The 12th World Sustainability Forum
Innovative Pathways for Sustainable, Resilient Cities and a Greener Planet
the chairs
Building on the success of previous editions, we are delighted to announce that the 12th World Sustainability Forum (WSF-12) will be held in Hong Kong from 21–24 August 2026. In a time of rapid climate change, increasingly frequent extreme weather events, and growing resource constraints, the need for integrated, scalable solutions has never been greater.
WSF-12 will bring together global leaders, researchers and innovators to bridge science, policy, and society, fostering integrated solutions and collaborative partnerships that accelerate the transition from vision to action for a resilient and sustainable future. The forum will highlight the critical role of innovation and cross-sector partnerships in accelerating this transition.
This year’s forum will focus on seven key themes:
• Smart and Inclusive Urban Planning, and the Urban Sustainability Nexus (refers to the intersection of urban planning, resource management, and social well-being);
• The Circular Economy–Resource Efficiency Nexus;
• Waste Management, Renewable Energy Integration and Grid Modernization;
• Climate Adaptation and Ecological Conservation;
• Sustainable Transportation and Low-Carbon Mobility;
• Policy Frameworks for Equitable Green Transitions;
• Tourism, Culture, Heritage and Hospitality.
WSF-12 aims to bridge scientific research, societal needs, and policy implementation. We especially encourage contributions that integrate technological advancements with socio-economic perspectives to address the complex challenges of sustainability in a changing world.
We look forward to welcoming you to Hong Kong in 2026 to share your expertise, explore new collaborations, and contribute to a sustainable future.
Conference Chairs
Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Hong Kong, China
Meet the Event Chairs
Important Dates
- Abstract submission deadlineMay 29, 2026
- Abstract acceptance notificationJun 16, 2026
- Early bird registration deadlineJul 10, 2026
- Regular registration deadlineAug 21, 2026
Meet Our Speakers
Prof. Dr. Mark A. Bonn
Florida State University, Tallahassee, USA;
Mark A. Bonn, Ph.D., is known internationally as one of the most renowned hospitality and tourism researchers, having published well over 125 scientific, scholarly academic journal articles. For over three decades, Dr. Bonn was a faculty member at Florida State University's Dedman School of Hospitality & Tourism Management, where he held the title of the Robert H. Dedman Professor of Services Management.
Dr. Bonn established and directed Florida State University’s International Center for Hospitality Research & Development. As director, he produced over 500 technical reports and generated nearly $2.5 million in funded contracts and grants. Dr. Bonn developed the Dedman School’s highly successful on-line program in Beverage Management and also founded the Resort & Vacation Rental Management program.
Dr. Bonn is currently serving a Section Editor-in-Chief for the academic journal, Sustainability: Tourism, Culture and Heritage. He also has served as an associate editor for the Cornell Hospitality Quarterly, and as a member of numerous editorial boards for leading hospitality and tourism journals.
Dr. Bonn earned his doctorate at Texas A&M University, majoring in resource development with supporting areas of study in organizational behavior, attitude theory and measurement and demographics. His research focuses on hospitality and tourism sustainability, visitor perceptions, satisfaction, revisit intentions, resource quality, supply chain management, strategic market segmentation, and consumer behavior.
In 2008, Dr. Bonn was inducted into the Florida Tourism Hall of Fame by the Florida Commission on Tourism. He is the only academic researcher to have ever received this honor.
Prof. Dr. Jianming Cai
Institute of Geographic Science and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China;
Dr. Jianming CAI is a full professor at the Beijing Institute of Geographical Sciences and Natural Resources Research (IGSNRR), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), and got his Ph.D. from the University of Hong Kong. He is author and co-author of more than twenty books in Chinese and in English, including Towards Socially Integrative Cities--Perspectives on Urban Sustainability in Europe and China. He has published more than 180 papers so far in academic journals since 1990, both in Chinese and English, as well as many consultant reports, including the reports for World Bank, ADB, Lincoln Institute and Shui On Land. He frequently serves as a senior consultant or expert on urbanization, regional development, urban agriculture and food security issues to both international agencies such as the World Bank, ADB, AIIB, Lincoln Institute and Chinese Government Ministries such as the National Development and Reform Commission, the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Construction and the Ministry of Civil Affairs, local governments and private sector. His current research focuses on sustainable urban development and spatial restructuring of China’s large cities with an emphasis on peri-urban development dynamics and metropolitan governance, as well as urban agriculture，agro-tourism and rural revitalization.
Prof. Dr. Andrea Capodaglio
University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy;
Professor at the University of Pavia (Italy), worked for 8 years in the USA, while earning a PhD in Environmental Engineering, and held numerous international academic and non-academic appointments, receiving important recognitions, including nomination as IWA Fellow and AAEES Board Certified Environmental Engineer (BCEE) by Eminence. He serves on numerous Editorial Boards of international indexed journals and acts as expert evaluator for many international agencies. Ranking in the top 10,000 researchers (all fields) and 43rd in the Environmental Engineering subfield according to the "Stanford Ranking" of the top 2% global researchers.
Assoc. Prof. Janet K.Y. Chan
The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China;
Prof. Janet Kit Yan Chan is Associate Professor of Teaching at the University of Hong Kong (HKU), Chief Program Leader of the inter-institutional University Climate Ambassador Program (UNICAP), and Program Leader of the HKU Climate Ambassador and ESG Podcast initiatives. A Senior Fellow of Advance HE and a Professional Member of the Hong Kong Institute of Qualified Environmental Professionals, Prof. Chan's research focuses on sustainability education, the Students as Partners model, and bridging the knowledge-action gap in climate action. Her work has been recognized with the Advanced Materials Innovation Award, the HKU Outstanding Teaching Award, and finalist nominations for the QS Reimagine Education Award, Green Gown Awards, PIEoneer Awards, and the Universitas 21 Climate Action Award. She serves as a panel member for the Research Assessment Exercise (RAE) 2026 and advises HKSAR government bodies on environmental policy.
