News & Events - 2024

In the most recent issue of Science Focus, an HKUST physics major interviewed three other physics majors (one current and two alumni) about why they chose physics and how they feel about the career prospects for physics graduates. The interviewer was Sam FAN, a physics undergraduate in year 4 who is currently doing a one-year internship with the Hong Kong Observatory. One interviewee was Minnie SOO, a year-4 physics major with an extended major in artificial intelligence. The others were two alumni: Dr. Pok Man TAM (BSc Physics 2018), now a postdoctoral fellow at Princeton University working on theoretical condensed matter physics; and Dr. Iris LEUNG (BSc Physics 2017), now a hedge-fund research engineer. The interview topics include why they were inspired to major in physics, how their attitudes have changed over the years, their views on stereotypes about physics, and how they perceive the current job market for physics graduates. Read the full interview here. Prospective physics students who would like to learn more about our undergraduate programs can find more information here. Read more

The HKUST Department of Physics is proud to announce the award of the Future Science Prize by the Future Science Prize Foundation to our colleague, Prof. Xi DAI, which he shared equally with Prof. Zhong FANG (Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences) and Prof. Hong DING (Tsung-Dao Lee Institute, Shanghai Jiao Tong University), “for their contributions to the computational prediction and experimental realization of topological electronic materials.”   University Press Releases: HKUST Scholar Prof. DAI Xi Awarded 2025 Future Science Prize – China’s Nobel Equivalent 香港科大學者戴希教授問鼎有「中國諾貝爾獎」之稱的2025未來科學大獎   Future Science Prize: https://www.futureprize.org/en/laureates/list.html Read more

Preamble The HKUST MSc Program in Data-Driven Modeling (MSc(DDM)) is celebrating the graduation of its 6th cohort in 2025. Jointly offered by the Departments of Physics and Mathematics, the MSc(DDM) program aims at training students with science or engineering background for careers that require advanced modeling skills bolstered by strong problem-solving capabilities. The curriculum and program structure seamlessly integrate industry instructors and feature seminar speakers from diverse sectors to ensure a comprehensive learning experience aligned with the program's objectives. The initial employment profiles of the first five cohorts of MSc(DDM) program reveal diverse career paths spanning industries, roles, and regions. Engineering attracted over 24% of alumni, followed by Data science/Algorithm and AI-related (21.5%), banking/finance (20.4%), Education/Government (6.8%) and Entrepreneurship (2.0%), while 14.7% pursued further advanced studies. Key roles of our graduates included software engineers, data scientists, and machine learning engineers, emphasizing a strong focus on technology-driven professions. Graduates secured positions at esteemed organisations such as Tencent, Bank of China, Ant Group, and multinational corporations like P&G and L’Oréal. These outcomes underscore the program's alignment with high-demand sectors, global employer recognition, and competitive remuneration, particularly in tech and financial hubs. The inclusion of entrepreneurial ventures and academic pursuits further showcases the diverse career paths available to graduates. The program received highly positive evaluations during its first 5-year Program Review carried out under the authority of the University. The panel, led by Prof. Reimer Kühn from King’s College London, commended the program for its exceptional academic quality and well-structured framework. It also praised the program’s delivery, assessment methods, and unwavering commitment to excellence. We also invited three alumni to share their reflections on the program after gaining work experience. Below are their comments.   Huang Yu Yu belonged to the first batch of MSc(DDM) graduates in 2020. After graduation she started as an Algorithm Engineer in Huawei, Shanghai, and is now Compiler and Programming Language Engineer in the same corporation. Recalling her MSc days, she treasured most the rich resources provided by the Program, including courses of various fields which broadened her horizon, and facilities such as the library. At the same time, she treasured her friendships with classmates, many of whom she still maintains relationships. The knowledge and skills she learned in the MSc Program helped her in two aspects. She explained, “Firstly, during my job search, my acquired skills such as data structure and algorithms prepared me to pass written tests, and my experience in projects enriched my CV and enabled me to demonstrate my eligibility during interviews. Secondly, after assuming my first job, my MSc training on soft skills such as teamwork and group project management became highly relevant.” For junior students of the MSc Program, she emphasized, “It is important to set their goals early. Which job sector are they targeting? Will they consider industry or PhD? This will help them to select suitable projects and internships. If they are unprepared, they may lose direction once they become busy with coursework.”     Hinz Shum Hinz was also among the first cohort of MSc graduates in 2020. Following his graduation, he began his career as a Statistician responsible for international merchandise trade statistics and data science at the Census and Statistics Department of the Hong Kong Government before transitioning to his current role as a Data Scientist at the Hong Kong Monetary Authority. Hinz expressed great enthusiasm about implementing Generative AI in automating and enhancing various business functions, including but not limited to internal news surveillance frameworks and research processes. Reflecting on his time in the MSc program, Hinz said, “I particularly valued the solid foundation it provided for my career development in data science, especially the hands-on experience in exploring diverse data sources and utilizing them effectively for informed decision-making. Moreover, the mock interview workshops offered by the program played a significant role in enhancing my job search success.” Beyond academics, Hinz greatly appreciated the networking opportunities with fellow alumni. Despite the pandemic forcing instruction online, their interactions on- and off-campus enabled him to remain updated on technological advancements and job market trends, ultimately facilitating his career advancement. Among the skills acquired during the MSc program, data-driven programming stood out as the most impactful, yet he also emphasized significant growth in interpersonal abilities. Collaborating on group projects with classmates from diverse backgrounds enhanced his teamwork and leadership skills, which later enabled him to manage a team of 200 subordinates and lead different projects during his tenure with the government. Hinz further expressed, “I encouraged incoming students to fully enjoy the program and actively engage in extracurricular activities and learning opportunities beyond the curriculum. With my current involvement in GenAI, I recommended students to deepen their knowledge in artificial intelligence, embrace its capabilities for problem-solving, and develop expertise in effectively prompting AI for optimal utilization.” Additionally, Hinz generously offered to conduct an expert workshop to share his experiences with current MSc students in February 2025, regarding practical applications and ethical use of GenAI. Since Hinz’s graduation, the MSc Program has consistently strived to keep its curriculum aligned with cutting-edge developments     Bumki Son After a few years of work, Bumki entered the MSc Program in part-time mode among the fourth cohort of MSc graduates in 2023 . He is now Director of the Research Department in the Singapore branch of Barclays Bank. Quantitatively analyzing GDPs, global trade, monetary and fiscal policies has been his regular job. Thus, his MSc training in data modeling, analysis, and prediction are highly relevant to his career. Looking back on his days in the MSc Program, Bumki said, “I treasured most the opportunities to meet different people with different backgrounds and perspectives, especially fellow part-time students as we had similar working experiences. Nonetheless, I also treasured the friendship with fresh bachelor graduates, who were young and energetic.” After graduation, he maintained contact with his friends, exchanging views and supporting each other. Indeed, the background diversity of students entering this MSc Program provided a unique environment for meaningful interactions. He found that the knowledge and skills he acquired in the Program are certainly helpful. Bumki elaborated, “For example, I need the skills to distinguish between noise and trend in financial data. Moreover, I need to quantify the impact of Korean martial law on market sentiment. This led me to consider how “soft data” affects “hard data”, how complex models can be reduced to simple models.” Indeed, these are skills practiced in the MSc Program, where students learn to start with the basics, then build models, and solve problems systematically. To junior students entering the Program, he advised, “Enjoy the time, make friends with different people, and cultivate intellectual curiosity of how the learned skills can be used in future careers. Those who are proactive in exploring new frontiers benefit most.” He also hoped that the MSc program could have more part-time students joining. According to him, part-time students have strong motivation to learn after a few years of job experience. Their learning span is normally two years, which enables them to learn progressively from basics to applications.     Read more

