GeoX-GBA 2025

About

Overview · Background & Objectives · Topics · Schedule

Overview

Shaping the future of Earth, environmental, atmospheric, and planetary sciences from the heart of the Greater Bay Area, GeoX-GBA brings together emerging talent and leading experts to accelerate interdisciplinary discovery and impact.

Background & Objectives

Background

GeoX-GBA 2025 is co-organized by CUHK, HKU, HKUST, PolyU, MUST, SUSTech, and SYSU. Hosted by The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK), this symposium seeks to advance interdisciplinary collaboration across geosciences, atmospheric sciences, environmental science, planetary exploration, and aerospace sciences within the Greater Bay Area (GBA). The event will convene around 100 participants, including postgraduate students, early-career researchers, and faculty members from 10 GHMUA member universities. Serving as a dynamic platform for knowledge exchange, the symposium will highlight cutting-edge research and innovations in climate science, planetary exploration, atmospheric technologies, Earth observation, and environmental sustainability.

Objectives

Foster interdisciplinary collaboration across geosciences, atmospheric sciences, environmental science, planetary exploration, and atmospheric sciences within the Greater Bay Area.
Harness AI, machine learning, automation, and remote sensing to enhance scientific discovery and translational impact.
Advance sustainability research, emphasizing climate resilience, environmental health, and resource efficiency.
Build regional research networks that connect universities, institutes, and industry partners, strengthening coordination and long-term partnerships.
Develop future leaders by providing young scholars with global perspectives, cross-domain skills, and innovation mindsets.

Topics

The symposium covers a wide range of cutting-edge topics, including but not limited to:

🌍

Advances in Earth System Modeling

🪐

Comparative Planetology: Earth and its Neighbors

☁️

Climate Change and Atmospheric Interactions

🌱

Environmental Challenges and Solutions

Schedule

Time	Venue	Schedule
December 6, 2025 (Saturday)
12:00–14:00	LSK LT4(UG)	Registration
14:30–14:40	LSK LT3(UG)	Opening remarks
14:40–16:10	LSK LT3(UG)	Plenary talks
16:10–16:40	LSK UG	Coffee break
16:40–18:10	LSK LT3(UG)	Plenary talks
December 7, 2025 (Sunday)
9:00–10:20	YIA LT7 & LT9(2/L)	Oral talks
10:20–10:50	Corridor(2/L)	Coffee break
10:50–12:10	YIA LT7 & LT9(2/L)	Oral talks
12:10–14:00	Chung Chi College Student Canteen	Lunch break
12:10–14:00	YIA LT1(G)	Poster setup
14:00–14:45	YIA LT7 & LT9(2/L)	Oral talks
14:30–15:30	YIA LT1(G)	Poster session
15:30–16:00	YIA LT1(G)	Closing ceremony

* For the detailed agenda with speaker names and titles, please refer to the Conference Rundown section below.

News

Plenary Speakers

Prof. Yongxin Pan

Institute of Geology and Geophysics, CAS

Scientific Discoveries of China’s First Mars Exploration Mission

Yongxin Pan is a research professor and academician at Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS). His current research interests include biogeomagnetism, mineral- and rock- magnetism, paleointensity of Earth’s magnetic field, biomineralization of iron oxides, paleomagnetism and their applications to geosciences, as well as planetary magnetism. He is now serving as the project scientist of China’s first Mars Exploration Tianwen-1 Mission, editor-in-chief of Chinese Journal of Geophysics and Earth and Planetary Physics. He has published 343 peer-reviewed journal papers. He is recipient of Outstanding Science and Technology Achievement Prize of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (2022), National Innovation Forefront Award (2023), AGU’s Edward Bullard Lecture Award (2024).

Prof. Mian Liu

Southern University of Science and Technology

From Plate Tectonics to Earth System Sciences

Professor Mian Liu is a Chair Professor in the Department of Earth and Space Sciences at the Southern University of Science and Technology. He received his Ph.D. from the University of Arizona and, between 1992 and 2025, was a faculty member at the University of Missouri, where he served as the department chair, the Curators’ Distinguished Professor, and the William H. Byler Distinguished Chair in Geological Sciences. In 2023, he received the George P. Woollard Award from the Geological Society of America in recognition of his contribution to geophysics. His primary research interest is geodynamics.

Prof. Hui Su

The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology

Feilian Constellation: Filling the Observational Gap in Global 3D Winds

Professor Su Hui is Chair Professor and Global STEM Professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST), concurrently serving as Director of the Institute for Space Science and Technology. Before joining HKUST in 2022, she served as Chief Scientist for Earth Variability and Program Manager for Weather Research at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). She holds a Bachelor of Science from Peking University and earned her Ph.D. in Atmospheric Sciences from the University of Washington. Her research focuses on rapid intensification of tropical cyclones, extreme weather, and climate modeling. She co-leads the Xiongbin-1 satellite project and directs the development of a high-precision greenhouse gas point-source detector.

