News

LSGI Scholar Receives the AAG Wilbanks Prize for Transformational Research in Geography and RSSG Lifetime Achievement Honor Award 2024

We are pleased to announce that Prof. Qihao WENG, Chair Professor of Geomatics and Artificial Intelligence at LSGI in PolyU, has received the 2024 AAG Wilbanks Prize for Transformational Research in Geography on 6 March 2024. This prestigious award is presented by the American Association of Geographers (AAG), an organisation that brings together over ten thousand members of the global geographic community. The Wilbanks Prize is awarded to geographers who have made important contributions in the fields of Geography or GIScience, or to Science and Society more broadly.   In addition, Prof. Weng has also been honored with the 2024 RSSG Lifetime Achievement Honor Award. This outstanding award is presented by the Remote Sensing Specialty Group (RSSG) of AAG, which focuses on promoting understanding of remote sensing science and encourages collaboration among geographers in applying remote sensing technology in various areas such as research, teaching, public service, and private enterprise. This award recognizes Prof. Weng’s exceptional contributions to the field of remote sensing, demonstrated through a distinguished career of ground-breaking research, dedicated education, and impactful service engagement.   Prof. Weng, a scholar at LSGI, has achieved significant milestones in the field of urban remote sensing, and has transformed urban environmental research with theoretical and technical advances, including novel algorithms and innovative methods for sub-pixel-scale analysis and time series imagery. Moreover, his research has significantly advanced our theoretical understanding and empirical knowledge of urban heat islands, urban sprawl, urbanization effects, and urban environmental sustainability. By establishing connections between satellite thermal infrared imagery, land surface temperature, and air temperature, Prof. Weng’s research connects remotely sensed data to urban spatial patterns, radiation budgets, and climate change. His 2004 methodology for estimating land-surface temperature using satellite-derived vegetation attributes, collaborated with Lu and Schubring, has had far-reaching impacts in various fields, including urban geography, landscape ecology, urban planning, urban meteorology, and climatology.   The AAG will celebrate the 2024 Awards and Honors at a celebration event during the 2024 AAG Annual Meeting in Honolulu, Hawaii, in April 2024. We extend our heartfelt congratulations to Prof. Weng for his exceptional achievement and awards!

Counsellor Fly-in Programme 2024

During the week of 4 March 2024, PolyU's Global Engagement Office (GEO) hosted the four-day Counsellor Fly-in Programme 2024. This prestigious event welcomed 26 counsellors from 25 schools across 14 countries and regions, including Bangladesh, Mexico, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Malaysia, Mongolia, Pakistan, the Philippines, Russia, South Korea, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, and local schools. The programme was meticulously designed to provide the visiting counsellors with an immersive experience of PolyU's world-class academic offerings and vibrant campus life. Throughout the event, the counsellors had the opportunity to explore various faculties and departments, gaining valuable insights into the university's innovative programmes and unique learning environment. One of the highlights of the event was the visit to the Faculty of Construction and Environment (FCE), where the Department of Land Surveying and Geo-Informatics (LSGI) showcased its cutting-edge programmes and research initiatives. The booth presentation by LSGI offered an in-depth look at the department's contributions to the field and the exceptional educational experiences available to students. The Counsellor Fly-in Programme 2024 was a resounding success, strengthening connections between PolyU and educational institutions worldwide. We look forward to welcoming more counsellors in the future and continuing to build and enhance our global partnerships.  

LSGI Alumna Wins the Best Researcher Award 2024 at the “International Research Awards on Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems”

We are thrilled to announce that Dr. Komal Kumari, an alumna of LSGI, has been honoured with the Best Researcher Award 2024 at the “International Research Awards on Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems”. This prestigious award recognises the exceptional research accomplishments and contributions of scientists, innovators, and experimenters in the field of Agriculture. Dr. Komal Kumari completed her PhD degree in 2022 under the supervision of Prof. John Wenzhong SHI, Chair Professor of Geographical Information Science and Remote Sensing at LSGI and the Director of the Otto Poon Charitable Foundation Smart Cities Research Institute of PolyU. Her project focuses on agriculture monitoring for sustainable development using remote sensing. It highlights the utilization of high-resolution Sentinel-2 data, along with a combination of various types of secondary data, in a Random Forest (RF) regression model during different phases of the crop growing season. This approach aims to enhance the accuracy of rice yield prediction and advance our understanding of precision agricultural systems. We extend our congratulations to Dr. Komal Kumari on her remarkable achievement!  

LSGI student wins Team Award for Highest International Potential at the SDG Open Hack@Tsinghua University

We are pleased to announce that Miss XU Yi Nam Deanna, a final-year BSc student of LSGI, won the Team Award for Highest International Potential at the SDG Open Hack@Tsinghua University in 2023. The SDG Open Hack is a competition focused on innovative entrepreneurship, organized by the Tsignhua University Innovation and Entrepreneurship Education Coordination Committee in collaboration with Tsinghua x-lab, iCenter, Center for Global Competence Development, Office of Technology Transfer, and Tsinghua Shenzhen International Graduate School. This competition builds upon the Global Challenge Lab, a 14-day virtual entrepreneurship program held in partnership with Tsinghua University's x-lab in Beijing and the Technical University of Munich. It incorporates the United Nations' 17 Sustainable Development Goals and involves various themed hacks. Over 1000 students from 22 top global partner universities are attracted to join, forming teams with diverse academic backgrounds to tackle specific challenges related to UN SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy. Deanna and her team focused on Track 2: RESILIENCE, which involved addressing the challenge of enhancing energy system resilience to extreme weather and other disruptions, resulting in winning the team award for Highest International Potential at the SDG Open Hack. We are excited to see more innovative ideas for sustainable development within the higher education community. Congratulations to Deanna and her teammates!

LSGI Students Receive HKIS Outstanding Dissertation Awards 2023

We are pleased to announce that two of our BSc students from LSGI, Miss SIT Fei Ching and Mr MOK Ka Him, have been awarded with the Outstanding Dissertation Awards 2023 by the Hong Kong Institute of Surveyors for their excellent performance in the final year projects. This prestigious award aims to recognize students who have displayed excellence in their pursuit of knowledge in surveying and the built environment by producing outstanding research work in this field. Miss Sit, under the supervision of Ir Dr Wallace LAI, Associate Head of LSGI, has been awarded the Top Award (Land Surveying) for her project titled 'Discovering and Unfolding WWII Heritages with Geospatial Technologies in the Gin Drinkers Line'. Meanwhile, Mr Mok, under the guidance of Prof. John SHI, Chair Professor of Geographical Information Science and Remote Sensing from LSGI, has received the Merit Award (Land Surveying) for his project titled 'Point Cloud Integration of Backpack laser scanner and UAV photogrammetry'. The award presentation ceremony will be held in the late July 2024. We extend our heartfelt congratulations to two of our BSc students for their remarkable academic achievements!

