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PAIR & SCRI Distinguished Lecture on Uncertainty posed by AI: Geospatial science pioneer Prof. Michael GOODCHILD dissects past, present and future

Geospatial data finds applications in a wide array of fields, including urban planning, environmental management, disaster response, and transportation, leveraging spatial patterns to support decision-making in various sectors.  Nevertheless, errors, imprecision, and complexities in datasets containing information about space and/or time can undermine the quality and reliability of spatial data and analyses.  This issue of uncertainty in geospatial science (GIS) is expected to intensify as AI-driven geospatial applications become increasingly widespread, according to Prof. Michael GOODCHILD, Distinguished Professor Emeritus in the Department of Geography, University of California, Santa Barbara, USA. On 1 August 2025 (Friday), Prof. Goodchild gave the 42nd PAIR Distinguished Lecture on the topic of “Geospatial Futures”.  Joined by 76 in-person participants and an online audience of 15,310, the Lecture reviewed the key developments and legacy practices in the evolution of GIS, revealing the forthcoming directions and future prospects in the field.  In the Lecture, Prof. Goodchild briefly introduced the history of GIS, discussing how innovations in areas including measurements, naming conventions, computing, global positioning system (GPS) and locating-measuring technologies have combined to propel the development of GIS. According to Prof. Goodchild, the explosion of data and diffusion of advanced technologies, including machine learning, generative AI and digital twins in the modern era, would present multiple new technical problems to GIScience, including geographic bias, transparency of machine learning, environmental cost, and uncertainty in predictions, challenging the fitness-for-use of geographic systems built.  In the Lecture, he emphasised a new direction for GIS: the achievement of more powerful and cheaper computation for finer-resolution data, better models, machine learning and 3D photorealism.  In illustrating the importance of computational breakthroughs for GIS, he shared several compelling examples of digital twin models that give virtual representations of physical landscapes such as volcanoes, coastal regions and urban environments.  In closing his presentation, Prof. Goodchild drew attention to the ethics of GIS, remarking that “while software developers are maximising the use of general-purpose GIS packages, the public should exercise responsibility in using the software appropriately and repurposing it.” Prof. Goodchild is a Senior Fellow at PAIR, and Chairman of the International Advisory Committee of the Otto Poon Charitable Foundation Smart Cities Research Institute (SCRI). Please click here for an online review.  

SCRI scholars honoured as RGC Senior Research Fellow in recognition of outstanding research achievements

Prof. TAN Kay Chen, Head of the Department of Data Science and Artificial Intelligence, Chair Professor of Computational Intelligence, and Member of the Otto Poon Charitable Foundation Smart Cities Research Institute (SCRI), has been awarded fellowships under the Research Grants Council’s (RGC) Senior Research Fellow Scheme (SRFS) and Research Fellow Scheme (RFS) 2025/26, in recognition of their outstanding research achievements in the fields of biomedical engineering, artificial intelligence, and advanced materials. Prof. Tan’s project, “Towards adaptive pretrained vision-language foundation models for medical image analysis”, aims to develop an integrated intelligent interpretation system to provide personalised and human-centric healthcare, featuring several functionalities such as visual question answering, radiology reports and computer-aided diagnosis. Press release: https://polyu.me/44KjwrY   Online coverage: Dot Dot News – https://polyu.me/419eoeA (Chinese only) hkong.hk – https://polyu.me/46VZ2hh (Chinese only)

SCRI Distinguished Lecture on Domain-Specific Acceleration Targeting AI for Science was held successfully on 8 July 2025

