Prof. Qifeng Chen, Associate Professor of Department of Computer Science and Engineering and Department of Electronic and Computer Engineering at HKUST, is listed as an "AI 100 Young Pioneer" award by MIT Technology Review China and DeepTech. He is one of the 65 awardees selected in the inaugural batch of the award scheme across the nation.

The "AI 100 Young Pioneers" is an authoritative ranking jointly initiated by MIT Technology Review China and DeepTech, aimed at identifying and honoring the most promising young leaders under the age of 40 in China’s AI sector. The selection criteria focus on core dimensions such as technological innovation, industrial application, and societal impact. Through rigorous review by more than 20 authoritative experts, the list selects a new generation of scientists and entrepreneurs who have made outstanding contributions in basic AI research, industry applications, and interdisciplinary fields.

The 2025 inaugural cohort features 65 exceptional young pioneers across cutting-edge fields, including machine learning, natural language processing, computer vision, AI for Science (AI4Science), and embodied intelligence. Among the 65 awardees, Beijing claims the highest proportion at 33. Shanghai follows with 10 awardees, Hong Kong with 6, while Hangzhou and Shenzhen each contribute 4 pioneers. The remaining 8 recipients are distributed across other provinces.

The 50th International Exhibition of Inventions Geneva, held during 9 – 13 April 2025, showcased nearly 1,050 submissions from 35 countries and regions of inventors, universities, institutes and companies.  Among the 299 inventions from Hong Kong, 37 HKUST teams received a total 38 awards, demonstrating the University’s outstanding performance in the fields of life and health technologies, artificial intelligence (AI) and data science, advanced manufacturing, new energy technologies and aerospace engineering. Among which, the inventions led by Profs. Tim CHENG and Xiaomeng LI, faculty members of the Department of Electronic and Computer Engineering (ECE), received three recognitions.

Prof. Tim CHENG

• Digital Compute-In-Memory (DCIM) Enabled Portable Genome Analysis Prototype
  Gold Medal with Congratulations of the Jury
  Digital Compute-In-Memory (DCIM) merges memory and computing logic, revolutionizing AI chips with remarkable efficiency. AutoDCIM, the first EDA tool for DCIM design, enables DCIM-based solution demonstrated with a portable genome analysis prototype.

• Ultra-high Energy Efficiency AI Accelerator for Portable Healthcare Devices
  Gold Medal
  A prototype for real-time, accurate clinical image segmentation, specifically tailored for a portable healthcare device. It harnesses our CNN-Transformer AI accelerator, delivering a 10x energy efficiency enhancement over conventional digital chips.

Prof. Xiaomeng LI

• C2RV: Cross-Regional and Cross-View Learning for Sparse-View CBCT Reconstruction 
  Silver Medal
  C2RV (Cross-Regional and Cross-View Learning) is a framework for sparse-view cone-beam computed tomography. It reconstructs 3D images from fewer projections, reducing radiation exposure by over 90% and improving accuracy in medical applications.

For further details, please refer to the HKUST ECE website.