News

RILS & RNUS Joint Public Lecture delivered by Professor Xiangrong WANG was successfully held

On 9 December 2024, Prof. Xiangrong WANG, Director and Distinguished Professor, Centre for Urban Eco-Planning & Design, Fudan University, China, delivered an online Public Lecture titled “Urban Ecological Security and Green Development”. This lecture was co-organised by the Research Institute of Land and Space (RILS) and the Research Centre for Nature-based Urban Infrastructure Solutions (RNUS) of the Hong Kong Polytechnic University.In this lecture, Prof. WANG presented the ecological security assessment of international metropolises, including London, New York, Hong Kong, Shanghai and etc. He analyzed this topic through three key aspects: 1) Origin and connotation: Ecological security of metropolises from a global perspective; 2) Exploration and cognition: Low-carbon development model of international metropolises under climate change; 3) Paths and countermeasures: Paths and countermeasures of urban green development based on nature-based solutions model.The lecture included a fruitful Q&A session, allowing participants to share their insights on the topic. This interactive discussion fostered a rich exchange of ideas, enhancing the collective understanding of urban ecological security and green development.About Prof. Xiangrong WANG:Prof. Xiangrong WANG is currently the director and distinguished professor of the Centre for Urban Eco-Planning & Design of Fudan University in Shanghai China, the director of National Centre for Virtual Simulation of Environmental Science, Fudan University, and the Vice Chairman of Urban Ecological Commission of Ecological Society of China, Chief supervisor of Shanghai Ecological Society. In addition, he is the Chair of Environmental Science and Healthy City Division of Shanghai Municipal Construction Commission, and Counselor of Shanghai Municipal People's Government, the editorial members of some academic journals, such as the editor-in-chief of Journal of World Forestry (Hans Press, USA), vice editor-in-chief of Journal of China’s Urban Forestry, editors of Acta Ecological Sinica, Chinese Journal of Ecology, Chinese Journal of Eco-Agriculture, Journal of Environmental Science & Technology, etc, and reviewers of some International Journals such as Ecological Engineering, Landscape and Urban Planning, and JHM, JCP. etc. He also served as a regional vice-chair of East Asia, the IUCN Commission on Education and Communication during 2004-2012 and a steering member of INTECOL Association.  

RILS scholar was invited to present at the 2024 ASAIHL Conference

At the recent 2024 ASAIHL Conference (Association of Southeast Asian Institutions of Higher Learning) held at the Universitas Airlangga, Surabaya, Indonesia on 19-22 November 2024, Prof. George Zhizhao LIU, member of RILS and Professor of LSGI, was invited to present the Hong Kong (China)’s Region/Country Report at the conference. The theme of this year’s ASAIHL conference is “University’s Role in Advancing Climate Crises Reduction.” At the conference, Prof. LIU gave an invited talk titled “AI and Satellite Remote Sensing: the State-of-the-art Technology to Map the Most Abundant Atmospheric Greenhouse Gas –– Water Vapor”, which illustrated the importance of accurate water vapor observation in the climate change and extreme weather studies and showcased the research work conducted in Prof. LIU’s Micro-Laboratory of Atmospheric Research and Geomatics Engineering (Micro-LARGE) in the field of climate change.   Water vapor, as the largest greenhouse gas in the atmosphere, plays a critically important role in climate change and extreme weather events. This might be against the orthodox opinion that usually believes the carbon dioxide (CO2) is the largest greenhouse gas. Water vapor accounts for approximately 50% atmospheric greenhouse gas, depending on the weather conditions. Nevertheless, the accurate observation of water vapor is still a global technical challenge. A large number of satellites have been launched, and many have the capability to observe water vapor at different wavelength channels. Unfortunately, the water vapor data accuracy of most of these satellite sensors is low and cannot meet the requirement for climate change and extreme weather studies. Prof. LIU’s Micro-LARGE Lab insightfully pinpointed this problem and has developed different AI-based novel algorithms to significantly improve the accuracy of water vapor observations of different satellite sensors.   The Association of Southeast Asian Institutions of Higher Learning (ASAIHL), founded in Bangkok, Thailand in 1956, is a non-governmental organization starting with eight state universities in Southeast Asia but now with university memberships extending to Europe, North America, Africa, and Oceania. ASAIHL’s purpose is to assist member institutions to strengthen themselves through mutual self-help and to achieve international distinction in teaching, research and public service.