Prof. Dr. Zongshi Chen
Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China;
Zongshi Chen, Professor in sociology of Zhejiang University, Director of sociological research institute. He obtained his Ph.D from sociology of UC Berkeley. His research interests include economic sociology, organization, and environmental sociology, and his current research focuses on corporate social responsibility, organization, institution and environment. His papers appeared in SSCI journals such as Chinese Sociological Review, Asian Business and Management and top Chinese sociological journals. He has published a book The revival, legitimization and development of private enterprise in China: Empowering state capitalism at Palgrave MacMillan.
Prof. Anthony Cheung
1. GHG Protocol Independent Standards Board Member 2. The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China;
Prof. Dr. Jianheng Chen
China University of Petroleum (East China), Qingdao, China;
Prof. Jianheng Chen is a Professor at China University of Petroleum (East China). He earned his Ph.D. from The Hong Kong Polytechnic University in 2021, followed by postdoctoral research at both The Hong Kong Polytechnic University and City University of Hong Kong. His research primarily centers on radiative sky cooling technologies and low-energy technologies in support of carbon neutrality. He has published over 40 SCI-indexed journal papers and received several prestigious honors, including the ASET International Best Paper Award, ESI Highly Cited Paper Award and World's Top 2% Scientists.
Assoc. Prof. Giovanni De Feo
University of Salerno, Fisciano, Italy;
Giovanni De Feo is Associate Professor of Environmental and Sanitary Engineering at the University of Salerno (Italy), where he teaches Industrial Ecology in Chemical and Management Engineering programmes. His research focuses on waste management, circular economy, life cycle assessment, water and wastewater systems, and sustainability assessment. He is a member of the PhD Board in Innovative Engineering Technologies for Industrial Sustainability and represents the University of Salerno in national sustainability networks (RUS). He is author of over 230 scientific publications and is the creator of Greenopoli, an internationally recognised environmental education and science communication project.
Prof. Dr. Erfu Dai
Institute of Geographic Science and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China;
Erfu Dai is a Professor and PhD Supervisor at the Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing, China. He received his PhD in Physical Geography from Peking University in 2002.
He currently serves as Director of the Lhasa Plateau Ecological Comprehensive Experimental Station and Director of the Plateau Ecology Research Center at IGSNRR, CAS. He also holds several academic service roles, including Chair of the Youth Working Committee of the Geographical Society of China and Vice Chair of multiple professional committees in the fields of natural resources, disaster reduction, and ecosystem services.
Prof. Dai’s research focuses on natural hazards, land system modeling, ecosystem services, and integrated physical geography. He has led over 40 national and institutional research projects, including key national R&D programs on climate extreme risk assessment. He has published more than 160 peer-reviewed papers, co-authored 11 books, and holds five software copyrights.
Assoc. Prof. Chuanshuai Dong
South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, China;
Dr. Chuanshuai Dong conducts research primarily on membrane-based heat and mass transfer mechanisms and phase‑change energy storage. In recent years, he has published more than 70 SCI papers in leading journals such as Advanced Functional Materials, Carbon Energy, Physics of Fluids, Chemical Engineering Journal, Chemical Engineering Science, International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer, and Applied Energy, including over 50 papers in top CAS‑ranked journals. He has led more than 10 national and provincial research projects, including the National Natural Science Foundation of China (General Program and Young Scientists Program) and the Guangdong Outstanding Young Scholar and General Program grants.
He has been selected for Guangdong’s “Pearl River Talent Plan” (Overseas Young Talent Program) and the China Association for Science and Technology’s “Young Elite Scientists Sponsorship Program.” He also serves as Assistant Editor of the international journal Experimental and Computational Multiphase Flow and as a committee member of the Thermal Physical Properties Division of the China Metrology and Testing Society.
Prof. Dr. Yu Hao
Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing, China;
Prof. Dr. Yu Hao is a full professor of Applied Economics at Beijing Institute of Technology (BIT), China. He obtained his PhD in Economics from the University of Hamburg in 2012 and currently serves as director of the Department of Applied Economics and PhD supervisor. His research focuses on macroeconomics, energy economics, and environmental policy.
He is a Clarivate Highly Cited Researcher (2022) and an Elsevier China Highly Cited Researcher (2020–2024), and was listed among the world’s Top 2% scientists (2023). He has published over 100 academic papers in leading journals such as Energy Economics, Ecological Economics, and Energy Policy, with 196 SCI/SSCI papers as first/corresponding author, including 54 ESI highly cited papers and 24 hot papers.
Prof. Hao has reviewed for journals including Energy Economics and Ecological Economics, and teaches courses such as Advanced Macroeconomics and Applied Statistics. He has received multiple research grants, including a Major Program of the National Social Science Fund of China and a Sino-German NSFC project, and was awarded the Fok Yingdong Young Scholars Award in 2017.
Prof. Dr. Ç.iğdem Coşkun Hepcan
Ege University, Izmir, Turkiye;
Çiğdem Coşkun Hepcan is a Professor of Landscape Architecture at Ege University, Türkiye. She received her Ph.D. in 2008, became Associate Professor in 2013, and Full Professor in 2022. Her research focuses on ecosystem services, blue–green infrastructure, nature-based solutions, and climate change adaptation. She has been a visiting scholar at Wageningen University, Arizona State University, and the University of Oregon. She has coordinated and contributed to numerous national and international projects supported by the EU, UNDP, and IUCN. She also serves as a Nature-Based Solutions Expert for UNDP and is a board member of SURE, PAD/IALE_TR. Her work emphasizes interdisciplinary approaches to climate resilience, sustainable urban systems, biodiversity and nature-based solutions, integrating science, policy, and practice.
Prof. Dr. Wu-Yuin Hwang
National Central University, Taiwan, China;
Dr. Wu-Yuin Hwang is a Distinguished Professor at the Institute of Network Learning Technology, National Central University, Taiwan (since 2010), China and currently serves as Dean of the Faculty of Science and Engineering at National Dong‑Hwa University (2023–2026). His research focuses on AI‑supported learning, text recognition technologies, smart learning in authentic contexts, and multimedia human–computer interaction.
