News

CEE PhD Students Won First Prize in The 2nd Kubuqi Award - International Desert Sustainable Development Proposal Competition

Congratulations to two of our talented PhD students, Miss Yang Qian and Miss Wang Yihua, on winning the First Prize in The 2nd Kubuqi Award: International Desert Sustainable Development Proposal Competition which took place from November 2023 to April 2024. Under the guidance of Dr Xiao-hao Sun, Research Assistant Professor of CEE, Miss Yang and Miss Wang presented their innovative proposal titled “Bio-stimulation to form a biocrust layer for plant growth and sustainable ecosystem restoration” with an inventive idea of utilizing Bio-stimulation technology to improve land degradation, promote plant growth, restore sustainable ecosystems, and effectively control sandstorms.  Organized by the Elion Foundation and Treelion Foundation, The Kubuqi Award has been a driving force in inspiring the younger generation to actively engage in environmental protection and sustainable development efforts. The competition places a special emphasis on the research and application of cutting-edge technology, empowering students to leverage innovation for a greener future.    Congratulations again to our talented students for their exceptional performance in The 2nd Kubuqi Award competition. Together, we continue to drive positive change and shape a more sustainable world for generations to come.

CEE Three Minute Thesis Competition 2024

CEE recently concluded its highly anticipated Three Minute Thesis (3MT®) Competition Final on 13 May 2024. The event showcased the research abilities and communication skills of CEE’s RPg students. Out of the 14 CEE RPg students who participated in the competition, five finalists emerged from the Semifinal to deliver captivating presentations on their theses in three minutes or less. All of the five talented individuals will now move on to compete in the upcoming 3MT® competition organized by FCE in early June, where they will face off against students from other departments.    The 3MT® competition, originally developed by The University of Queensland, Australia in 2008, aims to celebrate the discoveries and achievements of RPg students while cultivating their academic, presentation, and research communication skills. The competition has gained global popularity, with over 900 universities in more than 85 countries hosting their own 3MT® events.    Congratulations to all the participants and winners of the CEE 3MT® Competition for their impressive performances and contributions to advancing research and communication in the field of civil and environmental engineering. Stay tuned for more updates on their journey in the upcoming interdepartmental competition! For the full version of the competition, please refer to:  https://youtu.be/2vdW4_wABOU  Award winners of CEE Three Minute Thesis Competition 2024: Name Presentation Title Chief Supervisor Award XU Shujie Improving Surface Water Algal Bloom Management Efficiency with Tailored Algal Bloom Alert Models Dr Mark Hsu Champion & People’s Choice JEYABALAN Aswin Kumar If Rockets Can be Reused, Why Not Buildings? Prof. Tak-Ming Chan First Runner-up SHEN Jiayang New-generation Solutions: The Flexibility and Superiority of Dual-functional Electromagnetic Dampers Prof. Songye Zhu Second Runner-up    

CEE Students Excel in ICE G&S Model Building Competition 2024

We are proud to announce that two teams of talented students from CEE have achieved remarkable success in the Model Building Competition 2024 organized by the Institution of Civil Engineers Hong Kong Association Graduates and Student Division (ICE HKA G&S) on 23 March 2024! The competition, with the theme 'Structural Design of Bridge Against Wind Load’, witnessed seven teams of university students showcasing their engineering skills by bringing their bridge models to life using balsa wood sticks and fishing line. The structural integrity and performance of the models were thoroughly assessed under wind load test in the wind tunnel laboratory. With evaluation on the presentation of the teams and the performance of the bridge models by esteemed judges, CEE students have emerged victorious, with one team clinching the champion title and another securing the first runner-up position. Their dedication, creativity, and technical expertise have truly shone in this challenging competition.     Kudos to the winning teams for making us proud! The success is a testament to their talent, perseverance, and commitment to pushing the boundaries of engineering excellence.    Award Team Name Team Members Champion        PolyUBridge King Chan Siu Kit, Cheung Chin Ho, Fung Tsun Ting, Wong Ki Sing, Wong Sze Yin, Wu Bin Yang First Runner-up     WindGuard Architects Chu Man Kit, Lin Wei Zhen, Sun Lu Kai, Wu Jia Wen, Ye Chang Sheng  