The 4th World Conference on Floating Solutions was successfully held

The 4th International Conference on Floating Solutions (WCFS 2024) was held at The Jockey Club Innovation Tower of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) from 2 to 4 December 2024. The Research Institute for Land and Space (RILS) was the key co-organizer, together with Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE), Research Institute for Sustainable Urban Development (RISUD), Research Institute for Future Food (RiFOOD) of PolyU and Society of Floating Solutions (Singapore). WCFS 2024 was sponsored by The Construction Innovation and Technology Fund (CITF) with support from Hong Kong Government’s Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD), Civil Engineering and Development Department (CEDD), Drainage Services Department (DSD), and Marine Department, along with The Hong Kong Institution of Engineers - Structural Division. Prof. Xiao Lin ZHAO, Associate Director of RILS and Chair Professor of CEE, chaired the conference successfully.   WCFS 2024 attracted more than 220 participants from 18 countries. It brought international experts and leaders together to disseminate recent research and developments in floating solutions. The theme of WCFS 2024 was "Floating solutions for sustainable ocean development and blue economy". It is crucial to develop sustainable floating structure technology in Hong Kong to create innovative and resilient means to foster our city’s sustainable growth and enhance its livability with strategic significance not just for Hong Kong but also for other coastal megacities, addressing the mounting threat of sea level rises and overpopulation.     The conference was opened by Prof. Jin-Guang TENG, President of PolyU. The welcome session also featured a few esteemed speakers including Ir. Hon Harry MA, Deputy Director of CEDD, Mr. Mickey LAI, Director of AFCD, Dr. Stefan HUEBNER, President of the Society of Floating Solutions (Singapore), Mr. Maurits TER KUILE, Consul General of the Netherlands to Hong Kong and Macau. Prof. Christopher CHAO, Vice President (Research and Innovation) of PolyU, and Prof. Qingyan CHEN, Director of PAIR, also attended the Opening Ceremony. Prof. Xiaoli DING, Director of RILS, chaired the first keynote plenary session where presentations were delivered by Prof. Torgeir MOAN from The Norwegian University of Science and Technology on Lifecycle Integrity Management of Floating Systems and by Mr. Jacky WU, Head of Sustainable Lantau Office, CEDD, on Opportunities and Potential Use of Floating Structures in Kau Yi Chau Artificial Islands Development. Another two keynote speakers were Prof. Chien-Ming WANG from The University of Queensland, Australia and Prof. Masashi KASHIWAGI from Hyundai Engineering & Construction, South Korea. In addition, 110 papers were presented at the conference together with two industry sessions featuring seven companies from The Netherlands. Best student paper awards were given to three students.   WCFS 2024 concluded with a technical tour to AFCD Floating Fish Farm at Tung Lung Chau and Sustainable Lantau Office - Tung Chung Community Liaison Centre (CLC).

The Atmospheric Environmental Remote Sensing Society (AERSS) Annual Meeting 2024 was successfully held

The 2nd International Annual Conference of Atmospheric Environmental Remote Sensing Society (AERSS) was held in Hong Kong, China, from 1 to 4 December 2024. The conference was co-organized by the AERSS and The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU). The Department of Land Surveying and Geo-Informatics (LSGI) and the Research Institute for Land and Space (RILS) of PolyU jointly organized the event. The conference received strong support from several universities and institutions, including the Faculty of Construction and Environment (FCE) and the Mainland Development Office (MDO) of PolyU, the Jiangsu-Hong Kong-Macao University Alliance, the Aerospace Information Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, China University of Mining and Technology, etc.   Focusing on the theme of "Remote Sensing and Sustainability", the conference attracted over 260 attendees from 15 countries and regions worldwide, including scholars from scientific research institutions and universities, as well as representatives from enterprises and organizations. The event provided a cutting-edge dialogue platform on the collision of ideas and integration of industry and research. As well, participants also exchanged the latest achievements and promoted the development of the atmospheric environmental remote sensing industry.

