means they are confident too.” of cable-stayed bridges, I Drawing together practitioners and academics, the conference provided a highly networks and build social skills. joined Maunsell (later useful platform for knowledge-sharing on production and operations management integrated into AECOM) to CLAUDIA SIN, 2007 BEng issues in the face of changing economic times and insights on the design, planning, Workshop on Liquid work on geotechnical and Second Officer, Hong Kong Dragon Airlines Ltd implementation and management of production systems and their impact. Crystals for Photonics tunnel projects. I was the “Flying has been my dream since I was young. On January 8, IELM hosted the 1st Forum for the Council of Industrial Prof VG Chigrinov, Electronic and project manager for the Although aviation degrees are not yet offered locally, Engineering Department Heads in Greater China (CIEDHC). The gathering Computer Engineering, hosted a design and construction of my HKUST civil engineering degree equipped me to brought together 40 department heads from Mainland China, Taiwan and Hong Workshop on Liquid Crystals for the North Point-Quarry Bay fulfill my dream of becoming a pilot. The engineering training at Kong to promote the development of industrial engineering and related areas in Photonics from 8-10 Dec 2010 at HKUST. section of the MTR’s Tseung Kwan O line and other signature SENG emphasizes logical thinking and analytical skills, which Greater China and to strengthen exchanges among industrial engineering The event provided a useful forum for tunnel projects in Hong Kong. helped me a lot in my career, especially in meeting the challenges departments in the region. liquid crystal scientists, researchers and “The Yangtze River tunnel-bridge, linking Shanghai’s Pudong of my 14-month cadet training in Australia. During my years at Presentations were provided by a number of academics, including Prof Ershi Qi, engineers from around the world to district and Chongming Island, was my significant Mainland SENG, I was also lucky enough to win several scholarships to gain Dean of the School of Management, Tianjin University, and Prof Ching Jong Liao, present their pioneering research and project. It opened in 2009 and is one of the world’s largest flying experience in Australia, New Zealand and Hong Kong. exchange ideas. An article on the Industrial Management Department and Vice President of National Taiwan shield-driven tunnels, with a diameter of 15.44m. “While a SENG student, I won a local eBay business competition University of Science and Technology, who both gave detailed accounts of workshop was later published in Liquid “The Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge is one of the most with two of my Civil Engineering classmates and this gave us the industrial engineering developments in their respective locations. Prof Fugee Crystals Today, an official publication of the challenging projects in the world for civil engineers as the valuable opportunity to work as interns in three different eBay Tsung, Head of IELM at HKUST, was elected Founding President of the Council. International Liquid Crystal Society. sea-crossing fixed link, involving the construction of the largest offices in Asia. In addition, I represented the University in the MECH Postgraduates’ immersed tunnel connecting man-made islands, is over 30km. “Introducing and Demonstrating Earthquake Engineering It gives me many challenges, including environmental and Research in Schools Competition” in Taiwan. Society sustainability issues, but also valuable experience in such a “I think I developed a unique project. In the past few months, members of the great deal at SENG and Mechanical Engineering Postgraduates’ “The world is flat and changing rapidly, with increasing client my all-round education Society have been able to take part in a demands. Innovation is therefore a key aspect of civil there broadened my series of fun events organized to help engineering’s future. Students will need to have the flexibility horizons considerably, students meet new people and enjoy time to handle such a working environment. helping me to achieve out from their research. Activities included my career goal.” “I was the first PhD graduate in Civil Engineering at HKUST bike riding, a barbecue, and the Society’s and I felt my time at the School of Engineering (SENG) was second basketball competition, all of which proved highly enjoyable and a great way to relax. Main Board Listing for Perception Digital

Electronic and Computer Enterprise Market (GEM) of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange to Engineering (ECE) the Main Board. The company was first listed on the GEM board alumnus and HKUST’s in December 2009. first PhD graduate Prof Perception Digital Holdings Limited is the first and largest listed Jack Lau achieved further company set up under the HKUST Entrepreneurship Program. It success in June when specializes in technological solutions for consumer electronics and the hi-tech company he technology commercialization, and holds more than 25 patents. founded transferred its Major customers include leading international brands and Fortune listing from the Growth Global 500 companies.

22 23 20th Anniversary

The School of Engineering is proud to commemorate HKUST’s 20th Anniversary through arranging and participating in the following special events that highlight the University’s emphasis on innovation, high The Second International achievement, knowledge transfer and team spirit. Workshop on Innovative Engineering Alumni HKUST Engineering Engineering Education Day Fun Day IEEE Technology Time SENG/CIVL/IAS Joint Langham Place Hotel, Hong The Making of the World’s HKUST, Dec 2011 Largest Digital Photo SENG/IAS Joint Distin- HKUST, 28 May 2011 Machine Symposium HKUST “Bring Distinguished Lecture Kong, 19-21 Jan 2011 HKUST 20th Anniversary Technology to Workshop guished Lecture by Prof Sheraton Hong Kong by Prof Robert Mair Celebration Program Organized by Organized by HKUST, 22 Jan 2011 Vincent Poor Community” HKUST School of Engineering HKUST, 18-19 Mar 2011 Parade by School of HKUST School of Engineering Hotel, 1-3 Jun 2011 Exhibition HKUST, Nov 2011 HKUST, 21 Mar 2011 Organized by Organized by Engineering Organized by Institute of Electrical and Electronics Hong Kong Science Organized by HKUST Center for Engineering Education HKUST School of Engineering Organized by HKUST, 12 Apr 2011 Engineers (IEEE) HKUST School of Engineering Innovation (E2I) Museum, HKUST Department of Computer Science HKUST School of Engineering Co-organized by HKUST Department of Civil & Sungkyunkwan University Hub Center for and Engineering HKUST Institute for Advanced Study (IAS) HKUST and Hong Kong Applied 14-23 Oct 2011 Environmental Engineering Innovative Engineering Education Organized by Science and Technology Research HKUST Institute for Advanced Study HKUST School of Engineering 5 9 1 Institute (ASTRI) Organized by 2 6 HKUST School of Engineering 8 3 7 4

EVENT 1 EVENT 2 EVENT 3 EVENT 4 EVENT 5 EVENT 6 The Second International The Making of the SENG/IAS Joint HKUST 20th Anniversary Engineering Alumni Fun IEEE Technology Time Workshop on Innovative World’s Largest Digital Distinguished Lecture by Celebration Program Day Machine Symposium Engineering Education Photo Workshop Prof Vincent Poor Parade by A happy time was spent by all on May 28 School of Engineering Intriguing insight into next-generation A successful gathering of more than 100 Prof Pedro Sander, Computer Science Eminent academic Prof Vincent Poor, at a celebratory School of Engineering advances was provided at the first IEEE engineering educators took place in and Engineering, conducted an Dean of the School of Engineering and A lively parade was held to showcase the alumni family day gathering. symposium devoted to future Hong Kong in January, co-organized by eye-opening interactive workshop that Applied Science and Michael Henry special events organized by the School of More on P15&24 technologies, which was held in Hong the Center for Engineering Education introduced the technologies and Strater University Professor of Engineering to commemorate the Kong and co-organized by HKUST. Innovation and Sungkyunkwan methods involved in creating his global Electrical Engineering at Princeton University’s latest historical milestone. More on P14 University Hub Center for Innovative record-breaking digital photo to elite University, gave an engaging One of the stars of the show was a NAO Engineering Education. Topics included high school students from local and presentation on “Information and robot, which gave a fun introduction to assessment, accreditation and international schools in Hong Kong. Inference in the Wireless Physical the occasion with its rundown of the intercultural issues, among others. The Adding to the special nature of the Layer”. In his talk, Prof Poor explored celebratory line-up. Around 150 students keynote speakers were Prof David event, the “train-the-trainer” approach information theoretic or inferential and academics participated including Radcliffe, Purdue University, and Prof was used, with students encouraged to problems, each motivated by an HKUST President Prof Tony F Chan, Elizabeth Godfrey, University of pass on the knowledge they acquired applications-layer issue. Over 90 Vice-President Prof Y S Wong, Associate Technology Sydney. to classmates, family and friends, people attended the lecture. Provost Dr David Mole, Dean of More on P14 greatly increasing the potential number Engineering Prof Khaled Ben Letaief, of people to gain knowledge from the and Associate Deans of Engineering EVENTS 7,8,9 activity. Prof Roger Cheng and Prof Charles Ng. Coming Soon! More on P14 More on robotics on P11 Look out for more outstanding 20A events from the School of Engineering in the Fall. Events comprise an inspiring “Bring Technology to Community” exhibition, with contributions by School of Engineering faculty, students and alumni; a thought-provoking distinguished lecture by Cambridge University civil engineering expert Prof Robert Mair; and SENG’s Engineering Day.

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20th Anniversary 20th Anniversary

Advancing Engineering Education Across Borders Center) and supported by the Korea Institute for Advancement of Technology (KIAT) and Korea’s Ministry of Education, Science and Technology.

In addition to welcome addresses by Prof Sung-Jin Song, Director of the SKKU Hub Center and Chairman of the Organizing Committee, and Prof Khaled Ben Letaief, Dean of Engineering at HKUST, a total of 14 keynote and invited speakers made Multinational experience-sharing was the order of the day when presentations on topics related to accreditation of engineering the School of Engineering’s Center for Engineering Education programs, program-level assessment of learning outcomes, faculty Innovation (E2I) brought together more than 100 engineering Fun, Games and development, and interdisciplinary and intercultural issues in educators from over 30 universities in the Second International engineering education. Workshop on Innovative Engineering Education (IEE 2011) to review and share good practices in innovative engineering A post-conference workshop on the use of pedagogies, It was all go on May 28 when over 330 of the School’s alumni and their education. assessment strategies, and technology in enhancing student families took part in “The Engineering Alumni Fun Day”. Afternoon events learning was held at HKUST. Those attending the fruitful two-day forum in January came from included soccer and basketball competitions and a highly popular South Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan, US and Australia. The event was The two gatherings provided excellent opportunities for mini-carnival for all ages at HKUST, followed by a Homecoming Dinner to organized in collaboration with the Sungkyunkwan University participants to network and identify potential areas for celebrate HKUST’s 20th anniversary at the Chinese Restaurant on Hub Center for Innovative Engineering Education (SKKU Hub collaboration in the future. campus. Those attending were able to meet up with professors, reminisce with old friends and catch up with their recent news, as well as enjoy the Fast Forward to the Technologies of the Future performances and activities specially arranged for the evening. A glimpse of the future was the intriguing prospect at the first General Co-Chair and HKUST Dean of Engineering Prof Khaled Heartfelt appreciation to members* of the Hong Kong Electrical Appliances IEEE Technology Time Machine (TTM) symposium, which was Ben Letaief. Through co-hosting the Symposium, Prof Ben Letaief Manufacturers Association and other donors for sponsorship of prizes: held in Hong Kong in June and co-organized by HKUST and the hopes to drive strategic research planning in achieving the goal of Allan International Holdings Ltd.* Hong Kong Applied Science and Technology Research Institute the School to provide innovative and creative solution for (ASTRI). Themed “Technologies Beyond 2020”, the exciting industries and the society. Chiaphua Industries Ltd.* event organized by the Institute of Electrical and Chung Mei Industries Ltd.* At the “Global R&D Leaders” panel discussion, HKUST President Electronics Engineers (IEEE) focused on a Fook Tin Technologies Ltd.* Prof Tony F Chan highlighted that business and industry should number of potentially high-impact emerging G.E.W. Corporation Ltd.* collaborate closely with universities to promote revolutionary technologies and scenarios. Goldwise Development Co. innovative ideas. Panelists shared on innovation and advancement Hong Kong Ferry (Holdings) The kick off ceremony was officiated by in areas ranging from radio access technology, biomedical Co. Ltd. Mr John Tsang Chun-wah, Financial sciences, implants of sensors in coronary arteries to human Philips Electronics HK Ltd.* Secretary of the Hong Kong SAR centric intelligent societies and new organic electronic materials. Sonca Products Ltd.* Government; Dr Gordon Day, IEEE Prof Hoi Sing Kwok, Electronic and Computer Engineering, gave a Techtronic Industries Co. Ltd.* President-Elect; and members of the keynote speech on display technologies, the field where he is TTM Organizing Committee, including globally renowned in.

Zooming In on the Big Picture Photography has taken on a new dimension for over 50 elite which allowed them to zoom in on even distant areas and high school students from local and international schools in clearly see all the details. Hong Kong following an interactive workshop on how to create Later, they set out to make their own multi-image panoramas of multi-image panoramas by Prof Pedro Sander, Computer the HKUST campus by taking pictures and using software to Science and Engineering. Prof Sander broke the global record in “stitch” the images together. They also acquired knowledge of December 2010 when he created the world’s largest digital the algorithms and concepts behind the software. photo of 150 billion pixels. Prof Sander said, “Through this workshop, I hope that students During the workshop sessions, Prof Sander introduced the will see further evidence that working on engineering and technologies and methods involved in creating his pioneering computer technology is interesting, fun, useful and also highly photograph depicting his hometown of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. intertwined with our daily lives.” Students were fascinated by the power of the photograph,

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Students Students

Flying High The Rewards of Early Research Training

Over World’s Deepest Canyon It has been a wonderfully eventful year for MPhil Computer with Prof Dit-Yan Yeung in Year 2 and Year 3 as providing Science and Engineering student Emprise Yun Kwan Chan. essential early training that has given him a head start at He has become this year’s champion of HKUST’s Mr Armin postgraduate level. and Mrs Lillian Kitchell Undergraduate Research Award It also inspired his paper “A Convex Formulation of scheme. He has also seen his research project on social Modularity Maximization for Community Detection”, which networks and machine learning lead to a paper that was Emprise will present in July at the major International Joint recently accepted by a top international artificial intelligence Conferences on Artificial Intelligence (IJCAI) in Barcelona, conference. Spain. The paper was co-authored with Prof Yeung. Entering HKUST as a straight A student, Emprise has made Postgraduate students Frank Wang and Jianyu Song, Electronic many blind spots in the Among the five winners in the research award scheme, four stellar progress at the University, finishing his difficult double and Computer Engineering, have soared to new heights in complex topography of were from the School of Engineering. The winners were degree in Computer Science and Math (General Math) in their research and development with the successful the canyon made the selected from 2010 UROP participants. autonomous flight of a self-designed unmanned helicopter location a perfect testing just 2.5 years. He is now on course to complete his MPhil in across the Yarlung Zangbo Grand Canyon, the world’s deepest ground. News of the flight just 1.5 years. canyon. Located in Tibet, the canyon, also referred to as “the was released in December Emprise credits his early research experience on the last territory of mystery on Earth”, is 504.6 km long and 2010. Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP) 6,009m deep at its lowest point, nearly three times the depth Earlier models of the of the Grand Canyon in the US. Most of its many different HKUST unmanned terrains have never been traversed. helicopter have tackled the Turning Breakthroughs The helicopter, which flew over the canyon in September 2010, rigors of Mount Everest and was equipped with the world’s most compact automated assisted earthquake relief in into Businesses piloting system and had an intelligent tracking system which Sichuan by taking surveillance Triple honors were achieved by teams from the Electronic and enabled the user to adjust its route during the flight. The photos to support Computer Engineering (ECE) Department in this year’s HKUST Learning to Unleash challenge for the students was to ensure that the helicopter post-disaster restoration 2011 Entrepreneurship Competition, with three separate groups could continue its designated tasks and safely return to base work in areas too dangerous winning awards out of 11 finalists and an original 124 teams who the Entrepreneurial Spirit even if wireless and global positioning signals were lost. The for manned flights. entered the contest. In March, nine students from Dual Degree Program in Technology and Management (T&M) joined the prestigious MIT The First Runner-up prize went to LEDoS, led by Prof Kei May Lau, Global Startup Workshop 2011 in Seoul, Korea. The leading for its breakthrough display technology based on proprietary forum, held in different international locations annually, micro-projection devices, which provides cost-effective HKUST Students Shine in Inter-University Contest encourages entrepreneurship around the world and seeks to customizable hardware and software for digital display applications foster the ecosystems to support it. A top trio of Computer Science and Engineering postgraduate coach Derek Hu. ranging from digital signage to traffic signs. undergraduates beat 38 other teams from universities in At the three-day workshop, which this year focused on The contest aims to strengthen students’ capabilities in iFlight Technology team, led by Prof Zexiang Li, received the Third Hong Kong and Macau to take the Champion Team Award Unleashing Entrepreneurial Potential to Invigorate the Economy, relation to the DB2 database management system. Runner-up award for technology that has turned it into one of the T&M students were able to listen to discussions and network at this year’s exciting IBM DB2 UDB Inter-University world’s leading developers and manufacturers of helicopter with a wide range of people from all over the world. The event Programming Contest in January. The competition attracted autopilot systems while the Student Award was won by Bull B Tech, brings together entrepreneurial leaders, executives, financiers, participants from eight universities. led by undergraduate Yik Hei Chan, for a product that streamlines professors, students, government agents and private parties to Desmond Hung (Year 3), Qifeng Chen (Year 2) and Jueyi the business-to-customer process and has many applications in the share best practices, stimulate creativity and promote Wang (Year 1) showed their outstanding programming and retail industry. entrepreneurship. problem solving skills by successfully completing a series of The competition, which first started five years ago, seeks to foster In another memorable experience at the gathering, T&M student questions to score the highest marks in the shortest time. entrepreneurship throughout the University, involving different Kanishk Bali, Year 3, won The three students formed one of five HKUST teams members of the HKUST community and different Schools. third prize in the Elevator entering the contest, which also saw HKUST receive the Pitch Competition, overall Champion University Award for the highest total competing against more scores earned by its teams. Students from Computer than 40 other entrants. Science and Engineering, Computer Engineering Program, and Economics took part, with support and encouragement provided by faculty coach Prof Wilfred Ng and

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Students Students

Final-Year Projects Secure Award-Winning Success Student Honors, Awards and Achievements

The remarkable Braille Embosser final-year project by 2010 In this year’s Hong Kong ICT Awards, the students’ Braille ■ PhD candidate Vincent ■ PhD student Wenqi Du, Electronic and Computer Engineering (ECE) graduates continues Embosser gained the Gold Award, Best Social Responsibility and Man Pun Chan, Elec- Civil and Environmental to make waves in the community, winning three top awards in the Best Commercial Value accolades in the Best Innovation & tronic and Computer Engineering, has won Hong Kong ICT Awards 2011 and a Gold Award at The Hong Research (College & Undergraduates) category. Engineering, won First the Arup Research Prize Kong Electronic Industries Association (HKEIA) Innovation & In the HKEIA competition, a second ECE final-year project also Prize in the Student 2011. The accolade, Technology Project Competition 2010. proved a winner, with “Face Recognition in Embedded System” by Paper Award at the funded by Ove Arup & Patrick Kwan Pak Lee and Matthew Kin Man Ting together with Pak Ming Cheung, Pui Hang Lai, and Kwan Wai Tsang receiving the 2010 Institute of Electri- Partners Hong Kong other ECE classmates recycled dot-matrix and ink-jet printers into Merit Award. cal and Electronics Engi- Ltd, is awarded to cost-effective Braille Embossers for the visually challenged. A neers (IEEE) Asia Pacific undergraduate or post- Both projects were supervised by Prof Tim Woo. regular Braille Embosser sells for HK$30,000. The Conference on Circuits and Systems. His winning paper, graduate students to promote creativity and high stan- ECE students’ machine costs just HK$1,000. “A Monolithic 2nd-Order Boundary Controller for Buck dards of technology. Wenqi’s research seeks to develop Converter with Fast Transient Response”, was co- guidelines for seismic design of buildings in Hong Kong The double success adds to other engineering design authored by Prof Philip Mok. The biennial conference is a and the results of his work are expected to bring great awards for the invention, including the Gold Award major international forum established by the IEEE Circuits benefit to the local building industry. and Most Innovative Award in the 2010 Amway and Systems Society for researchers to exchange their ■ Electronic and Com- Pan-Pearl River Delta Region Universities IT Project latest findings. Competition and a Merit Award in the 10th puter Engineering International Asia Pacific ICT Alliance Awards 2010. ■ A HKUST Programming Team (HKUST Optimus Prime) PhD candidate reached the world finals of the prestigious ACM Shaoqi Feng received International Collegiate Programming Contest in Florida, the Best Student US, following their triumph in this year’s regional contests Paper Award (2nd Honoring Academic Excellence in Hanoi and Kuala Lumpur. The team comprised Danqi Runner-up) at the Chen, Year 2, Computer Engineering Program, Yuliang Li, 11th IEEE Photonics An elite group of 96 SENG undergraduates who had gained a Year 2, and PhD candidate Lu Wang, Computer Science Society Hong Kong place on the Dean’s List at least twice in the preceding three and Engineering. The team was led by Prof Ke Yi and Chapter Postgraduate Conference. His winning paper, semesters were honored for their academic excellence at a postgraduate coach Hao Hu. This year, around 7,000 “Electro-optical Tunable Time Delay and Advance in a ceremony in May, together with their peers from other Schools teams worldwide participated in the regional contests, Silicon Feedback-microring Resonator”, was co-authored at HKUST. Over 350 students achieved this honor. HKUST with 102 teams qualifying for the finals. by Dr Xianshu Luo and Prof Andrew Poon. President Prof Tony F Chan and other senior administrators attended the event. Principals and teachers from the students’ ■ MPhil student Pak ■ PhD student Cuiting Guo, Industrial Engineering and Logis- secondary schools were also invited to join the ceremony. Ming Cheung, Elec- tics Management, received the Best Short Paper Award at tronic and Computer the IEEE Virtual Reality Conference 2011, held in Singapore. Engineering, won the The conference is the most prestigious international con- Building Academic Bridges Through Mainland Exchange Champion Award in ference focusing on virtual reality. The paper looked at the the Design for Elderly question: “Could OKAN be an Objective Indicator of the A group of seven Civil and Environmental Engineering (CIVL) Qinghe Zhang and Prof Donghai Liu gave the Hong Kong visitors Competition 2011. Susceptibility to Visually Induced Motion Sickness?” students enjoyed an eye-opening five-day exchange to two an introduction to the university’s programs and research fields. His winning proposal mainland universities in March to gain greater understanding of Students also toured the construction lab at Tsinghua University ■ An Industrial Engineering and Logistics Management under- focused on designing e-games under the “Innovative Ideas how the field is taught and what research is undertaken at the and the hydraulic and hydropower simulation lab at Tianjin graduate team comprising Zhiyi He, Year 2, Sihua Luo, Year for Quality Living” category. The contest was held as part different institutions. University. 1, and Yik Hang Pang, Year 1, gained the Second Runner-up of Hong Kong Engineering Week 2011. award in the Hong Kong Society for Quality student project The visit, entitled “Student – Civil – Global”, was organized for As part of the exchange, a group of around 10 students and a ■ Darren Sin Wang Chiu, competition. The competition is open to university students HKUST members of the Student Chapter of the Canadian professor from Tsinghua University Year 2, Computer in industrial, manufacturing, quality or related disciplines, Society for Civil Engineering Hong Kong branch, and was open to will visit HKUST this June. Engineering and Global and provides them with an opportunity to work on an both undergraduates and postgraduates. Students, together with Business Management, actual industrial case and propose a resolution. CIVL Chair Professor Moe Cheung, visited Tsinghua University in was awarded the Beijing and Tianjin University. 2009-10 Hong Kong At Tsinghua University, Prof Cheung gave a seminar on the design, Institution of Engineers construction and management of the Confederation Bridge, the (HKIE) Scholarship for largest public private partnership project in Canada, while Prof his outstanding academic achievement. Peng Pan from Tsinghua presented his latest research on earthquake-resistant structural systems to the CIVL group. During the exchange at Tianjin University, Prof Qinghua Han, Prof

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Students Campus News

■ Electronic and Computer ■ Electronic and Computer Engineering PhD students International Industry-Education Drive to Boost Innovation Engineering PhD student Mahdi Nikdast, Xiaowen Wu and Yaoyao Ye gained the Xiaocheng Jing won First Best Poster Presentation Award (2nd place) at the AMD In a highly significant competencies in the four fields. development, the School Prize in the Student Technical Forum and Exhibition 2010, held in Taipei. Their The consortium is one of five set up by Hewlett Packard in 2010 of Engineering has become Paper Contest at the research project, “A Formal Analysis of Crosstalk Noise focusing on the transformation of STEM education. Member part of a leading 2010 IEEE International in Mesh-based Optical Network-on-Chip for Chip organizations were selected through an open, competitive global industry-education global Conference on Electron Multiprocessors”, was co-authored by Prof Jiang Xu. call for proposals. Devices and Solid-State AMD is a leading semiconductor company. social innovation program “We are excited about the impact of this initiative and the network Circuits with her paper “Soft-Start Circuit with Duty Ratio designed to develop more effective approaches to education in of consortia in the long term,” said Prof Mounir Hamdi, Head of Controlled Voltage Clamping and Adaptive Sizing science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) worldwide. Computer Science and Engineering and Project Lead. Such funding Technique for Integrated DC-DC Converters”. PhD As part of the HP Catalyst Initiative, set up by leading technology would help the University deliver projects that will shape the way student Chenchang Zhan, Electronic and Computer multinational Hewlett Packard, HKUST has received a generous education develops and society evolves as well as empower Engineering, came third with his paper grant of US$150,000 which will be put toward a new teaching lab students to collaborate globally, he noted. “Output-Capacitor-Free Adaptively Biased Low-Dropout equipped with high-end computers for Computer Science and Regulators”. Zhan also won the Student Paper Award at Engineering students. Ms Gabi Zedlmayer, Vice President, Office of Global Social ■ Postgraduate student Zhijian Zhou, the IEEE International Symposium on Circuits and Innovation at Hewlett Packard, explained that the HP Catalyst Electronic and Computer The University is among 35 educational institutions across 11 Systems held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in May with his paper Initiative underscored the company’s vision of a world where Engineering, has been awarded First countries to be selected by Hewlett Packard to receive a grant in “An Output-Capacitor-Free Adaptively Biased innovation and collaboration are enabled by investments in Runner-up in the Postgraduate 2010. It is also a member of the newly established Hewlett Low-Dropout Regulator with Sub-Threshold technology and education. “The program is designed to help foster Category of the Student Paper Packard-sponsored Measuring Learning Consortium, led by Undershoot-Reduction for SoC”, co-authored with Prof potential solutions to society’s most critical challenges by educating Contest held by the IEEE Hong Kong Carnegie Mellon University in the US. The six-member multinational Wing-Hung Ki. A total of 658 papers were presented in and nurturing leaders,” she said. “This will be critical in ensuring we Section 2010, for his paper “The group will explore new technologies for measuring students’ the symposium. Only 3 papers were awarded the Student develop new communities and find new ways of doing things.” Design, Fabrication and Paper Award. Characterization of Piezoresistive ■ PhD student Liang Lu, Tactile Sensor for Fingerprint Innovative Technology Research Exploring the Story of Industrial Engineering and Sensing”. 2010 ECE graduate Yue Yu Logistics Management, was awarded First Runner-up in the Shared with Semiconductor Lasers Undergraduate Category for her received First Prize in the International School Teachers Prof Dieter Bimberg, Chair of Applied Solid State Physics paper “Modified-MMSE Equalization for Noise and Best Student Paper at Technical University of Berlin for the past 30 years, gave Interference Mitigation in SU-MIMO Systems” Over 70 science teachers from six international secondary schools Competition at the a fascinating talk on “Our Daily Life with Semiconductor Second Production and under the English Schools Foundation (ESF) gained interesting ■ Sixteen students from Dual Degree Program in Lasers” at HKUST in January. Operations Management insight into some of the latest technological advances at the School Technology and Management (T&M) had a great Society (POMS)-Hong Kong International Conference. of Engineering’s first professional development day for secondary The talk, jointly organized by the School of Engineering opportunity to learn more about the business world The conference was organized by the POMS-Hong school educators in May. and HKUST Institute for Advanced Study, examined the when they participated in the Schmidt-HKUST amazing success story related to semiconductor lasers. It Kong and Taiwan Chapters, the Department of The international school teachers were welcomed to HKUST by Corporate Project in Fall 2010. During the three-month explored how a fundamental physics breakthrough Industrial Engineering and Logistics Management and Provost Prof Wei Shyy. This was followed by a presentation by project, the four student teams looked at ways to regarded as useless to the economy 50 years ago, has the HKUST Logistics and Supply Chain Management Dean of Engineering Prof Khaled Ben Letaief and talks by faculty promote and facilitate adoption of Radio Frequency evolved through further engineering and discovery to Institute. members on a range of hot topics, including green buildings, wind Identification (RFID). To do so, they attended become a key part of modern life. energy, mobile technology, and terahertz imaging. Participants also ■ Hing Yik Ng, Year 2, Mechanical conferences, corporate seminars and conducted market had the opportunity to tour HKUST’s leading research facilities and The new knowledge and understanding went on to spur Engineering, received the analysis, among other activities, before presenting their scenic campus, and hear about student life from the School’s intercontinental optical communication, the basis of the Outstanding Student Award 2010 proposals to a panel of judges comprising senior Student Ambassadors. internet, and to form the backbone of modern energy from the Aircraft Engineer executives and business professionals. The winning team efficient systems. DVDs, the optical mouse, and medical Development Scheme (AEDS) in recommended using short-range wireless technology to Dean Ben Letaief said he hoped the successful event marked the applications, are just some examples of the recognition of her high-flying connect social networks with physical location beginning of a long-term relationship between the School of products now performance in examinations and information. Engineering and the ESF, which is Hong Kong’s largest international associated with participation in AEDS activities. AEDS is organized by school network educating around 16,000 students and over 50 the discovery. the Manufacturing and Industrial Division of the Hong nationalities. Kong Institution of Engineers and supported by the Hong Kong Aircraft Engineering Co Ltd and the Royal Aeronautical Society (Hong Kong Branch). It seeks to encourage undergraduates to plan and prepare for a career in aircraft engineering and maintenance.

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Campus News Alumni

Forums Foster Industrial Engineering Links IELM Mentorship Directing Tunnel Projects and Flying Planes Two significant meetings of minds from Hong Kong and beyond provided Dinner Two civil engineering alumni discuss how their studies at SENG put opportunities for thought-provoking discussion on some of the latest issues them on diverse roads to success. related to industrial engineering and logistics management in January. Over 160 mentors and student mentees from the Industrial Engineering and From January 6-7, over 120 overseas, Mainland China and Taiwan delegates Logistics Management Department DR MORGAN YANG, 1996 PhD really good preparation for my career. I also see the strengths attended the Second POMS-HK International Conference held at HKUST. The enjoyed an informal get-together at the Director of Operations, China of other HKUST graduates who come to work at the successful two-day event, organized by the Industrial Engineering and Logistics IELM Mentorship Dinner in November. The AECOM company. They are skilful at advanced computer Management (IELM) Department, HKUST Logistics & Supply Chain Management mentorship program provides simulations and have a strong background in Institute and the Production and Operations Management Society (POMS) – undergraduates with an opportunity to “After my PhD, focused mechanics. Their training may have been demanding Hong Kong Chapter, focused on “POM in the Economic Recovery”. learn from a business mentor, expand on wind-induced vibration but it means they are confident too.” of cable-stayed bridges, I Drawing together practitioners and academics, the conference provided a highly networks and build social skills. joined Maunsell (later useful platform for knowledge-sharing on production and operations management integrated into AECOM) to CLAUDIA SIN, 2007 BEng issues in the face of changing economic times and insights on the design, planning, Workshop on Liquid work on geotechnical and Second Officer, Hong Kong Dragon Airlines Ltd implementation and management of production systems and their impact. Crystals for Photonics tunnel projects. I was the “Flying has been my dream since I was young. On January 8, IELM hosted the 1st Forum for the Council of Industrial Prof VG Chigrinov, Electronic and project manager for the Although aviation degrees are not yet offered locally, Engineering Department Heads in Greater China (CIEDHC). The gathering Computer Engineering, hosted a design and construction of my HKUST civil engineering degree equipped me to brought together 40 department heads from Mainland China, Taiwan and Hong Workshop on Liquid Crystals for the North Point-Quarry Bay fulfill my dream of becoming a pilot. The engineering training at Kong to promote the development of industrial engineering and related areas in Photonics from 8-10 Dec 2010 at HKUST. section of the MTR’s Tseung Kwan O line and other signature SENG emphasizes logical thinking and analytical skills, which Greater China and to strengthen exchanges among industrial engineering The event provided a useful forum for tunnel projects in Hong Kong. helped me a lot in my career, especially in meeting the challenges departments in the region. liquid crystal scientists, researchers and “The Yangtze River tunnel-bridge, linking Shanghai’s Pudong of my 14-month cadet training in Australia. During my years at Presentations were provided by a number of academics, including Prof Ershi Qi, engineers from around the world to district and Chongming Island, was my significant Mainland SENG, I was also lucky enough to win several scholarships to gain Dean of the School of Management, Tianjin University, and Prof Ching Jong Liao, present their pioneering research and project. It opened in 2009 and is one of the world’s largest flying experience in Australia, New Zealand and Hong Kong. exchange ideas. An article on the Industrial Management Department and Vice President of National Taiwan shield-driven tunnels, with a diameter of 15.44m. “While a SENG student, I won a local eBay business competition University of Science and Technology, who both gave detailed accounts of workshop was later published in Liquid “The Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge is one of the most with two of my Civil Engineering classmates and this gave us the industrial engineering developments in their respective locations. Prof Fugee Crystals Today, an official publication of the challenging projects in the world for civil engineers as the valuable opportunity to work as interns in three different eBay Tsung, Head of IELM at HKUST, was elected Founding President of the Council. International Liquid Crystal Society. sea-crossing fixed link, involving the construction of the largest offices in Asia. In addition, I represented the University in the MECH Postgraduates’ immersed tunnel connecting man-made islands, is over 30km. “Introducing and Demonstrating Earthquake Engineering It gives me many challenges, including environmental and Research in Schools Competition” in Taiwan. Society sustainability issues, but also valuable experience in such a “I think I developed a unique project. In the past few months, members of the great deal at SENG and Mechanical Engineering Postgraduates’ “The world is flat and changing rapidly, with increasing client my all-round education Society have been able to take part in a demands. Innovation is therefore a key aspect of civil there broadened my series of fun events organized to help engineering’s future. Students will need to have the flexibility horizons considerably, students meet new people and enjoy time to handle such a working environment. helping me to achieve out from their research. Activities included my career goal.” “I was the first PhD graduate in Civil Engineering at HKUST bike riding, a barbecue, and the Society’s and I felt my time at the School of Engineering (SENG) was second basketball competition, all of which proved highly enjoyable and a great way to relax. Main Board Listing for Perception Digital

Electronic and Computer Enterprise Market (GEM) of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange to Engineering (ECE) the Main Board. The company was first listed on the GEM board alumnus and HKUST’s in December 2009. first PhD graduate Prof Perception Digital Holdings Limited is the first and largest listed Jack Lau achieved further company set up under the HKUST Entrepreneurship Program. It success in June when specializes in technological solutions for consumer electronics and the hi-tech company he technology commercialization, and holds more than 25 patents. founded transferred its Major customers include leading international brands and Fortune listing from the Growth Global 500 companies.

