HONG KONG SAR –\u00a0Media
\u00a0 <\/p>\n In his welcoming remarks, PolyU’s Council Chairman Dr Lam Tai-fai<\/b> extended his heartfelt
\u00a0 <\/p>\n The Under Secretary for
\u00a0 <\/p>\n \u00a0 “The
\u00a0 <\/p>\n Founder of the Otto Poon Charitable Foundation Ir Dr Otto Poon Lok-to <\/b>
\u00a0 <\/p>\n Professor Jin-Guang Teng, President of PolyU <\/b> ,
\u00a0 <\/p>\n Established in
\u00a0 <\/p>\n SCRI aims at being
\u00a0 <\/p>\n RISE strives to pursue translational research on
\u00a0 <\/p>\n For more details about the research institutes, please visit the
Otto Poon Charitable Foundation Smart Cities Research Institute (SCRI) https:\/\/www.polyu.edu.hk\/scri\/ <\/a>
\nOutReach<\/a>\u00a0– 18 October 2021 – Thanks to a generous donation
\nfrom the Otto Poon Charitable Foundation (the Foundation), The Hong Kong
\nPolytechnic University (PolyU) has established two research institutes in support
\nof the University’s research endeavours in the areas of smart cities and sustainable
\nenergy. The two research institutes are named the Otto Poon Charitable Foundation Smart Cities Research Institute (SCRI)<\/b>
\nand the Otto Poon Charitable Foundation
\nResearch Institute for Smart Energy (RISE)<\/b> in appreciation of the
\nFoundation’s significant contributions. Officiated by Dr David Chung, Under Secretary for Innovation and Technology of the
\nHKSAR Government<\/b>, the naming ceremony was held earlier this month. It was attended
\nby Ir Dr Otto Poon Lok-to, Founder of the
\nOtto Poon Charitable Foundation, Dr Lam Tai-fai, PolyU’s Council Chairman, <\/b> Professor Jin-Guang Teng, PolyU’s President <\/b>and
\nothers. <\/b>![](\"https:\/\/images.media-outreach.com\/Thumb\/500x0\/187061\/Photo-1.jpg#image-187061\")
<\/p>\n(from left) Dr Lam Tai-fai, PolyU’s Chairman of Council; Dr David Chung Wai Keung, JP, Under Secretary for Innovation and Technology of the HKSAR Government; Ir Dr Otto Poon, BBS, OBE, Founder of the Otto Poon Charitable Foundation, and Prof. Jin-Guang Teng, PolyU’s President, unveiled a plaque to formally name the two research institutes.<\/span><\/h5>\n
\ngratitude to Ir Dr Otto Poon Lok-to for his long-standing support to PolyU, “Dr
\nPoon is a strong advocate of using innovation and technology to solve societal
\nproblems. Smart cities and energy challenges are two topics of great importance
\nto society today. We are excited to join hands with Dr Poon to set up two
\nresearch institutes focusing on these strategic areas in order to contribute to
\nthe further development of Hong Kong, the Nation and the wider international
\ncommunity.”<\/p>\n
\nInnovation and Technology, Dr David Chung <\/b> , said that the Government
\nhad been collaborating with the two Otto Poon Charitable Foundation Research
\nInstitutes in conducting trials and pilots in a number of smart city projects,
\nranging from the application of urban informatics to smart and sustainable
\nenergy, in order to improve the quality of life of our citizens. <\/p>\n
\nInnovation and Technology Bureau will continue to develop Hong Kong into a
\nsmart city and to make space for our local talents to help contribute to the
\nbetterment of Hong Kong as well as our country. I urge all of you to take
\nadvantage of the opportunities brought about by the National 14th Five-year
\nPlan and development in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. There
\nis much to gain from collaboration with our neighbour cities and we have much
\nto learn from each other, especially on the new frontier of smart city
\ndevelopment.\u00a0PolyU, with its outstanding research institutes and
\nacademics, will have a big role to play in building Hong Kong into an international I&T hub,”
\nDr Chung added. <\/p>\n
\nremarked that “the notion of s mart cities embraces a wide array of topics. The
\nestablishment of SCRI will serve as a catalyst to blend the various elements of
\nsmart cities together in order to contribute to the success of Hong Kong’s
\nSmart City Blue Print 2.0.”\u00a0 Ir Dr Poon also raised concerns regarding
\nclimate change, and noted that renewable energy and energy storage were two
\nessential research topics. He appreciated PolyU researchers’ dedicated
\ncommitment to advancing the frontiers of technology and knowledge to cope with
\nenergy challenges. <\/p>\n
\nthanked Ir Dr Poon for his unwavering support to PolyU over the years and said
\n“Interdisciplinary collaboration can provide solutions to address societal
\nchallenges. Against this backdrop, the University has established the PolyU
\nAcademy for Interdisciplinary Research (PAIR), a hub to promote research and
\ninnovation across disciplines. To date, ten research institutes and five
\nresearch centres have been established to offer impactful solutions in areas
\nincluding land and space creation, smart ageing, advanced manufacturing, smart
\ncities, smart energy and more.” <\/p>\n
\n2020, SCRI and RISE will bring together PolyU experts from diversified fields to
\ndevelop impactful interdisciplinary research. <\/p>\n
\na global centre of excellence in urban informatics and a living smart cities laboratory
\nfor Hong Kong and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area in order to
\npromote smart cities development in Hong Kong and in the country. Its research
\nfocus areas include Smart Mobility, Smart Living, Smart Environment, Smart People,
\nSmart Government, and Smart Economy. SCRI is collaborating with some of the
\nworld’s top universities including the University of Cambridge and University
\nCollege London, as well as major industrial players to develop innovative
\nsolutions. SCRI’s innovations have received worldwide recognition and won two
\nGold Medals at 2021 Inventions Geneva Evaluation Days and two prizes in the
\n2021 Smart 50 Awards. <\/p>\n
\ninnovative solutions for energy-related problems. Its five research focus areas include
\nDistrict Energy Systems and Smart Grid, Smart Buildings and Smart Energy
\nSystems, Advanced Energy Storage Technologies, Advanced and Renewable Energy Conversion
\nTechnologies, and Advanced Energy Materials. RISE’s world-class research has
\nbeen recognised in various global research rankings. A ccording to a recent report by Stanford
\nUniversity,
\n 16 RISE members
\nhave been listed among the top 2% of scientists in relevant research fields
\nglobally, with three members ranking in the top 25 places. In addition, three
\nRISE scholars have been acknowledged in the Highly Cited Researchers 2020 list
\nby Clarivate Analytics. <\/p>\n
\nrespective websites: <\/p>\n
\nOtto Poon Charitable Foundation Research Institute for Smart Energy (RISE)
https:\/\/www.polyu.edu.hk\/rise\/ <\/a><\/p>\n