News

RILS celebrates ADoRILS's Prestigious 2024 AAG Wilbanks Prize for Transformational Research in Geography and 2024 RSSG Lifetime Achievement Honor Award

The Associate Director of RILS, Prof. Qihao WENG, has been honoured with the 2024 AAG Wilbanks Prize for Transformational Research in Geography on 6 March 2024. This prestigious award is presented by the American Association of Geographers (AAG), an organisation that brings together more than ten thousand members of the global geographic community. The Wilbanks Prize is awarded to geographers who have made groundbreaking contributions in the fields of Geography or GIScience, or to Science and Society more broadly.   Equally important, Remote Sensing Specialty Group (RSSG) of AAG, which is dedicated to promoting the understanding of remote sensing science, fosters dialogue and interaction among geographers in the application of remote sensing technology in various domains, including research, teaching, public service, and private enterprise, also announces Prof. WENG as the esteemed recipient of the RSSG’s Lifetime Achievement Honor Award for the year 2024, which is a testament to Prof. WENG's unparalleled contributions to the discipline of remote sensing, marked by a distinguished career encompassing ground-breaking research, dedicated education, and impactful service engagement.   Prof. Qihao WENG, a Foreign Member of The Academy of Europe (Academia Europaea), and a Fellow of IEEE, AAAS, ASPRS and AAIA, is currently a Chair Professor at the The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU), Associate Director of RILS, and a Global STEM Scholar. Prof. WENG worked as Director of the Center for Urban and Environmental Change and a Professor of Geography at Indiana State University, 2001-2021, and was a Senior Fellow at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration from 2008 to 2009. Additionally, Professor Weng is the Lead of GEO Global Urban Observation and Information Initiative, 2012-2022, and is an Editor-in-Chief of the ISPRS Journal of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing.   Prof. WENG has defined urban remote sensing as a new field and has transformed urban environmental research with theoretical and technical advances, including novel algorithms and innovative methods for sub-pixel-scale analysis and time series imagery. His research has significantly advanced our theoretical understanding and empirical knowledge of urban heat islands, urban sprawl, urbanization effects, and urban environmental sustainability. By establishing relationships among satellite thermal infrared imagery, land surface temperature, and air temperature, his research connects remotely sensed data to urban spatial patterns, radiation budgets, and climate change. His 2004 methodology for estimating land-surface temperature from satellite-derived attributes of vegetation, developed with Lu and Schubring, has had far-reaching impacts in a range of fields, including urban geography, landscape ecology, urban planning, urban meteorology, and climatology.   The AAG will celebrate the 2024 Awards and Honors at an awards celebration during the 2024 AAG Annual Meeting in Honolulu, Hawaii, in April 2024.

RILS member, Dr James FANG, named one of the six Pew Marine Fellows worldwide

Dr James Kar-Hei FANG, Associate Professor and Member of RILS, has been selected as one of the six global recipients for the 2024 Pew Fellowship in Marine Conservation. Dr FANG is the sole recipient from the entire East Asia region this year. The Pew Marine Fellows are selected by an international expert committee of marine science through a rigorous nomination and review process. Each recipient of the Pew Fellowship in Marine Conservation is granted US$150,000 over three years to pursue a research project dedicated to marine conservation. Dr FANG’s research focuses on restoring pearl oyster reefs in order to promote marine environmental health, biodiversity and seafood sustainability in Hong Kong.

2024 Atmospheric and Coastal Observations for Weather Servicing (2024 ACOWS) was successfully held

Department of Land Surveying and Geo-Informatics (LSGI) and the Research Institute for Land and Space (RILS) co-organized an academic workshop titled “2024 Atmospheric and Coastal Observations for Weather Servicing (2024 ACOWS)”. This workshop was led by Prof. George LIU of LSGI and held at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University on Saturday 3 February 2024. Twelve scientists from nine different universities or agencies, including The University of Hong Kong, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, City University of Hong Kong, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Sun Yat-Sen University, Shenzhen Institute of Meteorological Innovation, The University of Nottingham Ningbo (China), and Hong Kong observatory were invited to give presentations and exchange their research experiences on weather/climate changes over the coastal areas.   Hong Kong, as a well-known coastal city, frequently suffers from various weather and climate disasters, such as typhoon. In the context of global warming, the extreme weather activities are expected to occur with an increasing frequency. This workshop has provided a valuable opportunity for the experts to share and discuss their knowledges with each other from a wide range of research aspects, and then to facilitate the multi-discipline collaboration in costal weather monitoring and forecasting.    

The International Symposium on Reclamations Using Local Dredged Sediments was successfully held

The International Symposium on Reclamations Using Local Dredged Sediments was successfully held on Friday 26 January 2024, with the great effort of the co-organizations, the Geotechnical Division of the Hong Kong Institution of Engineers and the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering of PolyU. The Symposium was greatly supported by ASCE Greater China Section, Hong Kong Geotechnical Society, Institution of Civil Engineering Hong Kong, Research Institute for Land and Space (RILS) and Research Institute for Sustainable Urban Development (RISUD) of PolyU. The Symposium was privileged to host distinguished speakers, session chairs and invited guests from government, universities, and industries across Mainland China, Singapore, Japan, Macau, and the local community of Hong Kong. More than 200 people attended this symposium. Prof Xiaoli DING, Director of RILS delivered a closing remarks and encouraged further research collaborations among universities, government and industries to achieve sustainable and cost-effective land reclamation practices.    

