Dr Ivy Wong of the Department of Building and Real Estate (BRE) has received a US$150,000 grant from the Ford Foundation for her action-oriented study of community planning and self-governance capacity building for the emerging urban communities in periurban China. Her co-principal investigators are Prof. Bo-sin Tang of the University of Hong Kong and Prof. Jinlong Liu of Renmin University of China. Their 2-year project aims to (1) develop a framework for comprehending the institutional complexities of community governance in the evolving rural-turned-urban neighbourhoods in periurban China; and (2) develop a toolbox for transferring knowledge about community planning and capacity building to key decision-makers in these neighbourhoods, as well as building the capacities of local residents (both indigenous villagers and rural migrants) to better manage their rapidly changing neighbourhoods.

A project entitled “An investigation of guaranteed maximum price and target cost contracting procurement strategies in the Hong Kong construction industry” has won a Project Management Achievement Award 2017 in the research category for 3 academics in the Department of Building and Real Estate (BRE). Led by Dr Daniel Chan, Associate Head (Teaching and Learning), the research team included Prof. Albert Chan, Head of BRE, and his colleague Prof. Patrick Lam. They received their award certificate in Melbourne at the Australian Institute of Project Management National Conference held on 24 October 2017.

Organized by the Asia Pacific Federation of Project Management, the awards are based on the quality of application submission and the practical outcomes of research projects conducted by academics in Hong Kong and the Asia Pacific region.

Ir Prof. Cheuk Ming Mak of the Department of Building Services Engineering (BSE) has been appointed to the editorial advisory board of Building and Environment since 1 December 2017. Building and Environment is an international journal that publishes original research papers and reviews articles related to building science, urban physics, and human interaction with the indoor and outdoor built environment. With an impact factor of 4.053 in the 2015 JCR, it is a top journal in the field of Construction & Building Technology. Its Editor-in-Chief is Prof. Qingyan Chen of Purdue University in the US.

Dr Dawei Li from Southeast University is the latest mainland scholar supported by the Hong Kong Scholars Programme 2017. He is supervised by Prof. Anthony Chen of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE). Their project is entitled “Advanced Transport Network Models for Smart Transportation Systems.” Details of the other mainland scholars and their supervisors are at https://www.polyu.edu.hk/fce/eBulletin/public/issue81/content81/#ra03

The joint supervision of 7 PhD candidates in the Faculty of Construction and Environment (FCE) has recently been approved by PolyU. Following are the details:

A ceremony to confer the title of University Fellow to distinguished individuals who have contributed significantly to PolyU and the community was held at the Jockey Club Auditorium on 30 January 2018. Mr Kwok-fai Yau was one of the seven honorees this year. A 1990 alumnus of the Hong Kong Polytechnic, a predecessor of PolyU, Mr Yau has more than 20 years of experience in the construction industry and has been the Chief Executive Officer of Vantage International (Holdings) Limited since July 2000. In addition to establishing the Ko Jan Ming Endowed Professorship in Sustainable Structures and Materials with an HK$8 million donation in 2015, Mr Yau has supported his alma mater generously. He also helped to establish the Yim, Mak, Kwok and Chung Endowed Professorship in Smart Structures in 2017, which is currently occupied by Prof. You-lin Xu, Dean of the Faculty of Construction and Environment (FCE).

Mr Yau (centre) with the President of PolyU, Prof. Tong (left), and Council Chairman Mr Chan (right) at the conferment ceremony

(left to right) Prof. Teng, Prof. Xu, and Mr Yau with a few FCE academics		Council Chairman Mr Chan, Mr Yau, and Prof. Tong surrounded by some students and staff of PolyU

On 19 January 2018, the President of PolyU, Prof. Timothy W. Tong, the Deputy President and Provost, Prof. Philip Chan, as well as the Dean of the Faculty of Construction and Environment (FCE), Prof. You-lin Xu, visited the Department of Land Surveying and Geo-Informatics (LSGI). They met with the Department Head, Prof. John Shi, and Associate Heads Prof. Zhi-lin Li and Dr Lilian Pun, for an update on the latest developments in LSGI, including the challenges and opportunities that the department is facing with the recent push to develop Hong Kong into a smart city. After a visit to the Laboratory for Smart City and Spatial Big Data Analytics, the senior management had a chance to meet with some LSGI students, from undergraduates to postgraduates to PhD candidates. They also met with LSGI academic staff before the end of the visit. It was a great way for university management to stay in touch with the issues of concern to LSGI staff and students.

Senior management of PolyU with some staff and students of LSGI

To enhance its communications with different stakeholders of PolyU, 16 members of the University Grants Committee (UGC) and 7 of its staff came to the university for a visit on 11 January 2018. They were met by PolyU President, Prof. Timothy W. Tong, Prof. Philip Chan, Deputy President and Provost and the senior management team. Prof. Tong briefed the UGC members on the university’s major developments. Among the senior management in attendance were the various Vice Presidents from the President’s Office as well as Prof. You-lin Xu, Dean of the Faculty of Construction and Environment (FCE) and Prof. Hans Ladegaard, Acting Dean of the Faculty of Humanities (FH). Subsequently, the UGC members separated into 2 groups to meet with several academics from FCE and FH respectively. Facilitating the UGC meeting with 10 junior academic staff of FCE was Dr Lilian Pun, Associate Head of the Department of Land Surveying and Geo-Informatics, while the meeting with 9 senior FCE academic staff was facilitated by Prof. Geoffrey Shen, Associate Dean (Teaching). The junior academic staff included Dr JoonOh Seo, Dr Hsi-Hsien Wei, and Dr Ivy Wong from the Department of Building and Real Estate (BRE); Dr Horace Mui and Dr Minchen Wei from the Department of Building Services Engineering (BSE); Dr Mark Hsu, Dr Dan Tsang, and Dr Barbara Siu from the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE); as well as Dr Charles Wong from the Department of Land Surveying and Geo-Informatics (LSGI). The senior academic staff included the 4 Heads of departments: Prof. Albert Chan of BRE; Prof. Asif Usmani of BSE; Prof. William Lam of CEE; Prof. John Shi of LSGI; as well as Prof. Cheuk-ming Mak of BSE, Prof. Anthony Chen, Prof. Kwok-fai Chung, and Prof. Tao Wang of CEE. It was a great opportunity for the UGC to hear from FCE academics about their activities in teaching and learning, research and knowledge transfer, and services to the community.

