News

CEE Departmental Visit – United Christian College (Kowloon East) (26 Feb)

A group of 47 students from United Christian College (Kowloon East) visited CEE on 26 February 2025 (Wednesday). Prof. Andy Y.F. Leung, Associate Head of CEE, introduced the admission information and the recent developments of the civil engineering industry to the students. To arouse the students’ awareness on environmental issue, Prof. Qianjie Chen, Assistant Professor of CEE, led a session focused on air pollution control. He discussed practical ways to reduce air pollution in daily life, encouraging students to develop a passion for environmental protection. Following the presentations, the students had the opportunity to explore our Air Pollution Laboratory and Waste and Water Laboratory and to participate in an Air Purifier Model DIY Workshop, where they engaged in hands-on activities, monitoring the concentration of air pollutants using specialized devices and observing the intricate waste-water management process up close.  We hope the visit not only reinforced the students’ understanding on environmental protection but also empowered them to take actionable steps in their daily lives.   

Research Centre for Design for Safety Train-the-trainer Workshop

The Research Centre for Design for Safety Train-the-trainer Workshop themed “Applying VR/Mixed-reality Interventions in Construction Safety Trainings” was successfully held on 22 February 2025 (Saturday). This event was co-organized with The Hong Kong Polytechnic University Civil and Environmental Engineering Alumni Association (CEEAA) and supported by the Industrial Centre of PolyU, the Society of Registered Safety Officers, and the Hong Kong Association of Risk Management and Safety. Attracting over 40 enthusiastic participants, including CEE students, alumni, and industry partners, the workshop focused on the integration of virtual and mixed-reality technologies in construction safety education and training. Dr Nicole Yiu, Programme Leader of BSc (Hons) in Environmental and Occupational Safety & Health, addressed the latest safety training criteria as outlined in the Code of Practice on Safety Management. Participants also had the unique opportunity to participate in on-site demonstrations, where they experienced firsthand the immersive training scenarios created by VR/MR technologies. This interactive workshop not only deepened their understanding of crucial construction safety protocols but also equipped them with practical skills essential for their future careers in the industry. We believe that this workshop successfully inspired our students and industry partners to embrace innovative learning methods and prioritize safety in their professional journeys. Together, we are fostering a culture of safety and paving the way for a safer construction industry through cutting-edge practices.     

CEE Industry Partners Networking 2025

The CEE Industry Partners Networking Activity was successfully held on 19 February 2025 (Wednesday), bringing together a diverse group of over 60 industry partners, alumni, academic staff, and enthusiastic students for an evening dedicated to networking and relationship building within the civil engineering community. The event commenced with a warm welcome by Prof. Xiangdong Li, Dean of FCE, followed by an insightful introduction of the department by Prof. Chi Sun Poon, Head of CEE. Prof. Poon highlighted the key initiatives, the latest developments in teaching and research activities, and showcased the department's commitment to excellence and innovation. The activity also featured a student sharing session, with three current students sharing their university experiences and career aspirations. The Industry Partners Networking Activity was a valuable platform for relationship strengthening between academia and the industry. We believe the active participation and engagement throughout the event will definitely emerge meaningful connections and future collaborations. We would like to express our gratitude to all attendees for their continuous support. Together, we are dedicated to shape a vibrant community committed to excellence and innovation in the field of civil engineering.

Prof. Kwok-Fai Chung’s Research on High-Strength S690 Steel in Construction Featured in The Structural Engineers of IStructE

We are proud to announce that 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐟. 𝐊𝐰𝐨𝐤-𝐅𝐚𝐢 𝐂𝐡𝐮𝐧𝐠, 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐟𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐨𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐂𝐄𝐄, whole article titled “𝐄𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐡𝐢𝐠𝐡-𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐭𝐡 𝐒𝟔𝟗𝟎 𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐞𝐥 𝐢𝐧 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧” has been featured on the cover story of 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑺𝒕𝒓𝒖𝒄𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒂𝒍 𝑬𝒏𝒈𝒊𝒏𝒆𝒆𝒓𝒔 (February 2025 Issue) of 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐈𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐄𝐧𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐫𝐬, 𝐔.𝐊. (IStructE). Being the Founding Director of Chinese National Engineering Research Centre for Steel Construction (Hong Kong Branch), Prof. Chung has spearheaded innovative research in modern steel and steel-concrete composite structures. His efforts have led to impactful advancements in utilizing high-strength S690 and S960 steel in construction projects. The technology developed by Prof. Chung and his research team has been successfully applied to major infrastructure projects, including the Double Arch Steel Bridge of the Cross Bay Link in Tseung Kwan O, and the steel roofs of the East and West Stands of the Yuen Long Stadium etc. “The Structural Engineer” is an exclusive publication for members of The Institution of Structural Engineers, releasing peer-reviewed technical as well as professional guidance and case studies from a fascinating range of structural engineering projects. Download the full version Prof. Chung’s article and explore the cutting-edge research findings of High-strength S690 Steel: https://doi.org/10.56330/WJHB1752  

Prof. Huan-Feng Duan Received 2024 Dayu Water Conservancy Science and Technology Progress Award

Congratulations to Prof. Huan-Feng Duan, Professor of CEE, whose project titled “Key Technologies for Real-time Hydraulic Simulation and Precise Regulation of Complex Urban Water Supply Networks” was being awarded 2024 Dayu Water Conservancy Science and Technology Progress Award (2nd Class) by the Ministry of Water Resources of China. This award recognizes individuals who have made outstanding technological innovations and significant contributions to the advancement of water science and technology, resulting in impactful economic and social benefits.  Prof. Duan’s research focuses on the critical areas of urban hydraulics, including Pipe and Open Channel Hydraulics, Urban Asset Management, Coastal Urban Flooding, Hydro-environmental Management and Computational Fluid Mechanics. Through his leadership and expertise, Prof. Duan has spearheaded numerous essential research projects and secured grants from various funding bodies in Hong Kong and Mainland China.  We congratulate Prof. Duan on this well-deserved recognition and we look forward to his continued endeavors not only in scientific knowledge advancement but also in fostering sustainable and innovative solutions for urban hydraulics challenges.  

Prof. Chi Sun Poon’s Research Featured in “Carbon Revolution in China” Short Film Series

Prof. Chi Sun Poon, Head of CEE, was recently invited by the Hong Kong Coalition and featured in their short film series, “Carbon Revolution in China – Green Construction” (識「碳」再出發 - 綠色建築) to share his cutting-edge research and development on Eco-Blocks. The "Carbon Revolution in China" short film series, initiated by the Hong Kong Coalition, explored China’s ambitious goals of achieving carbon neutrality and showcased the low-carbon technologies obtained in various industries to attain green transformation. The fourth episode, “Green Construction”, delves into the innovative solutions for reducing carbon emissions in the construction industry and highlights how Prof. Poon's visionary work with “Eco-Blocks" is propelling us towards a more sustainable future. Prof. Poon’s research focuses on transforming waste into building materials to reduce carbon emissions, which includes developing Eco-Blocks from construction waste like glass and ash. These Eco-Blocks can effectively capture carbon dioxide and water from the environment, triggering chemical reaction hence enhancing their hardness and durability. To date, the Eco-Blocks have been applied to various development projects in Hong Kong. Prof. Poon is dedicated to driving innovation and sustainability in the built environment, through his pioneering work of developing low-carbon concrete, it is believed that the low-carbon concrete materials developed can be used as structural materials in buildings in the future, thus achieving carbon neutrality and fostering a greener environment. Full version of the film (Starting from 3:05 | Cantonese ONLY):  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9jQUuPCtMok