Research team members from the Department of Physics, HKUST (from left to right): Dr. Ruoyanag ZHANG, Prof. Che-Ting CHAN, and Dr. Xiaohan CUI.   Publication: Bulk-spatiotemporal vortex correspondence in gyromagnetic zero-index media   University Press Releases:  HKUST Scientists Achieve Breakthrough in Light Manipulation Using Gytomagnetic Zero-Index Metamaterials Read more

Congratulations to Assistant Professor Xueyang Song for being awarded the prestigious 2025 Croucher Tak Wah Mak Innovation Award 2025 by the Croucher Foundation in recognition of her groundbreaking research in theoretical condensed matter physics.   Established in 2012, the Croucher Innovation Awards aim to identify and provide substantial support to a small number of exceptionally talented “rising stars” in science and engineering disciplines at a formative stage of their careers. Recipients are selected or their distinguished doctoral and post-doctoral work, internationally competitive research achievements, and high-impact contributions to their field. Prof. Song's research focuses on "decoding" quantum materials – substances with bizarre properties like superconductivity and the ability to make particles behave as fractions of themselves. Specializing in quantum materials like frustrated quantum magnets, fractional quantum Hall states, and exotic superconductors, Prof. Song investigates emergent phenomena such as fractionalization and gauge structures. Her research employs cutting-edge frameworks of symmetry, anomaly, and topology to decode physical properties and phase transitions in advanced materials, particularly in 2D systems (e.g., Moiré system). By combining formal theoretical tools, analytical models with computational simulations, she bridges fundamental physics with real-world applications, including energy-efficient materials and novel devices. Prof. Song joined HKUST as an Assistant Professor of Physics in 2023. Her passion for physics emerged during high school, where she competed in the 14th Asian Physics Olympiad (APhO) and earned a gold medal. She pursued her undergraduate studies at Peking University, graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree, before advancing to Harvard University for her PhD in physics. Prior to joining HKUST as a faculty member, Prof. Song honed her research skills as a Moore postdoctoral fellow at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).   Press Releases: HKUST: Croucher Innovation Award 2025 Croucher Foundation: Innovation Awards 2025   Read more

