News & Events

Professor George G.Q. Huang was re-appointed as Head of Department of Industrial and Manufacturing Systems Engineering . We are delighted to have a nice chat with Prof. Huang.

Reporter: What achievements do you wish to share with readers during your headship?  

Prof. Huang: A great deal has happened in the past three years, to mention a few, 3-to-4 year transition, BEng programme HKIE accreditation, MSc programme review and conversion to credit based curriculum, research assessment exercise, consolidation of BEng programmes into one curriculum, renovation of more than one thousand squared meters of laboratory space, new departmental website, new departmental information system, hosting of three major international conferences, and critical mass research support programme. All of our colleagues, especially our associate head and line / programme directors, have been extremely busy with and committed to these exciting developments. We have been honored to receive donations and sponsorships to set up a number of scholarships at all levels of student education from junior through senior to postgraduate levels. We are also excited by external awards that our researchers and graduates received on regional and international occasions. The two substantial ITF grants awarded to the Department have significantly intensified our research activities and developments. The Department is particularly pleased with the arrival of Professor Ning Xi as chair professor of robotics and automation. This is a new opportunity for us to intensify and further strengthen our research in cyber-physical systems. In addition, we appointed honorary professors and new colleagues to enhance our industrial collaboration and R&D in healthcare and financial engineering. Our general office has enthusiastically welcomed two new colleagues who replaced retired staff. All these achievements are attributed to our staff members. If there is any achievement that I have to claim for myself, I would say that I tried my best to facilitate simplicity and transparency in the departmental family.

Reporter:  What is your vision in assuming your re-appointment?  

Prof. Huang: My vision as the Head of Department is to facilitate the mission of the Department to educate industrial and systems engineers who serve and lead industries and businesses in Hong Kong, by Hong Kong and for Hong Kong in a global marketplace. Two pillars must be constructed. The learning pillar is to strive to build a scholar environment in order to gradually attract and support top staff members and top students at all levels. The newly updated BEng and MSc curriculums are both an opportunity and challenge for the Department. The laboratory development is a continual effort and commitment to provide a knowledge-based experiential learning “factory” with adequate hands-on facilities for both student and industrial training.

The research pillar is to build up our critical mass in research & development. We have attracted substantial external funding in digital enterprise technology research, developing cyber-physical systems and technologies for a wide spectrum of logistics and supply chain applications. Our research & development achievements in Physical Internet (Internet of Things) and Virtual/Augmented Reality for manufacturing and logistics have resulted in impactful outcomes, not only gaining international scholar reputations but also winning Faculty Knowledge Exchange Awards due to significant industrial and community impacts in 2015 and 2016 respectively.

Reporter: Given your busy schedule, how would you strike a balance between this role, teaching, research & life?

Prof. Huang: Keep walking. Walking is an essential part of my life. I did most of my planning and thinking related to research, teaching and services while I walk. This let me enjoy the luxury of prioritizing choices.

Teaching and research are never separate to me. They are all about knowledge discovery and exchange in related contexts. I enjoy interactions with students in classrooms, with industrialists at workshops, and with scholars and researchers at research presentations. Although extremely demanding in managing large research projects in recent years, researchers in my team grow professionally fast under my supervision.

I interpret HoD as “Helps of Department”. I very much appreciate and enjoy helps and supports from members of academic, office and technical staff. They are wonderfully generous and accommodating. In return, I will continue and try my best to show them simplicity and openness within the Department.