Prof Sam Kwong Tak-wu: Navigating from concept to implementation in technological research and innovation
Prof Sam Kwong leads the fourth session of the A Personal Perspective on Doing Good Research seminar series to encourage young scholars.
Research seminar series organised by the School of Graduate Studies of Lingnan University was held on 17 April 2025, and featured a compelling talk, Navigating from Concept to Implementation: Advancing Through Technological Research and Innovation, by Prof Sam Kwong Tak-wu, Associate Vice-President (Strategic Research), Acting Dean of the School of Data Science, Dean of the School of Graduate Studies and J.K. Lee Chair Professor of Computational Intelligence. About a hundred faculty members and students attended the session.
Prof Kwong emphasised understanding foundational work, state-of-the-art technology, idea development, and the publication process, and quoted amusing, perceptive advice from Prof Irving P. Herman, Professor of Applied Physics at Columbia University, regarding productivity, the roles of advisers, and the importance of producing publishable research, giving his audience a useful guide to navigating research complexities.
About a hundred members of the faculty and students attend the seminar.
Through case studies, Prof Kwong underscored the importance of perseverance in developing new ideas, noting that challenges and failures are part of the process, and encouraged attendees to view setbacks as learning opportunities, and to respond and adapt to feedback. Pursuing curiosity-driven research and following genuine interests, even if they seem tangential, is crucial, he said, stressing the need for open-mindedness, being receptive to new ideas, and adjusting perspectives based on fresh evidence.
PhD student Mr Nelson Nyabanyi N-yanbini appreciates Prof Kwong’s insights on transforming research ideas, emphasising the need for diverse ideas and wide reading to inspire innovation.