Prof. Hayden Kwok Hay SO is an Associate Professor at the University of Hong Kong (HKU), affiliated with the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering. He currently serves as Acting Director of the School of Innovation and previously co-directed the Computer Engineering Program. His research focuses on reconfigurable computing systems, FPGA-based architectures, and their applications in AIoT, medical imaging, and high-performance computing. He holds a B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences from UC Berkeley (1998–2007). Prof. So has been recognized with awards such as the IEEE-HKN Teaching Award (2021), Croucher Innovation Award (2013), and multiple teaching excellence awards. He leads the Computer Architecture & System Research Lab (CASR) and co-founded the Joint Lab on Future Cities (JLFC). His work spans FPGA overlay architectures, graph processing systems, and hardware-software co-design for efficient computing. Key research contributions include advancements in FPGA-based reconfigurable systems, sparse dataflow architectures, and medical imaging accelerators. He has secured grants for projects like 'Advanced machine vision guided aquatic surface vehicles' and 'Efficient and Productive Parallel Data Processing in Hybrid FPGA-CPU Clusters.' Prof. So has advised numerous students and researchers, contributing to over 150 peer-reviewed publications. His current projects explore AI hardware acceleration, neuromorphic computing, and FPGA-driven solutions for big data challenges.
Dr. Damien Charrieras is an Associate Professor at the School of Creative Media , City University of Hong Kong, where he serves as Program Leader for the Master of Art in Creative Media and deputy program leader for the PhD in Creative Media. His work bridges cultural studies, new media theory, and the intersection of financial technologies with artistic practices through the ACIM Laboratory for Interventions in Speculative Finance . Doctoral research on digital artists' trajectories in Montreal FRQSC Postdoctoral Fellowship at McGill University Research spans game engine design , datafication of creativity , blockchain in art , and post-anthropocentric creative processes . With over HK$3.14M in grants as Principal Investigator, he explores situated digital creativity in urban contexts, critical worldbuilding pedagogy , and the mediation of technical systems in cultural production. His publications in Cities , Organized Sound , and Human Relations analyze the reconfiguration of artistic practices through software infrastructures and automation paradigms. Scientific awards include: FRQSC Postdoctoral Fellowship
Brian Kwok is an Associate Professor at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University's School of Design, where he serves as Programme Leader of BA Communication Design and heads the Information Design Lab. His academic foundation includes an MA in Design from PolyU, complemented by an MA in Visual Culture Studies and MPhil in Communication from the Chinese University of Hong Kong. With over a decade of tenure at PolyU, Kwok co-founded the Information Design Lab in 2011 to advance research in practical design applications. Kwok's research explores the intersection of visual communication, cultural heritage, and urban environments. Primary domains include: Neon Signage Studies : Documentation and semiotic analysis of Hong Kong's vanishing neon landscapes Healthcare Communication : Typographic legibility for medication labeling targeting senior citizens Urban Ethnography : Spatial practices of street vendors and visual narratives in public spaces Cultural Preservation : Archival projects on Hong Kong's typographic heritage and vernacular design His publication corpus (2015-2023) demonstrates consistent focus on Hong Kong's visual culture evolution, with recurring themes: cultural identity in urban signage, typographic accessibility for vulnerable populations, and cinematic representations of urban change. Methodologically, he blends empirical studies (e.g., user testing of medicine labels) with visual semiotics and historical documentation. Awards recognize both scholarly and practical impact: GRF-funded research on neon sign preservation (2023) Arts Go Digital grant for cultural documentation (2021) HKDA Global Design Excellence Award (2017) Outstanding Paper Award for neon signage research (2017) As Lab Leader, Kwok oversees projects including medicine label optimization, wayfinding systems, and the Fading of HK Neon Visual Culture Project. He actively engages with public institutions through roles on the Public Libraries Advisory Committee and as external examiner for academic programs.
