Awards and Achievements (Teaching)

Surveying Student’s Passion : Key To Success in the HKIS Competition

Building Surveying Matters!  The Championship goes to our year-two surveying student, Ada Lo Wing Yan in the ‘Maintenance and Appreciation of Historical Buildings Creativity Competition – Tiny Model (Public Category)’, organized by the Hong Kong Institute of Surveyors.  Ada’s passion for building surveying is the key to her success in this Competition. Ada’s winning model ‘Rejuvenation’ is a miniature of the Grade 1 historical building ‘Lui Seng Chun 雷生春’ built on a 1:200 scale. It successfully shows the unique architectural features along with internal and external structures of this historical building before and after its revitalisation. “Thanks to the Department of Building and Real Estate for inspiring and building me up to participate in this Competition. Joining this Competition has definitely enhanced my awareness of heritage conservation and deepened my understanding of the role of surveyors. Through conservation and timely maintenance, historical buildings are given a new lease of life to demonstrate their aesthetic and historical values for the public to explore. Hong Kong’s heritage is undoubtedly a valuable asset that bears witness to the development of Hong Kong,” says Ada. Keep up the good work, Ada. Special thanks to HKIS for sharing the Award Ceremony’s picture.   More about our Surveying Programme    

Surveying Students Receiving HKIS Quantity Surveying Division Scholarship

In recognition of outstanding student performances, the Hong Kong Institute of Surveyors (HKIS) annually awards its QS scholarships to quantity surveying students graduating from bachelor, associate degree and higher diploma programmes. This year, the scholarships were bestowed upon four of our BRE surveying students. Congratulations!   On 28 October, the 2020 HKIS Quantity Surveying Division Scholarship Presentation Ceremony was held. With great applause and delight, the Presentation Ceremony was a success. There was a big turnout: including Sr Winnie Shiu (HKIS President), Sr Paul Wong (Vice-President and Past QSD Chairman), Sr Thomas Ho (Past President and Past QSD Chairman), sponsors and winning students. On behalf of BRE, Dr Patrick Fong, Programme Leader of the BSc (Hons) Surveying Programme and Mr. Kong Wai Kei, Programme Leader of the Higher Diploma in Building Technology and Management (Surveying) Programme extended warmest congratulations to our four winning students during the Ceremony. Their achievements have surely spurred the students to aim high and even further realise their potential in the future.    

Martin Yiu, Fresh BEM GraduateReceiving CIOB (HK) Outstanding Student Awards 2019/2020

Please join us in congratulating Martin Yiu Man Kit, our Building Engineering and Management (BEM) graduate,on receiving the CIOB (HK) Outstanding Student Awards 2019/2020! With a very long history, the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) (HK) advocatesthe application of good project management practice as an inspiring management strategy which offers challenging opportunities to ambitious construction management professionals. In addition, since the CIOB (HK) launched itsOutstanding Student Awardsyears ago,ithas been holding the Awardsannually with the aim ofpromoting excellence in construction project management.Nominationsfrom relevant universities and institutesare welcome. In July 2020, following the nomination from Prof. Albert Chan, Head of BRE, the CIOB (HK) underwent anexamination of Martin’s final dissertationunder a range of strictcriteria. Martin’s outstanding workpertinent to construction project management is an indispensable attributefor thesuccess in the Awards. Martin, this year’s fresh graduate,says, “I am veryhappy and honored to obtain the Outstanding Student Awards from the CIOB(HK). This accoladeis not only recognition for my endeavor in study, but also an encouragement for me to keep working hard. I will seek self-improvement and be a better self in future. Thanks again for the affirmation and selecting me as one of the Awardees!”Martin, Keep up the good work!

