Kwan Mei-po of The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) has made history as the first Hong Kong scholar to receive the Lauréat d’Honneur -- the highest accolade bestowed by the International Geographical Union (IGU) -- in recognition of her outstanding contributions to the international geographical community.
Kwan formally accepted the award on Friday (Aug 21) at the IGU Regional Conference in Istanbul, Turkey.
As an internationally renowned geographer, Kwan was honoured for revolutionising geographic information science (GIScience) and environmental health. She fundamentally shifted how scientists assess environmental exposure, proving that a person's health is shaped by their daily movements across a city, rather than just where they live.
By pioneering the use of real-time GPS and mobile sensing technologies to track daily activities, Kwan established a new mobility-centred paradigm in global health research. This breakthrough led to her identifying two foundational frameworks now used globally: the Uncertain Geographic Context Problem and the Neighborhood Effect Averaging Problem.
“It is a profound honour to receive the IGU Lauréat d’Honneur,” Kwan said, crediting CUHK’s research environment and her dedicated team. "I remain dedicated to advancing geographical science for a more resilient and equitable world.”
Awarded biennially since 1976, the Lauréat d’Honneur recognises exceptional advancements in international geography.
