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NUS joins national research alliance to strengthen weather and climate science capabilities

✇NUS - National University of Singapore Newsroom

Climate change presents substantial challenges for Singapore and Southeast Asia. Recognising the importance of addressing these needs, NUS is contributing to a new national-level collaboration aimed at enhancing weather prediction for Singapore and the region by leveraging the latest advances in science and technology.

On 5 September 2025, Professor Liu Bin, NUS Deputy President (Research and Technology), signed a Memorandum of Understanding with partners from the National Environment Agency (NEA), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), and Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore) to establish the Climate and Weather Research Alliance Singapore (CAWRAS).

CAWRAS serves as a national research platform to advance tropical climate and weather research for Singapore and Southeast Asia. It will also nurture local talent pipeline in weather and climate science. Senior Minister of State for Sustainability and the Environment Janil Puthucheary attended the launch as Guest-of-Honour.

Highlighting the significance of CAWRAS’ work, Dr Puthucheary said, “Climate science gives us a better glimpse into the future and helps reduce the uncertainty in climate projections, allowing us to plan and calibrate our various adaptation measures based on the latest available science, which we have done in areas such as coastal protection, flood resilience, heat resilience and food security. Weather services are crucial in providing the necessary data to government agencies and stakeholders for their operations.”

He added that there is a need to further understand tropical climate and weather systems, and develop localised, high-resolution products tailored to this region, which has our own uniqueness.

“The research alliance will bring together and harmonise the unique capabilities across our institutes,” said Dr Puthucheary. “This collaborative research model will also allow us to nurture a robust local talent pipeline in weather and climate science… We need to have that capability and expertise so that we position Singapore at the forefront of tropical urban weather and climate science.”

Five NUS projects have been awarded funding, among 10 projects, under a S$25 million Weather Science Research Programme funded under the Research, Innovation and Enterprise 2025 plan which will be implemented via CAWRAS.

NUS researchers will be spearheading the following research initiatives:

1.     Enhancing next-generation numerical weather prediction

Dr Srivatsan V Raghavan from the NUS Tropical Marine Science Institute, will be leading a project team to enhance Singapore’s weather science capabilities by leveraging high-resolution radar data to improve thunderstorm prediction within the critical 0-6 hour range and reduce false alarms for heavy rainfall events.

2.     Modelling Singapore's complex urban environment and its effects on weather, including extreme conditions

A team of scientists led by Professor Matthias Roth from the Department of Geography at NUS Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences will look into developing a next-generation urban-scale weather forecasting system to improve prediction capabilities from the current 1.5km resolution used by the Meteorological Services Singapore to much finer neighbourhood scales (100-300m). The enhanced system will provide more detailed forecasts for urban heat, wind flows, extreme rainfall, and air pollution dispersion.

3.     Understanding the effects of air-sea-land interactions on the weather of the Maritime Continent

Dr Kaushik Sasmal from the Technology Centre for Offshore and Marine, Singapore, will drive research efforts to develop a fully coupled atmosphere-ocean-land modeling system to improve weather prediction in the Maritime Continent region, particularly for phenomena strongly influenced by air-sea-land interactions such as squall lines, atmospheric and marine vortices, and the diurnal cycle of rainfall.

4.     AI foundation models for regional weather prediction in the Maritime Continent

Assistant Professor Zhu Lailai from the Department of Mechanical Engineering under the College of Design and Engineering at NUS will be leading a project to establish a general framework for fine-tuning existing AI Foundation Models tailored to high-resolution regional weather prediction in the Maritime Continent. The aim is to strengthen extreme weather detection, with aviation identified as a priority application.

5.     Leveraging advanced techniques to transform complex ensemble data into actionable tropical weather forecasts

A team led by Assistant Professor He Xiaogang from the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering under the College of Design and Engineering at NUS will be developing the Tropical Ensemble Model Post-processing with Explainable Scenario (TEMPEST) system to interpret ensemble forecasts through novel clustering algorithms.

Prof Liu said, “NUS welcomes this national research alliance as an integral part of our commitment to research and innovation in the areas of sustainability and climate change. Leveraging our research strengths such as urban climate modelling, hydroclimatology, artificial intelligence, and foundation modelling, we are excited to contribute significantly on a national level to Singapore's weather prediction capabilities while nurturing the next generation of weather and climate scientists.”

Elevating weather science capabilities, together

Led by the Centre for Climate Research Singapore, CAWRAS brings together leading research institutions to expand weather science capabilities at the national level. This coordinated effort comes at a time when advances in technology, such as high-resolution modelling, artificial intelligence, and enhanced observational networks, present new opportunities to improve weather prediction. The research alliance will expand its scope to include climate research on longer timescales in future.

The 10 research projects awarded under the WSRP, focus on four key areas: improving the use of weather observations, developing next-generation weather/climate models, performing a detailed historical weather re-analysis over recent decades for Southeast Asia, and enhancing weather prediction accuracy through advanced post-processing techniques.

Ms Koh Li-Na, Director-General of the Meteorological Service Singapore, NEA, said, "CAWRAS is a strong commitment by our research institutions, working with the Centre for Climate Research Singapore, to collectively tackle the unique challenges of predicting weather in our tropical urban environment and enhance our understanding of climate change. We look forward to translating science to improved services to bolster Singapore’s resilience in the face of climate change.”

Professor Lim Keng Hui, Assistant Chief Executive (Science & Engineering Research Council), A*STAR, said, "A*STAR is proud to contribute to this national effort to improve Singapore’s weather research. Our expertise in high performance computing, artificial intelligence (AI), modelling and simulation will contribute to the development of the Climate and Weather Research & Evaluation Testbed (CAWRET) and support regional analysis. We look forward to working closely with our partners to translate scientific innovations into practical solutions that strengthen Singapore’s resilience to weather-related challenges, particularly in sectors in aviation, maritime, and urban planning.”

Professor Ernst Kuipers, Vice President (Research) of NTU Singapore said, “Leveraging NTU’s established track record in Earth and environmental sciences, supported by infrastructure like the Earth Observatory of Singapore, and our pioneering Climate Transformation Programme, we are uniquely positioned to combine AI, remote sensing, and advanced environmental modelling to forecast tropical weather with enhanced accuracy. Through interdisciplinary collaboration spanning fields like medicine, public health, environmental engineering, and urban resilience, NTU will contribute to Singapore’s role as a leading hub for tropical weather and climate science research in Southeast Asia.”

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Assoc Prof Koh Ming Joo named Asian Young Scientist Fellow

✇NUS - National University of Singapore Newsroom

Associate Professor Koh Ming Joo from NUS Department of Chemistry has been named an Asian Young Scientist Fellow in recognition of his achievements in base metal-catalysed alkene/alkyne functionalisations and glycosyl radical functionalisations, which have significantly accelerated small-molecule and carbohydrate synthesis. The Fellowship aims to support his exploration in catalytic skeletal editing transformations to create new functional molecules.

The Asian Young Scientist Fellowship (AYSF) announced 12 Fellows this year comprising accomplished early-career scientists selected for their exceptional scientific contributions and potential in their respective fields.

The AYSF annually selects early-career researchers in the fundamental science disciplines of life sciences, physical sciences, mathematics and computer science. Each Fellow receives USD100,000 over two years to support their research, along with benefits from participating in the AYSF annual conference, academic activities, and access to a network of young scientists across Asia and globally. 

Assoc Prof Koh said, “It’s an honour to be named an AYS Fellow and represent NUS on the international stage. I believe this Fellowship will boost our efforts to develop transformative skeletal editing reactions that have the capacity to change the landscape of organic synthesis.”

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The ingredients of peacemaking in geopolitics: Insights from the Asian Peace Programme

✇NUS - National University of Singapore Newsroom

Asian nations are today becoming more central to shaping global politics, economics and security. As Asia’s global influence grows, its countries must take responsibility for stability and peace, rather than allowing rivalries to define the century.

This point was underscored during the dialogue between veteran diplomat and Distinguished Fellow at the NUS Asia Research Institute (ARI) Mr Kishore Mahbubani and Singapore’s former foreign minister Mr George Yeo in conjunction with the launch of the book, Can Asians Think of Peace? Essays on Managing Conflict in the Asian Century, on 22 August 2025.

The book, co-edited by Mr Mahbubani and Dr Kesava Chandra Varigonda and Ms Kristen Tang from ARI, compiles 61 essays written by global scholars, policymakers and experts for the Asian Peace Programme (APP) from the time of its launch in July 2020 to December 2024. The essays examine possible areas of conflict in Asia, offering Asia-focused, pragmatic perspectives on conflict management and peacebuilding.

Published in July 2025 as an open-access volume to coincide with APP’s fifth anniversary, the book has already been downloaded 103,000 times and reached #3 on The Straits Times non-fiction bestseller list, reflecting its broad reach across academia, policy circles and the public.

In his opening address at the launch, ARI Director Professor Tim Bunnell recalled how the APP was conceived in the wake of the 2020 military clashes between Chinese and Indian troops, as there was a recognition of the need for a credible peace initiative that was “Asia-focused, Asia-centred and Asia-led”.

“This book stands as proof of the important work the APP has undertaken in addressing that need, with recent tensions along the Thai-Cambodian border serving as a reminder that such peace-making efforts remain as vital as ever for the region,” said Prof Bunnell.

Speaking at the launch event attended by about 250 guests from academia and policymaking, Mr Yeo lauded APP for demonstrating what he called “a bias for peace”, describing how the book contained a “treasure trove of perspectives” on the region’s most pressing challenges.

He highlighted the critical role of understanding one’s opponents in geopolitics, as effective peacekeeping demands strategic insight and a clear grasp of what motivates the opponents and where their interests lie.

“When we start seeing problems from the other person’s perspective, and we can only do it if we respect the interlocutor, then the possibility of win-win outcomes becomes possible,” Mr Yeo said.

The dangers of ‘demonising opponents’ were also discussed during the dialogue between Mr Yeo and Mr Mahbubani.

“When you demonise the other, you become fearful, you become self-righteous. And out of self-righteousness arises the greatest evil. Those who are evil…believe they are doing right by the people,” said Mr Yeo, adding that this troubling mindset had become increasingly evident, for example, in US-China relations. Rather than allowing fear and self-righteousness to shape interactions, he emphasised the value of building understanding through shared histories and cultures.

Mr Mahbubani pointed to the recent warming of China–India relations, which he described as critical to peace in Asia. Mr Yeo concurred, citing symbolic gestures on both sides: President Xi Jinping’s 2014 visit to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s home state of Gujarat, where the Buddhist monk Xuanzang once spent time, and Mr Modi’s reciprocal visit to Xi’s hometown of Xi’an, where Xuanzang had returned with Buddhist scriptures.

Mr Yeo drew on a striking metaphor by eminent historian and NUS University Professor Wang Gungwu, who described Singapore as the place where the “mandalas” of India and China overlap.

Extending this imagery, he noted that Southeast Asia is where the spheres of influence of China, India and the West intersect at varying intensities across the 10 ASEAN nations – giving the region a unique vantage point to understand all three. “The work which the APP does, in a sense, can only be done in Southeast Asia, and perhaps only in Singapore, which makes it so special,” he said.

Indeed, it is Mr Mahbubani’s hope that the APP can make a meaningful difference by serving as “a small candle” that illuminates the path to peace in Asia and beyond.

Can Asians Think of Peace? Essays on Managing Conflict in the Asian Century is a culmination of the APP’s work, with its open-access format allowing anyone worldwide to read and cite these essays, amplifying their reach across academia, policy, and public discourse.

Download the book for free now at publisher Springer Nature’s website.

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NUS and UM celebrate shared origins and close ties through golf, academic symposium

✇NUS - National University of Singapore Newsroom

Sixty-three years after their formal separation, NUS and Universiti Malaya (UM) continue to honour their shared origins and enduring relationship.

Late last month, the two universities came together in Ipoh, Malaysia, to celebrate their social and academic ties through the 54th edition of the UM-NUS Inter-University Tunku Chancellor Golf Tournament, as well as the concurrent UM-NUS Joint Academic Symposium on Precision Health.

To mark the occasion, a royal dinner was held on 25 August 2025 at the Istana Iskandariah, Kuala Kangsar. The event was hosted by the UM Chancellor, His Royal Highness (HRH) Sultan Dr Nazrin Muizzuddin Shah, Sultan of Perak, and the Raja Permaisuri of Perak, Her Royal Highness Tuanku Zara Salim. It was attended by the NUS Chancellor and President of the Republic of Singapore, Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam, and his spouse, Mrs Jane Ittogi Shanmugaratnam, as well as Singapore’s High Commissioner to Malaysia, Mr Vanu Gopala Menon (Business ’85) and his spouse, Mrs Jayanthi Menon (Law ’89). Other members of the NUS delegation included Mr Hsieh Fu Hua, Chairman of the NUS Board of Trustees; Professor Tan Eng Chye (Science ’85), NUS President; and Ms Ovidia Lim-Rajaram (Arts & Social Sciences ’89), NUS Chief Alumni Officer, alongside participating academics and golfers.

In remarks made at the dinner, Professor Tan stated, “This is the second year we have paired the tournament with an academic symposium, symbolising the diverse and multilayered nature of the UM-NUS relationship: one that values both personal connection and intellectual exchange, each deepening and enriching the other.”

The sentiment was echoed by the Vice-Chancellor of UM, Professor Dato' Seri Ir. Dr Noor Azuan bin Abu Osman, who observed, “What gives universities their unique power is that we do not compete for resources in the same way states or corporations do. Instead, we compete by collaborating, and we grow stronger by sharing.”

Partners in progress

This commitment to collaboration and knowledge exchange was evident at the joint academic symposium on 26 August, themed around precision health. The event featured presentations from 10 distinguished researchers and professors from both UM and NUS, with speakers highlighting the ongoing transformation of healthcare from a one-size-fits-all model to one driven by personalised medicine and data-driven solutions.

“It’s always meaningful when we can come together to leverage our complementary strengths and address shared challenges,” said Professor Tai E Shyong from the NUS Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine. “UM and NUS have tremendous potential to advance medical research focused on Asian populations, with events like this providing a valuable platform to exchange ideas, foster collaboration, and drive progress in ways that ultimately improve the healthcare outcomes of our communities.”

Friendship in full swing

Complementing the joint symposium, the UM-NUS Inter-University Tunku Chancellor Golf Tournament took place on 26 August 2025 at the Royal Perak Golf Club, following a social round held the previous day at the Meru Valley Golf & Country Club.  More than 100 golfers—including faculty, staff and alumni from both institutions—participated in the event.  

First held in 1968 as a symbol of the strong relationship between senior leaders of UM and NUS, the longstanding tournament is hosted alternately by the two universities, strengthening ties across their academic and alumni communities.

This year, the UM team emerged victorious, capping off an eventful two days reaffirming more than six decades of friendship and collaboration.

 

By NUS Office of Alumni Relations

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TF-NUS LEaRN 2025: Lessons on leadership, culture and community building

✇NUS - National University of Singapore Newsroom

For university students, summer break is more than a time to relax – it is also an opportunity for learning beyond the classroom.

Jazmine Lin, a third-year NUS Political Science undergraduate, participated in the Temasek-Foundation – NUS Leadership Enrichment and Regional Networking (TF - NUS LEaRN) Programme 2025 during the recent summer break, discovering that it offered her the best of both worlds: time to recharge combined with enriching learning experiences. She was among the 59 university students from across Southeast Asia who were able to learn more about the region, develop their leadership capabilities collaboratively and form new friendships through the programme.

Immersing in Chiang Mai’s culture

The programme kicked off in May with a two-week immersion in Chiang Mai, Thailand, hosted by the Language Institute Chiang Mai University (CMU). Thirty students from NUS, Singapore Institute of Technology and Singapore University of Social Sciences had the opportunity to interact with local community leaders and participate in various leadership development workshops. Through field trips, they were able to learn more about the different communities, their unique cultural practices and identities, as well as how the locals tapped into their surrounding resources to make a living.

One such visit took students to Nai Suan (which means ‘In the Garden’ in Thai), a community enterprise in the Mae Rim district that upcycles fallen leaves into biodegradable bowls and plates. This initiative not only promotes sustainable living, but it is also a source of income for the locals who collect the leaves. Students were invited to experience the process themselves – from washing the leaves and removing their veins, to moulding them into the final products by using a hydraulic press.

In the Doi Saket district, students visited the Ban Baiboon Thai-Tai Lue Wisdom Learning Center, which aims to preserve the indigenous Tai Lue culture by offering homestays and tours, as well as workshops where visitors can try their hand at various traditional crafts. Through touring traditional Tai Lue houses, observing the process of handicraft-making and sampling local snacks, students gained first-hand experience of the community’s authentic way of life.

The Chiang Mai leg concluded with a Sustainable Environment Hackathon, where students applied their learnings to develop solutions to address regional environmental challenges. They pitched their ideas to the faculty members from CMU’s Faculty of Science, sparking a lively exchange of innovation and teamwork.

Deepening regional understanding in Singapore

Upon returning to Singapore in July for the next leg of the programme, the students were joined by 29 peers from 19 universities across Southeast Asia.

In the first week, the students focused on community leadership, which emphasised skills such as teamwork and active listening. Students from the Nanyang Technological University and Singapore Management University TF-LEaRN programme also participated in the activities, creating a more dynamic environment.

For the second week, students explored the three key themes of greenery, water and racial harmony, all of which are hallmarks of Singapore’s identity and intrinsically important to national development. By participating in leadership seminars, fireside chats with NUS students and alumni who shared their experiences in community leadership, as well as learning journeys to Marina Barrage, Ba’alwie Mosque and a Veggie Rescue at Little India activity, they gained insights into Singapore’s approach to urban sustainability and multiculturalism. Many overseas students shared how this approach contrasted with those from their home countries, engendering enriching discussions on the region’s shared challenges and diverse approaches.

In the final week, students took part in a futures thinking segment conducted by the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy at NUS, where they were introduced to tools such as horizon scanning and scenario communication, which are useful in anticipating trends and challenges, as well as developing effective strategies.

