News

Staff Promotions

Department of Land Surveying and Geo-Informatics (LSGI) is pleased that Ir Dr Wallace Lai and Dr Charles Wong have been promoted from Assistant Professors to Associate Professors in July 2018. Dr Lai is the leader of BSc programme in LSGI, a visiting scientist of the Federal Institute of Material Research and Testing (BAM) in Berlin, Germany, and a technical assessor of the Hong Kong Accreditation Service of the government of Hong Kong. Trained as an engineer and with six years of practical experience in contracting and consulting, he has been teaching, researching and promoting the rationale ‘Image before Diagnosis,’ from medical imaging of human bodies to a city’s man-made structures, in particular underground utilities. He uses a range of electromagnetic geophysical and nondestructive imaging methods, in particular ground penetrating radar and infrared thermography, and develops methodology, algorithms and inverse models. In his last six years at LSGI, he has established the first underground utility survey lab in the world, hosted the 16th International Conference on Ground Penetrating Radar in Hong Kong and was selected by the University Grants Committee as a finalist of its teaching award 2017 (early career). He will continue to embed the rationale of ‘Image before Diagnosis’ in his teaching, research and service to the community. Dr Wong received both his PhD and MPhil in Remote Sensing and GIS in 2009 and 2005 respectively from the Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU). He started his career at PolyU as an Assistant Professor in 2012 and became Associate Professor in 2018. He was a Fulbright scholar at the Earth System Science Interdisciplinary Center of the University of Maryland in College Park from 2006 to 2007. He received the Faculty Award for Outstanding Performance in Teaching (Team Award) in 2014/15 and 2016/17; and the Dean’s Award for Outstanding Achievement in Research Funding in 2016. He has broad research interests related to the use of remote sensing in urban heat island effect, urban environmental quality, landslides, vegetation and ecosystems, spectral mixture analysis, aerosol retrieval and monitoring. He is the project leader of two inter-institutional projects, namely the Jockey Club Smart City Tree Management Project, and Augmenting Physical Learning Spaces with Location-based Services using iBeacon Technology for Engaging Learning Experiences, with a funding of HK$32,280,000 and HK$12,321,533 respectively. Congratulations to Dr Lai and Dr Wong!

FCE Dean’s Awards 2018 and Faculty Awards for Outstanding Performance/ Achievement 2017/18

Department of Land Surveying and Geo-Informatics (LSGI) is pleased that the following academics have been awarded by the Faculty of Construction and Environment (FCE):   Prof. Wu Chen, our Professor, and Prof. Wen-zhong Shi, Head of LSGI and Chair Professor, received the Dean’s Awards for Outstanding Achievement in Research Funding because of their success in securing external competitive research funding (by securing at least 1 RGC GRF/ECS grant and achieving a total score of not less than 3 from the funding schemes recognized for the Award in the past 3 calendar years, or a total score of not less than 4 in the past 5 calendar years). Each of them will receive a cash prize of HK$20,000.   Dr Xiaolin Zhu, our Assistant Professor, received the Faculty Awards for Outstanding Performance/ Achievement in Teaching 2017/18. A cash prize of HK$10,000 and a Teaching Grant of HK$100,000 will also be given to Dr Zhu. Dr Zhu is one of the two awardees of LSGI’s Awards for Excellent Performance/ Achievement in Teaching 2016/17.  All awardees will also be honoured at the Faculty Congregation and Prize Presentation Ceremony in November 2018. Congratulations to Prof. Shi, Prof. Chen and Dr Zhu!

Croucher Summer Course 2018

 A summer course on GPS/ Beidou/ GNSS Satellite Positioning and Navigation and Earth Observation was held from 11 to 17 June 2018 at PolyU. Organized by Dr George Liu of the Department of Land Surveying and Geo-Informatics (LSGI) and financially supported by the Croucher Foundation, the course featured 9 invited lecturers from across the globe. A welcome speech was delivered by Prof. You-Lin Xu, Dean of the Faculty of Construction and Environment (FCE) on the first day. He noted the importance of keeping up with the latest advances in global navigation satellite systems (GNSS), which were one of the most rapidly growing technologies in modern society. Prof. John Shi, Head of LSGI, also introduced his department to the 30 participants, who included engineers, postdocs, MSc and PhD students from mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Canada. The week-long course provided a great opportunity for the participants to network and learn from some leading lecturers.

