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Catalysis can accelerate chemical reactions and plays a key role in producing cleaner and more economical fuels. On 17 September 2025, Prof. WANG Yong from Washington State University, USA, delivered a PAIR Distinguished Lecture titled “Catalysis: Driving Affordable Clean Energy”. He shared insights into the potential of advanced catalytic technologies in revolutionising fuel production and reducing emissions. The lecture attracted over 120 in-person attendees, with more than 17,900 online viewers tuning in via various social media platforms. At the beginning of his talk, Prof. Wang explained the definition of catalysis: the use of catalysts to lower the activation energy required to initiate a chemical reaction, thereby enabling reactions to proceed more rapidly and efficiently with minimal energy input. An excellent catalyst must possess high stability to effectively facilitate the interactions among reactants to form products.

Prof. Wang then introduced his team’s research achievements in the field of the Fischer-Tropsch process. They discovered that this process, developed in the last century, can convert coal, natural gas or biomass into liquid fuels, and that its reaction rate naturally fluctuates between high and low levels. This intriguing phenomenon may pave the way for more efficient fuel production in the future.

Prof. Wang also discussed how catalytic converters in vehicle exhaust systems use metals such as platinum, palladium, and rhodium to purify emissions and reduce pollutants. He pointed out that hydrothermal ageing techniques can be used to stabilise single-atom catalysts and enhance their catalytic activity.

In summary, these studies demonstrate the immense potential of advanced catalytic technologies in revolutionising fuel production and emissions control, laying the foundation for cleaner and more efficient energy systems.

The subsequent question-and-answer session was chaired by Prof. WANG Lianzhou, Chair Professor of Energy Materials in the Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology. Both in-person and online audiences engaged in fruitful exchanges and discussions with the two professors.

Event date: 17/9/2025
Speaker: Prof. WANG Yong
Hosted by: PolyU Academy for Interdisciplinary Research

Metamorphosis is an innate natural attribute in the evolution and survival of species. The development of shape-shifting robots is a core area within the field of intelligent structures. By integrating computational intelligence, there is hope for achieving true embodied intelligence in today’s rapidly advancing world of artificial intelligence.

Prof. DAI Jiansheng, Chair Professor at King’s College London, United Kingdom, Dean of Institute of Robotics, South University of Science and Technology (SUSTech), China and Chair Professor at SUSTech–KCL Joint School, shared the latest developments in robotics at the PAIR Distinguished Lecture titled “Embedded Intelligence in Robotics” on 15 September 2025. The lecture attracted over 140 in-person participants and an online audience of more than 14,900 via various social media platforms.

At the beginning of his presentation, Prof. Dai introduced how his team has eliminated the need for adding components or dismantling structures, instead directly incorporating metamorphosis into robot design. This has led to a disruptive transformation in robotic structures, fundamentally altering traditional design approaches. Drawing inspiration from biological metamorphosis in nature and the art of origami, and combining geometry, mechanics, mathematics and kinematics, he explained how the design of shape-shifting robots is evolving towards multi-modal, multi-structural, multi-topological, and multi-degree-of-freedom structures. This is to keep pace with the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence and to enhance robots’ adaptability to their operating environments and challenging tasks.

Prof. Dai pointed out that metamorphosis has expanded the possibilities for robotic structural design, leading to innovative metamorphic outcomes such as novel legged robots, dexterous hands, solar arrays, metamaterials and flexible electronics. He further noted that today’s robots combine both rigid and flexible characteristics, offering compliance and safety, and are distinguished by elastic mechanism dynamics, novel variable-stiffness mechanisms and highly integrated perception-driven systems. In the future, robots will focus on morphological innovation and intrinsic safety, incorporating new materials, soft or continuum structures, metamorphic and biomimetic features. This signals that, over the next decade, robotics will move into a new technological era characterised by bio-integration, living entities, high-performance living systems and hybrid life systems. In summary, the key to the future development of robotics lies in continuous transformation and innovation.

Following the presentation was a lively question-and-answer session moderated by Prof. ZHANG Dan, Chair Professor of Intelligent Robotics and Automation in the Department of Mechanical Engineering. The audience engaged in a productive discussion with Prof. Dai.

Event date: 15/9/2025
Speaker: Prof. DAI Jiansheng
Hosted by: PolyU Academy for Interdisciplinary

Prof. Gao began his presentation with a brief outline of important role that mechanics plays in the development of structural and functional materials, enlightening the audience on the recent advances in nanostructured materials, biomedical materials, mechanical metamaterials, soft actuators, flexible electronics, tunable mechanochromics, regenerative mechanomedicine and many more.
He further illustrated how fundamental principles of mechanics enable the proactive modulation and programming of properties in both engineering and biological systems. Through case studies, Prof. Gao highlighted the breakthroughs in mechano-energy, mechano-interfaces, and mechano-materials, demonstrating their transformative potential.

Event date: 13/06/2025
Speaker: Prof. GAO Huajian
Hosted by: PolyU Academy for Interdisciplinary Research

In this talk, I will present the results of several studies examining qualitative and quantitative empirical research articles from applied linguistics. The studies use both corpus-based analyses and rhetorical genre analysis to describe similarities and differences across the two paradigms. Each of the studies draws on a corpus of published studies from journals that regularly publish both quantitative and qualitative articles on the topic of language learning and teaching.

I first describe the compilation of the corpus, which currently includes 863 studies from 2013 to 2023, and explain some of the challenges involved in using copyrighted materials in a time of calls for open science. Next, I explain the rationale for comparing qualitative and quantitative research in a subfield of applied linguistics. Specifically, I talk about the challenges of a field in which there appears to be a widening divide in the nature of research in the two paradigms along with unsubstantiated claims in research manuals characterizing the two paradigms.