22 23 20th Anniversary

The School of Engineering is proud to commemorate HKUST’s 20th Anniversary through arranging and participating in the following special events that highlight the University’s emphasis on innovation, high The Second International achievement, knowledge transfer and team spirit. Workshop on Innovative Engineering Alumni HKUST Engineering Engineering Education Day Fun Day IEEE Technology Time SENG/CIVL/IAS Joint Langham Place Hotel, Hong The Making of the World’s HKUST, Dec 2011 Largest Digital Photo SENG/IAS Joint Distin- HKUST, 28 May 2011 Machine Symposium HKUST “Bring Distinguished Lecture Kong, 19-21 Jan 2011 HKUST 20th Anniversary Technology to Workshop guished Lecture by Prof Sheraton Hong Kong by Prof Robert Mair Celebration Program Organized by Organized by HKUST, 22 Jan 2011 Vincent Poor Community” HKUST School of Engineering HKUST, 18-19 Mar 2011 Parade by School of HKUST School of Engineering Hotel, 1-3 Jun 2011 Exhibition HKUST, Nov 2011 HKUST, 21 Mar 2011 Organized by Organized by Engineering Organized by Institute of Electrical and Electronics Hong Kong Science Organized by HKUST Center for Engineering Education HKUST School of Engineering Organized by HKUST, 12 Apr 2011 Engineers (IEEE) HKUST School of Engineering Innovation (E2I) Museum, HKUST Department of Computer Science HKUST School of Engineering Co-organized by HKUST Department of Civil & Sungkyunkwan University Hub Center for and Engineering HKUST Institute for Advanced Study (IAS) HKUST and Hong Kong Applied 14-23 Oct 2011 Environmental Engineering Innovative Engineering Education Organized by Science and Technology Research HKUST Institute for Advanced Study HKUST School of Engineering 5 9 1 Institute (ASTRI) Organized by 2 6 HKUST School of Engineering 8 3 7 4

EVENT 1 EVENT 2 EVENT 3 EVENT 4 EVENT 5 EVENT 6 The Second International The Making of the SENG/IAS Joint HKUST 20th Anniversary Engineering Alumni Fun IEEE Technology Time Workshop on Innovative World’s Largest Digital Distinguished Lecture by Celebration Program Day Machine Symposium Engineering Education Photo Workshop Prof Vincent Poor Parade by A happy time was spent by all on May 28 School of Engineering Intriguing insight into next-generation A successful gathering of more than 100 Prof Pedro Sander, Computer Science Eminent academic Prof Vincent Poor, at a celebratory School of Engineering advances was provided at the first IEEE engineering educators took place in and Engineering, conducted an Dean of the School of Engineering and A lively parade was held to showcase the alumni family day gathering. symposium devoted to future Hong Kong in January, co-organized by eye-opening interactive workshop that Applied Science and Michael Henry special events organized by the School of More on P15&24 technologies, which was held in Hong the Center for Engineering Education introduced the technologies and Strater University Professor of Engineering to commemorate the Kong and co-organized by HKUST. Innovation and Sungkyunkwan methods involved in creating his global Electrical Engineering at Princeton University’s latest historical milestone. More on P14 University Hub Center for Innovative record-breaking digital photo to elite University, gave an engaging One of the stars of the show was a NAO Engineering Education. Topics included high school students from local and presentation on “Information and robot, which gave a fun introduction to assessment, accreditation and international schools in Hong Kong. Inference in the Wireless Physical the occasion with its rundown of the intercultural issues, among others. The Adding to the special nature of the Layer”. In his talk, Prof Poor explored celebratory line-up. Around 150 students keynote speakers were Prof David event, the “train-the-trainer” approach information theoretic or inferential and academics participated including Radcliffe, Purdue University, and Prof was used, with students encouraged to problems, each motivated by an HKUST President Prof Tony F Chan, Elizabeth Godfrey, University of pass on the knowledge they acquired applications-layer issue. Over 90 Vice-President Prof Y S Wong, Associate Technology Sydney. to classmates, family and friends, people attended the lecture. Provost Dr David Mole, Dean of More on P14 greatly increasing the potential number Engineering Prof Khaled Ben Letaief, of people to gain knowledge from the and Associate Deans of Engineering EVENTS 7,8,9 activity. Prof Roger Cheng and Prof Charles Ng. Coming Soon! More on P14 More on robotics on P11 Look out for more outstanding 20A events from the School of Engineering in the Fall. Events comprise an inspiring “Bring Technology to Community” exhibition, with contributions by School of Engineering faculty, students and alumni; a thought-provoking distinguished lecture by Cambridge University civil engineering expert Prof Robert Mair; and SENG’s Engineering Day.

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20th Anniversary 20th Anniversary

Advancing Engineering Education Across Borders Center) and supported by the Korea Institute for Advancement of Technology (KIAT) and Korea’s Ministry of Education, Science and Technology.

In addition to welcome addresses by Prof Sung-Jin Song, Director of the SKKU Hub Center and Chairman of the Organizing Committee, and Prof Khaled Ben Letaief, Dean of Engineering at HKUST, a total of 14 keynote and invited speakers made Multinational experience-sharing was the order of the day when presentations on topics related to accreditation of engineering the School of Engineering’s Center for Engineering Education programs, program-level assessment of learning outcomes, faculty Innovation (E2I) brought together more than 100 engineering Fun, Games and development, and interdisciplinary and intercultural issues in educators from over 30 universities in the Second International engineering education. Workshop on Innovative Engineering Education (IEE 2011) to review and share good practices in innovative engineering A post-conference workshop on the use of pedagogies, It was all go on May 28 when over 330 of the School’s alumni and their education. assessment strategies, and technology in enhancing student families took part in “The Engineering Alumni Fun Day”. Afternoon events learning was held at HKUST. Those attending the fruitful two-day forum in January came from included soccer and basketball competitions and a highly popular South Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan, US and Australia. The event was The two gatherings provided excellent opportunities for mini-carnival for all ages at HKUST, followed by a Homecoming Dinner to organized in collaboration with the Sungkyunkwan University participants to network and identify potential areas for celebrate HKUST’s 20th anniversary at the Chinese Restaurant on Hub Center for Innovative Engineering Education (SKKU Hub collaboration in the future. campus. Those attending were able to meet up with professors, reminisce with old friends and catch up with their recent news, as well as enjoy the Fast Forward to the Technologies of the Future performances and activities specially arranged for the evening. A glimpse of the future was the intriguing prospect at the first General Co-Chair and HKUST Dean of Engineering Prof Khaled Heartfelt appreciation to members* of the Hong Kong Electrical Appliances IEEE Technology Time Machine (TTM) symposium, which was Ben Letaief. Through co-hosting the Symposium, Prof Ben Letaief Manufacturers Association and other donors for sponsorship of prizes: held in Hong Kong in June and co-organized by HKUST and the hopes to drive strategic research planning in achieving the goal of Allan International Holdings Ltd.* Hong Kong Applied Science and Technology Research Institute the School to provide innovative and creative solution for (ASTRI). Themed “Technologies Beyond 2020”, the exciting industries and the society. Chiaphua Industries Ltd.* event organized by the Institute of Electrical and Chung Mei Industries Ltd.* At the “Global R&D Leaders” panel discussion, HKUST President Electronics Engineers (IEEE) focused on a Fook Tin Technologies Ltd.* Prof Tony F Chan highlighted that business and industry should number of potentially high-impact emerging G.E.W. Corporation Ltd.* collaborate closely with universities to promote revolutionary technologies and scenarios. Goldwise Development Co. innovative ideas. Panelists shared on innovation and advancement Hong Kong Ferry (Holdings) The kick off ceremony was officiated by in areas ranging from radio access technology, biomedical Co. Ltd. Mr John Tsang Chun-wah, Financial sciences, implants of sensors in coronary arteries to human Philips Electronics HK Ltd.* Secretary of the Hong Kong SAR centric intelligent societies and new organic electronic materials. Sonca Products Ltd.* Government; Dr Gordon Day, IEEE Prof Hoi Sing Kwok, Electronic and Computer Engineering, gave a Techtronic Industries Co. Ltd.* President-Elect; and members of the keynote speech on display technologies, the field where he is TTM Organizing Committee, including globally renowned in.

Zooming In on the Big Picture Photography has taken on a new dimension for over 50 elite which allowed them to zoom in on even distant areas and high school students from local and international schools in clearly see all the details. Hong Kong following an interactive workshop on how to create Later, they set out to make their own multi-image panoramas of multi-image panoramas by Prof Pedro Sander, Computer the HKUST campus by taking pictures and using software to Science and Engineering. Prof Sander broke the global record in “stitch” the images together. They also acquired knowledge of December 2010 when he created the world’s largest digital the algorithms and concepts behind the software. photo of 150 billion pixels. Prof Sander said, “Through this workshop, I hope that students During the workshop sessions, Prof Sander introduced the will see further evidence that working on engineering and technologies and methods involved in creating his pioneering computer technology is interesting, fun, useful and also highly photograph depicting his hometown of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. intertwined with our daily lives.” Students were fascinated by the power of the photograph,

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Students Students

Flying High The Rewards of Early Research Training

Over World’s Deepest Canyon It has been a wonderfully eventful year for MPhil Computer with Prof Dit-Yan Yeung in Year 2 and Year 3 as providing Science and Engineering student Emprise Yun Kwan Chan. essential early training that has given him a head start at He has become this year’s champion of HKUST’s Mr Armin postgraduate level. and Mrs Lillian Kitchell Undergraduate Research Award It also inspired his paper “A Convex Formulation of scheme. He has also seen his research project on social Modularity Maximization for Community Detection”, which networks and machine learning lead to a paper that was Emprise will present in July at the major International Joint recently accepted by a top international artificial intelligence Conferences on Artificial Intelligence (IJCAI) in Barcelona, conference. Spain. The paper was co-authored with Prof Yeung. Entering HKUST as a straight A student, Emprise has made Postgraduate students Frank Wang and Jianyu Song, Electronic many blind spots in the Among the five winners in the research award scheme, four stellar progress at the University, finishing his difficult double and Computer Engineering, have soared to new heights in complex topography of were from the School of Engineering. The winners were degree in Computer Science and Math (General Math) in their research and development with the successful the canyon made the selected from 2010 UROP participants. autonomous flight of a self-designed unmanned helicopter location a perfect testing just 2.5 years. He is now on course to complete his MPhil in across the Yarlung Zangbo Grand Canyon, the world’s deepest ground. News of the flight just 1.5 years. canyon. Located in Tibet, the canyon, also referred to as “the was released in December Emprise credits his early research experience on the last territory of mystery on Earth”, is 504.6 km long and 2010. Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP) 6,009m deep at its lowest point, nearly three times the depth Earlier models of the of the Grand Canyon in the US. Most of its many different HKUST unmanned terrains have never been traversed. helicopter have tackled the Turning Breakthroughs The helicopter, which flew over the canyon in September 2010, rigors of Mount Everest and was equipped with the world’s most compact automated assisted earthquake relief in into Businesses piloting system and had an intelligent tracking system which Sichuan by taking surveillance Triple honors were achieved by teams from the Electronic and enabled the user to adjust its route during the flight. The photos to support Computer Engineering (ECE) Department in this year’s HKUST Learning to Unleash challenge for the students was to ensure that the helicopter post-disaster restoration 2011 Entrepreneurship Competition, with three separate groups could continue its designated tasks and safely return to base work in areas too dangerous winning awards out of 11 finalists and an original 124 teams who the Entrepreneurial Spirit even if wireless and global positioning signals were lost. The for manned flights. entered the contest. In March, nine students from Dual Degree Program in Technology and Management (T&M) joined the prestigious MIT The First Runner-up prize went to LEDoS, led by Prof Kei May Lau, Global Startup Workshop 2011 in Seoul, Korea. The leading for its breakthrough display technology based on proprietary forum, held in different international locations annually, micro-projection devices, which provides cost-effective HKUST Students Shine in Inter-University Contest encourages entrepreneurship around the world and seeks to customizable hardware and software for digital display applications foster the ecosystems to support it. A top trio of Computer Science and Engineering postgraduate coach Derek Hu. ranging from digital signage to traffic signs. undergraduates beat 38 other teams from universities in At the three-day workshop, which this year focused on The contest aims to strengthen students’ capabilities in iFlight Technology team, led by Prof Zexiang Li, received the Third Hong Kong and Macau to take the Champion Team Award Unleashing Entrepreneurial Potential to Invigorate the Economy, relation to the DB2 database management system. Runner-up award for technology that has turned it into one of the T&M students were able to listen to discussions and network at this year’s exciting IBM DB2 UDB Inter-University world’s leading developers and manufacturers of helicopter with a wide range of people from all over the world. The event Programming Contest in January. The competition attracted autopilot systems while the Student Award was won by Bull B Tech, brings together entrepreneurial leaders, executives, financiers, participants from eight universities. led by undergraduate Yik Hei Chan, for a product that streamlines professors, students, government agents and private parties to Desmond Hung (Year 3), Qifeng Chen (Year 2) and Jueyi the business-to-customer process and has many applications in the share best practices, stimulate creativity and promote Wang (Year 1) showed their outstanding programming and retail industry. entrepreneurship. problem solving skills by successfully completing a series of The competition, which first started five years ago, seeks to foster In another memorable experience at the gathering, T&M student questions to score the highest marks in the shortest time. entrepreneurship throughout the University, involving different Kanishk Bali, Year 3, won The three students formed one of five HKUST teams members of the HKUST community and different Schools. third prize in the Elevator entering the contest, which also saw HKUST receive the Pitch Competition, overall Champion University Award for the highest total competing against more scores earned by its teams. Students from Computer than 40 other entrants. Science and Engineering, Computer Engineering Program, and Economics took part, with support and encouragement provided by faculty coach Prof Wilfred Ng and

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Students Students

Final-Year Projects Secure Award-Winning Success Student Honors, Awards and Achievements

The remarkable Braille Embosser final-year project by 2010 In this year’s Hong Kong ICT Awards, the students’ Braille ■ PhD candidate Vincent ■ PhD student Wenqi Du, Electronic and Computer Engineering (ECE) graduates continues Embosser gained the Gold Award, Best Social Responsibility and Man Pun Chan, Elec- Civil and Environmental to make waves in the community, winning three top awards in the Best Commercial Value accolades in the Best Innovation & tronic and Computer Engineering, has won Hong Kong ICT Awards 2011 and a Gold Award at The Hong Research (College & Undergraduates) category. Engineering, won First the Arup Research Prize Kong Electronic Industries Association (HKEIA) Innovation & In the HKEIA competition, a second ECE final-year project also Prize in the Student 2011. The accolade, Technology Project Competition 2010. proved a winner, with “Face Recognition in Embedded System” by Paper Award at the funded by Ove Arup & Patrick Kwan Pak Lee and Matthew Kin Man Ting together with Pak Ming Cheung, Pui Hang Lai, and Kwan Wai Tsang receiving the 2010 Institute of Electri- Partners Hong Kong other ECE classmates recycled dot-matrix and ink-jet printers into Merit Award. cal and Electronics Engi- Ltd, is awarded to cost-effective Braille Embossers for the visually challenged. A neers (IEEE) Asia Pacific undergraduate or post- Both projects were supervised by Prof Tim Woo. regular Braille Embosser sells for HK$30,000. The Conference on Circuits and Systems. His winning paper, graduate students to promote creativity and high stan- ECE students’ machine costs just HK$1,000. “A Monolithic 2nd-Order Boundary Controller for Buck dards of technology. Wenqi’s research seeks to develop Converter with Fast Transient Response”, was co- guidelines for seismic design of buildings in Hong Kong The double success adds to other engineering design authored by Prof Philip Mok. The biennial conference is a and the results of his work are expected to bring great awards for the invention, including the Gold Award major international forum established by the IEEE Circuits benefit to the local building industry. and Most Innovative Award in the 2010 Amway and Systems Society for researchers to exchange their ■ Electronic and Com- Pan-Pearl River Delta Region Universities IT Project latest findings. Competition and a Merit Award in the 10th puter Engineering International Asia Pacific ICT Alliance Awards 2010. ■ A HKUST Programming Team (HKUST Optimus Prime) PhD candidate reached the world finals of the prestigious ACM Shaoqi Feng received International Collegiate Programming Contest in Florida, the Best Student US, following their triumph in this year’s regional contests Paper Award (2nd Honoring Academic Excellence in Hanoi and Kuala Lumpur. The team comprised Danqi Runner-up) at the Chen, Year 2, Computer Engineering Program, Yuliang Li, 11th IEEE Photonics An elite group of 96 SENG undergraduates who had gained a Year 2, and PhD candidate Lu Wang, Computer Science Society Hong Kong place on the Dean’s List at least twice in the preceding three and Engineering. The team was led by Prof Ke Yi and Chapter Postgraduate Conference. His winning paper, semesters were honored for their academic excellence at a postgraduate coach Hao Hu. This year, around 7,000 “Electro-optical Tunable Time Delay and Advance in a ceremony in May, together with their peers from other Schools teams worldwide participated in the regional contests, Silicon Feedback-microring Resonator”, was co-authored at HKUST. Over 350 students achieved this honor. HKUST with 102 teams qualifying for the finals. by Dr Xianshu Luo and Prof Andrew Poon. President Prof Tony F Chan and other senior administrators attended the event. Principals and teachers from the students’ ■ MPhil student Pak ■ PhD student Cuiting Guo, Industrial Engineering and Logis- secondary schools were also invited to join the ceremony. Ming Cheung, Elec- tics Management, received the Best Short Paper Award at tronic and Computer the IEEE Virtual Reality Conference 2011, held in Singapore. Engineering, won the The conference is the most prestigious international con- Building Academic Bridges Through Mainland Exchange Champion Award in ference focusing on virtual reality. The paper looked at the the Design for Elderly question: “Could OKAN be an Objective Indicator of the A group of seven Civil and Environmental Engineering (CIVL) Qinghe Zhang and Prof Donghai Liu gave the Hong Kong visitors Competition 2011. Susceptibility to Visually Induced Motion Sickness?” students enjoyed an eye-opening five-day exchange to two an introduction to the university’s programs and research fields. His winning proposal mainland universities in March to gain greater understanding of Students also toured the construction lab at Tsinghua University ■ An Industrial Engineering and Logistics Management under- focused on designing e-games under the “Innovative Ideas how the field is taught and what research is undertaken at the and the hydraulic and hydropower simulation lab at Tianjin graduate team comprising Zhiyi He, Year 2, Sihua Luo, Year for Quality Living” category. The contest was held as part different institutions. University. 1, and Yik Hang Pang, Year 1, gained the Second Runner-up of Hong Kong Engineering Week 2011. award in the Hong Kong Society for Quality student project The visit, entitled “Student – Civil – Global”, was organized for As part of the exchange, a group of around 10 students and a ■ Darren Sin Wang Chiu, competition. The competition is open to university students HKUST members of the Student Chapter of the Canadian professor from Tsinghua University Year 2, Computer in industrial, manufacturing, quality or related disciplines, Society for Civil Engineering Hong Kong branch, and was open to will visit HKUST this June. Engineering and Global and provides them with an opportunity to work on an both undergraduates and postgraduates. Students, together with Business Management, actual industrial case and propose a resolution. CIVL Chair Professor Moe Cheung, visited Tsinghua University in was awarded the Beijing and Tianjin University. 2009-10 Hong Kong At Tsinghua University, Prof Cheung gave a seminar on the design, Institution of Engineers construction and management of the Confederation Bridge, the (HKIE) Scholarship for largest public private partnership project in Canada, while Prof his outstanding academic achievement. Peng Pan from Tsinghua presented his latest research on earthquake-resistant structural systems to the CIVL group. During the exchange at Tianjin University, Prof Qinghua Han, Prof

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Students Campus News

■ Electronic and Computer ■ Electronic and Computer Engineering PhD students International Industry-Education Drive to Boost Innovation Engineering PhD student Mahdi Nikdast, Xiaowen Wu and Yaoyao Ye gained the Xiaocheng Jing won First Best Poster Presentation Award (2nd place) at the AMD In a highly significant competencies in the four fields. development, the School Prize in the Student Technical Forum and Exhibition 2010, held in Taipei. Their The consortium is one of five set up by Hewlett Packard in 2010 of Engineering has become Paper Contest at the research project, “A Formal Analysis of Crosstalk Noise focusing on the transformation of STEM education. Member part of a leading 2010 IEEE International in Mesh-based Optical Network-on-Chip for Chip organizations were selected through an open, competitive global industry-education global Conference on Electron Multiprocessors”, was co-authored by Prof Jiang Xu. call for proposals. Devices and Solid-State AMD is a leading semiconductor company. social innovation program “We are excited about the impact of this initiative and the network Circuits with her paper “Soft-Start Circuit with Duty Ratio designed to develop more effective approaches to education in of consortia in the long term,” said Prof Mounir Hamdi, Head of Controlled Voltage Clamping and Adaptive Sizing science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) worldwide. Computer Science and Engineering and Project Lead. Such funding Technique for Integrated DC-DC Converters”. PhD As part of the HP Catalyst Initiative, set up by leading technology would help the University deliver projects that will shape the way student Chenchang Zhan, Electronic and Computer multinational Hewlett Packard, HKUST has received a generous education develops and society evolves as well as empower Engineering, came third with his paper grant of US$150,000 which will be put toward a new teaching lab students to collaborate globally, he noted. “Output-Capacitor-Free Adaptively Biased Low-Dropout equipped with high-end computers for Computer Science and Regulators”. Zhan also won the Student Paper Award at Engineering students. Ms Gabi Zedlmayer, Vice President, Office of Global Social ■ Postgraduate student Zhijian Zhou, the IEEE International Symposium on Circuits and Innovation at Hewlett Packard, explained that the HP Catalyst Electronic and Computer The University is among 35 educational institutions across 11 Systems held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in May with his paper Initiative underscored the company’s vision of a world where Engineering, has been awarded First countries to be selected by Hewlett Packard to receive a grant in “An Output-Capacitor-Free Adaptively Biased innovation and collaboration are enabled by investments in Runner-up in the Postgraduate 2010. It is also a member of the newly established Hewlett Low-Dropout Regulator with Sub-Threshold technology and education. “The program is designed to help foster Category of the Student Paper Packard-sponsored Measuring Learning Consortium, led by Undershoot-Reduction for SoC”, co-authored with Prof potential solutions to society’s most critical challenges by educating Contest held by the IEEE Hong Kong Carnegie Mellon University in the US. The six-member multinational Wing-Hung Ki. A total of 658 papers were presented in and nurturing leaders,” she said. “This will be critical in ensuring we Section 2010, for his paper “The group will explore new technologies for measuring students’ the symposium. Only 3 papers were awarded the Student develop new communities and find new ways of doing things.” Design, Fabrication and Paper Award. Characterization of Piezoresistive ■ PhD student Liang Lu, Tactile Sensor for Fingerprint Innovative Technology Research Exploring the Story of Industrial Engineering and Sensing”. 2010 ECE graduate Yue Yu Logistics Management, was awarded First Runner-up in the Shared with Semiconductor Lasers Undergraduate Category for her received First Prize in the International School Teachers Prof Dieter Bimberg, Chair of Applied Solid State Physics paper “Modified-MMSE Equalization for Noise and Best Student Paper at Technical University of Berlin for the past 30 years, gave Interference Mitigation in SU-MIMO Systems” Over 70 science teachers from six international secondary schools Competition at the a fascinating talk on “Our Daily Life with Semiconductor Second Production and under the English Schools Foundation (ESF) gained interesting ■ Sixteen students from Dual Degree Program in Lasers” at HKUST in January. Operations Management insight into some of the latest technological advances at the School Technology and Management (T&M) had a great Society (POMS)-Hong Kong International Conference. of Engineering’s first professional development day for secondary The talk, jointly organized by the School of Engineering opportunity to learn more about the business world The conference was organized by the POMS-Hong school educators in May. and HKUST Institute for Advanced Study, examined the when they participated in the Schmidt-HKUST amazing success story related to semiconductor lasers. It Kong and Taiwan Chapters, the Department of The international school teachers were welcomed to HKUST by Corporate Project in Fall 2010. During the three-month explored how a fundamental physics breakthrough Industrial Engineering and Logistics Management and Provost Prof Wei Shyy. This was followed by a presentation by project, the four student teams looked at ways to regarded as useless to the economy 50 years ago, has the HKUST Logistics and Supply Chain Management Dean of Engineering Prof Khaled Ben Letaief and talks by faculty promote and facilitate adoption of Radio Frequency evolved through further engineering and discovery to Institute. members on a range of hot topics, including green buildings, wind Identification (RFID). To do so, they attended become a key part of modern life. energy, mobile technology, and terahertz imaging. Participants also ■ Hing Yik Ng, Year 2, Mechanical conferences, corporate seminars and conducted market had the opportunity to tour HKUST’s leading research facilities and The new knowledge and understanding went on to spur Engineering, received the analysis, among other activities, before presenting their scenic campus, and hear about student life from the School’s intercontinental optical communication, the basis of the Outstanding Student Award 2010 proposals to a panel of judges comprising senior Student Ambassadors. internet, and to form the backbone of modern energy from the Aircraft Engineer executives and business professionals. The winning team efficient systems. DVDs, the optical mouse, and medical Development Scheme (AEDS) in recommended using short-range wireless technology to Dean Ben Letaief said he hoped the successful event marked the applications, are just some examples of the recognition of her high-flying connect social networks with physical location beginning of a long-term relationship between the School of products now performance in examinations and information. Engineering and the ESF, which is Hong Kong’s largest international associated with participation in AEDS activities. AEDS is organized by school network educating around 16,000 students and over 50 the discovery. the Manufacturing and Industrial Division of the Hong nationalities. Kong Institution of Engineers and supported by the Hong Kong Aircraft Engineering Co Ltd and the Royal Aeronautical Society (Hong Kong Branch). It seeks to encourage undergraduates to plan and prepare for a career in aircraft engineering and maintenance.

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Campus News Alumni

Forums Foster Industrial Engineering Links IELM Mentorship Directing Tunnel Projects and Flying Planes Two significant meetings of minds from Hong Kong and beyond provided Dinner Two civil engineering alumni discuss how their studies at SENG put opportunities for thought-provoking discussion on some of the latest issues them on diverse roads to success. related to industrial engineering and logistics management in January. Over 160 mentors and student mentees from the Industrial Engineering and From January 6-7, over 120 overseas, Mainland China and Taiwan delegates Logistics Management Department DR MORGAN YANG, 1996 PhD really good preparation for my career. I also see the strengths attended the Second POMS-HK International Conference held at HKUST. The enjoyed an informal get-together at the Director of Operations, China of other HKUST graduates who come to work at the successful two-day event, organized by the Industrial Engineering and Logistics IELM Mentorship Dinner in November. The AECOM company. They are skilful at advanced computer Management (IELM) Department, HKUST Logistics & Supply Chain Management mentorship program provides simulations and have a strong background in Institute and the Production and Operations Management Society (POMS) – undergraduates with an opportunity to “After my PhD, focused mechanics. Their training may have been demanding Hong Kong Chapter, focused on “POM in the Economic Recovery”. learn from a business mentor, expand on wind-induced vibration but it means they are confident too.” of cable-stayed bridges, I Drawing together practitioners and academics, the conference provided a highly networks and build social skills. joined Maunsell (later useful platform for knowledge-sharing on production and operations management integrated into AECOM) to CLAUDIA SIN, 2007 BEng issues in the face of changing economic times and insights on the design, planning, Workshop on Liquid work on geotechnical and Second Officer, Hong Kong Dragon Airlines Ltd implementation and management of production systems and their impact. Crystals for Photonics tunnel projects. I was the “Flying has been my dream since I was young. On January 8, IELM hosted the 1st Forum for the Council of Industrial Prof VG Chigrinov, Electronic and project manager for the Although aviation degrees are not yet offered locally, Engineering Department Heads in Greater China (CIEDHC). The gathering Computer Engineering, hosted a design and construction of my HKUST civil engineering degree equipped me to brought together 40 department heads from Mainland China, Taiwan and Hong Workshop on Liquid Crystals for the North Point-Quarry Bay fulfill my dream of becoming a pilot. The engineering training at Kong to promote the development of industrial engineering and related areas in Photonics from 8-10 Dec 2010 at HKUST. section of the MTR’s Tseung Kwan O line and other signature SENG emphasizes logical thinking and analytical skills, which Greater China and to strengthen exchanges among industrial engineering The event provided a useful forum for tunnel projects in Hong Kong. helped me a lot in my career, especially in meeting the challenges departments in the region. liquid crystal scientists, researchers and “The Yangtze River tunnel-bridge, linking Shanghai’s Pudong of my 14-month cadet training in Australia. During my years at Presentations were provided by a number of academics, including Prof Ershi Qi, engineers from around the world to district and Chongming Island, was my significant Mainland SENG, I was also lucky enough to win several scholarships to gain Dean of the School of Management, Tianjin University, and Prof Ching Jong Liao, present their pioneering research and project. It opened in 2009 and is one of the world’s largest flying experience in Australia, New Zealand and Hong Kong. exchange ideas. An article on the Industrial Management Department and Vice President of National Taiwan shield-driven tunnels, with a diameter of 15.44m. “While a SENG student, I won a local eBay business competition University of Science and Technology, who both gave detailed accounts of workshop was later published in Liquid “The Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge is one of the most with two of my Civil Engineering classmates and this gave us the industrial engineering developments in their respective locations. Prof Fugee Crystals Today, an official publication of the challenging projects in the world for civil engineers as the valuable opportunity to work as interns in three different eBay Tsung, Head of IELM at HKUST, was elected Founding President of the Council. International Liquid Crystal Society. sea-crossing fixed link, involving the construction of the largest offices in Asia. In addition, I represented the University in the MECH Postgraduates’ immersed tunnel connecting man-made islands, is over 30km. “Introducing and Demonstrating Earthquake Engineering It gives me many challenges, including environmental and Research in Schools Competition” in Taiwan. Society sustainability issues, but also valuable experience in such a “I think I developed a unique project. In the past few months, members of the great deal at SENG and Mechanical Engineering Postgraduates’ “The world is flat and changing rapidly, with increasing client my all-round education Society have been able to take part in a demands. Innovation is therefore a key aspect of civil there broadened my series of fun events organized to help engineering’s future. Students will need to have the flexibility horizons considerably, students meet new people and enjoy time to handle such a working environment. helping me to achieve out from their research. Activities included my career goal.” “I was the first PhD graduate in Civil Engineering at HKUST bike riding, a barbecue, and the Society’s and I felt my time at the School of Engineering (SENG) was second basketball competition, all of which proved highly enjoyable and a great way to relax. Main Board Listing for Perception Digital

Electronic and Computer Enterprise Market (GEM) of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange to Engineering (ECE) the Main Board. The company was first listed on the GEM board alumnus and HKUST’s in December 2009. first PhD graduate Prof Perception Digital Holdings Limited is the first and largest listed Jack Lau achieved further company set up under the HKUST Entrepreneurship Program. It success in June when specializes in technological solutions for consumer electronics and the hi-tech company he technology commercialization, and holds more than 25 patents. founded transferred its Major customers include leading international brands and Fortune listing from the Growth Global 500 companies.

22 23 20th Anniversary

The School of Engineering is proud to commemorate HKUST’s 20th Anniversary through arranging and participating in the following special events that highlight the University’s emphasis on innovation, high The Second International achievement, knowledge transfer and team spirit. Workshop on Innovative Engineering Alumni HKUST Engineering Engineering Education Day Fun Day IEEE Technology Time SENG/CIVL/IAS Joint Langham Place Hotel, Hong The Making of the World’s HKUST, Dec 2011 Largest Digital Photo SENG/IAS Joint Distin- HKUST, 28 May 2011 Machine Symposium HKUST “Bring Distinguished Lecture Kong, 19-21 Jan 2011 HKUST 20th Anniversary Technology to Workshop guished Lecture by Prof Sheraton Hong Kong by Prof Robert Mair Celebration Program Organized by Organized by HKUST, 22 Jan 2011 Vincent Poor Community” HKUST School of Engineering HKUST, 18-19 Mar 2011 Parade by School of HKUST School of Engineering Hotel, 1-3 Jun 2011 Exhibition HKUST, Nov 2011 HKUST, 21 Mar 2011 Organized by Organized by Engineering Organized by Institute of Electrical and Electronics Hong Kong Science Organized by HKUST Center for Engineering Education HKUST School of Engineering Organized by HKUST, 12 Apr 2011 Engineers (IEEE) HKUST School of Engineering Innovation (E2I) Museum, HKUST Department of Computer Science HKUST School of Engineering Co-organized by HKUST Department of Civil & Sungkyunkwan University Hub Center for and Engineering HKUST Institute for Advanced Study (IAS) HKUST and Hong Kong Applied 14-23 Oct 2011 Environmental Engineering Innovative Engineering Education Organized by Science and Technology Research HKUST Institute for Advanced Study HKUST School of Engineering 5 9 1 Institute (ASTRI) Organized by 2 6 HKUST School of Engineering 8 3 7 4

EVENT 1 EVENT 2 EVENT 3 EVENT 4 EVENT 5 EVENT 6 The Second International The Making of the SENG/IAS Joint HKUST 20th Anniversary Engineering Alumni Fun IEEE Technology Time Workshop on Innovative World’s Largest Digital Distinguished Lecture by Celebration Program Day Machine Symposium Engineering Education Photo Workshop Prof Vincent Poor Parade by A happy time was spent by all on May 28 School of Engineering Intriguing insight into next-generation A successful gathering of more than 100 Prof Pedro Sander, Computer Science Eminent academic Prof Vincent Poor, at a celebratory School of Engineering advances was provided at the first IEEE engineering educators took place in and Engineering, conducted an Dean of the School of Engineering and A lively parade was held to showcase the alumni family day gathering. symposium devoted to future Hong Kong in January, co-organized by eye-opening interactive workshop that Applied Science and Michael Henry special events organized by the School of More on P15&24 technologies, which was held in Hong the Center for Engineering Education introduced the technologies and Strater University Professor of Engineering to commemorate the Kong and co-organized by HKUST. Innovation and Sungkyunkwan methods involved in creating his global Electrical Engineering at Princeton University’s latest historical milestone. More on P14 University Hub Center for Innovative record-breaking digital photo to elite University, gave an engaging One of the stars of the show was a NAO Engineering Education. Topics included high school students from local and presentation on “Information and robot, which gave a fun introduction to assessment, accreditation and international schools in Hong Kong. Inference in the Wireless Physical the occasion with its rundown of the intercultural issues, among others. The Adding to the special nature of the Layer”. In his talk, Prof Poor explored celebratory line-up. Around 150 students keynote speakers were Prof David event, the “train-the-trainer” approach information theoretic or inferential and academics participated including Radcliffe, Purdue University, and Prof was used, with students encouraged to problems, each motivated by an HKUST President Prof Tony F Chan, Elizabeth Godfrey, University of pass on the knowledge they acquired applications-layer issue. Over 90 Vice-President Prof Y S Wong, Associate Technology Sydney. to classmates, family and friends, people attended the lecture. Provost Dr David Mole, Dean of More on P14 greatly increasing the potential number Engineering Prof Khaled Ben Letaief, of people to gain knowledge from the and Associate Deans of Engineering EVENTS 7,8,9 activity. Prof Roger Cheng and Prof Charles Ng. Coming Soon! More on P14 More on robotics on P11 Look out for more outstanding 20A events from the School of Engineering in the Fall. Events comprise an inspiring “Bring Technology to Community” exhibition, with contributions by School of Engineering faculty, students and alumni; a thought-provoking distinguished lecture by Cambridge University civil engineering expert Prof Robert Mair; and SENG’s Engineering Day.