PLANCKS “Physics League Across Numerous Countries for Kick-Ass Students” is an annual international theoretical physics competition for undergraduate and master’s students that is overseen by the International Association of Physics Students (IAPS). This competition brings together teams of three to four students during a three-day conference for intense competition and a programme of social, cultural, and educational events. Following their selection to represent Hong Kong by excelling in a preliminary round of competition organized by the Physical Society of Hong Kong, a team of undergraduate students studying physics (PHYS) and electrical and computer engineering (ECE) at HKUST participated in the international finals of the PLANCKS competition that was hosted by the Institute of Physics at Physics Faculty of the Autonomous University of Barcelona, Spain on 1-5 May 2025. The members of the team, who named themselves “Technician Association at Clear Water Bay”, were Hengjian LI (PHYS, year 4), Yifan LIU (ECE, year 4), Yuchen QIAN (PHYS, year 2), and Mingrui ZHOU (PHYS, year 2). The Technician Association at Clear Water Bay proudly reached the podium by placing 3rd among 46 seasoned teams from 29 countries and regions in Europe, Asia, Africa, North  America that participated in PLANCKS this year. The four-day program also included a rich program of presentations by global leaders in science and industry and laboratory, tech start-up, campus, and city sightseeing tours. The accompanying photos show the (left) the PLANCKS organizers and participants and (right) the HKUST team comprised the team (left to right): Mingrui Zhou, Yuchen Qian, Hengjian Li, and Yifan Liu. Read more

Research team members from the Department of Physics, HKUST (from left to right): Mr. Xingkai Cheng (PhD candidate) and Prof. Junwei Liu   Press Releases: University New Era of Magnetization: HKUST Research Sheds Light on Future Applications in Spintronics and Valleytronics 磁學新時代：科大最新研究為自旋電子學和谷電子學應用帶來新方向   School of Science New Era of Magnetization: HKUST Research Sheds Light on Future Applications in Spintronics and Valleytronics 磁學新時代：科大最新研究為自旋電子學和谷電子學應用帶來新方向   EurekAlert New era of magnetization: HKUST research sheds light on future applications in spintronics and valleytronics | EurekAlert!   Other University Social media Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hkust/posts/pfbid0yhm3TFM5hMZrMxSjY4Gxq3BvNCB2SRphLc4nGiVNw8Fi8fL8HFwx6Hn5R5Lzh9xzl LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7322553193123434496 X: https://x.com/hkust/status/1916787537252876479 Weibo: https://weibo.com/7727144419/PpmNWbH8Q Zhihu: https://zhuanlan.zhihu.com/p/1900237602461820112 WeChat: https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/hemLw Read more

Photo taken by Xueyang Song The Department of Physics is proud to welcome two new faculty members (l-r):   Assistant Professor Kaifei Kang graduated with a B.S. in physics from Xi'an Jiaotong University in 2016 and completed his Ph.D. at Cornell University in 2022. He then spent two years as a postdoctoral scholar at Cornell before joining the faculty at HKUST. His research focuses on electronic properties of two-dimensional quantum materials and quantum devices, with a broad interest in topological physics, strongly correlated physics, superconductivity, spintronics, and related areas. His work aims to uncover new quantum states of matter and advance experimental techniques in the field. https://physics.hkust.edu.hk/people/kaifei-kang-kangkaifei   Assistant Professor Jue Wang received his B.S. from Peking University in 2014, and his Ph.D. from Columbia University in 2020, advised by Professor Xiaoyang Zhu. Prior to joining HKUST, he was a Harvard Quantum Initiative Postdoctoral Fellow at Harvard University, co-advised by Professor Philip Kim and Professor Hongkun Park. As an experimental condensed matter physicist working on low-dimensional materials and strongly correlated phenomena, he aims to realize novel quantum matters, deepen our understanding of them, and unlock their potential in the ongoing quantum revolution. To achieve these goals, his group develops and applies a variety of optical spectroscopies and techniques, especially those using ultrafast lasers, together with nanofabrication of electronic devices, electrical measurements, and low-temperature techniques capable of cooling electrons down to the 10 mK range. https://physics.hkust.edu.hk/people/jue-wang-wangjue Read more

Research team members (from left to right):  Mr. Xinpeng Chen, Mr. Haoting Zhen, Mr. Mithilesh Parit, Mr. Yifei He, Prof. Gyu-Boong Jo of the Department of Physics, HKUST     University Press Releases:  Unlocking the Secrets of Superfluid: HKUST Scientists Unveil How Dipolar Interactions Shape Two-Dimensional Superfluid Behavior 揭秘超流體：科大研究揭示偶極相互作用如何影響二維超流體行為 Eurekalert!   Read more

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