Artificial intelligence (AI) development has unprecedentedly transformed teaching and learning. Effectively using AI to develop innovative teaching models to offer students a learning experience that keeps up with the new AI era, three professors at City University of Hong Kong (CityUHK) have been awarded the CityUHK Teaching Excellence Award (TEA) 2024/25. Professor Condon Lau from the Department of Physics in the College of Science (CSCI) is one of them. Congratulations!
Professor Condon Lau, Associate Professor from the Department of Physics, was awarded the newly added TEA for “Digital Learning” this year in recognition of his use of digital tools to enhance the student learning experience.
Professor Lau and his team developed the “AIstain” system, which can complete lymphoma cell staining analysis within minutes to diagnose diseases in cats and dogs. The technology has undergone clinical testing at CityUHK Veterinary Medical Centre and has become the basis of a startup under HK Tech 300, the University’s flagship innovation and entrepreneurship programme.
Through his courses, Professor Lau encourages his students to develop innovative medical AI systems based on AIstain, fostering interdisciplinary collaboration between students from CSCI and the College of Computing. He also utilises AI-generated image tools in a “flipped classroom” model to stimulate students’ interest in cross-disciplinary AI learning. He stated, “I look forward to students continuously exploring the AI field, seeking to surpass existing technologies and create more innovative applications for society.”
CityUHK established the TEA in 1993 to recognise excellent teachers and encourage teaching innovation. Each winner receives a prize of HK$15,000 and a teaching development fund of HK$150,000.