Departmental Research Seminars Series Placemaking and Participatory Planning in Singapore Date: 12 MAY 2026 (Tuesday) Time: 14:00-15:00 (HKT) Venue: Chamber, Faculty of Social Sciences, 11/F, The Jockey Club Tower, Centennial Campus, HKU Registration link: https://hkuems1.hku.hk/hkuems/ec_hdetail.aspx?guest=Y&ueid=106215 Abstract: The concept of ‘placemaking’ emerged as an urban development strategy in the Global North in the 1990s, with the goal of improving the urban desig

Geography Distinguished Seminars Series AI for Earth Observation: From Petabytes to Actionable Insights Date: 12 MAY 2026 (Tuesday) Time: 10:00-11:00 (HKT) Venue: CLL, Department of Geography, 10/F, The Jockey Club Tower, Centennial Campus, HKU Mode: Hybrid Via Zoom: Zoom link will be provided upon successful registration Registration link: https://hkuems1.hku.hk/hkuems/ec_hdetail.aspx?guest=Y&ueid=106694 Abstract: Geoinformation derived from Earth observation (EO) satellite

08MAY2026

Departmental Research Seminars Series Sustainable Agri-Food System Development under Future Climate Change Date: 11 MAY 2026 (Monday) Time: 11:00-12:00 (HKT) Venue: Chamber, Faculty of Social Sciences, 11/F, The Jockey Club Tower, Centennial Campus, HKU Registration link: https://hkuems1.hku.hk/hkuems/ec_hdetail.aspx?guest=Y&ueid=106658 Abstract: Rising demand for food and biofuels is placing growing pressure on land, water and ecosystems worldwide. Achieving food security w

This theme tackles the most pressing human–environment challenges of the 21st century: global climate change, carbon-neutrality pathways, urban/rural landscape transformation, and the sustainability of the Earth’s water, air, carbon, and food systems. Combining field observation, laboratory experiments, model simulations, remote sensing, and AI-driven analytics, we translate research into feasible, cost-effective pathways for environmental protection. Research Strategic Areas

Rooted in human geography, this theme draws on urban planning, critical theory, sociology, economics, and geospatial analytics. We examine the socio-spatial processes of the global urban revolution, with particular attention to China and the Global South. Research generates practical policy insights and theoretical innovation to solve contemporary problems of urban inequality, social cohesion, cultural identity, mobility, and state–society relations. Research Strategic Areas

Room 8.16 The JC STEM Lab of Quantitative Remote Sensing is one of the five newly established JC STEM Labs and is led by Professor Shunlin Liang from the Department of Geography. This new JC STEM Lab, located on the 8th floor of the Jockey Club Tower, is dedicated to exploring the intricate interactions between land and social systems. It aims to develop advanced methodologies for estimating various variables of the Earth system from satellite data, with the ultimate goal of

13 MAR 2026

Searchinger, T. D., Peng, L., Russi, D., & Canham, C. (2026). Decades of increased emissions from forest-fuelled BECCS. Nature Sustainability. BECCS, or bioenergy with carbon capture and storage, is often presented as a promising climate solution because it can generate energy while capturing and storing carbon dioxide. A new study published in Nature Sustainability by Professor Liqing Peng from the Department of Geography at The University of Hong Kong and collaborators find

Distinguished Seminar Series in Geography and Sustainable Development The Distinguished Seminar Series in Geography and Sustainable Development is sponsored by Surien Foundation Hong Kong, where distinguished scholars and practitioners share their expertise on a wide range of topics concerning sustainability and environmental management. By attending informative presentations and engaging in lively discussions, participants glean insights into obstacles, possibilities, and op

HKU GEOGRAPHY: Monthly Research Talks Companionship as Practice: Rethinking Fieldwork in Conflicted Contexts Date: 24 APR 2026 (Friday) Time: 11:00-11:15 (HKT) Via Zoom: https://hku.zoom.us/j/98300713382?pwd=dGdqelhpWUwyOENmTUJyalVKemtHQT09 (No registration required) Abstract: This presentation reflects on the ethical reconsideration of fieldwork within an ongoing doctoral project in the Indian Himalayas. In response to a context of social unrest, the research shifted from pr

24APR2026 The Department is proud to announce the grand opening ceremony of its first off-campus office on April 24, 2026, a milestone event marking a significant expansion of our research infrastructure. This strategic initiative addresses the physical space constraints of the main campus while reinforcing our deep commitment to supporting a rapidly growing community of postdoctoral fellows and research postgraduate students. This new off-campus presence ensures that our res