He has been listed among Stanford/Elsevier’s Top 2% Scientists in education and educational research (2023–2024). In the field of technology‑enhanced language learning, the Journal of Computer Assisted Language Learning ranked him No. 1 globally for publication impact (2008–2019). He was also ranked among the world’s top 7 scholars in instructional design and technology based on publication performance across 65 SSCI journals (2007–2017).
Dr. Hwang has published around 150 SSCI/SCI journal papers in educational technology. His research excellence has been recognized with the Ta‑You Wu Memorial Award (2005) and the Outstanding Research Award from Taiwan’s Ministry of Science and Technology (2021).
Prof. Dr. Amir H. Gandomi
University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, Australia;
Amir H. Gandomi is a Professor of Data Science at the University of Technology Sydney. He is also affiliated with Obuda University, Budapest, as a Distinguished Professor. Prior to joining UTS, Prof. Gandomi was an Assistant Professor at the Stevens Institute of Technology and a distinguished research fellow at BEACON Center, Michigan State University. Prof. Gandomi has published over five hundred journal papers and 14 books, which have collectively been cited 80,000+ times (H-index=120+). He has received the Highly Cited Researcher award from the Web of Science for six years, and in a recent study at Stanford University, released by Elsevier, Prof Amir H Gandomi is ranked the 29th most impactful researcher in the AI and Image Processing subfield in 2024! He has received multiple prestigious awards for his research excellence and impact, such as the 2025 IEEE HITC Award for Excellence in Hyper-Intelligence (MCR), 2025 Sigma Xi Young Investigator Award, the 2024 IEEE TCSC Award for Excellence in Scalable Computing (MCR), the 2023 Achenbach Medal, and the 2022 Walter L. Huber Prize, the highest-level mid-career research award in all areas of civil engineering.
Asst. Prof. Quan Gong
The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China;
Dr. GONG Quan is a Research Assistant Professor in the Department of Building Environment and Energy Engineering at PolyU, and a co-founder of iEnergyX Ltd. He received his Ph.D. from PolyU in 2024. His research focuses on developing spectrally engineered technologies for steering solar photons and thermal radiation, and promoting their integration into sustainable urban energy systems, with the goal of transforming buildings from energy consumers into energy harvesters.
Assoc. Prof. Ye Guo
Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China;
GUO Ye received his B.E. and Ph.D. degrees from Tsinghua University. He worked as a Postdoc at Cornell University from 2014 to 2018, an Assistant (2018) and Associate Professor (2021) at Tsinghua-Berkeley Shenzhen Institute, and joined the Hong Kong PolyU in 2025. His research is on the building-grid energy ecosystem. He has published over 100 research papers in prestigious journals and conferences on energy systems. He received the IEEE PESGM Best Paper Award four times in three years in a row (2019-21). He was selected by the National Young Talent Program and secured two consecutive NSFC standard grants.
Prof. Dr. Jun Hou
Hohai University, Nanjing, China;
"Prof. Jun Hou is a professor and doctoral supervisor, selected for the national high‑level talent program. He is a recipient of the National Science Fund for Excellent Young Scholars and the Jiangsu Province Distinguished Young Scholar Fund, and is also a Jiangsu Distinguished Professor. He was selected for the first cohort of the Young Talent Support Program jointly organized by the China Association for Science and Technology and the China Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower Research. For consecutive years, he has been listed among the world’s top 2% scientists in both the “Lifetime Scientific Influence” and “Annual Influence” rankings published by Stanford University, as well as among the “Top 100,000 Scientists Worldwide” by the Global Scholars Database.
His research focuses on river and lake water quality improvement and ecological restoration, eco‑friendly environmental functional materials and pollution control technologies, and the environmental behavior and risk management of emerging contaminants in aquatic systems. In recent years, he has led more than 30 research projects, including one NSFC Regional Joint Key Project, one Excellent Young Scholars project, three General Program projects, one Young Scientists project, one national key R&D program sub‑project, and one Jiangsu Distinguished Young Scholar Fund project.
He has published over 100 SCI‑indexed papers as first or corresponding author and holds more than 60 authorized national invention patents. He has received numerous prestigious awards, including the National Science and Technology Progress Award (First Class), the National Technological Invention Award (Second Class), the National Science and Technology Progress Award (Second Class), the Agricultural Water Conservation Award, the First Class Award in Natural Science by the Ministry of Education, and the First Class Award in Technological Invention by the Ministry of Education."
Prof. Dr. Hui Hu
Wuhan University, Wuhan, China;
Dr. Hui Hu is a Full Professor and the Deputy Director of the Department of Economics at Wuhan University. He has published over 50 articles in peer-reviewed journals, including the China Economic Review, Journal of Business Research, Journal of Business Economics & Management, Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, Applied Economics, Technological Forecasting & Social Change, Environment Development and Sustainability, Ecological Indicators, Journal of Cleaner Production, Emerging Markets Finance & Trade, and Social Indicators Research.
Prof. Dr. Wei Huang
Tongji University, Shanghai, China;
Dr. Wei Huang is Professor at the College of Surveying and Geo-Informatics, Tongji University. He is Chair of ISPRS WG IV/6 and Associate Editor of the ISPRS International Journal of Geo-Information. Before joining in Tongji, he worked at Heidelberg University, Germany, and the Ontario Ministry of Transportation, Canada. His research interests include urban spatiotemporal intelligence and human behavior pattern analysis.
