PAIR Distinguished Lecture Series

Geospatial data finds applications in a wide array of fields, including urban planning, environmental management, disaster response, and transportation, leveraging spatial patterns to support decision-making in various sectors. Nevertheless, errors, imprecision, and complexities in datasets containing information about space and/or time can undermine the quality and reliability of spatial data and analyses. This issue of uncertainty in geospatial science (GIS) is expected to intensify as AI-driven geospatial applications become increasingly widespread, according to Prof. Michael GOODCHILD, Distinguished Professor Emeritus in the Department of Geography, University of California, Santa Barbara, USA.

On 1 August 2025 (Friday), Prof. Goodchild gave the 42nd PAIR Distinguished Lecture on the topic of “Geospatial Futures”. Joined by 76 in-person participants and an online audience of 15,310, the Lecture reviewed the key developments and legacy practices in the evolution of GIS, revealing the forthcoming directions and future prospects in the field. In the Lecture, Prof. Goodchild briefly introduced the history of GIS, discussing how innovations in areas including measurements, naming conventions, computing, global positioning system (GPS) and locating-measuring technologies have combined to propel the development of GIS.

According to Prof. Goodchild, the explosion of data and diffusion of advanced technologies, including machine learning, generative AI and digital twins in the modern era, would present multiple new technical problems to GIScience, including geographic bias, transparency of machine learning, environmental cost, and uncertainty in predictions, challenging the fitness-for-use of geographic systems built. In the Lecture, he emphasised a new direction for GIS: the achievement of more powerful and cheaper computation for finer-resolution data, better models, machine learning and 3D photorealism. In illustrating the importance of computational breakthroughs for GIS, he shared several compelling examples of digital twin models that give virtual representations of physical landscapes such as volcanoes, coastal regions and urban environments. In closing his presentation, Prof. Goodchild drew attention to the ethics of GIS, remarking that “while software developers are maximising the use of general-purpose GIS packages, the public should exercise responsibility in using the software appropriately and repurposing it.”

Prof. Goodchild is a Senior Fellow at PAIR, and Chairman of the International Advisory Committee of the Otto Poon Charitable Foundation Smart Cities Research Institute (SCRI).

Event date: 1/8/2025
Speaker: Prof. Michael GOODCHILD
Hosted by: PolyU Academy for Interdisciplinary Research

Catalysis can accelerate chemical reactions and plays a key role in producing cleaner and more economical fuels. On 17 September 2025, Prof. WANG Yong from Washington State University, USA, delivered a PAIR Distinguished Lecture titled “Catalysis: Driving Affordable Clean Energy”. He shared insights into the potential of advanced catalytic technologies in revolutionising fuel production and reducing emissions. The lecture attracted over 120 in-person attendees, with more than 17,900 online viewers tuning in via various social media platforms. At the beginning of his talk, Prof. Wang explained the definition of catalysis: the use of catalysts to lower the activation energy required to initiate a chemical reaction, thereby enabling reactions to proceed more rapidly and efficiently with minimal energy input. An excellent catalyst must possess high stability to effectively facilitate the interactions among reactants to form products.

Prof. Wang then introduced his team’s research achievements in the field of the Fischer-Tropsch process. They discovered that this process, developed in the last century, can convert coal, natural gas or biomass into liquid fuels, and that its reaction rate naturally fluctuates between high and low levels. This intriguing phenomenon may pave the way for more efficient fuel production in the future.

Prof. Wang also discussed how catalytic converters in vehicle exhaust systems use metals such as platinum, palladium, and rhodium to purify emissions and reduce pollutants. He pointed out that hydrothermal ageing techniques can be used to stabilise single-atom catalysts and enhance their catalytic activity.

In summary, these studies demonstrate the immense potential of advanced catalytic technologies in revolutionising fuel production and emissions control, laying the foundation for cleaner and more efficient energy systems.

The subsequent question-and-answer session was chaired by Prof. WANG Lianzhou, Chair Professor of Energy Materials in the Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology. Both in-person and online audiences engaged in fruitful exchanges and discussions with the two professors.

Event date: 17/9/2025
Speaker: Prof. WANG Yong
Hosted by: PolyU Academy for Interdisciplinary Research

Metamorphosis is an innate natural attribute in the evolution and survival of species. The development of shape-shifting robots is a core area within the field of intelligent structures. By integrating computational intelligence, there is hope for achieving true embodied intelligence in today’s rapidly advancing world of artificial intelligence.

Prof. DAI Jiansheng, Chair Professor at King’s College London, United Kingdom, Dean of Institute of Robotics, South University of Science and Technology (SUSTech), China and Chair Professor at SUSTech–KCL Joint School, shared the latest developments in robotics at the PAIR Distinguished Lecture titled “Embedded Intelligence in Robotics” on 15 September 2025. The lecture attracted over 140 in-person participants and an online audience of more than 14,900 via various social media platforms.

At the beginning of his presentation, Prof. Dai introduced how his team has eliminated the need for adding components or dismantling structures, instead directly incorporating metamorphosis into robot design. This has led to a disruptive transformation in robotic structures, fundamentally altering traditional design approaches. Drawing inspiration from biological metamorphosis in nature and the art of origami, and combining geometry, mechanics, mathematics and kinematics, he explained how the design of shape-shifting robots is evolving towards multi-modal, multi-structural, multi-topological, and multi-degree-of-freedom structures. This is to keep pace with the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence and to enhance robots’ adaptability to their operating environments and challenging tasks.