PolyU LSGI STEAM Talks for Secondary Schools Students 2024

The Department of Land Surveying and Geo-Informatics (LSGI) is organizing a STEAM Talk Series with the aim of introducing daily life applications and potential developments in Geo-Informatics. The series will cover a wide range of topics, including Land Surveying, Remote Sensing, Global Positioning System (GPS), Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS), Geographic Information Science (GIS), and Underground Utilities Imaging and Diagnosis. We are delighted to invite all secondary schools to participate in our STEAM Talk Series in 2024. STEAM Talk Series Topics: Smart City and 3D Mapping in HK (智慧城巿及三維地圖的應用) Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) and Smart City Applications (全球導航衛星系統與智慧城市應用) Unfolding HK Lost WWII Heritage with Geo-spatial Science (尋找隱世二戰遺跡：地理空間科學篇) Problem Solving by Digital Maps and Geographic Information System (GIS) (以數字地圖和地理訊息系統解難) Seeing and Unseen Underground Utilities in 3D (三維地下管線測量) Observing and Measuring the Earth from Space (從太空觀測地球) IoT and Remote Sensing for Tree Monitoring (如何利用IoT及遙感技術監測城市樹木) Date:   Until July 2024 (exact date to be suggested by school) Target audience:   S.2 – S.6 Students (both Art and Science students are welcome) Medium:   Cantonese or English Venue:   Secondary School or PolyU (a lab tour to be arranged at PolyU) Speaker:   Academic Staff from the Department of LSGI Please click here to know more the description for the STEAM talk topics. Interested parties please fill in the online application form to indicate your preference of talk. For any questions, please feel free to contact Ms Stephanie Cheung at 3400 3662 or stephanie.sy.cheung@polyu.edu.hk. Please find more about LSGI at our Facebook or Youtube channel.  LSGI Undergraduate Programme in 2024/25 BSc (Hons) Scheme in Spatial Data Science and Smart Cities (JS3130)    

LSGI MSc Student Wins HKIBIM Silver Award

Mr CHAN Ka Kit Zeno, a student from MSc in Urban Informatics and Smart Cities (Class of 2024), with his team has won the Silver Award in the category of “BIM Project - Private Development” in The Hong Kong Institute of Building Information Modelling (HKIBIM) Award 2023. The award presentation was successfully held on 26 Jan 2024. Under supervision of Sr Dr Lawrence Lau, Lecturer of LSGI, Zeno selected a topic on using Building Information Modelling (BIM) with Augmented reality (AR) to facilitate building services engineering work for his MSc project. Zeno carried out the MSc project investigations with his full-time work in constructing the Chill Residence in Yau Tong. He completed the MSc project and obtained an excellent grade for the subject. Zeno applied for the HKIBIM award with his MSc project work related to the Hybrid Model on BIM and Point Cloud, AR Inspection, and Digital Twins technologies. The HKIBIM Award is one of the most prestigious awards in the Architecture, Engineering and Construction sectors. It aims to acknowledge and recognize the outstanding achievement of Organisations, Projects, Teams and Individuals who actively use Building Information Modelling (BIM) technology. BIM has transformed the construction industry by allowing for more efficient and effective planning, design, construction, and maintenance of buildings and infrastructure. BIMers are key players in this process, leveraging their specialized skills and expertise in BIM software and technology to create and manage digital models of construction projects. Themed “Building Better with BIMers”, this award highlights the important role of BIMers and the use of BIM with other recognitions and serves as a platform to showcase BIMers’ capabilities and excellent work. Inspiring more individuals to pursue careers in this dynamic field and continue to drive innovation and build a better Hong Kong.  More details can be found on the HKIBIM website and in the award booklet. Congratulations to Zeno!

LSGI STEAM Talks for Secondary School 2024 – Lee Kau Yan Memorial School (January 23)

On 23 January 2024, a group of 8 students and teacher from Lee Kau Yan Memorial School visited the Department of Land Surveying and Geo-Informatics (LSGI) at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU). We were delighted to have Dr. Sissi Chen, Lecturer of LSGI, deliver a talk for the secondary school students with the topic "Problem Solving by Digital Maps and Geographic Information System (GIS)". In the workshop, participants were able to understand what spatial data is and learn how to access, evaluate, and integrate the data into Geographic Information System (GIS) software for mapping, analysis, and decision-making. Additionally, some of the cutting-edge surveying equipment, such as total stations and laser scanners, were introduced to the students. The school teacher and students found the visit to be fruitful and interesting, and they were glad to know more about the admission information for our programme - BSc (Hons) Scheme in Spatial Data Science and Smart Cities. This workshop was packed with an engaging talk, demonstrations, and hands-on experiences. We are pleased that the students and teacher enjoyed the visit and found the workshop to be fruitful and beneficial. Know more about the LSGI STEAM talk series for secondary school: STEAM Talk Series Topics Smart City and 3D Mapping in HK (智慧城巿及三維地圖的應用) Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) and Smart City Applications (全球導航衛星系統與智慧城市應用) Unfolding HK Lost WWII Heritage with Geo-spatial Science (尋找隱世二戰遺跡：地理空間科學篇) Problem Solving by Digital Maps and Geographic Information System (GIS) (以數字地圖和地理訊息系統解難) Seeing and Unseen Underground Utilities in 3D (三維地下管線測量) Observing and Measuring the Earth from Space (從太空觀測地球) IoT and Remote Sensing for Tree Monitoring (如何利用IoT及遙感技術監測城市樹木)  

