The “International Symposium on Global Developments in Steel Structures”, jointly organized by the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering of the University of Macau (UM), the Macau Society of Metal Structures, and the Civil Engineering Laboratory of Macau, took place at UM on 6 December 2008. The symposium aimed at providing a technical forum for dissemination of recent advances and global developments in the field of steel and composite structures.

This symposium was also co-organized by the Department of Civil Engineering of the University of Hong Kong, and the Department of Civil and Structural Engineering of the Hong Kong Polytechnic University; and under the support from the Macau Institute of Engineers, the Architects Association of Macau, the Macau Construction Association, the Institute for the Development and Quality, Macau, the Institute of Cold-formed Metal Structures, and the Macao Association of Building Contractors and Developers.

Six prominent academics, researchers and engineers in this field, who come from United Kingdom, Singapore, China including the Mainland, Hong Kong and Macao, were invited to present their latest works and share their invaluable experiences with engineers from various government departments, consultant firms and construction companies. It includes Professor Dennis LAM from the University of Leeds, U.K.; Professor Sing-Ping CHIEW from the Nanyang Technological University, Singapore; Professor Kwok-Fai CHUNG from the Hong Kong Polytechnic University; Professor Ben YOUNG from the University of Hong Kong; Professor Bo WU from the South China University of Technology; and Eng. Wai-Kin CHUI from the Civil Engineering Laboratory of Macau. During the symposium, audiences were active in raising questions and discussions about the technical issues presented and the speakers also responded to audiences’ questions with useful comments and suggestions.

Dr. Sai-Peng CHUI, President of the Macau Society of Metal Structures; and Dr. Peng-Kong AO, President of the Civil Engineering Laboratory of Macau were also invited to give the opening speech and the closing remark for the symposium respectively. There were other invited guests including Professor K.M. MOK, Dean of the Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Macau; Professor K.V. YUEN, Department Head of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Macau; Dr. Wai-Meng QUACH, Dr. Mun-Fong CHAN, Professor Lap-Mou TAM, Mr. Kai-Jone LO, Mr. Scott MA, Mr. Keng-Seng LEONG, Eng. Rui Jorge da Silva CERNADAS, Mr. Danny CHEUNG and Mr. Yiu-Kwong PANG.

Caption: UM held “International Symposium on Global Developments in Steel Structures