29 28 HKU ANNUAL REPORT 2025 RESEARCH AND INNOVATION THE BETTER OPTION Kunxiang Peng was all set to pursue a fully funded PhD at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), offered in February 2025, when geopolitical events intervened. Research funding cuts in his field of earth science, changing US policies regarding student visas and rising political tensions within America combined to make the option much less attractive. When he began to think of alternatives, HKU jumped to the top of his list. He was impressed by the swift, welcoming response he received, as well as the presence of scholars who could enable him to advance his research, such as recent recruit Professor Nicolas Dauphas and incoming Professor Meng Guo from Yale University in the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences. Giving up MIT in favour of HKU was, for me, a very natural decision. There are scholars here like Professor Dauphas, who has had a profound influence in earth science and geochemistry. Both Hong Kong and HKU are also uniquely positioned to leverage the academic and funding resources of the Chinese Mainland, while fostering global collaborations. A forthcoming international lunar soil symposium, jointly organised by the Chinese Academy of Sciences and HKU, is a prime example of these advantages. Kunxiang PENG STEM CELL TRAILBLAZER Professor Guoping Fan comes to HKU from the United States, where he pursued postgraduate studies and spent years based mainly at the University of California, Los Angeles. He has produced landmark research on stem cells and epigenetics, with his research papers cited more than 20,000 times. When he was made an offer to join the School of Biomedical Sciences, he saw a chance to move in new directions and to build on the positive impressions from his youth of Hong Kong as a prosperous and promising city. SEMICONDUCTOR LEADER Strong initiatives by HKU and the Government of the HKSAR to promote the development of semiconductor and microelectronics technologies attracted Professor Yuhao Zhang to the University from Virginia Tech, where he had led semiconductor research in one of the largest academic research centres in power electronics in the world. Professor Zhang intends to focus his research and teaching on power and energy applications for semiconductor technologies, which are set to play an important role in the future in such areas as large data centres, low-altitude economy, electric vehicles and power grids with renewable energy. One of his plans while at HKU is to establish an industrial consortium to develop real-world applications of academic innovation. I am impressed by the talents and resources available and the potential for Hong Kong to be a bridge connecting the Chinese Mainland with Western countries. The infrastructure for biomedical research here is outstanding, and HKU also attracts top students from across the region. I am convinced this is a great opportunity for me not only to do great science but also expand my horizon to venture into translational medicine. The University has offered outstanding support, both in vision and practical resources. For example, it approved the new Centre for Advanced Semiconductors and Integrated Circuits and a new Master of Science in Engineering programme in Integrated Circuits and Electronic Systems, both of which I am involved in. I already have a sizeable group and laboratory and have more than five industry sponsors and government funding. I feel very fortunate to be at HKU at such an exciting time and I especially enjoy the warm and collaborative atmosphere. Professor Guoping FAN Professor Yuhao ZHANG
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