They were later divided into groups and tasked with identifying and addressing a community development issue in a Southeast Asian country of their choice. Through prototyping, brainstorming and presenting their ideas, students honed their ability to collaborate across cultural and academic disciplinary boundaries.

The entire programme has been an eye-opening experience for Jazmine. “Through the various talks, lectures and learning journeys, I saw how community leadership can come in many different forms. It was interesting to witness how different ideas came to life in both countries and the experience was made richer with the perspectives and insights from our Southeast Asian buddies. But beyond all the learnings, what stayed with me the most were the friendships built, and I believe this will endure well beyond the programme.”

By NUS Global Relations Office

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Probability theorem gets quantum makeover after 250 years

✇NUS - National University of Singapore Newsroom

How likely you think something is to happen depends on what you already believe about the circumstances. That is the simple concept behind Bayes’ rule, an approach to calculating probabilities, first proposed in 1763. Now, an international team of researchers has shown how Bayes’ rule operates in the quantum world. 
 
“I would say it is a breakthrough in mathematical physics,” said Professor Valerio Scarani, Deputy Director and Principal Investigator at the Centre for Quantum Technologies, and member of the team. His co-authors on the work published on 28 August 2025 in Physical Review Letters are Assistant Professor Ge Bai at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology in China, and Professor Francesco Buscemi at Nagoya University in Japan. 

“Bayes’ rule has been helping us make smarter guesses for 250 years. Now we have taught it some quantum tricks,” said Prof Buscemi.

While researchers before them had proposed quantum analogues for Bayes’ rule, they are the first to derive a quantum Bayes’ rule from a fundamental principle.  

Conditional probability 

Bayes’ rule is named for Thomas Bayes, who first defined his rules for conditional probabilities in ‘An Essay Towards Solving a Problem in the Doctrine of Chances’.  

Consider a case in which a person tests positive for flu. They may have suspected they were sick, but this new information would change how they think about their health. Bayes’ rule provides a method to calculate the probability of flu conditioned not only on the test result and the chances of the test giving a wrong answer, but also on the individual’s initial beliefs. 

Bayes’ rule interprets probabilities as expressing degrees of belief in an event. This has been long debated, since some statisticians think that probabilities should be “objective” and not based on beliefs. However, in situations where beliefs are involved, Bayes’ rule is accepted as a guide for reasoning. This is why it has found widespread use from medical diagnosis and weather prediction to data science and machine learning. 

Principle of minimum change 

When calculating probabilities with Bayes’ rule, the principle of minimum change is obeyed. Mathematically, the principle of minimum change minimises the distance between the joint probability distributions of the initial and updated belief. Intuitively, this is the idea that for any new piece of information, beliefs are updated in the smallest possible way that is compatible with the new facts. In the case of the flu test, for example, a negative test would not imply that the person is healthy, but rather that they are less likely to have the flu. 

In their work, Prof Scarani, who is also from NUS Department of Physics, Asst Prof Bai, and Prof Buscemi began with a quantum analogue to the minimum change principle. They quantified change in terms of quantum fidelity, which is a measure of the closeness between quantum states.  

Researchers always thought a quantum Bayes’ rule should exist because quantum states define probabilities. For example, the quantum state of a particle provides the probability of it being found at different locations. The goal is to determine the whole quantum state, but the particle is only found at one location when a measurement is performed. This new information will then update the belief, boosting the probability around that location.  

The team derived their quantum Bayes’ rule by maximising the fidelity between two objects that represent the forward and the reverse process, in analogy with a classical joint probability distribution. Maximising fidelity is equivalent to minimising change. They found in some cases their equations matched the Petz recovery map, which was proposed by Dénes Petz in the 1980s and was later identified as one of the most likely candidates for the quantum Bayes’ rule based just on its properties.  

“This is the first time we have derived it from a higher principle, which could be a validation for using the Petz map,” said Prof Scarani. The Petz map has potential applications in quantum computing for tasks such as quantum error correction and machine learning. The team plans to explore whether applying the minimum change principle to other quantum measures might reveal other solutions.  

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Pitch It! 2025: Re-imagining the Singapore story

✇NUS - National University of Singapore Newsroom

From bustling hawker centres to iconic historical architecture, Singapore’s rich cultural heritage holds powerful potential for storytelling. In celebration of the nation’s 60th year of independence, Pitch It! 2025 shines a spotlight on the theme “The Singapore Story”. Organised annually by the NUS Communications and New Media Society (CNM Society) since 2013, Pitch It! is a nationwide competition that encourages tertiary students to unleash their creativity and inspire social change through the use of diverse forms of media.

This year’s edition, held from April to July, was organised in partnership with Mediacorp’s Bloomr.SG (a content creator network to foster creative talents), the Singapore Heritage Society, and the Singapore Film Society. Featuring the problem statement “How can we enhance the telling of The Singapore Story – celebrating its colonial landmarks, traditional music, kampong life, and hawker food – in a way that fosters unity, pride and cross-cultural appreciation?”, Pitch It! 2025 challenged participants to develop compelling advertising or social media campaigns to bring these stories to life.

Learning to tell cultural stories

The four-month journey saw 24 student teams from polytechnics and universities competing for up to S$3000 worth of cash prizes. To kickstart the creative process, participants attended two highly anticipated masterclasses.

The first, co-led by Mr Han Ming Guang from the Singapore Heritage Society and Ms Priyanka Nair from the Singapore Film Society, highlighted the importance of authenticity in presenting Singapore’s cultural narratives and the role of youth in shaping national memory. Participants were encouraged to think critically about how campaigns could move beyond nostalgia to foster inclusivity, representation, and long-term relevance. Drawing from their own experiences in heritage conservation, Mr Han and Ms Nair shared the challenges they faced in raising public awareness and offered practical insights into the strategies and campaign approaches they employed to address them.

In the second masterclass, Mr Diogo Martins and Ms Denise Tan from Mediacorp’s Bloomr.SG introduced participants to the anatomy of a successful digital campaign. Using real-life case studies, participants explored how to integrate social media trends with emotive storytelling to drive public engagement. They came away with a deeper understanding of how creativity, data, and empathy intersect to create impactful media campaigns in today’s fast-paced digital landscape. Renee Chew, a Year 2 Communications and New Media student from the NUS Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences (FASS), said, “The masterclasses were incredibly engaging and helped us to develop our campaign effectively.”

From concept to campaign

Armed with new insights, teams conducted research and fieldwork and developed campaign concepts ranging from a video series to interactive heritage trails. Following the preliminary round, five standout teams were shortlisted to present their campaigns at the Grand Finals, where they received constructive feedback from industry judges and had the opportunity to refine their proposals ahead of the final pitch.

The Pitch It! 2025 Grand Finals took place in July, with teams Ixora, Wing Wing, Need Compass and Singapore FM presenting their campaigns to a distinguished panel of industry judges comprising the speakers from the earlier masterclasses – Mr Han, Ms Nair, Mr Martins and Ms Lisa Low from Mediacorp’s Bloomr.SG.

The top prize went to Team Wing Wing for their campaign #HearOurSingaporeStory, which centred on the power of sound to connect generations. At unique phone booths located near historic sites such as the Victoria Concert Hall, Clarke Quay and the Esplanade, seniors and youths can share personal stories about Singapore’s iconic landmarks and traditions – creating more authentic and emotionally resonant stories which can be shared and appreciated across generations. Mr Han highlighted how the team had a long-term vision to sustain their campaign beyond their initial proposal and had good environmental scanning. This was one of many reasons why their pitch stood out from the rest.

“It was really fun coming up with bold, creative ideas to bring the Singapore Story to life,” shared Shernice Feng, a second-year Communication Studies student from the Nanyang Technological University’s Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information and a member of the winning team. “I found the experience very fulfilling as it gave us a platform to explore our own interests and perspectives.”

Also featured at the Grand Finals was a panel discussion on “Heritage, Media and Inclusive Narratives” with Mr Han, Ms Nair and Dr Jinna Tay, Senior Lecturer from the FASS CNM Department. The panel explored key challenges in heritage communication, including how to represent culture responsibly amid commercial interests, adapting to shifting media consumption patterns, sustaining long-term interest in heritage beyond one-off campaigns, and finding a balance between data-driven content strategies and meaningful storytelling.

As Pitch It! 2025 drew to a close, students had the opportunity to network with speakers and partners, engaging in meaningful conversations that extended well beyond the formal programme.

Preparing our youth for the real world

The competition not only showcased the creativity of Singapore’s youth but also provided a meaningful learning experience – connecting students with industry mentors and giving them a glimpse into the realities of campaign development.

Chieng Josiah, CNM Society Vice-President in charge of external relations and events, and Year 2 CNM Student, was proud of his organising team, which included Project Directors Year 4 CNM student Ho Ee Hsuen and Year 2 CNM student Tran Nguyen Thao Anh, for persevering through the academic year to plan this major competition.

He shared, “It has been a memorable experience planning and improving on this year’s edition to commemorate SG60 with our culture-focused and media-focused masterclasses and Grand Finals. It was also heartwarming to see our participants from various schools connect with industry experts and experienced individuals in the local cultural and heritage scene. We hope Pitch It! continues to inspire our aspiring communications professionals!”

“Pitch It! is a great opportunity for students to tackle real-world industry challenges,” noted Mr Martins. “Through the process, they gain valuable experience in aggregating insights to form coherent solutions. It also helps build their confidence – in public speaking, pitching ideas effectively, and competing at a professional level.”

By the CNM Society at the NUS Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences

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NUS Team Bumblebee crowned champion of RoboSub 2025

✇NUS - National University of Singapore Newsroom

Following a one-year hiatus, NUS Team Bumblebee made a strong return to RoboSub 2025, reclaiming the championship title. The team had previously clinched its first championship in 2022 and successfully retained the top place in 2023.

Held from 11 to 17 August 2025 at the William Woollett Jr Aquatics Center in the City of Irvine in California, USA, RoboSub is a global competition that challenges teams to tackle real-world underwater robotics problems – from oceanographic exploration and mapping to object detection and manipulation. This year’s event brought together 58 teams from across the globe.

Team Bumblebee took a break from last year’s edition of RoboSub to focus on the Maritime RobotX Challenge, another international competition that advances autonomous robotic systems in the maritime domain. This year, the NUS team returned to RoboSub 2025 amid a record number of contenders, including Duke University, San Diego State University and Arizona State University – all of which were also finalists in this year’s competition.

After a week of intense competition – featuring technical presentations to judges and multiple rounds of pool testing - Team Bumblebee emerged as the overall champion and also swept awards for design documentation, namely Top Website, Top Video, Top Report and Top Assessment.

Team Lead Leong Deng Jun, Year 4 Computer Engineering undergraduate, reflected on the team’s effort, “I am very proud of what the team has achieved at this RoboSub. This year’s competition was especially challenging with a record number of teams participating. Many teams came better prepared, which meant we had limited testing time in the competition arena. Despite some unexpected setbacks and hardware issues, every member of our team stepped up and contributed to this victory.”

Based at the College of Design and Engineering in NUS, Team Bumblebee is a student-run multidisciplinary project comprising 55 undergraduates from Mechanical, Computer, and Electrical Engineering as well as NUS School of Computing, NUS Business School, and NUS College of Humanities and Sciences.

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NUS Business School celebrates 60 years of shaping tomorrow’s leaders

✇NUS - National University of Singapore Newsroom

The NUS Business School marked its 60th anniversary with a birthday bash on 14 August 2025, bringing together current students, staff and past and present leaders to celebrate its journey and look to the future.

Founded in 1965 as the Department of Business Administration, it began with just 21 students recruited from the Faculty of Arts by its first leader, Dr Andrew Zecha, who personally persuaded undergraduates to join the fledgling department. It went on to lay the foundation for business education in Singapore, setting up Master of Business Administration (MBA) and Executive MBA (EMBA) programmes in partnership with schools in China and the US and earning accreditations that helped it transform into a global business school.

Today, the Business School boasts more than 6,000 students across the undergraduate and postgraduate levels and an alumni network of more than 50,000. It is the top business school in Asia and ranks among the top ten globally.

NUS President Tan Eng Chye, NUS Business School co-founder Mr Tan Yam Pin, former deans Emeritus Professor Lee Soo Ann, Professor Wee Chow Hou, Professor Hum Sin Hoon and Professor Kulwant Singh, and Deputy Dean Associate Professor Jumana Zahalka joined Distinguished Professor Andrew Rose, Dean of the Business School, for a cake-cutting ceremony to open the event.

In his opening remarks, Prof Rose thanked the School’s founders and leaders for their contributions over the past six decades, as well as the faculty and staff whose education and research work form the core of the School’s reputation. “They are the reason why we’re attracting higher and higher quality students, and our reputation continues to grow,” he said.

The event included a fully subscribed masterclass on the future of sustainability in Asia, delivered by Professor Lawrence Loh, Director of the Centre for Governance and Sustainability, and an activity-packed carnival. Attendees enjoyed traditional snacks, arcade games, art booths and a dunk tank where their attempts to dunk Prof Rose and other faculty members raised money for a good cause.

Leading in Singapore and Asia

For former Business School leaders Mr Tan, Prof Lee and Prof Wee, the 60th anniversary milestone was an opportunity to reflect on the stark changes that have taken place since their time. The School’s enrolment growth is especially impressive for Mr Tan, who was there when the initial cohort of 21 was enrolled. In comparison, the undergraduate intake in recent years has been around 4,000 students per year.

Mr Tan reflected: “In 1963, when we first conceived the concept of starting a department of business administration, it seemed like a baby step forward to me. Now looking back, it was actually a giant leap, like (Neil) Armstrong said.”

Back then, business subjects like accountancy were considered more suitable for polytechnic diplomas, rather than degrees, Prof Lee recalled. However, things changed when Singapore gained independence in 1965 and needed to train its own finance professionals.

Prof Lee said, “The teaching of accounting and business administration became essential for businesses to survive, because the accountants had returned to England. By teaching accounting here, we upgraded the capabilities of Singapore and the economy.”

He looks forward to continued innovations in how the School prepares students for the changing business environment, such as by offering more double degree programmes and leveraging new technologies like Generative AI to help students learn faster and more broadly.

Prof Wee was pleased to see that several initiatives he introduced during his tenure from 1990–1999 have become an integral part of the School’s offerings and shaped its global focus.

For instance, he was an early advocate of the modular system over the traditional year-long curriculum, as it would allow students to retake individual modules as needed and embark on exchange programmes more flexibly. The same system has now been implemented across the entire University.

To strengthen the School’s influence as an authority on Asian business, he encouraged faculty members to initiate collaborations with authors of well-known business textbooks to develop new editions with Asian case studies and contexts. In addition, Chinese MBA and EMBA programmes were launched under his leadership, offering the first such programmes outside mainland China.

A project that he would have liked to execute before he stepped down was the creation of a bilingual master’s programme, which he believes would be critical to the Business School’s mission of providing business education with an Asian lens. He still hopes that this vision will eventually come to fruition in the School’s next chapter.

“Singapore as a nation has survived because the West wants to listen to our views about China, and the Chinese come to us to know about the West,” Prof Wee said. “As a society, our strength lies in playing that bridging role. It’s important that the government is trying to cultivate bilingualism, and our universities should complement this.”

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NUS receives S$3 million gift from Mapletree to strengthen service-learning courses and uplift over 60,000 seniors, vulnerable families

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The National University of Singapore (NUS) has received a generous S$3 million pledge from global real estate powerhouse Mapletree Investments (Mapletree) to strengthen service-learning courses that will empower over 4,000 student volunteers annually to uplift more than 60,000 beneficiaries. This collaboration underscores that everyone has a role in building a "we-first" society where the government, community and corporate partners work together to create a more inclusive Singapore.

This milestone moment was graced by Guest-of-Honour Ms Low Yen Ling, Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth & Ministry of Trade and Industry, on 25 August 2025 at Mapletree Business City.

Under the Communities and Engagement (C&E) pillar of the General Education curriculum, NUS undergraduate students across various disciplines can read service-learning courses as part of their graduation requirements. These courses encourage deep reflection and constructive actions on societal needs and real-world issues such as inequality and poverty which underprivileged and disadvantaged communities struggle with.

As the Principal Founding Donor and one of the largest donors towards the C&E Pillar with a focus on Seniors and Vulnerable Families, Mapletree’s contribution will sustain and expand NUS C&E courses such as GEN2060 Reconnect SeniorsSG, GEN2061 Support Healthy AgeingSG, GEN2062 Community Activities for Seniors with SG Cares, and GEN2070 Community Link (ComLink) Befrienders. Since the pilot launch of the C&E Pillar (Seniors and Vulnerable Families) in Academic Year 2022/2023, over 5,000 students have completed, or are currently enrolled in, these courses.

These service-learning courses run up to a year, encouraging students to take initiative in community service while developing critical thinking about complex social challenges.

Beyond volunteering, students also reflect, analyse and create solutions. The impact of this approach is multifaceted – beneficiaries find companionship and renewed hope; community partners gain extra help on the ground; students cultivate life-long values, and the ripple effects strengthen Singapore’s social fabric.

NUS President Professor Tan Eng Chye said, “We are grateful to Mapletree for this generous contribution, which will greatly enhance the impact of our service-learning courses. By empowering our students to serve the community, we are nurturing among the next generation empathy and a deeper awareness of societal needs among the disadvantaged and underprivileged. At the same time, we create opportunities for our students to do their part and support Singapore’s ageing population and lower-income families. These efforts reinforce our commitment to make a positive impact on society and community through our mission in education.”

Mr Edmund Cheng, Chairman of Mapletree, said, “Mapletree’s latest Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative with NUS aligns with two of our four CSR pillars – Healthcare and Education. Through our gift, as part of our US$10 million commitment to Temasek Trust’s Philanthropy Asia Alliance (PAA), these courses create beautiful bridges to facilitate relationships between students, seniors and vulnerable families, enriching the lives of all involved. We will continue to invest in the communities where we operate, strengthening the social fabric in meaningful ways.”

In 2023, Temasek Trust announced the launch of PAA to drive positive impact across Asia and mobilise collective philanthropic partnerships and strategies addressing global environmental and social challenges.

