Prof. Jue WANG, Assistant Professor in the Department of Physics at The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST), has been awarded the 2026 Croucher Tak Wah Mak Innovation Award for his groundbreaking research in experimental condensed matter physics. His work focuses on using ultrashort pulses of light to create and control quantum states in ultrathin materials and devices, offering transformative potential for the future of electronics, optoelectronics, and information technologies.
Prof. Wang will receive HKD 5 million in funding from the Croucher Foundation to support his trailblazing research. The "Croucher Innovation Award" is one of the Foundation's top honors, recognizing Hong Kong's brightest young scientific minds who have demonstrated the potential to make significant breakthroughs in their respective fields.
Controlling the Quantum World with Light
Prof. Wang's research centers on atomically thin devices, which are made of materials composed of only a few layers of atoms. While most research in this field focuses on materials in stable and static conditions, he explores the "hidden" quantum states that may emerge when these systems are driven out of equilibrium using extremely short pulses of light.
By combining ultrafast optical spectroscopy with quantum device engineering and low-temperature techniques, Prof. Wang seeks to discover light-induced emergent phenomena such as superconductivity, magnetism, and other collective quantum effects. This work could open new possibilities for the next generation of electronics, new methods of information processing, and devices capable of operating in extreme environments.
Award Fuels "Angel Investment" in Science
He stated, "I am deeply honored to receive the Croucher Innovation Award. The news of the award was almost too good to believe, and it carries a special meaning for me. It feels like an 'angel investment' that provides the freedom to build new experimental platforms and explore ambitious directions."
Pioneering the Quantum Frontier
Prof. Wang is an experimental physicist specializing in low-dimensional materials and strongly correlated phenomena. With a Ph.D. from Columbia University and a postdoctoral fellowship at the Harvard Quantum Initiative, his research utilizes ultrafast lasers, nanofabrication, and dilution refrigeration that reaches millikelvin temperatures to study novel quantum matter. By exploring materials driven out of equilibrium, his team aims to bridge fundamental questions in condensed matter physics with the powerful toolbox of optical physics, providing the groundwork for the ongoing quantum revolution and future technology.