Anthony Man-Cho So is a Professor in the Department of Systems Engineering and Engineering Management at The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK). He currently serves as Dean of the Graduate School and Deputy Master of Morningside College . With a BSE from Princeton University and a PhD in Computer Science from Stanford University, his career at CUHK began in 2007. Academic Leadership: Dean, Graduate School (2023–present); Deputy Master, Morningside College (2019–present) Education: BSE (Princeton), MSc/PhD (Stanford) His research focuses on optimization theory and its interdisciplinary applications in computational geometry, machine learning, signal processing, and statistics. Key projects include non-convex optimization for wireless networks, robust graph learning, and decentralized learning algorithms. His publications span high-impact journals like Mathematical Programming , SIAM Journal on Optimization , and conferences such as NeurIPS and ICML . Recent work emphasizes dynamic regret analysis , low-rank matrix recovery , and stochastic beamforming . He has authored over 50 refereed papers and a monograph on semidefinite programming. Awards include IEEE Fellow (2023), CUHK Research Excellence Award (2016–17), and multiple IEEE/INFORMS best paper and teaching accolades. He has served on editorial boards of journals like Mathematical Programming and SIAM Journal on Optimization , and as Lead Guest Editor for IEEE Signal Processing Magazine . Teaching roles include courses on optimization, discrete mathematics, and machine learning. Scientific Awards IEEE Fellow (2023) CUHK Outstanding Fellow (2019) Multiple IEEE/INFORMS Best Paper Awards (2010–2022) IEEE/UGC Teaching Awards (2008–2022) His methodology integrates theoretical rigor with practical applications, particularly in wireless communication systems, sensor networks, and financial engineering. Collaborations span institutions in Hong Kong, mainland China, and the U.S., reflecting a global academic influence.
Haipeng Shen is a Professor of Innovation and Information Management at HKU Business School, The University of Hong Kong, serving as Associate Dean (EMBA and IMBA) and holding the Patrick S C Poon Professorship in Analytics and Innovation. He chairs the Business Analytics and Innovation program and joined HKU in 2015 after previously holding a professorship at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. His academic credentials include: PhD in Statistics, The Wharton School of Business, University of Pennsylvania, 2003 MA in Statistics, The Wharton School of Business, University of Pennsylvania, 2000 BS in Mathematics, School of Mathematical Sciences, Peking University, 1998 Professor Shen's research focuses on data-driven decision making under uncertainty, with expertise spanning big data analytics, business analytics, healthcare analytics, and service engineering. He develops advanced statistical and machine learning methodologies to solve complex operational problems in call centers, optimize stroke care protocols, and enhance financial risk modeling, emphasizing real-time applications in high-stakes environments. Analysis of his recent publications reveals a consistent interdisciplinary approach bridging operations research, statistics, and domain-specific knowledge. His work demonstrates strong methodological innovation in time-series forecasting for service systems, risk assessment frameworks for medical complications, and covariance structure analysis for financial markets, with direct translational impact on business operations and clinical outcomes. His scientific contributions have been recognized with prestigious awards including: Most Influential Publication Award from China Stroke Association (2018) Fellow of the American Statistical Association (2015) Best Advisor of the Year Award from Academy of Asian Business (2018) Elected Member of International Statistical Institute (2015) Cluster Chair for Big Data Analytics at INFORMS International (2015) As an academic leader, Professor Shen has secured significant research funding from organizations including The Xerox Foundation and National Institute on Drug Abuse. He serves as Associate Editor for Management Science, Journal of the American Statistical Association, and Technometrics, while mentoring graduate students in statistical methodology and applied analytics. His current initiatives position HKU Business School at the forefront of healthcare innovation through big data analytics, driving collaborations with medical institutions to transform stroke care and hospital operations in Asia.
Professor Benjamin C.M. Kao is a faculty member in the Department of Computer Science at The University of Hong Kong (HKU), affiliated with the School of Computing and Data Science. He holds a BSc from HKU (1989) and a PhD from Princeton University (1995). His career includes roles as a teaching/research assistant at Princeton (1989-1991) and a research fellow at Stanford University (1992-1995). His research focuses on Database Management Systems, Data Mining, Real-time Systems, and Information Retrieval Systems. Notable contributions include S-OLAP for sequence data analysis, collaborative resource discovery in social tagging systems, and algorithms for mining periodic patterns in sequences. He has led research grants such as the GRF-funded 'Online Analytical Processing on Sequence Data' (2008) and computational studies in uncertain data mining (2006). Professor Kao has served on program committees for major computer science conferences and reviewed for leading journals. His work bridges theoretical foundations with practical applications in data systems and information retrieval.
