The Research Grants Council (RGC) has awarded research proposals led by scientists at City University of Hong Kong more than half of the HK$17.8 million allocated to all area universities in the group research category for 2001-2002.

The RGC awarded grants to six group research proposals this year, including three research proposals led by CityU scientists. The successful CityU proposals, totaling HK$9.6 million or 54% of the overall group allocations, came from the departments of Building and Construction, Manufacturing Engineering and Engineering Management, and Physics and Materials Science.

The winning proposals comprise:

·        Non-destructive Inspection of Buildings and Structures Using Shearography, led by Professor Michael Hung of CityU's Department of Building and Construction and researchers from University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology and The Hong Kong Polytechnic University. (HK$4 million).
·        Polymer-based Nano-composites, led by Professor Mai Yiu-wing of CityU's Department of Manufacturing Engineering and Engineering Management and researchers from Hong Kong University of Science and Technology and The Hong Kong Polytechnic University. (HK$4 million) ?P
·        Science and Technology of Silicon Nanowires, led by Professor S T Lee of CityU's Center of Super-Diamond and Advanced Films and the Department of Physics and Materials Science, and researchers with the University of Hong Kong and Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. (HK$1.6 million)

The educational community watches the RGC grant allocations closely because they reflect the research capabilities of Hong Kong's tertiary institutions. The RGC results this year speak especially well of CityU, which scored well against Hong Kong's larger and more established institutions.