Four Engineering Professors have been named on the Highly Cited Researchers 2024 list. Released this year on 19 November by Clarivate Analytics, this yearly list recognises researchers who have made significant impacts in their fields. The recognition is based on the publication of multiple papers that rank within the top 1% globally in citations over the past decade.

Engineering scholars (alphabetical order of family name) listed in the “Highly Cited Researchers 2024” are as follows:.

The full list of "Highly Cited Researchers 2024" can be found at: https://clarivate.com/highly-cited-researchers/.

Professor Chen Shih-Chi, Professor in the Department of Mechanical and Automation Engineering has been honoured with the BOCHK Science and Technology Innovation Prize (STIP) 2024 for his outstanding scientific research achievements in the field of “Advanced Manufacturing”. The awardee will receive a prize of HK$2 million. Professor Chen Shih-Chi has revolutionised the field of 3D printing with his innovative nanoscale 3D printer, achieving unprecedented speed and resolution across various materials.

Professor Chen Shih-Chi: Pioneering nanoscale 3D printing technology

Professor Chen has made breakthroughs in the field of 3D micro-nano manufacturing. By leveraging spatial and temporal focusing techniques, along with digital holography, he has developed a suite of innovative methods to parallelise the 3D printing process, achieving significant improvements in printing speed (466 mm³/hour), resolution (20 – 100 nm) and yield, while reducing costs by 95%. His work applies the high-speed printing process to a wide range of materials, including metals, alloys, semiconductors, ceramics, polymers and bio-materials, through self-assembly without compromising resolution.

These advances enable the mass production of functional micro- and nanostructures, such as mechanical and optical metamaterials, micro-optics, bio-scaffolds, electrochemical interfaces and flexible electronics. Their applications span numerous industries, including electric transportation, healthcare, clean energy and water, computing and telecommunications.

About the BOCHK Science and Technology Innovation Prize

The BOCHK Science and Technology Innovation Prize (STIP), established by the Hong Kong Alliance of Technology and Innovation (HKATI) and sponsored by the Bank of China (Hong Kong) Limited, is a non-governmental, merit-based award. The Prize aims to reward outstanding scientists and research teams who have made significant contributions to scientific and technological innovation, as well as the transformation of scientific and technological achievements in Hong Kong. The award is divided into five fields: Artificial Intelligence and Robotics, Life and Health, Advanced Manufacturing, Fintech, and New Materials and New Energy. The STIP will be awarded to five individuals or groups per year, with one awardee in each field. Each awardee, either individual or group, will receive a prize of HK$2 million and a trophy. The full list of STIP winners is available here.

Appendix

Professor Chen Shih-Chi’s biography

Professor Chen Shih-Chi is a Professor in CUHK’s Department of Mechanical and Automation Engineering, and joined the University in 2011. His primary research interests include nanomanufacturing, ultrafast laser applications, biophotonics and precision engineering. He was the recipient of the 2013 and 2018 R&D 100 Awards; the 2023 Falling Walls “Science Breakthroughs of the Year” Award; a China’s Top Ten Optical Breakthroughs in 2023 Award; and Gold Medals in the International Exhibition of Inventions of Geneva (2022), International Invention Fair in the Middle East (IIFME) (2023) and more. He is presently a Fellow of Optica, Fellow of SPIE, Fellow of ASME, Fellow of HKIE and member of the Hong Kong Young Academy of Sciences.