Professor Tse-Chun Lin serves as Professor and Head of the Finance Area at HKU Business School, The University of Hong Kong. He joined HKU in 2009 as Assistant Professor, achieving tenure and promotion to Associate Professor in 2015 and full Professor in 2018. His research appears in premier journals including American Economic Review, Journal of Financial Economics, and Review of Financial Studies, with coverage in The Economist, WSJ, and Bloomberg. His academic credentials include: Ph.D. in Economics, University of Amsterdam M.Phil. in Economics, Tinbergen Institute M.B.A., National Chengchi University B.A. in Economics, National Taiwan University Professor Lin's research centers on Behavioral Finance, Empirical Asset Pricing, and Financial Markets. He investigates how cognitive limitations, psychological biases, and information asymmetry influence investor decisions and market dynamics. His work frequently employs large-scale datasets and natural experiments to document phenomena like social media's impact on local information advantages, psychological barriers in cross-firm return predictability, and behavioral drivers of trading anomalies. His methodologies often bridge experimental design with real-world market data to isolate causal relationships. Analysis of his recent publications reveals consistent focus on behavioral mechanisms in financial markets, with increasing emphasis on societal implications (e.g., stock market losses linked to domestic violence) and novel data sources (e.g., social media). His work demonstrates methodological rigor through repeated natural experiments and large-sample analyses, contributing significantly to understanding market inefficiencies and investor psychology. Professor Lin has advised doctoral students including Vesa Pursiainen (co-author on crowdfunding research). As Finance Area Head, he leads academic strategy and curriculum development. His research program reflects sustained funding through HKU appointments and collaborative projects with international scholars.
Anatole Boute is Professor at The Chinese University of Hong Kong's Faculty of Law, specializing in energy, environmental, and investment law with focus on sustainable energy transitions in emerging economies and Belt and Road contexts. His academic credentials include: PhD in Law (2011, University of Groningen) Advanced Master (LLM) in Energy and Environmental Law (2005, University of Leuven) Law degree (2004, University of Leuven) Political Sciences degree (2003, University of Leuven) Professor Boute's research examines legal frameworks for renewable energy adoption, emissions trading systems, and investment protection in energy transitions. His work analyzes geopolitical dimensions of energy security, regulatory stability challenges, and adaptation of international law to regional contexts—particularly Central Asia and China—through interdisciplinary lenses combining law, economics, and political science. His publication trends reveal concentrated expertise in China's emissions trading mechanisms, Belt and Road energy investments, and regulatory stability for renewable projects. Recent work critically examines carbon pricing integration in electricity markets, geopolitical tensions in EU-Russia energy relations, and legal innovations for climate adaptation in resource-constrained regions. His scientific recognition includes: Willoughby Prize (2009) for Journal of Energy & Natural Resources Law publications Outstanding Fellow of the Faculty of Law at CUHK As founder and coordinator of CUHK's LLM program in Energy and Environmental Law, Professor Boute mentors graduate students while leading major research initiatives. He secured General Research Fund grants for projects on China's emissions trading (2016) and Eurasian energy market shaping (2018), and co-organized the 2017 conference on Belt and Road energy investments. His advisory work spans the World Bank's Russia Renewable Energy Program (2011-2016), International Energy Agency, and United Nations Conference on Trade and Development. Professor Boute directs research on energy transitions through collaborations with international organizations and government bodies, focusing on practical implementation of legal frameworks for decarbonization in Asian and Eurasian contexts.
Professor David D. Yao is a Senior Fellow at the Hong Kong Institute for Advanced Study, City University of Hong Kong, and a full Professor of Industrial Engineering and Operations Research at Columbia University , where he has held distinguished chairs since 1988. A member of the US National Academy of Engineering and Fellow of IEEE, INFORMS, and SIAM, his career spans over four decades with groundbreaking contributions to stochastic systems, supply chain optimization, healthcare operations, and financial engineering. Ph.D. (1983), M.A.Sc. (1981) from the University of Toronto Academic appointments: Assistant Professor at Columbia (1983-86), Associate Professor at Harvard (1986-88), Professor at Columbia (1988–present) Research Interests center on stochastic modeling, optimization of complex systems, and risk management , with applications to healthcare logistics, semiconductor manufacturing, internet traffic modeling, and financial networks. He has pioneered theories in polymatroid optimization, dynamic scheduling, and systemic risk analysis. Recent Trends in Publications emphasize financial systemic risk via network models , asymptotic inventory optimization , healthcare resource allocation , and multi-bottleneck stochastic networks , reflecting his interdisciplinary approach. Scientific Awards include the 2024 Presidential Award for Outstanding Teaching, 2015 Markov Lecture, 2015 National Academy of Engineering membership, 2005 INFORMS and IBM Faculty Awards, 2003 SIAM Outstanding Paper Prize, and 1999 Franz Edelman Award. Grant Leadership spans $302,875 NSF-CMMI-1462495 for systemic risk modeling to $20.45M Hong Kong RGC Theme-Based Grant for healthcare systems. His editorial roles and co-founding of Columbia’s Center for Applied Probability and the Financial and Business Analytics Center underscore his institutional impact. Patents cover semiconductor job configuration, warranty inspection systems, and inventory optimization, with 8 US patents. He has supervised over 15 postdoctoral fellows and advised 20+ doctoral students.
