Advances in industry, biomedicine, energy, transportation and communications are strongly supported by the innovation, development and application of materials science, thus providing significant benefits to mankind. The Hong Kong Branch of National Precious Metals Material Engineering Research Center at City University of Hong Kong (CityUHK) is co-hosting the 18th International Conference on Electronic Materials 2024 (IUMRS-ICEM 2024) with the International Union of Materials Research Societies (IUMRS) and the Hong Kong Materials Research Society. This marks the first time the conference is held in Hong Kong. IUMRS-ICEM 2024 brings together leading scholars and industry professionals from around the world to discuss the most recent advances in electronic materials and associated technologies. It promotes international academic exchange and collaboration, as well as innovation and technology development.

The opening ceremony and the first day of the conference were held at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre on 17 May. The conference will continue at the CityUHK campus from 18 to 20 May. IUMRS-ICEM 2024 will feature 11 plenary sessions, covering a broad range of topics, including 2D Materials and Devices, Compound and Wide-bandgap Semiconductor Materials and Devices, Materials and Processes for Advanced Packaging Technologies, Advanced Spintronic and Magnetic Materials/Devices, Stretchable and Wearable Electronics, Photonic Materials and Devices, Materials and Devices for Energy Harvesting, Materials and Devices for Energy Storage, Quantum Materials and Devices, Synthesis Processes and Characterisation Methods, as well as Organic Materials and Electronics. Its primary focus is to leverage materials and technologies for achieving sustainable development in energy and environmental aspects.

Professor Freddy Boey, CityUHK President, is a leading scholar in the field of materials science. His academic achievements are widely applied in biomedicine, including using nanostructures with a novel drug delivery approach to combat blindness from glaucoma.

 

He delivered a speech at the opening ceremony, stating that advancements in materials science have laid the foundation for the development of artificial intelligence. He believes that with the academic atmosphere and dynamism of Hong Kong and the Greater Bay Area, more academic research will be transformed into practical applications, bringing a positive impact to society.

“This year marks the 30th anniversary of CityUHK becoming a university,” said Professor Boey. “We are dedicated to pioneering research and innovative solutions that address pressing global challenges, thus contributing significantly to Hong Kong, the mainland and the world, Innovating into the Future.”

 

Also joining the opening ceremony was Professor Sun Dong, Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry. The Hong Kong SAR Government has been actively promoting new industrialisation through science and technology in recent years, with new materials and smart manufacturing part of it. He believes that this conference can promote exchanges among scholars and industry leaders from all over the world. He also announced that the Government will launch the HK$10 billion New Industrialisation Acceleration Scheme within this year.

The Plenary speakers on the first day include world-renowned scientists who excel in specialised areas, such as nanophotonics, material physics and graphene research. The speakers include Professor Xiang Zhang, President and Vice Chancellor of The University of Hong Kong, an elected member of the US National Academy of Engineering, and an elected foreign member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS); Professor Liu Zhongfan of the College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering at Peking University, and an elected member of the CAS; Professor Peng Lianmao of School of Electronics Engineering and Computer Science at Peking University, and an elected member of the CAS; Professor Huang Fei of the School of Materials Science and Engineering at South China University of Technology; Professor Wang Hongxing, Director of the Key Laboratory of Physical Electronics and Devices of the Ministry of Education at Xi'an Jiaotong University; Professor Rodney S. Ruoff of the Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology in South Korea; Professor Takuzo Aida, Distinguished Professor at The University of Tokyo; Professor Stuart Parkin of the Max Planck Institute of Microstructure Physics in Germany; and Dr Douglas Chen Hua Yu, Vice President of Pathfinding for System Integration at Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited.

Professor Zhang is the plenary speaker for the Photonic Materials and Devices session, during which he shares insightful views and engages in focused discussions about photonic materials and devices. Dr Yu is the plenary speaker for the Materials and Processes for Advanced Packaging Technologies session. In this seminar, he shares industry experience, challenges, and emerging trends.

IUMRS-ICEM, one of the flagship conferences of the IUMRS, has been held every two years since 1988. IUMRS-ICEM aims to provide a platform for materials scientists from around the world to showcase their latest research results, interact with peers and establish research collaboration. IUMRS-ICEM 2024 is one of the main events of the 30th anniversary celebration of CityUHK and also one of the mega events named under the Hong Kong Tourism Development Board.