Kick-start of the Jockey Club Smart City Tree Management Project

Jockey Club Smart City Tree Management Project, a large-scale pilot project in Hong Kong, was ticked off on 14 June 2018 with the support from academia, non-government organisations (NGOs) and the Government, to apply smart sensing technology (SST) and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) for monitoring tree stability to enhance timely appropriate mitigation measures for sustaining longer tree lives. Tree anchorage is critical to its structural stability. Weak anchorage will be reflected in a tree tilting, which in serious case poses the hazard of falling. Led by Dr Charles Wong, Assistant Professor of LSGI, this Project uses sensors which are tailor-made and installed on the lower trunk of selected urban trees to monitor their tilting angle in a 3-dimensional manner, as a way of assessing the stability of the root and thus the tree. Data will be collected for a quantifiable analysis of the trees’ root plate movement through the use of SST, i.e. the technology of monitoring environmental changes with the use of remote sensors and techniques, via the GIS-based platform. Taking into consideration of various environmental factors, a threshold will be determined to design the monitoring system as a scientific measurement of the root plate movement and stability. When the tilting angle of a tree exceeds the threshold, the project team will be alerted to conduct a visit to verify the data for the purpose of calibrating the system. When considered necessary, it will inform the relevant tree management team to undertake actions in a timely manner. Officiating at the kick-off ceremony of the Project, PolyU’s Executive Vice President, Dr Miranda Lou, said PolyU has been striving to promote the sustainable development of our city and the Project is a typical example of this mission. “Committed to the pursuit for application-oriented research, PolyU researchers will apply smart sensing technology and Geographic Information Systems for monitoring tree stability. Our vision of establishing this system is to facilitate green management in the city for longer tree lives, so as to further improve our air quality for enhancing the living environment for the local community,” she said. Ir Hon Chi-keung, JP, Permanent Secretary for Development (Works) of HKSAR Development Bureau, said, "This project is a good opportunity to showcase Hong Kong's positive attitude towards innovative technologies and technology applications. Through the close co-operation between the tree management departments and the project teams, an effective tree monitoring system will be established to enhance the tree management works in all aspects, enabling the continual development of Hong Kong into a safe and liveable city." Ms Imelda Chan, Head of Charities (Grant Making-Elderly, Rehabilitation, Medical, Environment & Family) of The Hong Kong Jockey Club, said being committed to environmental protection, the Club has donated over HK$32 million to the Project. “In addition to the development of a smart sensor and treemonitoring system, the Jockey Club Smart City Tree Management Project includes public education programmes to encourage students and various stakeholders to learn more about urban forestry and biodiversity, as well as mobilise their participation in environmental protection.” In addition to PolyU LSGI, the Project includes members from The University of Hong Kong (HKU), The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST), and Friends of the Earth (Hong Kong). The project also receives support from relevant government departments. The Project started in February 2018 and SST sensors will in due course be installed on approximately 8,000 urban trees across the territory for monitoring over a 3-year period. It is expected that the Project will provide scientific data to supplement the existing tree preservation mechanism through early notification and response, aiming to contribute towards sustaining the invaluable urban trees in the city.   Chinese version of press release: https://www.polyu.edu.hk/web/tc/media/media_releases/index_id_6551.html Media coverages on 15/6/2018: Ming Pao: 8000 樹裝儀器 遙距監測傾斜 https://goo.gl/CWb6mz Oriental Daily: 智能傳感器監測樹健康 https://goo.gl/UUKgVA Am730: 8000 樹裝傳感器 監測樹木健康延樹齡 https://goo.gl/cPCDfZ Metro Daily: 監測樹木 https://goo.gl/Poir3L Sky Post: 理大為 8000 棵樹裝傳感器安排護養 https://goo.gl/GMRU16 Hong Kong Economic Journal (HKEJ): 馬會捐 3200 萬元裝塌樹傳感器 https://goo.gl/qnPMwj Lion Rock Daily: 400 樹木裝傳感器 智能監測倒塌危機 https://goo.gl/JJ9vo3 Sing Pao Daily News: 賽馬會智慧城市計劃啟動 監測八千樹木適時護養 https://goo.gl/ft1yqA    