PolyU tops RGC Research Impact Fund exercise, with two projects led by RILS researchers

Five PolyU projects have been granted a total funding of HK$20.9 million from the Research Impact Fund (RIF) 2023/24 of the Research Grants Council (RGC). Two funded projects are led by RILS researchers and cover diverse research areas. A total of 14 projects were supported in this year’s exercise, and PolyU has the highest number of funded projects among local universities.   Project Coordinator Project Title Amount Awarded Dr Xintao LIU (LSGI) An AI-enabled Geospatial Platform for Smart Facility Management and Smart Mobility of People with Disabilities HK$4,320,000 Prof.Zhen LENG (CEE) Durable Low-carbon Asphalt Pavement Built with Recycled Waste Polyolefin Plastics through Reactive Extrusion HK$4,060,000   Big congratulations to Dr LIU and Prof. LENG!

RILS members receive RGC Collaborative Research Project Grants in 2023/24 exercise

The Research Grants Council (RGC) announced the funding results of the Collaborative Research Fund (CRF) including Collaborative Research Project Grant (CRPG), Collaborative Research Equipment Grant (CREG) and Young Collaborative Research Grant (YCRG) in 2023/24 Exercise. PolyU ranked first in the total awarded funding in the CRF CRPG projects this year. Among the 9 awarded projects in PolyU, two of them were led by RILS researchers with a total amount of funding over HK$11.9 million.     Project Coordinator Project Title Amount Awarded Prof. Jianli CHEN (LSGI) Multi-sensor monitoring, geophysical interpretation and prediction of sea level rise in Hong Kong HK$6,567,108 Prof. Yuhong WANG (CEE) Improving the health and stability of roadside trees in compact urban development through novel road systems and tree root “training” HK$5,407,780   Big congratulations to Prof. CHEN and Prof. WANG!

The Workshop on GeoAI and Big Data for Urban, Environment and Sustainability was successfully held

The Workshop on GeoAI and Big Data for Urban, Environment and Sustainability was successfully held at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University on 9 - 10 December 2023. This two-day event brought together distinguished guests, speakers, and attendees to celebrate the launch of the Research Centre for Artificial Intelligence in Geomatics (RCAIG) and to discuss the latest advancements in GeoAI and Big Data for sustainable urban development.   The Workshop provided a platform for knowledge exchange and dialogue among participants. It delved into the latest trends, challenges, and innovations in the application of GeoAI and Big Data for creating sustainable and resilient urban environments. Prof. Christopher CHAO, Vice President (Research and Innovation) and Chair Professor of Thermal and Environmental Engineering, and Prof. Xiaoli DING, Director of RILS and Chair Professor of Geomatics, were being invited to give welcome speeches at the Workshop. Distinguished speakers, including Prof. Peng GONG, Prof. Qihao WENG, Prof. Anthony G.O. YEH, Prof. Shunlin LIANG, Prof. Xiaojun CHEN, Prof. Jian HUANG, and Prof. Changwen CHEN, shared their insights and expertise, cultivating a collaborative environment for future advancements.   The success of the Workshop on GeoAI and Big Data for Urban, Environment and Sustainability and Inauguration Ceremony for RCAIG demonstrated the commitment of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University and its partners to advancing research and innovation in the realm of AI and Geomatics. This event had left attendees inspired and motivated to further integrate AI and Geomatics, leading to the development of cutting-edge solutions that enhanced urban planning, promoted environmental sustainability, and contributed to societal well-being.

The International Academic Forum on Non-Exposed Space was recently held

The International Academic Forum on Non-Exposed Space was successfully held at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) on Saturday 9 December 2023. Experts, academic scholars and industry representatives from Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Hong Kong, and other cities gathered together to explore the latest research achievements and potential future development in the field of non-exposed space.   During the Forum, Prof. Wu CHEN, Head (LSGI) and management committee member of RILS, represented the Hong Kong Polytechnic University to sign the memorandum of understanding entitled "Commercial Satellite Launch Cooperation" with Quantutong Location Network Co., Ltd. This collaboration would greatly promote the integrated development of commercial satellite communication, navigation, and remote sensing, contributing significantly to the construction of a "smart city." Besides, Prof. Xiaoli DING, Director of RILS and Chair Professor of Geomatics, gave a presentation in the keynote session, titled "Utilisation of Underground Space in Hong Kong and Future Potentials".  The Forum was well attended by the public on site and online.  

Adjunct Professor of RILS was invited to moderate a session in HKIS BIM Round Table Forum 2023 - How Digitalisation could help?

Sr Prof. Ben Chan, Adjunct Professor of RISUD, is invited by The Hong Kong Institute of Surveyors (HKIS) to moderate a session in BIM Round Table Forum 2023 in Tai Kwun on 7 December 2023.  The Forum centered around the theme "How Digitalisation could help?". It was graced by the presence of Mr LAM Chi Man, David, JP, Under Secretary for Development, as the Guest of Honor. It also attracted over 180 industry leaders, researchers and scholars to share their insights and learn more about the advancements in BIM. 

The International Expert Workshop on Volatile Organic Compounds 2023 was successfully held

The International Expert Workshop on Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) 2023 was successfully held at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) from 28 November to 3 December 2023. The Workshop brought around 110 researchers access the globe to deliver plenary presentations and share their valuable insights on frontier topics.   At the Opening Ceremony, Prof. Xiang-dong LI, Dean of Faculty of Construction and Environment (FCE) and Director of Research Institute for Sustainable Urban Development (RISUD) of PolyU, gave an opening speech to introduce the PolyU's positioning and long-term strategic goals. He also highlighted the remarkable ranking and research achievements of FCE. Besides, Prof. Xiaoli DING, Director of RILS and Chair Professor of Geomatics, gave a welcome address to thank the Chairman and other committee members in organising the Workshop. He also said "the RILS is committed to conducting cutting-edge interdisciplinary research to address land and space issues in Hong Kong, and other cities in Greater Bay Area".   Sponsored by Environment and Conversation Fund and the RILS, the Workshop attracted over 130 participants joining onsite to discuss the latest findings and strategies for VOCs.