Prof Sam Kwong Tak-wu, Associate Vice-President (Strategic Research), Acting Dean of the School of Data Science, Dean of the School of Graduate Studies and J.K. Lee Chair Professor of Computational Intelligence at Lingnan University, has been elected as a Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Engineering (CAE)—one of the highest honours in the engineering field. This is formal recognition of his significant contribution to global engineering and his commitment to scientific knowledge and innovative techniques to develop effective solutions for the betterment of society, the environment, and the economy. This year, 57 new Fellows were elected into the CAE, including 50 new Fellows and seven new International Fellows. Prof Kwong is the only scholar from Hong Kong SAR who was elected as a CAE Fellow this year.
Prof S. Joe Qin, President and Wai Kee Kau Chair Professor of Data Science, said "I am pleased that Prof Sam Kwong has received this prestigious honour, which fully demonstrates Lingnan scholars’ outstanding achievements in advancing global research in artificial intelligence. Prof Kwong is one of the key pioneers driving Lingnan's transformation into a leading comprehensive university in arts and sciences in the digital era. The University will continue to promote the ‘Lingnan-60 Global Talent Recruitment’ and plans to recruit 60 top international scholars by 2027, marking Lingnan’s 60th anniversary of re-establishment. This strategic initiative will further enhance our innovative research capabilities and contribute to the advancement of society."
Prof Sam Kwong Tak-wu replied, "I am deeply honoured to be elected as a Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Engineering. This recognition not only reflects the power of high-quality, impactful research in artificial intelligence to inspire new knowledge, but also creates immediate technological advancements and long-term positive societal impacts, including transforming relevant fields, setting new industry standards, and improving human well-being. This honour will motivate me to further advance innovative research and applications in engineering and cutting-edge technologies, while also focusing on nurturing the new generation of research talent. I am committed to making groundbreaking contributions to society through interdisciplinary academic research."
Prof Sam Kwong is a pioneering researcher in the field of artificial intelligence, and a pre-eminent scholar and innovator in image/video processing and evolutionary computation. His groundbreaking contributions in video coding have had a far-reaching effect on the video streaming industry. Prof Kwong has been granted 40 US patents, has published over 500 journal and conference papers, has authored three monographs, received numerous top awards, and is the associate editor of several leading IEEE Transactions journals. Since 2022, Prof Kwong has been listed as a Highly Cited Researcher by Clarivate, and he has been one of Stanford University’s top 2% of scientists worldwide since 2021. He is a Fellow of several important academic institutions, including the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), the US National Academy of Inventors (NAI), and the Hong Kong Academy of Engineering (HKAE).
Prof Kwong and his research team have recently developed a series of innovative solutions powered by artificial intelligence (AI) models to respond to pressing technological challenges across various sectors of society. This research has earned multiple innovation awards, including one gold and two silver medals at the 4th Asia Exhibition of Innovations and Inventions Hong Kong (AEII). The gold-medal-winning project was for an AI-powered “intelligent flocking strategy” that considerably improves the coordination and stability of many drones operating simultaneously. This technology can be extended to areas such as intelligent logistics, pursuing key strategies proposed by the Central and Hong Kong governments for developing the low-altitude economy.
About the Canadian Academy of Engineering (CAE)
Founded in 1987, the Canadian Academy of Engineering is an independent, non-profit organisation. The Academy's Fellows are nominated and elected by their peers to recognise their outstanding achievements and long-term service in the field of engineering.