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20th Anniversary 20th Anniversary

Advancing Engineering Education Across Borders Center) and supported by the Korea Institute for Advancement of Technology (KIAT) and Korea’s Ministry of Education, Science and Technology.

In addition to welcome addresses by Prof Sung-Jin Song, Director of the SKKU Hub Center and Chairman of the Organizing Committee, and Prof Khaled Ben Letaief, Dean of Engineering at HKUST, a total of 14 keynote and invited speakers made Multinational experience-sharing was the order of the day when presentations on topics related to accreditation of engineering the School of Engineering’s Center for Engineering Education programs, program-level assessment of learning outcomes, faculty Innovation (E2I) brought together more than 100 engineering Fun, Games and development, and interdisciplinary and intercultural issues in educators from over 30 universities in the Second International engineering education. Workshop on Innovative Engineering Education (IEE 2011) to review and share good practices in innovative engineering A post-conference workshop on the use of pedagogies, It was all go on May 28 when over 330 of the School’s alumni and their education. assessment strategies, and technology in enhancing student families took part in “The Engineering Alumni Fun Day”. Afternoon events learning was held at HKUST. Those attending the fruitful two-day forum in January came from included soccer and basketball competitions and a highly popular South Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan, US and Australia. The event was The two gatherings provided excellent opportunities for mini-carnival for all ages at HKUST, followed by a Homecoming Dinner to organized in collaboration with the Sungkyunkwan University participants to network and identify potential areas for celebrate HKUST’s 20th anniversary at the Chinese Restaurant on Hub Center for Innovative Engineering Education (SKKU Hub collaboration in the future. campus. Those attending were able to meet up with professors, reminisce with old friends and catch up with their recent news, as well as enjoy the Fast Forward to the Technologies of the Future performances and activities specially arranged for the evening. A glimpse of the future was the intriguing prospect at the first General Co-Chair and HKUST Dean of Engineering Prof Khaled Heartfelt appreciation to members* of the Hong Kong Electrical Appliances IEEE Technology Time Machine (TTM) symposium, which was Ben Letaief. Through co-hosting the Symposium, Prof Ben Letaief Manufacturers Association and other donors for sponsorship of prizes: held in Hong Kong in June and co-organized by HKUST and the hopes to drive strategic research planning in achieving the goal of Allan International Holdings Ltd.* Hong Kong Applied Science and Technology Research Institute the School to provide innovative and creative solution for (ASTRI). Themed “Technologies Beyond 2020”, the exciting industries and the society. Chiaphua Industries Ltd.* event organized by the Institute of Electrical and Chung Mei Industries Ltd.* At the “Global R&D Leaders” panel discussion, HKUST President Electronics Engineers (IEEE) focused on a Fook Tin Technologies Ltd.* Prof Tony F Chan highlighted that business and industry should number of potentially high-impact emerging G.E.W. Corporation Ltd.* collaborate closely with universities to promote revolutionary technologies and scenarios. Goldwise Development Co. innovative ideas. Panelists shared on innovation and advancement Hong Kong Ferry (Holdings) The kick off ceremony was officiated by in areas ranging from radio access technology, biomedical Co. Ltd. Mr John Tsang Chun-wah, Financial sciences, implants of sensors in coronary arteries to human Philips Electronics HK Ltd.* Secretary of the Hong Kong SAR centric intelligent societies and new organic electronic materials. Sonca Products Ltd.* Government; Dr Gordon Day, IEEE Prof Hoi Sing Kwok, Electronic and Computer Engineering, gave a Techtronic Industries Co. Ltd.* President-Elect; and members of the keynote speech on display technologies, the field where he is TTM Organizing Committee, including globally renowned in.

Zooming In on the Big Picture Photography has taken on a new dimension for over 50 elite which allowed them to zoom in on even distant areas and high school students from local and international schools in clearly see all the details. Hong Kong following an interactive workshop on how to create Later, they set out to make their own multi-image panoramas of multi-image panoramas by Prof Pedro Sander, Computer the HKUST campus by taking pictures and using software to Science and Engineering. Prof Sander broke the global record in “stitch” the images together. They also acquired knowledge of December 2010 when he created the world’s largest digital the algorithms and concepts behind the software. photo of 150 billion pixels. Prof Sander said, “Through this workshop, I hope that students During the workshop sessions, Prof Sander introduced the will see further evidence that working on engineering and technologies and methods involved in creating his pioneering computer technology is interesting, fun, useful and also highly photograph depicting his hometown of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. intertwined with our daily lives.” Students were fascinated by the power of the photograph,

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Students Students

Flying High The Rewards of Early Research Training

Over World’s Deepest Canyon It has been a wonderfully eventful year for MPhil Computer with Prof Dit-Yan Yeung in Year 2 and Year 3 as providing Science and Engineering student Emprise Yun Kwan Chan. essential early training that has given him a head start at He has become this year’s champion of HKUST’s Mr Armin postgraduate level. and Mrs Lillian Kitchell Undergraduate Research Award It also inspired his paper “A Convex Formulation of scheme. He has also seen his research project on social Modularity Maximization for Community Detection”, which networks and machine learning lead to a paper that was Emprise will present in July at the major International Joint recently accepted by a top international artificial intelligence Conferences on Artificial Intelligence (IJCAI) in Barcelona, conference. Spain. The paper was co-authored with Prof Yeung. Entering HKUST as a straight A student, Emprise has made Postgraduate students Frank Wang and Jianyu Song, Electronic many blind spots in the Among the five winners in the research award scheme, four stellar progress at the University, finishing his difficult double and Computer Engineering, have soared to new heights in complex topography of were from the School of Engineering. The winners were degree in Computer Science and Math (General Math) in their research and development with the successful the canyon made the selected from 2010 UROP participants. autonomous flight of a self-designed unmanned helicopter location a perfect testing just 2.5 years. He is now on course to complete his MPhil in across the Yarlung Zangbo Grand Canyon, the world’s deepest ground. News of the flight just 1.5 years. canyon. Located in Tibet, the canyon, also referred to as “the was released in December Emprise credits his early research experience on the last territory of mystery on Earth”, is 504.6 km long and 2010. Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP) 6,009m deep at its lowest point, nearly three times the depth Earlier models of the of the Grand Canyon in the US. Most of its many different HKUST unmanned terrains have never been traversed. helicopter have tackled the Turning Breakthroughs The helicopter, which flew over the canyon in September 2010, rigors of Mount Everest and was equipped with the world’s most compact automated assisted earthquake relief in into Businesses piloting system and had an intelligent tracking system which Sichuan by taking surveillance Triple honors were achieved by teams from the Electronic and enabled the user to adjust its route during the flight. The photos to support Computer Engineering (ECE) Department in this year’s HKUST Learning to Unleash challenge for the students was to ensure that the helicopter post-disaster restoration 2011 Entrepreneurship Competition, with three separate groups could continue its designated tasks and safely return to base work in areas too dangerous winning awards out of 11 finalists and an original 124 teams who the Entrepreneurial Spirit even if wireless and global positioning signals were lost. The for manned flights. entered the contest. In March, nine students from Dual Degree Program in Technology and Management (T&M) joined the prestigious MIT The First Runner-up prize went to LEDoS, led by Prof Kei May Lau, Global Startup Workshop 2011 in Seoul, Korea. The leading for its breakthrough display technology based on proprietary forum, held in different international locations annually, micro-projection devices, which provides cost-effective HKUST Students Shine in Inter-University Contest encourages entrepreneurship around the world and seeks to customizable hardware and software for digital display applications foster the ecosystems to support it. A top trio of Computer Science and Engineering postgraduate coach Derek Hu. ranging from digital signage to traffic signs. undergraduates beat 38 other teams from universities in At the three-day workshop, which this year focused on The contest aims to strengthen students’ capabilities in iFlight Technology team, led by Prof Zexiang Li, received the Third Hong Kong and Macau to take the Champion Team Award Unleashing Entrepreneurial Potential to Invigorate the Economy, relation to the DB2 database management system. Runner-up award for technology that has turned it into one of the T&M students were able to listen to discussions and network at this year’s exciting IBM DB2 UDB Inter-University world’s leading developers and manufacturers of helicopter with a wide range of people from all over the world. The event Programming Contest in January. The competition attracted autopilot systems while the Student Award was won by Bull B Tech, brings together entrepreneurial leaders, executives, financiers, participants from eight universities. led by undergraduate Yik Hei Chan, for a product that streamlines professors, students, government agents and private parties to Desmond Hung (Year 3), Qifeng Chen (Year 2) and Jueyi the business-to-customer process and has many applications in the share best practices, stimulate creativity and promote Wang (Year 1) showed their outstanding programming and retail industry. entrepreneurship. problem solving skills by successfully completing a series of The competition, which first started five years ago, seeks to foster In another memorable experience at the gathering, T&M student questions to score the highest marks in the shortest time. entrepreneurship throughout the University, involving different Kanishk Bali, Year 3, won The three students formed one of five HKUST teams members of the HKUST community and different Schools. third prize in the Elevator entering the contest, which also saw HKUST receive the Pitch Competition, overall Champion University Award for the highest total competing against more scores earned by its teams. Students from Computer than 40 other entrants. Science and Engineering, Computer Engineering Program, and Economics took part, with support and encouragement provided by faculty coach Prof Wilfred Ng and

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Students Students

Final-Year Projects Secure Award-Winning Success Student Honors, Awards and Achievements

The remarkable Braille Embosser final-year project by 2010 In this year’s Hong Kong ICT Awards, the students’ Braille ■ PhD candidate Vincent ■ PhD student Wenqi Du, Electronic and Computer Engineering (ECE) graduates continues Embosser gained the Gold Award, Best Social Responsibility and Man Pun Chan, Elec- Civil and Environmental to make waves in the community, winning three top awards in the Best Commercial Value accolades in the Best Innovation & tronic and Computer Engineering, has won Hong Kong ICT Awards 2011 and a Gold Award at The Hong Research (College & Undergraduates) category. Engineering, won First the Arup Research Prize Kong Electronic Industries Association (HKEIA) Innovation & In the HKEIA competition, a second ECE final-year project also Prize in the Student 2011. The accolade, Technology Project Competition 2010. proved a winner, with “Face Recognition in Embedded System” by Paper Award at the funded by Ove Arup & Patrick Kwan Pak Lee and Matthew Kin Man Ting together with Pak Ming Cheung, Pui Hang Lai, and Kwan Wai Tsang receiving the 2010 Institute of Electri- Partners Hong Kong other ECE classmates recycled dot-matrix and ink-jet printers into Merit Award. cal and Electronics Engi- Ltd, is awarded to cost-effective Braille Embossers for the visually challenged. A neers (IEEE) Asia Pacific undergraduate or post- Both projects were supervised by Prof Tim Woo. regular Braille Embosser sells for HK$30,000. The Conference on Circuits and Systems. His winning paper, graduate students to promote creativity and high stan- ECE students’ machine costs just HK$1,000. “A Monolithic 2nd-Order Boundary Controller for Buck dards of technology. Wenqi’s research seeks to develop Converter with Fast Transient Response”, was co- guidelines for seismic design of buildings in Hong Kong The double success adds to other engineering design authored by Prof Philip Mok. The biennial conference is a and the results of his work are expected to bring great awards for the invention, including the Gold Award major international forum established by the IEEE Circuits benefit to the local building industry. and Most Innovative Award in the 2010 Amway and Systems Society for researchers to exchange their ■ Electronic and Com- Pan-Pearl River Delta Region Universities IT Project latest findings. Competition and a Merit Award in the 10th puter Engineering International Asia Pacific ICT Alliance Awards 2010. ■ A HKUST Programming Team (HKUST Optimus Prime) PhD candidate reached the world finals of the prestigious ACM Shaoqi Feng received International Collegiate Programming Contest in Florida, the Best Student US, following their triumph in this year’s regional contests Paper Award (2nd Honoring Academic Excellence in Hanoi and Kuala Lumpur. The team comprised Danqi Runner-up) at the Chen, Year 2, Computer Engineering Program, Yuliang Li, 11th IEEE Photonics An elite group of 96 SENG undergraduates who had gained a Year 2, and PhD candidate Lu Wang, Computer Science Society Hong Kong place on the Dean’s List at least twice in the preceding three and Engineering. The team was led by Prof Ke Yi and Chapter Postgraduate Conference. His winning paper, semesters were honored for their academic excellence at a postgraduate coach Hao Hu. This year, around 7,000 “Electro-optical Tunable Time Delay and Advance in a ceremony in May, together with their peers from other Schools teams worldwide participated in the regional contests, Silicon Feedback-microring Resonator”, was co-authored at HKUST. Over 350 students achieved this honor. HKUST with 102 teams qualifying for the finals. by Dr Xianshu Luo and Prof Andrew Poon. President Prof Tony F Chan and other senior administrators attended the event. Principals and teachers from the students’ ■ MPhil student Pak ■ PhD student Cuiting Guo, Industrial Engineering and Logis- secondary schools were also invited to join the ceremony. Ming Cheung, Elec- tics Management, received the Best Short Paper Award at tronic and Computer the IEEE Virtual Reality Conference 2011, held in Singapore. Engineering, won the The conference is the most prestigious international con- Building Academic Bridges Through Mainland Exchange Champion Award in ference focusing on virtual reality. The paper looked at the the Design for Elderly question: “Could OKAN be an Objective Indicator of the A group of seven Civil and Environmental Engineering (CIVL) Qinghe Zhang and Prof Donghai Liu gave the Hong Kong visitors Competition 2011. Susceptibility to Visually Induced Motion Sickness?” students enjoyed an eye-opening five-day exchange to two an introduction to the university’s programs and research fields. His winning proposal mainland universities in March to gain greater understanding of Students also toured the construction lab at Tsinghua University ■ An Industrial Engineering and Logistics Management under- focused on designing e-games under the “Innovative Ideas how the field is taught and what research is undertaken at the and the hydraulic and hydropower simulation lab at Tianjin graduate team comprising Zhiyi He, Year 2, Sihua Luo, Year for Quality Living” category. The contest was held as part different institutions. University. 1, and Yik Hang Pang, Year 1, gained the Second Runner-up of Hong Kong Engineering Week 2011. award in the Hong Kong Society for Quality student project The visit, entitled “Student – Civil – Global”, was organized for As part of the exchange, a group of around 10 students and a ■ Darren Sin Wang Chiu, competition. The competition is open to university students HKUST members of the Student Chapter of the Canadian professor from Tsinghua University Year 2, Computer in industrial, manufacturing, quality or related disciplines, Society for Civil Engineering Hong Kong branch, and was open to will visit HKUST this June. Engineering and Global and provides them with an opportunity to work on an both undergraduates and postgraduates. Students, together with Business Management, actual industrial case and propose a resolution. CIVL Chair Professor Moe Cheung, visited Tsinghua University in was awarded the Beijing and Tianjin University. 2009-10 Hong Kong At Tsinghua University, Prof Cheung gave a seminar on the design, Institution of Engineers construction and management of the Confederation Bridge, the (HKIE) Scholarship for largest public private partnership project in Canada, while Prof his outstanding academic achievement. Peng Pan from Tsinghua presented his latest research on earthquake-resistant structural systems to the CIVL group. During the exchange at Tianjin University, Prof Qinghua Han, Prof

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Students Campus News

■ Electronic and Computer ■ Electronic and Computer Engineering PhD students International Industry-Education Drive to Boost Innovation Engineering PhD student Mahdi Nikdast, Xiaowen Wu and Yaoyao Ye gained the Xiaocheng Jing won First Best Poster Presentation Award (2nd place) at the AMD In a highly significant competencies in the four fields. development, the School Prize in the Student Technical Forum and Exhibition 2010, held in Taipei. Their The consortium is one of five set up by Hewlett Packard in 2010 of Engineering has become Paper Contest at the research project, “A Formal Analysis of Crosstalk Noise focusing on the transformation of STEM education. Member part of a leading 2010 IEEE International in Mesh-based Optical Network-on-Chip for Chip organizations were selected through an open, competitive global industry-education global Conference on Electron Multiprocessors”, was co-authored by Prof Jiang Xu. call for proposals. Devices and Solid-State AMD is a leading semiconductor company. social innovation program “We are excited about the impact of this initiative and the network Circuits with her paper “Soft-Start Circuit with Duty Ratio designed to develop more effective approaches to education in of consortia in the long term,” said Prof Mounir Hamdi, Head of Controlled Voltage Clamping and Adaptive Sizing science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) worldwide. Computer Science and Engineering and Project Lead. Such funding Technique for Integrated DC-DC Converters”. PhD As part of the HP Catalyst Initiative, set up by leading technology would help the University deliver projects that will shape the way student Chenchang Zhan, Electronic and Computer multinational Hewlett Packard, HKUST has received a generous education develops and society evolves as well as empower Engineering, came third with his paper grant of US$150,000 which will be put toward a new teaching lab students to collaborate globally, he noted. “Output-Capacitor-Free Adaptively Biased Low-Dropout equipped with high-end computers for Computer Science and Regulators”. Zhan also won the Student Paper Award at Engineering students. Ms Gabi Zedlmayer, Vice President, Office of Global Social ■ Postgraduate student Zhijian Zhou, the IEEE International Symposium on Circuits and Innovation at Hewlett Packard, explained that the HP Catalyst Electronic and Computer The University is among 35 educational institutions across 11 Systems held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in May with his paper Initiative underscored the company’s vision of a world where Engineering, has been awarded First countries to be selected by Hewlett Packard to receive a grant in “An Output-Capacitor-Free Adaptively Biased innovation and collaboration are enabled by investments in Runner-up in the Postgraduate 2010. It is also a member of the newly established Hewlett Low-Dropout Regulator with Sub-Threshold technology and education. “The program is designed to help foster Category of the Student Paper Packard-sponsored Measuring Learning Consortium, led by Undershoot-Reduction for SoC”, co-authored with Prof potential solutions to society’s most critical challenges by educating Contest held by the IEEE Hong Kong Carnegie Mellon University in the US. The six-member multinational Wing-Hung Ki. A total of 658 papers were presented in and nurturing leaders,” she said. “This will be critical in ensuring we Section 2010, for his paper “The group will explore new technologies for measuring students’ the symposium. Only 3 papers were awarded the Student develop new communities and find new ways of doing things.” Design, Fabrication and Paper Award. Characterization of Piezoresistive ■ PhD student Liang Lu, Tactile Sensor for Fingerprint Innovative Technology Research Exploring the Story of Industrial Engineering and Sensing”. 2010 ECE graduate Yue Yu Logistics Management, was awarded First Runner-up in the Shared with Semiconductor Lasers Undergraduate Category for her received First Prize in the International School Teachers Prof Dieter Bimberg, Chair of Applied Solid State Physics paper “Modified-MMSE Equalization for Noise and Best Student Paper at Technical University of Berlin for the past 30 years, gave Interference Mitigation in SU-MIMO Systems” Over 70 science teachers from six international secondary schools Competition at the a fascinating talk on “Our Daily Life with Semiconductor Second Production and under the English Schools Foundation (ESF) gained interesting ■ Sixteen students from Dual Degree Program in Lasers” at HKUST in January. Operations Management insight into some of the latest technological advances at the School Technology and Management (T&M) had a great Society (POMS)-Hong Kong International Conference. of Engineering’s first professional development day for secondary The talk, jointly organized by the School of Engineering opportunity to learn more about the business world The conference was organized by the POMS-Hong school educators in May. and HKUST Institute for Advanced Study, examined the when they participated in the Schmidt-HKUST amazing success story related to semiconductor lasers. It Kong and Taiwan Chapters, the Department of The international school teachers were welcomed to HKUST by Corporate Project in Fall 2010. During the three-month explored how a fundamental physics breakthrough Industrial Engineering and Logistics Management and Provost Prof Wei Shyy. This was followed by a presentation by project, the four student teams looked at ways to regarded as useless to the economy 50 years ago, has the HKUST Logistics and Supply Chain Management Dean of Engineering Prof Khaled Ben Letaief and talks by faculty promote and facilitate adoption of Radio Frequency evolved through further engineering and discovery to Institute. members on a range of hot topics, including green buildings, wind Identification (RFID). To do so, they attended become a key part of modern life. energy, mobile technology, and terahertz imaging. Participants also ■ Hing Yik Ng, Year 2, Mechanical conferences, corporate seminars and conducted market had the opportunity to tour HKUST’s leading research facilities and The new knowledge and understanding went on to spur Engineering, received the analysis, among other activities, before presenting their scenic campus, and hear about student life from the School’s intercontinental optical communication, the basis of the Outstanding Student Award 2010 proposals to a panel of judges comprising senior Student Ambassadors. internet, and to form the backbone of modern energy from the Aircraft Engineer executives and business professionals. The winning team efficient systems. DVDs, the optical mouse, and medical Development Scheme (AEDS) in recommended using short-range wireless technology to Dean Ben Letaief said he hoped the successful event marked the applications, are just some examples of the recognition of her high-flying connect social networks with physical location beginning of a long-term relationship between the School of products now performance in examinations and information. Engineering and the ESF, which is Hong Kong’s largest international associated with participation in AEDS activities. AEDS is organized by school network educating around 16,000 students and over 50 the discovery. the Manufacturing and Industrial Division of the Hong nationalities. Kong Institution of Engineers and supported by the Hong Kong Aircraft Engineering Co Ltd and the Royal Aeronautical Society (Hong Kong Branch). It seeks to encourage undergraduates to plan and prepare for a career in aircraft engineering and maintenance.

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Campus News Alumni

Forums Foster Industrial Engineering Links IELM Mentorship Directing Tunnel Projects and Flying Planes Two significant meetings of minds from Hong Kong and beyond provided Dinner Two civil engineering alumni discuss how their studies at SENG put opportunities for thought-provoking discussion on some of the latest issues them on diverse roads to success. related to industrial engineering and logistics management in January. Over 160 mentors and student mentees from the Industrial Engineering and From January 6-7, over 120 overseas, Mainland China and Taiwan delegates Logistics Management Department DR MORGAN YANG, 1996 PhD really good preparation for my career. I also see the strengths attended the Second POMS-HK International Conference held at HKUST. The enjoyed an informal get-together at the Director of Operations, China of other HKUST graduates who come to work at the successful two-day event, organized by the Industrial Engineering and Logistics IELM Mentorship Dinner in November. The AECOM company. They are skilful at advanced computer Management (IELM) Department, HKUST Logistics & Supply Chain Management mentorship program provides simulations and have a strong background in Institute and the Production and Operations Management Society (POMS) – undergraduates with an opportunity to “After my PhD, focused mechanics. Their training may have been demanding Hong Kong Chapter, focused on “POM in the Economic Recovery”. learn from a business mentor, expand on wind-induced vibration but it means they are confident too.” of cable-stayed bridges, I Drawing together practitioners and academics, the conference provided a highly networks and build social skills. joined Maunsell (later useful platform for knowledge-sharing on production and operations management integrated into AECOM) to CLAUDIA SIN, 2007 BEng issues in the face of changing economic times and insights on the design, planning, Workshop on Liquid work on geotechnical and Second Officer, Hong Kong Dragon Airlines Ltd implementation and management of production systems and their impact. Crystals for Photonics tunnel projects. I was the “Flying has been my dream since I was young. On January 8, IELM hosted the 1st Forum for the Council of Industrial Prof VG Chigrinov, Electronic and project manager for the Although aviation degrees are not yet offered locally, Engineering Department Heads in Greater China (CIEDHC). The gathering Computer Engineering, hosted a design and construction of my HKUST civil engineering degree equipped me to brought together 40 department heads from Mainland China, Taiwan and Hong Workshop on Liquid Crystals for the North Point-Quarry Bay fulfill my dream of becoming a pilot. The engineering training at Kong to promote the development of industrial engineering and related areas in Photonics from 8-10 Dec 2010 at HKUST. section of the MTR’s Tseung Kwan O line and other signature SENG emphasizes logical thinking and analytical skills, which Greater China and to strengthen exchanges among industrial engineering The event provided a useful forum for tunnel projects in Hong Kong. helped me a lot in my career, especially in meeting the challenges departments in the region. liquid crystal scientists, researchers and “The Yangtze River tunnel-bridge, linking Shanghai’s Pudong of my 14-month cadet training in Australia. During my years at Presentations were provided by a number of academics, including Prof Ershi Qi, engineers from around the world to district and Chongming Island, was my significant Mainland SENG, I was also lucky enough to win several scholarships to gain Dean of the School of Management, Tianjin University, and Prof Ching Jong Liao, present their pioneering research and project. It opened in 2009 and is one of the world’s largest flying experience in Australia, New Zealand and Hong Kong. exchange ideas. An article on the Industrial Management Department and Vice President of National Taiwan shield-driven tunnels, with a diameter of 15.44m. “While a SENG student, I won a local eBay business competition University of Science and Technology, who both gave detailed accounts of workshop was later published in Liquid “The Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge is one of the most with two of my Civil Engineering classmates and this gave us the industrial engineering developments in their respective locations. Prof Fugee Crystals Today, an official publication of the challenging projects in the world for civil engineers as the valuable opportunity to work as interns in three different eBay Tsung, Head of IELM at HKUST, was elected Founding President of the Council. International Liquid Crystal Society. sea-crossing fixed link, involving the construction of the largest offices in Asia. In addition, I represented the University in the MECH Postgraduates’ immersed tunnel connecting man-made islands, is over 30km. “Introducing and Demonstrating Earthquake Engineering It gives me many challenges, including environmental and Research in Schools Competition” in Taiwan. Society sustainability issues, but also valuable experience in such a “I think I developed a unique project. In the past few months, members of the great deal at SENG and Mechanical Engineering Postgraduates’ “The world is flat and changing rapidly, with increasing client my all-round education Society have been able to take part in a demands. Innovation is therefore a key aspect of civil there broadened my series of fun events organized to help engineering’s future. Students will need to have the flexibility horizons considerably, students meet new people and enjoy time to handle such a working environment. helping me to achieve out from their research. Activities included my career goal.” “I was the first PhD graduate in Civil Engineering at HKUST bike riding, a barbecue, and the Society’s and I felt my time at the School of Engineering (SENG) was second basketball competition, all of which proved highly enjoyable and a great way to relax. Main Board Listing for Perception Digital

Electronic and Computer Enterprise Market (GEM) of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange to Engineering (ECE) the Main Board. The company was first listed on the GEM board alumnus and HKUST’s in December 2009. first PhD graduate Prof Perception Digital Holdings Limited is the first and largest listed Jack Lau achieved further company set up under the HKUST Entrepreneurship Program. It success in June when specializes in technological solutions for consumer electronics and the hi-tech company he technology commercialization, and holds more than 25 patents. founded transferred its Major customers include leading international brands and Fortune listing from the Growth Global 500 companies.

22 23 20th Anniversary

The School of Engineering is proud to commemorate HKUST’s 20th Anniversary through arranging and participating in the following special events that highlight the University’s emphasis on innovation, high The Second International achievement, knowledge transfer and team spirit. Workshop on Innovative Engineering Alumni HKUST Engineering Engineering Education Day Fun Day IEEE Technology Time SENG/CIVL/IAS Joint Langham Place Hotel, Hong The Making of the World’s HKUST, Dec 2011 Largest Digital Photo SENG/IAS Joint Distin- HKUST, 28 May 2011 Machine Symposium HKUST “Bring Distinguished Lecture Kong, 19-21 Jan 2011 HKUST 20th Anniversary Technology to Workshop guished Lecture by Prof Sheraton Hong Kong by Prof Robert Mair Celebration Program Organized by Organized by HKUST, 22 Jan 2011 Vincent Poor Community” HKUST School of Engineering HKUST, 18-19 Mar 2011 Parade by School of HKUST School of Engineering Hotel, 1-3 Jun 2011 Exhibition HKUST, Nov 2011 HKUST, 21 Mar 2011 Organized by Organized by Engineering Organized by Institute of Electrical and Electronics Hong Kong Science Organized by HKUST Center for Engineering Education HKUST School of Engineering Organized by HKUST, 12 Apr 2011 Engineers (IEEE) HKUST School of Engineering Innovation (E2I) Museum, HKUST Department of Computer Science HKUST School of Engineering Co-organized by HKUST Department of Civil & Sungkyunkwan University Hub Center for and Engineering HKUST Institute for Advanced Study (IAS) HKUST and Hong Kong Applied 14-23 Oct 2011 Environmental Engineering Innovative Engineering Education Organized by Science and Technology Research HKUST Institute for Advanced Study HKUST School of Engineering 5 9 1 Institute (ASTRI) Organized by 2 6 HKUST School of Engineering 8 3 7 4

EVENT 1 EVENT 2 EVENT 3 EVENT 4 EVENT 5 EVENT 6 The Second International The Making of the SENG/IAS Joint HKUST 20th Anniversary Engineering Alumni Fun IEEE Technology Time Workshop on Innovative World’s Largest Digital Distinguished Lecture by Celebration Program Day Machine Symposium Engineering Education Photo Workshop Prof Vincent Poor Parade by A happy time was spent by all on May 28 School of Engineering Intriguing insight into next-generation A successful gathering of more than 100 Prof Pedro Sander, Computer Science Eminent academic Prof Vincent Poor, at a celebratory School of Engineering advances was provided at the first IEEE engineering educators took place in and Engineering, conducted an Dean of the School of Engineering and A lively parade was held to showcase the alumni family day gathering. symposium devoted to future Hong Kong in January, co-organized by eye-opening interactive workshop that Applied Science and Michael Henry special events organized by the School of More on P15&24 technologies, which was held in Hong the Center for Engineering Education introduced the technologies and Strater University Professor of Engineering to commemorate the Kong and co-organized by HKUST. Innovation and Sungkyunkwan methods involved in creating his global Electrical Engineering at Princeton University’s latest historical milestone. More on P14 University Hub Center for Innovative record-breaking digital photo to elite University, gave an engaging One of the stars of the show was a NAO Engineering Education. Topics included high school students from local and presentation on “Information and robot, which gave a fun introduction to assessment, accreditation and international schools in Hong Kong. Inference in the Wireless Physical the occasion with its rundown of the intercultural issues, among others. The Adding to the special nature of the Layer”. In his talk, Prof Poor explored celebratory line-up. Around 150 students keynote speakers were Prof David event, the “train-the-trainer” approach information theoretic or inferential and academics participated including Radcliffe, Purdue University, and Prof was used, with students encouraged to problems, each motivated by an HKUST President Prof Tony F Chan, Elizabeth Godfrey, University of pass on the knowledge they acquired applications-layer issue. Over 90 Vice-President Prof Y S Wong, Associate Technology Sydney. to classmates, family and friends, people attended the lecture. Provost Dr David Mole, Dean of More on P14 greatly increasing the potential number Engineering Prof Khaled Ben Letaief, of people to gain knowledge from the and Associate Deans of Engineering EVENTS 7,8,9 activity. Prof Roger Cheng and Prof Charles Ng. Coming Soon! More on P14 More on robotics on P11 Look out for more outstanding 20A events from the School of Engineering in the Fall. Events comprise an inspiring “Bring Technology to Community” exhibition, with contributions by School of Engineering faculty, students and alumni; a thought-provoking distinguished lecture by Cambridge University civil engineering expert Prof Robert Mair; and SENG’s Engineering Day.

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20th Anniversary 20th Anniversary

Advancing Engineering Education Across Borders Center) and supported by the Korea Institute for Advancement of Technology (KIAT) and Korea’s Ministry of Education, Science and Technology.

In addition to welcome addresses by Prof Sung-Jin Song, Director of the SKKU Hub Center and Chairman of the Organizing Committee, and Prof Khaled Ben Letaief, Dean of Engineering at HKUST, a total of 14 keynote and invited speakers made Multinational experience-sharing was the order of the day when presentations on topics related to accreditation of engineering the School of Engineering’s Center for Engineering Education programs, program-level assessment of learning outcomes, faculty Innovation (E2I) brought together more than 100 engineering Fun, Games and development, and interdisciplinary and intercultural issues in educators from over 30 universities in the Second International engineering education. Workshop on Innovative Engineering Education (IEE 2011) to review and share good practices in innovative engineering A post-conference workshop on the use of pedagogies, It was all go on May 28 when over 330 of the School’s alumni and their education. assessment strategies, and technology in enhancing student families took part in “The Engineering Alumni Fun Day”. Afternoon events learning was held at HKUST. Those attending the fruitful two-day forum in January came from included soccer and basketball competitions and a highly popular South Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan, US and Australia. The event was The two gatherings provided excellent opportunities for mini-carnival for all ages at HKUST, followed by a Homecoming Dinner to organized in collaboration with the Sungkyunkwan University participants to network and identify potential areas for celebrate HKUST’s 20th anniversary at the Chinese Restaurant on Hub Center for Innovative Engineering Education (SKKU Hub collaboration in the future. campus. Those attending were able to meet up with professors, reminisce with old friends and catch up with their recent news, as well as enjoy the Fast Forward to the Technologies of the Future performances and activities specially arranged for the evening. A glimpse of the future was the intriguing prospect at the first General Co-Chair and HKUST Dean of Engineering Prof Khaled Heartfelt appreciation to members* of the Hong Kong Electrical Appliances IEEE Technology Time Machine (TTM) symposium, which was Ben Letaief. Through co-hosting the Symposium, Prof Ben Letaief Manufacturers Association and other donors for sponsorship of prizes: held in Hong Kong in June and co-organized by HKUST and the hopes to drive strategic research planning in achieving the goal of Allan International Holdings Ltd.* Hong Kong Applied Science and Technology Research Institute the School to provide innovative and creative solution for (ASTRI). Themed “Technologies Beyond 2020”, the exciting industries and the society. Chiaphua Industries Ltd.* event organized by the Institute of Electrical and Chung Mei Industries Ltd.* At the “Global R&D Leaders” panel discussion, HKUST President Electronics Engineers (IEEE) focused on a Fook Tin Technologies Ltd.* Prof Tony F Chan highlighted that business and industry should number of potentially high-impact emerging G.E.W. Corporation Ltd.* collaborate closely with universities to promote revolutionary technologies and scenarios. Goldwise Development Co. innovative ideas. Panelists shared on innovation and advancement Hong Kong Ferry (Holdings) The kick off ceremony was officiated by in areas ranging from radio access technology, biomedical Co. Ltd. Mr John Tsang Chun-wah, Financial sciences, implants of sensors in coronary arteries to human Philips Electronics HK Ltd.* Secretary of the Hong Kong SAR centric intelligent societies and new organic electronic materials. Sonca Products Ltd.* Government; Dr Gordon Day, IEEE Prof Hoi Sing Kwok, Electronic and Computer Engineering, gave a Techtronic Industries Co. Ltd.* President-Elect; and members of the keynote speech on display technologies, the field where he is TTM Organizing Committee, including globally renowned in.

