A Personal Perspective on Doing Good Research seminar series ― Prof Sam Kwong Tak-wu: Navigating from concept to implementation

The fourth session of the A Personal Perspective on Doing Good 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.

A leading scholar with extensive teaching experience in evolutionary computation, artificial intelligence (AI) solutions, and image/video processing, Prof Kwong’s impressive track record of scientific innovations and their real-world applications has earned him widespread recognition. In 2014, he was elected as an IEEE Fellow for his valuable contributions to optimisation techniques in cybernetics and video coding. Since 2021, Prof Kwong has been recognised as one of the World’s Top 2% Scientists by Stanford University. Listed as a most highly cited researcher by Clarivate from 2022 to 2024, he actively promotes knowledge transfer between academia and industry, and was named a Fellow of the Asia-Pacific Artificial Intelligence Association (AAIA) in 2022. Prof Kwong was the President of the IEEE Systems, Man, and Cybernetics Society (SMCS) from 2021 to 2023, and is a Fellow of the US National Academy of Inventors (NAI), and the Hong Kong Academy of Engineering and Sciences (HKAES).

Prof Kwong’s prolific publication record of over 350 journal articles and 160 conference papers gives him an h-index of 93 according to Google Scholar, and he is currently an associate editor of several leading IEEE transaction journals.

In his talk, Prof Kwong explored various research domains and outlined strategies for driving technological advancement. He highlighted the critical nature of first-rate, effective research, saying “Quality research not only advances knowledge but also creates significant short- and long-term impacts that transform fields, set industry standards, and enhance societal well-being.”

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.

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.

Mr Nelson Nyabanyi N-yanbini, a PhD student, expressed his appreciation for Prof Kwong’s insightful sharing on the key steps involved in transforming research ideas from conceptualisation to implementation. He remarked, ‘What excited me the most was when Prof Kwong emphasised that we need to have many ideas in order to generate new ones, highlighting the importance of reading widely to inspire novel concepts.” Nelson pointed out that this advice is particularly valuable for him as a research postgraduate student, as it encouraged him to seek active collaborations, cultivate intellectual curiosity, and remain open-minded in exploring new knowledge.

The monthly A Personal Perspective on Doing Good Research seminar series invites senior university management and key scholars to describe their research experiences and perspectives, and provides a platform for in-depth exchanges between doctoral students, young scholars, and leading academics, and advice on how to conduct excellent research.

The next seminar will be held on 19 May 2025, and will feature Prof Lau Chi-pang, Associate Vice-President (Institutional Advancement and External Affairs) cum Director of Institutional Advancement and Public Affairs and Professor of Department of History. Prof Lau will speak on “Chronicles as a Form of Chinese Historiography: My Experience with the Hong Kong Chronicles”, describing the tradition of chronicles in Chinese historiography, and their vital role in preserving collective memory and connecting the past and present, as well as his own involvement with the Hong Kong Chronicles, and their meaning as both an archival repository and a cultural mirror. Join us for an enlightening discussion on the relevance of this form of historical writing in a contemporary context.