Geography Distinguished Seminars Series Using NLP to identify urban development typologies in Chinese cities Date: 21 APR 2026 (Tuesday) Time: 10:30-12:00 (HKT) Venue: CLL, Department of Geography, 10/F, The Jockey Club Tower, Centennial Campus, HKU Mode: Hybrid Via Zoom: Zoom link will be provided upon successful registration Registration link: https://hkuems1.hku.hk/hkuems/ec_hdetail.aspx?guest=Y&ueid=106260 Abstract: This study applies natural language processing (NLP) to

Geography Distinguished Seminars Series Studies of Key Carbon Cycle Processes in Mangrove Wetland Ecosystems of Southeastern China and Their Blue Carbon Potentials Date: 10 APR 2026 (Friday) Time: 10:00-11:30 (HKT) Venue: CLL, Department of Geography, 10/F, The Jockey Club Tower, Centennial Campus, HKU Mode: Hybrid Via Zoom: https://hku.zoom.us/j/93927502505?pwd=UmpZanpqblBpMFRIQ0xxbzh2aE1xZz09 Meeting ID: 939 2750 2505 Password: 433961 Registration link: https://hkuems1.hku

Geography Distinguished Seminars Series Exploring Geographic Modeling and Simulation in the Age of Intelligence Date: 31 MAR 2026 (Tuesday) Time: 10:00-11:30 (HKT) Venue: CLL, Department of Geography, 10/F, The Jockey Club Tower, Centennial Campus, HKU Language: Putonghua Mode: Hybrid Via Zoom: Zoom link will be provided upon successful registration Registration link: https://hkuems1.hku.hk/hkuems/ec_hdetail.aspx?guest=Y&ueid=106061 Abstract: Artificial intelligence has drive

Geography Distinguished Seminars Series The Soul of Geography Date: 27 MAR 2026 (Friday) Time: 10:00-11:15 (HKT) Venue: CLL, Department of Geography, 10/F, The Jockey Club Tower, Centennial Campus, HKU Mode: Hybrid Via Zoom: Zoom link will be provided upon successful registration Registration link: https://hkuems1.hku.hk/hkuems/ec_hdetail.aspx?guest=Y&ueid=105811 Abstract: This lecture reflects on the foundational principles that define the “soul” of geography. It examines ge

Geography Distinguished Seminars Series Ignoring the Obvious: what about close-to-optimal solutions in spatial optimization? Date: 26 MAR 2026 (Thursday) Time: 10:30-11:30 (HKT) Venue: CLL, Department of Geography, 10/F, The Jockey Club Tower, Centennial Campus, HKU Mode: Hybrid Via Zoom: Zoom link will be provided upon successful registration Registration link: https://hkuems1.hku.hk/hkuems/ec_hdetail.aspx?guest=Y&ueid=105920 Abstract: In many applications of Operations Rese

HKU GEOGRAPHY: Monthly Research Talks Satellite remote sensing in support of food security Date: 25 MAR 2026 (Wednesday) Time: 16:00-16:15 (HKT) Via Zoom: https://hku.zoom.us/j/98300713382?pwd=dGdqelhpWUwyOENmTUJyalVKemtHQT09 (No registration required) Abstract: Feeding a growing population under climate and market uncertainty requires timely, reliable information on crops. This talk will show how satellite remote sensing supports crop monitoring, yield estimation, agricultur

Source: Faculty of Social Science, HKU https://youtu.be/23Ssvfg-0rw?si=xKVr0ELsIabi8wmA Delve into how the health and climate change project led by our professor from the Department of Geography identifies most vulnerable communities in China, develops an indicator system to track climate-related health impacts and informs national heatwave protection and health adaptation policies for a healthier and more resilient society. #ChinaHealthClimate #HeatwaveProtection #ClimateVul

Source: Faculty of Social Science, HKU https://youtu.be/rFW4KvDSYJU?si=oAldNX6xjh5gZLPT Learn how our professor from the Department of Geography is reshaping China’s urban greening by developing quality indicators that prioritise biodiversity and native species, guiding Guangzhou and over 200 cities to improve liveability for more than one billion residents and informing UN recommendations for sustainable cities worldwide. #SustainableCities #QualityIndicator #EcologicalResil