#leadingwithoutboundaries

Year In Review 2020
It's almost the end of 2020! Let's look back to all the highlighted events at IPO throughout the year! 

• New Director of IPO

• New Smart Anti-Microbial Coating in the Fight Against COVID-19

A research team led by Prof. YEUNG King Lun, Professor of the Division of Environment and Sustainability, has developed a Multilevel Antimicrobial Polymer (MAP-1) coating that is effective in killing viruses, bacteria and even hard-to-kill spores.  MAP-1 can inactivate up to 99.9 per cent of highly-infectious viruses such as measles, mumps and rubella, and 99.99 per cent of the surrogate feline calicivirus (FCV) - a gold standard for disinfection efficiency and is more resistant than coronaviruses such as the one responsible for COVID-19 epidemic. It is now being widely used in Hong Kong.

To Read More: https://ipo.ust.hk/interdisciplinary-research/impact-stories/new-smart-anti-microbial-coating-fight-against-covid-19 

• New Major: Human-Computer Interaction

A new IIM student Irene CHEUNG created a major called Human-Computer Interaction with a focus on the language aspect. The student would like to focus on assistive technology that helps with communication and linguistics, so as to alleviate speech disorders or better convey messages.

To Know More: http://iim.ust.hk/index.html  

• The Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic: Crisis Management, and Governance and Policy Priorities

Some 40 million people have been infected by the Covid-19 pandemic worldwide so far, resulting in over 1.1 million deaths.  Government capacity and leadership in crisis management is under major test in different countries and territories, and performance varies. In the seminar, Prof. Christine LOH, Chief Development Strategist of Division of Environment and Sustainability (ENVR) and Prof. Donald LOW, Professor of Practice in Public Policy of PPOL,  shared their thoughts and discussed (1) Hong Kong’s situation compared to other places; (2) Government strategies, policy priorities and remedial measures in Hong Kong and (3) The exposed problems and deficiencies and the lesson learnt.

To Read More: https://ais.hkust.edu.hk/whats-happening/news/impact-covid-19-pandemic-crisis-management-and-governance-and-policy

• Integrating People with Disabilities- International Business Plan Competition (IBPC) in Brazil

2020 Winter Technology & Management International Business Plan Competition (IBPC) was held at São Paulo, Sao Carlos and Brotas, Brazil to explore how modern technologies help integrate people with disabilities into society.

T&M-DDP students formed mixed teams with students from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign of USA, University of Bayreuth of Germany and University of Sao Paulo of Brazil to create a business plan to help people with disabilities to integrate into the society within the 10-day competition under the guidance of professors and industry mentors.

To Read More: https://ais.hkust.edu.hk/whats-happening/news/integrating-people-disabilities-2020-winter-technology-management

• HKUST Launches the Largest-Scale Solar Power System in Hong Kong

HKUST is launching the city’s largest solar energy project: installing up to 8,000 solar panels on campus to generate not only electricity equivalent to the annual consumption of more than 900 three-member households in Hong Kong, and reduce 1.5 million kg of carbon emission per annum over a 25-year period.It is coordinated by the Sustainability Unit with Prof. Davis BOOKHART, Head of Sustainability, and Prof. David BROWN, both are Adjunct Assistant Professors of the Division of Environment & Sustainability (ENVR), in the development team.

To Read More: https://ais.hkust.edu.hk/whats-happening/news/hkust-launches-largest-scale-solar-power-system-hong-kong

• Over 80% of the First Cohort of MPP Graduates Got Job Offers

Despite the harsh reality of job markets worldwide this year due to COVID-19,  the first cohort of MPP graduates in 2020 have been able to secure satisfactory job offers across diverse sectors, including banking & finance, consulting and high-tech industry, etc.

To Read More: https://ppol.ust.hk/content/MPP_Graduate_Job_Placement

• Dialogue with the Secretary for the Environment, Mr. WONG Kam-sing

Mr. Wong Kam-sing, G.B.S., J.P., Secretary for the Environment, visited Division of Environment and Sustainability on 16 October 2020 and our EVMT students had a very fruitful discussion with Secretary Wong on various environmental and sustainability issues.

To Read More: https://ais.hkust.edu.hk/whats-happening/news/envr-field-trip-jeju-island-2020

• TEMG4950E Special Project: Façade Inspection Strategies for Arup

With the support of Arup HK, IBM Global Business Services and HARMAN International, Corporate Project (TEMG4950E) in 2020 Spring term challenged T&M-DDP students to re-strategize “Façade Inspection” with emerging technologies. Students in teams presented their pitches to judges from Arup in Arup office. T&M-DDP would like to express gratitude to Mrs. Penny HUBBARD-BROWN from HKUST Campus Development Office for her help on providing professional advice throughout the project.

• Field Trip to Jeju Island

Students from BSc in Environmental Management and Technology Program (EVMT) and MSc in Environmental Science and Management Program, led by Prof. Arthur LAU, visited Jeju Island in South Korea in January to discover the local natural resources, conservation, learn about the research initiatives in energy and ocean, also explore the beautiful island. The trip to Jeju Island allowed students to observe and investigate how a coastal city can utilize its geological advantages to improve social living standard by technological development and management.

To Read More:  https://ais.hkust.edu.hk/whats-happening/news/envr-field-trip-jeju-island-2020

• New Major: Built Environment Design

A new IIM student Connie CHOW created a major called “Built Environment Design”. She focuses on building smart community with facilities that learn from user behaviors, and hence prevent energy waste while providing a comfortable living environment.  The ultimate goal is to achieve sustainability and urban wellbeing.

Have a great year of 2021 which is blessed with hope and optimism!