Outstanding Young Researcher Award 2020

Dr AU YEUNG Ho Yu, Research Division for Chemistry and Department of Chemistry, received his BSc and MPhil from the Chinese University of Hong Kong, and his PhD from the University of Cambridge. He conducted his postdoctoral research at the University of California, Berkeley before he joined the University of Hong Kong in 2013, where he is currently an Associate Professor in the Department of Chemistry. Dr Au Yeung’s research interest is the chemistry of mechanical bonds, particularly focussing on the synthesis, properties, and applications of catenanes that are composed of mechanically interlocked molecular rings. His team are also interested in developing new recognition strategies for the sensitive and selective detection of small molecules of biological and environmental significance, with potential applications in new generations of smart sensors for imaging, diagnostics, and environmental monitoring. He is a recipient of the Croucher Innovation Award and Graeme Hanson Early Career Researcher Award, and he is serving as a member for the Early Career Advisory Board of the chemistry journal Chemical Review, published by the American Chemical Society.

As a scientist, Dr Au Yeung enjoys doing research as a journey of exploration of unlimited possibilities. Delving into the unknown and encountering the unexpected are always the most exciting and rewarding parts of doing science and research.