Hong Kong Smart City Awards 2018

Department of Land Surveying and Geo-Informatics (LSGI) is pleased that a team of researchers from LSGI was honoured with two Hong Kong Smart City Awards on 11 June 2018. Prof. Wu Chen, Prof. Xiaoli Ding, and Dr Zhizhao Liu were the members of the winning team in the categories of Smart Mobility: “Differential GPS for Outdoor Positioning” and Smart Environment: “DGNSS for Tracking System.” The awards were based on the research outputs from their Innovation and Technology Commission-funded projects. The research for both projects was conducted in collaboration with the Logistics and Supply Chain Management Research Centre and the Lands Department of the Hong Kong Government. Congratulations to Prof. Wu Chen, Prof. Xiaoli Ding, and Dr Zhizhao Liu!  

Malaysian Delegation visits LSGI

A delegation of 4 teachers from Tsun Jin High School in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, visited the Faculty of Construction and Environment (FCE) on 5 October 2018 to learn more about its undergraduate programmes. They included Ms Choy Yuen Leng, Vice Head of the Teacher Education Department, Ms Wong Han Ni, Assistant Head of the Development Department, Ms Pan Pei Chien, Assistant Head of the Academic Department, and Ms Wong Yoke Leng, Assistant Head of the Counseling Department. After a detailed introduction of the Faculty and its various programmes for international students by Prof. Xiaoli Ding, Associate Dean (Partnership), and Dr Wallace Lai of the Department of Land Surveying and Geo-Informatics (LSGI), the delegation toured the Fire Lab of the Department of Building Services Engineering and the Lab for Smart City and Spatial Big Data Analytics of LSGI with Dr George Liu, Dr Wallace Lai, and Dr Matthew Pang. The visit is expected to build a strong partnership between the high school and FCE.

Community Service Project Touching is touching

In the summer of 2018, a group of over 130 students and staff from the Faculty of Construction and Environment (FCE) engaged in various community service projects at the Ebenezer School for the Visual Impaired which included students from the Department of Land Surveying and Geo-Informatics (LSGI). Not only were they exposed to science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education in the process, students also learnt about the importance of commitment, teamwork and empathy. For their efforts and dedication, eight of the FCE students including 2 degree students from LSGI were selected for Prize Awards from the Rotary Club of Wanchai, which they received in a sharing session organized by the Ebenezer School at its campus on 5 September 2018. After welcoming speeches from Dr Alice Yuk, CEO of Ebenezer School, and Prof. Xiaoli Ding, Associate Dean (FCE), students from the Ebenezer School and PolyU took turns expressing their thoughts on the community service project “Touching is Touching.” Led by Dr Matthew Pang and Mr Nelson Chan of LSGI, students from LSGI applied their knowledge of land surveying and spatial data processing to produce a 3-dimensional computer model of the school for the visually impaired students of Ebenezer to touch and feel. According to Mr King Wah Lau, a fourth-year student from LSGI, the project was mutually beneficial for both PolyU students and the Ebenezer community. On the one hand, LSGI students practised their technical skills in conducting a Global Positioning System (GPS) survey and piloting an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) to take aerial photos as part of the modelling process. On the other hand, the sight-impaired students gain a better idea of their school through touching the 3D model. His classmate, Mr Gabbo Ching, agreed it was definitely a worthwhile project, even though it was not without its share of difficulties, such as processing the data from the many photos taken by the photogrammetry survey and operating the UAV in windy weather conditions. Awarded students all welcomed the opportunity to serve the community in such a meaningful way. Serving the Ebenezer community was indeed a valuable experience for these students, who all exemplified PolyU’s motto of “To learn and to apply, for the benefit of mankind.” Video sharing for the project in Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r5EwQ1eSbTQ&feature=youtu.be Media interview on the project “Touching is touching”: Sing Tao Daily: 【教育要聞】理大義製三維模型 心光視障生看校園 (2018-09-26) (星島日報報道)學生是最熟悉學校全貌的人，但對失明學生而言，這個最熟悉的場所卻不知從何描述起。理工大學智慧城市與空間大數據分析實驗室，花耗逾三個月，特意為心光盲人院暨學校的學生，測量並製作出一個一比二百的校舍三維模型。心光教師認為模型助視障學生更認識自己學校，「我希望每個學生畢業後，別人問起『你的母校是甚麼模樣』時，都能夠自豪地描述出來。」 https://goo.gl/4raKyk