The bulk of the talk will focus on my and my collaborators’ research agenda using our created corpus. Two of the studies focus on the role of theory in the empirical studies. The first study used a corpus-based analysis of the frequency and collocations of the lemma theor- while the second used rhetorical move analysis to show how theory was used in structuring literature reviews. Both studies revealed differences in the role of theory in the two paradigms that show how language choice and rhetorical moves reflect their epistemologies. The third study focused on citation use and revealed some differences, but more similarities. Finally, we have two studies in progress examining article structure and lexical bundles. Taken together, both studies show that quantitative research is more structured and predictable. I end by suggesting possible extensions of our research using qualitative methods.

The final part of this talk will explain the relevance of this research to both teaching academic writing and to the field of applied linguistics. With regard to teaching writing, I will give specific examples of how the various analyses used in the five studies can be transferred to heterogeneous writing classes to help students explore conventions in their own fields. Second, I explain how the studies suggest a widening gap between the two paradigms and how this gap presents problems for graduate programs, journals, and professional organizations, all of which, I argue, need to be more sensitive to acknowledging research in both paradigms.

Event date: 12/03/2025
Speaker: Professor Charlene POLIO (Michigan State University)
Hosted by: Faculty of Humanities

Prof. John A. ROGERS from Northwestern University, United States, delivered the 35th PAIR Distinguished Lecture titled “Bioelectronics – Frontiers in the Integration of Technology with Biology” on 19 February 2025 on the PolyU campus. The lecture attracted over 130 participants to join in person and captivated an online audience of over 12,800 from different countries and regions who watched the live broadcast on multiple social media platforms, including Bilibili, WeChat, Weibo and YouTube.

The lecture began with a warm welcome and introduction of the speaker by Prof. CHEN Qingyan, Director of PAIR. Prof. Rogers kickstarted his presentation by providing an overview of the advanced electronic technologies designed for stable, intimate integration with living organisms. These technologies serve as the foundations for patient monitoring and disease treatment. Specifically, the ability to inject miniaturised, biocompatible electronic systems into soft tissues or laminate them onto vital organs opens unique opportunities in tracking and manipulating biological activity, with significant implications in human healthcare.
Prof. Rogers also discussed the core concepts in materials science, circuit design, and manufacturing that underpin these technologies, including bioresorbable or “transient” devices engineered to dissolve in the body in sync with natural processes. He also presented several joint interdisciplinary projects with long-time collaborator Prof. HUANG Yonggang, including skin-like wireless devices for tracking vital signs and bioelectronic “medicines” for neuroregeneration and temporary cardiac pacing.

Following the presentation was a question-and-answer session moderated by Prof. ZHENG Zijian, Associate Director of the Research Institute for Intelligent Wearable Systems (RI-IWEAR) and Chair Professor of Soft Materials and Devices in the Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology. The audience engaged in a productive discussion with Prof. Rogers.

Prof. Alex MIHAILIDIS, Associate Vice President of International Partnerships at the University of Toronto delivered the 19th PAIR Distinguished Lecture titled “The Future of Elder Care: Integrating Large Language Models” on 26 April 2024. The lecture attracted about 100 participants to join in person and captivated an online viewing audience of over 14,100 from different countries and regions to watch the live broadcast on multiple social media platforms, including Bilibili, WeChat, Weibo, YouTube, etc.

The lecture commenced with a welcome speech and speaker introduction by Prof. ZHENG Yongping, Director of the Research Institute for Smart Ageing (RISA), followed by an engaging presentation by Prof. Mihailidis. The content materials used in Prof. Mihailidis’s presentation were generated by ChatGPT, while he added the narrative.
In his presentation, Prof. Mihailidis first played several videos created by artificial intelligence (AI) to introduce what LLM is, how it can support elderly care services, some drawbacks of using LLM, and its future development. He supplemented that LLMs are advanced AI systems capable of understanding and generating human-like texts, as well as visual outputs and models that can respond to or interact with users. Next, Prof. Mihailidis outlined the specific benefits of using LLMs in elderly care, including the support tools and resources they offer to caregivers. He then delved into the ethical considerations and challenges in LLM design, such as privacy concerns, the risk of over-dependence on technology, and the barriers to technology adoption by older adults and their caregivers. To conclude, Prof. Mihailidis emphasised the role of empathetic and emotionally-intuitive AI in enhancing the quality of life for the elderly and supporting the caregiving ecosystem.

Following the presentation was a lively and insightful question-and-answer session moderated by Ir Prof. Zheng. The audience had a fruitful discussion with Prof. Mihailidis. A souvenir was presented by Prof. CHEN Qingyan, Director of PAIR, to thank Prof. Mihailidis for his excellent presentation and support to PAIR.

The lecture commenced with a welcome speech and speaker introduction by Ir Prof. MAN Hau-chung, Dean of Faculty of Engineering and Director of the Research Institute for Advanced Manufacturing (RIAM). In Prof. Lin presentation, he primarily indicated the increasing global requirements for reducing energy use and carbon dioxide emission of transportation vehicles, lightweight passenger cars have become an inevitable trend. Ultra-high strength steel (UHSS) can save the production cost of vehicles, improve productivity and car performance. Next, he introduced the “HFQ®-Technology” developed by his team in recent years that has enabled high strength alloys to be stamped into complex-shaped automotive components. He outlined the use of thermomechanical experimental tests for generating high quality data for modelling, and the use of spatio-temporal method for determining necking and fracture strains of sheet metals. He also explained the computational steps for evaluating the formability of sheet metals under hot stamping. To conclude, Prof. Lin emphasised that improvements in experimental sciences, technologies and standardised testing are important for supporting the development of new materials processing technologies.