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​Areas of current recruiting interest (candidate must satisfy at least one):
- polymer synthesis: hydrogels, polyelectrolytes, polymer composites
- stretchable/gel electronics
- sensors: physical, chemical, biological
- actuators: soft/gel actuators
- mechanical energy harvesting
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A) PhD Student (recruiting for Sep 2026 entry):
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I. Requirements (set by CityU, non-negotiable):
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1. English:
Test scores (minimum TOFEL = 79, or IELTS = 6.5, or CET6 = 490) [test taken within 2 years]
- e.g. 1: IELTS 8.5, taken more than 2 years ago. Fail.
- e.g. 2: CET6 491, taken within 2 years. Pass.
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2. Academic:
At least one university degree must be from Double First-Class List. If bachelor, GPA must be > 85.
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3. Research:
At least one first-author published or accepted journal paper (with your name in the first position) in SCI top 10%.
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Meeting above requirements does not guarantee admission. However, not meeting the requirements need not apply.
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Interested candidates should contact the PI before early November with the following as email attachments (not cloud URLs) to <derekho{at}cityu.edu.hk>. Complete information will receive quicker reply.
1) BS and MS transcripts of all (including incomplete) degrees. State mark out of 100.
2) English test score (explicitly state test taken within 2 years)
3) CV with publication list
4) Publication samples, 1st-author (1st-position only), in PDF format
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II. Official Deadlines:
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PhD admission deadline is in early December for admission to the following year's fall semester. See required application documents.
Two tracks:
1. HKPFS: observe SGS deadline, usually December 1, but submission by mid November is highly recommended. All applicants who pass IELTS should apply through the HKPFS route, which is automatically considered for the normal PhD admission process as well.
2. Main Round: observe SGS deadline, submission by mid November is highly recommended (and will likely maximize your chance).
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III. Regular Financial Support:
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CityU studentship offers a monthly stipend of HK ~$18,500/month (US ~$30,000/yr) to all successful candidates. All graduate students are admitted through the School of Graduate Studies (SGS) (sg@cityu.edu.hk). For admission requirements, please consult the SGS website and SGS Admission Handbook. Admission success is highly based on GPA and publication record.
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IV. Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme (HKPFS):
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Strong applicants are strongly encouraged to apply for the prestigious Hong Kong PhD fellowship. Applicants who do not obtain HKPFS are automatically considered for main round using the same application. The Fellowship provides a annual stipend of HK $325,200 (~US $42,000/yr) and a conference travel allowance of HK $13,600 (~ US$1,800) per year for a period of up to three years (2022 funding level).
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B) Postdoc Fellow / Associate Research Scientist:
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I. Requirements:
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- PhD in Materials, Chemistry, Electrical Engineering, or related disciplines
- Application package should be sent to <derekho{at}cityu.edu.hk>, including:
1) Cover letter
2) Research statement
3) CV with publication list
4) PDFs of first-author publications
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II. Hong Kong ITC Postdoctoral Hub:
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For postdoc applicants eligible to be hired under the Hong Kong ITC Postdoctoral Hub (graduated from top 100 institutions worldwide from qualified disciplines or from a Hong Kong university), salary can reach $35000/month with a residence allowance of $10000/month (i.e., a total of $45000/month). If this applies to you, please state clearly the discipline and rank in cover letter/email.
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C) Research Assistant (currently no openings):
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- Requires a bachelor’s degree, with plan to continue PhD study at CityU afterwards (please state in email)
- Please email GPA / CV / English score / publication samples to <derekho{at}cityu.edu.hk>.
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