  The Smart Cities Research Institute (SCRI) successfully hosted a Distinguished Lecture on 8 July 2025, focusing on the cutting-edge field of "Domain-Specific Acceleration Targeting AI for Science". The event featured the internationally renowned Professor Wayne Luk from Imperial College London, UK, drawing an engaged audience of over 60 participants.   The lecture explored the critical role of domain-specific acceleration in advancing computer system design. He emphasized that tailoring hardware accelerators to specific computational tasks is fundamental to unlocking the full potential of Artificial Intelligence (AI), particularly for demanding scientific workloads. This customisation enables the adoption of sophisticated AI techniques across diverse application domains.   Illustrating this concept with groundbreaking work, Professor Luk detailed his team's collaboration with high-energy physics researchers at CERN. He presented the development of ultra-low-latency deep learning accelerator architectures designed for the extreme conditions of the CERN Large Hadron Collider (LHC) experiments. A highlight was the introduction of a bespoke Graph Neural Network (GNN) accelerator capable of achieving sub-microsecond latency. This breakthrough performance is crucial for real-time event selection within the LHC's Level-1 trigger systems, where decisions must be made in billionths of a second. Furthermore, Professor Luk discussed ongoing efforts to streamline the creation of such specialized accelerators using meta-programming techniques, aiming to automate and expedite the development process for future scientific AI applications.   The lecture concluded with a dynamic Q&A session, fostering insightful discussion between attendees and Professor Luk on the challenges and future directions of domain-specific acceleration for scientific AI.  

SCRI Champions Talent Nurturing and Capacity Building – 3 SCRI RAPs secured RGC General Research Fund (GRF) for 2024 & 2025

The Smart Cities Research Institute (SCRI) is proud to announce that 3 Research Assistant Professors (RAPs) supported by SCRI have secured highly competitive General Research Fund (GRF) from the Research Grants Council (RGC) for the years 2024 and 2025.   This remarkable achievement underscores SCRI's commitment to nurturing the next generation of research leaders. The exceptional success rate highlights the institute's strategic focus on talent development and capacity building, providing a fertile ground for young scholars to thrive and lead innovative research in tackling future urban challenges.   The awarded GRF projects, led by SCRI's talented RAPs, address complex challenges at the forefront of smart city development:   PI Project Title Awarded Amount (HKD) Award Year Dr ZHANG Min Enhancing 3D Digital Maps with Al: Multimodalchange Detection for Data Quality Inspection and Map Revision 1,107,655 2025 Dr YU Yue Physical and Data Dual-driven Approach for Modeling Uncertainty of Spatial-temporal Human Trajectory 868,577 2025 Dr ZHANG Anshu Mining Optimized and Significant Spatial Association Rules under Spatial Autocorrelation and Concept Drift 630,951 2024

SCRI Research Seminar on GIScience in structuring compact service areas, districts and regions was hosted successfully on 21 May 2025

The Smart Cities Research Institute (SCRI) successfully hosted a research seminar on 21 May 2025, on the topic of "GIScience in Structuring Compact Service Areas, Districts and Regions". The seminar featured Professor Alan Murray from the University of California at Santa Barbara, USA. During the seminar, Prof. Murray discussed how compactness influences various aspects of urban form, including trade, service provision, and political representation. Prof. Murray also addressed the theoretical frameworks and practical challenges faced by GISciences in analyzing and enhancing compactness. His insights highlighted the importance of spatial analysis tools in identifying optimal configurations for service areas that can lead to more efficient urban environments. The seminar concluded with a Q&A session, where attendees engaged with Prof. Murray on the implications of his research for future urban development and policy strategies. The SCRI looks forward to continuing discussions on the vital role of GIScience in shaping sustainable and efficient cities.

DoSCRI shares low-altitude economy and sustainable development in urban informatics in newspaper

Prof. John SHI Wenzhong, Director of Otto Poon Charitable Foundation Smart Cities Research Institute (SCRI), Director of PolyU–Shenzhen Technology and Innovation Research Institute (Futian), Otto Poon Charitable Foundation Professor in Urban Informatics and Chair Professor of Geographical Information Science and Remote Sensing, pointed out in a recent interview with Southern Metropolis Daily that smart city development must integrate technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT), cloud computing, big data and geospatial information technology, and leverage drones and artificial intelligence (AI) in driving low-altitude economy, thereby enhancing cities’ urban perceptions and governance efficiencies.   Prof. Shi stressed that the development of urban informatics can benefit from the interdisciplinary integration of urban science, computer science and geomatics, and the construction of cross-sectoral common spatial data infrastructure. He suggested drawing on Hong Kong’s successful experience in developing the Common Spatial Data Infrastructure Portal and building a similar platform for the Guangdong–Hong Kong–Macao Greater Bay Area with Shenzhen being the starting point, thereby optimising resource utilisation, enabling refined smart city management and driving the region’s sustainable development. Online coverage:   NetEase - https://polyu.me/4lCoNYT Sohu - https://polyu.me/42k6gJ  

