Prof. Christopher Chao is Vice President (Research and Innovation), Chair Professor of Thermal and Environmental Engineering, and Director of PolyU Policy Research Centre for Innovation and Technology of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU). He is responsible for the planning and strategic development of research and innovation, knowledge transfer and entrepreneurship activities at PolyU. As an accomplished scholar in thermal and environmental engineering, Prof. Chao has published extensively in leading journals and has an excellent track record in securing external research grants. He has been making unwavering contributions to the professional community and the HKSAR Government. He is currently a member of the Research Strategy Expert Group of the Chief Executive's Policy Unit, Board of Directors of the Hong Kong Applied Science and Technology Research Institute, Board of Directors of the Hong Kong Cyberport Management Company Limited, Council of the Hong Kong Institution of Engineers, Council of the Hong Kong Academy of Engineering, and Vice Chairman of the Hong Kong Alliance of Technology and Innovation.
Prof. Chao received his BSc(Eng) degree in Mechanical Engineering (First Class) from The University of Hong Kong (HKU) and obtained his MS and PhD degrees in Mechanical Engineering from the University of California, Berkeley. He was Dean of Engineering and Chair Professor of Mechanical Engineering at The University of Hong Kong from 2018 to 2021. Before that he was Head and Chair Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology.
