News

CEDD Safety Stand-down Workshop 2025

The CEDD Safety Stand-down Workshop 2025, organized by the Safety and Environmental Advisory Unit (SEAU) of CEDD and supported by the Research Centre for Design for Safety (RCDfS) of CEE, was successfully held on 1 August 2025. The event focused on enhancing site safety by strengthening site supervision and the adoption of innovation technology. It brought together senior management from CEDD, along with collaborators from consultants and contractors, to share best practices and insights on site safety management. Ir Prof. Chi Sun Poon, Distinguished Research Professor of CEE and Former Director of RCDfS, delivered the opening address, placing particular emphasis on The Hong Kong Polytechnic University’s ongoing commitment to advancing construction research. He highlighted the practical, real-world applications of CEE’s research initiatives and introduced RCDfS, underscoring its pivotal role in promoting innovative and safe practices within the construction industry. CEE has long been dedicated to promoting safety within the construction sector and RCDfS strives to advance the science and practice of safety by integrating cutting-edge research from engineering, environmental science, and systems design. We welcome industry partners to collaborate with us not only to equip future generations with skills and knowledge but also to translate research findings into practical, actionable solutions. Together, let’s establish a safe and risk-free environment in the construction industry.  

CEE PhD Student Awarded SETAC Asia-Pacific Student Research Grant

Congratulations to Miss Xintong Liu, CEE PhD student supervised by Prof. Ling Jin, for being the sole recipient of the prestigious Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry Asia-Pacific Student Research Grant.  Miss Liu’s project, titled "Mechanism-Enhanced Deep Learning Framework for Identifying Environmental Mixture-Induced Transcriptomic Perturbations in Cetacean Species-Specific Cells", was recognized for its innovation and significant impact. This highly competitive grant, awarded to only one research student each year, supports innovative research in environmental chemistry and toxicology across the Asia-Pacific region with AUD 2,500 grant. Kudos to our talented student. We look forward to her continued groundbreaking work towards a better living environment.  

Prof. You Dong Received IASSAR Early Achievement Research Award

We are proud to announce that Prof. You Dong, Associate Professor of CEE, was honored with the IASSAR (International Association for Structural Safety and Reliability) Early Achievement Research Award during the 14th International Conference on Structural Safety and Reliability (ICOSSAR 2025), held in Los Angeles, CA, USA on 1-6 June 2025. This prestigious award recognizes outstanding contributions by researchers in advancing the theory and application of structural safety and reliability. Prof. Dong received this honor alongside Prof. Michael Shields (with tenure) from Johns Hopkins University, Associate Prof. Ioannis Kougioumtzoglou (with tenure) from Columbia University, and Prof. Matteo Broggi from Leibniz University Hannover, reflecting an international cohort of rising leaders in the field. A list of past research prizes and awards is available at: http://www.iassar.net/Data/List/Awards. Congratulations to Prof. Dong for this well-deserved recognition of his impactful contributions to the field. We look forward to his continued excellence in research related to the reliability, risk, and resilience of engineering structures and systems.  

The 14th Asia-Pacific-Euro Summer School on Smart Structures Technology

The 14th Asia-Pacific-Euro Summer School on Smart Structures Technology (APESS 2025), organized by Prof. Yong Xia and colleagues, was successfully held from 12 July to 1 August 2025. Hosted annually by the Asian-Pacific Network of Centers for Research in Smart Structures Technology (ANCRiSST), APESS provides a global platform for students to engage in cutting-edge topics in smart structures and related technologies. This year's program featured 21 leading lecturers from institutions including UIUC, UTokyo, and KAIST. The curriculum covered advanced topics such as structural health monitoring, vibration control, artificial intelligence, deep learning, computer vision, virtual reality, and smart materials. A total of 54 students from 34 universities across 12 countries and regions, including the USA, UK, Japan, South Korea, and Italy, participated in the summer school. In addition to lectures, the summer school included technical site visits to the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge and Meituan, hands-on laboratory experiments, and collaborative group projects. The event’s success further elevated our department’s international visibility in smart structures and civil engineering. The event was sponsored by the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE), Faculty of Construction and Environment (FCE), Research Institute for Artificial Intelligence of Things (RIAIoT), the Construction Innovation and Technology Fund (CITF), and Guangdong-Hong Kong Joint Laboratory for Marine Infrastructure.  

