Lingnan University AI expert Prof Xin Yao elected 2024 Fellow of the Hong Kong Academy of Engineering

Prof Xin Yao, Vice-President (Research and Innovation) and Tong Tin Sun Chair Professor of Machine Learning of Lingnan University in Hong Kong has been elected Fellow of the Hong Kong Academy of Engineering (HKAE) for the year 2024. The Induction Ceremony of the 11 new Fellows of the HKAE was held on 20 January 2025. Prof Yao has the distinction of being the third Lingnan scholar to receive this honour, following Prof S. Joe Qin, President and Wai Kee Kau Chair Professor of Data Science, and 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.

Prof Xin Yao, Vice-President (Research and Innovation) and Tong Tin Sun Chair Professor of Machine Learning at Lingnan University, is elected 2024 Fellow of the Hong Kong Academy of Engineering (HKAE).

Prof Xin Yao, Vice-President (Research and Innovation) and Tong Tin Sun Chair Professor of Machine Learning of Lingnan University has been elected Fellow of the Hong Kong Academy of Engineering (HKAE) for the year 2024. The Induction Ceremony of the 11 new Fellows of the HKAE was held on 20 January 2025. Prof Yao has the distinction of being the third Lingnan scholar to receive this honour, following Prof S. Joe Qin, President and Wai Kee Kau Chair Professor of Data Science, and 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.

 

Prof S. Joe Qin said “Prof Xin Yao, a widely recognised leader in the field of Artificial Intelligence, is among the world-class scholars Lingnan University has successfully recruited over the past year. He is also the fourth member of the Lingnan faculty to be elected to the Academy in just over a year, which says a great deal about the quality of the Lingnan faculty. In order to nurture interdisciplinary and innovative talents, we are planning to construct our first dedicated science building on campus, which will provide additional research offices, laboratories and other facilities to comprehensively support teaching and learning. We expect these initiatives, underpinned by the leadership of Prof Xin Yao and other distinguished scholars, to serve as a catalyst for innovation, and guide Lingnan as it becomes a comprehensive university in arts and sciences in the digital era. At the same time, we aim to contribute to the HKSAR Government’s efforts to establish Hong Kong as an international hub for higher education, and also make a significant contribution to the sustainable development of our society.”

 

On beinghonoured withthis prestigious award, Prof Xin Yao said “Data science and AI are rapidly advancing global industries. I firmly believe that Artificial Intelligence will be prevalent in the future, and that innovation in technology is inextricably linked to the development of human resources. I look forward to collaborating with other Fellows of the HKAE to actively explore and expand the application and future directions of AI in order to generate greater value for the community. Through Lingnan University Institute for Advanced Study (LUIAS), I also look forward to forging partnerships with leading global researchers, leveraging interdisciplinary research to address some of the most urgent challenges faced by society. At the same time, we aim to nurture students who are not only innovative talents and knowledge creators, but also equipped to assess the social and human implications of technological advancements critically.”

 

Prof Xin Yao is a leading international scholar in the field of Artificial Intelligence, and has been engaged in research on the fundamentals and practical aspects of computational intelligence for many years, covering interdisciplinary areas such as smart logistics, mechanics, aeronautical engineering, and biology. He has taught at the Southern University of Science and Technology, the University of Birmingham, the Australian Defence Force Academy, the University of New South Wales, and the University of Science and Technology of China. The professor is the first Chinese ever to receive the 2020 IEEE Frank Rosenblatt Award, and was on the list of Highly Cited Researchers in 2016, 2020, 2022, 2023, and 2024. He has been one of Stanford University World’s Top 2% Scientists every year since 2021, ranking fifth in China in the field of Artificial Intelligence and Image Processing, and is a top scientist in Research.com’s latest edition of 2024 Best Scientists, ranking 10th in Computer Science. According to Google Scholar, Prof Yao’s research studies have been cited over 80,000 times by other scholars, with an H-index of 129.

 

Founded in 1994, the HKAE was formed by eminent engineers including Ir The Honourable Sir Chung Sze-yuen, Ir Professor Cheung Yau-kai, and Ir Professor The Honourable Sir Charles Kao Kuen to promote collaboration, innovation and excellence in the field of engineering, and contribute to the advancement of society as well as to the development of Hong Kong and the entire nation. In addition to supporting education and research programmes, the HKAE researches policy, and provides expert advice to the Government and other organisations in engineering-related fields.