Prof. Dr. Bin Jiang
The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (Guangzhou), Guangzhou, China;
Dr. Bin Jiang is Professor at The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (Guangzhou) [HKUST(GZ)], with dual appointments in Urban Governance and Design, and Computational Media and Arts. He is the founder and director of LivableCityLAB and serves as Acting Master of Residential College 1. He also chairs the International Cartographic Association Commission on Digital Transformation and sits on editorial boards including Computational Urban Science. His research bridges urban informatics, complexity science, and architectural and urban design, advancing living structure theory as a foundation for more sustainable and human-centered cities. He has pioneered quantitative metrics such as the L-score (Living Structure Score) and B-score (Beauty Score), operationalized through the Beautimeter, to scientifically evaluate structural beauty and aliveness in architecture and urban space. These innovations highlight the value of crossdisciplinary approaches that connect spatial analysis, digital technology, and aesthetic theory. Dr. Jiang has held academic roles across Europe and Asia and advises organizations such as Beijing City Lab and the International Society of Biourbanism. His work continues to integrate theory, technology, and design practice to advance the creation of adaptive, livable cities.
Dr. Leonard A. Jackson
Kennesaw State University, Kennesaw, USA;
Dr. Jackson is founding Director of the Hospitality Management program in Kennesaw State University’s Coles College of Business. With over 30 years of corporate and academic experience, he has held senior finance and accounting roles with Hyatt Hotels Corporation and Fairmont Hotels & Resorts, and faculty leadership positions at major universities. His expertise includes community-based entrepreneurship development, ESG, hospitality finance, real estate investment, asset management, revenue management, and feasibility analysis. He holds a Ph.D. from Oklahoma State University, multiple graduate degrees, postdoctoral studies, and certifications from Harvard, Columbia, MIT, Cornell, and AHLEI. Dr. Jackson has published extensively, earned research and teaching awards, and consulted globally.
Asst. Prof. Katrina Knauer
University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, USA; National Laboratory of the Rockies (NLR), Golden, USA;
The MDPI Sustainability Foundation proudly recognizes Dr. Katrina (Kat) Knauer as the 2026 Emerging Sustainability Leader Award (ESLA) Winner for her visionary leadership in advancing circular plastics and sustainable materials innovation. Dr. Knauer earned her B.S. in Chemical Engineering from Florida State University and her Ph.D. in Polymer Science and Engineering from the University of Southern Mississippi. She has held leadership roles across industry and national research, including BASF, Novoloop Inc., and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), where she serves as Chief Technology Officer of the BOTTLE™ Consortium. She is also an Assistant Adjoint Professor and RASEI Fellow at the University of Colorado Boulder. Her work integrates polymer science, engineering, and systems analysis to redesign plastics for circularity. By advancing scalable recycling technologies and circular-by-design materials, she has helped shape strategies that keep plastics in continuous use and out of the environment. The 2026 ESLA recognizes her cross-sector leadership in translating advanced chemistry into practical solutions for a regenerative and economically viable circular economy.
Assoc. Prof. Daniele La Rosa
University of Catania, Catania, Italy;
Dr. La Rosa is Associate Professor of Urban and Environmental Planning at the Department Civil Engineering and Architecture of the University of Catania (Italy). He teaches spatial planning and urban design in Building Engineering MSc course at the University of Catania.
His research interests include sustainable urban planning, Ecosystem Services, GIS applications for urban and landscape planning, environmental indicators, Environmental Strategic Assessment, Land Use science and landscape studies. He is author of more than 100 publications on the above mentioned topics. He has been included in the top 2% scientists list in the years 2020-2024.
Asst. Prof. Chaosu Li
The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (Guangzhou),
Guangzhou, China;
Dr. Chaosu Li is an assistant professor in the Urban Governance and Design Thrust at Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (Guangzhou). Dr. Li received his master's degree in City and Regional Planning from Peking University and his Ph.D. in City and Regional Planning from UNC-Chapel Hill. His current research focuses on 1) how the urban built environment shapes energy consumption and climate resilience, and 2) the application of Large Language Models in urban planning. His work has been published in the Journal of the American Planning Association, Journal of Planning Education and Research, Nature Cities, among others. He currently serves on the editorial board of the Journal of the American Planning Association.
Prof. Dr. Jiang Li
Guizhou University, Guiyang, China;
"Prof. Li Jiang, Ph.D., is a Professor and Doctoral Supervisor at the College of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Guizhou University, China. He received his Ph.D. degree from Chongqing University and conducted part of his doctoral research at Delft University of Technology, Delft, the Netherlands.
His research focuses on water pollution control and resource recovery, solid waste treatment and recycling, and the control of emerging pollutants. He has led several competitive research projects, including grants funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China, and has extensive experience in research and teaching in the fields of water environmental management and pollution control engineering."
Prof. Dr. Xiaoyan Li
Tsinghua Shenzhen International Graduate School, Shenzhen, China;
Prof. Xiaoyan Li has four decades of research expertise in water pollution control and urban organic waste valorisation. He is a recipient of China's Long-term Innovation Talent Program and is ranked among Stanford University's World's Top 2% Scientists. His research primarily focuses on advanced separation technologies and resource recovery from wastes and wastewater. He has authored over 320 SCI journal publications and is an ISI top 1% highly cited author with a Google H-index of 84. He also holds more than 20 national and international patents, with four patent IPs successfully licensed for commercialization.
Assoc. Prof. Huimin Liu
Wuhan University, Wuhan, China;
Dr. Huimin Liu is an Associate Professor within the School of Urban Design at Wuhan University and a Hubei Provincial Young Talent. She works at the intersection of urban planning, geography, and remote sensing, with a particular focus on the patterns, causes, and solutions to urban climate change. She has led 10 high-level projects (notably two from the NSFC) and authored more than 40 peer-reviewed publications. She also serves as the Deputy Director of the Institute of Digital and Smart Cities at Wuhan University while also contributing as a Lead Author of China's Fifth National Assessment Report on Climate Change.
Assoc. Prof. Jia Liu
Guangzhou university, Guangzhou, China;
Jia Liu is the Associate Professor of the School of Civil Engineering and Transportation in Guangzhou University. She got her PhD from the Hong Kong Polytechnic University majoring in Building Environment and Energy Engineering. Her research focuses on the field of building integrated photovoltaic technologies and design optimization of renewable energy and storage systems for net-zero energy buildings. She is PI of research projects including national and provincial projects, and she has published over 30 SCI papers with a H-index of 21 (two highly cited papers). She was selected in World's Top 2% Scientists list both in 2024 and 2025, and she also serves as the Subject Assistant Editor and Young Editorial Board Member in the journal of Applied Energy.