The 4th International Symposium of Water Disaster Mitigation and Water Environment Regulation cum the 14th South China Sea Tsunami Workshop was successfully held

The 4th International Symposium of Water Disaster Mitigation and Water Environment Regulation cum the 14th South China Sea Tsunami Workshop were successfully held in Hong Kong from 29 November to 2 December 2024. This joint event was co-organized by The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Sichuan University, Sun Yat-sen University, Research Institute for Sustainable Urban Development (RISUD), Research Institute for Land and Space (RILS), and supported by IAHR-HK Chapter, IAHR-China Chapter and relevant government departments of Hong Kong SAR. The four-day event, themed "Coastal and Urban Resilience under Climate Change," brought together 208 participants from 21 countries and regions to explore five key topics: "Extreme Weather under Climate Change", "Water-related Disasters", "Infrastructure Resilience", "Hydro-environment and Eco-hydraulics", and "AI and IoT Applications". The event commenced with welcome addresses from Prof. Xiangdong LI (Dean of the Faculty of Construction and Environment, DoRISUD) and Prof. Xiaoli DING (DoRILS). A total of 43 plenary and keynote speeches were delivered by distinguished experts in hydraulic and environmental engineering. These insightful presentations fostered in-depth discussions on cutting-edge issues such as monitoring and forecasting extreme climate events, mitigating water-related hazards in the context of climate change, and enhancing water environment management. Valuable recommendations were provided for strengthening infrastructure resilience and integrating data science into water engineering practices. Additionally, the conference featured 73 oral presentations and 39 posters, showcasing the latest research and injecting fresh momentum into synergistic innovation and sustainable development in this field. This joint event offered fresh perspectives and innovative solutions for tackling climate change and enhancing coastal and urban resilience. It significantly bolstered international collaboration and innovation in water resource management and disaster prevention. We extend our heartful gratitude to all the speakers and participants for their active contributions, which were instrumental in making this event a resounding success towards global cooperation and innovation in water disaster mitigation, water environment management, and climate change adaptation.

Prof. George LIU Zhizhao appointed as Chief Scientist of Meteorological Observation Center of China Meteorological Administration

Congratulations to Prof. George LIU Zhizhao, Member of the Research Institute for Land and Space (RILS) and the Otto Poon Charitable Foundation Research Institute for Smart Energy (RISE), and Associate Head (Partnership) of the Department of Land Surveying and Geo-Informatics, for being appointed as the Chief Scientist of the Meteorological Observation Center, China Meteorological Administration (CMA).   Prof. LIU is an internationally renowned scholar in geomatics research and application. Over the years, his laboratory, the Micro-Laboratory of Atmospheric Research and Geomatics Engineering (Micro-LARGE), has conducted academic research in the field of geomatics and developed related technologies that significantly contribute to important aspects of society. These include precise positioning algorithms and data quality analysis for Global Positioning System (GPS)/Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS), ionosphere scintillation monitoring and 3D Total Electron Content (TEC) modelling, impact of space weather on satellite navigation and flight operation, monitoring of atmospheric water vapor and 3D modelling, retrieval and calibration of satellite remote sensing water vapor data, and assimilation of atmospheric water vapor into Numerical Weather Prediction (NWP) models, etc.

