The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) has achieved notable achievements in the Research Grants Council's (RGC) Senior Research Fellow Scheme (SRFS) and Research Fellow Scheme (RFS) for the 2026/27 exercise, with three distinguished scholars receiving the fellowship awards. The honors recognize their pioneering research in frontier fields, including electrosynthesis, quantum materials, and generative artificial intelligence (GenAI), as well as their exceptional contributions to driving impactful scientific breakthroughs and advancing the frontiers of knowledge.
Prof. SHAO Minhua, Head and Chair Professor of the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, has been named RGC Senior Research Fellow. Prof. LIU Junwei, Associate Professor in the Department of Physics, and Prof. LIU Jia, Associate Professor in the Department of Marketing and the Department of Industrial Engineering and Decision Analytics, have been named RGC Research Fellows. The three scholars have secured more than HKD19.72 million in fellowship grants to pursue frontier research, accelerate the translation of scientific discoveries into real-world applications, and inject new momentum into industrial transformation and upgrading.
Prof. Tim CHENG Kwang-Ting, HKUST Vice-President for Research and Development, extended his heartfelt congratulations to the three scholars and said, "The HKSAR Government is actively formulating Hong Kong's inaugural Five-Year Plan to align with the nation's 15th Five-Year Plan. A key focus of this strategy is to promote the translation of basic research into practical applications and harness AI-driven innovation to support industrial development, thereby accelerating Hong Kong's transformation into an international innovation and technology hub. Our scholars' breakthroughs in electrochemical synthesis and quantum materials are injecting fresh momentum into industrial upgrading. At the same time, our innovative generative AI search technologies are empowering businesses to strengthen their competitiveness in an increasingly AI-driven marketplace."
"HKUST's outstanding performance in the RGC fellowship schemes underscores our world-class research capabilities. It highlights the University's strengths and immense potential in interdisciplinary innovation, academia-industry-research collaboration, and the translation of research outcomes into real-world applications. Looking ahead, HKUST will continue to strengthen its innovation ecosystem through robust support and resources, facilitating the commercialization of research outcomes and nurturing the next generation of talent. We are also deeply grateful to the RGC for its longstanding support, which empowers our scholars to pursue frontier research, drive groundbreaking innovations, and create lasting value for the socio-economic development of Hong Kong, the nation and the world," added Prof. Cheng.
Prof. Shao Minhua (RGC SRFS awardee)
Project title: Near-Stoichiometric Electrosynthesis of Oximes and Amino Acids
Oximes and amino acids play an increasingly important role across a wide range of applications, serving as analytical and antibacterial reagents, antidotes, and versatile pharmacophores in drug design. However, their conventional synthesis is energy-intensive, typically requiring high temperatures and pressures and often relying on toxic reagents. Electrosynthesis powered by renewable electricity offers a sustainable alternative by coupling nitrogen oxides (such as nitrate and nitrite) with carbonyl compounds under ambient conditions.
This project aims to develop near-stoichiometric electrosynthesis methods for producing oximes and amino acids with high efficiency and yield. The team will first employ theoretical simulations and in-situ spectroscopy to build and refine machine-learning models and for screening high-performance electrocatalysts. Subsequently, various catalyst synthesis strategies will be pursued to develop multi-active-site electrocatalysts that enable near-stoichiometric electrosynthesis of the target chemical compounds. To accelerate deployment, operando spectroscopic techniques will be employed to monitor real-time reaction dynamics, and the resulting insights will be used to optimize an advanced membrane-electrode-assembly (MEA) electrolyzer. This approach will enable low mass intensity and high single-pass feed-to-product conversion, thereby facilitating scalable production. The new electrocatalysts are expected to reduce raw material costs by 70% and achieve high Faradaic efficiencies, with oxime and amino acid yields exceeding 80%. Ultimately, the optimized electrolyzer will fulfil the requirements for industrial applications.
Prof. Liu Junwei (RGC RFS awardee)
Project title: Novel Properties of Quantum Matter Due to Crystal Symmetry
Ferromagnetic materials form the basis of non-volatile data storage but suffer from low speed and limited storage density. Antiferromagnets can address these limitations, however, reading and writing encoded information in these materials remain highly challenging. The recently discovered altermagnet combines the advantages of both classes, owing to its unique crystal-symmetry-paired spin-momentum locking (CSML) proposed by Prof. Liu Junwei in 2021. This new material class provides an ideal natural framework for studying spin-current control, symmetry-breaking mechanisms, and topological orders, offering promising potential in both fundamental research and practical applications, including high-density ultrafast memory and Terahertz (THz) nano-oscillators.
Although research on altermagnetism is progressing rapidly, candidate materials remain scarce, and studies of its coupling with other orders have only just begun. This project aims to address these pressing needs and challenges. The team will investigate new phases and emergent properties of quantum matter arising from crystal symmetry, including multiferroicity, unconventional superconductivity and nontrivial topological phases in altermagnets, driven by their interplay with other orders. Building on this theoretical foundation, the team will conduct high-throughput searches for candidate materials using tight-binding models, 𝑘·𝑝 methods, and first-principles calculations. The anticipated outcomes - including the discovery of novel quantum phases, the identification of promising material candidates, and the elucidation of underlying mechanisms-are expected to deepen the understanding of quantum matter and open new avenues for next-generation memory devices and quantum computing technologies.
Prof. Liu Jia (RGC RFS awardee)
Project title: Generative Search and AI-Mediated Markets: Ensuring Visibility, Credibility, and Fairness
The rise of GenAI is transforming how people search for and consume information. At the same time, the increasing prevalence of fabricated or manipulative content designed to deceive generative engines is undermining the fairness and credibility of search. This project addresses these challenges by developing a systematic framework for responsible generative search. The framework will identify content features that are most likely to be incorporated into generative responses, track and benchmark brand visibility across different AI search engines and create sandbox environments to enable enterprises to test strategies securely before market deployment.
In addition, the project will develop competitive intelligence tools to help enterprises measure their share of voice relative to competitors, implement methods to detect and assess low-credibility or fabricated content, and establish governance principles that ensure the fair, transparent, and ethical use of Generative Engine Optimization (GEO). Looking ahead, the project will explore how personalized AI agents may reshape consumer journeys by filtering, prioritizing, and recommending information. Ultimately, this research will advance theories of digital marketing, consumer decision-making, and AI governance. It will equip businesses-particularly Hong Kong's small and medium-sized enterprises in the retail, finance, and professional services sectors-with practical tools and dashboards to maintain visibility and competitiveness in AI-driven markets, while developing safeguards to mitigate misinformation risks and promote equitable access to credible content.
The RGC SRFS and RFS provide sustained research support, together with relief from teaching and administrative duties, enabling outstanding researchers to devote themselves fully to research and development. Over a period of 60 months, their supporting university of the awardees will receive funding to cover salary costs for relief teachers and research project expenses. The total funding available is approximately HKD 8.5 million for the SRFS and HKD 5.6 million for the RFS.