Prof. Yuxin Zhao (Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, The University of Hong Kong) is an Associate Professor specializing in the application of algebra representation and topology in condensed matter physics. He holds a B.Sc. from Peking University and a Ph.D. from HKU. B.Sc., Peking University (2006-2010) Ph.D., The University of Hong Kong (2010-2015) His research focuses on condensed matter theory and quantum simulation , particularly the interplay between topological phases , algebraic representation , and momentum-space symmetry . He has published extensively on topics such as non-Hermitian systems , projective symmetry algebra , and spacetime crystals . Recent publications highlight trends in topological semimetals , non-Abelian braiding , and symmetry-enriched topological charges . His work bridges theoretical physics with quantum information and materials science . Distinguished Young Scholars, Jiangsu Province, China (2021) 1000-Talent Program for Young Scientists (2016) Prof. Zhao actively supervises PhD students including Wang Xiang, Wang Peiyuan, Wang Aoning, Lyu Junkun, and Liu Tianrun. He leads the 2024 grant Exploring novel topological phases protected by momentum-space nonsymmorphic symmetries (HK$910,742) and co-investigated the 2017 project Crystalline Gapless and Gapped Topological Phases (HK$472,351). He serves as Council Member of the Physical Society of Hong Kong (2023-2024).
Hailiang Chen serves as Professor in Innovation and Information Management, Assistant Dean (Taught Postgraduate), and Director of the Artificial Intelligence Research Institute at HKU Business School, The University of Hong Kong. His academic journey includes a PhD and MS from Purdue University and a BM from Tsinghua University. Doctoral Degree: Management Information Systems, Purdue University Master Degree: Economics, Purdue University Bachelor Degree: Information Management and Information Systems, Tsinghua University Professor Chen's research spans artificial intelligence, FinTech, social media analytics, and platform economics, with significant contributions to understanding how digital interactions shape financial markets and consumer behavior. His work frequently examines the intersection of technology adoption and economic outcomes, particularly in cryptocurrency markets, live-stream commerce, and venture capital decision-making. His research methodology combines large-scale data analysis with experimental designs to uncover causal relationships in digital ecosystems. His publications in elite journals like Journal of Financial Economics and Management Science demonstrate consistent impact, with multiple ESI Highly Cited Papers. Current projects include Gov-RAG for e-government services and comparative studies of AI search tools. His research has received continuous funding from Hong Kong's Research Grants Council for five consecutive years (2019-2023). Faculty Outstanding Researcher Award, HKU Business School (2022-23) INFORMS ISS Sandra A. Slaughter Early Career Award (2022) Association for Information Systems Early Career Award (2019) Three ESI Highly Cited Papers (Top 1% in field) Professor Chen actively contributes to academic service as Associate Editor for Journal of Management Information Systems and MIS Quarterly , and serves as Program Chair for the International Conference on Smart Finance. His industry collaborations include Alibaba, HSBC, and China Construction Bank, bridging academic research with real-world business applications in AI implementation and digital transformation.
