On March 27, 2026, researchers and students from the Research Centre for Artificial Intelligence in Geomatics (RCAIG) at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University convened for their monthly workshop series. Hosted by Prof. Qihao Weng, Chair Professor of Geomatics and Artificial Intelligence, and chaired by Dr. Pir Mohammad, Research Assistant Professor, the series serves as a dynamic platform for showcasing cutting-edge advancements at the intersection of geomatics and AI.
The session featured a series of insightful presentations by the center's postdocs. Dr. Binbin Li gave a presentation on how to fuse ICESat-2 laser altimeter data and other remote sensing data to quantify the potential submergence of global main river deltas; he shared the results of the potential submergence area and population within these deltas. Dr. Yijie Wu presented findings on urban morphological similarity derived from deep embeddings, showing that similarity is jointly regulated by built coverage and building height. Dr. Xihong Lian examined population exposure to compound extreme climate events. Dr. Kalingga Titon Nur Ihsan assessed the uncertainty of future solar energy supply under climate change projections. Dr. Peiyi Yin presented a preliminary data exploration on how urbanization affects temperature sensitivity to spring vegetation phenology across the Northern Hemisphere. Dr. Rui Sun presented updated findings exploring the association between fire and LST changes following forest loss, as well as the potential underlying mechanisms. She also introduced the recent fieldwork at the Dongzhaigang Mangrove Reserve, covering the team's itinerary and the ground data collected during the survey.
The workshop also showcased the work of the center’s Ph.D. candidates. Miss Mengying Cao presented her work on interactions between above- and belowground vegetation phenology across diverse climate zones in the Northern Hemisphere. Mr. Xin Li presented a temperature-based urban green space edge effect and its impact mechanisms. Miss Lihong Wang explained that, in the context of climate change, the response mechanisms of the three phenological stages of natural and planted forests to climate—as well as the carryover effects of the previous stage—are different. Mr. Ziyun Yan’s research demonstrated that self-supervised time-series models are capable of perceiving dynamic changes on the Earth's surface and successfully visualizing them. Mr. Weipeng Lu introduced recent research on 3D land use efficiency and found that there is an illusion of 2D sustainable development which is actually an overdraft of 3D space. Mr. Longjie Ye introduced his fieldwork at Dongzhaigang in Hainan, acquiring UAV imagery to monitor mangrove growth under the disturbances of typhoons and pests.
Throughout the session, Prof. Qihao Weng provided expert leadership by steering the academic discourse and offering critical insights on each presentation. His constructive critiques allowed the researchers to further sharpen their methodologies and theoretical frameworks.
The workshop concluded with a forward-looking discussion on the evolving landscape of AI-driven geomatics, highlighting RCAIG’s ongoing commitment to fostering a culture of interdisciplinary innovation and academic excellence.