Zooming In on the Big Picture Photography has taken on a new dimension for over 50 elite which allowed them to zoom in on even distant areas and high school students from local and international schools in clearly see all the details. Hong Kong following an interactive workshop on how to create Later, they set out to make their own multi-image panoramas of multi-image panoramas by Prof Pedro Sander, Computer the HKUST campus by taking pictures and using software to Science and Engineering. Prof Sander broke the global record in “stitch” the images together. They also acquired knowledge of December 2010 when he created the world’s largest digital the algorithms and concepts behind the software. photo of 150 billion pixels. Prof Sander said, “Through this workshop, I hope that students During the workshop sessions, Prof Sander introduced the will see further evidence that working on engineering and technologies and methods involved in creating his pioneering computer technology is interesting, fun, useful and also highly photograph depicting his hometown of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. intertwined with our daily lives.” Students were fascinated by the power of the photograph,

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Students Students

Flying High The Rewards of Early Research Training

Over World’s Deepest Canyon It has been a wonderfully eventful year for MPhil Computer with Prof Dit-Yan Yeung in Year 2 and Year 3 as providing Science and Engineering student Emprise Yun Kwan Chan. essential early training that has given him a head start at He has become this year’s champion of HKUST’s Mr Armin postgraduate level. and Mrs Lillian Kitchell Undergraduate Research Award It also inspired his paper “A Convex Formulation of scheme. He has also seen his research project on social Modularity Maximization for Community Detection”, which networks and machine learning lead to a paper that was Emprise will present in July at the major International Joint recently accepted by a top international artificial intelligence Conferences on Artificial Intelligence (IJCAI) in Barcelona, conference. Spain. The paper was co-authored with Prof Yeung. Entering HKUST as a straight A student, Emprise has made Postgraduate students Frank Wang and Jianyu Song, Electronic many blind spots in the Among the five winners in the research award scheme, four stellar progress at the University, finishing his difficult double and Computer Engineering, have soared to new heights in complex topography of were from the School of Engineering. The winners were degree in Computer Science and Math (General Math) in their research and development with the successful the canyon made the selected from 2010 UROP participants. autonomous flight of a self-designed unmanned helicopter location a perfect testing just 2.5 years. He is now on course to complete his MPhil in across the Yarlung Zangbo Grand Canyon, the world’s deepest ground. News of the flight just 1.5 years. canyon. Located in Tibet, the canyon, also referred to as “the was released in December Emprise credits his early research experience on the last territory of mystery on Earth”, is 504.6 km long and 2010. Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP) 6,009m deep at its lowest point, nearly three times the depth Earlier models of the of the Grand Canyon in the US. Most of its many different HKUST unmanned terrains have never been traversed. helicopter have tackled the Turning Breakthroughs The helicopter, which flew over the canyon in September 2010, rigors of Mount Everest and was equipped with the world’s most compact automated assisted earthquake relief in into Businesses piloting system and had an intelligent tracking system which Sichuan by taking surveillance Triple honors were achieved by teams from the Electronic and enabled the user to adjust its route during the flight. The photos to support Computer Engineering (ECE) Department in this year’s HKUST Learning to Unleash challenge for the students was to ensure that the helicopter post-disaster restoration 2011 Entrepreneurship Competition, with three separate groups could continue its designated tasks and safely return to base work in areas too dangerous winning awards out of 11 finalists and an original 124 teams who the Entrepreneurial Spirit even if wireless and global positioning signals were lost. The for manned flights. entered the contest. In March, nine students from Dual Degree Program in Technology and Management (T&M) joined the prestigious MIT The First Runner-up prize went to LEDoS, led by Prof Kei May Lau, Global Startup Workshop 2011 in Seoul, Korea. The leading for its breakthrough display technology based on proprietary forum, held in different international locations annually, micro-projection devices, which provides cost-effective HKUST Students Shine in Inter-University Contest encourages entrepreneurship around the world and seeks to customizable hardware and software for digital display applications foster the ecosystems to support it. A top trio of Computer Science and Engineering postgraduate coach Derek Hu. ranging from digital signage to traffic signs. undergraduates beat 38 other teams from universities in At the three-day workshop, which this year focused on The contest aims to strengthen students’ capabilities in iFlight Technology team, led by Prof Zexiang Li, received the Third Hong Kong and Macau to take the Champion Team Award Unleashing Entrepreneurial Potential to Invigorate the Economy, relation to the DB2 database management system. Runner-up award for technology that has turned it into one of the T&M students were able to listen to discussions and network at this year’s exciting IBM DB2 UDB Inter-University world’s leading developers and manufacturers of helicopter with a wide range of people from all over the world. The event Programming Contest in January. The competition attracted autopilot systems while the Student Award was won by Bull B Tech, brings together entrepreneurial leaders, executives, financiers, participants from eight universities. led by undergraduate Yik Hei Chan, for a product that streamlines professors, students, government agents and private parties to Desmond Hung (Year 3), Qifeng Chen (Year 2) and Jueyi the business-to-customer process and has many applications in the share best practices, stimulate creativity and promote Wang (Year 1) showed their outstanding programming and retail industry. entrepreneurship. problem solving skills by successfully completing a series of The competition, which first started five years ago, seeks to foster In another memorable experience at the gathering, T&M student questions to score the highest marks in the shortest time. entrepreneurship throughout the University, involving different Kanishk Bali, Year 3, won The three students formed one of five HKUST teams members of the HKUST community and different Schools. third prize in the Elevator entering the contest, which also saw HKUST receive the Pitch Competition, overall Champion University Award for the highest total competing against more scores earned by its teams. Students from Computer than 40 other entrants. Science and Engineering, Computer Engineering Program, and Economics took part, with support and encouragement provided by faculty coach Prof Wilfred Ng and

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Students Students

Final-Year Projects Secure Award-Winning Success Student Honors, Awards and Achievements

The remarkable Braille Embosser final-year project by 2010 In this year’s Hong Kong ICT Awards, the students’ Braille ■ PhD candidate Vincent ■ PhD student Wenqi Du, Electronic and Computer Engineering (ECE) graduates continues Embosser gained the Gold Award, Best Social Responsibility and Man Pun Chan, Elec- Civil and Environmental to make waves in the community, winning three top awards in the Best Commercial Value accolades in the Best Innovation & tronic and Computer Engineering, has won Hong Kong ICT Awards 2011 and a Gold Award at The Hong Research (College & Undergraduates) category. Engineering, won First the Arup Research Prize Kong Electronic Industries Association (HKEIA) Innovation & In the HKEIA competition, a second ECE final-year project also Prize in the Student 2011. The accolade, Technology Project Competition 2010. proved a winner, with “Face Recognition in Embedded System” by Paper Award at the funded by Ove Arup & Patrick Kwan Pak Lee and Matthew Kin Man Ting together with Pak Ming Cheung, Pui Hang Lai, and Kwan Wai Tsang receiving the 2010 Institute of Electri- Partners Hong Kong other ECE classmates recycled dot-matrix and ink-jet printers into Merit Award. cal and Electronics Engi- Ltd, is awarded to cost-effective Braille Embossers for the visually challenged. A neers (IEEE) Asia Pacific undergraduate or post- Both projects were supervised by Prof Tim Woo. regular Braille Embosser sells for HK$30,000. The Conference on Circuits and Systems. His winning paper, graduate students to promote creativity and high stan- ECE students’ machine costs just HK$1,000. “A Monolithic 2nd-Order Boundary Controller for Buck dards of technology. Wenqi’s research seeks to develop Converter with Fast Transient Response”, was co- guidelines for seismic design of buildings in Hong Kong The double success adds to other engineering design authored by Prof Philip Mok. The biennial conference is a and the results of his work are expected to bring great awards for the invention, including the Gold Award major international forum established by the IEEE Circuits benefit to the local building industry. and Most Innovative Award in the 2010 Amway and Systems Society for researchers to exchange their ■ Electronic and Com- Pan-Pearl River Delta Region Universities IT Project latest findings. Competition and a Merit Award in the 10th puter Engineering International Asia Pacific ICT Alliance Awards 2010. ■ A HKUST Programming Team (HKUST Optimus Prime) PhD candidate reached the world finals of the prestigious ACM Shaoqi Feng received International Collegiate Programming Contest in Florida, the Best Student US, following their triumph in this year’s regional contests Paper Award (2nd Honoring Academic Excellence in Hanoi and Kuala Lumpur. The team comprised Danqi Runner-up) at the Chen, Year 2, Computer Engineering Program, Yuliang Li, 11th IEEE Photonics An elite group of 96 SENG undergraduates who had gained a Year 2, and PhD candidate Lu Wang, Computer Science Society Hong Kong place on the Dean’s List at least twice in the preceding three and Engineering. The team was led by Prof Ke Yi and Chapter Postgraduate Conference. His winning paper, semesters were honored for their academic excellence at a postgraduate coach Hao Hu. This year, around 7,000 “Electro-optical Tunable Time Delay and Advance in a ceremony in May, together with their peers from other Schools teams worldwide participated in the regional contests, Silicon Feedback-microring Resonator”, was co-authored at HKUST. Over 350 students achieved this honor. HKUST with 102 teams qualifying for the finals. by Dr Xianshu Luo and Prof Andrew Poon. President Prof Tony F Chan and other senior administrators attended the event. Principals and teachers from the students’ ■ MPhil student Pak ■ PhD student Cuiting Guo, Industrial Engineering and Logis- secondary schools were also invited to join the ceremony. Ming Cheung, Elec- tics Management, received the Best Short Paper Award at tronic and Computer the IEEE Virtual Reality Conference 2011, held in Singapore. Engineering, won the The conference is the most prestigious international con- Building Academic Bridges Through Mainland Exchange Champion Award in ference focusing on virtual reality. The paper looked at the the Design for Elderly question: “Could OKAN be an Objective Indicator of the A group of seven Civil and Environmental Engineering (CIVL) Qinghe Zhang and Prof Donghai Liu gave the Hong Kong visitors Competition 2011. Susceptibility to Visually Induced Motion Sickness?” students enjoyed an eye-opening five-day exchange to two an introduction to the university’s programs and research fields. His winning proposal mainland universities in March to gain greater understanding of Students also toured the construction lab at Tsinghua University ■ An Industrial Engineering and Logistics Management under- focused on designing e-games under the “Innovative Ideas how the field is taught and what research is undertaken at the and the hydraulic and hydropower simulation lab at Tianjin graduate team comprising Zhiyi He, Year 2, Sihua Luo, Year for Quality Living” category. The contest was held as part different institutions. University. 1, and Yik Hang Pang, Year 1, gained the Second Runner-up of Hong Kong Engineering Week 2011. award in the Hong Kong Society for Quality student project The visit, entitled “Student – Civil – Global”, was organized for As part of the exchange, a group of around 10 students and a ■ Darren Sin Wang Chiu, competition. The competition is open to university students HKUST members of the Student Chapter of the Canadian professor from Tsinghua University Year 2, Computer in industrial, manufacturing, quality or related disciplines, Society for Civil Engineering Hong Kong branch, and was open to will visit HKUST this June. Engineering and Global and provides them with an opportunity to work on an both undergraduates and postgraduates. Students, together with Business Management, actual industrial case and propose a resolution. CIVL Chair Professor Moe Cheung, visited Tsinghua University in was awarded the Beijing and Tianjin University. 2009-10 Hong Kong At Tsinghua University, Prof Cheung gave a seminar on the design, Institution of Engineers construction and management of the Confederation Bridge, the (HKIE) Scholarship for largest public private partnership project in Canada, while Prof his outstanding academic achievement. Peng Pan from Tsinghua presented his latest research on earthquake-resistant structural systems to the CIVL group. During the exchange at Tianjin University, Prof Qinghua Han, Prof

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Students Campus News

■ Electronic and Computer ■ Electronic and Computer Engineering PhD students International Industry-Education Drive to Boost Innovation Engineering PhD student Mahdi Nikdast, Xiaowen Wu and Yaoyao Ye gained the Xiaocheng Jing won First Best Poster Presentation Award (2nd place) at the AMD In a highly significant competencies in the four fields. development, the School Prize in the Student Technical Forum and Exhibition 2010, held in Taipei. Their The consortium is one of five set up by Hewlett Packard in 2010 of Engineering has become Paper Contest at the research project, “A Formal Analysis of Crosstalk Noise focusing on the transformation of STEM education. Member part of a leading 2010 IEEE International in Mesh-based Optical Network-on-Chip for Chip organizations were selected through an open, competitive global industry-education global Conference on Electron Multiprocessors”, was co-authored by Prof Jiang Xu. call for proposals. Devices and Solid-State AMD is a leading semiconductor company. social innovation program “We are excited about the impact of this initiative and the network Circuits with her paper “Soft-Start Circuit with Duty Ratio designed to develop more effective approaches to education in of consortia in the long term,” said Prof Mounir Hamdi, Head of Controlled Voltage Clamping and Adaptive Sizing science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) worldwide. Computer Science and Engineering and Project Lead. Such funding Technique for Integrated DC-DC Converters”. PhD As part of the HP Catalyst Initiative, set up by leading technology would help the University deliver projects that will shape the way student Chenchang Zhan, Electronic and Computer multinational Hewlett Packard, HKUST has received a generous education develops and society evolves as well as empower Engineering, came third with his paper grant of US$150,000 which will be put toward a new teaching lab students to collaborate globally, he noted. “Output-Capacitor-Free Adaptively Biased Low-Dropout equipped with high-end computers for Computer Science and Regulators”. Zhan also won the Student Paper Award at Engineering students. Ms Gabi Zedlmayer, Vice President, Office of Global Social ■ Postgraduate student Zhijian Zhou, the IEEE International Symposium on Circuits and Innovation at Hewlett Packard, explained that the HP Catalyst Electronic and Computer The University is among 35 educational institutions across 11 Systems held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in May with his paper Initiative underscored the company’s vision of a world where Engineering, has been awarded First countries to be selected by Hewlett Packard to receive a grant in “An Output-Capacitor-Free Adaptively Biased innovation and collaboration are enabled by investments in Runner-up in the Postgraduate 2010. It is also a member of the newly established Hewlett Low-Dropout Regulator with Sub-Threshold technology and education. “The program is designed to help foster Category of the Student Paper Packard-sponsored Measuring Learning Consortium, led by Undershoot-Reduction for SoC”, co-authored with Prof potential solutions to society’s most critical challenges by educating Contest held by the IEEE Hong Kong Carnegie Mellon University in the US. The six-member multinational Wing-Hung Ki. A total of 658 papers were presented in and nurturing leaders,” she said. “This will be critical in ensuring we Section 2010, for his paper “The group will explore new technologies for measuring students’ the symposium. Only 3 papers were awarded the Student develop new communities and find new ways of doing things.” Design, Fabrication and Paper Award. Characterization of Piezoresistive ■ PhD student Liang Lu, Tactile Sensor for Fingerprint Innovative Technology Research Exploring the Story of Industrial Engineering and Sensing”. 2010 ECE graduate Yue Yu Logistics Management, was awarded First Runner-up in the Shared with Semiconductor Lasers Undergraduate Category for her received First Prize in the International School Teachers Prof Dieter Bimberg, Chair of Applied Solid State Physics paper “Modified-MMSE Equalization for Noise and Best Student Paper at Technical University of Berlin for the past 30 years, gave Interference Mitigation in SU-MIMO Systems” Over 70 science teachers from six international secondary schools Competition at the a fascinating talk on “Our Daily Life with Semiconductor Second Production and under the English Schools Foundation (ESF) gained interesting ■ Sixteen students from Dual Degree Program in Lasers” at HKUST in January. Operations Management insight into some of the latest technological advances at the School Technology and Management (T&M) had a great Society (POMS)-Hong Kong International Conference. of Engineering’s first professional development day for secondary The talk, jointly organized by the School of Engineering opportunity to learn more about the business world The conference was organized by the POMS-Hong school educators in May. and HKUST Institute for Advanced Study, examined the when they participated in the Schmidt-HKUST amazing success story related to semiconductor lasers. It Kong and Taiwan Chapters, the Department of The international school teachers were welcomed to HKUST by Corporate Project in Fall 2010. During the three-month explored how a fundamental physics breakthrough Industrial Engineering and Logistics Management and Provost Prof Wei Shyy. This was followed by a presentation by project, the four student teams looked at ways to regarded as useless to the economy 50 years ago, has the HKUST Logistics and Supply Chain Management Dean of Engineering Prof Khaled Ben Letaief and talks by faculty promote and facilitate adoption of Radio Frequency evolved through further engineering and discovery to Institute. members on a range of hot topics, including green buildings, wind Identification (RFID). To do so, they attended become a key part of modern life. energy, mobile technology, and terahertz imaging. Participants also ■ Hing Yik Ng, Year 2, Mechanical conferences, corporate seminars and conducted market had the opportunity to tour HKUST’s leading research facilities and The new knowledge and understanding went on to spur Engineering, received the analysis, among other activities, before presenting their scenic campus, and hear about student life from the School’s intercontinental optical communication, the basis of the Outstanding Student Award 2010 proposals to a panel of judges comprising senior Student Ambassadors. internet, and to form the backbone of modern energy from the Aircraft Engineer executives and business professionals. The winning team efficient systems. DVDs, the optical mouse, and medical Development Scheme (AEDS) in recommended using short-range wireless technology to Dean Ben Letaief said he hoped the successful event marked the applications, are just some examples of the recognition of her high-flying connect social networks with physical location beginning of a long-term relationship between the School of products now performance in examinations and information. Engineering and the ESF, which is Hong Kong’s largest international associated with participation in AEDS activities. AEDS is organized by school network educating around 16,000 students and over 50 the discovery. the Manufacturing and Industrial Division of the Hong nationalities. Kong Institution of Engineers and supported by the Hong Kong Aircraft Engineering Co Ltd and the Royal Aeronautical Society (Hong Kong Branch). It seeks to encourage undergraduates to plan and prepare for a career in aircraft engineering and maintenance.

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Campus News Alumni

Forums Foster Industrial Engineering Links IELM Mentorship Directing Tunnel Projects and Flying Planes Two significant meetings of minds from Hong Kong and beyond provided Dinner Two civil engineering alumni discuss how their studies at SENG put opportunities for thought-provoking discussion on some of the latest issues them on diverse roads to success. related to industrial engineering and logistics management in January. Over 160 mentors and student mentees from the Industrial Engineering and From January 6-7, over 120 overseas, Mainland China and Taiwan delegates Logistics Management Department DR MORGAN YANG, 1996 PhD really good preparation for my career. I also see the strengths attended the Second POMS-HK International Conference held at HKUST. The enjoyed an informal get-together at the Director of Operations, China of other HKUST graduates who come to work at the successful two-day event, organized by the Industrial Engineering and Logistics IELM Mentorship Dinner in November. The AECOM company. They are skilful at advanced computer Management (IELM) Department, HKUST Logistics & Supply Chain Management mentorship program provides simulations and have a strong background in Institute and the Production and Operations Management Society (POMS) – undergraduates with an opportunity to “After my PhD, focused mechanics. Their training may have been demanding Hong Kong Chapter, focused on “POM in the Economic Recovery”. learn from a business mentor, expand on wind-induced vibration but it means they are confident too.” of cable-stayed bridges, I Drawing together practitioners and academics, the conference provided a highly networks and build social skills. joined Maunsell (later useful platform for knowledge-sharing on production and operations management integrated into AECOM) to CLAUDIA SIN, 2007 BEng issues in the face of changing economic times and insights on the design, planning, Workshop on Liquid work on geotechnical and Second Officer, Hong Kong Dragon Airlines Ltd implementation and management of production systems and their impact. Crystals for Photonics tunnel projects. I was the “Flying has been my dream since I was young. On January 8, IELM hosted the 1st Forum for the Council of Industrial Prof VG Chigrinov, Electronic and project manager for the Although aviation degrees are not yet offered locally, Engineering Department Heads in Greater China (CIEDHC). The gathering Computer Engineering, hosted a design and construction of my HKUST civil engineering degree equipped me to brought together 40 department heads from Mainland China, Taiwan and Hong Workshop on Liquid Crystals for the North Point-Quarry Bay fulfill my dream of becoming a pilot. The engineering training at Kong to promote the development of industrial engineering and related areas in Photonics from 8-10 Dec 2010 at HKUST. section of the MTR’s Tseung Kwan O line and other signature SENG emphasizes logical thinking and analytical skills, which Greater China and to strengthen exchanges among industrial engineering The event provided a useful forum for tunnel projects in Hong Kong. helped me a lot in my career, especially in meeting the challenges departments in the region. liquid crystal scientists, researchers and “The Yangtze River tunnel-bridge, linking Shanghai’s Pudong of my 14-month cadet training in Australia. During my years at Presentations were provided by a number of academics, including Prof Ershi Qi, engineers from around the world to district and Chongming Island, was my significant Mainland SENG, I was also lucky enough to win several scholarships to gain Dean of the School of Management, Tianjin University, and Prof Ching Jong Liao, present their pioneering research and project. It opened in 2009 and is one of the world’s largest flying experience in Australia, New Zealand and Hong Kong. exchange ideas. An article on the Industrial Management Department and Vice President of National Taiwan shield-driven tunnels, with a diameter of 15.44m. “While a SENG student, I won a local eBay business competition University of Science and Technology, who both gave detailed accounts of workshop was later published in Liquid “The Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge is one of the most with two of my Civil Engineering classmates and this gave us the industrial engineering developments in their respective locations. Prof Fugee Crystals Today, an official publication of the challenging projects in the world for civil engineers as the valuable opportunity to work as interns in three different eBay Tsung, Head of IELM at HKUST, was elected Founding President of the Council. International Liquid Crystal Society. sea-crossing fixed link, involving the construction of the largest offices in Asia. In addition, I represented the University in the MECH Postgraduates’ immersed tunnel connecting man-made islands, is over 30km. “Introducing and Demonstrating Earthquake Engineering It gives me many challenges, including environmental and Research in Schools Competition” in Taiwan. Society sustainability issues, but also valuable experience in such a “I think I developed a unique project. In the past few months, members of the great deal at SENG and Mechanical Engineering Postgraduates’ “The world is flat and changing rapidly, with increasing client my all-round education Society have been able to take part in a demands. Innovation is therefore a key aspect of civil there broadened my series of fun events organized to help engineering’s future. Students will need to have the flexibility horizons considerably, students meet new people and enjoy time to handle such a working environment. helping me to achieve out from their research. Activities included my career goal.” “I was the first PhD graduate in Civil Engineering at HKUST bike riding, a barbecue, and the Society’s and I felt my time at the School of Engineering (SENG) was second basketball competition, all of which proved highly enjoyable and a great way to relax. Main Board Listing for Perception Digital

Electronic and Computer Enterprise Market (GEM) of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange to Engineering (ECE) the Main Board. The company was first listed on the GEM board alumnus and HKUST’s in December 2009. first PhD graduate Prof Perception Digital Holdings Limited is the first and largest listed Jack Lau achieved further company set up under the HKUST Entrepreneurship Program. It success in June when specializes in technological solutions for consumer electronics and the hi-tech company he technology commercialization, and holds more than 25 patents. founded transferred its Major customers include leading international brands and Fortune listing from the Growth Global 500 companies.

22 23 20th Anniversary

The School of Engineering is proud to commemorate HKUST’s 20th Anniversary through arranging and participating in the following special events that highlight the University’s emphasis on innovation, high The Second International achievement, knowledge transfer and team spirit. Workshop on Innovative Engineering Alumni HKUST Engineering Engineering Education Day Fun Day IEEE Technology Time SENG/CIVL/IAS Joint Langham Place Hotel, Hong The Making of the World’s HKUST, Dec 2011 Largest Digital Photo SENG/IAS Joint Distin- HKUST, 28 May 2011 Machine Symposium HKUST “Bring Distinguished Lecture Kong, 19-21 Jan 2011 HKUST 20th Anniversary Technology to Workshop guished Lecture by Prof Sheraton Hong Kong by Prof Robert Mair Celebration Program Organized by Organized by HKUST, 22 Jan 2011 Vincent Poor Community” HKUST School of Engineering HKUST, 18-19 Mar 2011 Parade by School of HKUST School of Engineering Hotel, 1-3 Jun 2011 Exhibition HKUST, Nov 2011 HKUST, 21 Mar 2011 Organized by Organized by Engineering Organized by Institute of Electrical and Electronics Hong Kong Science Organized by HKUST Center for Engineering Education HKUST School of Engineering Organized by HKUST, 12 Apr 2011 Engineers (IEEE) HKUST School of Engineering Innovation (E2I) Museum, HKUST Department of Computer Science HKUST School of Engineering Co-organized by HKUST Department of Civil & Sungkyunkwan University Hub Center for and Engineering HKUST Institute for Advanced Study (IAS) HKUST and Hong Kong Applied 14-23 Oct 2011 Environmental Engineering Innovative Engineering Education Organized by Science and Technology Research HKUST Institute for Advanced Study HKUST School of Engineering 5 9 1 Institute (ASTRI) Organized by 2 6 HKUST School of Engineering 8 3 7 4

EVENT 1 EVENT 2 EVENT 3 EVENT 4 EVENT 5 EVENT 6 The Second International The Making of the SENG/IAS Joint HKUST 20th Anniversary Engineering Alumni Fun IEEE Technology Time Workshop on Innovative World’s Largest Digital Distinguished Lecture by Celebration Program Day Machine Symposium Engineering Education Photo Workshop Prof Vincent Poor Parade by A happy time was spent by all on May 28 School of Engineering Intriguing insight into next-generation A successful gathering of more than 100 Prof Pedro Sander, Computer Science Eminent academic Prof Vincent Poor, at a celebratory School of Engineering advances was provided at the first IEEE engineering educators took place in and Engineering, conducted an Dean of the School of Engineering and A lively parade was held to showcase the alumni family day gathering. symposium devoted to future Hong Kong in January, co-organized by eye-opening interactive workshop that Applied Science and Michael Henry special events organized by the School of More on P15&24 technologies, which was held in Hong the Center for Engineering Education introduced the technologies and Strater University Professor of Engineering to commemorate the Kong and co-organized by HKUST. Innovation and Sungkyunkwan methods involved in creating his global Electrical Engineering at Princeton University’s latest historical milestone. More on P14 University Hub Center for Innovative record-breaking digital photo to elite University, gave an engaging One of the stars of the show was a NAO Engineering Education. Topics included high school students from local and presentation on “Information and robot, which gave a fun introduction to assessment, accreditation and international schools in Hong Kong. Inference in the Wireless Physical the occasion with its rundown of the intercultural issues, among others. The Adding to the special nature of the Layer”. In his talk, Prof Poor explored celebratory line-up. Around 150 students keynote speakers were Prof David event, the “train-the-trainer” approach information theoretic or inferential and academics participated including Radcliffe, Purdue University, and Prof was used, with students encouraged to problems, each motivated by an HKUST President Prof Tony F Chan, Elizabeth Godfrey, University of pass on the knowledge they acquired applications-layer issue. Over 90 Vice-President Prof Y S Wong, Associate Technology Sydney. to classmates, family and friends, people attended the lecture. Provost Dr David Mole, Dean of More on P14 greatly increasing the potential number Engineering Prof Khaled Ben Letaief, of people to gain knowledge from the and Associate Deans of Engineering EVENTS 7,8,9 activity. Prof Roger Cheng and Prof Charles Ng. Coming Soon! More on P14 More on robotics on P11 Look out for more outstanding 20A events from the School of Engineering in the Fall. Events comprise an inspiring “Bring Technology to Community” exhibition, with contributions by School of Engineering faculty, students and alumni; a thought-provoking distinguished lecture by Cambridge University civil engineering expert Prof Robert Mair; and SENG’s Engineering Day.

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20th Anniversary 20th Anniversary

Advancing Engineering Education Across Borders Center) and supported by the Korea Institute for Advancement of Technology (KIAT) and Korea’s Ministry of Education, Science and Technology.

In addition to welcome addresses by Prof Sung-Jin Song, Director of the SKKU Hub Center and Chairman of the Organizing Committee, and Prof Khaled Ben Letaief, Dean of Engineering at HKUST, a total of 14 keynote and invited speakers made Multinational experience-sharing was the order of the day when presentations on topics related to accreditation of engineering the School of Engineering’s Center for Engineering Education programs, program-level assessment of learning outcomes, faculty Innovation (E2I) brought together more than 100 engineering Fun, Games and development, and interdisciplinary and intercultural issues in educators from over 30 universities in the Second International engineering education. Workshop on Innovative Engineering Education (IEE 2011) to review and share good practices in innovative engineering A post-conference workshop on the use of pedagogies, It was all go on May 28 when over 330 of the School’s alumni and their education. assessment strategies, and technology in enhancing student families took part in “The Engineering Alumni Fun Day”. Afternoon events learning was held at HKUST. Those attending the fruitful two-day forum in January came from included soccer and basketball competitions and a highly popular South Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan, US and Australia. The event was The two gatherings provided excellent opportunities for mini-carnival for all ages at HKUST, followed by a Homecoming Dinner to organized in collaboration with the Sungkyunkwan University participants to network and identify potential areas for celebrate HKUST’s 20th anniversary at the Chinese Restaurant on Hub Center for Innovative Engineering Education (SKKU Hub collaboration in the future. campus. Those attending were able to meet up with professors, reminisce with old friends and catch up with their recent news, as well as enjoy the Fast Forward to the Technologies of the Future performances and activities specially arranged for the evening. A glimpse of the future was the intriguing prospect at the first General Co-Chair and HKUST Dean of Engineering Prof Khaled Heartfelt appreciation to members* of the Hong Kong Electrical Appliances IEEE Technology Time Machine (TTM) symposium, which was Ben Letaief. Through co-hosting the Symposium, Prof Ben Letaief Manufacturers Association and other donors for sponsorship of prizes: held in Hong Kong in June and co-organized by HKUST and the hopes to drive strategic research planning in achieving the goal of Allan International Holdings Ltd.* Hong Kong Applied Science and Technology Research Institute the School to provide innovative and creative solution for (ASTRI). Themed “Technologies Beyond 2020”, the exciting industries and the society. Chiaphua Industries Ltd.* event organized by the Institute of Electrical and Chung Mei Industries Ltd.* At the “Global R&D Leaders” panel discussion, HKUST President Electronics Engineers (IEEE) focused on a Fook Tin Technologies Ltd.* Prof Tony F Chan highlighted that business and industry should number of potentially high-impact emerging G.E.W. Corporation Ltd.* collaborate closely with universities to promote revolutionary technologies and scenarios. Goldwise Development Co. innovative ideas. Panelists shared on innovation and advancement Hong Kong Ferry (Holdings) The kick off ceremony was officiated by in areas ranging from radio access technology, biomedical Co. Ltd. Mr John Tsang Chun-wah, Financial sciences, implants of sensors in coronary arteries to human Philips Electronics HK Ltd.* Secretary of the Hong Kong SAR centric intelligent societies and new organic electronic materials. Sonca Products Ltd.* Government; Dr Gordon Day, IEEE Prof Hoi Sing Kwok, Electronic and Computer Engineering, gave a Techtronic Industries Co. Ltd.* President-Elect; and members of the keynote speech on display technologies, the field where he is TTM Organizing Committee, including globally renowned in.