Prof. Benjamin P. Horton

City University of Hong Kong

Beyond the Threshold: Navigating a 1.5°C World

Professor Benjamin P. Horton is Dean of the School of Energy and Environment at City University of Hong Kong and a leading coastal scientist specializing in sea-level change and coastal resilience. He has received major accolades, including the Plinius Medal (EGU), Voyager Award (AGU), and W. Storrs Cole Award (GSA). Professor Horton is a Fellow of both the Geological Society of America and the American Geophysical Union. He served as a Review Editor for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Sixth Assessment Report, contributing to global coastal policy through scientific leadership and interdisciplinary research.

Important Dates

Abstract Submission Opens: October 20, 2025
Abstract Submission Closes: November 15, 2025
Conference Program Announcement: November 25, 2025
Online Registration Closes: November 25, 2025
Conference Presentation: December 6–7, 2025

Conference Rundown

Detailed schedule for Plenary Lecture and Oral Sessions.

Registration & Check-in

📍 Dec 6, Lee Shau Kee Building (LSK) LT4 (12:00–14:00)

December 6 (Afternoon) - Plenary Lecture Session

📍 Lecture Venue: Lee Shau Kee Building (LSK) LT3

Time	Name	Affiliation	Lecture Title	Host
14:30–14:40	Opening Remarks
14:40–15:25	Benjamin P. Horton	City University of Hong Kong	Beyond the Threshold: Navigating a 1.5°C World and the Urgency of Climate Action	Yan Zhan
15:25–16:10	Hui Su	The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology	Feilian Constellation: Filling the Observational Gap in Global 3D Winds
16:10–16:40	Coffee Break
16:40–17:25	Mian Liu	Southern University of Science and Technology	From Plate Tectonics to Earth System Sciences: The Journey of Modern Geosciences	Hongfeng Yang
17:25–18:10	Yongxin Pan	Institute of Geology and Geophysics, CAS	Scientific Discoveries of China’s First Mars Exploration Mission

December 7 (Morning)

📍 Yasumoto International Academic Park (YIA) LT7 – Oral Sessions

Time	Name	Affiliation	Abstract Title	Host
9:00–9:20	Xuzhang Shen	Sun Yat-sen University	A lithospheric footprint of the Tethys orogenic belt beneath the Sichuan-Yunnan block, SE Tibetan Plateau	Hui Liu
9:20–9:35	Tong Li	Southern University of Science and Technology	Assessment of the Impact of Different 3D Crustal Velocity Models on Strong Ground Motion Simulations in the Sichuan–Yunnan Region
9:35–9:50	Lue Yang	Sun Yat-sen University	Fault–Magma Interaction Controls Intraplate Large Earthquakes in Hainan
9:50–10:05	Chang Xia	The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU)	Groundwater Fluctuations Drive Accelerated Failure of Rock Slopes
10:05–10:20	Yiren Gou	Southern University of Science and Technology	Mantle Upwellings Induced by the Stagnant Slabs in the Mantle Transition Zone: A Numerical Study
10:20–10:50	Coffee Break
10:50–11:10	Jinping Zi	The Chinese University of Hong Kong	Foreshocks and seismic nucleation phase of an ML 5.6 earthquake	Hui Liu
11:10–11:25	Guoxu Chen	The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU)	Fluid-Controlled LFEs and NVTs Along the San Andreas Fault at Parkfield: Insights from Adjoint-State Reflection Traveltime Tomography
11:25–11:40	Hongxue Xu	Sun Yat-sen University	Formation of “Lone Chemical Mantle Plumes” by Slab Accumulation on the Core-Mantle Boundary
11:40–11:55	Aqeel Abbas	The Chinese University of Hong Kong	Attenuated Seismic Signals Document Hydraulic Fracturing Fluids Congregation
11:55–12:10	Hao Liu	Sun Yat-sen University	Strong Earthquake Activity over Long Time Scales on the Xianshuihe Fault Zone: Insights from Paleoseismic and Historical Seismic Data

December 7 (Morning)