PolyU ASCE Student Chapter Secures Third Prize in Greater China ASCE Student Symposium Paper Competition

We are thrilled to announce the outstanding performance of our ASCE Student Chapter Team at the recent Greater China ASCE Student Symposium hosted at Tongji University from 10 May to 12 May 2024. Under the leadership of Dr Kai Zhou, Assistant Professor of CEE, our CEE undergraduate student representatives, Beiming Hu and Rongguo Zhang, showcased their talent and hard work throughout the event.    The symposium, which brought together student chapters from thirteen prestigious universities, featured a range of activities including business meetings, technical visits, and a paper competition with a theme "Building a Smart and Resilient Future". Chapter president Beiming Hu presented a compelling paper titled "Appraisal of Existing Designs for Floating Structures: A Comparative Case Study Using AHP and TOPSIS“, leading the team securing the third prize in the competition. We extend our heartfelt congratulations to Tongji University’s triumph, and to The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology and Dalian University of Technology for earning the second prize.    This achievement is particularly significant as it marks the team’s inaugural participation in the ASCE student paper competition. Though the chapter was just established last year, the team is optimistic about further improvement in the next student symposium at Chongqing University in 2025.    The team expresses their sincere gratitude to Prof. Xiao Lin Zhao, Chair Professor of CEE, and Dr You Dong, Associate Professor of CEE, for their invaluable advice and guidance, as well as to the Department for the generous financial support. Those unwavering support encourages more students to join the student chapter and actively participate in its activities which will undoubtedly foster a stronger sense of belonging to CEE.    Congratulations once again to PolyU ASCE Student Chapter for their exceptional performance, and we look forward to their continued achievements in the future!   

Carbon-Neutral PolyU 48 Hours Hackathon

The Carbon-Neutral PolyU 48 Hours Hackathon came to a successful conclusion last week, leaving us inspired by the remarkable projects, amazing ideas, and the passionate students. During the 48 hours from 16 May 2024 to 18 May 2024, students from different programmes came together to tackle the pressing issue of climate change and generate innovative green ideas for the betterment of our campus. Throughout the intensive 48 hours, all teams demonstrated a high level of commitment, making the most of every opportunity to seek guidance and advice from our mentors. We are grateful to Mr Ryan Lee and Mr Elvis Yiu from CFSO, as well as Dr An Wang, Dr Zeyu Zhang, Mr Junrong Su, and Mr Hanyu Sun from CEE, for their invaluable support and expertise in refining the ideas from each teams.  The hard work and dedication from each teams culminated in the highly anticipated project and prize presentation on 20 May 2024. It was a thrilling event where the teams showcased their innovative solutions and demonstrated their understanding of carbon-neutrality. The projects presented were a testament to their creativity, critical thinking, and problem-solving abilities. 4 teams impressed the judges with their astonishing ideas and impactful solutions and were awarded HK$10,000 in cash prizes, along with 3,000 PolyU GreenCoins as a token of appreciation. Congratulations on the teams’ well-deserved contribution! We would also like to recognize the Best Presentation Team, whose outstanding performance earned them a special prize of HK$1,000 cash prize.  We would like to extend our heartfelt appreciation to all the students and mentors for making this hackathon a resounding success. Their commitment to driving positive change and finding sustainable solutions is truly inspiring and we believe that this event has truly left a lasting impact! Together, let's continue to foster innovation and create a greener and more sustainable world!  

PolyU Consultation Day 2024

PolyU JUPAS Consultation Day 2024 was successfully held on 18 May 2024. Dr Jacqueline Lo, Assistant Professor of CEE, hosted the information seminar and provided first-hand admission information of BEng(Hons) Scheme in Civil Engineering and Sustainable Development [JS3120], she also introduced the career prospects of the civil engineering industry to the audience, helping them to gain valuable insights and admission strategies of the programme.  Apart from the info seminar, admission mock interviews were also arranged for recent DSE candidates, providing them with a valuable opportunity to hone their interview skills and gain a competitive edge in the admissions process. Information Seminar Playback: https://youtu.be/ZasKEKUGGpA    

