28th Congregation of FCE

Congratulations to the graduating class of 2022! On 15 and 16 November 2022, FCE conducted its 28th Congregation at the Jockey Club Auditorium in hybrid mode. More than 1,600 graduates from the four departments were conferred degrees and awards in five sessions. Prof. Xiang-dong LI, Dean of Faculty, presided over the ceremony and encouraged graduates to take on challenges and build their dreams on top of the foundation they laid at FCE.

To enhance the overall ceremonial experience and graduates’ sense of involvement, graduates’ photos with virtual gowns were shown on the LED wall on stage during their conferment while graduates who could not attend the Congregation in person were presented virtually. Live broadcasting was arranged for this year’s Congregation via online platforms, such as YouTube and Tencent, to allow graduates and families to witness the ceremony online from all over the world.

The four departments also each invited a guest of honour from related government departments to share with the graduating class their visions for the future of Hong Kong’s construction, environment and development fields, as well as invaluable life lessons.

FCE continues world-class academic standing

In the 2022-2023 Best Global Universities Rankings by U.S. News & World Report, PolyU ranked 2nd globally in the Civil Engineering subject, reaffirming FCE’s world-leading academic standing.

In the newly released list of “world’s top 2% most-cited scientists” by Stanford University, PolyU has the most top 2% scientists globally in the fields of Building and Construction (13 scientists) and Civil Engineering (16 scientists), as well as the largest number of top 2% scholars in Hong Kong in the field of Environmental Sciences (5 scientists).

To publicise FCE’s recent preeminent international rankings, we have brought back the FCE tram for another round of tramcar advertisement from mid-November to early December. If you missed our tram in July, you can now hop on this eye-catching vehicle for a ride with FCE.

FCE Dean and team compile the world’s first “atlas” of airborne microbes

Prof. Xiang-dong LI, Dean of Faculty, and his team from the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE) successfully compiled the world’s first comprehensive map of airborne microbes, providing an important new perspective for public health research.

The microbial population of the air that surrounds us, despite being influential to the environment and human health, is comparatively unknown. The airborne microbes atlas will provide a wealth of insights into how these species interact with the surface environment – as well as their likely future changes. The research outcomes could serve as a critical reference for predicting planetary microbiome responses and the health impacts of inhalable microbiomes with future environmental changes.

The team includes the following members from CEE: Dr Nathanael JIN (Assistant Professor), Dr Tangtian HE (Research Assistant Professor), Dr Jiawen XIE (postdoctoral fellow), Ms Jue ZHAO and Mr Zehua YAN (PhD students), and Mr W. S. LAM (Scientific Officer). They collaborated with Prof. James M. TIEDJE, University Distinguished Professor at Michigan State University and scientists from Mainland China in the study.

You may read more about the findings of the study here:
https://www.pnas.org/doi/full/10.1073/pnas.2204465119

Research study on ceramic fuel cells published in Nature Energy

A research article by PhD student Mr Shuo ZHAI and his supervisor Prof. Meng NI of the Department of Building and Real Estate (BRE) has recently been published in Nature Energy. Titled “A combined ionic Lewis acid descriptor and machine-learning approach to the prediction of efficient oxygen reduction electrodes for ceramic fuel cells”, the research work identified new materials for ceramic fuel cell to enhance its performance and durability, which facilitates the further development of green energy and the long-term goal of achieving sustainability. It also demonstrates the relentless effort of Prof. Ni’s research team in cross-institutional collaboration, with contributions from Prof. Heping XIE of Shenzhen University and Prof. Zongping SHAO of Nanjing Tech University in this paper.

The article is available here: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41560-022-01098-3

FCE scholars advocate for construction innovation

Innovation is the key for both the Hong Kong government and the industry to tackle construction challenges such as high construction costs, site safety issues and project management efficiency. While the Government plays a key role in driving construction innovation, universities also have a substantial part to play in the promotion and adoption of applied R&D to enhance the industry performance in order to cope with the challenges ahead.

To show advocacy of construction innovation, FCE scholars participated in the Construction R&D Forum co-organised by the Development Bureau and the University-Government-Industry Consortium (UGIC) on 4 November 2022, together with Prof. Jin-Guang TENG, President of PolyU.