Prof. Dai pointed out that metamorphosis has expanded the possibilities for robotic structural design, leading to innovative metamorphic outcomes such as novel legged robots, dexterous hands, solar arrays, metamaterials and flexible electronics. He further noted that today’s robots combine both rigid and flexible characteristics, offering compliance and safety, and are distinguished by elastic mechanism dynamics, novel variable-stiffness mechanisms and highly integrated perception-driven systems. In the future, robots will focus on morphological innovation and intrinsic safety, incorporating new materials, soft or continuum structures, metamorphic and biomimetic features. This signals that, over the next decade, robotics will move into a new technological era characterised by bio-integration, living entities, high-performance living systems and hybrid life systems. In summary, the key to the future development of robotics lies in continuous transformation and innovation.

Following the presentation was a lively question-and-answer session moderated by Prof. ZHANG Dan, Chair Professor of Intelligent Robotics and Automation in the Department of Mechanical Engineering. The audience engaged in a productive discussion with Prof. Dai.

Event date: 15/9/2025
Speaker: Prof. DAI Jiansheng
Hosted by: PolyU Academy for Interdisciplinary

Prof. Gao began his presentation with a brief outline of important role that mechanics plays in the development of structural and functional materials, enlightening the audience on the recent advances in nanostructured materials, biomedical materials, mechanical metamaterials, soft actuators, flexible electronics, tunable mechanochromics, regenerative mechanomedicine and many more.
He further illustrated how fundamental principles of mechanics enable the proactive modulation and programming of properties in both engineering and biological systems. Through case studies, Prof. Gao highlighted the breakthroughs in mechano-energy, mechano-interfaces, and mechano-materials, demonstrating their transformative potential.

Event date: 13/06/2025
Speaker: Prof. GAO Huajian
Hosted by: PolyU Academy for Interdisciplinary Research

Lu began his presentation with a brief outline of the role of functional nanomaterials in addressing global challenges and advancing green hydrogen technologies. He highlighted the critical importance of electrodes, membranes, catalysts and photocatalysts in enhancing the efficiency and scalability of electrolysis and photocatalysis systems, as well as the significance of solid-state storage materials in overcoming challenges related to hydrogen storage and distribution, noting that some low-pressure solutions are already in use.
Still, Prof. Lu emphasised that further technological innovations are needed to reduce costs and enhance performance. He explained that green hydrogen is a valuable energy carrier; it can not only contribute to decarbonisation in the power sector, but also act as zero-emission fuel for sea, land and air freight, which is crucial for the achievement of a net-zero future by 2050. In conclusion, Prof. Lu called on the academic community to accelerate the commercialisation of new materials for the construction of cost-effective hydrogen infrastructure, and urged researchers to bridge the gap between technology R&D and practical applications.

Event date: 20/05/2025
Speaker: Prof. G.Q. Max LU
Hosted by: PolyU Academy for Interdisciplinary Research

Prof. Alvarez discussed the emerging opportunities that nanotechnology offers to revolutionise water treatment systems. He explained how it can improve pollutant-removal efficiency, reduce energy consumption, and enable cost-effective decentralised solutions. Illustrative examples included: Electrosorption using highly conductive and selective electrodes to remove multivalent ions that can cause scaling.
Solar-thermal processes, enabled by nanophotonics, to desalinate with membrane distillation.
Disinfection and advanced oxidation using nanocatalysts.
Electrocatalytic degradation of recalcitrant organic pollutants of emerging concern.
In conclusion, Prof. Alvarez affirmed that nanotechnology holds significant promise for advancing sustainable resources management, enabling safe and low-energy water treatment and reuse. He envisioned that high-performance modular systems that would deliver multifunctional solutions with minimal infrastructure requirements.

Event date: 06/05/2025
Speaker: Prof. Pedro ALVAREZ
Hosted by: PolyU Academy for Interdisciplinary Research

Prof. SO Kwok-fai, Director of GHM Institute of CNS Regeneration at Jinan University, Guangzhou, China, delivered the 37th PAIR Distinguished Lecture titled “Mental Health and Lifestyle Intervention” on 17 April 2025 on the PolyU campus. The lecture attracted about 100 participants to join in person and captivated an online audience of over 13,300 from different countries and regions who watched the live broadcast on multiple social media platforms, including Bilibili, WeChat, Weibo and YouTube.

The lecture commenced with a warm welcome by Prof. ZHANG Weixiong, Associate Director of PAIR, followed by an introduction of the speaker by Prof. WONG Kwok-yin, Vice President (Education). Prof. So kickstarted his presentation by emphasising the importance of disease prevention in safeguarding human health. He highlighted that rapid economic development, an increasingly fast-paced lifestyle, heightened social competition and other factors have contributed to a rise in mental health challenges, chronic conditions, sub-health syndromes and aging-related diseases.

Prof. So elaborated on several neuropathological mechanisms, such as monoamine neurotransmitters, neural circuits, and neuroglial cells. In addition to these central factors, he also discussed how circulating hormones, including glucocorticoids, profoundly influence mental functions, suggesting the interplay between peripheral tissues and central nervous system nuclei.

Additionally, he highlighted the antidepressant effects of light therapy, underscoring the role of the nucleus reuniens in mediating the spatial memory-enhancing outcomes of such treatment. Furthermore, Prof. So presented evidence that taking glucagon-like peptides can alleviate symptoms of depression and reduce the side effects of traditional treatments on the body.

Last but not least, Prof. So underscored the need for healthcare focus to shift from curative to preventive medicine, advocating lifestyle strategies such as regular exercise, light therapy and using supplements derived from goji glycopeptide as effective preventive measures.
The event concluded with a dynamic question-and-answer session moderated by Prof. Sylvia CHEN, Interim Director of Mental Health Research Centre (MHRC) and Associate Dean of Faculty of Health and Social Sciences (FHSS), where attendees engaged in in-depth discussions with Prof. So.