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U S T . H K
TRAILBLAZERS
NEXT-GENERATION
Quantum Stars
The significance of research into quantum
materials and information science by two
early career HKUST physicists has been
moved ahead by funding awards from the
Croucher Foundation, a long time cham-
pion of research excellence in natural
sciences, technology and medicine in
Hong Kong.
Prof Gyu Boong Jo, Department of
Physics, received a HK$5 million Croucher
Innovation Award 2016 for use over five
years for his outstanding achievements
in the quest to realize synthetic quantum
systems using ultracold atoms. Physics
colleague Prof Kam Tuen Law received
the same award in 2015 for his studies on
exotic states of condensed matter, which
could have important applications for the
quantum computers of the future, among
other uses.
The Croucher Foundation, set up in
1979, established the Innovation Awards
in 2012 to identify and support a small
number of exceptionally talented “rising
stars” in science, working at an interna-
tionally competitive level.
Prof Jo and his team have been
focusing on using a dilute gas of ultracold
atoms, managing to control atoms at
around 100 billionth of 1 Kelvin above
absolute zero through techniques adopted
from atomic molecular optical (AMO)
physics.
He has discovered an unconventional
quantum state withminimal loss of coher-
ence within ultracold atoms. In addition,
he has created an artificial Kagome crys-
talline structure – a traditional Japanese
woven bamboo pattern – for ultracold
atoms with the hope of realizing a new
phase of matter.
Prof Jo joined HKUST in 2013, fol-
lowing a postdoctoral fellowship at the
University of California, Berkeley, after
obtaining his PhD degree at the Massa-
chusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
His findings have already inspired
researchers around the world to focus
on this quantum effect, which may be
applied to create better inertial sensors,
gyroscopes, and gravimeters, as well as
applications in next-generation informa-
tion storage and processing systems using
ultracold atoms.
Prof Law is a condensed matter theo-
rist, studying the electronic properties of
solid-state materials. His research focuses
The leading-edge studies of a trio of young HKUST
scientists have been recognized with highly competitive
Croucher Innovation Awards from Hong Kong’s
prestigious independent private funding body
PROF GYU BOONG JO
Assistant Professor of Physics
We seek to understand better
the many-body system in
condensed matter to help
discover new materials or
systems
