FCE again ranked No.1 in Hong Kong for Civil & Structural Engineering in 2024

We are thrilled to share that FCE has once again demonstrated outstanding achievement in the Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) World University Rankings by Subject 2024. This year, PolyU is ranked the world’s 14th in both the Architecture & Built Environment and Civil & Structural Engineering disciplines, and 46th in the Environmental Sciences discipline.

Locally, we have been consistently rated as the city’s best in Civil & Structural Engineering for three consecutive years since 2022. The other two disciplines also maintain a strong standing, coming in second among our sister universities. As we celebrate these accomplishments of the FCE community, we remain committed to furthering our pursuit of academic and research excellence, aiming to reach new milestones in the future.

Launched in 2011, the annual QS World University Rankings by Subject evaluates universities based on indicators including academic reputation, employer reputation and research impact. This comprehensive guide covers a total of 55 subjects in 5 broad subject areas.

Innovations spearheaded by FCE academics reap gold and silver at Geneva Inventions Expo 2024

Three projects on insulation material, structural column, and firefighting robot led by FCE academics have been awarded Gold and Silver Medals at the 49th International Exhibition of Inventions Geneva (Geneva Inventions Expo) for their positive impact on people’s lives and sustainable development.

The Geneva Inventions Expo is a widely recognised annual event devoted exclusively to invention, the event this year attracted 1,035 entries from 38 countries and regions. You may visit the website of the Knowledge Transfer and Entrepreneurship Office (KTEO) to learn more about the awarded projects. 

Presidential Student Leadership Award 2023

To honour students who have demonstrated exceptional leadership qualities and contributions to the community, PolyU organises the Presidential Student Leadership Award (PSLA) annually to reward awardees at the departmental level, faculty/school level and university level. The award serves as a testament to the excellence of our students in not only academic but also non-academic pursuits, and reflects the University's unwavering commitment to providing holistic education to its students.

The award presentation ceremony for PSLA 2023 was held on 26 March 2024. The following FCE awardees received the honour from Prof. Jin-Guang TENG, PolyU President, and were encouraged to continue to fully develop their potential.

FCE Dean publishes high impact biomineralisation research against microbially induced corrosion in Environmental Science & Technology

One of the major obstacles to the long-term use of marine concrete structures is microbially induced corrosion (MIC), a common phenomenon in marine environments that results in concrete cracking, thereby decreasing the lifespan of concrete structures and causing considerable economic loss.

A research team led by Prof. Xiang-dong LI, Chair Professor of Environmental Science and Technology of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE) and Dean of Faculty, pioneered a biomineralisation method to form biomineralised film on concrete surfaces as a protective layer, inhibiting corrosion and extending the lifespan of marine concrete structures. The research has been published in the top international journal Environmental Science & Technology. The biomineralisation treatment developed by the team uses materials from nature, thus has a low ecological impact as a coating method, the treatment also utilises CO2 during the preparation stage and during crack repair, which contributes to carbon neutrality.

Early-career academics receive HK$2.4 million from Environment and Conservation Fund

The Environment and Conservation Fund (ECF) has granted around HK$2.4 million to four projects led by FCE's early-career academics in the latest exercise to support their research that contributes to environmental sustainability and conservation efforts in Hong Kong. The Faculty is pleased to witness our young academics engage in addressing environmental issues intimately connected with the local community and are striving to deliver substantial and direct benefits to the people of Hong Kong.

The ECF, established by the Hong Kong government in 1994, aims to support green projects and activities, raise environmental awareness, and encourage community action in environmental protection and ecological conservation.

FCE drives research excellence

FCE, recognising the importance of research grants in supporting academic staff’s research and underpinning our academic programmes, recently organised two events to foster research excellence and collaboration. The Workshop on Hong Kong Research Grants Application (Other than RGC Grants) was held on 3 April 2024. Attended by over 60 FCE academics, the workshop aimed to unlock the key to success in securing non-RGC local grants. Speakers from FCE and sister faculties shared their successful experiences with Smart Traffic Fund, Strategic Public Policy Research Fund, Environment and Conservation Fund, and Green Technology Fund. Interested FCE staff may download the information shared by the speakers here.

The FCE Research Salon on Digital Construction, held on 18 April 2024, provided a relaxed and informal setting for a group of dedicated academics to engage in fruitful discussions surrounding research ideas and potential collaboration plans. The primary goal of FCE Research Salon is to cultivate new collaboration opportunities within and beyond FCE.

Welcome new staff to FCE

Dr Liangfen DU joined the Department of Building Environment and Energy Engineering (BEEE) as an Assistant Professor in April 2024. She obtained her BEng in Environmental Engineering and MSc in Acoustics from the Northwestern Polytechnical University in China, and received her second Master’s degree and a PhD in Acoustics from the Institut National des Sciences Appliquées de Lyon (INSA Lyon) in France. After graduation, she worked as an Acoustic Consultant in the industry for various industrial projects involving noise impact assessment, acoustic design, building acoustics and more. She later returned to academia as a research fellow at the National University of Singapore (NUS) from 2017 to 2021 and at the Nanyang Technological University (NTU) in Singapore from 2021 to 2024, respectively. Dr Du’s research interests encompass noise reduction technologies enabling natural ventilation, acoustic metasurfaces, sound prediction, and environmental noise control.

Long-serving staff of FCE

Dr Chi Kwan CHAU, Associate Professor of the Department of Building Environment and Energy Engineering (BEEE), retired from PolyU in April after serving with unwavering dedication for over 27 years. In recognition of his exceptional commitment, Prof. Xiang-dong LI, Dean of Faculty, expressed gratitude and presented Dr Chau with a commemorative souvenir to mark his retirement.