Speaker: Prof. Christopher Chao
Date: 2 August 2022 (Tue)
Time: 7:00pm - 8:30pm
Delivery: Zoom
CPD hours: 1.5 hours
Professor Christopher Chao is Vice President (Research and Innovation) and Chair Professor of Thermal and Environmental Engineering of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University. He received his BSc(Eng) degree in Mechanical Engineering (First Class) from The University of Hong Kong in 1988, and obtained his MS and PhD degrees in Mechanical Engineering from the University of California, Berkeley in the US in 1992 and 1994 respectively. He was Dean of Engineering and Chair Professor of Mechanical Engineering at The University of Hong Kong from 2018 to 2021. Before that he was Head and Chair Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology.
Prof. Chao studies thermal and environmental engineering covering areas of indoor air science, built environment, energy efficient building technology and energy engineering. He was ranked by Clarivate Analytics in the top 1% worldwide by citations in the research field of Engineering in 2020 and 2021, and Elsevier BV and Stanford University among the world’s top 2% most-cited scientists in the field of Built Environment & Design for career-long citation impact in 2021. He has published over 190 archival journal papers. He serves as Editor and is on the editorial boards of several major journals in the field of Energy and Built Environment. He is a Fellow of the Hong Kong Academy of Engineering Sciences, American Society of Mechanical Engineers, Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers, Hong Kong Institution of Engineers and International Society of Indoor Air Quality and Climate.
Prof. Chao has been making active contribution to the professional community and the Government, and is keen to promote entrepreneurship and technology transfer. He serves in various Government units and core I&T organizations, including the Tripartite Taskforce on Manpower Training (Aviation) of Hong Kong Transport and Housing Bureau, the New Energy Transport Fund and Gas Safety Advisory Committee of the Hong Kong Environment Bureau, the Building Committee of the Housing Authority, the Sir Edward Youde Memorial Fund Council, Board of Directors of the Hong Kong Applied Science and Technology Research Institute, Board of Directors of Cyberport, Board of Directors of the Engineering Forum of HKIE, etc.
Prof. Chao oversees the planning and development of research, innovation and strategic research areas at PolyU. He is Director of the newly established Policy Research Centre for Innovation and Technology (PReCIT) at the university level. One of the research directions in PRCIT is Carbon Neutral Cities. He is also leading the Campus Carbon Neutrality task force in developing a road map to achieve carbon neutrality for PolyU before 2050 and a co-chair of the executive committee of the Hong Kong Sustainable Campus Consortium in 2022.
