On the morning of March 26, 2022, the “Innovative Engineering Academic Forum” of the 22nd Anniversary Celebration Series of M.U.S.T. hosted by Macau University of Science and Technology and co-organized by Wynn Macau, was held at the Wynn Palace Hotel in Macao and broadcasted simultaneously online. Guests attending the forum included Mr. Sam Hio Tong, Head of the Division of Quality Assurance of the Education and Youth Development Bureau, Macao S.A.R.; Chair Prof. Joseph Hun-Wei Lee, President of Macau University of Science and Technology; Vice President Jiang Zhihong; Vice President Chair Prof. So, Jacky Yuk Chow; national and overseas leaders in engineering and computer science, various secondary schools, representatives of universities, research institutions, enterprises, and others. Guests jointly discussed the latest research and development trends in the fields of innovative engineering to seek industrial innovation and breakthroughs.
Screenshot of President Lee’s Speech
President Lee expressed his warm welcome to participating guests. As the first university established after Macao’s return to the Motherland, M.U.S.T. has been closely following the development needs of the country and Macao S.A.R. for many years. To meet the needs of the diversified development of innovative technology and industries in the future, it is hoped that this forum will provide a platform for academic exchanges, mutual learning, and mutual progress for experts and scholars from all over the country and even overseas, so as to jointly promote the new development of innovative engineering technology.
After the opening ceremony, Professor Zhang Du, Dean of the School of Information Technology of Macau University of Science and Technology, introduced the forum agenda that included five thematic reports made by the following speakers: Ching Wan TANG, the first Chinese scientist to be awarded the Wolf Prize in Chemistry; Wing-Huen Ip, Academician of Taiwan Academia Sinica, Academician of the International Academy of Astronautics, Honorary Doctor of Macau University of Science and Technology, and famous Chinese astronomer; Tang Hongwu, Academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, Secretary of the Party Committee of Hohai University, Pingyuan Hydrodynamics and an expert in the field of science, and river and lake management engineering; Tong ZHANG, chair professor of environmental engineering, Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, The University of Hong Kong; and Kang Zhang, professor of computational media and arts at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (Guangzhou), and honorary professor of computer science at the University of Texas in Dallas.
Screenshot of Prof. Ching Wan TANG
Academician Prof. Ching Wan TANG gave a keynote speech on "The Tao (道) of Invention". He pointed out that innovation is the core of China’s modernization, an important force to promote the development of the country and the nation, and an important force to promote the progress of human society. The national "14th Five-Year Plan" and the 2035 long-term goal outline certified the goal to improve the national innovation system to accelerate the construction of the country into a scientific and technological power. Therefore, it is of great significance and value to promote the development of innovative engineering technology and the construction of innovative projects. At the end of the speech, Academician TANG expressed his appreciation to M.U.S.T. for seizing the development opportunity of the Hengqin Guangdong-Macao Deep Cooperation Zone, establishing M.U.S.T. Zhuhai Science and Technology Research Institute, and taking substantial actions to participate in the technological innovation and cooperation in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.
Screenshot of Academician Wing-Huen Ip's Online Speech
Academician Wing-Huen Ip opened the keynote speech titled "From the Drake Equation to the Greater Bay Area" with the Drake Equation used to speculate "the number of alien intelligent civilizations that can be in contact with us in the Milky Way". Academician Ip first talked about the unprecedented impact of climate change on a global scale, and further pointed out that the rise of sea level posed a threat to the coastal areas of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. Finally, he discussed how Macao plays a key role under the influence of climate change to reduce the threats facing Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macao and hence the coastal areas of the Greater Bay Area.
Screenshot of Academician Tang Hongwu's Online Speech
With the title "River Network Hydrodynamic System and Safety", Academician Tang Hongwu first introduced the strategic significance of the river network area and the challenges encountered by water safety and then gave innovative ideas and methods for the unified management of the network. Constructive opinions on the water security of the Pearl River Delta river network in the Greater Bay Area brought his speech to a close.
Screenshot of Chair Professor Tong ZHANG's Online Speech
Professor Zhang Tong started with the microbiome and antibiotics and pointed out that the development of antibiotics is one of the most important scientific and technological discoveries of mankind. However, he alerted that the overuse of antibiotics will have a serious impact on the ecological environment; and in the current field of environmental microbiome, the "environmental dimension of antibiotic resistance" has become an important research direction. At the same time, Professor Zhang Tong shared the application of metagenomic methods in "activated sludge microbiome" and "antibiotic resistance genes". He pointed out that in the survival and development of human beings good use of antibiotics is vital, as well as respect and kindness to other living and non-living things, most importantly to ecosystems so that the sustainable development of human society can be achieved.
Screenshot of Professor Zhang Kang's Online Speech
With the title "Computational Aesthetics", Professor Zhang Kang first introduced the differences and complementary roles of "computational aesthetics" and "aesthetic computing". Later, he presented his research on the aesthetic measurement of artistic images in painting and shared with experts and scholars how to use innovative engineering techniques to generate abstract images in the styles of Kandinsky, Miro, Pollock, and Picasso. This demonstration brought the audience to a climax.
Prof. Zhang Du Presided Over the Forum
Vice President Jiang Zhihong Made a Summary and Overview
Later on, President Zhang Du had an in-depth discussion on various topics with the online guests engaging in a lively atmosphere. Lastly, Vice President Jiang Zhihong made a summary and overview of the forum. The forum was a complete success.