With Mapletree’s support, students will deepen their role as volunteers to implement hands-on initiatives to engage seniors and disadvantaged families. For example, as part of GEN2062, students facilitate thoughtfully designed activities at Active Ageing Centres and Senior Care Centres that stimulate cognitive function, enhance physical health, and improve the holistic well-being of elderly participants. Students in GEN2060 and GEN2070 conduct home visits to befriend seniors and vulnerable families, while students in GEN2061 share vital information about government assistance schemes with seniors through door-to-door visits. A small part of the gift will also go towards empowering student initiatives in other C&E courses to support these sectors.

Ms Cheryl Lim, Manager of Programmes at NTUC Health Senior Day Care, said, “We are heartened to witness the smiles on the seniors’ faces, made possible by the diverse range of activities organised by NUS students. The contributions of the students have been truly invaluable—their initiative in planning and leading these activities has not only enriched the lives of our seniors but also provided our team with interesting ideas. We truly appreciate the long-term, sustained collaboration and partnership with NUS that helps foster intergenerational bonds and nurture a continued sense of belonging, especially in our seniors, and within the broader community across generations.”

Complementing the efforts by community partners to promote better health and social engagement among seniors, the courses under the C&E pillar also enable NUS students to experience personal growth through their interaction and involvement with the seniors.

Mr Sean Ang Teng Han, a second-year student from the NUS Faculty of Science, who is currently reading the GEN2062 course, said, “It challenged me to step up and develop soft skills I did not have in the past, such as managing group dynamics, holding the attention of a crowd, and adapting quickly to different personalities. Learning how to engage and entertain a group of elderly participants has taught me a lot about communication and leadership in a more communal setting.”

Mapletree’s gift is the latest in a long-standing partnership with NUS that began over a decade ago with the establishment of the Mapletree Bursary in 2012. With a total endowment of S$900,000 to date, the Bursary has provided over 130 students with financial support, removing barriers that may otherwise pose challenges to their education journey. With this latest gift, Mapletree hopes to promote intergenerational bonding, a volunteering culture among youth, and opportunities to enhance age-in-place initiatives, one of the many efforts to address one of Singapore’s most pressing societal challenges – a rapidly ageing population, with one in four residents reaching the age of 65 by 2030.

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‘ASEAN Way’ offers hope amid rising global tensions

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From the wars in Gaza and Ukraine to protracted crises in Africa, geopolitical tensions abound in today’s turbulent world. But there is a bright spot closer to home.

Guided by the basic principles of non-interference, non-aggression, decision-making through consensus, and quiet diplomacy, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) has remained a shining example of hope in the region, said ASEAN Secretary-General Dr Kao Kim Hourn.

“History has taught us that peace is not a natural state of affairs – it is sustained by restraint, dialogue, diplomacy, and a shared commitment to order,” noted Dr Kao at a lecture organised by the NUS Centre for International Law (CIL) on 4 August 2025 that was attended by about 130 participants, including policymakers, diplomats, government officials as well as members of academia and the private sector from Singapore and the region.

“ASEAN’s journey stands as a profound testament to the tenacity required to make regionalism and multilateralism work.”

ASEAN is an area of focus for CIL, particularly in its role as a pillar of international law, said CIL Director, Dr Nilufer Oral. In her welcome remarks at the annual CIL-NUS ASEAN Distinguished Lecture, she hailed ASEAN as “an important building block in the international legal system”.

Echoing this, Dr Kao added: “Even in times of difficulty, we do not abandon our faith in the power of diplomacy, a culture of dialogue, and a sense of shared purpose. That is the ‘ASEAN Way’, and it remains a source of light in an increasingly uncertain and polarised world.”

His lecture, titled “ASEAN: A Bright Spot in a Darkening World”, focused on the continued relevance of the bloc, which was founded in 1967. But the brightness can dim occasionally.

“The recent flare-up along the Cambodia-Thailand border should serve as a sobering wake-up call…we can neither afford complacency, nor take peace for granted,” stressed the Cambodian diplomat, who has been ASEAN’s Secretary-General since 2023.

Clashes between the two countries in July de-escalated after an intervention by neighbouring leader Mr Anwar Ibrahim, Prime Minister of Malaysia, who is the current ASEAN Chair.

Unity amid uncertainty

Dr Kao emphasised ASEAN’s commitment to future-proofing the region, as set out in the “ASEAN 2045” agenda adopted at the 46th ASEAN Summit in May 2025.

“For the first time in ASEAN’s history, we have articulated a 20-year outlook that anticipates the global megatrends already reshaping the international system,” he said, highlighting the challenges of climate change, demographic shifts, and technological disruptions.

“‘ASEAN 2045’ seeks not just to respond to them, but also to harness them in shaping a dynamic, inclusive, and future-ready region.”

Other challenges threatening the rules-based world order include the rising tides of unilateralism, fragmentation, and protectionism, with Dr Kao calling for concerted efforts and vigilance to sustain this relationship of trust.

Such efforts are especially crucial given the outsized impact of external forces on the region.

For example, Dr Kao acknowledged that US President Donald Trump’s support was crucial to securing peace in the Indo-Pacific. But he said ASEAN had to make known to the US that its recent tariffs had caused “a lot of uncertainty” in the region, especially in the private sector.

“ASEAN has been trying to respond collectively as a region to the US,” said Dr Kao in his reply to a question on the rules-based order, adding that the bloc is also working to boost trade within the region and with partners like China, Korea, and India.

A beacon in a darkening world

Amid geopolitical tensions, ASEAN’s growing appeal is evident as more non-Southeast Asian countries join ASEAN-led partnerships. It has not only championed peace, but also “reinforced its position as a cornerstone of regional economic success”, said Dr Kao.

Currently the world’s fifth-largest economy, ASEAN is projected to become the fourth-largest by 2030. In 2023, it secured a record US$230 billion in foreign direct investment.

Asked if ASEAN was in need of reform, Dr Kao conceded the bloc had its “shortcomings” such as not delivering results quickly enough, and was working to address them. On a separate note, he highlighted that ASEAN was making inroads in AI-related issues ranging from governance to ethics, and was gaining “a lot of momentum” in cybersecurity.

Weighing in, Mr Ong Keng Yong, Singapore’s Ambassador-at-Large and current CIL Governing Board Member, who moderated the dialogue, added that countries needed more political will to enforce cybersecurity-related laws.

Participants believed the topics discussed were timely. “The lecture was an accurate reflection of the processes and the recent priorities of ASEAN,” said Ms Diane Shayne D. Lipana, Acting Director of ASEAN Affairs at the Philippines’ Department of Foreign Affairs.

In these uncertain times, ASEAN’s role is starker than ever. “We will redouble our efforts to ensure that ASEAN remains – steadily and resolutely – a bright beacon in a darkening world,” Dr Kao added.

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NUS recognised for green building excellence

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Demonstrating its strong commitment to decarbonising the built environment through a portfolio of 64 Green Mark-certified buildings, NUS was awarded the Green Mark Commemorative Certificate at the Singapore Green Building Council Gala Dinner on 11 July 2025 for its continued support and contributions to Singapore’s green building journey. The event was held in celebration of the 20th anniversary of the Building and Construction Authority (BCA) Green Mark Certification Scheme.

Leading the way in high-performance green buildings

As of July 2025, six buildings in NUS have achieved the highest energy performance ratings under the Green Mark 2021 In-Operation scheme - Platinum Super Low Energy (SLE), Zero Energy (ZE), and Positive Energy (PE):

  • SDE 4 – Platinum ZE (2018) and Platinum PE (2022)
  • SDE 1 – Platinum SLE (2018) and Platinum ZE (2023)
  • SDE 3 – Platinum SLE (2018, 2024)
  • Ventus – Platinum (2012) and Platinum SLE (2024)
  • AS8 – Platinum (2015) and Platinum SLE (2024)
  • Central Library – Platinum SLE (2020, 2024)

In 2021, NUS bagged the top BCA award for green buildings – the Green Mark Platinum Champion Award – for achieving 50 Green Mark Gold and above certifications for developments across its campuses.

One example is Ventus at NUS’ Kent Ridge Campus, where the Office of University Campus Infrastructure (UCI) is located. Through green building design and collaboration with building users to implement energy-saving measures, the Energy Use Intensity (EUI), which measures the total energy consumption of a building relative to its gross floor area, for Ventus was 49 kWh/m2 in FY2024, which is significantly lower than the average EUI for offices at 219 kWh/m2. 

Beyond achieving high energy performance for the University’s new and existing buildings, green buildings also offer health and well-being benefits to building occupants. Comprehensive research by BCA and NUS in 2017 revealed that occupants experienced significantly better indoor environmental conditions than those in non-certified buildings, with measurable improvements in temperature control, humidity levels, air quality, and overall occupant satisfaction.

Translating innovation into practice

Beyond certification, NUS has played a pivotal role in pushing for an alternative cooling approach to reduce energy consumption while maintaining thermal comfort. Under Singapore’s new proposed Built Environment Decarbonisation Technology Roadmap, Associate Professor Adrian Chong from the Department of the Built Environment at the College of Design and Engineering, together with the UCI sustainability team, contributed to the development of a new technical standard known as TR 141:2025 for hybrid cooling systems, which aims to accelerate the deployment of hybrid cooling systems across building typologies. Their inputs were informed by the design and operational experience gained from implementing hybrid cooling technology in Net Zero Energy buildings at NUS. The new technical standard addresses the current gap in international standards and provides guidelines suited to our tropical climate.

Under the Campus Sustainability Roadmap 2030 Framework, the University aims to reduce Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions by 30 per cent and reduce EUI by 20 per cent from the FY2019 baseline. By setting ambitious energy efficiency targets for its new and existing buildings, NUS aims to use the campus as a living lab where students can engage with real-world case studies for experiential learning and researchers can test-bed and develop innovations to improve building performance.

Supporting Singapore’s green building journey and Net Zero vision

NUS is committed to reducing both operational and embodied carbon across its building portfolio, in alignment with the national green building agenda and broader climate goals. As part of its strategy to address Scope 3 emissions, NUS has commissioned a study on sustainable construction, specifically on low embodied carbon materials, and is currently exploring the procurement of such materials for future NUS developments.

Vice President (Campus Infrastructure) Mr Koh Yan Leng said, “Greening the university’s buildings, such as by providing ample greenery, natural daylight, and more natural ventilation, has created a conducive environment for learning and working. Our commitment to bold energy targets helps shape the behaviours of future leaders and enables our community to engage with sustainable practices every day.”

By NUS University Campus Infrastructure

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Beating the odds: How Singapore’s governance transformed its destiny

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Days before Singapore celebrated its 60th year of independence, a new book was added to the canon of literature on the city-state’s improbable growth and survival – this time, through the eyes of public sector leaders who had a hand in its transformation.

Launched on 6 August 2025, How Singapore Beat the Odds: Insider Insights on Governance in the City-State by Terence Ho, Adjunct Associate Professor (Practice) at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy (LKYSPP), features in-depth interviews with 12 political and public sector leaders on the challenges faced, chances taken and decisions made that shaped Singapore into what it is today, as well as their perspectives on the journey and views on Singapore’s future.

Assoc Prof Ho is a frequent commentator on economic, fiscal, workforce and social policy issues, as well as skills and lifelong learning. As an adjunct faculty member of LKYSPP, he teaches in executive programmes covering various areas of public sector governance.

The foreword was written by Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam, President of the Republic of Singapore, and the distinguished interviewees include former Singapore President Mdm Halimah Yacob; Ms Seah Jiak Choo, former Director-General of Education; Mr Peter Ho, former Chairman of the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA); and Mr Ravi Menon, former Managing Director of the Monetary Authority of Singapore.

The project was mooted and sponsored by Mr Narayana Murthy, founder and Chairman Emeritus of technology provider Infosys and a long-time admirer of Singapore. He believed that such a book of insights into Singapore’s public governance would inspire and guide leaders of developing nations to drive similar transformations of their own.

“The success of Singapore lies not in any magic, but in a successful method,” said Mr Murthy at the launch event. “Singapore demonstrates that good public governance is a possible, practical, valuable and powerful strategy. To Singapore and to the visionaries who made it what it is today, I say ‘Thank you’ for lifting the standard, showing the way and reminding the world that public governance done right can transform the destiny of a nation.”

Noting the unplanned coincidence of the book’s launch with the nation’s diamond jubilee, Assoc Prof Ho highlighted that the themes explored in the book were not just critical in Singapore’s early development but remain relevant for its next 60 years. “While the book aims to inspire other countries, I hope that Singaporeans too will draw inspiration from the values and the pioneering spirit of our veteran leaders as we collectively continue to write the next chapter of the Singapore story.”

The book launch at the Capitol Kempinski Hotel Singapore was attended by President Tharman as Guest of Honour and more than 120 guests, including several of the book’s interviewees. During the event, three leaders featured in the book delivered speeches on the aspects of governance where they made significant contributions: Professor Lim Siong Guan, former Head of Civil Service, on fiscal management; Mr Khaw Boon Wan, former Singapore Cabinet Minister, on healthcare; and Professor Cheong Koon Hean, former CEO of URA and the Housing Development Board, on urban planning.

Priorities to not just survive, but thrive

The idea that no one owes Singapore its survival was a driving force for many early governance decisions, said Prof Lim, who is also Distinguished Practitioner Fellow at LKYSPP and was recently honoured as an Emeritus Professor by NUS for his noteworthy contributions to Singapore’s civil service.

In his speech, Prof Lim shared the government’s top spending priorities for nation-building: defence, industrialisation, home ownership, education and health. While principles of fiscal prudence were established from the start, the government recognised the need to enhance its revenue streams and created the sovereign wealth fund GIC and the reserves policy to generate investment returns and allocate them between current and future needs.

Prof Lim described Singapore’s approach thus: “If you want to spend more, you need to be able to earn more at the same time. Be fair; give access to the current generation to a reasonable or fair part of the investment returns, while at the same time making sure that you keep up the capital reserves for whatever may be the unexpected demands of the rainy days.”

Solving the issue of sustainable financing for the healthcare system was Mr Khaw’s task as Health Minister from 2004 to 2011. Balancing the two dimensions of healthcare, financing and delivery, is especially challenging because “in healthcare, demand is potentially unlimited, but supply is not,” and poor patients suffer the most when demand outstrips supply, said the current chairman of SPH Media Trust.

The solution lay in a mixed approach for both dimensions. Instead of relying on taxation or insurance for funding, Singapore employs a multi-layered model that includes patient co-payment to prevent overconsumption while keeping healthcare affordable. Similarly, healthcare services are delivered by a mix of public, private and charitable providers, which offers patients more choices and responds better to the diverse needs of an ageing population.

As Singapore evolves into a “super aged” society, the healthcare system must focus more on long-term chronic care, building on the pillars of preventative healthcare, primary healthcare by family physicians and a healthcare system that is integrated with the community to provide holistic care, said Mr Khaw.

He spotlighted the crucial role of caregivers, saying: “When a cure is no longer available, what patients value most is care, and the highest form of care is underpinned by love and compassion, often by the patient’s family. Society has a strong interest, indeed a strong duty, to support caregivers adequately.”

A combination of aspirations, innovation, and good urban governance enabled Singapore to turn the constraints that threatened its survival into catalysts for success, said Prof Cheong, Practice Professor at Singapore University of Technology and Design and Chairman of the Lee Kuan Yew Centre for Innovative Cities.

For example, water insecurity drove investments in water recycling and water catchments, and the scarcity of land forced planners to reclaim land, create underground spaces and plan vertically.

“The starting point is to embed a culture of foresight in the way our policies are formulated. The city did not wait for problems to become crises,” she said, adding that a whole-of-government approach and collaboration with the private sector, non-profits and citizens were key in creating solutions that balance economic competitiveness and quality of life.

Considering principles in context

The event concluded with a brief panel discussion moderated by Ms Ong Toon Hui, Vice Dean and Executive Director, Institute for Governance and Leadership at LKYSPP, in which the three speakers shared their thoughts on how the book’s insights into Singapore’s experience could be made relevant to other countries.

Prof Lim and Mr Khaw emphasised the importance of understanding the principles behind the decisions and translating those into actions that fit the context of each country, and Prof Cheong provided additional insights from her experience researching cities for 20 years and working on the Lee Kuan Yew World City Prize.

She cited long-term planning, good urban governance, strong leadership, institutionalised processes, and competent people as common traits of the award-winning cities, some of which have been integrated into the prize assessment criteria.

“The cities that have won the prize all exhibit very similar principles to us – maybe not so much in the details – but these are very high-level principles that I feel are applicable to most cities,” she said, reminding the audience that even as others look to Singapore for lessons in governance, there is much that Singapore can learn from other cities in return.

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Singapore’s strong research base makes it easier for it to adopt nuclear energy: UN nuclear chief

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Singapore is seen as an ideal country that could use nuclear energy, due to its technological know-how, institutional maturity, and geographical constraints on renewable power generation.  

This view came from Mr Rafael Mariano Grossi, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), who delivered a lecture on developments in atomic energy and nuclear security at NUS on 25 July 2025. The lecture, hosted by the Singapore Nuclear Research and Safety Institute (SNRSI) at NUS, was followed by a question-and-answer session moderated by Associate Professor Leong Ching, NUS Vice Provost (Student Life) and Acting Dean of the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy at NUS.

“When it comes to decarbonising, what are your options? Here, there is no hydropower. You have renewables, but you don’t have much territory... so you cannot have wind parks for kilometres on end,” he told an audience of 250 students, undergraduates, academics, experts and government officials at NUS’ Shaw Foundation Alumni House.

“In my opinion, and in the opinion of many experts, in terms of the options, perhaps Singapore could rightly figure as the most perfect example of a country that needs nuclear energy. With a very small nuclear power plant, you can have a level of energy density and production that you cannot match with anything else.”

Singapore has been contributing to global developments in nuclear research for the last decade and has been a member of IAEA since 1967.

For example, Singapore conducts training on nuclear science and technology for other countries, and its government agencies contribute to technical committees of the IAEA — which functions as the United Nations nuclear watchdog.

While the government announced in February that Singapore would study the potential deployment of nuclear power and systematically build up capabilities in the area, no decision has been made on whether the country will adopt nuclear energy.

