Prof. SHI Xiaoming, Associate Professor in the Division of Environment and Sustainability (ENVR), has been selected as one of only two recipients of the inaugural ESCAP/WMO Typhoon Committee Research Award for Young Scientists, recognizing his distinguished contributions to typhoon-related research. 

The award honors the research paper titled “Escalating Tropical Cyclone Precipitation Extremes and Landslide Hazards in South China under Global Warming” led by Prof. Shi, published in the leading international journal npj Climate and Atmospheric Science. This research combines artificial Intelligence with classic numerical weather prediction techniques to access future tropical cyclone risks. 

Nominated by the Hong Kong Observatory to represent Hong Kong, China, Prof. Shi is the first scholar from Hong Kong to receive this accolade. The award was presented to Prof. Shi at the 58th Session of the ESCAP/WMO Typhoon Committee in the Republic of Korea on March 10, 2026. 

Established in 2025, the Typhoon Committee Research Award for Young Scientists aims to encourage and celebrate early-career researchers across the Typhoon Committee member countries and territories. It recognizes outstanding achievements and substantial contributions in typhoon-related disciplines, with a special emphasis on research directly supporting the Committee's core initiatives.

The ESCAP/WMO Typhoon Committee is an intergovernmental organization established jointly by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) to help reduce the devastating impacts of tropical cyclones across the Asia-Pacific region. It currently comprises 14 member countries and territories that collaborate closely to improve weather forecasting, flood management, and disaster risk reduction.