The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) has been the only Hong Kong tertiary institution involved in China’s space exploration projects, contributing to the development of the Nation’s space programme.
The Chairman of a Hong Kong-based product design firm has provided a donation to establish the Fiona Cheung Endowed Professorship in Spatial Science, to support PolyU’s continuous contributions to China’s space exploration projects. The Associate Head of the Department of Land Surveying and Geo-Informatics has been appointed as the Endowed Professor. With this professorship, PolyU will further strengthen its research endeavours to make greater contributions to the advancement of space technology and science.
The newly-appointed Endowed Professor has developed innovative 3D topographic mapping and intelligent geomorphological analysis techniques which contributed to landing site mapping and selection for China’s Chang’e-3, Chang’e-4, and Chang’e-5 lunar missions, as well as the Tianwen-1 mission to Mars. He expressed his gratitude to the donation provider and stated that this professorship is a great encouragement to the staff and students of the Faculty, driving them to strive for excellence in education and research.
Meanwhile, the donation provider, a member of the Governing Committee of the PolyU Foundation and a University Fellow, has been providing invaluable advice to support the fundraising and outreach efforts of the University. She believes the Endowed Professorship can encourage young scholars to follow in the footsteps of the Endowed Professor, devoting their careers to research and innovation.
Endowed Professorship Scheme
With the support of donors, the Endowed Professorship Scheme recognises the achievements of world-renowned researchers in their specialised disciplines and enables the Endowed Professors to explore and advance cutting-edge research projects for the betterment of mankind. An Endowed Professorship is a significant recognition bestowed upon these outstanding academics and their contributions.
The partnership between PolyU and its donors is built on the common goal of advancing the frontiers of knowledge and technology, it helps to extend the frontiers of research and benefits both society and the world at large. Establishing an Endowed Professorship is one of the most significant investments a donor can make at PolyU. Endowed Professors can then take advantage of extra resources to continue their excellent work in research and teaching.
The Endowed Professorship Scheme ensures that the University’s remarkable research and academic record is maintained by attracting the best scholars in the region and from around the world.
In November 2021, OpenGov Asia reported that PolyU established the PolyU Academy for Interdisciplinary Research (PAIR) will spearhead the University’s interdisciplinary research efforts in cutting-edge areas such as artificial intelligence, carbon neutrality, and deep space exploration, smart cities, and smart energy.
PolyU also announced that it would launch new education programmes in emerging technologies to meet the needs of society for interdisciplinary talents while continuing to work together with the Government, the University Grants Committee and other key partners to nurture the next generation of socially responsible leaders.