Meanwhile, the country is further building its nuclear expertise with SNRSI, which was launched on 11 July 2025.

“Having Mr Grossi here today is of special significance to us because, earlier this month, the Singapore Nuclear Research and Safety Institute was officially launched after 10 years as an Initiative. It didn’t happen overnight, it took us 10 years to grow our size and capability,” said Professor Lui Pao Chuen, Chairman of the SNRSI Management Board, in his opening remarks.

“Singapore is committed and ready to contribute to the safe, peaceful use of nuclear science and technology,” he added.

SNRSI will operate from a new purpose-built facility at NUS, with a S$66 million grant. It plans to double its pool of experts to 100 by 2030, and will play a major role in Singapore’s partnership with the IAEA to train experts from developing countries in nuclear research.

Singapore has also worked with the IAEA on other areas, such as the designation of the NUS Centre for Ion Beam Applications as a Collaborating Centre — the first such centre in Singapore. One focus of the Collaborating Centre is proton beam therapy, which is used in radiation cancer treatment.

What’s driving the nuclear pivot

The pivot towards atomic power has been a global trend, with ASEAN countries also showing interest in collaborating with IAEA to develop nuclear energy capabilities. For instance, countries like Indonesia, Vietnam and Myanmar plan to build nuclear power plants.

“It is not a trend towards nuclear dominance,” noted Mr Grossi, emphasising that the role of nuclear energy is to provide a stable base load for the grid that “never stops”.

Instead, he attributed the rising interest to two factors: decarbonisation and energy security.

If the world aspired to hit decarbonisation targets of the Paris Agreement, it would have to include the use of nuclear energy. “Decarbonisation without nuclear (energy) is practically utopian,” he added. 

A more fragmented world also means growing energy security concerns, as an overreliance on external energy supplies could put countries in a vulnerable position.

“The allure of a source of energy which gives you total independence becomes even clearer when you have a nuclear power plant. You switch it on, it’s yours,” said Mr Grossi.

If Singapore is keen to pursue nuclear energy, he suggested that the Republic could share a nuclear power plant with an ASEAN neighbour, citing how this is done in Slovenia with the Krsko power plant that provides energy to both Slovenia and Croatia.

Safety is top priority

While there are benefits to nuclear energy, the topic of safety, among other areas such as application guidelines and costs, was brought up and addressed by Mr Grossi during the question-and-answer session.

In response to a question on the effects of a nuclear power plant incident in a densely populated city such as Singapore, Mr Grossi assured that safety is IAEA’s top priority. “We at the IAEA develop, together with the countries, emergency preparedness and response mechanisms,” he said. “It’s one indispensable part of nuclear power planning and operation.”

To another question on disposing radioactive waste, Mr Grossi said that no country can run a nuclear power programme without first having a clearly defined and agreed plan for managing the waste – a process he emphasised that must be considered from the start and not left until after the fuel is used. “There are very clear methodologies to deal with it, and they are used…to great success.”

While there have been debates concerning the long-term disposal due to the lasting radiation of spent fuel, Mr Grossi noted that the amount of such waste is extremely low. The waste generated is also inspected to ensure there is no radiation hazard or misuse of nuclear material. “We are the only industry that checks the rubbish,” he added with a smile.

Summing up the potential of nuclear power, he concluded, “Let me say that all of this presents a picture of opportunities, challenges and problems.” It is a blueprint that the IAEA, in partnership with countries like Singapore, will continue to fine-tune and optimise.

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UM-NUS Celebrate Longstanding Friendship with Royal Banquet, 54th Golf Tournament and Precision Health Symposium in Malaysia

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The National University of Singapore (NUS) and Universiti Malaya (UM) will celebrate more than six decades of collaboration with a series of commemorative events in Perak, Malaysia, later this month. Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam, President of the Republic of Singapore and Chancellor of NUS, accompanied by an NUS delegation, will travel to Ipoh on 25 August 2025 for a working visit. President Tharman will be accompanied by his spouse, Mrs Jane Ittogi Shanmugaratnam.

The NUS delegation will include Chairman of the NUS Board of Trustees Mr Hsieh Fu Hua, NUS President Professor Tan Eng Chye, NUS Chief Alumni Officer Ms Ovidia Lim-Rajaram, NUS Golf Captain Ms Angelia Tay, academics, golfers and staff.

NUS marks its 120th anniversary in 2025, a legacy that began in 1905 with the establishment of the Straits Settlements and Federated Malay States Government Medical School, which later became Universiti Malaya. In 1962, UM’s Singapore campus was reconstituted as the University of Singapore, which later evolved into the National University of Singapore. The strong ties between the two institutions have continued alongside the warm friendship between Singapore and Malaysia.

“The longstanding friendship between NUS and UM is rooted in a shared history and a mutual commitment to collaboration and educational excellence. As both universities mark their 120-year legacy this year, we are honoured to celebrate this enduring partnership through meaningful engagements which reflect not only our deep institutional ties, but also the warm and longstanding bonds between Singapore and Malaysia,” said Professor Tan Eng Chye, President of NUS. 

Meeting and Royal Welcome in Kuala Kangsar

On the evening of 25 August, President Tharman will have a meeting with the Chancellor of UM and Sultan of Perak His Royal Highness Sultan Nazrin Muizzuddin Shah Ibni Almarhum Sultan Azlan Muhibbuddin Shah Al-Maghfur-Lah at the Istana Iskandariah in Kuala Kangsar. This will be followed by a Royal Dinner hosted by HRH Sultan Nazrin Shah and the Raja Permaisuri of Perak, Her Royal Highness Tuanku Zara Salim, for President Tharman, Mrs Tharman and the NUS delegation.

UM–NUS Inter-University Tunku Chancellor Golf Tournament

On 26 August, more than 100 golfers from NUS and UM will tee off at the Royal Perak Golf Club in the 54th UM–NUS Inter-University Tunku Chancellor Golf Tournament. First held in 1968 to strengthen ties between the two institutions, the tournament alternates venues between Malaysia and Singapore. This year’s competition in Ipoh will culminate in a prize presentation lunch, attended by the two Chancellors, Mr Hsieh Fu Hua, Chairman of the NUS Board of Trustees, Tan Sri Zarinah Anwar, Chairman of UM’s Board of Directors, Professor Tan Eng Chye, President of NUS, and Professor Dato’ Seri Ir Dr Noor Azuan Abu Osman, Vice-Chancellor of UM.

2nd UM–NUS Joint Academic Symposium: Precision Health

Also on 26 August, NUS and UM researchers will convene for the second Joint Academic Symposium held alongside the tournament, this year focusing on precision health. The symposium will feature 10 keynote addresses and technical talks by leading scholars and clinicians from both universities, alongside a special presentation on the shared history of Singapore and Malaysia. President Tharman and HRH Sultan Nazrin Shah will preside over the keynote and shared history presentations. The 2024 joint academic symposium, which was held at NUS, was on biomedical engineering.

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NUS community honoured with National Day Awards on Singapore’s 60th birthday

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Mr Tan Gee Paw (MSc ISE '71), Adjunct Professor with the NUS College of Design and Engineering, and former Chairman of Changi Airport Group, was honoured with the Order of Nila Utama at the National Day Awards, earning this year's top accolade for his role in advancing Singapore’s development in areas such as aviation, rail transport and water security.

Professor Lui Pao Chuen (Science '65), Temasek Defence Professor at the Temasek Defence Systems Institute (TDSI) and Chairman of the Singapore Nuclear Research and Safety Institute (SNRSI), both key institutes at NUS, received the next highest award, the Distinguished Service Order. He was lauded for his contributions to Singapore across diverse fields, including education, science and technology, urban development, defence and infrastructure.    

The two recipients were among the nearly 200 members of the NUS community who were recognised for their merit and service to Singapore. In total, some 7,210 people were presented with the National Day Awards, on the year of Singapore’s 60th anniversary.

Mr Tan, who chaired Changi Airport Group from October 2020 to March 2025, was cited for steering the airport operator through the headwinds posed by COVID-19, maintaining its mission as a leading air hub and ensuring a swift recovery in post-pandemic traffic levels. Beyond shaping the development of the upcoming Terminal 5 and Changi East airport expansion, he was credited with spearheading the group’s efforts in innovation and sustainability, boosting its operational efficiency and overseeing key infrastructure upgrades.

During his term as Chairman of PUB, Singapore’s national water agency, from 2001 to 2017, he led bold initiatives and long-term infrastructure projects, such as the launch of NEWater and the Marina Barrage. As Advisor to the Land Transport Authority and the Ministry of Transport, he provided guidance on complex technical issues related to rail projects and strategic advice on organisational matters.

Prof Lui was recognised for his pivotal role in advancing Singapore’s research capabilities and technologies across multiple spheres – from nuclear science and water sustainability to national security – through his leadership as Chairman of SNRSI and the Public Utilities Board Project Evaluation Panel, as well as Advisor to the Ministry of Home Affairs, among others.

He had served with distinction in the Ministry of Defence for over 40 years, including 22 years as Chief Defence Scientist. A pioneering advocate of systems thinking, Prof Lui was reappointed Temasek Defence Professor at TDSI in 2024 in recognition of his outstanding scholarly accomplishments, a role in which he continues to enhance cross-disciplinary research capabilities in defence systems at NUS.

Spotlighting the NUS community

Other illustrious members of the NUS community also received recognition across the 22 award categories. They included many members of the University's Board of Trustees (BOT), both past and present.

NUS Pro-Chancellor Mr Gautam Banerjee was awarded the Public Service Star in his capacity as Director of the GIC Board, Chairman of the GIC Audit Committee, and a member of the GIC Human Resource and Organization Committee.

The Meritorious Service Medal was conferred upon BOT member Mr Tan Chong Meng (Engineering '83, MSc ISE '87) for his contributions as Chairman of the National University Health System, former Group CEO of PSA International, and former Chairman of JTC Corporation.

Another Trustee, Ms Lim Wan Yong, received the Long Service Medal in her capacity as Permanent Secretary (Education) at the Ministry of Education. A 2019 recipient of the Public Administration Medal (Silver) for her work at the Ministry of National Development, she has also held appointments in the Ministry of Social and Family Development and the Prime Minister’s Office.

Among the recipients of the Meritorious Service Medal were former Trustees Mr Davinder Singh SC (Law '82), Dr Noeleen Heyzer (Arts & Social Sciences '71, MSocSci '73, HonDLitt '25) and Dr Sudha Nair (Arts & Social Sciences '86, PhD '07).

Mr Singh, who served on the NUS Board from 2012 to 2015, was conferred the award in his capacity as Chairman of the Singapore International Arbitration Centre. Social scientist Dr Noeleen Heyzer is a 2025 Honorary Graduate of the Doctor of Letters from NUS, Rector of NUS’ Ridge View Residential College, and also former Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations. She served on the NUS Board from 2013 to 2019. Dr Sudha Nair, who taught at the Department of Social Work in the NUS Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences and served as Trustee from 2021 to 2024, received the award in her capacity as CEO of PAVE, a social service agency which provides an integrated service for individual and family protection.

Several leaders of NUS colleges, schools and institutes also received honours. 

Mr Janadas Devan (Arts & Social Sciences '79), Director of the Institute of Policy Studies at NUS, won the Meritorious Service Medal for his work as Deputy Secretary at the Prime Minister’s Office, and as Senior Advisor at the Ministry of Digital Development and Information.

Mr Tan Tee How (Business '83), the Chair of the Governing Council at NUS’ Centre for Trusted Internet and Community won the same medal for his contributions as Chairman of the Gambling Regulatory Authority of Singapore and Board Chairman of NHG Health.

Ms Janet Ang (Business '82), Chairman of the NUS-ISS Management Board, won the Public Service Star in her capacity as a Former Council Member of the Singapore Business Federation and Chairman of the Singapore Business Federation Foundation.

The Public Administration Medal (Silver) was awarded to Associate Professor Leong Ching (Arts & Social Sciences '92, MA '96, Public Policy PhD '13), NUS Vice Provost (Student Life) and Acting Dean of the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, and Professor Thomas M. Coffman, Dean of Duke-NUS Medical School.

Ms Euleen Goh, who previously served as Rector of the former Cinnamon College at NUS, won the Meritorious Service Medal for her contributions as the former Chairman of SATS.

Many of the University’s alumni also received awards. These include:

Meritorious Service Medal

  • Mr Hoong Wee Teck (Arts & Social Sciences ’87)

The Public Service Star (Bar)

  • Mr Chandra Mohan s/o Rethnam (Law '86)
  • Mr Chiang Heng Liang (Business '85, MFE '02)
  • Mr Lye Hoong Yip, Raymond (Law '90)
  • Mr Peter Sim Swee Yam (Law '80)

The Public Service Star

  • Mr Cheah Kok Keong (Arts & Social Sciences ’91)
  • Mr Chey Chor Wai (Business '76)
  • Mr Foo Hee Jug (Science '90)
  • Mr John Ng Peng Wah (Engineering '85, MSc ISE '90)
  • Assoc Prof Leong Kwok Fai Mark (Medicine '86)
  • Assoc Prof Stephen Phua Lye Huat (Law '88)

View the list of NUS-affiliated recipients here and visit this link for the winners from Duke-NUS.

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Revitalising youths and textiles: The story of Repurposed

✇NUS - National University of Singapore Newsroom

Matthew Tan, a student at the NUS Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences (FASS), and FASS alumna Desiree Chang launched Woofie’s Warehouse in 2021 based on a hybrid concept that blends thrift and vintage by selling second-hand clothing primarily sourced from Japan.

Purchasing the merchandise in bulk often meant that about 5 to 10 per cent of the clothing was unfit for sale due to being in poor condition or heavily damaged. Faced with unsold inventory and Singapore’s dismal textile recycling rate of just 2 per cent in 2023, the environmentally-conscious pair decided to act. Their solution? Repurposed – a bold initiative that transforms unsellable garments into stylish upcycled pieces, while empowering youths to explore their passion for design and fashion.

Repurposed – An idea borne at the FASS Social Entrepreneurship Incubator Pitch Competition

Repurposed, an initiative that was launched in April, offers young people passionate about sustainable fashion and entrepreneurship hands-on training in sewing, embroidery, and textile reworking. Participants have the opportunity to upcycle Woofie’s unsold merchandise into their own clothing lines, which are then sold in stores. Alongside practical skills, they receive mentorship on the ins and outs of running a thrift business, equipping them with the knowledge to turn their creativity into entrepreneurial ventures.

The idea emerged after Matthew and Desiree banded with like-minded entrepreneurial friends, NUS Faculty of Science students Avaneesh Reddy and Novin Sim, to participate in the FASS Social Entrepreneurship Incubator (SEI) Pitch Competition at the end of last year.

Matthew, a third-year History student, shared how the team initially approached the competition with a broader idea to address Singapore’s textile waste problem, but the judges offered valuable guidance to help refine their pitch.

He recounted, “They advised that given the scale of the textile waste problem in Singapore, it would be more practical to focus on addressing the issue within a specific social group and in the process, create meaningful impact.” Because of this, the team decided to tap into Woofie’s unsold inventory and target their efforts on youths passionate about sustainability but who may not have access to creative reworking opportunities, entrepreneurial exposure or confidence-building platforms.

In addition to teaching youths how to upcycle textiles, the team will aim to leverage Novin’s background in life sciences to explore sustainable dyeing techniques using natural ingredients like coffee grounds for Repurposed. This will add another layer of innovation and eco-consciousness to their initiative. “We’re not just empowering youths to rework clothes,” Novin explained, “We’re equipping them with the skills to think creatively and to innovate.”

The team’s vision eventually earned them first prize in the competition – S$10,000 in seed funding to invest in the training workshops and equipment needed, as well as a one-year mentorship experience with the SEI steering committee to carry out the business idea.

Repurposed’s challenges and early wins

Launching Repurposed came with its fair share of challenges. The team initially struggled to recruit youths in April, as many were hesitant to commit long-term due to concerns about balancing involvement in the programme with schoolwork and exams. Others – such as students from fashion design schools – were drawn more by enrichment opportunities than genuine need.

Undeterred, the team pressed on. Through numerous interviews and extensive outreach, they successfully recruited an inaugural batch of four youths in May. Alongside Desiree, the youths completed a foundational textile reworking workshop at the end of May and have since independently crafted their very first bags, pouches and water bottle-holders.

To further support their learning journey, the team purchased sewing and embroidery machines and set up a dedicated workstation at Woofie’s Eunos back office. There, the youths continued to hone their skills learnt from the foundation workshop to develop more polished pieces, with guidance from the team. This August, they will sell their handcrafted items at a flea market held by social enterprise City Sprouts in Pasir Ris. They will also attend a second advanced workshop at the end of the month to further refine their sewing and embroidery techniques and explore more distinctive patterns and designs with the goal of eventually progressing to developing their own clothing line such as buttoned-up shirts and ladies’ shirts for sale at Woofie’s by year’s end. The team intends to recruit a second group of four to five youths early next year and selected participants will undergo the same training under the team’s mentorship.

Other ways the team plans to support the youths include creating a guide on basic social media marketing and tracking of product sales of each youth. Desiree’s participation in the first foundational workshop and later in the advanced workshop will allow the team to document and digitise the training process, ensuring future cohorts can learn from an online, structured knowledge base when Repurposed continues beyond the seed funding period.

Desiree, a Communications and New Media alumna, shared, “Repurposed is a meaningful initiative and we hope to continue it for as long as our stores are open. Rather than focus on training and recruiting a set number of youths within the seed funding period of one year, the team wants to focus on the longer-term goal of deepening the practical skills of the youths, building their confidence and deepen their appreciation for sustainability.”

One of the participants, Ms Bock Khai Yue, was happy to be a part of the programme. She said, “Through this programme I experienced first-hand the joy of turning an unsellable product into my own creation!”

Avaneesh, a third-year student majoring in Data Science and Economics, reflected on lessons the team has also learnt since the start of the initiative. “When it came to recruitment, we realised that many youths felt hesitant or intimidated to apply, even if they were interested. Some doubted their creativity or feared they would not fit in.” Moving forward, he shared that the team intends to feature more behind-the-scenes content of the reworking process when recruiting the second batch of participants, “not just to showcase what we do, but to make the programme feel more relatable, welcoming and achievable.”

