News

The Global Smart Cities Summit cum The 3rd International Conference on Urban Informatics to be held on 20–23 August 2023

The International Society for Urban Informatics and the Otto Poon Charitable Foundation Smart Cities Research Institute are hosting the Global Smart Cities Summit cum The 3rd International Conference on Urban Informatics (GSCS & ICUI 2023) at PolyU in Hong Kong on 20–23 August 2023. You are cordially invited to submit abstracts or full papers to this Conference.   Keynote speakers including Prof. Michael BATTY (University College London, UK), Prof. Jianya GONG (Wuhan University, China), Prof. Michael GOODCHILD (University of California, Santa Barbara, USA), Prof. Renzhong GUO (Shenzhen University, China), Prof. Ying JIN (University of Cambridge, UK), and Prof. Anthony YEH (The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR), together with hundreds of industry experts, academics, researchers and friends will explore future smart city development, as well as innovative theories and technologies in urban informatics.   Early-bird registration is available until 22 July 2023 at: https://www.isocui.org/icui2023/registration/   Website: https://isocui.org/icui2023

Energy expert from Singapore to deliver PAIR Public Seminar on 13 June 2023

PAIR will organise a hybrid Public Seminar “Turquoise Hydrogen – A Possible Solution for Renewable Energy Scarce Countries in Energy Transition Times” at 11:00am on 13 June 2023 (Tuesday) on campus and via Zoom. Prof. CHAN Siew Hwa, President’s Chair in Energy and Professor in the School of Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering, Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore; Co-Director of, Energy Research Institute at NTU; and Senior Vice President, China-Singapore International Joint Research Institute, will be the keynote speaker. Prof. Chan will share Singapore’s long-term energy plan and research focus, a few major initiatives on hydrogen application, and the catalytic decomposition of methane for hydrogen production. Seats are limited, please register now!   Find out more or register at: https://polyu.hk/NEmxH

Prof. ZHENG Zijian receives inaugural Hong Kong Engineering Science and Technology Award

Prof. ZHENG Zijian, Associate Director of the Research Institute for Intelligent Wearable Systems (RI-IWEAR), Member of the Otto Poon Charitable Foundation Research Institute for Smart Energy (RISE), and Chair Professor of Soft Materials and Devices of the Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology of the Faculty of Science, received the Hong Kong Engineering Science and Technology Award (HKEST Award) 2022. Newly launched by the Hong Kong Academy of Engineering Sciences last year and supported by the Innovation and Technology Commission of the HKSAR government, the Award aims to recognise and commend outstanding contributions and excellence among younger generations in Hong Kong for their dedication and achievements in the arena of engineering science and technology.   Online coverage (Chinese only): Ta Kung Pao - https://polyu.me/43FngYo ETNet - https://polyu.me/42tIzLo Hong Kong Commercial Daily - https://polyu.me/45Q3ZVR

Prof. Hector Tsang shares tips for mental health on radio

Prof. Hector Tsang Wing-hong, Interim Director of the Mental Health Research Centre (MHRC), Cally Kwong Mei Wan Professor in Psychosocial Health, Chair Professor and Head of Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, was interviewed on the “Share My Song” programme by Commercial Radio Hong Kong on 6 June 2023, sharing tips for emotional self-care and emotional support for others.   The episode covered sharing on important topics related to emotional health, including the importance of help-seeking, common signs and symptoms of mental health issues, and the impact of stress on mental health.   Online review: Commercial Radio - https://polyu.me/441EBeb (Chinese only - subscription required)

MHRC Interim Director Prof. Hector Tsang featured in SCMP

Prof. Hector TSANG, Interim Director of MHRC, Cally Kwong Mei Wan Professor in Psychosocial Health, Head and Chair Professor of Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, in a recent interview with the South China Morning Post (SCMP), shared his views on mental health services in Hong Kong in response to a recent incident in the community. Prof. Tsang urged the Hong Kong government to reallocate more mental health-related resources from public hospitals to the community, including support services in district health centres. He pointed out the importance of community support for mental illnesses, and more resources should be placed in supporting the community integration of people with mental health needs, in addition to hospital care. “There should be a team, consisting of occupational therapists, social workers, community nurses and psychologists, closely supervising people with severe mental illnesses and providing holistic help. It is different from hospital settings where more emphasis is put on using medications ….” said Prof. Tsang. Online coverage: https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3223049/hong-kong-mall-stabbings-authorities-urged-overhaul-mental-health-services-provide-patients-more

International media delegation of Hong Kong Laureate Forum visits RCDSE

PolyU hosted a tour for media delegation of the Hong Kong Laureate Forum comprising journalists from 15 media organisations in the Mainland, South Korea, Thailand and Vietnam to visit the University on 5 June 2023. Ir Prof. YUNG Kai-Leung, Director of the Research Centre for Deep Space Exploration (RCDSE), introduced the University’s state-of-the-art research facilities and contribution to the Nation’s lunar and Mars exploration projects to the journalists.

Prof. Marco PANG receives World Physiotherapy International Service Award in Research

Prof. Marco PANG, Member of the Research Centre for SHARP Vision (RCSV), Director of University Research Facility in Behavioral and Systems Neuroscience (UBSN), and Professor of Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, received the International Service Award in Research at the recent World Physiotherapy Congress held in Dubai in June 2023. Prof. Pang is the first physiotherapist from Hong Kong to receive this prestigious recognition. The World Physiotherapy awards, which are presented by World Physiotherapy every four years, recognise awardees’ outstanding contributions to the profession and/or global health at an international level. Among the various award categories, the International Service Awards honours individuals who have made distinguished contributions through service in one or more of the following areas: practice, education, research, management/administration, advocacy.

PAIR Newsletter ∙ Issue 6 ∙ June 2023 is now available online!

In this issue, we are delighted to share the latest innovations and endeavours at PAIR and PolyU. A significant highlight of this issue includes a dialogue with Prof. Ross COROTIS, Chairman of the PAIR International Advisory Committee, describing the kind of culture and leadership needed for interdisciplinary success, as well as feature stories of Prof. LI Li, Associate Director of PAIR, and Prof. Raymond WONG, Associate Director of the Otto Poon Charitable Foundation Research Institute for Smart Energy (RISE), sharing views on knowledge transfer and journey in photochemistry research, respectively. You can also learn about our latest research findings, award recognitions and exchange events.   If you find any articles or links in our newsletter that are especially enlightening and applicable, please share the relevant content with your friends and colleagues.   Happy reading! https://polyu.hk/kzcHx

MHRC Interim Director awarded HK$ 2.4 million funding from Beat Drugs Fund

Prof. Hector TSANG, Interim Director of the Mental Health Research Centre (MHRC), Cally Kwong Mei Wan Professor in Psychosocial Health, Head and Chair Professor of Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, was awarded a grant of HKD 2.4 million from the Beat Drugs Fund to support his anti-drug education programme for local youths.   Find out more: https://polyu.hk/rQYHu

ADoRCRE elected as President of APSE Executive Board

Congratulations to Dr LENG Zhen, Associate Director of the Research Centre for Resources Engineering towards Carbon Neutrality (RCRE) and Associate Professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, for being elected as the President of the Executive Board of the Academy of Pavement Science and Engineering (APSE) for the 2023–25 period. The APSE is a global community of academics working together to educate, innovate, and advance the profession of pavement science and engineering.