Assoc. Prof. Xintao Liu
The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China;
Dr. Xintao Liu is an Associate Professor at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (HK PolyU). He received his PhD from Royal Institute of Technology (KTH), Sweden and subsequently worked as a postdoctoral fellow and part-time lecturer at Toronto Metropolitan University in Canada. His main research interests include GIScience, Spatial Intelligence, and Complexity Science. His research aims to apply modern technologies to promote smart cities and improve urban quality of life. He has led research projects funded by the NSFC, RGC (ECS, GRF, RIF), ITF, PPR, etc. He has published over 130 academic papers and received the Faculty Outstanding Research Award from HK PolyU.
Assoc. Prof. Gang Lu
Jinan University, Guangzhou, China;
Gang Lu, Associate Professor, PhD Supervisor, Assistant Dean, and Founder of the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Laboratory for New Engineering in Smart Environment at Jinan University. His research primarily focuses on advanced oxidation processes for high-concentration organic wastewater and the quantitative mechanisms of emerging contaminants toxicity. He has led 11 projects, including those funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China, published 46 SCI papers, been granted 20 invention patents, and achieved 3 technology transfers. The UV-catalytic wet oxidation processes technology he developed has been applied in over 20 engineering demonstration projects for the treatment of landfill leachate membrane concentrate, with a maximum single-day treatment capacity of 400 m³/d. This work earned him the First Prize of Guangdong Provincial Environmental Protection Science and Technology Progress Award.
Prof. Dr. Heng Luo
Central China Normal University, Wuhan, China;
Dr. Heng Luo is a Professor and Vice Dean at the Faculty of Artificial Intelligence in Education, Central China Normal University. He holds a Ph.D. from Syracuse University and previously worked at Pennsylvania State University. Dr. Luo has led major national research projects and authored over 100 publications in leading journals such as Computers & Education. He is the Program Committee Chair for CSTE 2025-2026 and has served on committees for ICBL and ICoME. His outstanding research has been recognized with prestigious awards including the AECT Design and Development Outstanding Practice Award (2019) and the AERA Outstanding International Collaborative Research Award (2022).
Prof. Dr. Mengqian Lu
The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong, China; World Sustainable Development Institute, Otto Poon Center for Climate Resilience and Sustainability, Hong Kong, China;
Prof. Mengqian Lu is Director of the Otto Poon Centre for Climate Resilience and Sustainability and the World Sustainable Development Institute at HKUST, and leads the Digital Meteorological Services Innovation Lab at the HKUST Shanghai Centre. She is Professor at HKUST with joint appointments in Civil and Environmental Engineering, Ocean Science, and Finance. She chairs the UNESCO Decade Science Program SEPRESS (2025–2032), endorsed by WMO, and is chairman of IAHR Hong Kong and the founding chair of Climate, Weather and Water Forum (CWWF). Her research integrates AI and physics-based modeling for extreme weather, compound hazards, and sustainable resource management to support climate resilience and informed decision-making across strategic industries including global maritime shipping, renewable energy, agriculture and disaster risk reduction.
Prof. Dr. Yimo Luo
Hunan University, Changsha, China;
Dr. Yimo Luo is currently a professor at the College of Civil Engineering, Hunan University. She has led over 10 research projects, including those funded by the National Natural Science Foundation and innovative initiatives under the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development. She has authored approximately 70 SCI-indexed journal papers and holds more than 10 authorized patents. Dr. Luo also serves as a young editorial board member for journals such as Energy Storage Science and Technology and Building Science. Her research focuses on innovative low-carbon building technologies, including thermal energy storage systems, building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV), and smart windows for energy efficiency.
Prof. Dr. Jinlong Ma
Tianjin University, Tianjin, China;
Jinlong Ma is a Professor at Tianjin University, China, and Vice President of APEC Sustainable Energy Center (APSEC).
At APSEC, he is responsible for advisory and research programs; one of the main research themes concerns energy transition solutions in APEC economies. Prior to the current role, Dr. Ma worked in many Asia and Pacific countries and held senior positions at renowned academic and research institutions, technical and advisory service organizations, and international energy corporations. His areas of expertise include energy system planning, renewables, power sector development, electricity market analysis, energy conservation and efficiency, urban sustainable energy, greenhouse gas inventory and emission abatement strategies.
Jinlong holds a PhD in Energy Economics from the University of Melbourne, an M.Eng. in Energy Technology and Planning from the Asian Institute of Technology, and a B.Eng. in Electric Engineering from North China University of Electric Power. He serves as a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Energy (AIE), is a member of International Association of Energy Economics (IAEE) and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE).
Assoc. Prof. Anna Mazzi
University of Padova, Padova, Italy;
Anna Mazzi is Associate Professor at the Department of Industrial Engineering, University of Padova. She’s Director of research group Sustainability Assessment and Management (SAM.lab) at the University of Padova. Master degree in Management Engineering at University of Padova, Postgraduate specialization in Environmental Management and Control at University of Trento, and PhD in Management Engineering at University of Padova, her research experience is focused on methods and metrics to quantify the sustainability and to support ecoinnovation. The research activity of Prof. Mazzi, documented by over than 50 indexed papers and more than 150 other publications is focused on environmental impact evaluation and minimization, through life cycle sustainability assessment, to support process optimization and product innovation for circular economy. Her research experience inlcudes also several European and international research projects related to the implementation of environmental assessment and management tools and standards at industrial and territorial level. Her teaching activity at University of Padova is on Environmental and Health&Safety Management System, Life Cycle Assessment and Risk Assessment.