Selected research projects by FCE scholars were showcased at the Forum for information exchange and experience sharing with leaders from the Government, the universities and the construction industry.

New research centre collaborates with SenseTime

FCE advocates the University’s vision that research outcomes of practical value should leave campus to create industry and societal impact, thus the recently established Colour, Imaging, and Metaverse Research Centre, led by Dr Tommy WEI of the Department of Building Environment and Energy Engineering (BEEE), will collaborate with SenseTime Group Limited (SenseTime) on research and development related to metaverse technologies and autonomous driving applications. A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between PolyU and the leading AI software company, with an aim to transform joint research outcomes and cutting-edge AI-related technologies into practical applications.

The Colour, Imaging, and Metaverse Research Centre was newly established earlier this year to conduct high-impact fundamental research and develop system algorithms and solutions.

SenseTime focuses on creating a better AI-empowered future through innovation and applies its technologies in many industry verticals including Smart Business, Smart City, Smart Life and Smart Auto.

HKIE Accreditation Team visits FCE

On 3 and 4 November 2022, an accreditation team from The Hong Kong Institution of Engineers (HKIE) visited FCE to review its engineering-related bachelor’s degree programmes for accreditation purpose, namely, the BEng (Hons) in Building Sciences and Engineering (including the programme with the specialism of Building Services Engineering), the BSc (Hons) in Building Engineering and Management, the BEng (Hons) in Civil Engineering, the BEng (Hons) in Environmental Engineering and Sustainable Development, as well as the BEng (Hons) in Civil Engineering (Structural and Fire Safety Engineering).

During the one-and-a-half-day visit, the HKIE team met with the Deputy President and Provost of PolyU, FCE representatives and other stakeholders. Discussions on the general and strategic issues of the programmes concerned, the major elements of the programmes, and the future development of the Faculty were conducted. The HKIE team also reviewed programme coursework and visited department/FCE/University facilities to obtain further understanding about the quality of the related programmes offered at FCE.

The visit is a part of the HKIE accreditation process, it will be followed by a meeting with the HKIE accreditation board scheduled for the second quarter of 2023 tentatively.

FCE Chair Professor Lecture Series

Prof. Qingyan CHEN, Director of PolyU Academy for Interdisciplinary Research (PAIR) and Chair Professor of Building Thermal Science of the Department of Building Environment and Energy Engineering (BEEE), presented the fifth lecture of the FCE Chair Professor Lecture Series on 25 October 2022. Titled “Transmission and Mitigation of COVID-19 in Airliner Cabins”, the lecture was held in a hybrid format and attracted over 190 participants attending physically and virtually.

The global pandemic situation of COVID-19 has had a significant impact on the airline industry, in view of the higher risk of the spread of infectious airborne diseases in densely packed airplane cabins. In the lecture, Prof. Chen explained how viruses are generated from respiratory activities and transmitted from one person to another, with simulations of the air distribution systems in aircraft cabin environment. Prof. Chen also emphasised the importance of wearing masks in airplane to minimise the risk of transmission during air travel.

The lecture was followed by an interactive Q&A session, where Prof. Chen and Prof. Xiang-dong LI, Dean of Faculty, discussed with participants the feasibility of different mitigation measures to enhance epidemic prevention and control during air transport, such as developing advanced ventilation systems for commercial airplanes.

The FCE Chair Professor Lecture Series is one of the signature events of FCE to showcase the Faculty’s research strengths in celebration of the PolyU 85th Anniversary.

PhD graduate awarded in Green Talent Competition 2022

A recent PhD graduate of the Department of Building and Real Estate (BRE) is honoured as one of 25 awardees in the Green Talents – International Forum for High Potentials in Sustainable Development 2022, which is an annual event hosted by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF). Under the guidance of his Chief Supervisor Prof. Geoffrey SHEN from BRE, Dr Ibrahim Yahaya WUNI has been devoting his energies to develop innovative and integrated green buildings, modular construction, and circular construction projects during his PhD studies. The award serves as a chance for Dr Wuni to connect with global young talents and Germany‘s leading scientific experts for further exchange of creative green ideas to build a more sustainable world.