📍 Yasumoto International Academic Park (YIA) LT9 – Oral Sessions

Time	Name	Affiliation	Abstract Title	Host
9:00–9:20	Yongzhang Zhou	Sun Yat-sen University	Study on Big Data and Artificial Intelligence Mineral Prospecting System	Jingchun Xie
9:20–9:35	Min Luo	Sun Yat-sen University	Enrichment Mechanism and Key Controlling Factors of Indium in VMS Deposits:A Case Study of the Tiemuerte and Keketale Pb-Zn Deposits in Xinjiang
9:35–9:50	Lei Jiejun	Sun Yat-sen University	Formation and Modification of the Oldest VMS Deposit in South China: High-Precision Chronological Constraints from the Tieshajie Copper Deposit
9:50–10:05	M. Akbariforouz	Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU)	The Double-Edged Sword of Heap Leaching: Sustainable Gold Extraction Versus Groundwater Protection
10:05–10:20	Amjad Ali	China University of Geosciences Beijing	Geochronology, Petrogenesis and REE enrichment in Syenogranite and Pegmatites from Kohistan Batholith Constraints from mineral chemistry and Sr-Hf isotopes
10:20–10:50	Coffee Break
10:50–11:05	Qingshan Yu	Macau University of Science and Technology	Remote Sensing of Trace-level Gases Using Tunable Aperiodic Fiber Bragg Gratings	Jingchun Xie
11:05–11:20	Yuan Zhao	China University of Geosciences	Pitted-wall craters in the Zhurong landing region, southern Utopia Planitia of Mars: implications for subsurface volatile in low-latitude regions
11:20–11:35	Huanyu Wu	Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU)	Micro-CT characterization of the Chang’e-5 lunar regolith samples
11:35–11:50	Jiacheng Liu	The University of Hong Kong	Amazonian-aged Primary Evaporite Discovered by the Zhurong Rover in the Southern Utopia Planitia, Mars
11:50–12:05	Miaosen Xia	China University of Geosciences, Wuhan	Source-sink systems reconstructed by diverse water-related landforms in the Northwestern Hellas region: Implications for regional geologic evolution and paleoclimate

December 7 (Afternoon)

📍 Yasumoto International Academic Park (YIA) LT7 – Oral Sessions

Time	Name	Affiliation	Abstract Title	Host
14:00–14:15	Haoyu Ji	Sun Yat-sen University	Damage Mechanism and Prevention Technology of High Ore Passes in Deep Mines	Chenyan Wu
14:15–14:30	Luhao He	Sun Yat-sen University	Research on the directional bounding box algorithm of YOLO11 in tailings pond identification
14:30–14:45	Shengcheng Lu	Sun Yat-sen University	Reconstruction of paleotopography of the Yunkai Mountains in south China: Insights into the onset of the Asian monsoon

December 7 (Afternoon)

📍 Yasumoto International Academic Park (YIA) LT9 – Oral Sessions

Time	Name	Affiliation	Abstract Title	Host
14:00–14:15	Hengkang Qiu	Southern University of Science and Technology	Three-dimensional seismic wave modelling in spherical Yin-Yang-Zhong grid with irregular topography by a finite difference method	Jinping Zi
14:15–14:30	Jiaoyan Yang	Sun Yat-sen University	Phased uplift of the Bogda Mountain (North Tianshan): Evidence from fluvial quantitative geomorphology
14:30–14:45	Muhammad Ishfaque	Hohai University	Subsurface crack identification in borehole CCTV inspection in concrete dam using Transfer learning

Yellow highlighted parts indicate invited speakers

December 7 (Poster Session)

📍 Yasumoto International Academic Park (YIA) LT1 (14:30–15:30)

No.	Name	Affiliation	Poster Title
1	Junjun Luo	The Chinese University of Hong Kong	Global high-resolution modeling of atmospheric bioavailable iron from mineral dust, anthropogenic activities, and open biomass burning
2	Weitao Fu	The Chinese University of Hong Kong	Long-term (2015-2024) NO2 observations reveal the growing influence of background NO2 in East China
3	Lujia Niu	Sun Yat-sen University	Drought asymmetrically amplifies the lagged and cumulative vegetation productivity responses to soil and atmospheric droughts, stronger for vapor pressure deficit
4	Nga Man Chung	The Chinese University of Hong Kong	Quantifying nitrogen removal potential of coastal wetland habitats
5	Wenfeng Ning	The Chinese University of Hong Kong	Elucidating drivers of autotrophic denitrification in mangrove sediments
6	Hang Li	Southern University of Science and Technology	Dynamic Mapping and Temporal Analysis of Tidal Zones in the Greate Bay Area Using Sentinel-2
7	Biaobiao Zhu	Sun Yat-sen University	Data-driven Mining Reveals a Cross-Temperature Correlation Between Gold and Tungsten: Implications for Magmatic Controls in Carlin-Type Gold Deposits
8	Jianhua Ma	Sun Yat-sen University	Mini-CarbonGPT: A Domain-Adapted Large Language Model 1 for Knowledge Integration and Decision Support in Carbon-2 Neutral Energy Systems
9	Rui Nie	Sun Yat-sen University	Imaging the Fine-Scale Upper-Crustal Structure of the Lianhuashan Fault Zone and Its Mineralization Implications
10	Jinrui Liu	Sun Yat-sen University	Mechanism of mineralization and medium-small earthquake occurrences constrained by high resolution shallow structures in Sanshui Basin, South China
11	Zhanshuo Dai	State Key Laboratory of Lunar and Planetary Sciences, Macau University of Science and Technology	Hydrothermal alteration of MMS-1 martian soil simulant with sulfuric acid: implications for aqueous alteration history on Mars
12	Patrick James Penales	The Chinese University of Hong Kong	Upper Ocean Stratification in IODP Site U1304 & U1305 and its Impact on Deep-water Formation During Marine Isotope Stage 11
13	Yu Liu	The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU)	Assessing the Seismogenic Potential of Critically-Stressed Faults during Pore Pressure Oscillations Using In-Situ micro-CT Imaging and Acoustic Emissions
14	Juqing Chen	Southern University of Science and Technology	Joint Inversion Between Multimodal Surface Wave Dispersions From Seismic Ambient Noise data and Teleseismic P-Wave Receiver Functions
15	Shujun Liu	Sun Yat-sen University	Deep postseismic creep following large earthquakes revealed by repeating aftershocks in the southeastern Tibetan Plateau
16	Yiming Zhang	The Chinese University of Hong Kong	Constructing an earthquake catalog in the Luzhou area using dense array data
17	Long Chen	Sun Yat-sen University	Moho upbending during reactivation of compressional orogens: A case study from the Qilian Shan
18	Jiawei Tan	Sun Yat-Sen University	The Crustal Structure in the Northern of the Tibet Plateau Revealed by P-wave Receiver Function
19	Siran Huang	Sun Yat-sen University	青藏高原东北缘岩石圈结构与LAB特征的高精度S波接收函数成像研究