One of the competition judges and a member of the SEI steering committee, Head of NUS Social Work Department Associate Professor Lee Geok Ling, commended the team for the way they had navigated challenges, absorbed feedback and continuously refined their approach towards Repurposed – a testament to both their growth and unwavering dedication.

She remarked, “Their remarkable balance of creative ambition with practical, sustainable considerations exemplifies the desirable mix of idealism and pragmatism that is essential for social entrepreneurs…As they continue to develop, I am excited by the potential, meaningful impact they can make on the youth community, and I am confident that Repurposed will keep thriving, becoming even stronger social entrepreneurs in the years ahead.”

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Natural archives in coral skeletons show sea-level rise began accelerating earlier than previously thought: NUS-led study

✇NUS - National University of Singapore Newsroom

A groundbreaking international study by marine scientists based in Singapore has revealed that sea-level rise in the Indian Ocean began accelerating far earlier than previously thought, with corals providing an unbroken natural record of ocean change stretching back to the early 20th century.

Published in Nature Communications, the study was led by Professor Paul Kench from the Department of Geography, at the National University of Singapore’s (NUS) Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, in collaboration with researchers from NUS and Nanyang Technological University (NTU).

By analysing coral samples from the Maldives in the central Indian Ocean, the scientists reconstructed a century-long chronology of sea-level changes and climate shifts with remarkable precision.

They were able to extend the sea-level record for the Indian Ocean back a further 60 years, all the way to the early 1900s, offering a much longer and clearer historical context for interpreting modern sea-level changes.

The study yielded two significant findings.

The first is the pronounced acceleration of rising sea levels in the Indian Ocean from around 1959 – earlier than indicated by coastal tide gauges or satellite observations. The timing aligns closely with global temperature increases and accelerated glacial melt driven by human activity, showing that the Indian Ocean has been highly responsive to climatic changes for over half a century.

The second is that sea levels in the Indian Ocean, which covers approximately 30% of the world’s ocean area and supports around 30% of the global population, have risen significantly by 30cm since the middle of the 20th century.

“What we’re seeing is a clear fingerprint of human-driven climate change etched into the skeletons of corals. The early acceleration in sea-level rise is a warning sign that the ocean has been responding to global warming far earlier and more strongly than we thought,” said Prof Kench.

Accelerating sea-level rise threatens millions living in coastal areas with increased flooding, erosion, saltwater intrusion, and damage to vital ecosystems like mangroves and coral reefs.

The effects of sea-level changes in the Indian Ocean ripples beyond Asia to the rest of the world, underscoring the need for international cooperation to address global challenges such as water security, agriculture, and disaster preparedness.

For Singapore and its Southeast Asian neighbours, the uncovering of long-term patterns of sea-level changes can improve climate models and strengthen the region’s ability to plan for future risks under continued global warming.

For example, the new coral-derived data from the study offers a historical baseline that can enhance the efforts that Singapore already has in place to guard against rising sea levels, such as the Coastal-Inland Flood Model and Climate Impact Science Research Programme, by improving the accuracy of sea-level projections and informing adaptive strategies.

Corals confirmed as trusted recorders of sea-level and climate history

This research sets a new standard for how scientists can use coral to look back in time and understand how our oceans have changed.

As corals grow, they build their skeletons layer by layer similar to how trees form rings. Each layer captures details about the ocean at that time, such as temperature, salt levels, and even sea level.

To make sure data from the coral samples from the Indian Ocean that were analysed was reliable, the team compared it with real sea-level measurements from tide stations and satellites, and found that they matched up closely.

The successful calibration of coral proxies against instrumental sea-level records means that we can trust corals to tell us about past sea-level changes, with their coral growth rates validated to be reliable indicators of relative sea-level changes, making them a powerful tool for climate research.

In addition to tracking long-term sea-level changes, the coral records also captured signs of extreme climate events such as unusual warming and cooling periods, as well as droughts. These signals closely match historical weather records, offering valuable insight into the frequency and severity of past climate extremes.

Prof Kench said, “These findings have far-reaching implications for climate adaptation planning globally, especially for low-lying and densely populated coastal regions. We hope this work contributes meaningfully to the global dialogue on resilience and preparedness.”

This pioneering research deepens our understanding of how oceans respond to climate change, while setting a new standard for using natural archives to reconstruct environmental history. As coastal nations around the world confront the realities of rising seas, the insights uncovered by Singapore’s marine scientists offer both a clearer view of the past and a critical guide for planning a more resilient future.


About the Study

The study titled “Coral growth records 20th Century sea-level acceleration and climatic variability in the Indian Ocean” was published in Nature Communications (link: https://rdcu.be/euiYQ) on 1 July 2025. It represents a milestone in paleoclimate science, combining marine biology, geochemistry, and oceanography to produce the most detailed Indian Ocean sea-level record to date.

The interdisciplinary approach taken for this study, combining marine biology, geochemistry, climatology, and oceanography, demonstrates the power of collaborative science in tackling complex global challenges. It also highlights the role of Singapore’s research institutions in contributing to world-class climate science.

The paper was also recently presented at the Asia Oceania Geosciences Society 2025 conference and picked up by Science Magazine (link: https://scienmag.com/coral-records-reveal-20th-century-sea-level-rise/).

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NUS students raise close to S$260,000 for charities through NUSSU RAG & Flag 2025

✇NUS - National University of Singapore Newsroom

Students from the National University of Singapore (NUS) have raised close to S$260,000 through this year’s Receiving and Giving (RAG) and Flag 2025, organised by the NUS Students’ Union (NUSSU). The funds, contributed by generous donors across the NUS community, corporate partners, and members of the public, will support critical programmes under 16 Social Service Agencies (SSAs) supported by Community Chest. All funds raised will go directly towards empowering communities in need through the Community Chest.

Now in its 67th edition, RAG & Flag continues a proud NUS tradition established in 1958 to inspire student-led giving and service to the wider community. This year’s efforts take on special significance as NUS celebrates its 120th anniversary, alongside Singapore’s 60th birthday—a dual milestone that underscores a shared commitment to unity and nation-building.

Over the past 16 years, NUS students have raised a cumulative total of nearly S$4.9 million through this annual initiative.

Unity, creativity, and compassion in action

This year’s RAG & Flag theme, “Connecting Beyond Horizons”, called on students to transcend physical, social and personal boundaries to bring about meaningful change.

More than 1,500 students participated in two Flag Days held on 26 July and 2 August 2025, fanning out across Singapore with donation tins to raise awareness and funds for their selected causes. As a gesture of appreciation to the community for their generous support, the initiative culminated in today’s RAG Day showcase at University Town Green, where 2,000 students took centre stage in 14 spirited performances, complete with handmade costumes and mobile floats built using recycled materials as part of a zero-waste challenge.

The event was graced by Mr Ong Ye Kung, Minister for Health and Coordinating Minister for Social Policies, as Guest-of-Honour.

Speaking at NUSSU RAG and Flag Day 2025, NUS President Professor Tan Eng Chye said, “This year’s RAG and Flag keeps alive the time-honoured tradition of student-led fundraising and the exciting showcase of student performances as a vibrant finale to freshmen orientation season. As we continue the fine legacy of giving back to the community and encourage our students to make positive footprints on society, the vivid stories brought to life through the performances remind us that we are vitally connected, and together, we can inspire hope, uplift communities and drive meaningful change. We look forward to starting the new Academic Year with meaningful anticipation and purpose as NUS celebrates our 120th anniversary and Singapore marks 60 years of nation-building. As a university founded in 1905 by the community, for the community, we will continue to serve our country and society with dedication and passion.”

Adding to the festivities this afternoon was a lively Flag Carnival featuring food, games, and handmade crafts by student groups and hostels, alongside a performance by NUS Cheerleading team, Alpha Verve.

Mr Sean Pang, President of the 46th Executive Committee (EXCO) of NUSSU, said, “Building on this year’s theme, “Connecting Beyond Horizons”, we pushed boundaries and explored new ways to improve RAG and Flag. Leveraging digital payments, we customised 22 PayNow QR codes and collaborated with both NUS Sustainability Strategy Unit and NUS SAVE (Students’ Association for Visions of the Earth) to bolster our recycling efforts. All these would not have been possible without the hard work of our fellow students in each participating body, the RAG and Flag Committee, internal and external stakeholders, and the public who have supported us every step of the way.”

The proceeds from NUSSU RAG and Flag 2025 will be channelled through the Community Chest to benefit critical programmes under the following SSAs:

  1. SHINE Children and Youth Services
  2. Care Community Services Society
  3. MINDS
  4. Autism Resource Centre
  5. Children-at-Risk Empowerment Association (CARE) Singapore
  6. Singapore Children’s Society
  7. Asian Women’s Welfare Association
  8. Rainbow Centre
  9. Fei Yue Family Service Centre
  10. Samaritans of Singapore
  11. Club HEAL
  12. Fei Yue Community Services
  13. O’Joy Care Services
  14. Children’s Cancer Foundation
  15. Singapore Association of the Visually Handicapped (SAVH)
  16. Life Community Services Society (LCSS)

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NUS students celebrate tradition to uplift communities through creativity and service at NUSSU RAG & Flag Day 2025

✇NUS - National University of Singapore Newsroom

From cheering crowds to intricately crafted floats, NUSSU RAG & Flag Day 2025 lit up University Town Green on 8 August 2025, celebrating the enduring spirit of creativity, connection, and community at NUS.

The lively showcase marked the culmination of the 67th edition of NUSSU RAG & Flag Day —one of NUS’ longest-standing student-led traditions, which dates back to 1958. Themed “Connecting Beyond Horizons”, this year’s event paid tribute to two milestone anniversaries—NUS’ 120th anniversary and Singapore’s 60th birthday—while rallying students to build bridges, uplift lives, and give back meaningfully to society to bring hope and transformation to the future.

A legacy of giving

The RAG & Flag tradition started with two Flag Days on 26 July and 2 August, where more than 1,500 NUS students fanned out across Singapore with donation tins to raise funds in aid of critical programmes run by 16 Social Service Agencies (SSAs) that are supported by Community Chest. They raised close to $260,000 this year, with all funds going directly towards uplifting communities in need through the Community Chest. The amount raised would also enable S$1.50 government matching for every dollar donated, yielding even more funds for the beneficiaries.

Over the past 16 years, the initiative has collectively raised nearly S$4.9 million reflecting the enduring impact of student-led service at NUS.

For Sivakumar Nandhana, a first-year student at the NUS Department of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Flag Day offered a moment of reflection and purpose. “We often focus on our careers and personal lives, rarely stopping to consider what others in our community need. Flag Day is my little way of helping those in my community It is also an opportunity to meet like-minded people who also care for the society,” she said.

Li Jie, from the NUS Faculty of Dentistry, added, “It’s really heartwarming to see people donate so willingly and I enjoy being a part of such a meaningful activity.”

A vibrant showcase of gratitude and sustainability

As part of RAG Day, nearly 2,000 students from across the University staged 14 dazzling performances to express their gratitude to the community for its generous support. Each performance was choreographed and produced entirely by students, featuring handmade costumes, mobile floats, and thematic props constructed primarily from recycled materials—in line with the zero-waste challenge promoting sustainable practices.

Gracing the event as Guest-of-Honour was Mr Ong Ye Kung, Minister for Health and Coordinating Minister for Social Policies.

Speaking at the official launch of NUSSU RAG and Flag Day 2025, NUS President Professor Tan Eng Chye commended the passion, creativity and dedication of NUS students in upholding this proud university tradition.

“This year’s RAG and Flag keeps alive the time-honoured tradition of student-led fundraising and the exciting showcase of student performances as a vibrant finale to freshmen orientation season. As we continue the fine legacy of giving back to the community and encourage our students to make positive footprints on society, the vivid stories brought to life through the performances remind us that we are vitally connected, and together, we can inspire hope, uplift communities and drive meaningful change. We look forward to starting the new Academic Year with meaningful anticipation and purpose as NUS celebrates our 120th anniversary and Singapore marks 60 years of nation-building. As a university founded in 1905 by the community, for the community, we will continue to serve our country and society with dedication and passion,” he said.

Behind the scenes, each performance was the result of months of planning, collaboration and tireless effort. Student teams poured their creativity into every detail—from float engineering and set design to costume-making and lighting—all while embracing sustainable practices.

Jasper Ang, a Year 2 Computer Science student and Creative Director for this year’s Raffles Hall RAG said, “From floats to costumes, everything was upcycled. Materials that couldn’t be used for design were repurposed for functionality, such as linings and backings. In Hall, we often have events involving cooking, so we incorporated egg cartons that we had collected, to add texture to our float. We also reused fabric from last year, and some hallmates even contributed their old clothes, giving the costumes a unique and personal flair."

For their creativity in transforming discarded material into a float masterpiece, Raffles Hall received a Zero Waste Effort Award, along with Faculty of Science.

The floats and props, crafted largely from recycled and repurposed materials, served as powerful visual anchors for the performances. More than stage décor, they told meaningful stories of resilience, hope and unity. The performers in handcrafted costumes brought each segment to life in a vibrant fusion of artistry, sustainability and purpose.

Speaking of his experience participating in RAG and Flag as a float builder, first-year NUS Law student Matthew Lim said, “You never know where you would go, if you don’t go there. I loved being part of RAG – I found new perspective and friends!”.

A celebration of community

Alongside the main showcase, a lively Flag Carnival brought the campus to life with games, food and handicraft booths run by student groups and hostels. An energetic performance by the NUS Cheerleading Team, Alpha Verve, added to the festive spirit.

Mr Sean Pang, President of the 46th Executive Committee of NUSSU, shared, “Building on this year’s theme, “Connecting Beyond Horizons”, we pushed boundaries and explored new ways to improve RAG and Flag. Leveraging digital payments, we customised 22 PayNow QR codes and collaborated with both NUS Sustainability Strategy Unit and NUS SAVE (Students’ Association for Visions of the Earth) to bolster our recycling efforts. All these would not have been possible without the hard work of our fellow students in each participating body, the RAG and Flag Committee, internal and external stakeholders, and the public who have supported us every step of the way.”

Highlights from RAG & Flag 2025

Overall RAG & Flag winner: 

  • Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine

Zero Waste Best Effort Award: 

  • Pharmaceutical Society

Zero Waste Effort Award:

  • Faculty of Science
  • Raffles Hall

RAG Gold:

  • Faculty of Dentistry
  • Faculty of Science
  • Raffles Hall
  • School of Business
  • Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine

RAG Silver:

  • College of Design and Engineering
  • Kent Ridge Hall and Sheares Hall (KRaSheares)
  • Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences
  • Faculty of Law
  • Pharmaceutical Society

RAG Bronze:

  • Eusoff Hall
  • King Edward VII and Pioneer House (KExPH)
  • School of Computing
  • Temasek Hall

Flag Gold:

  • Faculty of Law
  • Kent Ridge Hall
  • Residential College 4
  • School of Business
  • School of Computing
  • Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine

Flag Silver:

  • Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences 
  • Faculty of Dentistry
  • Pharmaceutical Society
  • Tembusu College

Flag Bronze:

  • College of Alice and Peter Tan 
  • College of Design and Engineering 
  • Eusoff Hall
  • Faculty of Science
  • Helix House
  • King Edward VII Hall
  • Pioneer House
  • Raffles Hall
  • Ridge View Residential College
  • Sheares Hall
  • Temasek Hall

See full press release here.

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Crossing borders, shaping minds: Asian Undergraduate Symposium marks a decade of nurturing youth leaders

✇NUS - National University of Singapore Newsroom

It all started in 2015 as an ambitious student-led international programme that rallied about 100 ASEAN undergraduates to tackle real-world challenges faced by communities in the region. Ten years later, the Asian Undergraduate Symposium (AUS) has grown into an impactful platform that has connected more than 2,000 youth leaders and changemakers across Asia.

Over the past decade, it has brought together students from 90 universities across 17 Asian nations and become a fixture of the ASEAN University Network’s AUN Summer Camp Programme, contributing to efforts by universities across the region to equip ASEAN students with the competencies and knowledge to be leading global talents.

The programme’s success has exceeded expectations for founding chairperson Goh Seng Chiy, who graduated from the former University Scholars Programme with a degree in Chemical Engineering in 2017. “People would only continue something like this if they see value in it, and I’m glad to see that people feel what we started has value,” Mr Goh reflected.

He hopes that a key takeaway for participants will remain the cross-cultural friendships and perspectives they gain over the two weeks of mingling with regional counterparts. “You may not remember the specific topics, but if the way you think about the region has evolved so you understand the challenges, constraints and decisions of our ASEAN neighbours better, that’s a big mindset shift that will stick,” he said. “Like a university education, the impact may not be easily quantifiable, but the benefit lies in how it shapes your worldview and your thinking.”

The 2025 AUS, which took place from 7–19 July 2025, was jointly organised by NUS and NUS College (NUSC), the honours college of NUS. The 10th anniversary edition of AUS brought together more than 300 students from 55 universities across Asia to collectively envision and shape a better future. It had a main theme of Interconnected Communities and featured three subthemes of Sustainability and Regeneration; Diversity, Equity and Inclusion; and Heritage and Culture.

Designs that prioritise life

AUS 2025 broadened its sustainability agenda by including the concept of regeneration, a dimension of sustainability that aims to go beyond halting environmental degradation to restoring and improving ecosystems, and encouraging participants to incorporate it into their project proposals.

“Regeneration isn’t new. Across Southeast Asia, our ancestors have done this before,” said Ms Bernise Ang, Principal and Chief Alchemist at Zeroth Labs and an adjunct lecturer at NUSC, who cited the subak system of water management in Bali as an example of a traditional solution that exemplifies regeneration. Under this system, rice farmers meet regularly at water temples to coordinate their planting schedules in a way that ensures sufficient water for the crops while also controlling pest populations.

This practice was disrupted in the 1970s by the “Green Revolution”, a global push to boost food production with high-yield seeds, fertilisers and pesticides. Although such efforts temporarily yielded more crops, the negative repercussions emerged within just a few seasons — farmers found themselves grappling with pollution, soil degradation, water shortages and exploding pest populations. The Indonesian government eventually recognised that the new methods were unsustainable and ordered a return to the subak method that allowed people and nature to exist in harmony.