SCRI Research Salon Showcases Interdisciplinary Innovations in Smart Cities

On 11 April 2025, the Smart Cities Research Institute (SCRI) hosted its Research Salon, featuring presentations from PIs funded through the SCRI Interdisciplinary Research Fund in Smart Cities (IRF-SC). This salon provided a platform for SCRI researchers to share their groundbreaking achievements and engage in meaningful discussions about the future of smart urban development.   The SCRI IRF-SC projects included: Prof. CHUNG Edward (EEE): Urban Platoon Eco-Driving Advisory upon Unreliable Wireless Communications Prof. HO Ivan (EEE): A Virtual V2X-aided Advanced Driver Assistance System Prof. LU Haitian (AF): Bank Branch, Digital Transformation, and Performance: Evidence from Spatial Panel Data on Mobile Banking APP Usage Prof. TONG Wilson (AF): Real Estate Tokenization in Hong Kong   SCRI members had the opportunity to explore innovative solutions that enhance urban living, with a focus on mobility and economic transformation.  

SCRI Research Salon Enhances Interdisciplinary Collaboration in Smart Environment and Economy

12 March 2025 – The Otto Poon Charitable Foundation Smart Cities Research Institute (SCRI) successfully hosted its third Research Salon, bringing SCRI member to explore cutting-edge research in SCRI’s key focus areas: Smart Environment and Smart Economy. The salon served as a dynamic platform for SCRI members to share their latest findings, exchange innovative ideas, and foster interdisciplinary collaboration.   The session featured a series of thought-provoking presentations, each offering unique insights into emerging research areas. Highlights included discussions on Shaping Future Environments: Earth Observation, AI, and Climate, innovative approaches to Energy Consumption in Water Systems for Buildings, and advancements in Noise Reduction through Ventilation Technologies, as well as Geographic Entities in driving sustainable urban development.   SCRI Research Salon not only deepened the understanding of critical issues in smart environments and economies but also strengthened connections among researchers, paving the way for future collaborative projects. SCRI remains committed to advancing interdisciplinary research and innovation to address the complex challenges of modern urban living.

SCRI Research Salon Promotes Interdisciplinary Collaboration in Smart Mobility and Governance

On 25 February 2025, The Otto Poon Charitable Foundation Smart Cities Research Institute (SCRI) successfully hosted its second session of Research Salon, uniting 12 participants to delve into pioneering research in SCRI key research directions - Smart Mobility and Smart Governance. This engaging event provided a vibrant platform for SCRI members to share their latest findings, exchange innovative ideas, and explore potential interdisciplinary collaborations. The salon commenced with welcoming remarks from Prof. John Shi, Director of SCRI, highlighting the institute's ongoing commitment to advancing smart city research and innovation. The session then featured a series of compelling presentations from SCRI members, each offering unique insights into their research areas, including advancements in Urban Mobility, Transportation, Logistics, Policy, GIS, Spatial Intelligence, and 3D Point Cloud Learning.

Prof. Daniel LUO named distinguished member of Association for Computing Machinery

Prof. Daniel LUO Xiapu, Member of the Research Institute for Artificial Intelligence of Things (RIAIoT) and Otto Poon Charitable Foundation Smart Cities Research Institute (SCRI), Associate Dean (Research) of the Faculty of Computer and Mathematical Sciences and Professor in the Department of Computing, has been inducted as a Distinguished Member of the Association for Computing Machinery for 2024, in recognition of his seminal contributions to safeguarding blockchain and smart contracts along with Android and its applications. A total of 56 scholars were awarded this prestigious honour, and they were selected by their peers for their significant technical achievements and volunteer service to the professional community.   Online coverage: ifeng.com - https://polyu.me/3Qj2EjT NetEase - https://polyu.me/41gnqqM Sina - https://polyu.me/4gI5rOk Sohu - https://polyu.me/4hEcxos