Dr CHEUNG Pui Kwan Paul

Dr Paul Cheung is currently an RGC Junior Research Fellow at The Education University of Hong Kong (EdUHK). Dr Cheung is awarded the RGC Junior Research Fellow for his outstanding contribution to the field of urban greening and human heat stress. In his awarded project, he will use a combination of field observations and computer modelling to identify the optimal trees, vegetation, and soil design for reducing heat and stormwater run-off in different types of streets in Hong Kong. The findings of this project will be transformed into street design guidelines that help increase Hong Kong’s resilience against extreme heat and climate change.   

Prior to joining EdUHK, he was a post-doctoral research fellow at the University of Melbourne, Western Sydney University, and University of Tasmania. Dr Cheung obtained his BSc in Environmental Science and MPhil in Urban Greening degrees from the University of Hong Kong (HKU), and PhD in Urban Microclimate from the University of Melbourne. He was the winner of Li Ka Shing Prizes for Outstanding Research Postgraduate Students at HKU. He was also the winner of the Research and Development Excellent Award of the Australia Water Association (Victoria) for his research on demonstrating the cooling benefits of irrigating urban green spaces.   

Dr Cheung has published more than 30 peer-reviewed articles in international journals. His recent research project includes:

1. Optimising street vegetation and soil design for reducing heat and stormwater run-off in Hong Kong;

2. Quantifying the human heat stress and burn risk of artificial turf vs natural turf in a semi-controlled field experiment;

3. Identifying the challenges of implementing nature-based solutions for heat and stormwater mitigation in Australia through expert elicitation workshops;

4. Reviewing the design and effectiveness of urban blue-green infrastructure, e.g., urban trees, green roofs, and rainwater harvesting systems, in reducing flood risks;

5. Identifying the design factors (e.g., aspect, shading, surface materials, and size) that influence the human thermal stress in private residential gardens in Melbourne, Australia.

Dr Cheung welcomes research collaborations. More details of his research can be found in:   
Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com.hk/citations?user=tniuAEUAAAAJ&hl=en   
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulpkcheung