17 16 HKUST Annual Report 2020-2021 LAB TO MARKET MARKET LAB TO The University’s dynamic research and innovation endeavors spurred impactful discovery and applications in essential and emerging areas for Hong Kong’s development and global advancement, ranging from smart city solutions and AI-driven applications to COVID-19 resilience and sustainable conduct RGC Schemes Hong Kong’s Research Grants Council (RGC) continued to be a major source of research funding, providing $247.6 million for 238 new projects. In 2020-21, the University achieved application success rates of 45% and 49%, in the General Research Fund and Early Career Scheme respectively, the highest combined success rate among all local institutions. The RGC’s prestigious Theme-based Research Scheme awarded $33.3 million to a key smart city project led by Prof. CHEN Kai (Computer Science and Engineering). Working together with Hong Kong government departments, industry partners and other universities, the innovation will create an integrated “IT brain” to drive forward applications for a smart city through development of a high-performance AI computing cloud platform, initially for improved traffic management. Collaborative Research Fund (CRF) proposals also received significant support, with 12 group research and equipment projects receiving a total of $68 million. Group research advances included building more resilient urban forests, development of better-performing alkaline membrane fuel cells, the harnessing of ambient RF waves, and new aggregation-induced emission systems. Three physics group projects will explore challenges at quantum and microscale levels, seeking answers to the nature of dark matter and other major questions. In addition, all three collaborative research equipment applications resulted in funding, with a total of $18.1 million allocated for acquisition of an integrated advanced packaging platform, a multifunctional correlative imaging and spectroscopy system, and an indium-rich metal jet. RESEARCH FUNDING TO POWER FORWARD INNOVATION In 2020-21, HKUST strengthened its capabilities to deliver leading-edge contributions to societal development and academia in Hong Kong and the wider community by pursuing 1,556 new and ongoing research projects in highimpact and emerging areas. These areas encompassed smart urban environments, alternative energy, and preparedness for novel infectious diseases, among many others. The University generated cumulative external funding totaling $1.03 billion to support its far-sighted endeavors. With research and innovation the key to strengthening preparedness for local and global health threats, two HKUST proposals received one-off CRF COVID-19 and Novel Infectious Disease funding totaling $9.63 million. These projects, led by Prof. HSING I-ming (Chemical and Biological Engineering) and Prof. QI Xiangtong (Industrial Engineering and Decision Analytics) respectively, will develop devices to assist large-scale screening ($5.73 million) and devise logistics management optimization strategies and models for accountable decision-making during disease outbreaks ($3.9 million). External Funding Totaling $1.03 billion 1,556 projects granted to
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