Maxwell Unfolding a New Adventure at Aston University

Congratulations to our PhD graduate, Maxwell on his new appointment as lecturer at Aston University in UK in July 2020!   “I am extremely grateful to announce that I have officially accepted a full-time tenure-track faculty position as a Lecturer in Construction and QS in the School of Engineering and Applied Science at Aston University, Birmingham, UK. I’m thankful to everyone who made this journey a success and excited for the next phase of mycareer.”says Maxwell.   Dr. Maxwell F. Antwi-Afari attained both his BSc in Construction Technology and Management (First Class Honours) and MPhil in Building Technology from Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Kumasi-Ghanain 2012and 2015, respectively.Through a Postgraduate Studentship Scholarship, Maxwell obtained his PhDin Construction Information Technology at ourDepartment (BRE) in 2019.   After his PhD, Maxwell worked as a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at BRE. He has published more than 10 SCI journal papers already and participated in the writing of competitive research grants. His stunning efforts have contributed to well-deserved accolades, including the Outstanding Student Project Award for the 2018/2019 academic year by the Hong Kong Ergonomics Society (HKES) in May 2019, the Grand Winner of the Occupational Safety and Health Best Project Scholarship for the 2017/2018 academic year organized by the statutory Occupational Safety and Health Council, Hong Kong in January 2019, the Commendation Award by the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) (Hong Kong) for the Outstanding Paper Award in September 2018, amongst others.

BRE Ph.D. Graduate, Shell Receiving RGC Postdoctoral Fellowship

PeopleIt is great that Dr Xiao Li, our Ph.D. graduate of 2019, was appointed as a RGC Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Hong Kong (HKU) in April 2020. The scheme aims to incentivise young researchers to build up a career in research and development (R&D) in Hong Kong, providing support for 50 awardees this year. HKU will also consider an additional top-up that brings it to a similar level of the HKU Presidential Postdoctoral Fellowship (HKU-PPF), which aims at hosting the world’s most exceptional post-doctoral talents to undertake frontier research at HKU. Dr Li would like to give sincere thanks to his supervisor, Prof. Geoffrey Shen of BRE, for his continued guidance and support, in particular, the recommendation for this remarkable achievement.

Building Engineering and Management Graduate, Qiancheng Realising Dream in Cambridge

Studying at the University of Cambridge may be one of students’ big dreams. Qiancheng Wang, an alumnus of our Building Engineering and Management Programme, is realising his dream in Cambridge. The successful completion of MPhil in Architecture and Urban Studies at the University of Cambridge in 2018 ignited Qiancheng’s passion for furthering his PhD study in Land Economy there this year. The focus of his PhD study is put on ‘Developing a New Spatial Equilibrium Model for quantifying the Environmental Impacts of Alternative Urban Spatial Planning Strategies for Fast-growing City Regions: A Case Study of Greater Beijing’. Qiancheng says, “The University of Cambridge provides students with excellent academic resources, and also promotes a fair academic atmosphere and combats the breeding of violence and discrimination through various activities. The university not only broadened my horizons but also made me further reflect on the way and meaning of the educational process. In our right against the COVID-19 epidemic, researchers and students of different races stood together and fought side by side, demonstrating extraordinary cohesion. I am also delighted to see that BRE has initiated diversi�ied cooperation with the University of Cambridge. I look forward to seeing more and more faces from BRE in Cambridge.”

Surveying Student, Wai Pong’s Endeavours and Worldwide Exposure Awarded HSBC HK Scholarship

