Professor Luk Kwai-man, Chair Professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering at City University of Hong Kong (CityU), was conferred the 14th Guanghua Engineering Science and Technology Award by the Chinese Academy of Engineering (CAE) on 30 May in recognition of his contributions to championing China’s 5G antenna technology as the international standard.

Established in 1996, the Guanghua Engineering Science and Technology Award is a biennial award at the national level which aims to honour Chinese engineers and scientists who have attained outstanding achievements and made significant contributions to engineering technology and engineering management. Professor Luk was one of three award recipients from Hong Kong among the 39 awardees out of 350 candidates this year in fields such as machinery, materials, medicine, and aerospace, among others.

Specialising in applied electromagnetics and antenna technology, Professor Luk and his team developed the L-Probe-Fed Microstrip Antenna and the Magneto-electric Dipole Antenna that allowed for more efficient wideband transmission. In addition, he led research for inventing many novel antennas including transparent antennas, small antennas, dielectric antennas and high gain antennas that can be used in wireless communication, radar and remote sensing. His more than 700 papers and four international books have had a far-reaching impact on the field of antennas.

“I feel much honoured to receive the award as it is one of the most prestigious awards in the engineering field in China. Also, I’m grateful to the selection panel for affirming the research work conducted by me and my team on electromagnetic field and antenna technology over the years,” said Professor Luk.

Professor Luk, who worked at CityU for more than 30 years, set up the State Key Laboratory of Terahertz and Millimeter Waves in 2008 and developed it into an international hub for academic exchange. He expressed his gratitude to CityU and the University community for their support, which has enabled him to attain research achievements recognised by the international academic field.

“Challenges and opportunities co-exist in the process of researching applied electromagnetics and antenna technology. Antennas will play a very important role in the future,” he said. “During my research, I’ve identified many talented students. It has been very rewarding to nurture talent for industry and help showcase their strengths in the antenna field.”

Professor Luk and his team are now focusing their efforts on 6G antennas and medical antennas research.

Over the years, Professor Luk has received numerous accolades: Prize for Scientific and Technological Progress, Ho Leung Ho Lee Foundation in 2019; IEEE AP-S John Kraus Antenna Award in 2017; State Technological Invention Award (second honour) (ranked first) in 2011; Croucher Award in 2001; and Japan Microwave Prize at the Asia Pacific Microwave Conference in 1994.

Professor Luk is a Fellow of the Hong Kong Academy of Engineering Sciences; the Royal Academy of Engineering (UK); the Chinese Institute of Electronics in China; the Hong Kong Institution of Engineers; the Institution of Engineering and Technology (UK); the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (US), and the Electromagnetics Academy (US). In addition, he is a Co-Director of The Greater Bay Area Joint Laboratory of Big Data Imaging and Communications, and a guest editor for Engineering, the flagship journal published by the Chinese Academy of Engineering.