When a city is suffering from floods, how do we get the latest report on the disaster?

When a forest fire takes place, how can we form a full picture of its impact?

When an oil spill occurs, how can we most immediately monitor the pollution?

You don't have to go far to get the answers. They can be found inside the spherical structure on the hilltop on CUHK campus. The installation is called the Satellite Remote Sensing Receiving Station.

Traditional ground investigation is time-consuming, thus Satellite Remote Sensing became the most effective way to collect information on the earth’s surface. It is the Station that captures the data and images from the satellite and converts them into valuable information for monitoring the environment.

The Satellite Remote Sensing Receiving Station is an important facility of the Institute of Space and Earth Information Science (ISEIS) of CUHK. As the only national base for satellite remote sensing in Hong Kong, the institute is equipped with the first high resolution satellite remote sensing ground receiving station. The familiar giant white sphere is actually a protection mask. The important part is an antenna inside of the mask, which is 9 meters high and 7.5 meters in diameter.

Since 2005, the Station has helped the MTR Corporation to monitor the stability of railway track and observed the glaciers and frozen ground on the Tibet Plateau to track the stability of the roadbed for the Qinghai-Tibet Railway. It has also provided regular reports on Poyang Lake for water resources management, and has been monitoring impervious surfaces of Hong Kong for analysis and modelling of the urban settlement environment. In fact, the operation of the Station can cover every aspect of our daily life.

Besides supporting various research projects, ISEIS has also taken part in international disaster management. It has cooperated with the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) to organize internship and training programmes. The students from CUHK have also taken up significant tasks to enhance disaster reduction ability in the region.

Let’s now follow Prof. Lin Hui, Director of ISEIS into the Station and explore the secrets of environmental monitoring by satellite.

Handmade Burger and Chilled Milk Tea are the latest signature dishes from the student canteen at Shaw College. A new caterer, Joyful Inn, just opened on July 2 offering a new delicious option to all members of CUHK.

Joyful Inn provides excitingly different dishes in the university campus. The hottest item, the Handmade Burger, minced sirloin beef with the secret recipe Thai sauce specially prepared by Annie the Assistant Manager, is just irresistible after the first bite. No wonder more than 130 burgers were sold on the first day. Chilled Milk Tea, with the perfect proportion of milk and tea, is an excellent match with the burger.

Croissant is another featured dish. You can choose it to go with the steak or fish cutlet, plus the freshly made egg salad, to give you a mouthful to bite on. Another chef’s recommendation is Smoke Salmon Pasta with tomato sauce is definitely your choice.

Mr. Lau, the Manager, insists that no MSG will be used, ensuring healthy meals for every customer. Moreover, the menu will be updated frequently to provide regular fresh choices to CUHK members.