CEE Taiwan Study Tour

The CEE Taiwan Study Tour, which took place during 13-18 May 2024, was a remarkable journey that provided our students with a multitude of enriching experiences. Throughout the tour, our students had the opportunity to delve into various aspects of civil engineering, including structural mechanisms, transportation systems development, water management, and environmental engineering by joining green tours and visiting different construction sites and national centers. Our students also had the privilege of attending a few lectures at National Taiwan University of Science and Technology. These lectures not only expanded their knowledge but also facilitated valuable interactions with Taiwanese students, fostering cross-cultural exchange and the sharing of insights. We are sincerely thankful for the warm hospitality from the professors and students of NTUST. Their kindness and welcoming nature greatly enriched our experience, making our study tour both enjoyable and informative. We believe that this study tour will inspire our students for their understanding in civil engineering.

CEE Departmental Visit - SKH Kei Hau Secondary School (17 May)

A group of 22 students from SKH Kei Hau Secondary School visited CEE on 17 May 2024 (Friday).  Dr Barbara Siu, Scheme Leader of BEng (Hons) Scheme in Civil Engineering and Sustainable Development, introduced the admission information and the recent developments of the civil engineering industry to the students.  The students also had the opportunity to visit our Water and Waste Research Laboratory and Structural Engineering Research Laboratory, where they gained deeper understanding on the latest technology and research activities regarding water treatment and structural engineering. With experiments and laboratory equipment demonstrated, students found the visit inspiring and interesting.  

Technical Visit to Shanghai and Tianjin

CEE and HKIE Geotechnical Division co-organized a three-day technical visit to Shanghai and Tianjin, focusing on the topic of reclamation using dredging materials. The technical visit was hosted by National Engineering Research Center of Dredging (NERCD) and CCCC marine construction and development Co., Ltd. Delegates from CEDD, PolyU, as well as leading consultants and contractors from Hong Kong, participated in this activity.   The delegation visited Yangshan Deepwater Port and Test Base of NERCD on 11 May 2024. Yangshan Deepwater Port was mainly constructed through land reclamation and currently operates as the world’s busiest container port while NERCD is the world’s largest testing laboratory and simulation test platform for dredging and marine works. Visits to reclamation sites in Binhai New Area, Tianjin, were arranged to the delegation on 12 and 13 May 2024.  This visit is part of Geotechnical Unit Impact story and has offered a valuable platform for experts from both Hong Kong and Mainland China to share and exchange their knowledge and experience in the fields of land reclamation and sustainable marine development.   

Carbon-Neutral PolyU 48 Hours Hackathon – Orientation Day

The orientation for the Carbon-Neutral PolyU 48 Hours Hackathon was successfully conducted on 13 May 2024, with the valuable support from the PolyU Campus Facilities and Sustainability Office (CFSO) and Earth Hacks staff. During the orientation, Mr Ryan Lee, the Assistant Director of Campus Facilities and Sustainability (Campus Sustainability), delivered an inspiring presentation to the participating students. He shed light on the global environmental challenges and showcased the carbon clock, emphasizing the urgency of the issue. Mr. Lee also presented the campus carbon-neutrality roadmap, highlighting the major areas of focus for carbon emission reduction and the associated initiatives. Additionally, he discussed the key challenges specific to our campus. This information proved to be invaluable for the participants, as it provided them with insights to generate innovative ideas during the hackathon. On the other hand, Prof. C.S. Poon, Head of CEE, encouraged all teams to utilize the 48-hour duration effectively and strive to develop pioneering green ideas that would contribute to the betterment of our campus. Adding to the inspiration, Ms Sanjana Paul, the Executive Director of Earth Hacks & Dr An WANG, Assistant Professor of CEE, shared noteworthy examples of previous hackathon projects, aiming to further motivate the teams to think out-of-the-box. The examples highlighted that the projects can go beyond conventional business proposals, extending to games or smartphone apps that align with the challenge statement and foster community engagement in achieving carbon neutrality.  It is crucial to remember that our objective extends beyond the development of ground-breaking ideas. We aim to cultivate a carbon-neutral mindset among participants and actively contribute to a more sustainable future, aligning with our commitment to sustainability and environmental excellence.  The exciting 48-hour hackathon will be kickstarted on 16 May 2024. We look forward to meeting all the teams once again and witnessing the innovative solutions that will emerge from this event.