đź“ť Summary
Prof. Ali Selamat delivered a public lecture at Zhejiang University on using artificial intelligence for disaster resilience, highlighting advancements in AI and hydrometeorological analytics for flood early warning systems. The lecture focused on improving missing rainfall data imputation and enhancing flood forecasting capabilities using techniques such as Generative Adversarial Networks and Temporal Convolutional Networks. The event aimed to strengthen academic collaboration between Universiti Teknologi Malaysia and Zhejiang University.
HANGZHOU, May 13 – Prof. Ts. Dr. Ali Selamat, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Student Affairs & Alumni) of Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), delivered a distinguished public lecture at College of Computer Science and Technology (CCST), Zhejiang University (ZJU), one of China’s leading research universities, as part of the university’s international academic engagement and global knowledge-sharing initiatives.
The lecture, entitled “Artificial Intelligence for Disaster Resilience: From Missing Rainfall Data to Smarter Flood Early Warning – Advancing Climate-Resilient Societies through Deep Generative Learning and Hydrometeorological Intelligence,” highlighted cutting-edge advancements in artificial intelligence (AI), deep learning, and hydrometeorological analytics for disaster risk reduction and climate resilience.
Held during Prof. Ali Selamat’s academic visit to Hangzhou, the session brought together researchers, postgraduate students, and academic leaders from ZJU’s engineering, computing, and environmental sciences communities. The lecture focused on the critical challenge of incomplete rainfall and meteorological datasets, which often reduce the accuracy of flood prediction systems and early warning mechanisms.
Prof. Ali Selamat presented UTM’s latest research on the use of Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs), Temporal Convolutional Networks (TCNs), and AI-driven time-series modelling techniques to improve missing rainfall data imputation and enhance flood forecasting capabilities. The research supports broader efforts toward building climate-resilient societies through intelligent and data-driven disaster management systems.
In his address, Prof. Ali Selamat emphasised the importance of international collaboration in addressing global climate challenges.
“Artificial intelligence has the potential to transform disaster management from reactive response systems into proactive and predictive resilience ecosystems. Through stronger global academic collaboration, universities can contribute significantly toward safeguarding communities and supporting sustainable development goals,” he said.
The public lecture also provided a platform to strengthen academic and research collaboration between UTM and ZJU, particularly in the fields of artificial intelligence, smart cities, disaster resilience, sustainability, and advanced digital technologies.
The engagement aligns closely with UTM’s strategic aspirations under UTM ASCEND 2030, which aims to position the university among the world’s leading innovation-driven institutions through impactful global partnerships, interdisciplinary research, and sustainable technological advancement.
Professor Ali Selamat’s visit further reflects the growing strategic relationship between UTM and leading Chinese universities in advancing research excellence, innovation ecosystems, and regional ASEAN–China higher education cooperation.