Zooming In on the Big Picture Photography has taken on a new dimension for over 50 elite which allowed them to zoom in on even distant areas and high school students from local and international schools in clearly see all the details. Hong Kong following an interactive workshop on how to create Later, they set out to make their own multi-image panoramas of multi-image panoramas by Prof Pedro Sander, Computer the HKUST campus by taking pictures and using software to Science and Engineering. Prof Sander broke the global record in “stitch” the images together. They also acquired knowledge of December 2010 when he created the world’s largest digital the algorithms and concepts behind the software. photo of 150 billion pixels. Prof Sander said, “Through this workshop, I hope that students During the workshop sessions, Prof Sander introduced the will see further evidence that working on engineering and technologies and methods involved in creating his pioneering computer technology is interesting, fun, useful and also highly photograph depicting his hometown of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. intertwined with our daily lives.” Students were fascinated by the power of the photograph,

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Students Students

Flying High The Rewards of Early Research Training

Over World’s Deepest Canyon It has been a wonderfully eventful year for MPhil Computer with Prof Dit-Yan Yeung in Year 2 and Year 3 as providing Science and Engineering student Emprise Yun Kwan Chan. essential early training that has given him a head start at He has become this year’s champion of HKUST’s Mr Armin postgraduate level. and Mrs Lillian Kitchell Undergraduate Research Award It also inspired his paper “A Convex Formulation of scheme. He has also seen his research project on social Modularity Maximization for Community Detection”, which networks and machine learning lead to a paper that was Emprise will present in July at the major International Joint recently accepted by a top international artificial intelligence Conferences on Artificial Intelligence (IJCAI) in Barcelona, conference. Spain. The paper was co-authored with Prof Yeung. Entering HKUST as a straight A student, Emprise has made Postgraduate students Frank Wang and Jianyu Song, Electronic many blind spots in the Among the five winners in the research award scheme, four stellar progress at the University, finishing his difficult double and Computer Engineering, have soared to new heights in complex topography of were from the School of Engineering. The winners were degree in Computer Science and Math (General Math) in their research and development with the successful the canyon made the selected from 2010 UROP participants. autonomous flight of a self-designed unmanned helicopter location a perfect testing just 2.5 years. He is now on course to complete his MPhil in across the Yarlung Zangbo Grand Canyon, the world’s deepest ground. News of the flight just 1.5 years. canyon. Located in Tibet, the canyon, also referred to as “the was released in December Emprise credits his early research experience on the last territory of mystery on Earth”, is 504.6 km long and 2010. Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP) 6,009m deep at its lowest point, nearly three times the depth Earlier models of the of the Grand Canyon in the US. Most of its many different HKUST unmanned terrains have never been traversed. helicopter have tackled the Turning Breakthroughs The helicopter, which flew over the canyon in September 2010, rigors of Mount Everest and was equipped with the world’s most compact automated assisted earthquake relief in into Businesses piloting system and had an intelligent tracking system which Sichuan by taking surveillance Triple honors were achieved by teams from the Electronic and enabled the user to adjust its route during the flight. The photos to support Computer Engineering (ECE) Department in this year’s HKUST Learning to Unleash challenge for the students was to ensure that the helicopter post-disaster restoration 2011 Entrepreneurship Competition, with three separate groups could continue its designated tasks and safely return to base work in areas too dangerous winning awards out of 11 finalists and an original 124 teams who the Entrepreneurial Spirit even if wireless and global positioning signals were lost. The for manned flights. entered the contest. In March, nine students from Dual Degree Program in Technology and Management (T&M) joined the prestigious MIT The First Runner-up prize went to LEDoS, led by Prof Kei May Lau, Global Startup Workshop 2011 in Seoul, Korea. The leading for its breakthrough display technology based on proprietary forum, held in different international locations annually, micro-projection devices, which provides cost-effective HKUST Students Shine in Inter-University Contest encourages entrepreneurship around the world and seeks to customizable hardware and software for digital display applications foster the ecosystems to support it. A top trio of Computer Science and Engineering postgraduate coach Derek Hu. ranging from digital signage to traffic signs. undergraduates beat 38 other teams from universities in At the three-day workshop, which this year focused on The contest aims to strengthen students’ capabilities in iFlight Technology team, led by Prof Zexiang Li, received the Third Hong Kong and Macau to take the Champion Team Award Unleashing Entrepreneurial Potential to Invigorate the Economy, relation to the DB2 database management system. Runner-up award for technology that has turned it into one of the T&M students were able to listen to discussions and network at this year’s exciting IBM DB2 UDB Inter-University world’s leading developers and manufacturers of helicopter with a wide range of people from all over the world. The event Programming Contest in January. The competition attracted autopilot systems while the Student Award was won by Bull B Tech, brings together entrepreneurial leaders, executives, financiers, participants from eight universities. led by undergraduate Yik Hei Chan, for a product that streamlines professors, students, government agents and private parties to Desmond Hung (Year 3), Qifeng Chen (Year 2) and Jueyi the business-to-customer process and has many applications in the share best practices, stimulate creativity and promote Wang (Year 1) showed their outstanding programming and retail industry. entrepreneurship. problem solving skills by successfully completing a series of The competition, which first started five years ago, seeks to foster In another memorable experience at the gathering, T&M student questions to score the highest marks in the shortest time. entrepreneurship throughout the University, involving different Kanishk Bali, Year 3, won The three students formed one of five HKUST teams members of the HKUST community and different Schools. third prize in the Elevator entering the contest, which also saw HKUST receive the Pitch Competition, overall Champion University Award for the highest total competing against more scores earned by its teams. Students from Computer than 40 other entrants. Science and Engineering, Computer Engineering Program, and Economics took part, with support and encouragement provided by faculty coach Prof Wilfred Ng and

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Students Students

Final-Year Projects Secure Award-Winning Success Student Honors, Awards and Achievements

The remarkable Braille Embosser final-year project by 2010 In this year’s Hong Kong ICT Awards, the students’ Braille ■ PhD candidate Vincent ■ PhD student Wenqi Du, Electronic and Computer Engineering (ECE) graduates continues Embosser gained the Gold Award, Best Social Responsibility and Man Pun Chan, Elec- Civil and Environmental to make waves in the community, winning three top awards in the Best Commercial Value accolades in the Best Innovation & tronic and Computer Engineering, has won Hong Kong ICT Awards 2011 and a Gold Award at The Hong Research (College & Undergraduates) category. Engineering, won First the Arup Research Prize Kong Electronic Industries Association (HKEIA) Innovation & In the HKEIA competition, a second ECE final-year project also Prize in the Student 2011. The accolade, Technology Project Competition 2010. proved a winner, with “Face Recognition in Embedded System” by Paper Award at the funded by Ove Arup & Patrick Kwan Pak Lee and Matthew Kin Man Ting together with Pak Ming Cheung, Pui Hang Lai, and Kwan Wai Tsang receiving the 2010 Institute of Electri- Partners Hong Kong other ECE classmates recycled dot-matrix and ink-jet printers into Merit Award. cal and Electronics Engi- Ltd, is awarded to cost-effective Braille Embossers for the visually challenged. A neers (IEEE) Asia Pacific undergraduate or post- Both projects were supervised by Prof Tim Woo. regular Braille Embosser sells for HK$30,000. The Conference on Circuits and Systems. His winning paper, graduate students to promote creativity and high stan- ECE students’ machine costs just HK$1,000. “A Monolithic 2nd-Order Boundary Controller for Buck dards of technology. Wenqi’s research seeks to develop Converter with Fast Transient Response”, was co- guidelines for seismic design of buildings in Hong Kong The double success adds to other engineering design authored by Prof Philip Mok. The biennial conference is a and the results of his work are expected to bring great awards for the invention, including the Gold Award major international forum established by the IEEE Circuits benefit to the local building industry. and Most Innovative Award in the 2010 Amway and Systems Society for researchers to exchange their ■ Electronic and Com- Pan-Pearl River Delta Region Universities IT Project latest findings. Competition and a Merit Award in the 10th puter Engineering International Asia Pacific ICT Alliance Awards 2010. ■ A HKUST Programming Team (HKUST Optimus Prime) PhD candidate reached the world finals of the prestigious ACM Shaoqi Feng received International Collegiate Programming Contest in Florida, the Best Student US, following their triumph in this year’s regional contests Paper Award (2nd Honoring Academic Excellence in Hanoi and Kuala Lumpur. The team comprised Danqi Runner-up) at the Chen, Year 2, Computer Engineering Program, Yuliang Li, 11th IEEE Photonics An elite group of 96 SENG undergraduates who had gained a Year 2, and PhD candidate Lu Wang, Computer Science Society Hong Kong place on the Dean’s List at least twice in the preceding three and Engineering. The team was led by Prof Ke Yi and Chapter Postgraduate Conference. His winning paper, semesters were honored for their academic excellence at a postgraduate coach Hao Hu. This year, around 7,000 “Electro-optical Tunable Time Delay and Advance in a ceremony in May, together with their peers from other Schools teams worldwide participated in the regional contests, Silicon Feedback-microring Resonator”, was co-authored at HKUST. Over 350 students achieved this honor. HKUST with 102 teams qualifying for the finals. by Dr Xianshu Luo and Prof Andrew Poon. President Prof Tony F Chan and other senior administrators attended the event. Principals and teachers from the students’ ■ MPhil student Pak ■ PhD student Cuiting Guo, Industrial Engineering and Logis- secondary schools were also invited to join the ceremony. Ming Cheung, Elec- tics Management, received the Best Short Paper Award at tronic and Computer the IEEE Virtual Reality Conference 2011, held in Singapore. Engineering, won the The conference is the most prestigious international con- Building Academic Bridges Through Mainland Exchange Champion Award in ference focusing on virtual reality. The paper looked at the the Design for Elderly question: “Could OKAN be an Objective Indicator of the A group of seven Civil and Environmental Engineering (CIVL) Qinghe Zhang and Prof Donghai Liu gave the Hong Kong visitors Competition 2011. Susceptibility to Visually Induced Motion Sickness?” students enjoyed an eye-opening five-day exchange to two an introduction to the university’s programs and research fields. His winning proposal mainland universities in March to gain greater understanding of Students also toured the construction lab at Tsinghua University ■ An Industrial Engineering and Logistics Management under- focused on designing e-games under the “Innovative Ideas how the field is taught and what research is undertaken at the and the hydraulic and hydropower simulation lab at Tianjin graduate team comprising Zhiyi He, Year 2, Sihua Luo, Year for Quality Living” category. The contest was held as part different institutions. University. 1, and Yik Hang Pang, Year 1, gained the Second Runner-up of Hong Kong Engineering Week 2011. award in the Hong Kong Society for Quality student project The visit, entitled “Student – Civil – Global”, was organized for As part of the exchange, a group of around 10 students and a ■ Darren Sin Wang Chiu, competition. The competition is open to university students HKUST members of the Student Chapter of the Canadian professor from Tsinghua University Year 2, Computer in industrial, manufacturing, quality or related disciplines, Society for Civil Engineering Hong Kong branch, and was open to will visit HKUST this June. Engineering and Global and provides them with an opportunity to work on an both undergraduates and postgraduates. Students, together with Business Management, actual industrial case and propose a resolution. CIVL Chair Professor Moe Cheung, visited Tsinghua University in was awarded the Beijing and Tianjin University. 2009-10 Hong Kong At Tsinghua University, Prof Cheung gave a seminar on the design, Institution of Engineers construction and management of the Confederation Bridge, the (HKIE) Scholarship for largest public private partnership project in Canada, while Prof his outstanding academic achievement. Peng Pan from Tsinghua presented his latest research on earthquake-resistant structural systems to the CIVL group. During the exchange at Tianjin University, Prof Qinghua Han, Prof

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Students Campus News

■ Electronic and Computer ■ Electronic and Computer Engineering PhD students International Industry-Education Drive to Boost Innovation Engineering PhD student Mahdi Nikdast, Xiaowen Wu and Yaoyao Ye gained the Xiaocheng Jing won First Best Poster Presentation Award (2nd place) at the AMD In a highly significant competencies in the four fields. development, the School Prize in the Student Technical Forum and Exhibition 2010, held in Taipei. Their The consortium is one of five set up by Hewlett Packard in 2010 of Engineering has become Paper Contest at the research project, “A Formal Analysis of Crosstalk Noise focusing on the transformation of STEM education. Member part of a leading 2010 IEEE International in Mesh-based Optical Network-on-Chip for Chip organizations were selected through an open, competitive global industry-education global Conference on Electron Multiprocessors”, was co-authored by Prof Jiang Xu. call for proposals. Devices and Solid-State AMD is a leading semiconductor company. social innovation program “We are excited about the impact of this initiative and the network Circuits with her paper “Soft-Start Circuit with Duty Ratio designed to develop more effective approaches to education in of consortia in the long term,” said Prof Mounir Hamdi, Head of Controlled Voltage Clamping and Adaptive Sizing science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) worldwide. Computer Science and Engineering and Project Lead. Such funding Technique for Integrated DC-DC Converters”. PhD As part of the HP Catalyst Initiative, set up by leading technology would help the University deliver projects that will shape the way student Chenchang Zhan, Electronic and Computer multinational Hewlett Packard, HKUST has received a generous education develops and society evolves as well as empower Engineering, came third with his paper grant of US$150,000 which will be put toward a new teaching lab students to collaborate globally, he noted. “Output-Capacitor-Free Adaptively Biased Low-Dropout equipped with high-end computers for Computer Science and Regulators”. Zhan also won the Student Paper Award at Engineering students. Ms Gabi Zedlmayer, Vice President, Office of Global Social ■ Postgraduate student Zhijian Zhou, the IEEE International Symposium on Circuits and Innovation at Hewlett Packard, explained that the HP Catalyst Electronic and Computer The University is among 35 educational institutions across 11 Systems held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in May with his paper Initiative underscored the company’s vision of a world where Engineering, has been awarded First countries to be selected by Hewlett Packard to receive a grant in “An Output-Capacitor-Free Adaptively Biased innovation and collaboration are enabled by investments in Runner-up in the Postgraduate 2010. It is also a member of the newly established Hewlett Low-Dropout Regulator with Sub-Threshold technology and education. “The program is designed to help foster Category of the Student Paper Packard-sponsored Measuring Learning Consortium, led by Undershoot-Reduction for SoC”, co-authored with Prof potential solutions to society’s most critical challenges by educating Contest held by the IEEE Hong Kong Carnegie Mellon University in the US. The six-member multinational Wing-Hung Ki. A total of 658 papers were presented in and nurturing leaders,” she said. “This will be critical in ensuring we Section 2010, for his paper “The group will explore new technologies for measuring students’ the symposium. Only 3 papers were awarded the Student develop new communities and find new ways of doing things.” Design, Fabrication and Paper Award. Characterization of Piezoresistive ■ PhD student Liang Lu, Tactile Sensor for Fingerprint Innovative Technology Research Exploring the Story of Industrial Engineering and Sensing”. 2010 ECE graduate Yue Yu Logistics Management, was awarded First Runner-up in the Shared with Semiconductor Lasers Undergraduate Category for her received First Prize in the International School Teachers Prof Dieter Bimberg, Chair of Applied Solid State Physics paper “Modified-MMSE Equalization for Noise and Best Student Paper at Technical University of Berlin for the past 30 years, gave Interference Mitigation in SU-MIMO Systems” Over 70 science teachers from six international secondary schools Competition at the a fascinating talk on “Our Daily Life with Semiconductor Second Production and under the English Schools Foundation (ESF) gained interesting ■ Sixteen students from Dual Degree Program in Lasers” at HKUST in January. Operations Management insight into some of the latest technological advances at the School Technology and Management (T&M) had a great Society (POMS)-Hong Kong International Conference. of Engineering’s first professional development day for secondary The talk, jointly organized by the School of Engineering opportunity to learn more about the business world The conference was organized by the POMS-Hong school educators in May. and HKUST Institute for Advanced Study, examined the when they participated in the Schmidt-HKUST amazing success story related to semiconductor lasers. It Kong and Taiwan Chapters, the Department of The international school teachers were welcomed to HKUST by Corporate Project in Fall 2010. During the three-month explored how a fundamental physics breakthrough Industrial Engineering and Logistics Management and Provost Prof Wei Shyy. This was followed by a presentation by project, the four student teams looked at ways to regarded as useless to the economy 50 years ago, has the HKUST Logistics and Supply Chain Management Dean of Engineering Prof Khaled Ben Letaief and talks by faculty promote and facilitate adoption of Radio Frequency evolved through further engineering and discovery to Institute. members on a range of hot topics, including green buildings, wind Identification (RFID). To do so, they attended become a key part of modern life. energy, mobile technology, and terahertz imaging. Participants also ■ Hing Yik Ng, Year 2, Mechanical conferences, corporate seminars and conducted market had the opportunity to tour HKUST’s leading research facilities and The new knowledge and understanding went on to spur Engineering, received the analysis, among other activities, before presenting their scenic campus, and hear about student life from the School’s intercontinental optical communication, the basis of the Outstanding Student Award 2010 proposals to a panel of judges comprising senior Student Ambassadors. internet, and to form the backbone of modern energy from the Aircraft Engineer executives and business professionals. The winning team efficient systems. DVDs, the optical mouse, and medical Development Scheme (AEDS) in recommended using short-range wireless technology to Dean Ben Letaief said he hoped the successful event marked the applications, are just some examples of the recognition of her high-flying connect social networks with physical location beginning of a long-term relationship between the School of products now performance in examinations and information. Engineering and the ESF, which is Hong Kong’s largest international associated with participation in AEDS activities. AEDS is organized by school network educating around 16,000 students and over 50 the discovery. the Manufacturing and Industrial Division of the Hong nationalities. Kong Institution of Engineers and supported by the Hong Kong Aircraft Engineering Co Ltd and the Royal Aeronautical Society (Hong Kong Branch). It seeks to encourage undergraduates to plan and prepare for a career in aircraft engineering and maintenance.

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Campus News Alumni

Forums Foster Industrial Engineering Links IELM Mentorship Directing Tunnel Projects and Flying Planes Two significant meetings of minds from Hong Kong and beyond provided Dinner Two civil engineering alumni discuss how their studies at SENG put opportunities for thought-provoking discussion on some of the latest issues them on diverse roads to success. related to industrial engineering and logistics management in January. Over 160 mentors and student mentees from the Industrial Engineering and From January 6-7, over 120 overseas, Mainland China and Taiwan delegates Logistics Management Department DR MORGAN YANG, 1996 PhD really good preparation for my career. I also see the strengths attended the Second POMS-HK International Conference held at HKUST. The enjoyed an informal get-together at the Director of Operations, China of other HKUST graduates who come to work at the successful two-day event, organized by the Industrial Engineering and Logistics IELM Mentorship Dinner in November. The AECOM company. They are skilful at advanced computer Management (IELM) Department, HKUST Logistics & Supply Chain Management mentorship program provides simulations and have a strong background in Institute and the Production and Operations Management Society (POMS) – undergraduates with an opportunity to “After my PhD, focused mechanics. Their training may have been demanding Hong Kong Chapter, focused on “POM in the Economic Recovery”. learn from a business mentor, expand on wind-induced vibration but it means they are confident too.” of cable-stayed bridges, I Drawing together practitioners and academics, the conference provided a highly networks and build social skills. joined Maunsell (later useful platform for knowledge-sharing on production and operations management integrated into AECOM) to CLAUDIA SIN, 2007 BEng issues in the face of changing economic times and insights on the design, planning, Workshop on Liquid work on geotechnical and Second Officer, Hong Kong Dragon Airlines Ltd implementation and management of production systems and their impact. Crystals for Photonics tunnel projects. I was the “Flying has been my dream since I was young. On January 8, IELM hosted the 1st Forum for the Council of Industrial Prof VG Chigrinov, Electronic and project manager for the Although aviation degrees are not yet offered locally, Engineering Department Heads in Greater China (CIEDHC). The gathering Computer Engineering, hosted a design and construction of my HKUST civil engineering degree equipped me to brought together 40 department heads from Mainland China, Taiwan and Hong Workshop on Liquid Crystals for the North Point-Quarry Bay fulfill my dream of becoming a pilot. The engineering training at Kong to promote the development of industrial engineering and related areas in Photonics from 8-10 Dec 2010 at HKUST. section of the MTR’s Tseung Kwan O line and other signature SENG emphasizes logical thinking and analytical skills, which Greater China and to strengthen exchanges among industrial engineering The event provided a useful forum for tunnel projects in Hong Kong. helped me a lot in my career, especially in meeting the challenges departments in the region. liquid crystal scientists, researchers and “The Yangtze River tunnel-bridge, linking Shanghai’s Pudong of my 14-month cadet training in Australia. During my years at Presentations were provided by a number of academics, including Prof Ershi Qi, engineers from around the world to district and Chongming Island, was my significant Mainland SENG, I was also lucky enough to win several scholarships to gain Dean of the School of Management, Tianjin University, and Prof Ching Jong Liao, present their pioneering research and project. It opened in 2009 and is one of the world’s largest flying experience in Australia, New Zealand and Hong Kong. exchange ideas. An article on the Industrial Management Department and Vice President of National Taiwan shield-driven tunnels, with a diameter of 15.44m. “While a SENG student, I won a local eBay business competition University of Science and Technology, who both gave detailed accounts of workshop was later published in Liquid “The Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge is one of the most with two of my Civil Engineering classmates and this gave us the industrial engineering developments in their respective locations. Prof Fugee Crystals Today, an official publication of the challenging projects in the world for civil engineers as the valuable opportunity to work as interns in three different eBay Tsung, Head of IELM at HKUST, was elected Founding President of the Council. International Liquid Crystal Society. sea-crossing fixed link, involving the construction of the largest offices in Asia. In addition, I represented the University in the MECH Postgraduates’ immersed tunnel connecting man-made islands, is over 30km. “Introducing and Demonstrating Earthquake Engineering It gives me many challenges, including environmental and Research in Schools Competition” in Taiwan. Society sustainability issues, but also valuable experience in such a “I think I developed a unique project. In the past few months, members of the great deal at SENG and Mechanical Engineering Postgraduates’ “The world is flat and changing rapidly, with increasing client my all-round education Society have been able to take part in a demands. Innovation is therefore a key aspect of civil there broadened my series of fun events organized to help engineering’s future. Students will need to have the flexibility horizons considerably, students meet new people and enjoy time to handle such a working environment. helping me to achieve out from their research. Activities included my career goal.” “I was the first PhD graduate in Civil Engineering at HKUST bike riding, a barbecue, and the Society’s and I felt my time at the School of Engineering (SENG) was second basketball competition, all of which proved highly enjoyable and a great way to relax. Main Board Listing for Perception Digital

Electronic and Computer Enterprise Market (GEM) of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange to Engineering (ECE) the Main Board. The company was first listed on the GEM board alumnus and HKUST’s in December 2009. first PhD graduate Prof Perception Digital Holdings Limited is the first and largest listed Jack Lau achieved further company set up under the HKUST Entrepreneurship Program. It success in June when specializes in technological solutions for consumer electronics and the hi-tech company he technology commercialization, and holds more than 25 patents. founded transferred its Major customers include leading international brands and Fortune listing from the Growth Global 500 companies.

22 23 20th Anniversary

The School of Engineering is proud to commemorate HKUST’s 20th Anniversary through arranging and participating in the following special events that highlight the University’s emphasis on innovation, high The Second International achievement, knowledge transfer and team spirit. Workshop on Innovative Engineering Alumni HKUST Engineering Engineering Education Day Fun Day IEEE Technology Time SENG/CIVL/IAS Joint Langham Place Hotel, Hong The Making of the World’s HKUST, Dec 2011 Largest Digital Photo SENG/IAS Joint Distin- HKUST, 28 May 2011 Machine Symposium HKUST “Bring Distinguished Lecture Kong, 19-21 Jan 2011 HKUST 20th Anniversary Technology to Workshop guished Lecture by Prof Sheraton Hong Kong by Prof Robert Mair Celebration Program Organized by Organized by HKUST, 22 Jan 2011 Vincent Poor Community” HKUST School of Engineering HKUST, 18-19 Mar 2011 Parade by School of HKUST School of Engineering Hotel, 1-3 Jun 2011 Exhibition HKUST, Nov 2011 HKUST, 21 Mar 2011 Organized by Organized by Engineering Organized by Institute of Electrical and Electronics Hong Kong Science Organized by HKUST Center for Engineering Education HKUST School of Engineering Organized by HKUST, 12 Apr 2011 Engineers (IEEE) HKUST School of Engineering Innovation (E2I) Museum, HKUST Department of Computer Science HKUST School of Engineering Co-organized by HKUST Department of Civil & Sungkyunkwan University Hub Center for and Engineering HKUST Institute for Advanced Study (IAS) HKUST and Hong Kong Applied 14-23 Oct 2011 Environmental Engineering Innovative Engineering Education Organized by Science and Technology Research HKUST Institute for Advanced Study HKUST School of Engineering 5 9 1 Institute (ASTRI) Organized by 2 6 HKUST School of Engineering 8 3 7 4

EVENT 1 EVENT 2 EVENT 3 EVENT 4 EVENT 5 EVENT 6 The Second International The Making of the SENG/IAS Joint HKUST 20th Anniversary Engineering Alumni Fun IEEE Technology Time Workshop on Innovative World’s Largest Digital Distinguished Lecture by Celebration Program Day Machine Symposium Engineering Education Photo Workshop Prof Vincent Poor Parade by A happy time was spent by all on May 28 School of Engineering Intriguing insight into next-generation A successful gathering of more than 100 Prof Pedro Sander, Computer Science Eminent academic Prof Vincent Poor, at a celebratory School of Engineering advances was provided at the first IEEE engineering educators took place in and Engineering, conducted an Dean of the School of Engineering and A lively parade was held to showcase the alumni family day gathering. symposium devoted to future Hong Kong in January, co-organized by eye-opening interactive workshop that Applied Science and Michael Henry special events organized by the School of More on P15&24 technologies, which was held in Hong the Center for Engineering Education introduced the technologies and Strater University Professor of Engineering to commemorate the Kong and co-organized by HKUST. Innovation and Sungkyunkwan methods involved in creating his global Electrical Engineering at Princeton University’s latest historical milestone. More on P14 University Hub Center for Innovative record-breaking digital photo to elite University, gave an engaging One of the stars of the show was a NAO Engineering Education. Topics included high school students from local and presentation on “Information and robot, which gave a fun introduction to assessment, accreditation and international schools in Hong Kong. Inference in the Wireless Physical the occasion with its rundown of the intercultural issues, among others. The Adding to the special nature of the Layer”. In his talk, Prof Poor explored celebratory line-up. Around 150 students keynote speakers were Prof David event, the “train-the-trainer” approach information theoretic or inferential and academics participated including Radcliffe, Purdue University, and Prof was used, with students encouraged to problems, each motivated by an HKUST President Prof Tony F Chan, Elizabeth Godfrey, University of pass on the knowledge they acquired applications-layer issue. Over 90 Vice-President Prof Y S Wong, Associate Technology Sydney. to classmates, family and friends, people attended the lecture. Provost Dr David Mole, Dean of More on P14 greatly increasing the potential number Engineering Prof Khaled Ben Letaief, of people to gain knowledge from the and Associate Deans of Engineering EVENTS 7,8,9 activity. Prof Roger Cheng and Prof Charles Ng. Coming Soon! More on P14 More on robotics on P11 Look out for more outstanding 20A events from the School of Engineering in the Fall. Events comprise an inspiring “Bring Technology to Community” exhibition, with contributions by School of Engineering faculty, students and alumni; a thought-provoking distinguished lecture by Cambridge University civil engineering expert Prof Robert Mair; and SENG’s Engineering Day.

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20th Anniversary 20th Anniversary

Advancing Engineering Education Across Borders Center) and supported by the Korea Institute for Advancement of Technology (KIAT) and Korea’s Ministry of Education, Science and Technology.

In addition to welcome addresses by Prof Sung-Jin Song, Director of the SKKU Hub Center and Chairman of the Organizing Committee, and Prof Khaled Ben Letaief, Dean of Engineering at HKUST, a total of 14 keynote and invited speakers made Multinational experience-sharing was the order of the day when presentations on topics related to accreditation of engineering the School of Engineering’s Center for Engineering Education programs, program-level assessment of learning outcomes, faculty Innovation (E2I) brought together more than 100 engineering Fun, Games and development, and interdisciplinary and intercultural issues in educators from over 30 universities in the Second International engineering education. Workshop on Innovative Engineering Education (IEE 2011) to review and share good practices in innovative engineering A post-conference workshop on the use of pedagogies, It was all go on May 28 when over 330 of the School’s alumni and their education. assessment strategies, and technology in enhancing student families took part in “The Engineering Alumni Fun Day”. Afternoon events learning was held at HKUST. Those attending the fruitful two-day forum in January came from included soccer and basketball competitions and a highly popular South Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan, US and Australia. The event was The two gatherings provided excellent opportunities for mini-carnival for all ages at HKUST, followed by a Homecoming Dinner to organized in collaboration with the Sungkyunkwan University participants to network and identify potential areas for celebrate HKUST’s 20th anniversary at the Chinese Restaurant on Hub Center for Innovative Engineering Education (SKKU Hub collaboration in the future. campus. Those attending were able to meet up with professors, reminisce with old friends and catch up with their recent news, as well as enjoy the Fast Forward to the Technologies of the Future performances and activities specially arranged for the evening. A glimpse of the future was the intriguing prospect at the first General Co-Chair and HKUST Dean of Engineering Prof Khaled Heartfelt appreciation to members* of the Hong Kong Electrical Appliances IEEE Technology Time Machine (TTM) symposium, which was Ben Letaief. Through co-hosting the Symposium, Prof Ben Letaief Manufacturers Association and other donors for sponsorship of prizes: held in Hong Kong in June and co-organized by HKUST and the hopes to drive strategic research planning in achieving the goal of Allan International Holdings Ltd.* Hong Kong Applied Science and Technology Research Institute the School to provide innovative and creative solution for (ASTRI). Themed “Technologies Beyond 2020”, the exciting industries and the society. Chiaphua Industries Ltd.* event organized by the Institute of Electrical and Chung Mei Industries Ltd.* At the “Global R&D Leaders” panel discussion, HKUST President Electronics Engineers (IEEE) focused on a Fook Tin Technologies Ltd.* Prof Tony F Chan highlighted that business and industry should number of potentially high-impact emerging G.E.W. Corporation Ltd.* collaborate closely with universities to promote revolutionary technologies and scenarios. Goldwise Development Co. innovative ideas. Panelists shared on innovation and advancement Hong Kong Ferry (Holdings) The kick off ceremony was officiated by in areas ranging from radio access technology, biomedical Co. Ltd. Mr John Tsang Chun-wah, Financial sciences, implants of sensors in coronary arteries to human Philips Electronics HK Ltd.* Secretary of the Hong Kong SAR centric intelligent societies and new organic electronic materials. Sonca Products Ltd.* Government; Dr Gordon Day, IEEE Prof Hoi Sing Kwok, Electronic and Computer Engineering, gave a Techtronic Industries Co. Ltd.* President-Elect; and members of the keynote speech on display technologies, the field where he is TTM Organizing Committee, including globally renowned in.

Zooming In on the Big Picture Photography has taken on a new dimension for over 50 elite which allowed them to zoom in on even distant areas and high school students from local and international schools in clearly see all the details. Hong Kong following an interactive workshop on how to create Later, they set out to make their own multi-image panoramas of multi-image panoramas by Prof Pedro Sander, Computer the HKUST campus by taking pictures and using software to Science and Engineering. Prof Sander broke the global record in “stitch” the images together. They also acquired knowledge of December 2010 when he created the world’s largest digital the algorithms and concepts behind the software. photo of 150 billion pixels. Prof Sander said, “Through this workshop, I hope that students During the workshop sessions, Prof Sander introduced the will see further evidence that working on engineering and technologies and methods involved in creating his pioneering computer technology is interesting, fun, useful and also highly photograph depicting his hometown of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. intertwined with our daily lives.” Students were fascinated by the power of the photograph,

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Students Students

Flying High The Rewards of Early Research Training

Over World’s Deepest Canyon It has been a wonderfully eventful year for MPhil Computer with Prof Dit-Yan Yeung in Year 2 and Year 3 as providing Science and Engineering student Emprise Yun Kwan Chan. essential early training that has given him a head start at He has become this year’s champion of HKUST’s Mr Armin postgraduate level. and Mrs Lillian Kitchell Undergraduate Research Award It also inspired his paper “A Convex Formulation of scheme. He has also seen his research project on social Modularity Maximization for Community Detection”, which networks and machine learning lead to a paper that was Emprise will present in July at the major International Joint recently accepted by a top international artificial intelligence Conferences on Artificial Intelligence (IJCAI) in Barcelona, conference. Spain. The paper was co-authored with Prof Yeung. Entering HKUST as a straight A student, Emprise has made Postgraduate students Frank Wang and Jianyu Song, Electronic many blind spots in the Among the five winners in the research award scheme, four stellar progress at the University, finishing his difficult double and Computer Engineering, have soared to new heights in complex topography of were from the School of Engineering. The winners were degree in Computer Science and Math (General Math) in their research and development with the successful the canyon made the selected from 2010 UROP participants. autonomous flight of a self-designed unmanned helicopter location a perfect testing just 2.5 years. He is now on course to complete his MPhil in across the Yarlung Zangbo Grand Canyon, the world’s deepest ground. News of the flight just 1.5 years. canyon. Located in Tibet, the canyon, also referred to as “the was released in December Emprise credits his early research experience on the last territory of mystery on Earth”, is 504.6 km long and 2010. Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP) 6,009m deep at its lowest point, nearly three times the depth Earlier models of the of the Grand Canyon in the US. Most of its many different HKUST unmanned terrains have never been traversed. helicopter have tackled the Turning Breakthroughs The helicopter, which flew over the canyon in September 2010, rigors of Mount Everest and was equipped with the world’s most compact automated assisted earthquake relief in into Businesses piloting system and had an intelligent tracking system which Sichuan by taking surveillance Triple honors were achieved by teams from the Electronic and enabled the user to adjust its route during the flight. The photos to support Computer Engineering (ECE) Department in this year’s HKUST Learning to Unleash challenge for the students was to ensure that the helicopter post-disaster restoration 2011 Entrepreneurship Competition, with three separate groups could continue its designated tasks and safely return to base work in areas too dangerous winning awards out of 11 finalists and an original 124 teams who the Entrepreneurial Spirit even if wireless and global positioning signals were lost. The for manned flights. entered the contest. In March, nine students from Dual Degree Program in Technology and Management (T&M) joined the prestigious MIT The First Runner-up prize went to LEDoS, led by Prof Kei May Lau, Global Startup Workshop 2011 in Seoul, Korea. The leading for its breakthrough display technology based on proprietary forum, held in different international locations annually, micro-projection devices, which provides cost-effective HKUST Students Shine in Inter-University Contest encourages entrepreneurship around the world and seeks to customizable hardware and software for digital display applications foster the ecosystems to support it. A top trio of Computer Science and Engineering postgraduate coach Derek Hu. ranging from digital signage to traffic signs. undergraduates beat 38 other teams from universities in At the three-day workshop, which this year focused on The contest aims to strengthen students’ capabilities in iFlight Technology team, led by Prof Zexiang Li, received the Third Hong Kong and Macau to take the Champion Team Award Unleashing Entrepreneurial Potential to Invigorate the Economy, relation to the DB2 database management system. Runner-up award for technology that has turned it into one of the T&M students were able to listen to discussions and network at this year’s exciting IBM DB2 UDB Inter-University world’s leading developers and manufacturers of helicopter with a wide range of people from all over the world. The event Programming Contest in January. The competition attracted autopilot systems while the Student Award was won by Bull B Tech, brings together entrepreneurial leaders, executives, financiers, participants from eight universities. led by undergraduate Yik Hei Chan, for a product that streamlines professors, students, government agents and private parties to Desmond Hung (Year 3), Qifeng Chen (Year 2) and Jueyi the business-to-customer process and has many applications in the share best practices, stimulate creativity and promote Wang (Year 1) showed their outstanding programming and retail industry. entrepreneurship. problem solving skills by successfully completing a series of The competition, which first started five years ago, seeks to foster In another memorable experience at the gathering, T&M student questions to score the highest marks in the shortest time. entrepreneurship throughout the University, involving different Kanishk Bali, Year 3, won The three students formed one of five HKUST teams members of the HKUST community and different Schools. third prize in the Elevator entering the contest, which also saw HKUST receive the Pitch Competition, overall Champion University Award for the highest total competing against more scores earned by its teams. Students from Computer than 40 other entrants. Science and Engineering, Computer Engineering Program, and Economics took part, with support and encouragement provided by faculty coach Prof Wilfred Ng and

16 17

Students Students

Final-Year Projects Secure Award-Winning Success Student Honors, Awards and Achievements

The remarkable Braille Embosser final-year project by 2010 In this year’s Hong Kong ICT Awards, the students’ Braille ■ PhD candidate Vincent ■ PhD student Wenqi Du, Electronic and Computer Engineering (ECE) graduates continues Embosser gained the Gold Award, Best Social Responsibility and Man Pun Chan, Elec- Civil and Environmental to make waves in the community, winning three top awards in the Best Commercial Value accolades in the Best Innovation & tronic and Computer Engineering, has won Hong Kong ICT Awards 2011 and a Gold Award at The Hong Research (College & Undergraduates) category. Engineering, won First the Arup Research Prize Kong Electronic Industries Association (HKEIA) Innovation & In the HKEIA competition, a second ECE final-year project also Prize in the Student 2011. The accolade, Technology Project Competition 2010. proved a winner, with “Face Recognition in Embedded System” by Paper Award at the funded by Ove Arup & Patrick Kwan Pak Lee and Matthew Kin Man Ting together with Pak Ming Cheung, Pui Hang Lai, and Kwan Wai Tsang receiving the 2010 Institute of Electri- Partners Hong Kong other ECE classmates recycled dot-matrix and ink-jet printers into Merit Award. cal and Electronics Engi- Ltd, is awarded to cost-effective Braille Embossers for the visually challenged. A neers (IEEE) Asia Pacific undergraduate or post- Both projects were supervised by Prof Tim Woo. regular Braille Embosser sells for HK$30,000. The Conference on Circuits and Systems. His winning paper, graduate students to promote creativity and high stan- ECE students’ machine costs just HK$1,000. “A Monolithic 2nd-Order Boundary Controller for Buck dards of technology. Wenqi’s research seeks to develop Converter with Fast Transient Response”, was co- guidelines for seismic design of buildings in Hong Kong The double success adds to other engineering design authored by Prof Philip Mok. The biennial conference is a and the results of his work are expected to bring great awards for the invention, including the Gold Award major international forum established by the IEEE Circuits benefit to the local building industry. and Most Innovative Award in the 2010 Amway and Systems Society for researchers to exchange their ■ Electronic and Com- Pan-Pearl River Delta Region Universities IT Project latest findings. Competition and a Merit Award in the 10th puter Engineering International Asia Pacific ICT Alliance Awards 2010. ■ A HKUST Programming Team (HKUST Optimus Prime) PhD candidate reached the world finals of the prestigious ACM Shaoqi Feng received International Collegiate Programming Contest in Florida, the Best Student US, following their triumph in this year’s regional contests Paper Award (2nd Honoring Academic Excellence in Hanoi and Kuala Lumpur. The team comprised Danqi Runner-up) at the Chen, Year 2, Computer Engineering Program, Yuliang Li, 11th IEEE Photonics An elite group of 96 SENG undergraduates who had gained a Year 2, and PhD candidate Lu Wang, Computer Science Society Hong Kong place on the Dean’s List at least twice in the preceding three and Engineering. The team was led by Prof Ke Yi and Chapter Postgraduate Conference. His winning paper, semesters were honored for their academic excellence at a postgraduate coach Hao Hu. This year, around 7,000 “Electro-optical Tunable Time Delay and Advance in a ceremony in May, together with their peers from other Schools teams worldwide participated in the regional contests, Silicon Feedback-microring Resonator”, was co-authored at HKUST. Over 350 students achieved this honor. HKUST with 102 teams qualifying for the finals. by Dr Xianshu Luo and Prof Andrew Poon. President Prof Tony F Chan and other senior administrators attended the event. Principals and teachers from the students’ ■ MPhil student Pak ■ PhD student Cuiting Guo, Industrial Engineering and Logis- secondary schools were also invited to join the ceremony. Ming Cheung, Elec- tics Management, received the Best Short Paper Award at tronic and Computer the IEEE Virtual Reality Conference 2011, held in Singapore. Engineering, won the The conference is the most prestigious international con- Building Academic Bridges Through Mainland Exchange Champion Award in ference focusing on virtual reality. The paper looked at the the Design for Elderly question: “Could OKAN be an Objective Indicator of the A group of seven Civil and Environmental Engineering (CIVL) Qinghe Zhang and Prof Donghai Liu gave the Hong Kong visitors Competition 2011. Susceptibility to Visually Induced Motion Sickness?” students enjoyed an eye-opening five-day exchange to two an introduction to the university’s programs and research fields. His winning proposal mainland universities in March to gain greater understanding of Students also toured the construction lab at Tsinghua University ■ An Industrial Engineering and Logistics Management under- focused on designing e-games under the “Innovative Ideas how the field is taught and what research is undertaken at the and the hydraulic and hydropower simulation lab at Tianjin graduate team comprising Zhiyi He, Year 2, Sihua Luo, Year for Quality Living” category. The contest was held as part different institutions. University. 1, and Yik Hang Pang, Year 1, gained the Second Runner-up of Hong Kong Engineering Week 2011. award in the Hong Kong Society for Quality student project The visit, entitled “Student – Civil – Global”, was organized for As part of the exchange, a group of around 10 students and a ■ Darren Sin Wang Chiu, competition. The competition is open to university students HKUST members of the Student Chapter of the Canadian professor from Tsinghua University Year 2, Computer in industrial, manufacturing, quality or related disciplines, Society for Civil Engineering Hong Kong branch, and was open to will visit HKUST this June. Engineering and Global and provides them with an opportunity to work on an both undergraduates and postgraduates. Students, together with Business Management, actual industrial case and propose a resolution. CIVL Chair Professor Moe Cheung, visited Tsinghua University in was awarded the Beijing and Tianjin University. 2009-10 Hong Kong At Tsinghua University, Prof Cheung gave a seminar on the design, Institution of Engineers construction and management of the Confederation Bridge, the (HKIE) Scholarship for largest public private partnership project in Canada, while Prof his outstanding academic achievement. Peng Pan from Tsinghua presented his latest research on earthquake-resistant structural systems to the CIVL group. During the exchange at Tianjin University, Prof Qinghua Han, Prof

