Geospatial
Data Science

We are thrilled to share that our MSc(GeoDS) student team (Li Junpeng, Qian Jiachun, Wang Fangqi, Xin Mingxuan, and Zhu Muyi) has won the 2025 Esri Young Scholars Award (Hong Kong) group championship for their project “Mapping Despair: Geographic Insights into Suicide in HK”! This groundbreaking research leverages geospatial technology, including the Geographically Weighted Random Forest (GWRF) model and SHAP framework, to analyze suicide risk factors in Hong Kong. By transforming complex data into immersive Story Maps, the team identified high-risk areas (e.g., northeastern New Territories and Kowloon City) and highlighted socioeconomic drivers like income disparity and housing pressures. Their policy recommendations, such as enhancing community mental health support, underscore the power of geospatial science to address societal challenges. This achievement reflects the Department’s commitment to fostering interdisciplinary collaboration and impactful research. Join us in celebrating this exceptional work and the team’s dedication to turning data into hope!