Passing on Knowledge and Giving Back to Society – Lei Weng Hin’s Path as a Local Mechatronics Expert (EME)
傳承知識回饋社會 – 本澳機電專才李永軒的科研之路 (機電工程系)

Lei Weng Hin, an outstanding master’s graduate of the 2023/2024 academic year from the Department of Electromechanical Engineering (EME) at the Faculty of Science and Technology (FST), University of Macau (UM), has been recognized for his courage to explore, passion for materials science, and excellent academic performance. He has won the award for the best master’s student in the department. Under the guidance of his supervisor, Prof Kin Ho Lo, Lei Weng Hin delved into the application of stainless steel in extreme low-temperature environments during his master’s graduation research project, revealing the material’s plasticity and application potential.

The Path of Scientific Research: Challenges and Growth Go Hand in Hand

The feature of Lei Weng Hin’s research project is to submerge 304 stainless steel in liquid nitrogen for one time or even continuously for up to fifty times to test its performance changes through low-temperature treatment. The process not only tests his patience and precision, but also becomes an exploration of the material’s durability. He explains that understanding the stability of stainless steel at low temperatures is crucial for developing materials suitable for extremely cold environments, which is expected to promote the application of related technologies in special environments such as polar expeditions or space exploration equipment. When it comes to the biggest challenge he encountered in the research process, Lei Weng Hin admits that the long experimental cycle and the precise control of time are the most challenging. Even the smallest mistake can cause all previous experimental data to be invalidated. However, it is this high-pressure environment that has forged his perseverance and ability to control details. He shares that the attitude of daring to try and not being afraid of failure is the key factor that allowed him to stand out among many outstanding students.

Affinity with UM, a Cradle for Cultivating Talents

Lei Weng Hin has completed his undergraduate and master’s degrees at UM and is about to pursue a PhD degree at UM. For Lei Weng Hin, choosing UM as the starting point of his academic journey, in addition to geographic location considerations, there are also deeper emotional connections. He studied at Escola dos Moradores de Macau (澳門坊眾學校) during high school and participated in various science and technology innovation competitions. Under the guidance and support of UM professors, he has built connections with the university. Moreover, the abundant resources and supportive learning atmosphere fostered his deep connection in the Department and found his passion for scientific research. Throughout his university studies, Lei experiences advancements in knowledge and skills, alongside successfully published a paper in a journal ranked as the top Q1 level in the SCI database, on the research of cavitation in High Entropy Alloy. His collaboration with a professor from Hong Kong on this research not only fortified his research abilities but also broadened his academic perspectives significantly.

Knowledge Inheritance

Lei Weng Hin is deeply aware of the importance of knowledge inheritance. Since graduating from high school, he has returned to his high school as a part-time science and technology mentor, which has given him the opportunity to pass on his knowledge and passion to the next generation. Under his guidance, his juniors have won numerous awards in various science and technology innovation competitions, such as first prize for a simple unmanned boat operating system, top award for unmanned boat operation, and excellence award for a micro-stethoscope and its algorithm. Many of these students have also expressed interest in pursuing an electromechanical engineering degree at UM. At the same time, he actively inspires his younger peers to pursue their dreams and engage in scientific research.

Looking Forward to the Future

For the future, Lei Weng Hin plans to be a postdoctoral researcher, considering further research in places like Hong Kong or Taiwan. Lei Weng Hin ‘s story is a vivid interpretation of the spirit of scientific research – seeking breakthroughs in challenges and constantly growing through practice. His experience not only highlights the journey of local young scholars in Macau actively pursuing their dreams and contributing to society, but also reflects the tireless efforts and contributions of UM in cultivating local technological talents.