18 19

Students Campus News

■ Electronic and Computer ■ Electronic and Computer Engineering PhD students International Industry-Education Drive to Boost Innovation Engineering PhD student Mahdi Nikdast, Xiaowen Wu and Yaoyao Ye gained the Xiaocheng Jing won First Best Poster Presentation Award (2nd place) at the AMD In a highly significant competencies in the four fields. development, the School Prize in the Student Technical Forum and Exhibition 2010, held in Taipei. Their The consortium is one of five set up by Hewlett Packard in 2010 of Engineering has become Paper Contest at the research project, “A Formal Analysis of Crosstalk Noise focusing on the transformation of STEM education. Member part of a leading 2010 IEEE International in Mesh-based Optical Network-on-Chip for Chip organizations were selected through an open, competitive global industry-education global Conference on Electron Multiprocessors”, was co-authored by Prof Jiang Xu. call for proposals. Devices and Solid-State AMD is a leading semiconductor company. social innovation program “We are excited about the impact of this initiative and the network Circuits with her paper “Soft-Start Circuit with Duty Ratio designed to develop more effective approaches to education in of consortia in the long term,” said Prof Mounir Hamdi, Head of Controlled Voltage Clamping and Adaptive Sizing science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) worldwide. Computer Science and Engineering and Project Lead. Such funding Technique for Integrated DC-DC Converters”. PhD As part of the HP Catalyst Initiative, set up by leading technology would help the University deliver projects that will shape the way student Chenchang Zhan, Electronic and Computer multinational Hewlett Packard, HKUST has received a generous education develops and society evolves as well as empower Engineering, came third with his paper grant of US$150,000 which will be put toward a new teaching lab students to collaborate globally, he noted. “Output-Capacitor-Free Adaptively Biased Low-Dropout equipped with high-end computers for Computer Science and Regulators”. Zhan also won the Student Paper Award at Engineering students. Ms Gabi Zedlmayer, Vice President, Office of Global Social ■ Postgraduate student Zhijian Zhou, the IEEE International Symposium on Circuits and Innovation at Hewlett Packard, explained that the HP Catalyst Electronic and Computer The University is among 35 educational institutions across 11 Systems held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in May with his paper Initiative underscored the company’s vision of a world where Engineering, has been awarded First countries to be selected by Hewlett Packard to receive a grant in “An Output-Capacitor-Free Adaptively Biased innovation and collaboration are enabled by investments in Runner-up in the Postgraduate 2010. It is also a member of the newly established Hewlett Low-Dropout Regulator with Sub-Threshold technology and education. “The program is designed to help foster Category of the Student Paper Packard-sponsored Measuring Learning Consortium, led by Undershoot-Reduction for SoC”, co-authored with Prof potential solutions to society’s most critical challenges by educating Contest held by the IEEE Hong Kong Carnegie Mellon University in the US. The six-member multinational Wing-Hung Ki. A total of 658 papers were presented in and nurturing leaders,” she said. “This will be critical in ensuring we Section 2010, for his paper “The group will explore new technologies for measuring students’ the symposium. Only 3 papers were awarded the Student develop new communities and find new ways of doing things.” Design, Fabrication and Paper Award. Characterization of Piezoresistive ■ PhD student Liang Lu, Tactile Sensor for Fingerprint Innovative Technology Research Exploring the Story of Industrial Engineering and Sensing”. 2010 ECE graduate Yue Yu Logistics Management, was awarded First Runner-up in the Shared with Semiconductor Lasers Undergraduate Category for her received First Prize in the International School Teachers Prof Dieter Bimberg, Chair of Applied Solid State Physics paper “Modified-MMSE Equalization for Noise and Best Student Paper at Technical University of Berlin for the past 30 years, gave Interference Mitigation in SU-MIMO Systems” Over 70 science teachers from six international secondary schools Competition at the a fascinating talk on “Our Daily Life with Semiconductor Second Production and under the English Schools Foundation (ESF) gained interesting ■ Sixteen students from Dual Degree Program in Lasers” at HKUST in January. Operations Management insight into some of the latest technological advances at the School Technology and Management (T&M) had a great Society (POMS)-Hong Kong International Conference. of Engineering’s first professional development day for secondary The talk, jointly organized by the School of Engineering opportunity to learn more about the business world The conference was organized by the POMS-Hong school educators in May. and HKUST Institute for Advanced Study, examined the when they participated in the Schmidt-HKUST amazing success story related to semiconductor lasers. It Kong and Taiwan Chapters, the Department of The international school teachers were welcomed to HKUST by Corporate Project in Fall 2010. During the three-month explored how a fundamental physics breakthrough Industrial Engineering and Logistics Management and Provost Prof Wei Shyy. This was followed by a presentation by project, the four student teams looked at ways to regarded as useless to the economy 50 years ago, has the HKUST Logistics and Supply Chain Management Dean of Engineering Prof Khaled Ben Letaief and talks by faculty promote and facilitate adoption of Radio Frequency evolved through further engineering and discovery to Institute. members on a range of hot topics, including green buildings, wind Identification (RFID). To do so, they attended become a key part of modern life. energy, mobile technology, and terahertz imaging. Participants also ■ Hing Yik Ng, Year 2, Mechanical conferences, corporate seminars and conducted market had the opportunity to tour HKUST’s leading research facilities and The new knowledge and understanding went on to spur Engineering, received the analysis, among other activities, before presenting their scenic campus, and hear about student life from the School’s intercontinental optical communication, the basis of the Outstanding Student Award 2010 proposals to a panel of judges comprising senior Student Ambassadors. internet, and to form the backbone of modern energy from the Aircraft Engineer executives and business professionals. The winning team efficient systems. DVDs, the optical mouse, and medical Development Scheme (AEDS) in recommended using short-range wireless technology to Dean Ben Letaief said he hoped the successful event marked the applications, are just some examples of the recognition of her high-flying connect social networks with physical location beginning of a long-term relationship between the School of products now performance in examinations and information. Engineering and the ESF, which is Hong Kong’s largest international associated with participation in AEDS activities. AEDS is organized by school network educating around 16,000 students and over 50 the discovery. the Manufacturing and Industrial Division of the Hong nationalities. Kong Institution of Engineers and supported by the Hong Kong Aircraft Engineering Co Ltd and the Royal Aeronautical Society (Hong Kong Branch). It seeks to encourage undergraduates to plan and prepare for a career in aircraft engineering and maintenance.

20 21

Campus News Alumni

Forums Foster Industrial Engineering Links IELM Mentorship Directing Tunnel Projects and Flying Planes Two significant meetings of minds from Hong Kong and beyond provided Dinner Two civil engineering alumni discuss how their studies at SENG put opportunities for thought-provoking discussion on some of the latest issues them on diverse roads to success. related to industrial engineering and logistics management in January. Over 160 mentors and student mentees from the Industrial Engineering and From January 6-7, over 120 overseas, Mainland China and Taiwan delegates Logistics Management Department DR MORGAN YANG, 1996 PhD really good preparation for my career. I also see the strengths attended the Second POMS-HK International Conference held at HKUST. The enjoyed an informal get-together at the Director of Operations, China of other HKUST graduates who come to work at the successful two-day event, organized by the Industrial Engineering and Logistics IELM Mentorship Dinner in November. The AECOM company. They are skilful at advanced computer Management (IELM) Department, HKUST Logistics & Supply Chain Management mentorship program provides simulations and have a strong background in Institute and the Production and Operations Management Society (POMS) – undergraduates with an opportunity to “After my PhD, focused mechanics. Their training may have been demanding Hong Kong Chapter, focused on “POM in the Economic Recovery”. learn from a business mentor, expand on wind-induced vibration but it means they are confident too.” of cable-stayed bridges, I Drawing together practitioners and academics, the conference provided a highly networks and build social skills. joined Maunsell (later useful platform for knowledge-sharing on production and operations management integrated into AECOM) to CLAUDIA SIN, 2007 BEng issues in the face of changing economic times and insights on the design, planning, Workshop on Liquid work on geotechnical and Second Officer, Hong Kong Dragon Airlines Ltd implementation and management of production systems and their impact. Crystals for Photonics tunnel projects. I was the “Flying has been my dream since I was young. On January 8, IELM hosted the 1st Forum for the Council of Industrial Prof VG Chigrinov, Electronic and project manager for the Although aviation degrees are not yet offered locally, Engineering Department Heads in Greater China (CIEDHC). The gathering Computer Engineering, hosted a design and construction of my HKUST civil engineering degree equipped me to brought together 40 department heads from Mainland China, Taiwan and Hong Workshop on Liquid Crystals for the North Point-Quarry Bay fulfill my dream of becoming a pilot. The engineering training at Kong to promote the development of industrial engineering and related areas in Photonics from 8-10 Dec 2010 at HKUST. section of the MTR’s Tseung Kwan O line and other signature SENG emphasizes logical thinking and analytical skills, which Greater China and to strengthen exchanges among industrial engineering The event provided a useful forum for tunnel projects in Hong Kong. helped me a lot in my career, especially in meeting the challenges departments in the region. liquid crystal scientists, researchers and “The Yangtze River tunnel-bridge, linking Shanghai’s Pudong of my 14-month cadet training in Australia. During my years at Presentations were provided by a number of academics, including Prof Ershi Qi, engineers from around the world to district and Chongming Island, was my significant Mainland SENG, I was also lucky enough to win several scholarships to gain Dean of the School of Management, Tianjin University, and Prof Ching Jong Liao, present their pioneering research and project. It opened in 2009 and is one of the world’s largest flying experience in Australia, New Zealand and Hong Kong. exchange ideas. An article on the Industrial Management Department and Vice President of National Taiwan shield-driven tunnels, with a diameter of 15.44m. “While a SENG student, I won a local eBay business competition University of Science and Technology, who both gave detailed accounts of workshop was later published in Liquid “The Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge is one of the most with two of my Civil Engineering classmates and this gave us the industrial engineering developments in their respective locations. Prof Fugee Crystals Today, an official publication of the challenging projects in the world for civil engineers as the valuable opportunity to work as interns in three different eBay Tsung, Head of IELM at HKUST, was elected Founding President of the Council. International Liquid Crystal Society. sea-crossing fixed link, involving the construction of the largest offices in Asia. In addition, I represented the University in the MECH Postgraduates’ immersed tunnel connecting man-made islands, is over 30km. “Introducing and Demonstrating Earthquake Engineering It gives me many challenges, including environmental and Research in Schools Competition” in Taiwan. Society sustainability issues, but also valuable experience in such a “I think I developed a unique project. In the past few months, members of the great deal at SENG and Mechanical Engineering Postgraduates’ “The world is flat and changing rapidly, with increasing client my all-round education Society have been able to take part in a demands. Innovation is therefore a key aspect of civil there broadened my series of fun events organized to help engineering’s future. Students will need to have the flexibility horizons considerably, students meet new people and enjoy time to handle such a working environment. helping me to achieve out from their research. Activities included my career goal.” “I was the first PhD graduate in Civil Engineering at HKUST bike riding, a barbecue, and the Society’s and I felt my time at the School of Engineering (SENG) was second basketball competition, all of which proved highly enjoyable and a great way to relax. Main Board Listing for Perception Digital

Electronic and Computer Enterprise Market (GEM) of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange to Engineering (ECE) the Main Board. The company was first listed on the GEM board alumnus and HKUST’s in December 2009. first PhD graduate Prof Perception Digital Holdings Limited is the first and largest listed Jack Lau achieved further company set up under the HKUST Entrepreneurship Program. It success in June when specializes in technological solutions for consumer electronics and the hi-tech company he technology commercialization, and holds more than 25 patents. founded transferred its Major customers include leading international brands and Fortune listing from the Growth Global 500 companies.

22 23 20th Anniversary

The School of Engineering is proud to commemorate HKUST’s 20th Anniversary through arranging and participating in the following special events that highlight the University’s emphasis on innovation, high The Second International achievement, knowledge transfer and team spirit. Workshop on Innovative Engineering Alumni HKUST Engineering Engineering Education Day Fun Day IEEE Technology Time SENG/CIVL/IAS Joint Langham Place Hotel, Hong The Making of the World’s HKUST, Dec 2011 Largest Digital Photo SENG/IAS Joint Distin- HKUST, 28 May 2011 Machine Symposium HKUST “Bring Distinguished Lecture Kong, 19-21 Jan 2011 HKUST 20th Anniversary Technology to Workshop guished Lecture by Prof Sheraton Hong Kong by Prof Robert Mair Celebration Program Organized by Organized by HKUST, 22 Jan 2011 Vincent Poor Community” HKUST School of Engineering HKUST, 18-19 Mar 2011 Parade by School of HKUST School of Engineering Hotel, 1-3 Jun 2011 Exhibition HKUST, Nov 2011 HKUST, 21 Mar 2011 Organized by Organized by Engineering Organized by Institute of Electrical and Electronics Hong Kong Science Organized by HKUST Center for Engineering Education HKUST School of Engineering Organized by HKUST, 12 Apr 2011 Engineers (IEEE) HKUST School of Engineering Innovation (E2I) Museum, HKUST Department of Computer Science HKUST School of Engineering Co-organized by HKUST Department of Civil & Sungkyunkwan University Hub Center for and Engineering HKUST Institute for Advanced Study (IAS) HKUST and Hong Kong Applied 14-23 Oct 2011 Environmental Engineering Innovative Engineering Education Organized by Science and Technology Research HKUST Institute for Advanced Study HKUST School of Engineering 5 9 1 Institute (ASTRI) Organized by 2 6 HKUST School of Engineering 8 3 7 4

EVENT 1 EVENT 2 EVENT 3 EVENT 4 EVENT 5 EVENT 6 The Second International The Making of the SENG/IAS Joint HKUST 20th Anniversary Engineering Alumni Fun IEEE Technology Time Workshop on Innovative World’s Largest Digital Distinguished Lecture by Celebration Program Day Machine Symposium Engineering Education Photo Workshop Prof Vincent Poor Parade by A happy time was spent by all on May 28 School of Engineering Intriguing insight into next-generation A successful gathering of more than 100 Prof Pedro Sander, Computer Science Eminent academic Prof Vincent Poor, at a celebratory School of Engineering advances was provided at the first IEEE engineering educators took place in and Engineering, conducted an Dean of the School of Engineering and A lively parade was held to showcase the alumni family day gathering. symposium devoted to future Hong Kong in January, co-organized by eye-opening interactive workshop that Applied Science and Michael Henry special events organized by the School of More on P15&24 technologies, which was held in Hong the Center for Engineering Education introduced the technologies and Strater University Professor of Engineering to commemorate the Kong and co-organized by HKUST. Innovation and Sungkyunkwan methods involved in creating his global Electrical Engineering at Princeton University’s latest historical milestone. More on P14 University Hub Center for Innovative record-breaking digital photo to elite University, gave an engaging One of the stars of the show was a NAO Engineering Education. Topics included high school students from local and presentation on “Information and robot, which gave a fun introduction to assessment, accreditation and international schools in Hong Kong. Inference in the Wireless Physical the occasion with its rundown of the intercultural issues, among others. The Adding to the special nature of the Layer”. In his talk, Prof Poor explored celebratory line-up. Around 150 students keynote speakers were Prof David event, the “train-the-trainer” approach information theoretic or inferential and academics participated including Radcliffe, Purdue University, and Prof was used, with students encouraged to problems, each motivated by an HKUST President Prof Tony F Chan, Elizabeth Godfrey, University of pass on the knowledge they acquired applications-layer issue. Over 90 Vice-President Prof Y S Wong, Associate Technology Sydney. to classmates, family and friends, people attended the lecture. Provost Dr David Mole, Dean of More on P14 greatly increasing the potential number Engineering Prof Khaled Ben Letaief, of people to gain knowledge from the and Associate Deans of Engineering EVENTS 7,8,9 activity. Prof Roger Cheng and Prof Charles Ng. Coming Soon! More on P14 More on robotics on P11 Look out for more outstanding 20A events from the School of Engineering in the Fall. Events comprise an inspiring “Bring Technology to Community” exhibition, with contributions by School of Engineering faculty, students and alumni; a thought-provoking distinguished lecture by Cambridge University civil engineering expert Prof Robert Mair; and SENG’s Engineering Day.

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20th Anniversary 20th Anniversary

Advancing Engineering Education Across Borders Center) and supported by the Korea Institute for Advancement of Technology (KIAT) and Korea’s Ministry of Education, Science and Technology.

In addition to welcome addresses by Prof Sung-Jin Song, Director of the SKKU Hub Center and Chairman of the Organizing Committee, and Prof Khaled Ben Letaief, Dean of Engineering at HKUST, a total of 14 keynote and invited speakers made Multinational experience-sharing was the order of the day when presentations on topics related to accreditation of engineering the School of Engineering’s Center for Engineering Education programs, program-level assessment of learning outcomes, faculty Innovation (E2I) brought together more than 100 engineering Fun, Games and development, and interdisciplinary and intercultural issues in educators from over 30 universities in the Second International engineering education. Workshop on Innovative Engineering Education (IEE 2011) to review and share good practices in innovative engineering A post-conference workshop on the use of pedagogies, It was all go on May 28 when over 330 of the School’s alumni and their education. assessment strategies, and technology in enhancing student families took part in “The Engineering Alumni Fun Day”. Afternoon events learning was held at HKUST. Those attending the fruitful two-day forum in January came from included soccer and basketball competitions and a highly popular South Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan, US and Australia. The event was The two gatherings provided excellent opportunities for mini-carnival for all ages at HKUST, followed by a Homecoming Dinner to organized in collaboration with the Sungkyunkwan University participants to network and identify potential areas for celebrate HKUST’s 20th anniversary at the Chinese Restaurant on Hub Center for Innovative Engineering Education (SKKU Hub collaboration in the future. campus. Those attending were able to meet up with professors, reminisce with old friends and catch up with their recent news, as well as enjoy the Fast Forward to the Technologies of the Future performances and activities specially arranged for the evening. A glimpse of the future was the intriguing prospect at the first General Co-Chair and HKUST Dean of Engineering Prof Khaled Heartfelt appreciation to members* of the Hong Kong Electrical Appliances IEEE Technology Time Machine (TTM) symposium, which was Ben Letaief. Through co-hosting the Symposium, Prof Ben Letaief Manufacturers Association and other donors for sponsorship of prizes: held in Hong Kong in June and co-organized by HKUST and the hopes to drive strategic research planning in achieving the goal of Allan International Holdings Ltd.* Hong Kong Applied Science and Technology Research Institute the School to provide innovative and creative solution for (ASTRI). Themed “Technologies Beyond 2020”, the exciting industries and the society. Chiaphua Industries Ltd.* event organized by the Institute of Electrical and Chung Mei Industries Ltd.* At the “Global R&D Leaders” panel discussion, HKUST President Electronics Engineers (IEEE) focused on a Fook Tin Technologies Ltd.* Prof Tony F Chan highlighted that business and industry should number of potentially high-impact emerging G.E.W. Corporation Ltd.* collaborate closely with universities to promote revolutionary technologies and scenarios. Goldwise Development Co. innovative ideas. Panelists shared on innovation and advancement Hong Kong Ferry (Holdings) The kick off ceremony was officiated by in areas ranging from radio access technology, biomedical Co. Ltd. Mr John Tsang Chun-wah, Financial sciences, implants of sensors in coronary arteries to human Philips Electronics HK Ltd.* Secretary of the Hong Kong SAR centric intelligent societies and new organic electronic materials. Sonca Products Ltd.* Government; Dr Gordon Day, IEEE Prof Hoi Sing Kwok, Electronic and Computer Engineering, gave a Techtronic Industries Co. Ltd.* President-Elect; and members of the keynote speech on display technologies, the field where he is TTM Organizing Committee, including globally renowned in.

Zooming In on the Big Picture Photography has taken on a new dimension for over 50 elite which allowed them to zoom in on even distant areas and high school students from local and international schools in clearly see all the details. Hong Kong following an interactive workshop on how to create Later, they set out to make their own multi-image panoramas of multi-image panoramas by Prof Pedro Sander, Computer the HKUST campus by taking pictures and using software to Science and Engineering. Prof Sander broke the global record in “stitch” the images together. They also acquired knowledge of December 2010 when he created the world’s largest digital the algorithms and concepts behind the software. photo of 150 billion pixels. Prof Sander said, “Through this workshop, I hope that students During the workshop sessions, Prof Sander introduced the will see further evidence that working on engineering and technologies and methods involved in creating his pioneering computer technology is interesting, fun, useful and also highly photograph depicting his hometown of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. intertwined with our daily lives.” Students were fascinated by the power of the photograph,

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Students Students

Flying High The Rewards of Early Research Training

Over World’s Deepest Canyon It has been a wonderfully eventful year for MPhil Computer with Prof Dit-Yan Yeung in Year 2 and Year 3 as providing Science and Engineering student Emprise Yun Kwan Chan. essential early training that has given him a head start at He has become this year’s champion of HKUST’s Mr Armin postgraduate level. and Mrs Lillian Kitchell Undergraduate Research Award It also inspired his paper “A Convex Formulation of scheme. He has also seen his research project on social Modularity Maximization for Community Detection”, which networks and machine learning lead to a paper that was Emprise will present in July at the major International Joint recently accepted by a top international artificial intelligence Conferences on Artificial Intelligence (IJCAI) in Barcelona, conference. Spain. The paper was co-authored with Prof Yeung. Entering HKUST as a straight A student, Emprise has made Postgraduate students Frank Wang and Jianyu Song, Electronic many blind spots in the Among the five winners in the research award scheme, four stellar progress at the University, finishing his difficult double and Computer Engineering, have soared to new heights in complex topography of were from the School of Engineering. The winners were degree in Computer Science and Math (General Math) in their research and development with the successful the canyon made the selected from 2010 UROP participants. autonomous flight of a self-designed unmanned helicopter location a perfect testing just 2.5 years. He is now on course to complete his MPhil in across the Yarlung Zangbo Grand Canyon, the world’s deepest ground. News of the flight just 1.5 years. canyon. Located in Tibet, the canyon, also referred to as “the was released in December Emprise credits his early research experience on the last territory of mystery on Earth”, is 504.6 km long and 2010. Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP) 6,009m deep at its lowest point, nearly three times the depth Earlier models of the of the Grand Canyon in the US. Most of its many different HKUST unmanned terrains have never been traversed. helicopter have tackled the Turning Breakthroughs The helicopter, which flew over the canyon in September 2010, rigors of Mount Everest and was equipped with the world’s most compact automated assisted earthquake relief in into Businesses piloting system and had an intelligent tracking system which Sichuan by taking surveillance Triple honors were achieved by teams from the Electronic and enabled the user to adjust its route during the flight. The photos to support Computer Engineering (ECE) Department in this year’s HKUST Learning to Unleash challenge for the students was to ensure that the helicopter post-disaster restoration 2011 Entrepreneurship Competition, with three separate groups could continue its designated tasks and safely return to base work in areas too dangerous winning awards out of 11 finalists and an original 124 teams who the Entrepreneurial Spirit even if wireless and global positioning signals were lost. The for manned flights. entered the contest. In March, nine students from Dual Degree Program in Technology and Management (T&M) joined the prestigious MIT The First Runner-up prize went to LEDoS, led by Prof Kei May Lau, Global Startup Workshop 2011 in Seoul, Korea. The leading for its breakthrough display technology based on proprietary forum, held in different international locations annually, micro-projection devices, which provides cost-effective HKUST Students Shine in Inter-University Contest encourages entrepreneurship around the world and seeks to customizable hardware and software for digital display applications foster the ecosystems to support it. A top trio of Computer Science and Engineering postgraduate coach Derek Hu. ranging from digital signage to traffic signs. undergraduates beat 38 other teams from universities in At the three-day workshop, which this year focused on The contest aims to strengthen students’ capabilities in iFlight Technology team, led by Prof Zexiang Li, received the Third Hong Kong and Macau to take the Champion Team Award Unleashing Entrepreneurial Potential to Invigorate the Economy, relation to the DB2 database management system. Runner-up award for technology that has turned it into one of the T&M students were able to listen to discussions and network at this year’s exciting IBM DB2 UDB Inter-University world’s leading developers and manufacturers of helicopter with a wide range of people from all over the world. The event Programming Contest in January. The competition attracted autopilot systems while the Student Award was won by Bull B Tech, brings together entrepreneurial leaders, executives, financiers, participants from eight universities. led by undergraduate Yik Hei Chan, for a product that streamlines professors, students, government agents and private parties to Desmond Hung (Year 3), Qifeng Chen (Year 2) and Jueyi the business-to-customer process and has many applications in the share best practices, stimulate creativity and promote Wang (Year 1) showed their outstanding programming and retail industry. entrepreneurship. problem solving skills by successfully completing a series of The competition, which first started five years ago, seeks to foster In another memorable experience at the gathering, T&M student questions to score the highest marks in the shortest time. entrepreneurship throughout the University, involving different Kanishk Bali, Year 3, won The three students formed one of five HKUST teams members of the HKUST community and different Schools. third prize in the Elevator entering the contest, which also saw HKUST receive the Pitch Competition, overall Champion University Award for the highest total competing against more scores earned by its teams. Students from Computer than 40 other entrants. Science and Engineering, Computer Engineering Program, and Economics took part, with support and encouragement provided by faculty coach Prof Wilfred Ng and

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Students Students

Final-Year Projects Secure Award-Winning Success Student Honors, Awards and Achievements

The remarkable Braille Embosser final-year project by 2010 In this year’s Hong Kong ICT Awards, the students’ Braille ■ PhD candidate Vincent ■ PhD student Wenqi Du, Electronic and Computer Engineering (ECE) graduates continues Embosser gained the Gold Award, Best Social Responsibility and Man Pun Chan, Elec- Civil and Environmental to make waves in the community, winning three top awards in the Best Commercial Value accolades in the Best Innovation & tronic and Computer Engineering, has won Hong Kong ICT Awards 2011 and a Gold Award at The Hong Research (College & Undergraduates) category. Engineering, won First the Arup Research Prize Kong Electronic Industries Association (HKEIA) Innovation & In the HKEIA competition, a second ECE final-year project also Prize in the Student 2011. The accolade, Technology Project Competition 2010. proved a winner, with “Face Recognition in Embedded System” by Paper Award at the funded by Ove Arup & Patrick Kwan Pak Lee and Matthew Kin Man Ting together with Pak Ming Cheung, Pui Hang Lai, and Kwan Wai Tsang receiving the 2010 Institute of Electri- Partners Hong Kong other ECE classmates recycled dot-matrix and ink-jet printers into Merit Award. cal and Electronics Engi- Ltd, is awarded to cost-effective Braille Embossers for the visually challenged. A neers (IEEE) Asia Pacific undergraduate or post- Both projects were supervised by Prof Tim Woo. regular Braille Embosser sells for HK$30,000. The Conference on Circuits and Systems. His winning paper, graduate students to promote creativity and high stan- ECE students’ machine costs just HK$1,000. “A Monolithic 2nd-Order Boundary Controller for Buck dards of technology. Wenqi’s research seeks to develop Converter with Fast Transient Response”, was co- guidelines for seismic design of buildings in Hong Kong The double success adds to other engineering design authored by Prof Philip Mok. The biennial conference is a and the results of his work are expected to bring great awards for the invention, including the Gold Award major international forum established by the IEEE Circuits benefit to the local building industry. and Most Innovative Award in the 2010 Amway and Systems Society for researchers to exchange their ■ Electronic and Com- Pan-Pearl River Delta Region Universities IT Project latest findings. Competition and a Merit Award in the 10th puter Engineering International Asia Pacific ICT Alliance Awards 2010. ■ A HKUST Programming Team (HKUST Optimus Prime) PhD candidate reached the world finals of the prestigious ACM Shaoqi Feng received International Collegiate Programming Contest in Florida, the Best Student US, following their triumph in this year’s regional contests Paper Award (2nd Honoring Academic Excellence in Hanoi and Kuala Lumpur. The team comprised Danqi Runner-up) at the Chen, Year 2, Computer Engineering Program, Yuliang Li, 11th IEEE Photonics An elite group of 96 SENG undergraduates who had gained a Year 2, and PhD candidate Lu Wang, Computer Science Society Hong Kong place on the Dean’s List at least twice in the preceding three and Engineering. The team was led by Prof Ke Yi and Chapter Postgraduate Conference. His winning paper, semesters were honored for their academic excellence at a postgraduate coach Hao Hu. This year, around 7,000 “Electro-optical Tunable Time Delay and Advance in a ceremony in May, together with their peers from other Schools teams worldwide participated in the regional contests, Silicon Feedback-microring Resonator”, was co-authored at HKUST. Over 350 students achieved this honor. HKUST with 102 teams qualifying for the finals. by Dr Xianshu Luo and Prof Andrew Poon. President Prof Tony F Chan and other senior administrators attended the event. Principals and teachers from the students’ ■ MPhil student Pak ■ PhD student Cuiting Guo, Industrial Engineering and Logis- secondary schools were also invited to join the ceremony. Ming Cheung, Elec- tics Management, received the Best Short Paper Award at tronic and Computer the IEEE Virtual Reality Conference 2011, held in Singapore. Engineering, won the The conference is the most prestigious international con- Building Academic Bridges Through Mainland Exchange Champion Award in ference focusing on virtual reality. The paper looked at the the Design for Elderly question: “Could OKAN be an Objective Indicator of the A group of seven Civil and Environmental Engineering (CIVL) Qinghe Zhang and Prof Donghai Liu gave the Hong Kong visitors Competition 2011. Susceptibility to Visually Induced Motion Sickness?” students enjoyed an eye-opening five-day exchange to two an introduction to the university’s programs and research fields. His winning proposal mainland universities in March to gain greater understanding of Students also toured the construction lab at Tsinghua University ■ An Industrial Engineering and Logistics Management under- focused on designing e-games under the “Innovative Ideas how the field is taught and what research is undertaken at the and the hydraulic and hydropower simulation lab at Tianjin graduate team comprising Zhiyi He, Year 2, Sihua Luo, Year for Quality Living” category. The contest was held as part different institutions. University. 1, and Yik Hang Pang, Year 1, gained the Second Runner-up of Hong Kong Engineering Week 2011. award in the Hong Kong Society for Quality student project The visit, entitled “Student – Civil – Global”, was organized for As part of the exchange, a group of around 10 students and a ■ Darren Sin Wang Chiu, competition. The competition is open to university students HKUST members of the Student Chapter of the Canadian professor from Tsinghua University Year 2, Computer in industrial, manufacturing, quality or related disciplines, Society for Civil Engineering Hong Kong branch, and was open to will visit HKUST this June. Engineering and Global and provides them with an opportunity to work on an both undergraduates and postgraduates. Students, together with Business Management, actual industrial case and propose a resolution. CIVL Chair Professor Moe Cheung, visited Tsinghua University in was awarded the Beijing and Tianjin University. 2009-10 Hong Kong At Tsinghua University, Prof Cheung gave a seminar on the design, Institution of Engineers construction and management of the Confederation Bridge, the (HKIE) Scholarship for largest public private partnership project in Canada, while Prof his outstanding academic achievement. Peng Pan from Tsinghua presented his latest research on earthquake-resistant structural systems to the CIVL group. During the exchange at Tianjin University, Prof Qinghua Han, Prof

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Students Campus News

■ Electronic and Computer ■ Electronic and Computer Engineering PhD students International Industry-Education Drive to Boost Innovation Engineering PhD student Mahdi Nikdast, Xiaowen Wu and Yaoyao Ye gained the Xiaocheng Jing won First Best Poster Presentation Award (2nd place) at the AMD In a highly significant competencies in the four fields. development, the School Prize in the Student Technical Forum and Exhibition 2010, held in Taipei. Their The consortium is one of five set up by Hewlett Packard in 2010 of Engineering has become Paper Contest at the research project, “A Formal Analysis of Crosstalk Noise focusing on the transformation of STEM education. Member part of a leading 2010 IEEE International in Mesh-based Optical Network-on-Chip for Chip organizations were selected through an open, competitive global industry-education global Conference on Electron Multiprocessors”, was co-authored by Prof Jiang Xu. call for proposals. Devices and Solid-State AMD is a leading semiconductor company. social innovation program “We are excited about the impact of this initiative and the network Circuits with her paper “Soft-Start Circuit with Duty Ratio designed to develop more effective approaches to education in of consortia in the long term,” said Prof Mounir Hamdi, Head of Controlled Voltage Clamping and Adaptive Sizing science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) worldwide. Computer Science and Engineering and Project Lead. Such funding Technique for Integrated DC-DC Converters”. PhD As part of the HP Catalyst Initiative, set up by leading technology would help the University deliver projects that will shape the way student Chenchang Zhan, Electronic and Computer multinational Hewlett Packard, HKUST has received a generous education develops and society evolves as well as empower Engineering, came third with his paper grant of US$150,000 which will be put toward a new teaching lab students to collaborate globally, he noted. “Output-Capacitor-Free Adaptively Biased Low-Dropout equipped with high-end computers for Computer Science and Regulators”. Zhan also won the Student Paper Award at Engineering students. Ms Gabi Zedlmayer, Vice President, Office of Global Social ■ Postgraduate student Zhijian Zhou, the IEEE International Symposium on Circuits and Innovation at Hewlett Packard, explained that the HP Catalyst Electronic and Computer The University is among 35 educational institutions across 11 Systems held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in May with his paper Initiative underscored the company’s vision of a world where Engineering, has been awarded First countries to be selected by Hewlett Packard to receive a grant in “An Output-Capacitor-Free Adaptively Biased innovation and collaboration are enabled by investments in Runner-up in the Postgraduate 2010. It is also a member of the newly established Hewlett Low-Dropout Regulator with Sub-Threshold technology and education. “The program is designed to help foster Category of the Student Paper Packard-sponsored Measuring Learning Consortium, led by Undershoot-Reduction for SoC”, co-authored with Prof potential solutions to society’s most critical challenges by educating Contest held by the IEEE Hong Kong Carnegie Mellon University in the US. The six-member multinational Wing-Hung Ki. A total of 658 papers were presented in and nurturing leaders,” she said. “This will be critical in ensuring we Section 2010, for his paper “The group will explore new technologies for measuring students’ the symposium. Only 3 papers were awarded the Student develop new communities and find new ways of doing things.” Design, Fabrication and Paper Award. Characterization of Piezoresistive ■ PhD student Liang Lu, Tactile Sensor for Fingerprint Innovative Technology Research Exploring the Story of Industrial Engineering and Sensing”. 2010 ECE graduate Yue Yu Logistics Management, was awarded First Runner-up in the Shared with Semiconductor Lasers Undergraduate Category for her received First Prize in the International School Teachers Prof Dieter Bimberg, Chair of Applied Solid State Physics paper “Modified-MMSE Equalization for Noise and Best Student Paper at Technical University of Berlin for the past 30 years, gave Interference Mitigation in SU-MIMO Systems” Over 70 science teachers from six international secondary schools Competition at the a fascinating talk on “Our Daily Life with Semiconductor Second Production and under the English Schools Foundation (ESF) gained interesting ■ Sixteen students from Dual Degree Program in Lasers” at HKUST in January. Operations Management insight into some of the latest technological advances at the School Technology and Management (T&M) had a great Society (POMS)-Hong Kong International Conference. of Engineering’s first professional development day for secondary The talk, jointly organized by the School of Engineering opportunity to learn more about the business world The conference was organized by the POMS-Hong school educators in May. and HKUST Institute for Advanced Study, examined the when they participated in the Schmidt-HKUST amazing success story related to semiconductor lasers. It Kong and Taiwan Chapters, the Department of The international school teachers were welcomed to HKUST by Corporate Project in Fall 2010. During the three-month explored how a fundamental physics breakthrough Industrial Engineering and Logistics Management and Provost Prof Wei Shyy. This was followed by a presentation by project, the four student teams looked at ways to regarded as useless to the economy 50 years ago, has the HKUST Logistics and Supply Chain Management Dean of Engineering Prof Khaled Ben Letaief and talks by faculty promote and facilitate adoption of Radio Frequency evolved through further engineering and discovery to Institute. members on a range of hot topics, including green buildings, wind Identification (RFID). To do so, they attended become a key part of modern life. energy, mobile technology, and terahertz imaging. Participants also ■ Hing Yik Ng, Year 2, Mechanical conferences, corporate seminars and conducted market had the opportunity to tour HKUST’s leading research facilities and The new knowledge and understanding went on to spur Engineering, received the analysis, among other activities, before presenting their scenic campus, and hear about student life from the School’s intercontinental optical communication, the basis of the Outstanding Student Award 2010 proposals to a panel of judges comprising senior Student Ambassadors. internet, and to form the backbone of modern energy from the Aircraft Engineer executives and business professionals. The winning team efficient systems. DVDs, the optical mouse, and medical Development Scheme (AEDS) in recommended using short-range wireless technology to Dean Ben Letaief said he hoped the successful event marked the applications, are just some examples of the recognition of her high-flying connect social networks with physical location beginning of a long-term relationship between the School of products now performance in examinations and information. Engineering and the ESF, which is Hong Kong’s largest international associated with participation in AEDS activities. AEDS is organized by school network educating around 16,000 students and over 50 the discovery. the Manufacturing and Industrial Division of the Hong nationalities. Kong Institution of Engineers and supported by the Hong Kong Aircraft Engineering Co Ltd and the Royal Aeronautical Society (Hong Kong Branch). It seeks to encourage undergraduates to plan and prepare for a career in aircraft engineering and maintenance.

