Awards

• Rosewood Entrepreneurship Award 2025
• Gen T. by Tatler Asia 2024
• HKUST Redbird Academic Excellence Award (2022-2023,2024-2025)
• 40 Under 40 Designer, The Perspective (2018)
• 100 Designers, Kun Shan University (2018)
• City I&T Grand Challenge Hong Kong – Champion (2024)
• 49th International Exhibition of Inventions Geneva – Silver Award (2024)
• HKSAR ICT Smart Living (Smart Home) – Gold Award (2020)
• German Design Award (2020)
• Design for Asia Awards (2020)
• European Product Design Award (2019)
• Innovation Award, World Federation of Chinese Organization (2019)
• A&D Trophy Awards – Best of Category: Smart Device (2018)
• Good Design Awards (Chicago) (2018)
• Red Dot Concept Design Award (2016)

Highlighted Publications:

1. C. K. W. Lee, Y. Xu, Q. Yuan, Y. H. Chan, W. Y. Poon, H. Zhong, S. Chen, G. Li, “Advanced 3D Food Printing with Simultaneous Cooking and Generative AI Design,” Advanced Materials, 2025, DOI: 10.1002/adma.202408282
2. C. K. W. Lee, Y. Pan, R. Yang, M. Kim, G. Li, “Laser-Induced Transfer of Functional Materials,” Topics in Current Chemistry, 381, 18, 2023
3. R. Yang, Y. Chen, Y. Pan, M. Kim, H. Liu, C. K. W. Lee, Y. Huang, A. Tang, F. Tu, T. Li, M. G. Li, “Single-step laser-printed integrated sulfur cathode toward high-performance lithium–sulfur batteries,” Nature Communications, 16, 2025
4. M. Tang, R. Yang, J. Lin, X. Lu, C. K. W. Lee, Y. Xu, S. Chen, H. Zhong, Y. Pan, M. G. Li, “A solar-driven hygroscopic aerogel using electrical impedance tomography for exploiting differentiated photothermal interfaces,” Chemical Engineering Journal, 497, 2024
5. Y. Huang, H. Zhong, R. Yang, Y. Pan, J. Lin, C. K. W. Lee, S. Chen, M. Tan, X. Lu, W. Y.Poon, Q. Yuan, M. G. Li, “Multifunctional Laser-induced Graphene Circuits and Laser-printed Nanomaterials toward Non-invasive Human Kidney Function Monitoring,”Biosensors and Bioelectronics, 259, 2024
6. Y. Pan, R. Yu, Y. Jang, H. Zhong, Q. Yuan, C. K. W. Lee, R. Yang, S. Chen, Y. Chen, W. Y.Poon, G. Li, “Nano-Skeletons from Waste Electronics for Enhanced Glucose Detection,”Nano-Micro Letters, 16, 1, 2024
7. W. Y. Poon, H. Zhong, Y. Xu, M. Kim, J. Lin, R. Yang, C. K. W. Lee, Q. Yuan, W. H. Tam, M.G. Li, “Autonomous Robotic Ultrathin Laser-Scribed Microheater for Effective Insect Control,” Advanced Intelligent Systems, 2024
8. M. Tang, H. Zhong, X. Lu, R. Yang, C. K. W. Lee, Y. Pan, Y. Chen, M. G. Li, “In situ Electrical Impedance Tomography for Visualizing Water Transportation in Hygroscopic Aerogels,” Advanced Science, 2024
9. Y. Xu, J. Lin, Y. Chen, H. Zhong, C. K. W. Lee, M. Tan, S. Chen, M. Kim, W. Y. Poon, Y. H. Chan, Q. Yuan, M. Tang, R. Yang, Y. Pan, Y. Fu, G. Li, “Highly Efficient Cash Sterilization with Ultrafast and Flexible Joule-Heating Strategy by Laser Patterning,” Advanced Materials Interfaces, 2024
10. Y. Chen, M. Tan, R. Yang, C. K. W. Lee, H. Zhong, Y. Xu, Y. Huang, M. Tang, G. Li, “Laser-Guided Self-Assembly of Thin Films into Micro-Rolls,” Advanced Functional Materials, 2024
11. Y. Huang, R. Yang, H. Zhong, C. K. W. Lee, Y. Pan, M. Tan, Y. Chen, J. Na, M. G. Li, “High-Throughput Automatic Laser Printing Strategy toward Cost-effective Portable Integrated Urea Tele-Monitoring System,” Small Methods, 2023

Bio

Connie K.W. Lee is an Associate Professor of Practice at the HKU School of Innovation and a serial entrepreneur with over a decade of experience in bridging design, technology, and entrepreneurship. In her role at HKU, she is dedicated to nurturing the next generation of innovators through interdisciplinary teaching that brings real-world experience directly into the classroom. She is passionate in conducting high-impact projects that translate academic research into tangible solutions, as well as helping students and researchers navigate the journey from start-up ideation to market.

Connie’s career began as an award-winning industrial designer after graduating from Design Academy Eindhoven (DAE). This design foundation continues to fuel her passion for human-centric innovation and functional aesthetics. Transitioning into the realm of deep tech, Connie earned her PhD from the Integrative Systems and Design (ISD) program at The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST). Her research focused on material science and the impactful applications of nanomaterials in advanced food technologies and digital manufacturing.

As the founder of the university spin-off Elevatefoods Technology, Connie leads her team to advance the future of digital food creation, focusing on the commercialization of AI-powered 3D food printing for healthy aging and specialized nutrition.