Institutional profile: https://www.unipd.it/en/contatti/rubrica/?detail=Y&ruolo=1&checkout=cerca&persona=MAZZI&key=5C560DCE4C0DDA894684E1DAA414B6F0
Research group website: https://research.dii.unipd.it/sam/
Scholar profie: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=dgSls_4AAAAJ&hl=it
Dr. Michael West Mehaffy
1. Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Guangzhou, China 2. Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona USA;
Michael W. Mehaffy, Ph.D., is an urban researcher, educator, author, and consultant in sustainable urbanism, urban regeneration, public space, and evidence-based approaches to architecture and urban design. He has held ten academic appointments in eight countries, including at Arizona State University and the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (Guangzhou). He is Guest Editor (with Professor Bin Jiang) of the MDPI Sustainability Special Issue “Frontiers in Urban Planning, Regeneration, and Sustainable Cities.” He is President of Structura Naturalis Inc., Executive Director of the International Making Cities Livable (IMCL) conference series, and Executive Director of Sustasis Foundation in the USA.
Dr. Thandi Mgwebi
Walter Sisulu University, Mthatha, South Africa;
Dr Thandi Mgwebi is the Vice-Chancellor and Principal of Walter Sisulu University in South Africa and a distinguished leader in higher education, research strategy, and science diplomacy. With extensive executive experience at the National Research Foundation and in senior university leadership, she has championed impact-driven research, global partnerships, and equitable knowledge systems. Her work advances sustainability through transformative education, innovation ecosystems, and community-embedded development. A recipient of the 2025 Special Science Diplomacy Award, Dr Mgwebi advocates for Africa-centred solutions to global challenges, positioning universities as catalysts for just transitions, resilience, and inclusive growth in a rapidly changing world.
Assoc. Prof. Riccardo Privitera
University of Catania, Catania, Italy;
Riccardo, PRIVITERA is Associate Professor of Urban Planning at the Department of Civil Engineering and Architecture, University of Catania (Italy) where he teaches courses on Urban and Landscape Design and Spatial and Environmental Planning. He holds a PhD degree in Urban and Regional Planning, he has been visiting Researcher at the University of Sheffield (UK) and visiting Professor at the University of Alexandria (Egypt), Nirma University Ahmedabad (India), Luleå University of Technology (Sweden). His scientific interests include non-urbanised areas planning, urban green infrastructure, climate change adaptation and mitigation strategies, ecosystem services, real estate development processes and transfer of development rights.
ORCID 0000-0002-1219-512X
Dr. Jihong Pu
Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu China;
Pu Jihong is an Associate Researcher at Southwest Jiaotong University, specializing in building energy conservation technologies. He has an h-index of 15 and has published 14 SCI-indexed papers as first/corresponding author in top journals, including Advanced Science and Nano Energy. Among these, three papers have been recognized as ESI Highly Cited Papers, and one as an ESI Hot Paper.
Assoc. Prof. Elena Cristina Rada
Insubria University, Varese, Italy;
Dr. Elena Cristina Rada graduated in Environmental Engineering in 2002. Since 2005 she got three PhD titles, in Environmental Engineering, Energy Engineering and Engineering and Management. Since 2023, she got the Italian National Qualification to function as Full Professor. Member of tens of scientific committees of international conferences, she is Author of co-Author of more than 250 articles in conferences and journals indexed in the SCOPUS® database, Hindex=41. Editor of many Special Issues on International Journals. Presently she is Associate Professor in the University of Insubria, Italy. Ranked in the top 2% scientists list of the World Ranking published by Stanford University. In 2016, she received the Eminent Scientist Medal from the Wessex Institute of Technology.
Prof. Dr. Marco Ragazzi
University of Trento, Trento, Italy;
Graduated in Civil Engineering in 1988 in the Technical University of Milan he got the Noseda Award in 1988 from the same University. He got a PhD in Sanitary Engineering (1998-1991). In 2006, he received the Ambrogino d’Oro Award from the Municipality of Milan. He is Author or co-Author of more than 500 articles presented in conferences of published in journals. He was scientific secretary of many international conferences on waste and energy. Editor of many Special Issues on International Journals. Presently he is Full Professor in the University of Trento, Italy, where he is Rectoral delegate for Environmental Sustainability.
Prof. Dr. Rustam Shadiev
Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China;
Dr. Rustam Shadiev is a Professor at the College of Education, Zhejiang University, China. He is a Fellow of the British Computer Society, a Senior Member of IEEE, and a member of ACM, and was awarded the title of Distinguished Professor of Jiangsu Province in 2019. His research focuses on advanced educational technologies, language learning, and intercultural communication. He has published extensively in leading SSCI journals and has been recognized among the Most Cited Chinese Researchers in Education and the Stanford/Elsevier Top 2% Scientists. He also serves on the editorial boards of several international journals.
Dr. Roshis Krishna Shrestha
Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China;
Roshis Krishna Shrestha is a Research Assistant Professor at the School of Hotel and Tourism Management, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University. With a PhD in Business and Economics from the Australian National University (2023), he specialises in Indigenous tourism, regenerative sustainability, and cultural heritage tourism. His research has been published in top-tier journals such as Annals of Tourism Research, Tourism Management, and Journal of Sustainable Tourism.
Prof. Dr. Aldo Stroebel
University of Mpumalanga, Mbombela, South Africa;
Prof Aldo Stroebel is the Deputy Vice-Chancellor Research, Innovation and Internationalisation at the University of Mpumalanga, South Africa, and former Executive at the National Research Foundation (NRF). He is a recognised scholar in sustainable agriculture, and acknowledged as a leader in the internationalisation of Higher Education, and research and innovation management. He serves as Board Member of South Africa’s Water Research Commission, and as Co-Chairperson of the Australia-Africa Universities Network. He is a member of University South Africa’s (USAf) Research and Innovation Strategy Group (RISG), a member of iThemba LABS’s Scientific Technical Advisory Committee (STAC), and Chairperson of the Steering Committee of the National Institute for Theoretical and Computational Sciences (NITheCS). Academically, he is an Honorary Scholar at the International Institute of Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA), Austria, Foreign Fellow of the Ugandan National Academy of Science, a Senior Fellow of the Pan-African Scientific Council, and a founding member of the SA Young Academy of Science (SAYAS). Education: BSc- and Hons-degrees (University of Pretoria); Masters in International Agricultural Development (University of Ghent, Belgium); PhD in Sustainable Agriculture (Joint Programme between the University of the Free State and Cornell University, USA); Postdoctoral research (Wageningen University, The Netherlands). He is the 2022 recipient of the SARIMA Research Management Excellence Award, and the 2025 recipient of the National Department of Science, Technology and Innovation’s Science Diplomacy for Africa Award.
Prof. Dr. Huaping Sun
Shandong University of Finance and Economics, Jinan, China;
Prof. Huaping Sun focuses on research in energy economics, environmental management, and global value chains. His work systematically examines sustainability issues such as ESG and corporate innovation, as well as low‑carbon economic development. He has published extensively in leading domestic and international journals and has led multiple projects funded by the National Social Science Foundation of China and the National Natural Science Foundation of China. His research has had a significant impact in the fields of energy economics and sustainable development.
Prof. Dr. Po Keung Eric TSANG
The Education University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China;
Professor Tsang is an environmental scientist by training, specialising in the application of nanotechnology to remove pollutants from various types of environmental samples. Professor Tsang also specialises in environmental education research, particularly in the evaluation of environmental education programmes, and was one of the pioneers of the Green School initiative.
Professor Tsang is active in the community, having been appointed chairman and member of numerous high-level government committees. He also acted as a community leader in promoting green culture through his role as the chairman of Green Power, a major green NGO in Hong Kong, and served as a member of funding bodies, such as the Environment and Conservation Fund, for vetting research applications.
Assoc. Prof. Katarzyna Turoń
Silesian University of Technology, Katowice, Poland;
Katarzyna Turoń is an Associate Professor at the Faculty of Transport and Aviation Engineering, Silesian University of Technology, Poland. Her research focuses on sustainable and urban mobility, open innovation, transport regulation, and the green and digital transformation of transport. She is the creator of the CalmMobility paradigm, promoting human-centred, phased, and socially accepted mobility transitions. Recognized among Stanford University’s Top 2% most influential scientists, she has received awards including Scientist of the Future and Top 100 Women in Engineering. She has held fellowships and collaborated with leading universities, including Oxford University, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, and EFREI Paris, and currently leads a major EU-funded mobility project.
Asst. Prof. Vincent Kok Sin Woon
The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (Guangzhou), Guangzhou, China;
Woon is a researcher and educator committed to fostering transformative resilience in climate sustainability by deepening the understanding of the environment-economic-social nexus. Named a 2025 National Champion of the Frontiers Planet Prize, he has published over 100 papers, including in Science, and his work has been featured in Future Earth, The Guardian, and Anthropocene Magazine. Before entering academia, Woon led green architectural designs for townships in Malaysia and Indonesia. He is a 2021 Global Development Network Award recipient, a 2023 SUSI Scholar, the 2025 ACS Energy & Fuel Rising Star, a 2025 Top 2% Scientist by Stanford/Elsevier, and a member of the Global Young Academy. He is currently an Assistant Professor at HKUST(GZ) and an adjunct associate professor at Xiamen University Malaysia.
Assoc. Prof. Chunsheng Wu
Institute of Geographic Science and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China;
Chunsheng Wu earned his Ph.D. in Cartography and Geographical Information Systems in 2017 from the State Key Laboratory of Resources and Environmental Information System, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China. His doctoral research focused on applying GIS and remote sensing to ecological studies. In recent years, he has been dedicated to investigating the interactions between land use and ecosystem services. By refining and innovating ecological modeling processes, he has examined the mechanisms behind land use change and analyzed the spatio-temporal variations in ecosystem services, highlighting the influential roles of both natural and human factors. Grounded in social-ecosystem theory, his work further explores the practical implications of the land use–ecosystem service relationship. At this conference, he will present his findings on the interplay between human activities and ecosystem services on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.
Mr. Mouyuan Wu
Vice President, CNPC ETRI;
Vice President of CNPC Economics & Technology Research Institute (ETRI), Principal Economist and an expert on corporate strategic research. Mr. Wu served as Director of Development Strategy Division, Director of Overseas Investment Environment Division, in ETRI. He has long been engaged and experienced in strategy, policy and other research areas, including energy security & energy transition, corporate strategy and benchmarking, oil and gas mergers and acquisitions, and transnational operations.
Dr. Shanshuo Xing
China University of Petroleum (East China), Qingdao, China;
Dr. Xing holds a Ph.D. of Civil Engineering and currently works at China University of Petroleum (East China). His research focuses on building energy system optimization and smart operation, specializing in HVAC intelligent control and flexible energy utilization. He has published multiple top-tier technical papers, such as Applied Energy and Energy. He has led/participated in research projects on building intelligence, including national R&D programs and NSFC projects, and contributed to multiple group standards and standard drawings with technical achievements applied in multiple public buildings in China.
Prof. Dr. Charles Chunbao Xu
Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China;
Prof. Charles Xu, Fellow of Canadian Academy of Engineering, is currently Chair Professor of Advanced Biorefinery at School of Energy and Environment, City University of Hong Kong. He was a full professor and the NSERC/FPInnovations Industrial Research Chair in Forest Biorefinery at Western University, Canada, with over 20 years of research experience in advanced biorefinery for conversion of biomass and bioresources into bio-based chemicals/materials; resourceful utilization of organic solid waste by hydrothermal liquefaction/carbonization to produce low-carbon fuels or biofuels and bio-carbon materials; green hydrogen production, storage and applications; biomass metallurgy; clean coal technologies and air emission control. He has published 400+ refereed journal papers, having received 28,000+ total citations with an H-index of 87 to date. He is recipient of the Excellent Research Award (1999) from the Japan Energy Society, the Syncrude Canadian Innovation Award (2011) and the Industrial Design and Practice Award (2019) from the Canadian Society of Chemical Engineers, the Changjiang Scholars Chair Professorship (2020) from the Ministry of Education of China, and the 2023 Humboldt Research Award from the Humboldt Foundation, Germany.
