Professor Kaibin Huang, Philip K H Wong Wilson K L Wong Professor in Electrical Engineering and Department Head of the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, was presented with the Croucher Senior Research Fellowship 2026 for his outstanding scientific research achievements.
Professor Huang has advanced wireless communication technologies from 4G to 6G, tackling key challenges in increasing data rates, extending network lifespan, and enhancing network intelligence. His work on efficient channel feedback for multi-antenna systems enables the systems to adapt transmitter waveforms to real-time channel conditions, which is critical for high-rate data transmission. These innovations have been incorporated into 3GPP standards and widely adopted by industry leaders.
Recently, Professor Huang invented Over-the-Air Computing, a transformative technology that leverages the natural superposition of radio signals to perform distributed computations like averages and multiplications. They thereby overcome communication bottlenecks in 6G AI and machine learning applications. He has also contributed significantly to wirelessly powered communications and mobile edge computing, enhancing network longevity and computational capabilities. Collectively, his research has influenced the evolution of mobile networks and impacted both academic and industrial advancements in next-generation wireless technologies.
Honoured to be awarded this prestigious fellowship, Professor Huang said: “This recognition strengthens my commitment to advancing Over-the-Air Computing technology and rethinking how information is processed within wireless networks. In the long term, my goal is to help build intelligent wireless networks that can distribute AI power to every corner of the earth, making advanced intelligence a truly global resource.”
Professor Huang holds Bachelor of Engineering and Master of Engineering degrees from the National University of Singapore and a PhD from the University of Texas at Austin. Having received numerous awards, he was elected as a Fellow of the IEEE in 2021 and the US National Academy of Inventors in 2024. He has been named as a Highly Cited Researcher by Clarivate in the last seven years from 2019 to 2025 and an AI 2000 Most Influential Scholar (Top 30 in Internet of Things) in 2023–2025. He received the IEEE Wireless Communications Technical Committee Recognition Award in 2025.
The Croucher Senior Research Fellowships represent one of the Croucher Foundation’s most prestigious awards, granted only after a robust selection exercise, detailed international peer review and long discussions between Governors. The maximum value of each Senior Research Fellowship is about HK$3 million, including the cost of a replacement teacher.