LSGI Retreat 2024

The LSGI Retreat 2024 was successfully held on 10 and 11 January 2024 at the WM Hotel in Sai Kung. A total of 36 colleagues, including academic, teaching, and some supporting staff, participated in this engaging event. The 2-day retreat covered various topics, including research and RAE updates, strategic planning, and learning and teaching enhancements. Prof. Wu Chen, Head of LSGI, opened the retreat with a warm welcome speech, introducing new staff and highlighting the department's latest development focus. Following this, Prof. Bo Wu, Chairman of the Departmental Research Committee, provided an overview of the departmental research performance and the latest arrangements for the Mock RAE. Participants then engaged in a group discussion on "Strategies for Enhancing RAE’s Impact Cases and Environmental Overview of LSGI," where staff were divided into three groups to facilitate discussion, which culminated in presentations that shared insights and strategies. The first day concluded with a delightful seafood dinner in Sai Kung, offering a chance for colleagues to relax and connect. On the second day, the focus shifted to strategic planning and sharing practices for enhancing learning and teaching performance. In the afternoon, another group discussion was led by the department head, centered around two key questions: "i.) Envisioning the Future of LSGI: What Will LSGI Look Like in 10 Years?" and "ii.) Strategies for Achieving LSGI's Future Goals." Presentations were shared on these topics, fostering insightful dialogue. The retreat was a valuable opportunity for staff to exchange ideas and interact on various aspects, including research, teaching, and strategic development. We look forward to seeing these discussions translate into further advancements and successes for LSGI in the coming years. 

Secondary School participates the Project “Unfolding the Lost WWII Heritage: Promotion of Geo-spatial and Geophysical Technologies”

To honor the upcoming 80th anniversary of World War II in 2025, the project titled "Unfolding the Lost WWII Heritage: Promotion of Geo-spatial and Geophysical Technologies” was held on 6-7 January at the Camptopia campsite in Sheung Shui. The project aims to raise public awareness of historical interpretation, heritage conservation, and STEAM education through integrated art-tech exhibitions. Led by Ir Dr Wallace Lai, Associate Head of LSGI, a group of 26 dedicated teachers and S.4/S.5 students studying Geography from St. Stephen's College (SSC) actively participated in this project. SSC was selected as the starting point due to its historical significance as the last stronghold during the Battle of Hong Kong in 1941. The school endured the most hardships during the battle, including a massacre, and throughout the subsequent 3-year and 8-month occupation period as an internment/POW camp. This public engagement event at Camptopia consisted of two key components: An immersive art-tech exhibition showcased in a 4D CAVE allowed participants to step back in time and experience the war zone firsthand. This interactive exhibition combined art and technology, providing a deeper understanding of WWII.  A two-day STEAM workshop focused on geo-spatial technologies and archaeological excavation techniques. Participants learned how to locate and scan artifacts from Hong Kong's WWII period and ancient times. Through hands-on activities, attendees gained insights into historical preservation and the use of advanced technologies to uncover hidden treasures. This project not only served as an educational platform but also as a reminder of the importance of preserving our collective memory. By integrating art, technology, and historical interpretation, the project aims to ensure that the legacy of World War II remains vivid in the hearts and minds of future generations. We extend our gratitude to the ITF/General Support Program for their generous funding and the support from various organisations. For more details about the project and its supporters, please visit the project's website.