ANCRiSST2025 & ZHITU2025

The Joint 16th International Workshop on Advanced Smart Materials and Smart Structures Technology (ANCRiSST2025) and the 4th ZHITU Symposium on Advances in Civil Engineering (ZHITU2025) were successfully held on 20 – 22 July, 2025, at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU). The event brought together over 200 registered participants from 12 countries and regions, offering an open platform for researchers to exchange cutting-edge developments in the field of smart materials and intelligent infrastructures. Under the theme “Smart Materials and Smart Structures in the AI Era”, the conference was chaired by Prof. Yong Xia, with Prof. Yi-Qing Ni, Prof. Songye Zhu, and Prof. You Dong serving as co-chairs. The conference featured a rich and diverse academic program, including 12 keynote lectures, 16 invited talks, and 88 regular presentations, for a total of 116 presentations. To accommodate researchers worldwide, a flexible hybrid format was adopted, with 103 presentations delivered on-site and 13 online, showcasing the dynamic and inclusive nature of this event. The joint ANCRiSST2025 and ZHITU2025 Symposium served as a critical forum for fostering interdisciplinary collaboration and exploring new frontiers in smart civil engineering. It not only highlighted the latest research advances but also promoted international cooperation among leading experts, early-career researchers, and industry engineers. Looking ahead, the success of this event lays a strong foundation for future collaboration and innovation, driving forward the development of intelligent infrastructure technologies in the age of AI. The organizing committee would like to express our deepest gratitude to all participants of ANCRiSST & ZHITU2025 for their commitment to attending the event despite the significant challenges posed by Super Typhoon Wipha. Their presence and active engagement make the conference a true success. The event was sponsored by the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE), Faculty of Construction and Environment (FCE), Research Institute for Artificial Intelligence of Things (RIAIoT), the Construction Innovation and Technology Fund (CITF), and Guangdong-Hong Kong Joint Laboratory for Marine Infrastructure.  

PolyU CEE Webinar Series: Sustainable Construction: Innovations in Low-Carbon Concrete Technology

Prof. Shipeng Zhang delivered a seminar with the topic of “Sustainable Construction: Innovations in Low-Carbon Concrete Technology” on 30 July 2025. It was co-organized with HKIE Civil Division. Find the full version of the webinar in the below link: https://youtu.be/ib3_uHa49D8  

Prof. Yi-Qing Ni Featured on 21st Century Business Herald

Prof. Yi-Qing Ni, Chair Professor of Smart Structures and Rail Transit of CEE and Director of National Rail Transit Electrification and Automation Engineering Technology Research Centre (Hong Kong Branch), was recently interviewed by 21st Century Business Herald (21世紀經濟報導) on his pioneering AI-Driven Structural Safety Monitoring Technology for High-Speed Rail and Maglev Systems. This ground-breaking research was also featured in their film series, “HK Tech Talk 25”. Prof. Ni's team has developed an artificial intelligence-based structural health monitoring system that integrates fiber optic sensors and ultrasonic technology to ensure the safety of high-speed rail, maglev trains, and landmark infrastructures such as the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge and Canton Tower. This advanced monitoring system enhances safety and optimizes maintenance, contributing to overall operational efficiency. Dedicated to promoting the integration of smart materials and AI, Prof. Ni has developed technologies that enable real-time diagnostics of structural performance issues. His expertise has made significant contributions to landmark infrastructure projects. We eagerly anticipate his ongoing innovations and dedication to the field, inspiring positive advancements in the future of the industry. Watch the Interview here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sLqVXeu_nFM&list=PL-NNSSG3RC67sLGYIq3wUkpXcxbwmZJDL&index=3 Online Coverage of Prof. Ni’s Interview: https://m.21jingji.com/article/20250624/herald/9e294c683b79310519ff24af4ae35610.html  

Special Issue Edited by Prof. Chi Sun Poon Published in Cement and Concrete Composites

The special issue titled “Carbon Capture and Utilization (CCU) by Waste and Concrete”, edited by Prof. Chi Sun Poon, Distinguished Research Professor of CEE, has recently been published in Cement and Concrete Composites. The special issue covers recent advances in the science and technology of using waste and concrete to capture CO2 as a means to reduce the carbon emissions of the global construction industry. Cement and Concrete Composites is a top-tier journal in the field of concrete materials dedicated to showcasing current developments and advancements in cement-concrete composite technology, as well as the production, use, and performance of cement-based construction materials. The journal aims to foster a better understanding of construction materials, provide a planform for unconventional materials, and encourage the development of low-cost energy saving materials. 

CEE Member Secured Funding from Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft

We are pleased to announce that Dr Zifeng Huang, CEE Postdoctoral Fellow, has been awarded funding from the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG, German Research Foundation) as an independent Principal Investigator under the guidance of Prof. Yong Xia.  This three-year project, titled “A probability density functional framework for the probabilistic response and reliability analysis of dynamical structural systems subjected to random environmental loads”, secured a total funding amount of €380,000. Dr Huang's project will collaborate with distinguished professors from Columbia University, Monash University, and Leibniz University Hannover. The DFG is an independent research funding organization in Germany with the mission of promoting excellent knowledge-driven research in science, engineering and the humanities. The DFG funds research projects across various scientific fields, fostering collaboration among scientists. Dr Huang has previously been awarded the Humboldt Research Fellowship by the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation and has worked in Leibniz University Hannover from 2022 to 2024. His research is expected to significantly advance the application of probabilistic response and reliability analysis of dynamical structural systems. Let us extend our heartfelt congratulations to Dr Huang. His success not only demonstrates his solid academic foundation and research excellence but also highlights CEE's influence in the research field globally. We look forward to his continued efforts in this area and the new breakthroughs his research will bring to the society.  

New joiner – Dr Dong Liao

Dr Dong Liao obtained his B.E. degree from Huazhong University of Science and Technology in 2017 and his Ph.D. degree from Zhejiang University in 2022. He served as a Postdoctoral Fellow at PolyU before being appointed as a Research Assistant Professor. Dr Liao’s research primarily focuses on constitutive modelling of soil behaviour, discrete element investigation of particulate mechanics, and numerical analysis of geotechnical engineering problems. Dr Liao has joined us on 1 August 2025.