News & Stories
2025

Stories
Beyond the Buzz: Tuning Drone Tech for Quieter Skies and Safer Cities
The buzz surrounding drones and eVTOL vehicles signals an exciting future—faster deliveries, rapid medical aid, and efficient public services just over our heads. But as these technologies take flight, they face two critical challenges: noise pollution and public safety. Drone and eVTOL operation in low altitude airspace produce noise and face flight safety challenges in micro-weather and building wind environment.
Professor ZHANG Xin, Swire Professor of Aerospace Engineering, and Professor ZHOU Peng at The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) are leading efforts to overcome these issues. Combining cutting-edge research in aerospace engineering with practical solutions, their team is striving to ensure drones and eVOTL vehicles can integrate harmoniously into urban life.

News
HKUST Researchers Pioneer Breakthroughs in Lithium-Ion Battery Recycling to Enhance Critical Metal Recovery and Reduce Carbon Emissions
Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) are widely used in consumer electronics, electric vehicles, and renewable energy systems, making efficient recycling crucial for sustainability. A research team led by Prof. Dan TSANG, Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering at The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST), has revealed a previously unrecognized atomic-scale mechanism that obstructs efficient LIB recycling. This breakthrough challenges long-standing assumptions and sets the stage for cleaner, high-yield recovery of critical metals used in LIBs.
News
HKUST Develops AI Medical Imaging Technology that Cuts Radiation by 99%
Researchers at The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) have developed a groundbreaking AI technology that reconstructs precise 3D bones and organs models from minimal X-ray images, slashing patients’ radiation exposure by up to 99% compared to CT scans. This innovation not only enhances patient safety but also reduces costs and wait times, with potential applications in surgical planning, real-time imaging, and personalized implants. HKUST team is collaborating with different industry partners, including bone printing company Koln 3D Technology (Medical) Limited (Koln 3D), to implement this technology in public hospitals.

News
HKUST’s Next-Gen QRLEDs Transform Smartphone & TVs with Ultra-Bright and Color-Rich Displays
Researchers at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) School of Engineering have cracked a major challenge in display technology by inventing the world’s brightest and most energy efficient quantum rod LEDs (QRLEDs). These next-generation QRLEDs feature optimized deep green emission at the top of the color triangle, enabling displays with unprecedented color purity and a maximized color gamut. Boasting a longer lifespan and triple the brightness of previous models, these cutting-edge light sources deliver energy-efficient, ultra-vivid visuals for smartphones, televisions, and AR/VR devices while further enhancing color performance.

News
HKUST and Tsinghua Sign Three Agreements to Deepen Collaboration on Research and Education
The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) signed three agreements with Tsinghua University (Tsinghua) to foster collaboration in research and education. These initiatives include launching a joint Integrated Master-PhD Program in Electronic and Computer Engineering, an executive education program and joint research funding.
Unleashing New Opportunities in Education and Research through Collaboration
HKUST Council Chairman Prof. Harry SHUM and HKUST President Prof. Nancy IP recently received a Tsinghua University delegation led by Secretary of the Party Committee Prof. QIU Yong, alongside Tsinghua Council Deputy Chairman Prof. YANG Bin and other senior Tsinghua officials. The delegation witnessed the signing of the agreements between the two institutions. Key initiatives include:

News
HKUST and BYD Establish Joint Laboratory to Pioneer Embodied Intelligence
The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) and BYD Auto Industry Company Limited (BYD) launched the HKUST-BYD Embodied Al Joint Lab. This collaboration aims to accelerate innovation and industrial applications in robotics and smart manufacturing, injecting new momentum into global scientific advancement and industrial transformation.
The agreement was signed by HKUST Vice-President for Research and Development Prof. Tim CHENG and BYD Vice President Mr. LUO Zhongliang, witnessed by HKUST Council Chairman Prof. Harry SHUM and BYD Group Chairman and President Mr. WANG Chuanfu.

News
HKUST Chemists Discover a “Super” Photoreductant to Leap Forward in Photocatalysis
Chemists at the School of Science of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) have recently made a significant breakthrough in photocatalysis by unveiling a “super” photoreductant, marking a major advancement in organic synthesis.
Quantum dots (QDs) hold great promise as photocatalysts for promoting photoredox chemistry, however, their application in photocatalytic organic transformations has lagged behind that of small molecule photosensitizers due to the limited understanding of their photophysics. While various studies have explored the generation of hot electrons from QDs as a strategy to enhance photoreduction efficiencies, achieving effective hot-electron generation under mild conditions has posed a significant challenge.
News
HKUST Unveils Otto Poon Center for Climate Resilience and Sustainability
The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) today inaugurated the Otto Poon Center for Climate Resilience and Sustainability (CCRS), a transformative initiative designed to accelerate research, innovation and policy solutions in climate resilience and sustainable development. Established through the generous support of Ir Dr. Otto POON, Founder of the Otto Poon Charitable Foundation, the Center unites HKUST’s world-class expertise in climate science, advanced modeling systems, artificial intelligence (AI), renewable energy and sustainable policy to deliver scalable and actionable strategies for governments, industries, and communities worldwide.