UGC visitors with the senior management of PolyU

4 representatives of Nazarbayev Intellectual Schools (NIS) visited PolyU on 10 and 12 January 2018 to meet with NIS graduates currently studying at the University. Led by Ms Kulyash Shamshidinova, Chairperson of the Board of the Autonomous Educational Organization, the delegates met with the Section Head of PolyU’s Secondary School Relations Section, Ms Corrina Lu, on 10 January before meeting with Prof. Timothy W. Tong, President of PolyU; Prof. Edwin Cheng, Dean of the Faculty of Business; Prof. H.C. Man, Dean of the Faculty of Engineering; Prof. Raymond Wong, Associate Dean of the Faculty of Applied Science and Textiles; Prof. Xiaoli Ding, Associate Dean of the Faculty of Construction and Environment; Prof. Esmond Mok, Dean of Students; and Mr Eric Lo, Associate Director of the International Affairs Office, on 12 January. The visitors were given a tour of the PolyU campus, including the House of Innovation, the Jockey Club Innovation Tower, the library and other student facilities as well as the Industrial Centre, lab facilities, PolyU’s teaching and research hotel, the School of Hotel & Tourism Management and Student Halls of Residence. A tea gathering with 5 NIS graduates currently studying at PolyU concluded their visit. It was a rewarding visit for both the visitors and PolyU, where more quality students from NIS can be expected in the future.

More than 130 prospective students flocked to PolyU on 13 January 2018 for the Taught Postgraduate Info Day, which began with an overview of the Postgraduate Scheme in Construction and Environment from its Chairman, Prof. Geoffrey Shen, Associate Dean (Teaching). This was followed by a presentation of the 2017/18 Entry Scholarships to 10 awardees by Prof. You-lin Xu, Dean of the Faculty of Construction and Environment (FCE), before 3 of the awardees, Miss Wai Ping Chuang, Mr Shing Poon, and Mr Ho Ching Wong, shared their learning experiences in their chosen MSc programme respectively. In addition to break-out sessions for 11 different taught postgraduate programmes, there was a sharing session with the current scholarship awardees about how their MSc programmes have impacted their career and personal growth. It was a great way for future students to learn more about the various taught postgraduate programmes offered by FCE.

Prof. Shen (on right) giving an overview

2 postgraduate students, Mr Chun Kit Law and Miss Trecia Kay-Ann Williams, who received Entry Scholarships in 2016/17 have recently completed their MSc programmes with Distinction. Mr Law has graduated with an MSc in Facility Management and Miss Williams an MSc in Geomatics (Surveying). Following are their experiences of studying at PolyU and some advice for prospective students.

The 6 years that Mr Law spent at PolyU studying for his Higher Diploma, Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees gave him many opportunities to broaden his horizons. His study tour to Shanghai was a perfect example of PolyU’s motto of “Opening minds, Shaping the Future.” His curiosity for new knowledge motivates him to study hard and gives him a sense of mission. His goal is to become a professional engineer for the HKSAR government.

The most memorable experience for Miss Williams was interacting with other students from different backgrounds and cultures. She finds the academic staff very knowledgeable about their subject matter, particularly her supervisor for her final dissertation. She advises students to balance their academic and social lives because it is easy to get caught up in all the experiences Hong Kong has to offer. She is currently working as a surveyor in a private firm in her home country of Jamaica. Her goal is to become a licensed surveyor.

A final-year student in Surveying in the Department of Building and Real Estate (BRE), Miss Maggie Ng, has won a Best Video Award documenting her work-integrated education experience in the summer of 2017 in South Africa. An internship with Rider Levett Bucknall (ZA) (Pty) Ltd. there gave her the opportunity to work with people from different backgrounds, making her more open to other cultures and adaptable to a diverse workplace. With 283 online votes, Maggie’s video easily won the competition, which was organized by the Office of Careers and Placement Services. The video is accessible at https://goo.gl/xdUJ76.

A new massive open online course (MOOC) “Introduction to Urban Geo-Informatics” is now available at edX.org. Led by Dr Charles Wong of the Department of Land Surveying and Geo-Informatics (LSGI), the 6-week online course exposes students to a combination of geographic information system, remote sensing, global navigation satellite system, location based system, underground utilities survey and smart city application. Urban geo-informatics involves the collection of information and management of a database. By collecting raw data for interpretation, geo-spatial technologies help monitor the environment. Navigation applications can be generated through data processing to provide convenience for all, while sensing data tracks the path of routes. With the help of navigation and positioning systems, information on the urban environment can facilitate a well-planned Smart City.

This course is FREE! More details are at: https://www.edx.org/course/introduction-urban-geo-informatics-hkpolyux-lsgi1001x