Bulletin No. 2, 2014

Scientists, Muses and their Labs  9  Institute of Environment, Energy and Sustainability Director : Prof. Gabriel Ngar-cheung Lau A contemporary challenge for humanity is the assessment, adaptation and mitigation of anthropogenically induced environmental changes. Tackling it requires concerted effort to bridge traditional academic disciplines, and close collaboration between the research, industrial, commercial and governmental sectors. The Institute of Environment, Energy and Sustainability (IEES), established in 2011, strives to foster these interactions by assembling scholars with diverse intellectual backgrounds, launching educational and outreach activities aimed at raising awareness of advances in our understanding of the Earth System. Special emphasis will be given to issues relevant to the environment of Hong Kong and the nearby region. ‘ The IEES serves as a platform for collaboration among different departments and units to conduct cross-disciplinary research on the environment. It also continues the research on meteorology in regions including East Asia. Besides, it offers the Earth System Science programme. The CUHK Jockey Club Initiative Gaia at IEES promotes knowledge to the wider public through the establishment of the Jockey Club Museum of Climate Change and the organization of a carbon reduction project as well as conferences and exhibitions.’ The institute has six interrelated research programmes that adopt cross- disciplinary and integrated approaches to investigating topics related to the environment, energy technology and sustainable development. These include exploring the impact of climate change, monitoring environmental changes and providing pertinent information for planning, policy making, and formulation of strategies in tackling the challenges of climate change; developing new energy technologies and intelligent energy-saving strategies; investigating the flow of heat, air, water, sound and wastes in cities with the aim of finding innovative solutions to problems related to urban design, and assessing the impact of climate change on public health; and developing strategies in public engagement, environmental and social movement to facilitate environmental policy formulation and implementation.