Assoc. Prof. Fanghui Yin
Tsinghua Shenzhen International Graduate School, Shenzhen, China;
https://www.sigs.tsinghua.edu.cn/yfh_en/main.htm
Assoc. Prof. Tian You
Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China;
Tian You, Associate professor under the "Hundred Talents Program" at Shenzhen University and a doctoral supervisor, mainly focuses on research in energy geo-structures and building renewable energy technologies. She has led three national projects and three provincial projects and so on. Besides, she has published over 70 papers. She has received honors such as the First Prize of Technological Invention in Guangdong Province and the First Prize of Construction Science and Technology Progress in Henan Province.
Asst. Prof. Yijie Zhang
Tongji University, Shanghai, China;
Yijie Zhang is an Assistant Professor at Tongji University, specializing in solar energy utilization and distributed energy system design. She received her Ph.D. from The Hong Kong Polytechnic University and has conducted postdoctoral research at both The Hong Kong Polytechnic University and The University of Hong Kong. Her work focuses on solar energy utilization and distributed energy system design. She has published extensively in leading journals such as Energy and Applied Energy, with over 1,000 citations. Dr. Zhang serves as a reviewer for several high-impact journals.
Prof. Dr. Junhua Zhao
The Chinese University of Hong Kong (Shenzhen), Shenzhen, China;
Junhua Zhao, Professor at CUHK-Shenzhen, Fellow of IET and AAIA, Elsevier Highly Cited Chinese Researcher. His research primarily focuses on smart grids, electricity markets, and the low-carbon transition. Demonstrating outstanding academic impact, he has published over 300 papers in top-tier journals and conferences, accumulating more than 21,000 citations. Furthermore, Prof. Zhao has made significant contributions to the field by leading over 40 major research projects, including the Key and General Programs of the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) and projects funded by the China Southern Power Grid
Asst. Prof. Peng Zhao
Taiyuan University of Technology, Taiyuan, China;
Peng Zhao holds a PhD from the University of Electronic Science and Technology of China and is a supervisor of Master at the College of Robotics Science and Engineering, Taiyuan University of Technology. His research focuses on coal gangue-based functional ceramics, lead-free dielectric ceramics, and oxide solid-state electrolytes. He has published over 10 academic papers as first author or first corresponding author in internationally renowned journals such as Sustainability, Chem. Eng. J., ACS Appl. Mater. & Inter., J. Materiomics, J. Energy Storage, J. Eur. Ceram. Soc., including two ESI highly cited papers.
Prof. Dr. Weiqi Zhou
Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China;
Weiqi Zhou received his B.Sc. degree in environmental sciences from Peking University, Beijing, in 2001; his M.Sc. degree in cartography and geographic information systems from the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, in 2004; and his Ph.D. degree in natural resources from the University of Vermont, Burlington. He is currently working at the State Key Laboratory of Urban and Regional Ecology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences as a research professor. He is experienced in urban landscape dynamic analysis using geographic information system and remote sensing technologies, especially with high spatial resolution remote sensing images.
- S1. Emerging Technologies and Integrated Solutions for Sustainable, Resilient Cities and Planet
- S2. Resilient Urban Energy Infrastructure
- S3. Sustainability Education and Innovative Approaches
- S4. Climate Change and Socio-Ecological Systems
- S5. Sustainable Urban Landscapes and Low-Carbon Mobility
Sponsors and Partners
sponsor
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The Industry Leadership Panel of S10. Tourism, Culture, Heritage and Hospitality: Global Strategies for a Sustainable Future will bring together 5–6 leading industry experts from the global tourism, hospitality, and cultural sectors.
The panel will explore key challenges and opportunities in sustainable tourism, responsible hospitality, heritage conservation, and climate resilience, with a strong emphasis on practical insights and real-world solutions.
Positioned at the forefront of the session, it will set the tone for the discussions that follow, fostering a meaningful exchange between industry perspectives and academic research.
Further details regarding the panel’s schedule and venue will be announced in due course.
2026 MDPI Sustainability Foundation Award Winners
Curtin University, Perth, Australia
University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, USA
The awards ceremony will take place at WSF-12, 21–24 August 2026, Hong Kong.
Monday, 24 August 2026 - CiC iHub
Visiting Centre: CITAC, CIC-Zero Carbon Park and MiC resources centre
Address: 8 Sheung Yuet Road, Kowloon Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong
The iHub guided tours connect 3 exhibition centresof Construction Industry Council (CIC), including Construction Innovation and Technology Application Centre (CITAC), CIC-Zero Carbon Park and MiC Resources Centre. The iHub aims to promote the application of construction innovation, sustainability and digitalisation. Construction professionals, industry stakeholders, students and the public are welcome to explore the latest technology and industry development through our guided tours.
Due to the limited capacity of CIC iHub, participation in this social activity is limited to 60 participants on a first-come, first-served basis. Interested participants please complete the following registration form before 14 August:
[WSF-12] Social Activity Registration Form – CIC iHub Visit
A shuttle bus service will be arranged for you , departing from PolyU at 9:00am (estimated arrival at 9:30am). If you prefer to travel independently, please see the following directions:
Take the MTR from Hung Hom Station to Kowloon Bay Station (via the Tuen Ma Line and Kwun Tong Line, with a transfer at Diamond Hill Station). From Kowloon Bay Station, take a short walk or local bus/taxi to CIC iHub. The journey takes approximately 25–35 minutes.
*The cost of this social activity is fully covered by your conference registration fee. No additional payment is required.
Ms. Amy Cheng
Ms. Cassie Zhao
Ms. Olivia Wong
Dr. Alina-Andrada Igna
Ms. Flora Li
Email: wsf12@mdpi.com
For inquiries regarding submissions and sponsorship opportunities, please feel free to contact us.