Prof. Anthony Yeh, a CAS Member and world-renowned scholar of The University of Hong Kong (HKU), is selected the winner of the 2008 UN-HABITAT Lecture Award --the highest international acclaims in the town planning field. The award is to recognize outstanding and sustained contribution to research, thinking and practice in human settlements development and planning. Prof. John Friedmann, world's distinguished figure in urban planning at the University of British Columbia, Canada and Prof. Emeritus of Urban Planning at UCLA, USA, won the UN-HABITAT Lecture Award in 2006.

A pioneer in the application of geographic information system (GIS) technologies to urban and regional planning and a world renowned scholar on urban development and planning in Hong Kong and China, Professor Yeh is awarded for his widespread influence on human settlements research and policy formulation within Hong Kong, the Chinese mainland and across the Asia-Pacific Region.

Professor Yeh was presented the award in Nanjing, at the UN-HABITAT's Fourth World Urban Forum (WUF IV) on 4 November, where he was invited to deliver a lecture before international experts and academics.

The Forum, a biennial summit forum of urban development in the world and top conference concerning human habitat, is established by the United Nations to examine one of the most pressing global issues -- rapid urbanization and its impact on communities, cities, economies and policies; as well as to tackle the challenges of minimizing burgeoning poverty in cities, and achieving sustainable urban growth and development.

At the four-day Forum entitled "Harmonious Urbanisation", Prof. Yeh spoke on "GIS as a Planning Support System for the Planning of Harmonious Cities".

Prof. Yeh is the Head and Chair Professor of HKU's Department of Urban Planning and Design and the Director of Centre of Urban Studies and Urban Planning, as well as Director of the GIS Research Centre. He has authored 40 books and monographs and over 200 journal papers and book chapters and served in a number of key renowned international journals as editorial board members. He is also the Dean of HKU's Graduate School.

Apart from serving as honorary professors in key universities and research institutes in China, he has served in numerous academic institutions across Asia in various capacities, including the University Sains Malaysia, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, National Taiwan University and University of Tokyo. He has been the Chairman of the Hong Kong Geographical Association, Founding President of the Hong Kong GIS Association and Vice-President of the Hong Kong Institute of Planners.

Prof. Yeh also holds key positions in international associations including as Vice-President of the Commonwealth Association of Planners (1988-91); as Founding Secretary-General of the Asian Planning Schools Association (1993-present) and Founding Secretary-General of the Asia GIS Association (2003-present); and as Chairman of the Geographic Information Science Commission of the International Geographic Union (1996-04). (Adapted from a news release of the University of Hong Kong)