News & Stories

The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) announced today that a research team from its School of Engineering has developed a groundbreaking computational model to study the movement of granular materials such as soils, sands and powders. By integrating the dynamic interactions among particles, air and water phases, this state-of-the-art system can accurately predict landslides, improve irrigation and oil extraction systems, and enhance food and drug production processes.  

The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) and the Guangdong Provincial Academy of Building Research Group Co., Ltd. (GDABR) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on April 3, 2025, to jointly develop and transfer new technologies to solve problems facing the construction industry, and to gradually develop a partnership for the long term. The signing ceremony was held at HKUST’s School of Engineering. The GDABR delegation was greeted with a warm welcome from Prof. WANG Yu-Hsing, HKUST’s Acting Dean of Engineering. Before the signing ceremony, the delegation had a tour of the Geotechnical Engineering Laboratory and Structures Laboratory, as well as the Geotechnical Centrifuge Facility and Aerodynamics and Acoustics Facility at HKUST.

Tropical marine low clouds play a crucial role in regulating Earth’s climate. However, whether they mitigate or exacerbate global warming has long remained a mystery. Now, researchers from the School of Engineering at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) have developed a groundbreaking method that significantly improves accuracy in climate predictions. This led to a major discovery – that tropical cloud feedback may have amplified the greenhouse effect by a staggering 71% more than previously known to scientists. The effects of tropical low clouds are difficult to investigate because they are influenced by a variety of factors. Commonly used low cloud controlling factors often struggle to separate the influence of local sea surface temperatures (SSTs) from that of temperatures in the free troposphere – the lowest layer of Earth’s atmosphere, casting uncertainty in projections.

The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) and Taiping Reinsurance Co., Ltd. (TPRe) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on March 4, 2025, to jointly develop and transfer new technologies to solve problems faced by the insurance industry and to gradually establish a long-term partnership. The signing ceremony was held at the China Taiping Finance Center. Prof. GUO Yike, HKUST Provost, and Mr. ZHAO Feng, Deputy General Manager of China Taiping Insurance Group Company Limited (China Taiping), witnessed the ceremony. Prof. ZHANG Limin, Head of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at HKUST, and Mr. YU Xiaodong, Chief Executive Officer of TPRe, signed the MoU on behalf of the two parties. Mr. Stephen WAI, Director of Business Development at the Logistics and Supply Chain MultiTech R&D Center (LSCM), and Dr. David LIU, Chief Executive Officer and Vice Chairman of Stellerus Tech, also attended the ceremony.

The United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs has predicted that by 2050, over 68% of the global population will reside in cities. This massive projected urban population (6.5+ billion) will no doubt put a great deal of strain on infrastructure, resources and the world’s ecosystems, but, from an engineering standpoint, such large-scale urbanization also presents tremendous opportunities for technological, human as well as other societal and economic development.

The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) and The Civil Engineering and Development Department (CEDD) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) today (February 28) to set out the framework of collaboration on research studies related to sustainable infrastructure development and land formation.          The MoU was signed by the Vice-President for Research and Development of HKUST, Prof. Tim CHENG, and the Director of Civil Engineering and Development, Mr. Michael FONG, and witnessed by the President of HKUST, Prof. Nancy IP, and the Permanent Secretary for Development (Works), Mr. Ricky LAU. The MoU, effective from March 1 for a duration of two years, will cover research areas in novel construction materials, innovative landslide mitigation strategies, digitalization, Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology, as well as innovative engineering and sustainable solutions. 

A recent study by the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) has revealed a startling public health threat: About 17 million people are at risk of gastrointestinal problems due to excessive sulfate levels in groundwater. This alarming finding emerged from the world’s first high-resolution global groundwater sulfate distribution map, launched by the university’s School of Engineering.