Prof. Noam Noked is an Associate Professor at the Faculty of Law, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, specializing in tax law and policy. He serves as Director of the Faculty’s Ph.D. and M.Phil. programs and is an Honorary Secretary of Hong Kong’s Joint Liaison Committee on Taxation. Education: Doctor of Juridical Science (S.J.D.), Harvard Law School LL.M. (requirements fulfilled, degree waived), Harvard Law School LL.B., Tel Aviv University Faculty of Law B.A., Accounting Department, Tel Aviv University Research Interests: Tax policy and international taxation Tax administration and compliance Law and economics intersections His work focuses on combating offshore tax evasion, mandatory disclosure rules, and aligning domestic tax frameworks with global minimum standards. Scientific Awards: Research Excellence Award (2023-24) Young Researcher Award, CUHK (2020) John M. Olin Prize for Best Paper in Law & Economics (2010) Research Grants: HK$481,000 General Research Fund (2023-2025): "New Ways to Compete: How Hong Kong Can Adapt to the New International Tax Order" HK$475,000 General Research Fund (2021-2023): "Mandatory Disclosure Rules: Development, Policy Analysis, and Implications for Financial Centers" HK$470,000 Early Career Scheme (2019-2021): "Regularization of Tax Noncompliance: Comparative Legal Analysis and Proposal for China"
Prof. ZHUANG Yizhou is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Geography at Hong Kong Baptist University. His research focuses on weather and climate extremes, climate change attribution, and land-atmosphere coupling. With a Ph.D. in Meteorology from Peking University and extensive postdoctoral experience at UCLA, he brings significant expertise in atmospheric sciences to his academic role. Dr. Zhuang's educational background includes: 2019-2024: Postdoctoral Scholar, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), USA 2017: Visiting Graduate Researcher, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), USA 2015-2017: Visiting Research Scholar, University of Texas at Austin, USA 2013-2019: Ph.D., Meteorology, Peking University, China 2009-2013: B.S., Atmospheric Sciences (Remote Sensing Focus), Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology, China Dr. Zhuang's research spans multiple critical areas in climate science. His work on weather and climate extremes examines phenomena like wildfires, droughts, and floods. In climate change attribution , he investigates the human influence on extreme weather events, with several publications in PNAS demonstrating how anthropogenic warming has altered drought mechanisms and fire risks. His research on land-atmosphere coupling explores the complex feedback mechanisms between Earth's surface and the atmosphere. Additionally, he applies machine learning techniques and remote sensing technologies to analyze cloud formations and precipitation patterns. Analysis of Dr. Zhuang's recent publications reveals a consistent focus on drought mechanisms and fire weather risk in western North America. His work frequently employs advanced statistical methods like self-organizing maps and canonical correlation analysis to understand complex climate phenomena. A notable trend is his investigation of how anthropogenic climate change is fundamentally altering the nature of droughts, shifting from precipitation-deficit dominated to temperature-driven events, with significant implications for water resource management. Dr. Zhuang has received several prestigious awards for his research contributions: JIFRESSE Outstanding Leadership/Service Award, UCLA, 2023 Richard P. and Linda S. Turco Exceptional Research Publication Award, UCLA, 2023 China Scholarship Council (CSC) Joint Ph.D. Scholarship, 2015-2017 As an academic mentor, Dr. Zhuang supervises graduate students, with evidence of at least one student (G. Wang) whose work has been published under his supervision. He serves as a reviewer for numerous high-impact journals including Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), Earth's Future, and Geophysical Research Letters. Additionally, he has mentored students in the UCLA Joint Institute for Regional Earth System Science and Engineering (JIFRESSE) Summer Internship Program, with his mentee Annie Rosen winning the 2024 Best JSIP Presentation Award. Dr. Zhuang maintains an active research group, as indicated by his personal website www.zhuangyz.org. His team focuses on climate extremes, attribution studies, and land-atmosphere interactions, with ongoing projects examining drought mechanisms, fire weather risks, and precipitation variability across different regions of the United States, particularly the western states and Great Plains.
Professor Gina Lai serves as a Professor in the Department of Sociology within the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences at Hong Kong Baptist University, where she is affiliated with the Academy of Geography, Sociology and International Studies. Fluent in both Cantonese and English, she maintains direct contact through telephone (34117122) and institutional email. Her research program centers on Gender Equality within Sustainable Development Goals frameworks, complemented by investigations into Mental Health dynamics and Social Networks structures. These interconnected fields reflect her commitment to sociological analysis of societal well-being and structural inequalities, particularly through the lens of contemporary social systems.
Ryo Ikeshiro is an Assistant Professor at the School of Creative Media, City University of Hong Kong, and co-director of the spatial audio art/research unit SoundLab. His work bridges sound art, computational creativity, and cultural studies through immersive installations, algorithmic audio-visual systems, and sonification techniques. PhD in Creative Practice (Goldsmiths, University of London) MPhil in Music (University of Cambridge) BMus (King's College London) Ikeshiro's research interrogates the materiality of sound through: Multichannel Ambisonics and directional audio Neural network-driven temporal dislocation Sonification of climate data and historical soundscapes Machine learning for artistic interpretation Interplay of identity and technology East Asian ideophonic traditions His 2010-2024 publications and installations reveal cross-disciplinary engagement with: Fractal mathematics in audiovisual art Algorithmic composition systems Interactive installation technologies Sonic cartography Historical memory in sound Collaborative research frameworks SoundLab, which he co-directs, develops spatial audio research at the intersection of: Technical innovation Cultural representation Experimental pedagogy Public engagement International artistic exchange Practice-based research
