The success of the inaugural year of collaboration under the Ford-HKUST Conservation and Environmental Research Grants program has led to continued funding for 2014-15, with another 19 projects supported and results from these latest projects due to be reported in May.

 

The program is a unique partnership to promote environmental sustainability and nurture talent by supporting School of Engineering Master of Science students in their research on environmental and conservation science and conservation engineering. Ford donated HK$500,000 for the graduate research grants, which was then matched by HKUST for a total fund of HK$1 million. Twenty-three projects were funded for 2013-14.

 

"The first year of this program was a resounding success, and really underscored our belief that together with HKUST, we have created an exciting research grants program that drives creativity, innovation and potentially industry-shaping research," said Mr David Westerman, Managing Director, Asia Pacific Emerging Markets, Ford Motor Company. "We can't wait to see the results of the research projects funded this year."

 

The first year of the partnership concluded with the grantees spending four days at Ford's Asia Pacific headquarters in Shanghai and Research and Engineering Center in Nanjing in late Spring 2014.