Good news is around us! Please join us in congratulating Yuen Wai Pong, a final-year student of our Surveying Programme on receiving the HSBC Hong Kong Scholarship of HK$50,000- in June 2020. Signifying a reward for years of Wai Pong’s hard work and worldwide exposure, this achievement will unlock his potential to go further. In addition to his fruitful learning pathway at the PolyU, Wai Pong’s extraordinary experiences of studying abroad went beyond academic achievement. He studied at TsinghuaUniversity, China and Ewha Womans University, South Korea through our exchange programme in 2018 and 2019, respectively as well as the Summer School at the University of Cambridge, U.K. in Summer 2018. Over the years, he was awarded the Outbound Exchange Scholarship2018 of the Faculty of Construction and Environment, the HKSAR Government Scholarship Fund-Reaching Out Award 2017/18, the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors(Hong Kong) Scholarship 2018/19, the 15th Hong Kong Housing Society Award, the Service-Learning Scholarship Scheme 2019/20 of PolyU, the 15th Hong Kong Housing Society Award and the Outstanding BRE Award 2019. Wai Pong shares, "I am very happy to learn that I was selected as one of the awardees of the HSBC Hong Kong Scholarship. This time I stand before you as a 2020 graduate. I believe many of us are about to launch into life and we are going through a difficult time in 2020 as fresh graduates but we must remain resolute and keep going. “Tough times don’t last forever, but tough people do.” 2020 is the time in our life when we get the shock of the freezing cold shower; the time of struggle when we fear the next step in life in such bone-chilling cold. However, this is the time that defines us. My friends, don't give up! Every crisis contains the seeds of opportunity for our progress; difficulties come to make us strong, as long as we decide to go onwards.”

Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Awardee’s New Adventure in BRE

One of the awardees of the HK PhD Fellowship Scheme 2020/21, Peng Huiwen, will be embarking on a new adventure in exploring the ‘flow space’ within the megacity region, ‘Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area’ under Prof. Eddie Hui’s supervision in the coming academic year. Huiwen’s research aims to investigate the factors affecting flows in the spatial network structure of urban agglomerations and to explore the influences of flow factors in the megacity region. Meanwhile, empirical work on the Greater Bay Area continues, consisting of nuanced analysis of the spatial structure characteristics of the flows of information, traffic, capital, and goods. The work contributes to promoting spatial cooperation and integration strategies for the Greater Bay Area. Huiwen shares, "Being granted an HKPF Scholarship is an honour and an inspiring start for my future PhD life. It is a recognition of my past endeavours and serves as a stepping stone for me to chase my dream. Last but not least, I am particularly grateful to Prof. Eddie Hui and Lang Wei for their support and encouragement throughout my application." The Fellowship provides an annual stipend of HK$309,600 and a conference and research-related travel allowance of HK$12,900 per year for each awardee for a period up to three years. We greatly look forward to welcoming Huiwen in September 2020.

15th HKHS Award for Outstanding Students

 Our students’ outstanding achievements brighten our days. Our undergraduate students were bestowed the 15th Hong Kong Housing Society (HKHS) Award for their remarkable academic performance and hard work. Prof. Ling Kar Kan, HKHS Vice-chairman and Prof. Esmond Mok, Dean of Students of PolyU, sent their hearty congratulations to this group of high-performing students, Kwok Ka Chun, Lee Ying Ngai, Wong Chun Hei, Yau Tsz Pan, Yip Tsoi Wa and Yuen Wai Pong in the Presentation Ceremony in January 2020. What’s more, this round of achievements unfolded the opportunities of realizing the students’ potential ahead. The students are invited to the HS Academy Alumni Club, which was set up last year to facilitate network building and expand members’ horizons through a range of community services. It is also exciting that the students are given the priority for summer internships at the Hong Kong Housing Society.

OSH Best Project Scholarships for BRE Research Students

 What wonderful news! Our research students, Mr. Gong Yue and Mrs. Fordjour Genevieve Ataawere selected as one of the OSH Best Project Scholarship winners and one of the MERIT winners of the Occupational Safety and Health Council, respectively. Inspired by their respective supervisors, Dr JoonOh Seo and Prof. Albert Chan, they put forward new ideas and explored health factors for enhancing construction workers’ well-being. Yue’s project on‘Wearable System for Workers’ Productivity, Safety and Health Monitoring’ and Genevieve Ataa’s  project  on‘Investigating  the  Causes  and  Effects  of  Indicators of  Occupational Psychological Health Conditions among Employees’ reflected their hard work and passions. Amid great applause, Prof. Chan, Yue and Genevieve Ataa were honoured to receive the awards and heartiest congratulations in the OSH Best Project Scholarship Prize Presentation Ceremony on 15 January 2020.