Prof. Xiangdong Li Secures HK$6.03 Million from Green Tech Fund

We are proud to announce that Prof. Xiangdong Li, Dean of the Faculty of Construction and Environment (FCE), whose project titled “Marine self-healing concrete with biomineralization-enhanced construction waste for long-term decarbonization” has secured a grant of HK$6.03 million from Green Tech Fund (GTF) for a duration of 24 months. This project focuses on creating low-carbon marine self-healing concrete using biomineralization-enhanced recycled aggregates from waste concrete. The approach helps reducing CO2 emissions, fostering construction waste recycling and pioneering innovative solutions in marine construction and coastal engineering, which ultimately achieves carbon neutrality and sustainable objectives within the Greater Bay Area. The Green Tech Fund was established in 2020 to provide better and more focused funding support to research and development projects which can help Hong Kong decarbonize and enhance environmental protection. A total of HK$400 million has been allocated to the GTF and it has so far approved 33 projects among over 490 applications, involving a total grant of around HK$147 million. Congratulations to Prof. Li on this remarkable achievement! His dedication to advancing environmentally friendly solutions will definitely pave a way for a greener and more sustainable future. We look forward the positive impacts his groundbreaking research will bring to the development of marine construction and coastal engineering.  

Achievements of CEE Members

We are delighted to share the recent remarkable achievements of two exceptional individuals from the CEE community. Dr Qi Zhang, formerly a Research Assistant Professor (RAP) under the supervision of Prof. Zhen-Yu Yin, Professor of CEE, has recently joined the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Macau (UMAC) as Assistant Professor of Geotechnical Engineering. Dr Zhang’s research contributions in computational geomechanics, theoretical poromechanics and nonlinear continuum mechanics have led him to this esteemed position. Dr Zhang's dedication and scholarly contributions have been invaluable to our department, and we are confident that he will continue to thrive in his new role at UMAC. Dr Pin Zhang, CEE PhD graduate also supervised by Prof. Yin, has taken on the role of Assistant Professor at the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering of the National University of Singapore (NUS). With a diverse research focus on developing explainable AI algorithms, intelligent computational mechanics, uncertainty quantification and complex systems, micro- and macro-scale granular mechanics, coastal infrastructure resilience and digital twins, Dr Zhang’s innovative research and exceptional accomplishments during his doctoral studies have paved the way for his successful transition to the current role in NUS. We extend our warmest congratulations to Dr Qi Zhang and Dr Pin Zhang on their well-deserved appointments and we wish them every success as they embark on a new chapter in their academic journey.  

CEE Member Received 2024 Science and Technology Award of China Yangtze River Water Conservancy Commission

Congratulations to Dr Jirong Lan, CEE Postdoctoral Fellow supervised by Prof. Tao Yu, whose project titled “Transformation and Utilization of Low-Value Solid Waste and Its Substandard Components into Low-Carbon Water Engineering Materials in the Yangtze River Basin” was being awarded “Second Prize for Technological Progress” of the 2024 Science and Technology Award from the Yangtze River Water Conservancy Commission of the Ministry of Water Resources of China. Dr Lan’s research addresses the critical issue of low-value soil waste stockpiling in the Yangtze River Basin. By focusing on comprehensive water environment management and the imperative for low-carbon, eco-friendly engineering practices, this project introduces pioneering strategies in hazardous component stabilization, solid waste–based soil materials, water-shoreline remediation, and low-carbon concrete development. These innovations pave the way for the widespread utilization of bulk waste in large-scale water engineering projects, marking a significant step towards sustainable environmental practices.  

New joiner – Dr Qiuhan Meng

Dr Qiuhan Meng received her Master’s and Doctoral degrees from The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) in 2016 and 2022, respectively. Prior to her current role as a Research Assistant Professor, Dr Meng served as a Postdoctoral Fellow at PolyU from 2023 to 2025. Her primary research interests focus on using advanced Internet of Things (IoT) and artificial intelligence (AI) technologies to enhance structural health monitoring and asset management in civil engineering structures. Dr Meng has been recognized with several prestigious awards, including the Best Thesis Award from the Faculty of Construction and Environment of PolyU. She also serves as a Young Editorial Board Member for the Journal of Building Structures. Dr Meng has joined us on 1 February 2025.