The Faculty of Engineering at The University of Hong Kong (HKU) successfully concluded the August edition of its "Mainland Scholar Series" (華夏學術前沿), a new initiative aimed at promoting academic collaboration and knowledge exchange between leading Mainland scholars and the HKU Engineering community. This series featured distinguished Mainland academics from diverse disciplines, offering insights into cutting-edge research and fostering interdisciplinary dialogue. The three August seminars provided faculty members, researchers, and students with valuable opportunities to engage with renowned scholars and industry experts.
Recap of August 2025 Seminars
Professor Song Xu and Dr Daniel Staemmler: Unlocking the Secrets to Publication Success
The interactive workshop co-hosted with Elsevier on 20 August provided invaluable insights into scholarly publishing. Professor Song Xu, Editor-in-Chief of Materials & Design, and Dr Daniel Staemmler from Elsevier guided participants through key editorial decision-making criteria, strategies for ensuring research reproducibility and ethical use of AI in academic writing.
Professor Xu Song (left) and Dr Daniel Staemmler (right) engaged with participants during the Q&A session
Signing of Memorandum of Understanding and Seminar by Professor Zhuhua Zhang
A significant highlight of the series was the signing ceremony of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the HKU Faculty of Engineering and the State Key Laboratory of Mechanics and Control for Aerospace Structures, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics. Both Parties, recognizing their mutual dedication to addressing strategic needs in scientific and technological innovation, established a strategic academic partnership in key disciplines including mechanics, materials science, and aerospace engineering.
Following the signing ceremony, Professor Zhang Zhuhua presented solutions for perovskite solar cell stability.
Professor Qiang Guo: Interface Dominated Mechanical Behaviour of Metal Matrix Composites
The final seminar on 27 August featured Professor Qiang Guo from State Key Lab of Metal Matrix Composites of Shanghai Jiao Tong University sharing cutting-edge findings on Interface engineering in metal matrix composites and novel composite materials with shape memory properties.
Hosted by Associate Dean Professor Yang Lu, the seminar was attended by Dean Professor David Srolovitz and Head of Department of Mechanical Engineering, who actively exchanged ideas with Professor Qiang Guo during the interactive Q&A session. The audience, including faculty members and students, also participated enthusiastically in the discussion.
Dean Professor David Srolovitz (right) presents a souvenir to Professor Qiang Guo in appreciation of his insightful presentation.
Professor Mingxin Huang (left) engages with Professor Qiang Guo during the Q&A session, discussing technical aspects of the research.