LSGI Delegation Visited Kazakhstan

 A 20-strong delegation from Singapore and Zurich visited the Department of Land Surveying and GeoInformatics (LSGI) from 16 to 20 April 2018 to learn about underground utility and technologies for Smart City in PolyU and Hong Kong. The study visit was part of the ‘Digital Underground’ initiative in Singapore. Led by the Chief Executive of Singapore Land Authority (SLA), Mr. Tan Boon Khai, and the Future Cities Laboratory of Singapore-ETH Centre, participants included land surveyors and engineers from government agencies in Singapore as well as geomatics experts from Switzerland. The visitors were greeted by Prof. You-lin Xu, Dean of the Faculty of Construction and Environment (FCE), and Prof. John Shi, Head of the Department of Land Surveying and Geo-Informatics (LSGI), who introduced the Faculty and the Department on the first day. Several case studies were subsepquently introduced in the Underground Utility Survey Lab by Ir. Dr. Wallace Lai and Dr. Janet Sham, who led a field demonstration on different aspects of utility management and survey in Hong Kong. A visit to the Laboratory for Smart City and Spatial Big Data Analytics afterwards gave the visitors a chance to learn from Prof. Shi the latest Smart City development by LSGI, including spatial data infrastructure. 2 For the rest of the week, the delegation was led by Wallace to visit the China Hong Kong Society of Trenchless Technology, Black & Veatch’s office, the Hong Kong Institute of Utility Specialists, the Housing Department, the Drainage Services Department, the Survey and Mapping Office of the Lands Department of the HKSAR Government. Various experiences related to geophysical utility mapping to “see the unseen”, building information modelling and related matters were shared amongst the participants. Potential collaboration between PolyU, SLA and the Singapore-ETH Future Cities Lab was discussed on the last day of the delegation’s visit, which ended with a lecture by Dr Gerhard Schrotter, Director of Department of Geomatics, City of Zurich and Dr Victor Khoo, Deputy Director of SLA, on Smart City development in Zurich and Singapore, particularly with resepect to the digital underground. It was a rewarding trip for all concerned.

LSGI Delegation Visited Kazakhstan

A delegation from the Department of Land Surveying and Geo-Informatics (LSGI) visited university and high schools in Kazakhstan from 20 to 24 April 2018 for promoting the department and its programmes. Led by Prof. John Shi, Head of LSGI, the delegation gave presentations on PolyU, the Faculty of Construction and Environment (FCE) and LSGI to some staff and students at the Nazarbayev University, the Kazakh Agro Technical University, and the International Science Complex – Astana. An interest in research collaboration and academic exchanges with LSGI was expressed by these Kazakhstan institutions as a result.

Visit of Mainland Industry Giant

Guided by Ir Allen Yeung, JP, Government Chief Information Officer of HKSAR Government, Mr Zuxin Zhang, Chairman of BD International Technology Group Limited and two assistants took a visit to the Department of Land Surveying and Geo-Informatics (LSGI) and our Lab for Smart City and Spatial Big Data Analytics on 27 April, 2018.   Prof. John Shi, Head of LSGI, gave an introduction on our research directions and recent research projects in Smart City which were also aligned with Blue Print of the HKSAR Government on Smart City Development. The Prof. Xiao-li Ding and Prof. Wu Chen also joined the tour and discussion. Participants exchanged their ideas and had fruitful discussion on the topic.   The Laboratory for Smart City and Spatial Big Data Analytics was officially launched in March 2018 which would serve as a platform for scientists, scholars and researchers from Hong Kong, the Greater Bay Area and the world, to share an interest in Urban Informatics. We look forward to more future collaborations with industry and Government on Smart City Development.