NTU Strengthens River Research Collaboration with Leading Chinese Institutions through CAS PIFI Visit

Associate Professor Edward Park from NTU’s National Institute of Education, Asian School of the Environment, and Earth Observatory of Singapore completed a two-week academic visit to China from 13 to 27 June 2026 under the Chinese Academy of Sciences President’s International Fellowship Initiative (CAS PIFI) Distinguished Scientist programme.

The visit provided a platform to strengthen research links between NTU and leading Chinese institutions in river science, environmental change, and sustainable sediment management. Across Beijing, Xi’an and Zhengzhou, Assoc Prof Park delivered invited seminars, shared recent findings from NTU’s Tropical Rivers research programme, and discussed future collaborations including joint grant proposals, student co-supervision, research exchanges, and field-based studies.

In Beijing, Assoc Prof Park visited the Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, CAS, and the State Key Laboratory of Resources and Environmental Information System, hosted by Professor Gang Zhao. He presented recent work on the global impacts of river sand and gravel mining and discussed opportunities for collaboration between NTU and CAS researchers.

He was also invited to Tsinghua University by Professor Fuqiang Tian at the State Key Laboratory of Hydroscience and Engineering, where he delivered a research seminar and continued discussions on ongoing Mekong-related collaborations. At Peking University, hosted by Assistant Professor Dongfeng Li at the College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, he visited research facilities and explored future areas of collaboration in river and environmental systems.

The second part of the visit took place in Xi’an, where Assoc Prof Park visited the Institute of Earth Environment, CAS, hosted by Associate Professor Hu Yong, the main host of the CAS PIFI visit. There, he gave a seminar on sand mining in the Mekong Delta and discussed how science-based monitoring and modelling can support more sustainable river management. He also expressed appreciation to Professor An Zhisheng, CAS Academician, for supporting his CAS PIFI Distinguished Scientist appointment.

Assoc Prof Park was also invited by Professor Yu Xin, Director of the Yellow River Institute of Hydraulic Research at Zhengzhou. The visit included discussions on sustainable riverbed management and the potential application of NTU-developed sustainable sand harvesting approaches to the Yellow River. He also toured the institute’s large-scale Yellow River physical model and Loess Plateau simulation facilities, which support research on river hydrology, sediment transport, rainfall, and soil erosion.

The visit concluded with discussions between NTU and CAS colleagues on future student co-supervision, numerical modelling, sustainable river management, and water replenishment in the Yellow River Basin and Loess Plateau. Overall, the CAS PIFI visit created meaningful opportunities to expand NTU’s international research collaborations and contribute to the sustainable management of major river systems in Asia.

Read about the Chinese Academy of Sciences President’s International Fellowship Initiative (CAS PIFI) Distinguished Scientist programme award to A/P Edward Park here.

 

Group photo after the seminar at the Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing.

Assoc Prof Edward Park with Prof Fuqiang Tian after an invited seminar at Tsinghua University.

 

Assoc Prof Edward Park with Asst Prof Dongfeng Li during a visit to Peking University’s College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering.

 

Seminar at the Institute of Earth Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xi’An, on Mekong Delta sand mining and sustainable river management.

Group photo at the Institute of Earth Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, following the CAS PIFI Distinguished Scientist certificate presentation.

 

Assoc Prof Edward Park delivering a seminar on global sand and gravel mining at the Yellow River Institute of Hydraulic Research (YIHR).

Visit to YIHR’s hydraulic and Loess Plateau simulation facilities, including large-scale physical models used to study Yellow River hydrology, sediment transport, and soil erosion processes.