On December 1, 2024, Dr. Ge Mingming from the Department of Life Sciences (DLS) of Faculty of Science and Technology (FST) led a team of senior students to Hengqin Erjingwan National Wetland Park, where they successfully deployed a self-designed water quality monitoring buoy, ENVS-1.

During the design process, the Environmental Science (ENVS) students took ecological conservation into full consideration, aiming to minimize any disturbance to wetland birds and fish. The buoy was designed in green to blend seamlessly with its surroundings, and the students affectionately named it "Green Chubby". Equipped with four solar panels, the buoy features long-lasting operational capability and transmits data wirelessly through a 4G signal, allowing real-time monitoring and analysis in the laboratory. Its primary functions include continuous monitoring and recording of five key water quality parameters: temperature, pH levels, dissolved oxygen, turbidity, and conductivity. These capabilities provide critical data to support wetland conservation and research.

On the day of deployment, Dr. Ge and a team of five transported the buoy by boat to the designated location within the wetland park, completing the setup with precision. The buoy has since been operating stably, offering vital technological support for wetland ecological protection. This marks the first time a real-time water quality monitoring system has been implemented in Zhuhai National Wetland Park.

Under the strategic cooperation framework between Beijing Normal University-Hong Kong Baptist University United International College and the Urban Planning and Construction Bureau of Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin, this event received strong support from the leaders and colleagues of the Urban Planning and Construction Bureau, as well as full assistance and participation from Luo Junjian, the director of the Wetland Park. Dr. Tsim Siu-tai, as the person in charge of the management and maintenance consulting service project for the Erjingwan Wetland Park, provided on-site guidance and supervised the execution of the work.

This successful deployment not only highlights the practical achievements of UIC students in environmental technology innovation but also contributes to the ecological conservation efforts of Hengqin and the broader Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. In the future, data collected by the buoy will provide scientific insights for water ecosystem protection, pollution control, and wetland restoration.

Research institutions and professionals are welcome to inquire about the data and explore collaboration opportunities to advance regional ecological and environmental studies.

From DLS-ENVS