Dr Juan Carlos Astudillo Placencia, Assistant Professor at the School of Science and Technology, has collaborated with researchers from other universities to conduct an innovation project, “Eco-Tiles for Enhancing Marine Biodiversity”. The project then received a Gold Medal with Congratulations of the Jury and a Special Prize at the 48th International Exhibition of Inventions Geneva.

The project aims to develop eco-tiles by upcycling the ashes from the Tuen Mun T-Park incinerator and sediment waste from the dredging of Hong Kong harbour or navigation channel to create a mimetic of natural habitat for the “concrete seawall” resulting from land reclamation, thereby promoting biodiversity and easing the problem of municipal solid waste at the same time.

Dr Astudillo is a marine ecologist with strong interests and experiences in marine biodiversity assessment, invasion biology and ecological engineering for habitat rehabilitation. His current research focus is to understand and apply ecological and engineering concepts for enhancing the biodiversity and ecosystem functioning/services of degraded coastal ecosystems. He is currently developing ecologically engineered technologies/methods for ecological restoration that will support sustainable coastal development.