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Pioneering the path to a sustainable future: visionary leader of SIS
Text: Eva Tsang
Photos: Hazel Chow
I don’t want my research to stay mostly on paper or just become ‘cool’. I want my studies to solve real problems. — Prof Chen Xi
Our world emits over 35 billion tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) into the atmosphere annually, so the challenge before us is to mitigate this immense quantity, or perhaps even better, to convert part of this into a valuable resource.
Prof Chen Xi is an esteemed pioneer in the field of distributed CO2 capture, utilisation and sequestration. And in his roles as both Chair Professor of Interdisciplinary Studies and Dean of Lingnan University’s School of Interdisciplinary Studies (SIS), he has developed an ambitious vision of what it will take.
"I would like not only to invent new technology, but also to inspire new types of business and industry that can really take advantage of the CO2," he said, emphasising that forward thinking and applied expertise are needed to achieve the sustainability goals that are so essential for all of us.
This view, of course, reflects Lingnan's own “Education for Service” motto and exemplifies the essence of a liberal arts education.
Remarkably, Prof Chen entered university at just 13 years old. He subsequently graduated from Xi’an Jiaotong University’s Gifted Youth Programme and went on to earn a master’s degree in engineering from Tsinghua University before completing a PhD in solid mechanics at Harvard. Opting to pursue a career in academia, he became a faculty member at Columbia University and has since won international recognition as a distinguished scholar specialising in material science and mechanics.
Throughout, his objective has been to tackle real-world challenges relating to energy, the environment, nanotechnology, and biology.
“I don't want my research to stay mostly on paper or just become 'cool'. I want my studies to solve real problems," Prof Chen said.
Shift in focus
Around 2010, his attention began to shift more towards energy and greenhouse gas issues, marking a pivotal "click moment for scientists" which was opening up groundbreaking areas of study. And this meant that, in 2020, when President Xi Jinping announced that China aims to achieve carbon neutrality before 2060, Prof Chen already had a decade’s experience in the field.
“Ten years before that speech, many people didn’t understand the importance of this global issue, and some even made jokes about me,” Prof Chen said. “But after it, they immediately got in touch, asking what we should do, not just scientists, but also government officials and industry leaders.”
Prof Chen Xi
• Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers
• Career Award from the National Science Foundation
• Fellow of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME)
• Thomas J.R. Hughes Young Investigator Award from ASME
• Young Investigator Medal from the Society of Engineering Science
• Sia Nemat-Nasser Early Career Award from ASME
His own firm belief is that the crown jewel of carbon neutrality is to find ways of removing carbon dioxide from the air.
“That would be the best. That would be a gigantic step for science and technology, and it would greatly benefit mankind,” he said.
One encouraging advance in this respect is the development of a membrane-type carbon-capture material, known for its “moisture swing” capacity.
“When the surrounding air is dry, it can chemically absorb CO2 directly from the air. And when the surrounding is wet, it can then release CO2 that has been absorbed,” he said.
Based on the use of this material, as well as other technologies, Prof Chen has proposed a whole framework of options for distributed carbon capture and utilisation, aimed at turning CO2 into a valuable asset.
“One example is carbon farming,” he said. “Our experiments have shown that CO2 captured from the air can really help to increase the yield of some vegetables such as tomatoes by 30-40%. Another example is using mineralisation reaction to permanently store CO2 in building materials and the base layers of roads, making them much stronger.”
Such changes, he noted, should go hand in hand with an embrace of smart city concepts and digitalisation to optimise the overall impact.
New possibilities
As a world-renowned scholar, Prof Chen first crossed paths with Lingnan’s President S. Joe Qin through an alumni network and was intrigued by the possibilities.
To become a leader in sustainability research in the digital era, we have to leverage our existing strengths of liberal arts, while implementing changes.— Prof Chen Xi
“I was convinced that President Qin is the type of leader I would like to follow. He has many brilliant ideas. And I could focus on SIS, which is a chance to combine everything,” Prof Chen said.
Since joining Lingnan in September, his work has felt like establishing a start-up company. He believes the university offers many great possibilities, and is ready to transform things where necessary.
“To become a leader in sustainability research in the digital era, we have to leverage our existing strengths of liberal arts, while implementing changes,” he said.
Therefore, SIS has established a master’s concentration with support from the Faculty of Business, with a view to launching a joint programme which would welcome its first intake in September 2024.
Plans are also under way for a new PhD programme plus more international collaboration and stronger ties with the Greater Bay Area.
“To develop science and technology components, Lingnan must work with mainland partners for lab space and research collaboration facilities,” Prof Chen said. “I am happy to see that we have already made milestone progress by establishing the university's Shenzhen Research Institute. That is the first step, and I think we will be able to finish renovating the space by the end of January and then start work in the labs.”
The broader aim is to attract talent from the Greater Bay Area in order to expand the research facility, to work closely with mainland institutions, and to build a team of world leaders in sustainability.
Capstone project
As a way of motivating and inspiring Lingnan students, Prof Chen is proposing a capstone project involving the newly announced campus building which will connect the main entrance area with one of the other existing buildings.
“We would like to make that a benchmark for carbon neutrality and green construction in Hong Kong, also using it as a testbed for student projects,” Prof Chen said. “There can be advanced technology applications, including a solar roof, advanced ventilation and solid waste management systems, and an energy harvesting system.”
Looking further ahead, he has also been considering ways to make strides in a next big area of research, which includes water and material genomics.
“We were one of the first groups to apply AI and machine learning in functional material prediction,” he said. “I would like to keep predicting and leading what can be done.”
