Bulletin Number Five 1985

with a view to determining how geographical characteristics of the SEZs influence their development. Fruits of this research .to date have included three books, more than twenty professiona l papers, and numerous invitations to give talks or conduct seminars in both Hong Kong and China. Staff of the Department have collaborated closel y with staff of the geography departments of Zhongshan University and South China Normal University in Guangzhou, and it is anticipated that cooperative research efforts with Chinese geographers will continue. Already in progress is a book on the development of Chinese coastal cities, co-sponsored by the Department and the Institute of Geography o f the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Community Activities As members of the academic community in Hong Kong, the Department's faculty contribute to the activities of a number of professional bodies. The Chairman, Secretary, and Treasurer of the Hong Kong Geographical Association are all affiliated with the Department, as are two other Executive Committee members. Other local professional groups served by members of the Department include the Conservancy Association and the Hong Kong Institute of Planners. In the area of government service, Department members sit on advisory committees to such bodies as the Housing Authority, th e Environmental Protection Advisory Committee, and the Shatin District Board. The Chinese University Meteorological Station, administered by the Department, works closely with the Royal Observatory. Future Development The Department does not expect a large increase in its student enrolment in the years ahead. Consideration is being given to adding one new faculty member in order to strengthen the Department's offerings in physical geography, allowing it to expand into the areas of soil science, biogeography ， and hydrology which are not covered in the present curriculum. More emphasis will be given to the use of remote sensing materials, i.e., satellite imagery, for teaching and research, and the Department hopes to further support its work in physical geography by acquiring additional space to house its laboratories. The addition of a PhD programme in the 1988-91 triennium is also under discussion. — B. Taylor Professor Yue-man Yeung Professor of Geography Professor Yue-man Yeung's profile on page 2. Field studies in geography 一 measurement of channel characteristics 28 RECENT DEVELOPMENTS