HKUST Students Present Innovative Environmental Research Projects at Ford Regional Headquarters

HONG KONG, 25 August 2016 – The 2015-16 Ford-Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) Conservation and Environmental Research grants programme recently concluded with the 20 grant recipients visiting the Ford Motor Company’s regional headquarters in Bangkok, Thailand. The Master of Science students from HKUST’s School of Engineering presented their research findings during the study tour of Ford’s facilities.

This year marked the third year of the programme, a unique partnership between Ford Motor Company and HKUST promoting environmental sustainability and research, with a focus on green technologies and transportation.

This year’s research projects included personalising ventilation in vehicles, examining more efficient vehicle batteries and the development of smart car windows to help conserve energy.

“Ford is excited about the innovative ideas from this year’s grant recipients. With every year we have collaborated with HKUST on this grant, we have seen increasingly impressive research projects. We’re proud to support the future engineers who will help shape a better world with their work,” said David Westerman, managing director, Asia Pacific Emerging Markets, Ford Motor Company.

Yang Zhou, one of the grant recipients, harnessed his childhood love of cars and worked on a project that could help make electric vehicle batteries more efficient. He developed an idea to decrease cost and enhance the vehicle’s performance by spreading the heat generated by the converter’s power chip. “I’m grateful for the opportunity to develop this idea because environmental protection and energy sustainability are so important for the automotive industry,” said Yang.

Fellow student Umar Siddique Virk says the trip and the work on the grant were invaluable experiences. His project developed a smart window to conserve energy. “The support from Ford made a big difference to me. It was very good experience to work on a project which, if applied, could lead to a greener environment and will save resources for our future,” Virk said.

“The trip to Ford regional headquarters in Bangkok was definitely a precious learning experience. Hopefully, my research project on electrodes for high-performance lithium-air batteries can help power the next generation of electric vehicles,” said grant-recipient Li Luyu.

In Asia Pacific, Ford has played a pivotal role in advancing environmental initiatives for more than a decade across multiple markets, from protecting wildlife and preventing forest fires, to funding cultural heritage projects and replenishing resources in rural communities.

For more information, please visit www.hkford.com.

Ford’s Conservation and Environmental Grants Program
Founded in 1983, the Ford Conservation and Environmental Grants program was created to empower individuals and non-profit groups to conduct research and projects which help preserve the environmental well-being of their communities and provide solutions contributing to a sustainable planet.

Since launching, Ford has awarded more than USD 5 million in grants to hundreds of environmental projects in more than 60 countries around the world.

In Asia Pacific, Ford has played a pivotal role in advancing environmental initiatives for more than a decade across multiple markets, from protecting wildlife and preventing forest fires, to funding cultural heritage projects and replenishing resources in rural communities.

For more information, please visit www.hkford.com or call 2820 4018.

About Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company is a global automotive and mobility company based in Dearborn, Michigan. With about 203,000 employees and 67 plants worldwide, the company’s core business includes designing, manufacturing, marketing, financing and servicing a full line of Ford cars, trucks, SUVs and electrified vehicles, as well as Lincoln luxury vehicles. At the same time, Ford aggressively is pursuing emerging opportunities through Ford Smart Mobility, the company’s plan to be a leader in connectivity, mobility, autonomous vehicles, the customer experience, and data and analytics. The company provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. For more information regarding Ford, its products worldwide or Ford Motor Credit Company, visit www.corporate.ford.com.