News

A Soft Launch of Geo-Project 1941

On 28th October 2023, Ir Dr. Wallace Lai, Associate Head of LSGI, together with historians, archaeologists and geologist from multiple universities, launched the Soft Opening of the art-tech exhibition for Geo-Project 1941. As an event of the project "Unfolding the Lost WWII Heritage: Promotion of Geo-spatial and Geophysical Technologies", it took place at a Campsite “Camptopia” in Sheung Shui. Led by LSGI, this project involves engagement of various stakeholders, such as collaboration with BU, HKU and CUHK, and support from 5 Bureau/Departments of HKSARG. Moreover, it is funded/sponsored by ITC (Innovation and Technology Commission), RILS (Research Institute for Land and Space), and Camptopia. All parties involved share a common vision: to maximize the publicity on historical interpretation, heritage conservation, STEAM education and exhibitions for the remembrance of the 80th anniversary of WWII in 2025. Representing the start of a series of public engagement activities on the use of geo-spatial and geophysical technologies to promote an integrated art-tech approach, this soft opening attracted over 80 visitors from diverse backgrounds. Attendees ranged from professors, teachers, and war enthusiasts to pupils, with interests spanning across geo-science, history, and archaeology. The event featured various art-tech exhibitions and experiential workshops, including a 4D CAVE that provided an immersive experience, transporting the audience back to the war zone in Hong Kong in 1941. Additionally, there were two archaeological test sites where workshop participants could engage in field archaeological excavation work following geophysical surveys. These exhibitions and workshops demonstrated how technologies can play a crucial role in historical interpretation, archaeological excavations, and forensic investigation. Looking ahead to the coming event in the project until early 2025, we anticipate further collaborations between LSGI and diverse communities.   Project:  Unfolding the lost WWII heritage: promotion of geo-spatial and geophysical technologies Website: https://geo-project1941.com/ PI: Ir Dr. Wallace Lai, Associate Head of LSGI

The World’s Top 2% Scientists in LSGI by Stanford University (2023)

Six academic staff from LSGI, including Prof. John Wenzhong SHI, Prof. Qihao WENG, Prof. Jianli CHEN, Prof. Charles Man Sing WONG, Dr Xiaolin ZHU and Dr Ameer Hamza KHAN, are ranked as the World’s Top 2% most-cited scientists in career-long and single-year categories, according to the Stanford University list published on Oct 2023. The database categorized scientists into 22 subject fields and 174 sub-fields. It has taken their research publications into consideration, including information on citations, individual’s scientific research output, co-authorship and a composite indicator. For further details, please refer to the latest database here. Congratulations to our staff for their outstanding achievements!   Career-long Data  Name of Researcher  Subject Field   Prof. John Wenzhong SHI  Geological and Geomatics Engineering  Prof. Qihao WENG  Geological and Geomatics Engineering   Prof. Jianli CHEN  Meteorology and Atmospheric Sciences    Single Recent Year Data  Name of Researcher  Subject Field  Prof. John Wenzhong SHI  Geological and Geomatics Engineering  Prof. Qihao WENG  Geological and Geomatics Engineering  Prof. Jianli CHEN  Meteorology and Atmospheric Sciences  Prof. Charles Man Sing WONG  Geological and Geomatics Engineering  Dr Xiaolin ZHU  Geological and Geomatics Engineering  Dr Ameer Hamza KHAN  Electrical and Electronic Engineering 

PolyU Info Day 2023

PolyU Info Day was successfully held on 21st October 2023 at the campus. The Department of Land Surveying & Geo-Informatics (LSGI) received active participation from academic and supporting staff, student ambassadors and alumni, providing prospective students with the latest information about the programmes and assisting them in planning their future studies at LSGI. We offered various activities, including a consultation booth, guided laboratory visits, admission talks for the Undergraduate (Ug) and Taught Postgraduate (TPg) programmes, and sharing sessions with graduates. Our objective is to provide prospective students with a thorough understanding of the LSGI curriculum and programmes, while creating an engaging and informative experience. During the two sessions of Ug admission talks, Ir Dr Wallace LAI, Associate Head in Teaching, and Dr Sissi CHEN, Deputy Programme Leader, provided introductions and promramme details. Guest speakers and esteemed LSGI graduates also shared their work experiences and perspectives, emphasizing the exciting career opportunities in the government and private sectors. Admission arrangements were explained, and questions from visitors, mainly secondary school students and parents, were addressed on the spot. In addition to the talks, guided tours of the LSGI laboratories were arranged, allowing visitors to experience firsthand the state-of-the-art equipment and technologies used in LSGI. We extend our sincerest gratitude and appreciation to all colleagues, alumni, guests, and student ambassadors who wholeheartedly participated in the Info Day. The event successfully facilitated prospective students' understanding of the department and its academic programmes. LSGI eagerly looks forward to welcoming them to join in the near future! A recap of the BSc admission talk can be found here.