Said Ms Ang: “Every system we’ve inherited was once imagined, which means we can imagine things differently. Regeneration means remembering that we belong to living systems and can design as if life matters.”

The inaugural Regen Asia Summit (RAS), an intensive two-day programme held immediately before AUS, gave some 200 AUS participants a head start on understanding regeneration and the approaches needed to design effective regenerative solutions. Their knowledge was further augmented in an AUS workshop titled “From RAS to AUS: Towards Regenerative Action” that ensured all attendees at the symposium had a shared understanding of the concept and how to apply it.

The power of collective action

Through presentations and dialogues with expert practitioners and learning journeys to local communities, participants learnt that implementing regenerative solutions involves efforts from all quarters, including individual consumers, community groups, governments and international bodies.

Dr Farrah Shameen Ashray, CEO of the Malaysian Timber Certification Council, gave participants an overview of green product certification, which businesses earn by meeting certain requirements for economic viability, environmental protection and social responsibility. She urged participants to seek out certified products and explore how they can contribute to the work of product certification through their chosen fields of study.

“Certification is about compliance with laws and regulations, and the compliance sector needs auditors, social impact assessors, sociologists, safety and health officers, lawyers and more. You can make an impact that will be transferred through the certification process to the products and businesses behind them,” said Dr Farrah.

Dr Supatchaya “Ann” Techachoochert, senior environmental manager at Mae Fah Luang Foundation in Thailand, explained how one of the foundation’s projects revitalised the heavily deforested Doi Tung area in Chiang Rai by offering villagers sustainable jobs in horticulture, handicrafts and reforestation. This incentivised them to stop clearing trees to plant low-value crops and instead rebuild their environment and economy. Over 30 years, their efforts tripled the region’s economic value and restored enough forest to generate 220 tonnes of carbon credits, which the foundation uses to fund more restoration efforts.

Associate Professor Adrian Loo, who is the deputy director of the NUS Centre for Nature-based Climate Solutions, shared stories of flora and fauna in Singapore that benefitted from small but impactful interventions by conservation groups, such as rope bridges that reduced mortality rates among Raffles’ banded langur monkeys by enabling them to safely cross roads between forested areas. He said, “It’s a small gesture, but that’s all nature needs – a small gesture in the right direction.”

While the impact is not always immediately visible, regenerative efforts for one species often create positive ripples for others. Marine biologist Sam Shu Qin, who also leads marine conservation-related projects and overseas trips as an educator at NUSC, dives daily in Singapore waters for coral restoration work like relocating corals from areas slated for development and monitoring their health and growth. She shared a video of a pair of cuttlefish laying eggs in an artificial reef structure under her team’s care, demonstrating the broader impact of coral restoration efforts on the marine ecosystem.

Translating lessons to solutions

Working in interdisciplinary and international teams, the students used their newfound knowledge to develop 40 project proposals for solving challenges in their communities. They presented their solutions in a session called Project World Café on 16 July, gathering feedback from their peers to further refine the proposals.

Many groups that tackled environmental issues incorporated regeneration into their solutions, such as a project on wild bee conservation in Cambodia that included plans for bee home kits to support the insects’ population growth. Another project proposed using bokashi balls made from soil and beneficial microorganisms to revive biologically dead rivers in the Philippines.

For Tiffany Cloa, a participant from the University of the Philippines, the collaborative experience was valuable in exposing her to a range of perspectives and providing opportunities for personal growth and reflection. “We have very different opinions, which is not a bad thing. It made me realise that we are all in our own vacuums, and I had to learn to navigate the paradox between discussing First World ideas of AI and technology and comparing that to what people in my country are going through, where they can’t even eat three meals a day.”

Following the symposium, the projects will be evaluated by an expert panel, which will select up to 10 of the most promising projects to receive a seed grant of S$5,000 to turn their concepts into reality in their communities of choice. Starting this year, these selected projects also stand to benefit from a new Impact Incubation Programme by NUSC, which will offer additional financial support, training and mentorship to help the teams go further in their efforts to bring positive change to communities.

Read the press release here.

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Cultivating the next generation of global entrepreneurs through the NUS Enterprise Summer Programme in Entrepreneurship

✇NUS - National University of Singapore Newsroom

Through the perspectives of NUS students Neryss Ho and Cheow Jun Wei, we delve into how the transformative two-week NUS Enterprise Summer Programme in Entrepreneurship sparked their entrepreneurial passions, honed their pitching skills, embarked on immersive learning journeys, and forged meaningful connections with both local and international peers. 

Fostering an entrepreneurial mindset

All participants were challenged to tackle real-world problems faced by companies, from sustainable supply chains to tech-driven social impact, through intensive workshops and team pitches.

As shaping the entrepreneurial mindset was crucial at the start, the opening ceremony included a fireside chat with Mr Jeffrey Tiong, founder of unicorn start-up PatSnap. Recalling his journey from humble beginnings to scaling a global innovation platform, he highlighted invaluable lessons he had acquired on resilience, reinvention, and radically honest leadership.

The fireside chat was one of the sessions where students could pick up business insights, and put this into practice over the course of the programme. On Demo Day in week 2, they presented their ideas applying what they had learned, to a panel of venture capitalists and industry experts.

Jun Wei, a Data Science and Analytics major from NUS College of Humanities and Sciences, drew inspiration from Mr Tiong as he recounted how, in his role as leader of the pitch team HEALTHLINK, he learned to reframe challenges as opportunities. Their team developed an innovative chatbot to enhance patient experiences on Singapore’s HealthHub platform. This effort not only earned them a first-prize win in their track but also left a strong impression on the judging panel.

“Our multicultural team consisted of Pim from Thailand, Toby and Ying Yue from China, Moza from the UAE, and me. While we all came from vastly different backgrounds, we each had complementary strengths which contributed to the team’s success,” he recounted fondly. “We bonded by sharing past project experiences, and I took the lead to structure our discussions.” 

Thriving in ASEAN’s start-up ecosystem

Week two culminated with ASEAN Day, a dedicated exploration of Southeast Asia’s dynamic entrepreneurial landscape. The centrepiece was a panel session on “Opportunities & Challenges in Southeast Asian Start-up Ecosystem”, where participants acquainted themselves with opportunities for growth and innovation in the fast-growing region.

The programme’s industry exposure took participants directly into Singapore’s thriving start-up ecosystem. Visits to BLOCK71 Singapore and interactions with founders from NUS start-ups like Carousell and ShopBack, revealed the practical steps to scaling ventures. In addition, a fireside chat with Mr Philip Yeo, Chairman of Economic Development Innovations Singapore, offered insights on talent development, navigating ASEAN’s US$600 billion (S$773 billion) digital economy, and how he strategised Singapore’s transformation into a global hub for technology, biomedicine, and innovation.

“If you want to do business here, learn the languages,” Mr Yeo emphasised, an essential starting point for any aspiring ASEAN entrepreneur.

Beyond business insights, the programme embraced ASEAN’s rich cultural tapestry through immersive activities that deepened participants’ regional understanding. Language learning segments introduced its linguistic diversity with lessons in Thai, Vietnamese, and Bahasa Indonesia. Hands-on workshops in traditional batik painting, angklung music, silat, and a traditional bamboo dance offered the participants authentic cultural experiences, while cookery sessions featuring traditional Southeast Asian dishes such as som tam (Thai papaya salad), gado-gado (Indonesian salad with peanut dressing), and Vietnamese spring rolls gave them a taste of the region’s flavours.

These cultural immersion activities proved more than recreational – they enhanced participants’ appreciation for ASEAN’s diverse heritage, along with their understanding of the business climate across Singapore and the wider Southeast Asia.

As a Student Ambassador and Computer Science major from NUS School of Computing, Neryss approached the programme with a unique lens – not just as a participant, but as someone helping to facilitate a cross-cultural connection.  She found new appreciation for Singapore’s multicultural identity while connecting with clanmates from the region as well.

She highlighted her visit to Carousell Singapore as one which reiterated the importance of local market strategies. “Carousell’s founders showed how understanding local nuances drives success,” she said, reflecting on how blending cultural understanding with entrepreneurial vision is key – in Singapore, in ASEAN, in the world.

“And the rest is how you pitch your product!”

Mastering the art of persuasive pitching and storytelling

Beyond technical skills and industry insights, the programme culminated in developing participants’ most crucial entrepreneurial skill: the ability to persuasively communicate their vision. Led by the dynamic Mr Kris Childress, Mentor-in-Residence of NUS Enterprise, the pitching workshop helped students learn how to articulate their value proposition with clarity and passion.

Together with his pitch team from HEALTHLINK, Jun Wei worked smoothly with zero friction. “What I felt we did right was that our complementary strengths drove collaboration,” he remarked.

A pivotal mentoring session with Ms Joyce Ng from iGlobe Partners prompted a fundamental shift to a healthcare provider-focused solution. “Joyce’s advice to always listen to teammates and end users reshaped my thinking and allowed me to think deeper about the solution,” Jun Wei reflected. 

On the morning of Demo Day, nerves ran high as the HEALTHLINK team was worried about the five-minute time limit, but their focus on presenting paid off. “When the results were out later in the day that our team had won, I jumped for joy in the midst of the finale ceremony, fuelled by pure adrenaline. The win, the personalised congratulatory message from Joyce, and the atmosphere of energetic celebrations made the hard work worth it,” he recalled.

Building ventures with purpose

At the heart of the programme was purpose-driven entrepreneurship, inspired by a vision of ventures that drive societal good. A panel with leaders from Dignity Kitchen and raiSE Singapore set souls ablaze, showing how profit and impact can intertwine. Hands-on prototyping sessions brought ideas to life, such as apps for inclusive education and urban sustainability solutions.

Beyond learning to build resilient and scalable ventures, the programme was also about crafting legacies that make a difference in society, using purpose to drive oneself. “Leadership is remembering why and for whom you started,” said Mr Koh Seng Choon, Founder of Dignity Kitchen.

Finding her entrepreneurial purpose through her StepUp team’s pitch, Neryss shared how StepUp, a gamified workshop to teach financial literacy to low-income secondary school students in Singapore, planned to expand across Southeast Asia, where income inequality remains prevalent. “Our team’s synergy was our unique selling point,” she shared, echoing judge Mr Prantik Mazumdar’s observation that a company’s direction may shift, testing the team’s ability to stay motivated.

“That advice led us to focus on financial literacy for secondary school students, simulating their daily choices between wants and needs, unlike broader gamified learning tools,” she said.

Celebrating a global entrepreneurial community

The programme culminated with a grand finale that perfectly captured the essence of the two-week journey. The event featured cultural performances by the students and Demo Day, where teams presented their polished start-up ideas to panels of industry judges and venture capitalists.

From gamified travel apps to sustainable tech solutions, the pitches showcased the programme’s impact on fostering creativity and ambition, as well as the aspiring founders behind the ideas that were brought to life. The event celebrated not only entrepreneurial achievements but also the global connections formed, with participants leaving as part of NUS Enterprise’s vibrant community.

“Regardless of where you’re from, I believe each of you is walking away with not only new entrepreneurial mindsets and skills, but also friendships and memories that I hope will last a lifetime,” Associate Professor Benjamin Tee told the students.

“Many of the founders said that this is an experience where one will experience many challenges and failures, and I want to test my resilience and meet all these ambitious, inspiring people along the way, as at the end of the programme, I realised that entrepreneurship is something that I really want to pursue,” shared Neryss reflecting on the days spent with new friends and the fast-paced life lessons she gained along the way.

Echoing her sentiments, Jun Wei added that the two weeks had taught him more than his previous work experiences. “It ignited a drive to own my ideas and learn from mistakes in the chaos of creation.”

A global network for future innovators

The NUS Enterprise Summer Programme in Entrepreneurship 2025 served as a transformative launchpad for aspiring entrepreneurs. As the students returned home, they took with them not just memories but essential tools, international networks, lasting friendships, and newfound confidence to build ventures that will shape the future.

 

By NUS Enterprise

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NUS and NTU renew commitment to share high-value research facilities to advance scientific research in Singapore

✇NUS - National University of Singapore Newsroom

To push the frontiers of scientific research in Singapore, the National University of Singapore (NUS) and Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore) are renewing their commitment to share high-value research equipment and facilities.

Providing scientists from both universities with access to cutting-edge, multi-million dollar research infrastructure at NUS and NTU Singapore will foster deeper collaboration, enabling more joint research projects, co-authored publications, and stronger funding opportunities.

Such partnerships strengthen institutional ties and promote a culture of knowledge sharing. They broaden training and development by equipping students and researchers with specialised tools and cross-institutional expertise. This leads to higher-quality research, faster innovation, and more effective industry engagement.

NUS President Professor Tan Eng Chye said, “This is an excellent win-win partnership between NUS and NTU which serves as a force multiplier in amplifying our research capabilities and accelerating discoveries with greater scale and impact. Both universities hold complementary strengths in talent, innovation and infrastructure. By combining critical resources and expertise, we will be in a stronger place to accelerate scientific breakthroughs and drive real-world impact locally and internationally. Researchers from both universities are currently collaborating extensively on a wide variety of projects, and we are excited to see these efforts grow even further and champion new solutions to complex challenges.”

NTU President Professor Ho Teck Hua said, “As Singapore’s two largest universities, NTU and NUS compete on the global stage. By partnering with each other through shared research facilities, we are better positioned to enhance Singapore’s standing in global research.”

“Sharing high-end equipment empowers our scientists to increase the impactful research they do, fosters deeper research collaborations, and encourages mutual learning. It also helps us maximise efficiencies in utilising research infrastructure,” added Prof Ho.

At NUS, NTU researchers can access advanced tools such as the Invizo 6000 3D Atom Probe microscope – one of seven in the world and the first in ASEAN – which allows 3D imaging and chemical analysis of materials at the atomic level. The equipment allows atom probe tomography to be carried out, which is especially useful for studying how elements are distributed in semiconductor devices, the structure of advanced alloys, and how atoms move in energy materials used in batteries and fuel cells. Its high precision makes it a key tool for developing next-generation materials and devices.

High-end equipment in NTU available to NUS scientists includes an ultra-powerful microscope, called an aberration-corrected transmission electron microscope with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, electron energy loss spectroscopy, and holography capabilities. It allows researchers to clearly see single columns of atoms in a material at high resolution, identify what elements it is made of, understand the properties of the bonds between the atoms, and visualise the invisible electric and magnetic fields around them. With the microscope, scientists can study materials to make better quantum computers, design more effective nanoparticles for medical diagnoses and drug treatment, as well as develop novel materials for construction and manufacturing.

The sharing arrangement builds on existing research and innovation partnerships between NUS and NTU, including jointly leading research for the Sustainable Tropical Data Centre Testbed, the world’s first testbed in the tropics to advance energy-efficient data centre cooling solutions.

The two universities, together with global investment company Temasek, have also embarked on a joint pilot programme to accelerate the creation of successful deep-tech start-ups from the pipeline of research at NUS and NTU.

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New carbon material sharpens proton beams, potentially boosting cancer treatment precision

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Researchers from the National University of Singapore (NUS) have developed a groundbreaking carbon membrane that could revolutionise proton therapy for cancer patients, and advance technologies in medicine and other areas such as energy devices and flexible electronics.

The new carbon material which is just a single atom thick shows incredible promise in enabling high-precision proton beams. Such beams are key to safer and more accurate proton therapy for cancer treatment. The new material, called the ultra-clean monolayer amorphous carbon (UC-MAC), could outperform best in class materials like graphene or commercial carbon films. 

The research was led by Associate Professor Lu Jiong and his team from the NUS Department of Chemistry, in collaboration with international partners.

Beyond graphene: A new class of 2D carbon

Unlike graphene, which features a perfectly ordered honeycomb structure of hexagonal rings, UC-MAC is made up of a complex mix of five-, six-, and seven-membered carbon rings arranged in a disordered, ultra-thin sheet.

This atomic-level disorder is an advantage as it gives rise to angstrom-scale pores, which are just one ten-billionth of a metre wide, that can be finely tuned to control the behaviour of tiny particles like protons and molecular hydrogen ions (H2+) as they pass through. The material’s porous and ultra-thin nature makes it ideal for filtering and splitting subatomic particles, a critical need in several high-tech applications.

Faster, cleaner, and scalable manufacturing

One of the biggest hurdles in using this material for real-world applications is the challenge of manufacturing it. Existing methods are slow, costly, and often introduce metal impurities that compromise the material’s performance.

To solve this, the researchers developed a new industry-compatible synthesis process called the disorder-to-disorder (DTD) approach. Using a special type of plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (ICP-CVD), they were able to grow an 8-inch UC-MAC sheet in seconds, much faster than previous methods, without any detectable metal contamination.

This is a major step forward in scaling up the production of this advanced material for industrial and medical use.

This achievement was made possible through close collaboration between synthetic chemists, materials scientists, and theoretical physicists, including Professor Zeng Xiao Cheng from City University of Hong Kong, Assistant Professor Zhao Xiaoxu from Peking University, Associate Professor Thomas Osipowicz from NUS Department of Physics, and other contributing authors.

The research breakthrough was published in the scientific journal Nature Nanotechnology on 28 July 2025.

Sharper proton beams for safer and more effective treatment

When used as a membrane to split molecular hydrogen ions (H2+) into individual protons, UC-MAC produced proton beams that were significantly sharper than those generated using graphene or traditional carbon films. In fact, the new material reduced unwanted proton scattering events by about twice as much as graphene and 40 times more than commercial carbon thin films.

This is especially important for non-invasive cancer treatments such as proton therapy, where focused beams are used to target and destroy tumours while sparing healthy tissue. Thinner membranes with minimal scattering could help clinicians better control the beam current and direction, making treatment safer and more effective.

A versatile platform for future technologies

While the immediate spotlight is on proton therapy, UC-MAC has potential far beyond medicine. Its ultra-clean, porous structure could be useful for many applications including energy devices such as fuel cells and batteries, catalysis where precise molecular separation is key, and flexible electronics.

