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Dr. Faye Hao is conducting frontier and impactful research. her research bridges technological advancements—such as artificial intelligence, avatars, blockchain, and contactless technologies—with practical value creation in the hospitality and tourism industry.
Dr. Hao has successfully secured 21 research grants, including 15 competitive and peer-reviewed projects funded by leading agencies such as the Research Grants Council (RGC), the Innovation and Technology Fund (ITF), and the University Grants Committee (UGC), alongside 6 non-competitive projects supported by industry partners. Altogether, these grants amount to over HKD 27.7 million. Collectively, they advance an interdisciplinary research agenda at the intersection of artificial intelligence, digital innovation, and hospitality management, with major initiatives spanning avatar-enabled metaverse experiences, blockchain applications in food supply chains, and AI-powered virtual humans for service and brand interaction.
Competitive and Peer-Reviewed Research Grants 14 projects awarded, HKD 8,488,789 in total funding | ||||||
Duration | Amount (HKD) | Funding Source | Project Title | PI / Co-PI(s) | Co-I(s) | Project Code / Status |
2023–2025 | 1,446,800 | Innovation and Technology Fund – ITSP, ITC | An interaction framework of hospitality virtual human persona and brand personality consistency | Hao, F. (PI) | Zhang, C.; Li, Q.; Chon, K. | P0043294 / In progress |
2025–2027 | 510,812 | General Research Fund, RGC | Technology meets humanity: Enhancing older adult wellbeing through avatar-enabled metaverse travel experience | Hao, F. (PI) | Chon, K.; Back, K.-J. | 15505324 / In progress |
2024–2025 | 531,800 | Early Career Scheme, RGC | Co-creating value with virtual humans | Hao, F. (PI) | Zhang, C.; Chon, K. | P0047204 / In progress |
2023–2026 | 558,000 | Research Talent Hub – ITF, ITC | An interaction framework of hospitality virtual human persona and brand personality consistency | Hao, F. (PI) | – | PiH/587/23 / Approved |
2023–2026 | 697,500 | Research Talent Hub – ITF, ITC | An interaction framework of hospitality virtual human persona and brand personality consistency | Hao, F. (PI) | – | PiH/588/23 / Approved |
2023–2026 | 1,116,000 | Research Talent Hub – ITF, ITC | An interaction framework of hospitality virtual human persona and brand personality consistency | Hao, F. (PI) | – | PiH/586/23 / Approved |
2023–2026 | 600,000 | VP(RI)’s Special Allocation, PolyU | Multi-modal multi-label tourism statistics inferring from geo-social footprint data | Hao, F. (PI) | Zhang, C.; Li, Q.; Chon, K.; Song, H. | P0045695 / In progress |
2025–2028 | 500,000 | Hotel ICON Research Funding Scheme, PolyU | Smart buffet: AI and IoT for sustainable food waste reduction | Hao, F. (PI) | Yang, J.; Qiu, X.; Ng, W.; Liu, S.; Aman, A. M. | P0057953 / In progress |
2025–2026 | 548,100 | Postdoc Matching Fund Scheme 23/24 (4th round), UGC | Postdoc Matching Fund | Hao, F. (PI) | – | P0052806 / Pending |
2024–2026 | 669,900 | Postdoc Matching Fund Scheme 23/24 (3rd round), UGC | Postdoc Matching Fund | Hao, F. (PI) | – | P0050989 / Pending |
2023–2025 | 669,900 | Postdoc Matching Fund Scheme 23/24 (1st round), UGC | Postdoc Matching Fund | Hao, F. (PI) | – | P0046584 / Completed |
2023–2025 | 100,000 | Mr. and Mrs. Chan Chak Fu Research Assistantship, UGC | Avatar in green training | Hao, F. (PI) | – | P0045911 / Completed |
2023–2025 | 114,977 | Departmental General Research Fund, PolyU (UGC) | A multilevel dual process model of exposure to AI-powered robots in the hotel industry | Shi, X. (PI) | Hao, F.; Shi, H. | P0046041 / Completed |
2025–2027 | 425,000 | Projects of RCDTT, PolyU (UGC) | TourismSim: LLM-driven social agents for city-scale tourist behavior simulation and policy optimization | Ma, W. (PI) | Li, J.; Hao, F.; Wang, D. | P0058789 / In progress |
Non-Competitive Research Grants 6 projects awarded, HKD 18,650,000 in total funding | ||||||
Duration | Amount (HKD) | Funding Source | Project Title | PI / Co-PI(s) | Co-I(s) | Project Code / Status |
2023–2028 | 12,000,000 | Donation, Accel Group Holding Limited | PolyU–Accel Group Holding Limited Joint Laboratory on Metaverse+ | Zhang, C. (Co-PI); Li, Q. (Co-PI); Hao, F. (Co-PI) | Lin, W.; Chon, K. | P0045948 / In progress |
2023–2028 | 5,400,000 | Donation, Minshang Creative Technology Holdings Limited | Generative AI Laboratory in Commerce and Technology | Zhang, C. (Co-PI); Li, Q. (Co-PI); Hao, F. (Co-PI) | – | P0046453 / In progress |
2023–2026 | 500,000 | Start-up Fund for New Recruits, PolyU | Blockchain technology in the hospitality industry | Hao, F. (PI) | Zhang, C. | P0043849 / In progress |
2025–2027 | 250,000 | PolyU Academic Reserve | Generative AI in tourism and hospitality | Hao, F. (PI) | – | N/A / In progress |
2022–2024 | 400,000 | Donation, Accel Innovation Limited | Data science and AI for hospitality | Hao, F. (PI) | – | P0043864 / Completed |
2023–2025 | 100,000 | Research Matching Grant Scheme, UGC | Metaverse in hospitality and tourism | Hao, F. (PI) | – | P0045486 / Completed |