International Delegation from SISV and LJT Visits LSGI to Explore Collaborations and Programme Accreditations

On October 16, 2023, a delegation from the Singapore Institute of Surveyors and Valuers (SISV) and The Land Surveyors Board Malaysia (LJT) paid a visit to the LSGI, accompanied by representatives from the Hong Kong Institute of Surveyors (HKIS). The 13-member delegation was spearheaded by Mr. Mak Weng Tat, the Land Surveying President from SISV, and Dato' Indera Sr. Ismail bin Harun from LJT.  The delegation's morning was spent at Q-Leak, the underground water mains leak detection training centre of the Water Supplies Department. This centre was designed and supported by LSGI since 2021. Ir Dr Wallace Lai, the Associate Head and Associate Professor of LSGI, provided a demonstration and overview of the collaborations between LSGI and WSD, as well as the training and research conducted at Q-Leak.  In the afternoon, the delegation was warmly welcomed by Prof. Wu Chen, the Head of LSGI at PolyU. He provided them with the latest updates on LSGI programmes and research highlight. Discussions were held regarding collaborations on training and talent nurturing. The delegation expressed a strong need for training in underground utilities survey and management from LSGI.  The visit concluded on a positive note, with all parties expressing enthusiasm for future collaborations. The representatives from SISV and LJT were particularly impressed with the innovative programmes and research conducted at LSGI. They expressed their intent to consider further programme accreditation, which would undoubtedly enhance the value of LSGI’s programmes for both local and international students, especially from Malaysia and Singapore.  

2023 Dean's Honours List

We are glad to announce that 14 students from LSGI have earned a place in the Dean's Honours List of the Faculty of Construction and Environment at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University. These students have been recognized for their outstanding academic performance during the 2022/2023 academic year. BSc (Hons) in Land Surveying and Geo-informatics (34478) CHAN Sze Chuen KHOO Pak Hum LAU Yu Lam LIP Lok Yi NG Hoi Wah SIN Ka Hei SIT Fei Ching WONG Ka Wai YUEN Hau Yiu BSc (Hons) Scheme in Spatial Data Science and Smart Cities (34480) GONG Changwen LI Runxin LIU Mingzhen HD in Land Surveying and Geo-informatics (34379) CHU Wing Wai WONG Hei Yin We would like to extend our warmest congratulations to all the recipients on their outstanding academic achievements. The full list of recipients can be found at here. We are proud of our students and wish them continued success in their academic pursuits.

New Academic Staff Onboarding

Dr Qing PEI is jointly employed by the Department of Land Surveying and Geo-Informatics (LSGI) and the Department of Chinese History and Culture to the post of Associate Professor in September 2023. He obtained his Bachelor’s degrees in Environmental Economics and Management and in Law (double degree) from Renmin University of China, and received his MPhil and PhD in Geography from The University of Hong Kong (HKU). He has rich postdoctoral experience in universities around the world, including HKU, the University of Cambridge in the UK, and the University of Zurich in Switzerland. Prior to joining PolyU, he served as the Assistant Professor (2016 - 2021) and Associate Professor (2021 - 2023) at The Education University of Hong Kong. Dr Pei’s multidisciplinary research covers topics across physical and human geography, including historical geography, climate history and social-ecological resilience. Welcome Dr Pei to LSGI! 