“The semiconducting properties of UC-MAC films also make them promising candidates for ultra-thin electronics, particularly for sub-2 nm integrated circuits—a critical frontier in the post-Moore’s law era,” said Assoc Prof Lu.

A step toward real-world use

By demonstrating a fast, scalable, and clean method to produce UC-MAC, the research team has paved the way for transitioning this powerful new material from the lab to real-world applications.

This advancement is not just a step forward in materials science, but a leap towards practical, life-saving technologies that are thinner, faster, and more precise than ever.

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Innovation must remain human-centred in the age of generative AI: WIPO chief at NUS Law conference

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In a landmark gathering of leading legal scholars, policymakers, and industry experts from around the world, World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Director General Mr Daren Tang delivered a keynote address calling for human creativity to remain at the core as intellectual property (IP) laws evolve and adapt to fast-evolving technologies.

“Generative AI has evolved quickly yet remains a skilful replicator, lacking the real spark of originality and inventiveness that characterises human innovation and creativity. We should therefore see Gen AI as a tool, and like any tool, ensure that it is used for good,” said Mr Tang. “Ingenuity, invention and creativity is a fundamental part of who we are as a human species, and technology, as well as the IP system, must continue to protect, nurture and support this, never forgetting to put the human creator at its centre.”

Mr Tang’s call set the tone for the two-day “Intellectual Property and Technology in the 21st Century” conference held on 4 Aug and 5 Aug 2025 where more than 100 participants from over a dozen countries representing academia, government agencies, industry and the legal profession will engage in deep discussion on pressing IP challenges arising from rapid technological advancement.

Organised by the Centre for Technology, Robotics, Artificial Intelligence & the Law (TRAIL) and the EW Barker Centre for Law & Business at NUS Faculty of Law (NUS Law), the conference is co-hosted with law schools from Columbia, Oxford, and Tsinghua, marking the first-ever academic collaboration of its kind across these leading global institutions. The conference is also supported by partners such as Google, Bytedance, the Singapore Academy of Law and the Intellectual Property Office of Singapore (IPOS).

Keeping pace with AI, creativity and global competition

The challenges facing IP law in the age of AI are far-reaching, going beyond legal doctrine into sectors as diverse as technology, entertainment, and fashion, prompting a rethink of how businesses innovate and compete, to how creators, artists, and designers protect their work.

Mr Adam Williams, Chief Executive of the UK Intellectual Property Office (UK IPO), said: “IP rights give creators, inventors, and investors the confidence to turn their ideas into reality, realise new opportunities and adapt to challenges. Ongoing dialogue between IP offices, and with industry and practitioners, is key to ensuring global IP frameworks remain fit for the future to encourage new discoveries and creations to thrive.”

In July this year, the UK IPO launched a public consultation on the proposed Standard Essential Patents measures to support the UK’s technology-driven economic growth.

"AI is a great economic opportunity but a key issue is its potential to disrupt the livelihoods of many," said Mr Tan Kong Hwee, Chief Executive of IPOS. "Governments, enterprises, and society must work in tandem to find the right balance that adopts a human-centric approach to ensure protection for IP owners' rights whilst facilitating innovation in a responsible and ethical way. At the end of the day, we must remember that people are at the heart of it all; that is why IPOS has committed to helping creators and innovators understand their IP rights as they navigate this fast-evolving technology."

Mr Williams and Mr Tan were part of a roundtable amongst heads of IP offices along with Mr Tang, following his opening keynote address at the conference. The roundtable was moderated by TRAIL Co-Director, Professor David Tan from NUS Law.

Prof Tan, a pioneer and expert in entertainment law and fashion law, said while policy makers are working to reform IP protection, creative industries have turned current limitations into opportunities. The global fashion industry, including Singapore, is a prime example of IP’s ‘negative space’ in which creation and innovation can thrive without significant protection from intellectual property law.

He said, “In Singapore, trademark, patent, and design laws give strong protection for logos, inventions, and product designs. But when it comes to copyright, especially in fashion, the protection is weaker. “Knockoffs” often copy the look and feel of an original without directly copying logos or breaking the law. With the rise of social media, the internet, and AI tools, more people now have the ability to remix and build on existing designs. As a result, success in the industry is less about having exclusive rights, and more about setting trends, building a strong brand, and earning customer loyalty.”

Highlighting opportunities, Prof Tan echoed sentiments recently shared by Prime Minister Lawrence Wong that Singapore can get ahead of new technology like AI to create new jobs[1].

“More designers can use generative AI to help them more quickly create 2D and 3D designs from packaging to clothing and furniture, and small businesses and budding entrepreneurs in particular can get their products to market a lot faster,” he said.

Rethinking Responsibility and Creativity in the Age of Generative AI

At the conference, over thirty presentations by experts in various fields of practice and research will unpack how emerging technologies continue to raise urgent questions that affect not just legal systems, but the public’s rights, safety, and creative freedom.

In recent years, powerful AI tools that can create text, images, or music have made courts and lawmakers think hard about some big copyright questions—like whether something made by AI can be protected by copyright if there wasn’t enough human effort involved.

Associate Professor He Tianxiang from City University of Hong Kong said, “It is the mind of the human creator, fallible and inspired, that copyright law was built to protect and incentivise. The courts must remain clear-eyed and perhaps even sceptical when presented with AI-generated content, whether text, image or music, cloaked with a thin veneer of human input.”

Prof He says the burden should be on the claimant to prove their authorship, not on the public to disprove it.

“Generative AI challenges us to reaffirm what copyright is meant to protect: not merely the existence of a text or image, but the fact that a human mind originated it,” he added. “It pushes us to clarify that the law’s protection is awarded to the act of human creativity, however small or large, and not to the mere act of generating content.”

Another emerging legal challenge is ‘artificial causation’, which is having to figure out who is responsible when AI creates something that causes a legal problem.

Professor Shyamkrishna Balganesh from Columbia Law School said, “When prompted by a human actor, a generative AI application uses the patterns that it learned from voluminous data to generate an output that is seemingly responsive to the prompt and largely simulates a likely human response. However, this output may infringe copyright, contain falsities that is defamatory or violate another individual’s privacy.”

The question then is who or what is responsible for the output: The person who used the tool, the AI system itself, or someone else? Prof Balganesh argued that solving the puzzle of artificial causation in the law is crucial not just for the legal regulation of generative AI, but also for the very working of multiple areas of law where the inquiry remains human-focused.

WIPO will be launching the AI Infrastructure Interchange, known as AIII or “A-triple-I” in December 2025. The AIII will be a dedicated space for exploring technical and operational questions about copyright infrastructure in the age of AI, as well as a neutral forum where creators, rights-holders, developers and experts can exchange ideas and explore practical solutions.

[1] https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/spore-can-and-must-meaningfully-apply-tech-like-ai-in-a-way-that-creates-jobs-for-locals-pm-wong

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New Google-NUS partnership to advance applied AI research and talent development in Singapore

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The National University of Singapore (NUS) and Google are embarking on a new strategic collaboration to accelerate applied AI research and nurture skilled AI practitioners. This collaboration reinforces Singapore’s ambition to be a global hub for AI innovation and talent, advances the national digital transformation agenda, and deepens industry-academia partnerships to strengthen the country’s research ecosystem.

NUS and Google exchanged strategic collaboration agreements to establish a joint research and innovation centre during the NUS School of Computing’s (NUS Computing) 50th Anniversary Gala Dinner, where the School commemorated five decades of sterling contributions to computing education and research.

The exchange of signed agreements between Professor Tulika Mitra, Dean of NUS Computing, and Ms Serene Sia, Country Director, Singapore and Malaysia, Google Cloud, was witnessed by Guest-of-Honour, Mr Tan Kiat How, Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Digital Development and Information, together with Professor Tan Eng Chye, NUS President, and Ms Yolyn Ang, Vice President, Knowledge and Information Partnerships, Asia Pacific, Google.

Professor Liu Bin, NUS Deputy President (Research and Technology), said, “Google has been a valued long-term partner of NUS, and we are excited to deepen this strategic relationship. The joint centre brings together NUS’ leadership in AI and multidisciplinary research and Google’s deep research expertise, advanced technologies and tools, as well as well-established pathways for research translation and deployment.

A key pillar of this partnership is talent development — through endowed professorships, mentorship, training programmes, and hands-on research projects. We are grateful to Google for their support to establish a professorship at NUS, which will strengthen faculty leadership and research excellence in AI. We are confident that our joint efforts with Google will nurture the next generation of AI scientists, engineers, and innovators equipped to tackle real-world challenges. Together, we are well-positioned to drive AI breakthroughs that will transform lives, reshape industries, and advance the future of education, healthcare, and beyond.”

Serene Sia, Country Director, Singapore and Malaysia, Google Cloud, said, “Google and NUS share a longstanding partnership, anchored on talent development and applying frontier technologies for public good. These include an on-campus Google Developer Group to equip students with advanced software skills; Google Cloud as a pioneering industry partner of the NUS AI Institute; cultivating talent to tackle biomedical challenges with AI; producing the world’s first AI-powered legal journal podcast with NotebookLM, and a Google PhD Fellowship programme to recognise exceptional work in computer science. Our new collaboration truly builds on those successes; it's a significant step forward in Google’s commitment to bringing new capabilities for scientific discovery to Singapore. NUS has consistently been at the forefront of Singapore's RIE ecosystem, supporting Singapore’s transformation into a knowledge-based, innovation-driven economy and society. By combining NUS’ world-class multidisciplinary research capabilities with Google’s world-class AI research and AI-optimised cloud infrastructure, this joint centre is poised to steer safe and responsible AI development and accelerate scientific progress that transforms public health, learning experiences, and other vital fields."

Joint Research and Innovation Centre

NUS and Google plan to establish a joint research and innovation centre, bringing together resources and technology to pursue experimental or applied AI projects across diverse domains.

There are also plans for a rapid prototyping sandbox to be established and governed by the joint centre to provide a controlled and flexible cloud-based environment, supported by Google Cloud’s power-efficient Tensor Processing Units (TPUs), for experimentation, testing, and validation of the solutions developed under each of the domains, before they are deployed or scaled in real-world settings.

Examples of these domains include:

●      AI in Education: Research aimed at utilising Google Cloud’s Vertex AI platform to develop and evaluate AI-driven tools for adult education, including adaptive scaffolding, blended learning, context-aware nudging, course-specific AI companions, and psychometrically robust measurement of learner engagement, skill acquisition, and career progression. This supports the national emphasis on lifelong learning and continuous upskilling of Singaporeans for the evolving demands of various industries.

●      AI in Legal: The development of a Singapore Law-specific LLM on Google Cloud by NUS Faculty of Law, NUS AI Institute, and NUS Computing. This domain-specific LLM will be grounded on local statutory interpretation, case precedents, and legal nuances to overcome the limitations of generic LLMs in legal contexts. This project aims to provide the core technology for an AI assistant supporting legal research, with potential to enhance productivity and access to contextually-relevant legal information across law firms, the judiciary, and public legal education.

●      AI in Public Health (AI4PH): Research that aims to utilise AI to drive population-level health outcomes, by integrating foundational models with diverse data sources across healthcare, social services, and environmental systems. This will enable the development of agentic AI solutions to support preventive care under programmes like Healthier SG and promote cognitive health and active ageing.

Talent Development Programme and Google-Supported Professorship in AI

Complementing the joint centre, Google plans to establish an AI-focused talent development programme at NUS. This initiative aims to provide training opportunities and certification pathways in Google Cloud AI platforms and tools for NUS students and researchers to accelerate their applied AI research projects.

Additionally, Google intends to establish a Google-supported professorship at NUS to further promote faculty leadership in AI-related fields, foster even deeper collaboration between academia and industry, and contribute to cultivating the next generation of talent in AI and digital innovation.

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STEER India 2025: Exploring community and cultural development in a dynamic nation

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In June this year, seven NUS students from various faculties embarked on a nine-day journey to New Delhi and Agra in India as part of the Study Trips for Engagement and EnRichment (STEER) programme led by Associate Professor Loh Wai Lam, Academic Director of NUS Global Relations Office (GRO). The trip, jointly organised by GRO and the Office of International Affairs & Global Initiatives at O.P. Jindal Global University (JGU), was curated to enable the students to experience the vibrancy and dynamism of India through a blend of academic discourse and cultural immersion.

Breaking existing mindsets and experiencing the cultural landscape

Through classroom sessions, site visits, and direct engagement with local communities and institutions, students were able to examine the relationship between community building and cultural expression in India, and gain insights into the intricacies of the country’s social fabric and development efforts.

A key component of the programme was a series of six classroom sessions at JGU which provided students with foundational knowledge of the historical, social, and economic factors shaping community development in India. At a visit to the Constitution Museum on campus, they also learned about the birth of the Indian Constitution, which was established following the country’s independence from British rule.

For second-year Business Administration undergraduate Kuo Tsung Hsun, learning how the nation emerged as the world’s largest democracy was deeply inspiring. “The value of democracy is not something easily earned. This is an idea that I’m beginning to appreciate,” he reflected.

In addition to learning about India’s history and governance, the students examined the enduring impact of the caste system — a social hierarchy that, although legally abolished, continues to influence access, identity, and opportunity in both subtle and overt ways. The students also explored India’s cultural heritage, diving into the preservation of indigenous languages as a means of maintaining community identity, and the role of traditional ecological knowledge in advancing sustainable development.

A visit to a village in Sonipat, where JGU is located, and an interaction with a local self-help group also left a lasting impression on the students. They were deeply moved by the stories of hardship and perseverance from women who had started businesses despite social and financial barriers. Many were inspired by their simple yet powerful message to “just dream”.

Reflecting on the encounter, second-year Psychology undergraduate Ameline Ang said, “These women carved out their journeys not because conditions were ideal, but because they believed change was possible. Their entrepreneurial spirit wasn’t built on access, but on sheer will. It made me reflect on my own privilege and the responsibility I have to create meaningfully, not just comfortably.”

These experiences were further enriched by a visit to the High Commission of the Republic of Singapore in New Delhi, where the students had the opportunity to engage with Singaporean diplomats and gained first-hand insights into their roles and daily lives in India.

No STEER trip would be complete without visits to iconic historical sites. The first visit was to Humayun’s Tomb, a UNESCO World Heritage Site located in Delhi that was built in 1570. As the first garden-tomb in the Indian subcontinent, it represented a turning point in Mughal architecture, setting the stage for later masterpieces like the Taj Mahal, another UNESCO World Heritage Site, which the students visited later in their trip.

Looking back and moving forward

At the end of the programme, the students were asked to reflect on their experiences in India: what were they passionate about; what emotions did they experience; what changes in mindset did they undergo; and what tangible plans can they make and act on?

For Eric Sim, a third-year Information Security undergraduate, the visit marked a fitting end to an insightful and rewarding journey in India. More than just academic learning, the trip offered him fresh perspectives and lasting memories. “It was so much fun that it’s etched in my mind to this day—and hopefully these memories will last for more than a lifetime. I already miss every moment with them. Dhanyavaad (which means ‘Thank you’ in Hindi), everyone.”

 

By NUS Global Relations Office

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Bezos Centre @NUS and EnterpriseSG launch new startup competition to boost early-stage sustainable protein innovation

✇NUS - National University of Singapore Newsroom

The Bezos Centre for Sustainable Protein at the National University of Singapore (Bezos Centre @NUS) and Enterprise Singapore (EnterpriseSG) announced a new partnership to accelerate early-stage sustainable protein innovation through a startup competition. This is part of Bezos Centre @NUS’ US$3 million in grants over five years to support early and growth-stage startups in this space.

The inaugural Sustainable Protein Startup Competition will identify and support early-stage startups in sustainable protein solutions. Three winning startups will be selected through a competitive pitching process. Each winner will receive funding and in-kind support of up to S$175,000, while gaining access to Singapore's comprehensive ecosystem of resources. The competition will be launched on 1 August 2025 at the first International Summit on Sustainable Protein (ISSP). There are plans to hold the competition annually, supporting up to 15 early-stage global and local startups over a five-year period.

Professor Zhou Weibiao, Acting Director of the Bezos Centre for Sustainable Protein at NUS and Head of the NUS Department of Food Science and Technology, said, “One of our goals at the Bezos Centre for Sustainable Protein at NUS is to bridge world-class research in sustainable protein with real-world impact. This startup competition and the ISSP are natural extensions of that mission — paving the way for promising technologies to move from lab to market, and from local to global impact. Our partnership with EnterpriseSG will further support our aspiration by accelerating innovation and strengthening the sustainable protein ecosystem in Singapore and beyond.”  

Ms Jeannie Lim, Assistant Managing Director for Services and Growth Enterprises at EnterpriseSG, said, “Our partnership with the Bezos Centre @NUS comes at a crucial time to support promising foodtech startups in securing funding to develop their technologies and bring innovative solutions to market. This initiative reflects our commitment to advance promising sustainable food innovations while catalysing greater private sector participation and investments in Singapore's foodtech sector. We welcome foodtech startups to leverage Singapore’s resources, robust innovation ecosystem and progressive regulatory framework to accelerate their R&D efforts and scale their impact across the region.”

Bezos Centre @NUS x EnterpriseSG’s Sustainable Protein Startup Competition

The competition aims to support early-stage startups developing novel sustainable protein technologies that can address critical challenges in food security and climate resilience. This includes innovative solutions in fermentation, cultivated meat, plant-based proteins, and food safety & toxicology. Startups will be evaluated on their technology innovation and readiness, market potential and validation, business model scalability, and team capabilities.

From the entries, eight promising startups will advance to the final pitching round which will be held at the Singapore International Agri-Food Week in November 2025. Three winning startups will be selected, and each winner will receive seed funding and in-kind support of up to S$175,000. Bezos Centre @NUS will provide a S$75,000 cash grant and EnterpriseSG will match this with a S$75,000 Startup SG Founder (Competition) grant. Winners can utilise the seed funding for R&D, prototype development and to conduct pilot trials for sustainable protein products. Besides the funding, winners will receive up to S$25,000 worth of in-kind support from Bezos Centre @NUS. This includes mentorship, laboratory facilities, office space, startup incubation resources, and the opportunity to pitch at an annual startup event.

