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Professor Yi-Chun LU, Associate Professor, Department of Mechanical and Automation Engineering, Faculty of Engineering at The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) has just been selected as one of the awardees of the XPLORER PRIZE 2021. Being one of the three scholars from Hong Kong awarded the Prize, Professor Lu is recognised for her outstanding achievement in the field of energy and environmental protection.

Professor Rocky S. TUAN, Vice-Chancellor and President of CUHK said, “I sincerely congratulate Professor Yi-Chun Lu for being awarded the XPLORER PRIZE established by Tencent Foundation. This award not only honours Professor Lu’s excellent research achievements but also encourages young scientists to devote themselves to exploring the future of science and lead the country’s innovation push. ‘Research and Innovation’ is one of the key areas highlighted in the CUHK Strategic Plan 2021-2025. We will continue to support CUHK’s research teams, especially young scientists, and encourage them to be bold in making innovations and to capitalise on the opportunities brought about by the development of the country and the Greater Bay Area for the well-being of mankind.”

CUHK’s Pro-Vice-Chancellor Professor SHAM Mai-Har said, “The XPLORER PRIZE focuses on forward-looking scientific projects and inspires young scientists to explore their talents. Last year, the award opened to applicants from Hong Kong and Macau for the first time and Professor Xuhua HE from CUHK became one of the first group of Hong Kong scholars to receive the award. This year, Professor Yi-Chun LU from the Department of Mechanical and Automation Engineering is also awarded the Prize. I am proud that CUHK has such outstanding young scientists with a spirit of scientific adventure.”

Professor Lu has successfully invented a safe, high-energy, low-cost, and environmentally-friendly battery that serves as a substitute for commercial lithium-ion batteries which are indispensable in daily lives. Her research provides a new platform for designing an aqueous electrolyte with a large voltage window and high stability for safe, low cost, and environmentally-friendly energy storage.

Professor Lu said, “I would like to thank my team for breaking the wall of safe energy storage with me. Looking ahead, I hope we can continue to explore the development of new, efficient and environmentally friendly energy storage technologies and commercialise the innovations for achieving carbon neutrality.”

About the XPLORER PRIZE

Established by Tencent Foundation, the XPLORER PRIZE is a merit-based public-interest award, developed and evaluated by prominent scientists. The Award is also one of the most generous talent funding programmes for young scientists in China. Focusing on basic sciences and frontier technologies, the XPLORER PRIZE is awarded to up to 50 young scientists every year. Eligible recipients will receive a no-strings-attached fund totaling RMB 3,000,000 over a five-year period to further their scientific research. Since 2020, the second year of the award, it has been open to young scientists from Hong Kong and Macau.