Professor Xiang-dong LI
Vice President (Research)
BSc, MSc, DIC, PhD (London), FHKEng, FHKIE, FSEGH, Geochemistry Fellow (GS and EAG), FIAGC
Biography
Professor Xiang-dong Li is Vice President (Research), Director of State Key Laboratory of Climate Resilience for Coastal Cities, Director of Otto Poon Research Institute for Climate-Resilient Infrastructure, Chair Professor of Environmental Science and Technology, and Ko Jan Ming Professor in Sustainable Urban Development. He previously served as Dean of Faculty of Construction and Environment (2021 – 2026) and Director of Research Institute for Sustainable Urban Development (2018 – 2026).
Professor Li received his BSc in Earth Sciences and MSc in Geochemistry from Nanjing University in 1984 and 1987, respectively, and earned his PhD in Environmental Technology from Imperial College London in 1993. Since joining PolyU in 1995, he has risen through the academic ranks, becoming Chair Professor of Environmental Science and Technology in 2013.
A globally distinguished scholar in environmental science and sustainable urban development, Professor Li has published over 250 papers in leading international journals. Spanning more than three decades, his research bridges environmental geochemistry, exposure science, engineering, public health, and sustainability, with a particular focus on environmental challenges in rapidly urbanising regions.
In 2022, he was awarded the prestigious Clair C. Patterson Award (Innovative Breakthrough in Environmental Biogeochemistry in the last decade) by the Geochemical Society for his pioneering research in regional contamination, urban air PM2.5 pollution, and the origin and dissemination of antimicrobial resistance.
Professor Li’s groundbreaking research project “Unravelling the Black Box between Air Pollution and Public Health for Transformative Air Quality Management” was awarded HK$44.52 million under the Research Grants Council Theme-based Research Scheme in 2022/23. The project aims to identify the key toxic components and their associated sources responsible for PM2.5 health effects and develop effective and economical strategies for air quality and public health.
In recognition of his eminent contributions, he has been conferred prestigious fellowships by the Hong Kong Academy of Engineering, the Geochemical Society and European Association of Geochemistry, the International Association of GeoChemistry, The Hong Kong Institution of Engineers, and the Society for Environmental Geochemistry and Health. He also serves as a Director of the Hong Kong Green Building Council.
Alongside his research achievements, Professor Li has held several key executive leadership positions throughout his tenure at PolyU, including Dean of Faculty of Construction and Environment and Director of Research Institute for Sustainable Urban Development. He also spearheaded the establishment of the Research Institute for Climate-Resilient Infrastructure and the State Key Laboratory of Climate Resilience for Coastal Cities, serving as inaugural Director of both institutions.