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Campus News Alumni

Forums Foster Industrial Engineering Links IELM Mentorship Directing Tunnel Projects and Flying Planes Two significant meetings of minds from Hong Kong and beyond provided Dinner Two civil engineering alumni discuss how their studies at SENG put opportunities for thought-provoking discussion on some of the latest issues them on diverse roads to success. related to industrial engineering and logistics management in January. Over 160 mentors and student mentees from the Industrial Engineering and From January 6-7, over 120 overseas, Mainland China and Taiwan delegates Logistics Management Department DR MORGAN YANG, 1996 PhD really good preparation for my career. I also see the strengths attended the Second POMS-HK International Conference held at HKUST. The enjoyed an informal get-together at the Director of Operations, China of other HKUST graduates who come to work at the successful two-day event, organized by the Industrial Engineering and Logistics IELM Mentorship Dinner in November. The AECOM company. They are skilful at advanced computer Management (IELM) Department, HKUST Logistics & Supply Chain Management mentorship program provides simulations and have a strong background in Institute and the Production and Operations Management Society (POMS) – undergraduates with an opportunity to “After my PhD, focused mechanics. Their training may have been demanding Hong Kong Chapter, focused on “POM in the Economic Recovery”. learn from a business mentor, expand on wind-induced vibration but it means they are confident too.” of cable-stayed bridges, I Drawing together practitioners and academics, the conference provided a highly networks and build social skills. joined Maunsell (later useful platform for knowledge-sharing on production and operations management integrated into AECOM) to CLAUDIA SIN, 2007 BEng issues in the face of changing economic times and insights on the design, planning, Workshop on Liquid work on geotechnical and Second Officer, Hong Kong Dragon Airlines Ltd implementation and management of production systems and their impact. Crystals for Photonics tunnel projects. I was the “Flying has been my dream since I was young. On January 8, IELM hosted the 1st Forum for the Council of Industrial Prof VG Chigrinov, Electronic and project manager for the Although aviation degrees are not yet offered locally, Engineering Department Heads in Greater China (CIEDHC). The gathering Computer Engineering, hosted a design and construction of my HKUST civil engineering degree equipped me to brought together 40 department heads from Mainland China, Taiwan and Hong Workshop on Liquid Crystals for the North Point-Quarry Bay fulfill my dream of becoming a pilot. The engineering training at Kong to promote the development of industrial engineering and related areas in Photonics from 8-10 Dec 2010 at HKUST. section of the MTR’s Tseung Kwan O line and other signature SENG emphasizes logical thinking and analytical skills, which Greater China and to strengthen exchanges among industrial engineering The event provided a useful forum for tunnel projects in Hong Kong. helped me a lot in my career, especially in meeting the challenges departments in the region. liquid crystal scientists, researchers and “The Yangtze River tunnel-bridge, linking Shanghai’s Pudong of my 14-month cadet training in Australia. During my years at Presentations were provided by a number of academics, including Prof Ershi Qi, engineers from around the world to district and Chongming Island, was my significant Mainland SENG, I was also lucky enough to win several scholarships to gain Dean of the School of Management, Tianjin University, and Prof Ching Jong Liao, present their pioneering research and project. It opened in 2009 and is one of the world’s largest flying experience in Australia, New Zealand and Hong Kong. exchange ideas. An article on the Industrial Management Department and Vice President of National Taiwan shield-driven tunnels, with a diameter of 15.44m. “While a SENG student, I won a local eBay business competition University of Science and Technology, who both gave detailed accounts of workshop was later published in Liquid “The Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge is one of the most with two of my Civil Engineering classmates and this gave us the industrial engineering developments in their respective locations. Prof Fugee Crystals Today, an official publication of the challenging projects in the world for civil engineers as the valuable opportunity to work as interns in three different eBay Tsung, Head of IELM at HKUST, was elected Founding President of the Council. International Liquid Crystal Society. sea-crossing fixed link, involving the construction of the largest offices in Asia. In addition, I represented the University in the MECH Postgraduates’ immersed tunnel connecting man-made islands, is over 30km. “Introducing and Demonstrating Earthquake Engineering It gives me many challenges, including environmental and Research in Schools Competition” in Taiwan. Society sustainability issues, but also valuable experience in such a “I think I developed a unique project. In the past few months, members of the great deal at SENG and Mechanical Engineering Postgraduates’ “The world is flat and changing rapidly, with increasing client my all-round education Society have been able to take part in a demands. Innovation is therefore a key aspect of civil there broadened my series of fun events organized to help engineering’s future. Students will need to have the flexibility horizons considerably, students meet new people and enjoy time to handle such a working environment. helping me to achieve out from their research. Activities included my career goal.” “I was the first PhD graduate in Civil Engineering at HKUST bike riding, a barbecue, and the Society’s and I felt my time at the School of Engineering (SENG) was second basketball competition, all of which proved highly enjoyable and a great way to relax. Main Board Listing for Perception Digital

Electronic and Computer Enterprise Market (GEM) of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange to Engineering (ECE) the Main Board. The company was first listed on the GEM board alumnus and HKUST’s in December 2009. first PhD graduate Prof Perception Digital Holdings Limited is the first and largest listed Jack Lau achieved further company set up under the HKUST Entrepreneurship Program. It success in June when specializes in technological solutions for consumer electronics and the hi-tech company he technology commercialization, and holds more than 25 patents. founded transferred its Major customers include leading international brands and Fortune listing from the Growth Global 500 companies.

22 23 20th Anniversary

The School of Engineering is proud to commemorate HKUST’s 20th Anniversary through arranging and participating in the following special events that highlight the University’s emphasis on innovation, high The Second International achievement, knowledge transfer and team spirit. Workshop on Innovative Engineering Alumni HKUST Engineering Engineering Education Day Fun Day IEEE Technology Time SENG/CIVL/IAS Joint Langham Place Hotel, Hong The Making of the World’s HKUST, Dec 2011 Largest Digital Photo SENG/IAS Joint Distin- HKUST, 28 May 2011 Machine Symposium HKUST “Bring Distinguished Lecture Kong, 19-21 Jan 2011 HKUST 20th Anniversary Technology to Workshop guished Lecture by Prof Sheraton Hong Kong by Prof Robert Mair Celebration Program Organized by Organized by HKUST, 22 Jan 2011 Vincent Poor Community” HKUST School of Engineering HKUST, 18-19 Mar 2011 Parade by School of HKUST School of Engineering Hotel, 1-3 Jun 2011 Exhibition HKUST, Nov 2011 HKUST, 21 Mar 2011 Organized by Organized by Engineering Organized by Institute of Electrical and Electronics Hong Kong Science Organized by HKUST Center for Engineering Education HKUST School of Engineering Organized by HKUST, 12 Apr 2011 Engineers (IEEE) HKUST School of Engineering Innovation (E2I) Museum, HKUST Department of Computer Science HKUST School of Engineering Co-organized by HKUST Department of Civil & Sungkyunkwan University Hub Center for and Engineering HKUST Institute for Advanced Study (IAS) HKUST and Hong Kong Applied 14-23 Oct 2011 Environmental Engineering Innovative Engineering Education Organized by Science and Technology Research HKUST Institute for Advanced Study HKUST School of Engineering 5 9 1 Institute (ASTRI) Organized by 2 6 HKUST School of Engineering 8 3 7 4

EVENT 1 EVENT 2 EVENT 3 EVENT 4 EVENT 5 EVENT 6 The Second International The Making of the SENG/IAS Joint HKUST 20th Anniversary Engineering Alumni Fun IEEE Technology Time Workshop on Innovative World’s Largest Digital Distinguished Lecture by Celebration Program Day Machine Symposium Engineering Education Photo Workshop Prof Vincent Poor Parade by A happy time was spent by all on May 28 School of Engineering Intriguing insight into next-generation A successful gathering of more than 100 Prof Pedro Sander, Computer Science Eminent academic Prof Vincent Poor, at a celebratory School of Engineering advances was provided at the first IEEE engineering educators took place in and Engineering, conducted an Dean of the School of Engineering and A lively parade was held to showcase the alumni family day gathering. symposium devoted to future Hong Kong in January, co-organized by eye-opening interactive workshop that Applied Science and Michael Henry special events organized by the School of More on P15&24 technologies, which was held in Hong the Center for Engineering Education introduced the technologies and Strater University Professor of Engineering to commemorate the Kong and co-organized by HKUST. Innovation and Sungkyunkwan methods involved in creating his global Electrical Engineering at Princeton University’s latest historical milestone. More on P14 University Hub Center for Innovative record-breaking digital photo to elite University, gave an engaging One of the stars of the show was a NAO Engineering Education. Topics included high school students from local and presentation on “Information and robot, which gave a fun introduction to assessment, accreditation and international schools in Hong Kong. Inference in the Wireless Physical the occasion with its rundown of the intercultural issues, among others. The Adding to the special nature of the Layer”. In his talk, Prof Poor explored celebratory line-up. Around 150 students keynote speakers were Prof David event, the “train-the-trainer” approach information theoretic or inferential and academics participated including Radcliffe, Purdue University, and Prof was used, with students encouraged to problems, each motivated by an HKUST President Prof Tony F Chan, Elizabeth Godfrey, University of pass on the knowledge they acquired applications-layer issue. Over 90 Vice-President Prof Y S Wong, Associate Technology Sydney. to classmates, family and friends, people attended the lecture. Provost Dr David Mole, Dean of More on P14 greatly increasing the potential number Engineering Prof Khaled Ben Letaief, of people to gain knowledge from the and Associate Deans of Engineering EVENTS 7,8,9 activity. Prof Roger Cheng and Prof Charles Ng. Coming Soon! More on P14 More on robotics on P11 Look out for more outstanding 20A events from the School of Engineering in the Fall. Events comprise an inspiring “Bring Technology to Community” exhibition, with contributions by School of Engineering faculty, students and alumni; a thought-provoking distinguished lecture by Cambridge University civil engineering expert Prof Robert Mair; and SENG’s Engineering Day.

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20th Anniversary 20th Anniversary

Advancing Engineering Education Across Borders Center) and supported by the Korea Institute for Advancement of Technology (KIAT) and Korea’s Ministry of Education, Science and Technology.

In addition to welcome addresses by Prof Sung-Jin Song, Director of the SKKU Hub Center and Chairman of the Organizing Committee, and Prof Khaled Ben Letaief, Dean of Engineering at HKUST, a total of 14 keynote and invited speakers made Multinational experience-sharing was the order of the day when presentations on topics related to accreditation of engineering the School of Engineering’s Center for Engineering Education programs, program-level assessment of learning outcomes, faculty Innovation (E2I) brought together more than 100 engineering Fun, Games and development, and interdisciplinary and intercultural issues in educators from over 30 universities in the Second International engineering education. Workshop on Innovative Engineering Education (IEE 2011) to review and share good practices in innovative engineering A post-conference workshop on the use of pedagogies, It was all go on May 28 when over 330 of the School’s alumni and their education. assessment strategies, and technology in enhancing student families took part in “The Engineering Alumni Fun Day”. Afternoon events learning was held at HKUST. Those attending the fruitful two-day forum in January came from included soccer and basketball competitions and a highly popular South Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan, US and Australia. The event was The two gatherings provided excellent opportunities for mini-carnival for all ages at HKUST, followed by a Homecoming Dinner to organized in collaboration with the Sungkyunkwan University participants to network and identify potential areas for celebrate HKUST’s 20th anniversary at the Chinese Restaurant on Hub Center for Innovative Engineering Education (SKKU Hub collaboration in the future. campus. Those attending were able to meet up with professors, reminisce with old friends and catch up with their recent news, as well as enjoy the Fast Forward to the Technologies of the Future performances and activities specially arranged for the evening. A glimpse of the future was the intriguing prospect at the first General Co-Chair and HKUST Dean of Engineering Prof Khaled Heartfelt appreciation to members* of the Hong Kong Electrical Appliances IEEE Technology Time Machine (TTM) symposium, which was Ben Letaief. Through co-hosting the Symposium, Prof Ben Letaief Manufacturers Association and other donors for sponsorship of prizes: held in Hong Kong in June and co-organized by HKUST and the hopes to drive strategic research planning in achieving the goal of Allan International Holdings Ltd.* Hong Kong Applied Science and Technology Research Institute the School to provide innovative and creative solution for (ASTRI). Themed “Technologies Beyond 2020”, the exciting industries and the society. Chiaphua Industries Ltd.* event organized by the Institute of Electrical and Chung Mei Industries Ltd.* At the “Global R&D Leaders” panel discussion, HKUST President Electronics Engineers (IEEE) focused on a Fook Tin Technologies Ltd.* Prof Tony F Chan highlighted that business and industry should number of potentially high-impact emerging G.E.W. Corporation Ltd.* collaborate closely with universities to promote revolutionary technologies and scenarios. Goldwise Development Co. innovative ideas. Panelists shared on innovation and advancement Hong Kong Ferry (Holdings) The kick off ceremony was officiated by in areas ranging from radio access technology, biomedical Co. Ltd. Mr John Tsang Chun-wah, Financial sciences, implants of sensors in coronary arteries to human Philips Electronics HK Ltd.* Secretary of the Hong Kong SAR centric intelligent societies and new organic electronic materials. Sonca Products Ltd.* Government; Dr Gordon Day, IEEE Prof Hoi Sing Kwok, Electronic and Computer Engineering, gave a Techtronic Industries Co. Ltd.* President-Elect; and members of the keynote speech on display technologies, the field where he is TTM Organizing Committee, including globally renowned in.

Zooming In on the Big Picture Photography has taken on a new dimension for over 50 elite which allowed them to zoom in on even distant areas and high school students from local and international schools in clearly see all the details. Hong Kong following an interactive workshop on how to create Later, they set out to make their own multi-image panoramas of multi-image panoramas by Prof Pedro Sander, Computer the HKUST campus by taking pictures and using software to Science and Engineering. Prof Sander broke the global record in “stitch” the images together. They also acquired knowledge of December 2010 when he created the world’s largest digital the algorithms and concepts behind the software. photo of 150 billion pixels. Prof Sander said, “Through this workshop, I hope that students During the workshop sessions, Prof Sander introduced the will see further evidence that working on engineering and technologies and methods involved in creating his pioneering computer technology is interesting, fun, useful and also highly photograph depicting his hometown of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. intertwined with our daily lives.” Students were fascinated by the power of the photograph,

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Students Students

Flying High The Rewards of Early Research Training

Over World’s Deepest Canyon It has been a wonderfully eventful year for MPhil Computer with Prof Dit-Yan Yeung in Year 2 and Year 3 as providing Science and Engineering student Emprise Yun Kwan Chan. essential early training that has given him a head start at He has become this year’s champion of HKUST’s Mr Armin postgraduate level. and Mrs Lillian Kitchell Undergraduate Research Award It also inspired his paper “A Convex Formulation of scheme. He has also seen his research project on social Modularity Maximization for Community Detection”, which networks and machine learning lead to a paper that was Emprise will present in July at the major International Joint recently accepted by a top international artificial intelligence Conferences on Artificial Intelligence (IJCAI) in Barcelona, conference. Spain. The paper was co-authored with Prof Yeung. Entering HKUST as a straight A student, Emprise has made Postgraduate students Frank Wang and Jianyu Song, Electronic many blind spots in the Among the five winners in the research award scheme, four stellar progress at the University, finishing his difficult double and Computer Engineering, have soared to new heights in complex topography of were from the School of Engineering. The winners were degree in Computer Science and Math (General Math) in their research and development with the successful the canyon made the selected from 2010 UROP participants. autonomous flight of a self-designed unmanned helicopter location a perfect testing just 2.5 years. He is now on course to complete his MPhil in across the Yarlung Zangbo Grand Canyon, the world’s deepest ground. News of the flight just 1.5 years. canyon. Located in Tibet, the canyon, also referred to as “the was released in December Emprise credits his early research experience on the last territory of mystery on Earth”, is 504.6 km long and 2010. Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP) 6,009m deep at its lowest point, nearly three times the depth Earlier models of the of the Grand Canyon in the US. Most of its many different HKUST unmanned terrains have never been traversed. helicopter have tackled the Turning Breakthroughs The helicopter, which flew over the canyon in September 2010, rigors of Mount Everest and was equipped with the world’s most compact automated assisted earthquake relief in into Businesses piloting system and had an intelligent tracking system which Sichuan by taking surveillance Triple honors were achieved by teams from the Electronic and enabled the user to adjust its route during the flight. The photos to support Computer Engineering (ECE) Department in this year’s HKUST Learning to Unleash challenge for the students was to ensure that the helicopter post-disaster restoration 2011 Entrepreneurship Competition, with three separate groups could continue its designated tasks and safely return to base work in areas too dangerous winning awards out of 11 finalists and an original 124 teams who the Entrepreneurial Spirit even if wireless and global positioning signals were lost. The for manned flights. entered the contest. In March, nine students from Dual Degree Program in Technology and Management (T&M) joined the prestigious MIT The First Runner-up prize went to LEDoS, led by Prof Kei May Lau, Global Startup Workshop 2011 in Seoul, Korea. The leading for its breakthrough display technology based on proprietary forum, held in different international locations annually, micro-projection devices, which provides cost-effective HKUST Students Shine in Inter-University Contest encourages entrepreneurship around the world and seeks to customizable hardware and software for digital display applications foster the ecosystems to support it. A top trio of Computer Science and Engineering postgraduate coach Derek Hu. ranging from digital signage to traffic signs. undergraduates beat 38 other teams from universities in At the three-day workshop, which this year focused on The contest aims to strengthen students’ capabilities in iFlight Technology team, led by Prof Zexiang Li, received the Third Hong Kong and Macau to take the Champion Team Award Unleashing Entrepreneurial Potential to Invigorate the Economy, relation to the DB2 database management system. Runner-up award for technology that has turned it into one of the T&M students were able to listen to discussions and network at this year’s exciting IBM DB2 UDB Inter-University world’s leading developers and manufacturers of helicopter with a wide range of people from all over the world. The event Programming Contest in January. The competition attracted autopilot systems while the Student Award was won by Bull B Tech, brings together entrepreneurial leaders, executives, financiers, participants from eight universities. led by undergraduate Yik Hei Chan, for a product that streamlines professors, students, government agents and private parties to Desmond Hung (Year 3), Qifeng Chen (Year 2) and Jueyi the business-to-customer process and has many applications in the share best practices, stimulate creativity and promote Wang (Year 1) showed their outstanding programming and retail industry. entrepreneurship. problem solving skills by successfully completing a series of The competition, which first started five years ago, seeks to foster In another memorable experience at the gathering, T&M student questions to score the highest marks in the shortest time. entrepreneurship throughout the University, involving different Kanishk Bali, Year 3, won The three students formed one of five HKUST teams members of the HKUST community and different Schools. third prize in the Elevator entering the contest, which also saw HKUST receive the Pitch Competition, overall Champion University Award for the highest total competing against more scores earned by its teams. Students from Computer than 40 other entrants. Science and Engineering, Computer Engineering Program, and Economics took part, with support and encouragement provided by faculty coach Prof Wilfred Ng and

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Students Students

Final-Year Projects Secure Award-Winning Success Student Honors, Awards and Achievements

The remarkable Braille Embosser final-year project by 2010 In this year’s Hong Kong ICT Awards, the students’ Braille ■ PhD candidate Vincent ■ PhD student Wenqi Du, Electronic and Computer Engineering (ECE) graduates continues Embosser gained the Gold Award, Best Social Responsibility and Man Pun Chan, Elec- Civil and Environmental to make waves in the community, winning three top awards in the Best Commercial Value accolades in the Best Innovation & tronic and Computer Engineering, has won Hong Kong ICT Awards 2011 and a Gold Award at The Hong Research (College & Undergraduates) category. Engineering, won First the Arup Research Prize Kong Electronic Industries Association (HKEIA) Innovation & In the HKEIA competition, a second ECE final-year project also Prize in the Student 2011. The accolade, Technology Project Competition 2010. proved a winner, with “Face Recognition in Embedded System” by Paper Award at the funded by Ove Arup & Patrick Kwan Pak Lee and Matthew Kin Man Ting together with Pak Ming Cheung, Pui Hang Lai, and Kwan Wai Tsang receiving the 2010 Institute of Electri- Partners Hong Kong other ECE classmates recycled dot-matrix and ink-jet printers into Merit Award. cal and Electronics Engi- Ltd, is awarded to cost-effective Braille Embossers for the visually challenged. A neers (IEEE) Asia Pacific undergraduate or post- Both projects were supervised by Prof Tim Woo. regular Braille Embosser sells for HK$30,000. The Conference on Circuits and Systems. His winning paper, graduate students to promote creativity and high stan- ECE students’ machine costs just HK$1,000. “A Monolithic 2nd-Order Boundary Controller for Buck dards of technology. Wenqi’s research seeks to develop Converter with Fast Transient Response”, was co- guidelines for seismic design of buildings in Hong Kong The double success adds to other engineering design authored by Prof Philip Mok. The biennial conference is a and the results of his work are expected to bring great awards for the invention, including the Gold Award major international forum established by the IEEE Circuits benefit to the local building industry. and Most Innovative Award in the 2010 Amway and Systems Society for researchers to exchange their ■ Electronic and Com- Pan-Pearl River Delta Region Universities IT Project latest findings. Competition and a Merit Award in the 10th puter Engineering International Asia Pacific ICT Alliance Awards 2010. ■ A HKUST Programming Team (HKUST Optimus Prime) PhD candidate reached the world finals of the prestigious ACM Shaoqi Feng received International Collegiate Programming Contest in Florida, the Best Student US, following their triumph in this year’s regional contests Paper Award (2nd Honoring Academic Excellence in Hanoi and Kuala Lumpur. The team comprised Danqi Runner-up) at the Chen, Year 2, Computer Engineering Program, Yuliang Li, 11th IEEE Photonics An elite group of 96 SENG undergraduates who had gained a Year 2, and PhD candidate Lu Wang, Computer Science Society Hong Kong place on the Dean’s List at least twice in the preceding three and Engineering. The team was led by Prof Ke Yi and Chapter Postgraduate Conference. His winning paper, semesters were honored for their academic excellence at a postgraduate coach Hao Hu. This year, around 7,000 “Electro-optical Tunable Time Delay and Advance in a ceremony in May, together with their peers from other Schools teams worldwide participated in the regional contests, Silicon Feedback-microring Resonator”, was co-authored at HKUST. Over 350 students achieved this honor. HKUST with 102 teams qualifying for the finals. by Dr Xianshu Luo and Prof Andrew Poon. President Prof Tony F Chan and other senior administrators attended the event. Principals and teachers from the students’ ■ MPhil student Pak ■ PhD student Cuiting Guo, Industrial Engineering and Logis- secondary schools were also invited to join the ceremony. Ming Cheung, Elec- tics Management, received the Best Short Paper Award at tronic and Computer the IEEE Virtual Reality Conference 2011, held in Singapore. Engineering, won the The conference is the most prestigious international con- Building Academic Bridges Through Mainland Exchange Champion Award in ference focusing on virtual reality. The paper looked at the the Design for Elderly question: “Could OKAN be an Objective Indicator of the A group of seven Civil and Environmental Engineering (CIVL) Qinghe Zhang and Prof Donghai Liu gave the Hong Kong visitors Competition 2011. Susceptibility to Visually Induced Motion Sickness?” students enjoyed an eye-opening five-day exchange to two an introduction to the university’s programs and research fields. His winning proposal mainland universities in March to gain greater understanding of Students also toured the construction lab at Tsinghua University ■ An Industrial Engineering and Logistics Management under- focused on designing e-games under the “Innovative Ideas how the field is taught and what research is undertaken at the and the hydraulic and hydropower simulation lab at Tianjin graduate team comprising Zhiyi He, Year 2, Sihua Luo, Year for Quality Living” category. The contest was held as part different institutions. University. 1, and Yik Hang Pang, Year 1, gained the Second Runner-up of Hong Kong Engineering Week 2011. award in the Hong Kong Society for Quality student project The visit, entitled “Student – Civil – Global”, was organized for As part of the exchange, a group of around 10 students and a ■ Darren Sin Wang Chiu, competition. The competition is open to university students HKUST members of the Student Chapter of the Canadian professor from Tsinghua University Year 2, Computer in industrial, manufacturing, quality or related disciplines, Society for Civil Engineering Hong Kong branch, and was open to will visit HKUST this June. Engineering and Global and provides them with an opportunity to work on an both undergraduates and postgraduates. Students, together with Business Management, actual industrial case and propose a resolution. CIVL Chair Professor Moe Cheung, visited Tsinghua University in was awarded the Beijing and Tianjin University. 2009-10 Hong Kong At Tsinghua University, Prof Cheung gave a seminar on the design, Institution of Engineers construction and management of the Confederation Bridge, the (HKIE) Scholarship for largest public private partnership project in Canada, while Prof his outstanding academic achievement. Peng Pan from Tsinghua presented his latest research on earthquake-resistant structural systems to the CIVL group. During the exchange at Tianjin University, Prof Qinghua Han, Prof

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Students Campus News

■ Electronic and Computer ■ Electronic and Computer Engineering PhD students International Industry-Education Drive to Boost Innovation Engineering PhD student Mahdi Nikdast, Xiaowen Wu and Yaoyao Ye gained the Xiaocheng Jing won First Best Poster Presentation Award (2nd place) at the AMD In a highly significant competencies in the four fields. development, the School Prize in the Student Technical Forum and Exhibition 2010, held in Taipei. Their The consortium is one of five set up by Hewlett Packard in 2010 of Engineering has become Paper Contest at the research project, “A Formal Analysis of Crosstalk Noise focusing on the transformation of STEM education. Member part of a leading 2010 IEEE International in Mesh-based Optical Network-on-Chip for Chip organizations were selected through an open, competitive global industry-education global Conference on Electron Multiprocessors”, was co-authored by Prof Jiang Xu. call for proposals. Devices and Solid-State AMD is a leading semiconductor company. social innovation program “We are excited about the impact of this initiative and the network Circuits with her paper “Soft-Start Circuit with Duty Ratio designed to develop more effective approaches to education in of consortia in the long term,” said Prof Mounir Hamdi, Head of Controlled Voltage Clamping and Adaptive Sizing science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) worldwide. Computer Science and Engineering and Project Lead. Such funding Technique for Integrated DC-DC Converters”. PhD As part of the HP Catalyst Initiative, set up by leading technology would help the University deliver projects that will shape the way student Chenchang Zhan, Electronic and Computer multinational Hewlett Packard, HKUST has received a generous education develops and society evolves as well as empower Engineering, came third with his paper grant of US$150,000 which will be put toward a new teaching lab students to collaborate globally, he noted. “Output-Capacitor-Free Adaptively Biased Low-Dropout equipped with high-end computers for Computer Science and Regulators”. Zhan also won the Student Paper Award at Engineering students. Ms Gabi Zedlmayer, Vice President, Office of Global Social ■ Postgraduate student Zhijian Zhou, the IEEE International Symposium on Circuits and Innovation at Hewlett Packard, explained that the HP Catalyst Electronic and Computer The University is among 35 educational institutions across 11 Systems held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in May with his paper Initiative underscored the company’s vision of a world where Engineering, has been awarded First countries to be selected by Hewlett Packard to receive a grant in “An Output-Capacitor-Free Adaptively Biased innovation and collaboration are enabled by investments in Runner-up in the Postgraduate 2010. It is also a member of the newly established Hewlett Low-Dropout Regulator with Sub-Threshold technology and education. “The program is designed to help foster Category of the Student Paper Packard-sponsored Measuring Learning Consortium, led by Undershoot-Reduction for SoC”, co-authored with Prof potential solutions to society’s most critical challenges by educating Contest held by the IEEE Hong Kong Carnegie Mellon University in the US. The six-member multinational Wing-Hung Ki. A total of 658 papers were presented in and nurturing leaders,” she said. “This will be critical in ensuring we Section 2010, for his paper “The group will explore new technologies for measuring students’ the symposium. Only 3 papers were awarded the Student develop new communities and find new ways of doing things.” Design, Fabrication and Paper Award. Characterization of Piezoresistive ■ PhD student Liang Lu, Tactile Sensor for Fingerprint Innovative Technology Research Exploring the Story of Industrial Engineering and Sensing”. 2010 ECE graduate Yue Yu Logistics Management, was awarded First Runner-up in the Shared with Semiconductor Lasers Undergraduate Category for her received First Prize in the International School Teachers Prof Dieter Bimberg, Chair of Applied Solid State Physics paper “Modified-MMSE Equalization for Noise and Best Student Paper at Technical University of Berlin for the past 30 years, gave Interference Mitigation in SU-MIMO Systems” Over 70 science teachers from six international secondary schools Competition at the a fascinating talk on “Our Daily Life with Semiconductor Second Production and under the English Schools Foundation (ESF) gained interesting ■ Sixteen students from Dual Degree Program in Lasers” at HKUST in January. Operations Management insight into some of the latest technological advances at the School Technology and Management (T&M) had a great Society (POMS)-Hong Kong International Conference. of Engineering’s first professional development day for secondary The talk, jointly organized by the School of Engineering opportunity to learn more about the business world The conference was organized by the POMS-Hong school educators in May. and HKUST Institute for Advanced Study, examined the when they participated in the Schmidt-HKUST amazing success story related to semiconductor lasers. It Kong and Taiwan Chapters, the Department of The international school teachers were welcomed to HKUST by Corporate Project in Fall 2010. During the three-month explored how a fundamental physics breakthrough Industrial Engineering and Logistics Management and Provost Prof Wei Shyy. This was followed by a presentation by project, the four student teams looked at ways to regarded as useless to the economy 50 years ago, has the HKUST Logistics and Supply Chain Management Dean of Engineering Prof Khaled Ben Letaief and talks by faculty promote and facilitate adoption of Radio Frequency evolved through further engineering and discovery to Institute. members on a range of hot topics, including green buildings, wind Identification (RFID). To do so, they attended become a key part of modern life. energy, mobile technology, and terahertz imaging. Participants also ■ Hing Yik Ng, Year 2, Mechanical conferences, corporate seminars and conducted market had the opportunity to tour HKUST’s leading research facilities and The new knowledge and understanding went on to spur Engineering, received the analysis, among other activities, before presenting their scenic campus, and hear about student life from the School’s intercontinental optical communication, the basis of the Outstanding Student Award 2010 proposals to a panel of judges comprising senior Student Ambassadors. internet, and to form the backbone of modern energy from the Aircraft Engineer executives and business professionals. The winning team efficient systems. DVDs, the optical mouse, and medical Development Scheme (AEDS) in recommended using short-range wireless technology to Dean Ben Letaief said he hoped the successful event marked the applications, are just some examples of the recognition of her high-flying connect social networks with physical location beginning of a long-term relationship between the School of products now performance in examinations and information. Engineering and the ESF, which is Hong Kong’s largest international associated with participation in AEDS activities. AEDS is organized by school network educating around 16,000 students and over 50 the discovery. the Manufacturing and Industrial Division of the Hong nationalities. Kong Institution of Engineers and supported by the Hong Kong Aircraft Engineering Co Ltd and the Royal Aeronautical Society (Hong Kong Branch). It seeks to encourage undergraduates to plan and prepare for a career in aircraft engineering and maintenance.

