News

FCE professors speak on opening up Chinese mainland funding for Hong Kong

In a TVB news programme on opening up Chinese mainland funding for Hong Kong, a number of researchers from local universities were interviewed. Professor Chung Kwok-fai, Associate Head of PolyU’s Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE), also Director of the Hong Kong Branch of Chinese National Engineering Research Centre for Steel Construction at PolyU, said the Chinese mainland has been producing high performance steel materials over the years, and the Centre has helped promote wider use of such materials in overseas projects. Leveraging the opportunities of the Greater Bay Area development, the Centre will be able to nurture more professionals, helping to enhance the overall level of skills and technology of the steel construction industry. Professor Ni Yiqing from CEE, also Director of the Hong Kong Branch of Chinese National Engineering Research Centre on Rail Transit Electrification and Automation at PolyU, said the Centre focuses on developing advanced rail technologies to enhance the safety and reliability of China’s high speed rail. With increased funding support from the Central Government, the research team expects to participate in more railway projects at the national level in future. Online coverage: TVB Closer Look (時事多面睇) - http://trsurl.com/s/9Sz TVB Chinese news - http://trsurl.com/s/9SA

HKIE Gold Medal for BSE Academic

For his significant contributions in teaching, research and consultancy services related to the science of fire engineering and building services engineering for more than three decades, Prof. Wan-ki Chow, Chair Professor of Architectural Science and Fire Engineering and former Head of the Department of Building Services Engineering (BSE), was recently awarded the 2018 Gold Medal from the Hong Kong Institution of Engineers. The prestigious award recognizes the achievements and contributions made by an outstanding member to his/ her fields of engineering. A Fellow of the Hong Kong Academy of Engineering Sciences since December 2012, he was appointed Justice of the Peace by the Chief Executive of the HKSAR Government in July 2013. He received a Lifetime Contribution Award from the Asia-Oceania Association for Fire Science and Technology in October 2015. Prof. Chow has written more than 1,000 scholarly articles, with over 300 published in SCI international journals. The number of research students who have received their PhD under his guidance exceeds 60.

Ceremony Marks Opening of GIGCAS and PolyU Joint Laboratory

On 28th January 2019, the Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (GIGCAS) and PolyU Joint Laboratory of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area for the Environment was officially unveiled by representatives from both sides. A welcome speech was delivered by Prof. Philip Chan, PolyU's Interim President. Speeches were also delivered by Mr Jinghua Cao, Director General of CAS Bureau of International Cooperation, who spoke about the 22 CAS joint laboratories with Hong Kong, and Prof. Yigang Xu, Director General of the GIGCAS. Officiating guests also included Ir Prof. Alex Wai, PolyU’s Vice President (Research Development), Mr Xiaonian Zheng, Director General of CAS Bureau of Facility Support and Budget, Ms Fang Fang Li, Director of Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan Affairs Office of CAS, Dr Gan Zhang, Deputy Director of GIGCAS, Ir Prof. You-lin Xu, Dean of the Faculty of Construction and Environment (FCE) at PolyU, Prof. Xiangdong Li, Director of GIGCAS and Associate Dean (Research) of FCE, and Ir Prof. William Lam, Head of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE) at PolyU. The focus areas of research of the GIGCAS-PolyU Joint Laboratory of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area for the Environment will include air quality improvement, environment and health for city clusters, urban land integrated remediation measures for different types of pollution, municipal solid waste and sewage treatment in new rural areas, ecological management in estuary and coastal areas, etc. Harnessing the strengths of PolyU and GIGCAS, the joint laboratory will extend research frontiers, advance knowledge transfer and applications as well as cultivate talents in the field of environmental protection for the development of the Greater Bay Area.