Prof. Jianli CHEN co-authored study reveals summer meltwater storage in Greenland ice sheet

Prof. Jianli CHEN, Core Member of the RILS and Professor in the Department of Land Surveying and Geo-Informatics, and an international group of researchers published a study in Nature that unveils a substantial amount of meltwater being temporarily stored within the Greenland ice sheet during summer.   The study was led by Dr Jiangjun RAN, Associate Professor at the Southern University of Science and Technology. For the first time, the team quantified meltwater storage using positioning data. The researchers employed data from the Greenland GPS Network (GNET), a network comprising dozens of stations in Greenland, to continuously monitor the vertical displacements of bedrock at different stages of the melt season. The mass of meltwater is a factor that causes the bedrock to shift downwards. The team developed an innovative method for explaining the detected vertical shifts based on the meltwater mass.   The Greenland ice sheet is currently the largest contributor to global sea level rise. If it completely melts, it can potentially raise the mean sea level by seven meters. The study provides a new perspective on the movement and storage of meltwater within the ice sheet during the summer months, bringing important discoveries for addressing pressing environmental challenges on Earth.   Read more: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-024-08096-3

Dr James FANG shares PolyU’s research efforts for sustainable marine development in newspaper article

Dr James FANG Kar-hei, Member of the Research Institute for Land and Space (RILS) and Associate Professor in the Department of Food Science and Nutrition, published an article in the education section of Sing Tao Daily earlier, sharing on PolyU’s research in marine pollution monitoring technology and seafood sustainability. In the article, Dr Fang shared that his team utilised 3D technology to monitor the impact of pearl oyster reefs on local biodiversity, hoping to improve water quality through assessing the level of marine pollution in Hong Kong. The team has also collaborated with local fishermen on aquaculture techniques to support the sustainable development of fisheries.   Online review: Sing Tao Daily - https://bit.ly/3TwPthv (Chinese only)

Prof. Charles WONG receives Smart Traffic Fund for research on enhancing traffic efficiency

Prof. Charles Man-sing WONG, Associate Dean of the Faculty of Construction and Environment and Management Committee Member of the Research Institute for Land and Space (RILS), has been awarded HK$5.3 million for his project titled “A study on public transport re-routing, with a healthy ‘Wait-to-Ride’ trip mode for optimizing public transportation routes and improving traffic congestion”.   The project aims to analyse the routes and stops of road public transportation. A spatio-temporal environmental database will be developed for providing suggestions on reorganising public transport routes in over-served areas with duplicated routes, with the aim of easing road traffic congestion and enhancing the efficiency of the road network.   Further reading: https://www.polyu.edu.hk/en/media/media-releases/2024/0923_three-polyu-projects-supported-by-smart-traffic-fund/   Online coverage: Mirage News - https://polyu.me/47JRrB2

Prof. Jianli CHEN elected as the AGU Fellow

Prof. Jianli CHEN, Professor in the Department of Land Surveying and Geo-Informatics and core member of RILS, has been elected as an American Geophysical Union (AGU) Fellow. Prior to joining PolyU under the Strategic Hiring Scheme in 2022, Prof. CHEN dedicated 28 years of his academic career to the University of Texas at Austin. He is a world-renowned expert in space geodesy and its applications in Earth sciences. In 2005, he received the Presidential Early Career Awards for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE), the highest honor in the United States for early career scientists and engineers, making him the first recipient in the field of geodesy.   Prof. CHEN joins a prestigious group of 53 individuals in the 2024 Class of AGU Fellows. The American Geophysical Union (AGU), the world's largest Earth and space science association, annually bestows this distinguished honor on a select number of individuals who have made exceptional contributions to their fields. Since its inception in 1962, less than 0.1% of AGU members have been selected as Fellows each year.   AGU Fellows are recognized for their scientific eminence, demonstrated through breakthroughs, discoveries, or innovations that advance Earth and space sciences. They also serve as external experts, advising government agencies and other organizations upon request. Prof. CHEN was selected for his exemplary leadership and outstanding scientific achievements, which have significantly advanced our understanding of space geodesy and global climate change.   Honorees will be recognized at AGU24, which will convene more than 25,000 attendees from over 100 countries in Washington, D.C., and online from December 9-13, 2024. Reflecting the theme 'What's Next for Science,' the Honors Reception will celebrate groundbreaking achievements that illustrate the continual advancement of science, inspiring the AGU community with their stories and successes.