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Campus News Alumni

Forums Foster Industrial Engineering Links IELM Mentorship Directing Tunnel Projects and Flying Planes Two significant meetings of minds from Hong Kong and beyond provided Dinner Two civil engineering alumni discuss how their studies at SENG put opportunities for thought-provoking discussion on some of the latest issues them on diverse roads to success. related to industrial engineering and logistics management in January. Over 160 mentors and student mentees from the Industrial Engineering and From January 6-7, over 120 overseas, Mainland China and Taiwan delegates Logistics Management Department DR MORGAN YANG, 1996 PhD really good preparation for my career. I also see the strengths attended the Second POMS-HK International Conference held at HKUST. The enjoyed an informal get-together at the Director of Operations, China of other HKUST graduates who come to work at the successful two-day event, organized by the Industrial Engineering and Logistics IELM Mentorship Dinner in November. The AECOM company. They are skilful at advanced computer Management (IELM) Department, HKUST Logistics & Supply Chain Management mentorship program provides simulations and have a strong background in Institute and the Production and Operations Management Society (POMS) – undergraduates with an opportunity to “After my PhD, focused mechanics. Their training may have been demanding Hong Kong Chapter, focused on “POM in the Economic Recovery”. learn from a business mentor, expand on wind-induced vibration but it means they are confident too.” of cable-stayed bridges, I Drawing together practitioners and academics, the conference provided a highly networks and build social skills. joined Maunsell (later useful platform for knowledge-sharing on production and operations management integrated into AECOM) to CLAUDIA SIN, 2007 BEng issues in the face of changing economic times and insights on the design, planning, Workshop on Liquid work on geotechnical and Second Officer, Hong Kong Dragon Airlines Ltd implementation and management of production systems and their impact. Crystals for Photonics tunnel projects. I was the “Flying has been my dream since I was young. On January 8, IELM hosted the 1st Forum for the Council of Industrial Prof VG Chigrinov, Electronic and project manager for the Although aviation degrees are not yet offered locally, Engineering Department Heads in Greater China (CIEDHC). The gathering Computer Engineering, hosted a design and construction of my HKUST civil engineering degree equipped me to brought together 40 department heads from Mainland China, Taiwan and Hong Workshop on Liquid Crystals for the North Point-Quarry Bay fulfill my dream of becoming a pilot. The engineering training at Kong to promote the development of industrial engineering and related areas in Photonics from 8-10 Dec 2010 at HKUST. section of the MTR’s Tseung Kwan O line and other signature SENG emphasizes logical thinking and analytical skills, which Greater China and to strengthen exchanges among industrial engineering The event provided a useful forum for tunnel projects in Hong Kong. helped me a lot in my career, especially in meeting the challenges departments in the region. liquid crystal scientists, researchers and “The Yangtze River tunnel-bridge, linking Shanghai’s Pudong of my 14-month cadet training in Australia. During my years at Presentations were provided by a number of academics, including Prof Ershi Qi, engineers from around the world to district and Chongming Island, was my significant Mainland SENG, I was also lucky enough to win several scholarships to gain Dean of the School of Management, Tianjin University, and Prof Ching Jong Liao, present their pioneering research and project. It opened in 2009 and is one of the world’s largest flying experience in Australia, New Zealand and Hong Kong. exchange ideas. An article on the Industrial Management Department and Vice President of National Taiwan shield-driven tunnels, with a diameter of 15.44m. “While a SENG student, I won a local eBay business competition University of Science and Technology, who both gave detailed accounts of workshop was later published in Liquid “The Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge is one of the most with two of my Civil Engineering classmates and this gave us the industrial engineering developments in their respective locations. Prof Fugee Crystals Today, an official publication of the challenging projects in the world for civil engineers as the valuable opportunity to work as interns in three different eBay Tsung, Head of IELM at HKUST, was elected Founding President of the Council. International Liquid Crystal Society. sea-crossing fixed link, involving the construction of the largest offices in Asia. In addition, I represented the University in the MECH Postgraduates’ immersed tunnel connecting man-made islands, is over 30km. “Introducing and Demonstrating Earthquake Engineering It gives me many challenges, including environmental and Research in Schools Competition” in Taiwan. Society sustainability issues, but also valuable experience in such a “I think I developed a unique project. In the past few months, members of the great deal at SENG and Mechanical Engineering Postgraduates’ “The world is flat and changing rapidly, with increasing client my all-round education Society have been able to take part in a demands. Innovation is therefore a key aspect of civil there broadened my series of fun events organized to help engineering’s future. Students will need to have the flexibility horizons considerably, students meet new people and enjoy time to handle such a working environment. helping me to achieve out from their research. Activities included my career goal.” “I was the first PhD graduate in Civil Engineering at HKUST bike riding, a barbecue, and the Society’s and I felt my time at the School of Engineering (SENG) was second basketball competition, all of which proved highly enjoyable and a great way to relax. Main Board Listing for Perception Digital

Electronic and Computer Enterprise Market (GEM) of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange to Engineering (ECE) the Main Board. The company was first listed on the GEM board alumnus and HKUST’s in December 2009. first PhD graduate Prof Perception Digital Holdings Limited is the first and largest listed Jack Lau achieved further company set up under the HKUST Entrepreneurship Program. It success in June when specializes in technological solutions for consumer electronics and the hi-tech company he technology commercialization, and holds more than 25 patents. founded transferred its Major customers include leading international brands and Fortune listing from the Growth Global 500 companies.

22 23 Snapshot Engineering

Newsletter No.20 Summer 2011

The Miracle Continues School of Engineering Celebrates HKUST’s th Anniversary

Calendar of Events September 24-25, 2011 December 2011 HKUST Information Day HKUST Engineering Day HKUST Campus HKUST Campus October 14-23, 2011 December 8-11, 2011 HKUST “Bring Technology to Community” Exhibition The 3rd International Symposium on Plasticity and Impact Hong Kong Science Museum HKUST Clear Water Bay Campus (Dec 8-10) and HKUST Fok Ying Tung Graduate School, Nansha Campus (Dec 10-11) The above events are subject to change without prior notice.

Don't be the Missing Link ... Editors: Diana Liu, Dorothy Yip Alumni relationships are invaluable assets to the School and Contributing Editor: Sally Course alumni. To foster the growth of our alumni network, please Address: School of Engineering keep us informed of your recent news and send us your The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology updated contact information via email to [email protected]. Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong Stay connected and keep in touch! Phone: (852) 2358-5917 Fax: (852) 2358-1458 Email: [email protected] Website: www.seng.ust.hk Facebook: www.facebook.com/SENG.HKUST PTC-G14143 24

Dean's Message New Appointments Research

2011 marks another milestone in the history of HKUST as the technology play in making the world a better place, from Concurrent Prof Ben Letaief Honored as University reaches its 20th year, and the School of Engineering improved healthcare to more efficient buildings and bridges to ■ Prof Mordecai Golin (SENG) is fully playing its part in commemorating the new consumer electronic breakthroughs. ISI Highly Cited Researcher occasion. In the different Anniversary activities the School is Professor, Computer As we look toward HKUST’s next 20 years, SENG intends to Prof Khaled Ben Letaief, Dean of organizing throughout the year, we have set out to recognize Science and Engineering continue to push forward in its research and education Engineering, gained further and include all the different people who contribute to making achievements. We are already drawing together faculty on Appointed Associate recognition as an international SENG such a success. interdisciplinary endeavors and theme-based research to Vice-President for leader in his field by being Postgraduate Studies, Faculty members have helped us to become globally tackle some of the world’s biggest challenges, such as energy honored and selected as ISI Highly HKUST renowned through their outstanding research and innovations, and the environment. We are rapidly moving forward with our Cited Researcher by Thomson and the honors and achievements they have received. They education of 21st century engineers as we look forward to ■ Prof Mitchell Tseng Reuters in the field of Computer Science and Engineering. have also trained our students to become relevant, achieving, the four-year undergraduate degree system in Hong Kong in Chair Professor, Industrial participating members of society. As a result, our students 2012 and the opportunities it will bring. A wider view will also Engineering and Logistics Honoring the fundamental have gone out into society and shown how a HKUST be enhanced by our ongoing move toward diversity among Management contributions made in 21 broad subject categories in life sciences, education can provide the formative, all-round experience to our students, looking to draw the best talents from around Appointed Associate medicine, physical sciences, engineering and social sciences, ISI Highly generate innovative entrepreneurs and leaders in industry, the world to generate a global hub of ideas and links that will Vice-President for Cited Researchers are individuals who are the most highly cited in business and government. benefit all who study at SENG. These are our goals, and with Research and Innovation, their fields and inclusion in this list is taken as a measure of the esteem the momentum of all the people who have contributed in the The Hong Kong community has provided the foundation for HKUST of these scientific researchers and is used, for example, by the past and will do so in the future, they are ones I believe we Academic Ranking of World Universities. our student body and constantly supported us while we in ■ will achieve. Prof Lionel Ni turn have worked together with community members, from Prof Ben Letaief joins an elite club of less than half of 1% of all Chair Professor, Computer schools to industries, to let people know about the impact of published researchers in the world who are recognized among the Science and Engineering engineering and how it can move Hong Kong forward. Our 250 top and most-cited researchers in a defined discipline within a alumni have been our proud ambassadors out in the world, Appointed Dean of HKUST specific time-period. Prof Ben Letaief is a Fellow of IEEE and is while on campus we have sought to generate opportunities to Fok Ying Tung Graduate currently serving as the Vice-President of the IEEE Communications School work together with fellow members of HKUST. Society. He is also the recipient of many other international Prof Khaled Ben Letaief In SENG’s 20th Anniversary celebrations, our activities distinguished awards including the prestigious IEEE Marconi Prize Dean of Engineering Award in Wireless Communications. therefore encompass all these groups. And as this issue of In Visiting Faculty Focus shows, the events – ranging from top international ■ Prof Koon Fung Lam conferences on engineering education and the future of Wireless Project Receives Top Honor innovation to a fun day on campus for alumni and their Assistant Professor, Chemical and Biomolecular families – provide powerful recognition of what we have Engineering in MOE Natural Science Awards accomplished to date. Global interaction at the highest levels, PhD – The Hong Kong University of Science and Prof Lionel Ni, Prof Yunhao Liu and Mr Mo Li, Computer Science and community engagement, SENG family spirit, and campus Technology Engineering, received a prestigious First Class honor in the Ministry of connectivity, all are part of SENG’s sterling record of ■ Prof Matthew Law Education (MOE) Awards for Research Excellence in Natural Sciences achievement. for their cutting-edge project on “Range-free Localization and Assistant Professor, Electronic and Computer Indeed, as the largest School at HKUST, with the highest Localizability for Wireless Network and IOT: Theory and Practice”. The Engineering number of undergraduates, graduates and faculty, and the award was one of five secured by HKUST in this category, the largest most comprehensive within the PhD – The Hong Kong University of Science and number among tertiary institutions in Hong Kong. The natural science engineering field in Hong Kong, SENG Technology award targets tertiary institutions in China and recognizes those who has a pivotal role to play in raising ■ Prof Yue Wang have made discoveries in basic and applied research or explained natural awareness about the essential role phenomenon or characteristics through scientific research. Assistant Professor, Industrial Engineering and that engineers play in improving our Logistics Management Profs Ni and Liu’s wireless project led to the design of one of the lives. Our consistently high global rankings world’s earliest range-free localization and localizability systems using PhD – The Hong Kong University of Science and show that we are being successful in RFID; and found a solution to the problem of accurately obtaining Technology contributing to major achievements in the real-time object locations in field. We also want to ensure people a wireless sensor network outside the engineering field recognize and the Internet of Things. how central a role innovation and

Photo Credit: Beijing-Hong Kong Academic Exchange Centre

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Research Research

SENG Research Excellence Awards Research Excellence Award Young Investigator Research Award Prof Qian Zhang Prof Matthew McKay The launch of the School of Engineering Research Excellence Computer Science and Engineering Electronic and Computer Engineering Awards recognizes the impact and contributions of the School’s faculty members and provides an inspiring tribute to the Prof Zhang, a PhD graduate of Prof McKay has established an world-class work being carried out at HKUST. In Focus Wuhan University and previously exceptional research record for a with Microsoft Research Asia, Beijing, junior faculty member, helping him to showcases the four inaugural winners. is internationally known for the become the first winner of this award outstanding quality of her research which recognizes the achievements of in mobile multimedia communication a rising star with potential for future Distinguished Research Excellence Award IEEE Fellow, a Fellow of the Society for Information Display and advanced wireless networking. leadership. , and an Elected Member of the Asia-Pacific Academy of Prof Hoi Sing Kwok Materials, among others. She gained early recognition for her work on resource alloca- Joining HKUST in 2007 after receiving his PhD at the University Electronic and Computer tion, streaming protocol and cross-layer QoS support for mul- of Sydney in Australia, Prof McKay is making strong contributions Engineering Research Excellence Award timedia streaming, which has been frequently cited. to the fundamental understanding and design of advanced signal Dr William MW Mong Chair processing methods for wireless communications. He has Prof Guohua Chen Prof Zhang was the first to propose an end-system based Professor of Nanotechnology published over 40 journal papers and received 400 citations. Chemical and Biomolecular mobility solution for heterogeneous wireless networks and Prof Kwok has become the first Engineering has made notable contributions in the area of wireless sensor One of his main areas of interest is applications of random winner of the top Research networks. In recent years, she has made pioneering advances matrix theory to signal processing and information theory. He Prof Chen has been a major Excellence Award, which honors a in cognitive and cooperative wireless networks, an emerging has become well known for being able to characterize the contributor to two key research distinguished engineering faculty member with exceptional research area. This includes opening up a new research direction achievable capacity limits of multi-channel communication areas, the drying of high-value research achievements and significant impact locally and for cognitive radio networks by utilizing cooperative relay to systems using his random matrix theory. Through his results, for products and electrochemical globally. improve the transmission diversity and correspondingly the example, the data rate of mobile telephones and WiFi can be technologies for industrial spectrum efficiency. improved. The pioneering academic was cited for his contributions to the wastewater treatment. He has also gained acclaim for the field of display technologies, an area where he has enjoyed major application of nanotechnologies to environmental protection. Among earlier accolades, she was named among the World’s Showing the global recognition he is receiving, Prof McKay was achievements since 1992, the year he joined HKUST. A Harvard Top Young Innovators in the MIT Technology Review 100 in 2004 awarded the 2011 Stephen O. Rice Prize in the Field of Such achievements have secured him this award, which PhD graduate in Applied Physics, Prof Kwok has received 58 and received the Overseas Young Investigator Award from the Communications Theory from the IEEE Communications Society. recognizes an outstanding faculty member with a proven patents, with another 30 under review, and produced over 500 National Natural Science Foundation of China in 2006. This highly regarded award is given annually for the best paper record of research excellence. refereed publications on display-related research, achieving an published in IEEE Transactions on Communications in the previous Prof Zhang, who joined HKUST in 2005, has published over outstanding H-index citation rate of 40. As an example of the impact of his work, the electrochemical three years. The paper was co-authored by Shi Jin, Xiqi Gao and 200 refereed papers in top journals and international technologies developed in his laboratory have been evaluated Iain B. Collings. During his productive career, Prof Kwok has been actively conferences and is the inventor of around 30 pending as the most likely technology to deal with the remediation of engaged in both fundamental and applied research. The international patents. She is also an active leader in her He gained a 2010 Young Author Best Paper Award from the IEEE oily wastewaters, being cited in MIT Technology Review as the development of silicon micro-displays and the technology department at HKUST and has high visibility in the professional Signal Processing Society with a paper co-authored with his PhD future option of restaurant wastewater treatment. The Hong transfer of active-matrix organic light-emitting diode (OLED) community. student Liang Sun, and Shi Jin. He also received Best Paper Kong Environmental Conservation Fund granted research displays are key developments. “He is a true-blue academic of Awards at the IEEE International Conference on Communica- funding to build a pilot plant and excellent results have been She is co-director of Huawei-HKUST Innovation Lab and the HKUST, with all his work created here,” said Prof Ross Murch, tions 2011 and the IEEE Global Communications Conference obtained to date. director of the Digital Life Research Center at HKUST. Head of Electronic and Computer Engineering. 2010. Prof Chen, who earned his PhD at McGill University and After his arrival at HKUST, Prof Kwok spotted the industrial Prof McKay has also taken a pro-active role in establishing joined HKUST in the mid-1990s, has published over 120 need for liquid crystal display technology and built up a collaborations with international experts and promoting research journal papers and shared his knowledge through active research program. He has pioneered the development of low excellence among his students. temperature polycrystalline silicon (LTPS) thin-film transistors participation in international conferences and workshops. He has been an editor of Separation and Purification Technology, a (TFT) for high resolution active-matrix displays, among many Selecting the Winners other successful technology breakthroughs. top journal in the field of chemical engineering and is an International Advisory Panel Member of the World Congress Criteria for selection of awardees included research output, and research achievements recognized by the award were Prof Kwok’s invention of color-filtered liquid-crystal display on of Chemical Engineering. silicon (LCOS) was licensed to Himax Display Inc of Taiwan originality and innovativeness; impact of research output on expected to be for work carried out mainly at HKUST. The high quality of his research training has assisted his society, industry and the relevant engineering disciplines; and the device they produced based on this invention has The Research Awards Selection Committee comprised the postgraduate students in obtaining excellent research output research training provided to students and post-doctoral been incorporated into many products, including the Nikon head or acting head of each of the School of Engineering’s and careers. Bachelor degree students have gained the benefit researchers; and their leadership role in collaboration with PJ1000 digital camera. In addition, inventions related to LTPS six departments and was chaired by Prof Joseph Lee, of Prof Chen’s cutting-edge view of research through his national and international research partners. TFT have been licensed to Sinodisplay Technology Inc to Vice-President for Research and Graduate Studies. Of four commercialize the technology for active-matrix OLED displays. participation in the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program. Nominees had to be excellent researchers over a co-opted members, three were Professors Emeriti and Prof Kwok’s contributions to the field have been recognized sustained period of time – at least the past three years – one a member of the HKUST Institute for Advanced Study. through numerous prestigious professional affiliations. He is an 04 05

Research Academic Excellence

Artificial Intelligence Journal SENG Academics Receive Top-Tier Rankings Globally in Engineering and Technology Subjects

Headquartered at HKUST Google Research Awards HKUST has maintained its remarkable global presence in Aeronautical & Manufacturing, ahead of Korea Advanced In a significant boost for HKUST’s Three Computer Science and engineering and technology in a new set of academic subject Institute of Science & Technology (KAIST) (49th) and international presence and Hong Kong’s Engineering faculty members have rankings released in April. According to the 2011 QS World University of Wisconsin-Madison (51-100th); and 51-100th in drive to become an academic hub, the had their cutting-edge studies University Rankings by Subject - Engineering and Technology, Chemical Engineering. University has become the recognized, with each receiving a the first time these tables have been published, HKUST was ranked No.1 in Greater China in Computer Science & headquarters for a prestigious Google Research Award from the 2011 QS World University Rankings - Computer Science & new journal focusing on global internet search giant. This was Information Systems and No.1 in Hong Kong in Mechanical, Information Systems Rankings Aeronautical & Manufacturing. artificial intelligence. the highest number of awards Institution World Ranking granted to academics at a single ACM Transactions on In the Computer Science & Information Systems category, university in Hong Kong in the Massachusetts Institute of Technology 1 Intelligent Systems and HKUST was placed 26th. This ranking is in line with the funding round results released in Q4 University of California, Los Angeles 8 Technology is being led by Computer Science and Engineering Department’s ranking at 2010. Columbia University 17 founding editor-in-chief Prof 26th in the world and 1st in Greater China in the Academic HKUST 26 Qiang Yang, Computer Science and Engineering, an IEEE Fellow, Prof Chi Keung Tang, Prof Sunghun Ranking of World Universities (ARWU) league table produced and a specialist in data mining and artificial intelligence. ACM, or Kim and Prof Ke Yi received by Shanghai Jiao Tong University in 2010. The Electronic and Purdue University 29 the Association for Computing Machinery, is one of the two funding for their studies in Computer Engineering Department was globally placed 28th. The University of Tokyo 35 largest and most authoritative computing associations globally, “Quasi-Dense 3D Reconstruction Dean of Engineering Prof Khaled Ben Letaief said he was Tsinghua University 43 together with the IEEE. from 2D Uncalibrated Photos” delighted to see that the School of Engineering was continuing (geo/maps), “Crash Reproduction” The new journal aims to promote multi-disciplinary artificial to excel in international rankings. “We shall strive toward (software engineering) and 2011 QS World University Rankings - Electrical and Electronic intelligence research, with topics ranging from computational making even greater impact on the world with our first-rate “Computing Statistical Summaries Engineering Rankings sustainability to computational social and cultural dynamics. education and research now and in the future,” he said. with MapReduce” (information Papers started to be accepted at the beginning of 2010 and an A total of five subject areas in engineering and technology Institution World Ranking retrieval, extraction and inaugural issue was published in October 2010. An impressive were covered in the QS rankings. Ranking indicators include organization) respectively. Massachusetts Institute of Technology 1 400 submissions were received from around the world during academic reputation, employer reputation and citations, with Princeton University 12 its first year, including top institutions such as MIT and Stanford. The Google Research Awards the high rankings of HKUST’s engineering departments being Cornell University 19 program identifies and supports faculty pursuing research in an endorsement of its world-class faculty, high-impact “This is a terrific development,” said Prof Mounir Hamdi, Chair HKUST 28 areas of mutual interest internationally, with two rounds of Professor and Head of the Computer Science and Engineering research, outstanding students, and state-of-the-art facilities. funding held annually. In the Q4 2010 round, Google University of British Columbia 30 Department. “The founding of such a prestigious journal is a Other strong HKUST subject rankings included 42nd in Civil & supported 112 awards across 20 different subject areas, Purdue University 32 clear indication of the great research stature of Prof Yang and Structural Engineering, ahead of University of Bristol (47th) totaling more than US$6 million. Hong Kong received a total Tsinghua University 40 our department as a whole.” and Texas A&M University (51-100th); 44th in Mechanical, of five awards and one joint award putting it among the top The first four issues of the journal are available at regions to gain awards, along with the US, UK and Germany. http://tist.acm.org/publications.html. Academics from 14 regions in total gained funding, with around 65% of the awards going to researchers in the US. Agreement Signed for Joint PhD Program

Expanding the School of Engineering (SENG)’s international School agreed a joint PhD program with Korea Advanced Transforming Video Technology network and visibility further, a joint PhD degree program is Institute of Science and Technology, a major research Prof Bing Zeng, Electronic and published over the past three years is selected to receive the to be established under an exciting academic and research institution in Korea. Computer Engineering, and his 2010 Best Paper Award. It was the first time since the journal’s collaboration agreement between the School and the College PhD graduate Dr Jingjing Fu, now launch in 1991 that the honor had been awarded to a Hong of Engineering at Pohang University of Science and Technology working at Microsoft Research Asia, Kong professor and his student for work completely carried (POSTECH) in Korea. have been selected to receive the out in Hong Kong. In his paper, he lays down the fundamental The four-year HKUST/POSTECH program will require 2011 IEEE Transactions on Circuits and framework for the breakthrough transformation that has been students to spend two years at each university, providing Systems for Video Technology – Best widely used in many image and video coding applications. exposure to the research environment in two leading Paper Award for their paper With the same paper, Prof Zeng also won the Best Paper Award Asia-Pacific institutions and boosting students’ “Directional Discrete Cosine at the IEEE International Symposium on Circuits and Systems competitive edge. Every student will also have two faculty Transforms: A New Framework for Image Coding”. The IEEE 2011, held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The symposium is the world’s advisors, one from each institution. The universities are journal is widely recognized as the best in the area of video premier networking forum of leading researchers in the highly seeking to admit the first cohort in Fall 2012. technology. About 200 papers are published every year, active fields of theory, design and implementation of circuits and with an acceptance rate of about 17%. Each year, one paper The agreement marks another successful collaboration systems. with a top Korean university for SENG. In 2009, the

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Academic Excellence Academic Excellence

Princeton Exchange Expands Leading Academy Faculty Honors, Research Opportunities for Undergraduates Recognizes IELM Head Awards and Achievements

In a pioneering move, HKUST has become the first Prof Vincent Poor, Dean of the School of Engineering and In recognition of his ■ Prof Oscar Au, Electronic and university in Asia to enter into an undergraduate summer Applied Science at Princeton, also welcomed the move. outstanding contributions Computer Engineering, and his team research exchange partnership in engineering with “We are very pleased to establish a partnership with over the years, Prof Fugee are among the few university teams Princeton University. HKUST Engineering School to jointly advance the levels of Tsung, Head of Industrial contributing to the competitive Joint distinction in discovery and transmission of knowledge and Engineering and Logistics Collaborative Team on Video Coding The two-way summer exchange agreement will see School understanding through this research exchange program,” he Management, has been (JCTVC), which is developing the of Engineering (SENG) students spend eight weeks at the said. elected an Academician of next-generation video coding Ivy League institution where they will engage in research the International Academy standard. Prof Au’s team has had three proposals with faculty members on designated projects. Princeton for Quality (IAQ). The accepted into the High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC) students will undertake research with HKUST academics academy is the most standard’s working draft. The first proposal on chroma and professional research teams from Hong Kong Applied prestigious international entropy coding was accepted at the Daegu (Korea) Science and Technology Research Institute (ASTRI). organization in its field. It meeting in January 2011. The second and third The arrangement is especially notable as Princeton has less comprises peer-nominated proposals were on sub-LCU Qp representation and than 10 institutional partners for reciprocal exchange members who admit individuals identified as global thought dQP calculation method respectively and were accepted worldwide. In combining hands-on research experience leaders in quality-related issues. at the Geneva meeting in March 2011. The HEVC standard will be finalized in mid 2013. with international exchange, the program also offers a Prof Tsung is only the second in Hong Kong and one of just different form of study abroad experience for SENG six academicians in Greater China to receive the accolade. ■ Prof Mansun Chan, Electronic and students. His research focuses on quality control and the Computer Engineering, and his team Dean of Engineering Prof Khaled Ben Letaief said that improvement of complex systems in both the manufacturing won a 2009 Shenzhen City Technology SENG was committed to providing an outstanding and service sectors. Prof Tsung has also taken up many Innovation Award from the Shenzhen undergraduate education that produced global leadership positions, including Regional Vice-President (Asia) Science and Technology Association citizens. “We are therefore very excited about this of the Institute of Industrial Engineers (IIE), and helped to with the project “New Generation initiative which will not only allow our students to raise wider awareness of quality techniques in the region. Nano-CMOS Device Model Research acquire an international outlook but will further Showing the growing attention now being paid to the area and Verification for SOC Design”. The project was develop their appreciation of research.” in Greater China, the Asian Network for Quality 2012 undertaken with Peking University Shenzhen Graduate Congress will be held at HKUST. Around 500 quality School. professionals from Asia are expected to attend. ■ Prof Albert Chung, Computer Engineering Program, Prof Sunghun Kim, Computer Science and Engineering, Prof Ergonomics Expert Lambros Katafygiotis, Civil and Environmental Engineering, First Choice Again for PhD Engineering Fellows and Prof Henry Lam, Chemical and Biomolecular Elected Fellow Engineering, have been named among HKUST’s 2010 Best The School of Engineering (SENG) continues to be the first The commitment and cutting-edge research of SENG’s Ten Lecturers in the annual awards event organized by choice for high-flying Hong Kong, Mainland China and world-class academics in different engineering fields are Prof Richard So, Industrial VERTEX, House II Students Association. The independent overseas engineering students admitted under the Hong among the School’s top attractions for the next generation Engineering and Logistics student initiative allows those studying at HKUST to show Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme, offered by the Research of leading researchers, according to Dean of Engineering Management, has been their appreciation of lecturers’ work and give them a vote Grants Council (RGC). Prof Khaled Ben Letaief. “With top-notch teaching, elected a Fellow of the of thanks. It was the 14th year the event had been pioneering research projects and state-of-the-art facilities, I Institute of Ergonomics and organized. In May, the RGC announced that 123 elite PhD students am sure awardees can maximize their potential here,” he Human Factors for his from around 20 countries/regions had accepted offers for ■ Prof Pascale Fung, Electronic and said. significant contributions to 2011/12, with a total of 22 awardees electing to study at Computer Engineering, and her team ergonomics. Established in SENG. This was equivalent to 44% of the total fellows The PhD Fellowship Scheme was launched by the RGC to received a Second Class Prize in the 1949, the Institute is the admitted to all engineering disciplines in Hong Kong. attract the best and brightest students from around the Shenzhen/Hong Kong Technology oldest professional society in world to study and carry out research in University Grants Innovation Competition 2010 for their The RGC’s PhD scheme is now in its second year and for the field and aims to promote Committee-funded institutions in Hong Kong. A total of ITF/APAS project on a 3G automotive both years SENG has drawn the highest number of public awareness of 4,024 applications from 103 countries/regions were received infotainment system. HKUST was the engineering awardees in Hong Kong. It also represents more ergonomics and its applications. Prof So has also been invited in the 2011/12 round. only Hong Kong institution, academic or private, to win than two-thirds of the total 32 students admitted to Schools to become editor in the area of Human Factors for Displays, a prize that year. at HKUST under the 2011/12 intake. an international journal focusing on research related to vision and displays.

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Academic Excellence Beyond Labs & Lectures

■ Associate Dean of Engineering Prof ■ Research by Prof Yi-Kuen Lee, Jang Kyo Kim, Mechanical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, on has been elected editor of Composite “Super-hydrophobic Surface with The Rise of Part A, one of the most prestigious Nano-flowers on Silicon” has been journals in the field. Prof Kim has been published on the Chinese International HKUST ROBOTICS serving on the journal's editorial board NEMS Network website and become for seven years, as well as being on the one of its most frequently viewed editorial boards of seven other international journals articles. Prof Lee has also published a A robot addressed an amazed audience at HKUST on April 12, giving an 11-minute related to areas of advanced materials and composites. paper, in collaboration with Prof Hsian-Rong Tseng at presentation at the HKUST 20th Anniversary Program Parade presented by the UCLA, on the development of the 2nd generation ■ For the second consecutive year, Prof School of Engineering (SENG). The NAO robot, recently acquired for training microfluidic circulating tumor cells (CTCs) capture Sunghun Kim, Computer Science and purposes, had been successfully programmed to give the entertaining introduction by technology which was chosen as the cover of Engineering, has been selected to members of HKUST’s Robotics Team, all of whom come from SENG. Angewandte Chemie International Edition (Mar 21, 2011 receive a highly competitive Software issue). The paper, “Highly Efficient Capture of Circulating HKUST’s Robotics Team stems from students’ successful participation in the annual Engineering Innovation Foundation Tumor Cells Using Nanostructured Silicon Substrates Robocon contest, which began in 2004. The 2011 team comprises 70 students from (SEIF) Award from Microsoft with Integrated Chaotic Micromixers” has also been Hong Kong, Mainland China and overseas, with representatives from all of the School’s Research. His proposal, “GATE: highlighted in Nature Medicine (Mar 2011 issue). departments. This marks a 75% increase on 2010 and shows the enthusiasm for this Game-based Automatic Testing Environment”, was the type of learning experience outside the regular curriculum. Altogether around 150 only one selected from Asia and among just 10 ■ Prof Wai Ho Mow, Computer Engineering SENG students signed up to participate before the Robotics Team selection was made. worldwide that were chosen from 88 study proposals in Program, has been awarded a 2010/11 Photo Credit: Sing Tao Daily 2011. The proposal will be supported by a grant of grant from the Overseas and Hong Kong, In order for more students to participate in external competitions, Robotics Team mem- US$35,000 for a year. SEIF is open to universities and Macau Young Scholars Collaborative bers have now been divided into four groups, with each taking part in one of four major research institutions worldwide and receives proposals Research Fund, set up by the National events. These are the Robocon Hong Kong Contest and three new ones, the Remotely of the highest standards. Selection criteria include the Natural Science Foundation of China, for Operated Vehicles (ROV) Competition featuring underwater robots, the Smart Car project’s impact on the software engineering community, his project “Optimal Training Sequence Competition, and NAO RoboCup. potential for wide dissemination and use of the Design and Low-Complexity Estimation/Decoding Methods To celebrate the formation of the Robotics Team, senior administrators of the University, intellectual property created, ability to complete the for Multiple-Antenna Wireless Communications”. The including President Prof F Tony Chan, presented team flags to the individual groups at project, as well as the qualifications of the principal research is being carried out in collaboration with Southwest the Program Parade. Members of the Robotics Team also took a pledge to participate in investigator. Jiaotong University in Sichuan. the contests in a competitive but sporting manner.

■ Prof Chung Yee Lee and Prof Ajay ■ A co-authored poster by Prof Hui He A few days before the Program Parade, the ROV team got off to a flying start by per- Joneja, Industrial Engineering and Qiu, Mechanical Engineering, entitled forming excellently in the Hong Kong Underwater Robot Challenge, a qualification Robots Perform Lion Dance Logistics Management, have been “Drastic Enhancement of Boiling Heat examination for the international competition. With this success, they represented Hong awarded a research grant from the Transfer with Micro- and Nano- Kong in the ROV international competition at NASA Johnson Space Center in Houston at Grand Celebration Innovation and Technology Fund for Engineering of Surface Wettability”, won in June and won the Design Elegance Award, which was judged by the aesthetics, sim- Two NAO robots also made a memo- their project “Integrated Decision the Honorable Mention-ASME Best plicity and functionality of the vehicle’s design. Grateful to the Robotics Team’s logistics rable appearance at HKUST’s Grand Support System for Dynamic Poster Award at the Micro & partner, DHL Express, for providing logistics consultation and sponsoring the air express Celebration commemorating the Vehicle-Dispatching and Scheduling with Real-time Nanotechnology Society-Wide Forum at the 2010 transportation of over 85kg. With DHL’s professional help on shipping the sophisticated University’s 20th Anniversary on April 8. Information under Operation Uncertainty”. The project American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) and delicate underwater robot machines, the robot has been safely and efficiently deliv- The robots, programmed by HKUST seeks to develop an integrated information technology International Mechanical Engineering Congress & ered between Hong Kong and Houston. Robotics Team members, performed an platform for passenger transport in real-time operation Exposition in Vancouver. The Robotics Team is supervised by Prof Zexiang Li and Prof Tim Woo, both from the impressive lion dance at the event. and information exchange to reduce operation costs ■ Prof Jiang Xu, Electronic and Electronic and Computer Engineering Department. and improve efficiency. Computer Engineering, has been selected by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Computer Society as a Distinguished Visitor. Under the society’s Distinguished Visitors Program, first-quality speakers from among its membership share the latest insights in different areas of the field with professional and student chapters of the society in different locations.

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