According to a recent press release, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) and the two research institutes of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), namely Academy of Mathematics and Systems Science (AMSS) and Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry (GIG), held an inauguration ceremony of two joint laboratories on PolyU campus, marking the official launch of their collaborations.
Complementing the strengths of PolyU and the CAS research institutes, the two joint laboratories will collaborate to extend research frontiers, advance knowledge transfer and applications as well as cultivate talents in the fields of applied mathematics and environmental protection for contributing towards the development of the Greater Bay Area and the society.
In November 2018, the HKSAR Government announced the setting up of the Joint Laboratory Funding Scheme by the University Grants Committee to provide research subsidy to the joint laboratories approved by the CAS.
Among the 22 joint laboratories, three are located in PolyU. These include the two newly launched labs.
The Interim President of PolyU said stated that the establishment of another two joint laboratories will leverage the two institutions’ expertise to revamp research studies that align with the nation’s development. Through the on-going collaborations with the CAS, the university seeks to make valuable contributions to Hong Kong and the nation.
The Director-General of CAS Bureau of International Cooperation said that the Central Government had made it definite to support Hong Kong for developing into an International Innovation and Technology Hub, and CAS for establishing an affiliated institution in Hong Kong.
He noted that the joint laboratories are important platforms for enhancing technological collaborations between the Mainland and Hong Kong. The institutions had set up the Joint Laboratory for Aerosol and Environment, which has made considerable achievements in that aspect.
It is hoped that the newly established joint laboratories will showcase the synergies of the two academic powerhouses and will deepen collaboration in the studies of Fundamental and Applied Mathematics as well as Environmental Science and Management, which are subjects of common concerns.
It is also expected that the collaboration will be beneficial to the advancement of Greater Bay Area (GBA) development and will support the strategic deployment of the Central Government in making Hong Kong as the International Innovation and Technology Hub.
In attending at the ceremony were several of PolyU’s top professors as well as senior members of the partnering institutes and departments of the two joint laboratories.
CAS AMSS-PolyU Joint Laboratory of Applied Mathematics
The CAS Academy of Mathematics and Systems Science (AMSS) and PolyU have complementary strengths in the areas of optimisation calculation, computational mathematics, and biological sciences. The State Key Laboratory in Science and Engineering Computing of AMSS is the only national-level laboratory in the field.
While PolyU’s University Research Facility in Big Data Analytics aggregates big data on smart cities, financial technology and healthcare, which are valuable resources for data analysis modelling and testing of the algorithm. The collaboration, through leveraging each other’s competencies and sharing research resources, can thus comprehensively cover the many directions of research in applied mathematics.
The lab will focus on developing basic algorithms studies covering optimisation calculations, tensor calculations, multi-physics calculations, etc; research in applied statistics and financial mathematics; and further studies in the spectra of big data and artificial intelligence.
CAS GIG-PolyU Joint Laboratory of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area for the Environment
The CAS Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry (GIG) and PolyU have respective strengths in environmental sciences and engineering. Both institutes are located in GBA and thus can enjoy the geographical advantage of GBA where the nation is determined to develop.
To manage the emerging environmental issues in GBA, especially in pollution and ecological issues, GIG and PolyU can jointly develop scientific researches and technological solutions, ranging from monitoring, prevention to remediation, to enhance the health and environmental quality in GBA.
The focus areas of research of this joint lab a for the Environment will include air quality improvement, environment and health for city clusters, urban land integrated remediation measures for different types of pollution, municipal solid waste and sewage treatment in new rural areas, ecological management in the estuary and coastal areas, etc.