Venue & Transportation

Campus Map & Internal Transportation

CUHK Campus Map showing route from MTR to LSK and YIA

📍 Dec 6 (Day 1): Lee Shau Kee Building (LSK)

Located in the Central Campus. Walking time is approximately 25 minutes. Dedicated conference shuttle buses will be arranged.

📍 Dec 7 (Day 2): Yasumoto International Academic Park (YIA)

Located immediately next to the University MTR Station (Exit D). No shuttle bus required.

Getting to CUHK (External Transportation)

By MTR (Mass Transit Railway):

The university is served by the University Station on the East Rail Line. This is the most convenient way to access the campus.

From Hong Kong Island: Take the Cross-Harbour Line to Hung Hom or Exhibition Centre, then transfer to the East Rail Line (direction to Lo Wu/Lok Ma Chau).
From Shenzhen (Lo Wu/Lok Ma Chau): Take the East Rail Line directly to University Station.

By Taxi:

You can take a taxi (Red or Green taxi) to the University MTR Station or directly to the specific building (Lee Shau Kee Building or YIA).

Registration & Abstract

Abstract Submission

Requirements

Include title, authors, affiliations, and a concise summary of your work.
Oral presentation: 15 minutes total — 12 minutes presentation and 3 minutes Q&A.
Poster size: A0.

Award Criteria

(A) Best Oral Presentation Award

Research Innovation (40%)
Clarity and Presentation Skills (30%)
Q&A Performance (20%)
Overall Impact (10%)

(B) Best Poster Award

Research Content (40%)
Poster Design (30%)
Communication (30%)

Registration

Eligibility & Selection

PhD students, postdoctoral researchers, and faculty members.
Motivated high school students are welcome.
If registrations exceed capacity, priority will be given to early submissions and relevance to conference topics.

Committee & Sponsors

GBA Organization Committee

Prof. YANG Hongfeng (CUHK)
Prof. YAO Zhonghua (HKU)
Prof. SU Hui (HKUST)
Prof. ZHAO Qi (PolyU)
Prof. ZHANG Xiaoping (MUST)
Prof. ZHANG Wei (SUSTech)
Prof. SHEN Xuzhang (SYSU)

CUHK Organization Committee

Prof. YANG Hongfeng
Prof. ZHAN Yan
Prof. CHAN Man Nin
Prof. THIBODEAU Benoit
Prof. DU Penghui
Prof. ZHANG Zhen
Dr. YIM Boris

CUHK PG Student Committee

WU Chenyan, LEI Guoyang, DENG Di, YU Zheng, NING Wenfeng, QIN Yuxin, YUE Hong, YANG Luming Louis, ZHAO Yang, LIU Zhengting

CUHK PG Student Helper

AYELE Tilahun Mersha, BU Yifan, CHAN Mei Yu Dara, CHAN Yi Hin Justin, FU Weitao, LAI Donger, LI Mengze, LI Tsz Kit Jerry, MOK Oi Nam Khalil, PAN Fengchao, PENALES Patrick, TSEGAYE Belachew Moges, XU Jiarui, YU Jinghan, YU Tianxiao, ZHANG Yiming

Contacts

Email: gess@cuhk.edu.hk