The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) and Shenzhen Academy of Disaster Prevention and Reduction (ADPR) collaborate to establish the ADPR-PolyU Joint Laboratory for Disaster Prevention and Reduction Technology, with a mission to meet the increasing needs of economic development in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and the whole country, as well as to become the forefront of advancement in this discipline. It will carry out wide basic research and development of innovative technologies, forming a key base for advanced scientific research cooperation and development of talents into experts in disaster prevention and reduction discipline, finally rising to a leading world-class laboratory.
The inauguration ceremony of the Laboratory was held in the PolyU campus on 19 May. In the ceremony Prof. Li Xiang-Dong, Dean of Faculty of Construction and Environment and Mr. Huang Jian-Tao, Dean of ADPR, signed the collaboration agreement on behalf of PolyU and ADPR. The following senior staff members of ADPR and academic staff members of PolyU also attended the ceremony: Mr. Wang Li-Xin, vice dean of ADPR; Ms. Wu Mei, Minister of Legal Resources and Legal Affairs Department of ADPR; Dr. Lin Jian-Fu, Deputy Director of ADPR; Prof. Ni Meng, Associate Dean of Faculty of Construction and Environment (CEE); Prof. Ni Yi-Qing, Chair Professor of Smart Structures and Rail Transit; Dr. S.K. Lai, Associate Professor of CEE; Dr. Dong You, Associate Professor of CEE; Dr. Bi Kai-Ming, Associate Professor of CEE; Dr. Wang You-Wu, Research Assistant Professor of CEE; Dr. Wang Su-Mei, Research Assistant Professor of Department of CEE; Dr. Ao Wai Kei, Research Assistant Professor of CEE and Dr. Deng E, Postdoctoral Fellow of CEE.
Prof. Li Xiang-Dong, Dean of Faculty of Construction and Environment made the following remark in the ceremony, “Safety discipline has been a first-class discipline of Hong Kong Polytechnic University in recent years. The School of Civil Engineering has made significant achievement in discipline development, personnel training, scientific research, transformation of study outcomes to practices, etc. giving remarkable impacts both in Hong Kong and abroad. ADPR is a leading institute in China with strong capabilities. Comprehensive cooperation of two parties in the field of urban safety and disaster prevention and mitigation leads to the establishment of the joint laboratory, which will facilitate the amalgamation of urban safety scientific research and engineering practice in the School of Civil Engineering of Hong Kong Polytechnic University as well as promoting further development of safety related disciplines in the university.”
Prof. Ni Yi-Qing, Chair Professor of Smart Structures and Rail Transit, Director of CNERC-Rail said, “The strong collaboration of the two insitutes and the establishment of the joint laboratory give an important demonstration of the significance in promoting safe and healthy development of urban cities. For the future, the two parties will make use of their respective advantages for better cooperation in theoretical research, key technology research, talent training, product development, industrial incubation, market expansion, etc., and will work together to build a first-class scientific research and technological innovation platform as well as an industrial development base.”
Long-term cooperation through the joint laboratory in the field of disaster prevention and mitigation facilitate cutting-edge basic science research, technological innovation, and personnel training. The joint laboratory will focus on research and development and application in major national engineering projects in the following areas:
- Urban safety risk monitoring and early warning
- Structural health monitoring
- New technologies for earthquake isolation and vibration reduction
- Application of new FRP materials
- Intelligent sensors and software systems
- earthquake and wind engineering
Mr. Huang Jian-Tao, Dean of ADPR said, “It is hoped that both parties can strengthen capabilities in autonomous innovation of key technologies and equipment for urban disaster prevention and reduction, supporting the development of urban disaster prevention and reduction industry, thereby contribution to building a safe China.”
