Janny Leung, Master of the University of Macau (UM) Choi Kai Yau College and professor at the university’s State Key Laboratory of Internet of Things for Smart City (IoTSC), has been appointed the 2021 Distinguished Lecturer of the International Federation of Operational Research Societies (IFORS). Prof Leung is the first Asian woman to be appointed a Distinguished Lecturer of the IFORS. She is also the first Asian IFORS Distinguished Lecturer to speak at the European Regional Conference of Operational Research.
The IFORS Distinguished Lecturer Programme was established in 1999 to recognise distinguished scholars and professionals in operational research. Over the past 30 years, Prof. Leung has contributed to research and development in the field, and her research has received international recognition. At the 31st European Conference on Operational Research, Prof. Leung gave a plenary speech titled ‘Public Transportation for Smart Cities’, where she addressed the challenges and opportunities for smart public transport in megacities, and discussed some innovative cases. She also took the opportunity to share research achievements of the IoTSC and UM with the over 2,000 participants from more than 60 countries.