LSGI scholar was appreciated with national award for remarkable contributions to China’s space missions

Prof. Bo WU, Associate Head (Research) & Professor of LSGI and Associate Director of the University Research Centre for Deep Space Explorations (RCDSE), has been awarded the Outstanding Award (Individual) for his contribution to China’s First Mars Exploration Mission. The awards are presented by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, China National Space Administration, and four other ministries to recognize individuals and groups who have significantly contributed to China’s space missions. In addition to Prof. WU, Prof. Kai-leung YUNG, Director of RCDSE, and a PolyU team also received awards, representing PolyU. Prof. Jin-Guang TENG, President of PolyU, congratulated the awardees and commented that PolyU would continue to advance the technology and make contributions to the national space missions. Prof. Wu and his research team utilized topographic mapping and geomorphological analysis technologies to analyze the terrain of the Mars surface. This analysis allowed them to estimate a landing site with both safety and scientific value on Mars for the Tianwen-1 mission, thus greatly contributing to the success of China's Mars mission in 2021. Congratulations to Prof. WU!

LSGI Research Project Awarded Key Programme of the National Natural Science Foundation of China

As a prestigious research funding organization dedicated to supporting and promoting fundamental scientific research in various disciplines throughout China, the Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) announced the application results of the NSFC Programmes in September 2023. Among the applications, various research projects and researchers in PolyU are awarded. The LSGI research “Detection of underground water pipe leakage based on multi-temporal PollnSAR technology”, led by Prof. Xiaoli DING, Chair Professor of Geomatics and Director of the Research Institute for Land and Space, was one of the three PolyU projects which have been funded under the Key Programme of NSFC. Congratulations to Prof. DING!

PolyU Researchers Advance Smart City Development through Remote Sensing Satellites and Low Earth Orbit Satellites

PolyU and Hong Kong Aerospace Technology Group (HKATG) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to foster their collaboration in satellite navigation, communication, remote sensing, and payload development in August 2023. Under this collaboration, as the key involving department, LSGI can be benefited from provision of optical remote sensing and radar observation data, as well as access to near-Earth orbit satellite payload space and testing services. A media briefing was arranged on 30 August 2023 to share the latest and future research development under the collaborative framework. Prof. Charles Wong, Associate Dean (Teaching) of FCE and Professor of LSGI, stated that LSGI would utilize the provided resources in multiple researches, like monitoring land use, estimating solar energy potential, and water quality mapping. The partnership can not only reduce the cost of data acquisition significantly, but also enhance the resolution of satellite images which can benefit the research. In addition, Dr. Bing XU, Research Assistant Professor of the Department of Aviation and Civil Engineering (AAE), said that AAE was launching a low Earth orbit cube satellite project for navigation and MeV astronomy. The project will enhance positioning accuracy and safety by transmitting navigation signals from LEO orbit to Earth. The cube satellite is scheduled for launch in May 2025.   Online coverage (on 5 Sept 2023): Ming Pao Daily News  Hong Kong Economic Times   Sing Tao Daily   Headline Daily   Wen Wei Po   Ta Kung Pao   Hong Kong Commercial Daily

LSGI Impact Case Study: Urban Big Data Analytics of COVID-19

In the seventh episode of PolyU FCE Impact Case Studies 2023 video series - “Urban big data analytics for COVID-19 risk prediction and control” was published. It shared the research output - a series of extended Weighted Kernel Density Estimation (E-WKDE) models for short-term prediction of COVID-19 symptom onset risk by Prof. John SHI, Chair Professor of Geographical Information Science and Remote Sensing of the Department of Land Surveying and Geo-Informatics (LSGI), Director of Smart Cities Research Institute (SCRI), and his team. The models presented offer an improvement over traditional COVID-19 risk predictions, as they can accurately predict the transmission trend for a period of 4 to 5 days. These models have been utilized for various purposes, including assessing the impact of the Wuhan lockdown on decreasing the risk of infection in other parts of China, devising a vaccine distribution plan based on risk for Hong Kong, examining the transmissibility of different variants of SARS-CoV-2, and evaluating the effectiveness of global anti-epidemic measures. Since the beginning of 2020, the team has submitted over 40 reports to the Hong Kong Government utilizing the predictions from the E-WKDE model as a point of reference in evaluating COVID-19 control measures. Let’s check out the video and explore these fabulous technologies!