Interested startups can submit their applications from 1 August to 8 September 2025. More information on the Sustainable Protein Startup Competition is available here. 

Support for growth-stage sustainable protein startups

As part of its US$3 million funding to accelerate sustainable protein solutions, Bezos Centre @NUS has earmarked up to US$1.5 million to help growth-stage sustainable protein startups and high-potential projects scale up production, strengthen market presence, and drive international growth.

Bezos Centre @NUS plans to award grants of up to US$500,000 each to three promising startups or high-potential projects. EnterpriseSG will be partnering with Bezos Centre @NUS to further enhance this support through the Startup SG Tech Grant matching. More details will be announced in November this year.

ISSP: A collaborative platform to drive innovation and knowledge sharing in sustainable protein

The ISSP is co-organised by the Bezos Centre for Sustainable Protein at NUS, the Department of Food Science and Technology at the NUS Faculty of Science, the Singapore Food Agency, and Enterprise Singapore, with the Agency for Science, Technology and Research as a strategic partner. The two-day event will be held from 31 July to 1 August 2025 at Pan Pacific Hotel Singapore.

Talks and discussions held at ISSP addressed one of the most urgent global challenges: how to sustainably feed a growing and aging global population, projected to exceed 9 billion by 2050, amidst intensifying climate pressures and resource constraints. To cater to the rising demand for safe and high-quality protein, it is imperative to develop innovative solutions that guarantee food security and optimal nutrition while reducing environmental impacts. ISSP provides a unique platform for experts, stakeholders, and innovators from diverse fields to converge and collaborate on advancing sustainable proteins.

Core themes at ISSP include:

• Scientific Knowledge Exchange: Showcasing cutting-edge research on sustainable proteins by global and regional thought leaders.

• Technology Translation and Growth: Accelerating promising research and commercialisation efforts through competitions, industry feedback, and curated investor engagement.

• Ecosystem Building: Facilitating collaborations among academia, startups, government bodies and industry.

• Showcasing Capabilities: Highlighting ready-to-license innovations and technical expertise from research institutes, universities, and enterprise partners.

ISSP convened more than 200 participants from top research institutes, alternative protein hubs, industry, and policy circles. Notable speakers at the summit included Professor Francesco Branca, Invited Professor from the Institute of Global Health at the University of Geneva, and Dr Lynnette Marie Neufeld, Director of the Food and Nutrition Division at the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO).

More information on ISSP is available at: https://issp2025.sg/index.php

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Bezos Centre @NUS and EnterpriseSG launch new startup competition to boost early-stage sustainable protein innovation

✇NUS - National University of Singapore Newsroom

The Bezos Centre for Sustainable Protein at the National University of Singapore (Bezos Centre @NUS) and Enterprise Singapore (EnterpriseSG) announced a new partnership to accelerate early-stage sustainable protein innovation through a startup competition. This is part of Bezos Centre @NUS’ US$3 million in grants over five years to support early and growth-stage startups in this space.

The inaugural Sustainable Protein Startup Competition will identify and support early-stage startups in sustainable protein solutions. Three winning startups will be selected through a competitive pitching process. Each winner will receive funding and in-kind support of up to S$175,000, while gaining access to Singapore's comprehensive ecosystem of resources. The competition will be launched on 1 August 2025 at the first International Summit on Sustainable Protein (ISSP, more details on ISSP in Annexe). There are plans to hold the competition annually, supporting up to 15 early-stage global and local startups over a five-year period.

Professor Zhou Weibiao, Acting Director of the Bezos Centre for Sustainable Protein at NUS and Head of the NUS Department of Food Science and Technology, said, “One of our goals at the Bezos Centre for Sustainable Protein at NUS is to bridge world-class research in sustainable protein with real-world impact. This startup competition and the ISSP are natural extensions of that mission — paving the way for promising technologies to move from lab to market, and from local to global impact. Our partnership with EnterpriseSG will further support our aspiration by accelerating innovation and strengthening the sustainable protein ecosystem in Singapore and beyond.”  

Ms Jeannie Lim, Assistant Managing Director for Services and Growth Enterprises at EnterpriseSG, said, “Our partnership with the Bezos Centre @NUS comes at a crucial time to support promising foodtech startups in securing funding to develop their technologies and bring innovative solutions to market. This initiative reflects our commitment to advance promising sustainable food innovations while catalysing greater private sector participation and investments in Singapore's foodtech sector. We welcome foodtech startups to leverage Singapore’s resources, robust innovation ecosystem and progressive regulatory framework to accelerate their R&D efforts and scale their impact across the region.”

Bezos Centre @NUS x EnterpriseSG’s Sustainable Protein Startup Competition

The competition aims to support early-stage startups developing novel sustainable protein technologies that can address critical challenges in food security and climate resilience. This includes innovative solutions in fermentation, cultivated meat, plant-based proteins, and food safety & toxicology. Startups will be evaluated on their technology innovation and readiness, market potential and validation, business model scalability, and team capabilities.

From the entries, eight promising startups will advance to the final pitching round which will be held at the Singapore International Agri-Food Week in November 2025. Three winning startups will be selected, and each winner will receive seed funding and in-kind support of up to S$175,000. Bezos Centre @NUS will provide a S$75,000 cash grant and EnterpriseSG will match this with a S$75,000 Startup SG Founder (Competition) grant. Winners can utilise the seed funding for R&D, prototype development and to conduct pilot trials for sustainable protein products. Besides the funding, winners will receive up to S$25,000 worth of in-kind support from Bezos Centre @NUS. This includes mentorship, laboratory facilities, office space, startup incubation resources, and the opportunity to pitch at an annual startup event.

Interested startups can submit their applications from 1 August to 8 September 2025. More information on the Sustainable Protein Startup Competition is available at https://go.gov.sg/spsc-2025.  

Support for growth-stage sustainable protein startups

As part of its US$3 million funding to accelerate sustainable protein solutions, Bezos Centre @NUS has earmarked up to US$1.5 million to help growth-stage sustainable protein startups and high-potential projects scale up production, strengthen market presence, and drive international growth.

Bezos Centre @NUS plans to award grants of up to US$500,000 each to three promising startups or high-potential projects. EnterpriseSG will be partnering with Bezos Centre @NUS to further enhance this support through the Startup SG Tech Grant matching. More details will be announced in November this year.

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More than a simulation: SMUN 2025 prepares future leaders for global realities

✇NUS - National University of Singapore Newsroom

More than 400 students from over 20 pre-tertiary and tertiary institutions across Singapore and the Asia-Pacific region convened to debate critical global concerns at the 22nd Singapore Model United Nations (SMUN) conference that was organised by the NUS Political Science Society (NUS PSSOC) in June at NUS University Town (UTown).

Themed “Building a New Era of Diplomacy”, SMUN 2025 provided an incisive lens through which young participants navigated the intricate complexities of global geopolitics by role-playing as UN delegates and members of international organisations such as the International Monetary Fund and the World Trade Organisation to discuss current issues such as digital currencies and tariffs.

A key highlight of the event was the thought-provoking keynote by distinguished diplomat and academic Mr Kishore Mahbubani, Distinguished Fellow at the NUS Asia Research Institute. In his address, Mr Mahbubani explored the shifting paradigms of global power and offered compelling insights into the current international order. He highlighted the remarkable success of ASEAN as a testament to effective regional cooperation and presented it as a model for navigating complex global challenges.

Mr Mahbubani also critically examined the structure of the UN, particularly the influence of the permanent members’ veto powers. While acknowledging that the UN’s effectiveness is often shaped by the interests of the major powers, he emphasised that it remains in the interest of small states to strengthen the multilateral system by “build[ing] upon a rules-based order and cooperat[ing] in issues of global importance such as climate change and denuclearisation.” His remarks struck a chord with the young delegates, reinforcing their understanding of the importance of multilateralism and the pursuit of shared global interests to shape a more equitable world. 

Diverse agendas and dynamic debates: Inside the councils of SMUN 2025

This year’s conference featured delegates from 11 councils tackling a wide array of pertinent topics. In the United Nations Security Council, discussions centred on reforming peacekeeping operations – with delegates debating their effectiveness, future direction and the complexities of maintaining peace in conflicts such as the Syrian Civil War. The United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) engaged in intricate negotiations on transboundary water treaties across the Pan-European region, a critical issue with far-reaching environmental and geopolitical implications. Meanwhile, the House of Commons (HOC) simulation offered a unique platform to examine the ongoing complexities and multifaceted consequences of Brexit, giving participants the opportunity to explore national political dynamics within an international context. 

Through extensive research, preparation of detailed position papers, and the development of innovative policy proposals, delegates engaged in intense debates, striving to pass resolutions through collaborative effort and majority vote.

As with previous iterations, SMUN 2025 was meticulously designed to spur active participation and meaningful dialogue. Participants who demonstrated significant contributions throughout the conference were duly recognised with prestigious awards such as Best Delegate, Outstanding Delegate, Honourable Mentions, and Best Position Paper, celebrating their dedication and diplomatic acumen.

Mr Arav Taneja from Temasek Secondary School received an honourable mention award for his outstanding contributions in the House of Representatives of Japan (HRJ). Recounting his experience, he shared, “When I first walked into the House of Representatives Japan SMUN conference room, I felt like a small fish in a big lake. However, as we progressed through council sessions, I found my voice. I engaged in constructive debate with other delegates and worked on resolutions like it was second nature. I gained invaluable knowledge not only about Japan but also about global dynamics. However, I think the biggest takeaway was the connections and friendships I made along the way.”

PSSOC President and Year 2 student from the NUS Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences Ms Irdina Duran, expressed her thanks to all involved for the success of SMUN 2025. “We are immensely grateful to Mr Mahbubani for his profound insights and to all the dedicated participants who made this year’s conference an undeniable success.”

SMUN 2025 Secretary-General and first-year student from the NUS Faculty of Law Mr Aditya Garladinne noted that this year's event has proven to be a vibrant crucible of intellect and diplomacy. Far more than a mere simulation, it is a testament to the boundless potential of our youth, he said.

“Witnessing these bright minds grappling with the world's most pressing challenges is not just inspiring; it is a profound reassurance that the future of global cooperation rests in exceptionally capable hands. This event truly exemplifies how experiential learning can cultivate not only future leaders but also compassionate and globally aware citizens." 

By the NUS Political Science Society at the NUS Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences

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Harmony in diversity: International friendships flourish at YST

✇NUS - National University of Singapore Newsroom

International Friendship Day, observed annually on 30 July, celebrates friendships between people of different countries and cultures to cultivate a shared sense of solidarity and promote dialogue to bridge differences.

As a global university, NUS nurtures students into global citizens through overseas opportunities, collaborations with foreign universities, and immersion in a cosmopolitan community that has 123 nationalities represented among staff and students. This diversity is especially prominent at the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music (YST), which boasts one of the most culturally diverse student bodies at NUS. There are more than 20 nationalities in its undergraduate student population of about 240, creating a vibrant environment for friendships to blossom across different nationalities and cultures.

In celebration of International Friendship Day, five Voice majors hailing from various parts of Southeast Asia, South Korea, and India share how their multinational group of friends has enriched and shaped their university experience both inside and outside the classroom.

Embracing curiosity and kindness

Like many university friend groups, Val Chong, Samiksha Argal, Park Minjun, and Leanne Reese first met and bonded in shared core classes in Year 1. Representing Singapore, India, South Korea, and the Philippines respectively, they became acquainted through casual chats between lessons and grabbing meals together after classes and performances.

Notably, the friend group also comprises their major’s entire Class of 2026, as YST only takes in an average of three to five Voice students per year. Due to the small size of the cohort, Indonesian Jason Suryaatmaja (Class of 2025) would often fill in for missing parts in their group performances and soon joined their circle of friends, adding another nationality to the already diverse squad.

Making friends with people of other nationalities feels natural in YST, said Minjun: “We’re lucky because our faculty is one of the smallest at NUS with people from so many different backgrounds. It makes it easier to get close to people from other countries.”

Navigating cultural differences is a major part of the YST experience, especially when classes are led by an international faculty and exchanging feedback is an important part of the learning experience. Cultural differences can often impact how tone and intention are conveyed and perceived, and nuance can sometimes be lost when a thought is translated between languages.

The five friends overcame this challenge by embracing an attitude of curiosity towards cultures other than their own, as exemplified in a quote that Leanne learnt from a professor while on exchange in Scotland: “Don’t be interesting; be interested.” This mindset led them to gain a better understanding of each other’s colloquialisms and mannerisms, which differ across cultures and languages. Over time, they have developed a shared trust and now count the ability to exchange candid feedback among themselves as one of the most valuable benefits of their friend group.

“Val is an amazing performer, so when we are rehearsing for productions, I will ask her, ‘Do you think this works?’ I ask Minjun for technical advice and we explore singing techniques together. It has really helped me on the career side,” Jason said, prompting some good-natured ribbing from his friends that they are only useful to him as career support.

The supportive environment they have nurtured in their group also extends to their interactions with students from other cohorts, such as during weekly Voice studio classes. Val shared that they make it a point to chat with their juniors during these shared classes and cheer them on even when they make mistakes.

Said Samiksha: “Through the years, we have created the kind of environment that we want for ourselves and others – a warm and nurturing one where everyone can grow and learn together.”

Growth lies outside the comfort zone

While cultural differences can pose challenges at times, they create positive opportunities for growth and connection too. As a Singaporean, Val takes on the responsibility of helping the others feel at home, introducing them to the Chinese New Year tradition of yusheng and taking them café-hopping to explore the country.

“As a local, it is easy to stick to our own cliques, but it is also important to make our fellow international students feel welcome and ‘at home’. We can invite them out for a meal, or even a simple greeting could make their day,” she said.

“YST is so diverse that we’re compelled to integrate, and honestly that pushed me out of my comfort zone as an introvert. Talking to people from different cultures, you’ll learn so much about them and the world in general,” said Samiksha, who recalls learning the entire history of Korea from Minjun, starting from the Stone Age to the present day.

Val noted that her friendships with people whose countries are undergoing crises make her more informed about what is happening overseas and prompt her to empathise.

She added that such interactions can also serve as an important first step in countering racial and cultural stereotypes. “Stereotypes often arise from preconceived notions about others. But when we take the time to talk to others and understand them, we start to realise that we need to correct our assumptions.”

Forming friendships with people of other cultures is crucial for foreign students who do not have family in Singapore, said Leanne, who has heard of students leaving due to loneliness. “It’s really important to have someone who can listen and be there for you,” she said. “There were tough times when school got hectic and stressful, but it’s the friends I’ve made that supported me through my dark times and helped me emerge stronger.”

Ultimately, international friendships are not so different from friendships among people of the same culture, the students said. Social media makes it easier than ever to find common topics like pop culture and memes that can serve as a starting point for conversations, and once a connection is established, deeper shared interests can be discovered to strengthen the friendship.

The group’s favourite stress-busting activity is cycling to West Coast Park, where they would sit by the sea and talk about life, and some of their best memories are from post-concert suppers at the row of eateries along Clementi Road known to NUS students as “Supper Stretch”. “We always eat at the same three places, and I don’t know why we’re not bored of the food yet, but it’s just a lot of fun,” said Samiksha.

Said Minjun: “Most of us are living and studying here alone, but having these friends to journey alongside us makes life a lot more fun and exciting.”

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NUS students from Arts and Social Sciences and Business clinch top prize at 2025 UBS Finance Challenge in Shanghai

✇NUS - National University of Singapore Newsroom

Driven by a shared passion for finance and investing, second-year students Fong Zhi Heng from NUS Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences and Brandon Lim from NUS Business School teamed up for the 2025 UBS Finance Challenge. The pair beat 300 other teams to clinch the first prize at the competition.

The UBS Finance Challenge is a high-profile stock pitch competition that brings together some of the brightest and most innovative university students in finance from around the world to showcase their market research and equity analysis skills. Now in its fifth year, the competition has expanded to a dual-region format, allowing participants to compete in either Hong Kong or Mainland China, with top teams from both tracks advancing to the finals in Shanghai to vie for the coveted Greater China Championship title.

United by a shared passion for finance

Zhi Heng and Brandon first connected through the NUS Asset & Wealth Management Club and the Next Gen Investors Endowment Ltd, a Singapore-based non-profit organisation that promotes investor education to local and international students. They quickly became friends over a shared passion for applying their classroom learnings to solve real-world challenges through competitions.  

In April, the pair had already made waves by winning the Singapore & Southeast Asia rounds of the 2025 CFA Institute Research Challenge at NUS. Following this success, they were eager to take on a bigger stage. 

“For us, the UBS Finance Challenge presented yet another valuable learning opportunity,” said Brandon. “We wanted to put our finance skills into practice again and push ourselves, especially since it was our first time doing a long/short equity research pitch.”

Pitching with precision and perseverance

Teams in the UBS Finance Challenge were required to analyse stocks from one of six sectors – industrials, consumer, technology, internet, healthcare and energy – and to develop a long-short pairs trade strategy. This involved evaluating trade logic, industry outlook, company financials, stock valuations and presenting actionable trade recommendations.

Zhi Heng and Brandon centred their investment pitch on China’s restaurant sector, comparing two major players – Yum China, the country’s largest quick-service operator, and Jiumaojiu International Holdings, a full-service restaurant specialising in Chinese cuisine. They argued that Yum China would outperform Jiumaojiu; driven by the long-term growth trend toward takeaway and fast food convenience in China. Conversely, dine-in models, such as Jiumaojiu would suffer as they face headwinds from declining foot traffic. On this basis, they proposed a pair trade strategy of buying Yum China stock and shorting Jiumaojiu stock.

Having just wrapped up the CFA Research Institute Challenge in April, the pair had only two weeks to prepare for the UBS Finance Challenge. Balancing competing priorities made it even more intense.

Zhi Heng recalled, “It was a tough balancing act – I was interning, and Brandon was studying for his finals during the day, so we had to work on our presentation late into the night. Some nights we barely slept. But with sheer determination and a genuine passion for understanding the company we were pitching, we pushed through and made it work.”

The duo also made the strategic decision to personally fund their travel to Hong Kong for an in-person semi-final presentation – a move they believed gave them a competitive edge. “We felt that presenting in person gave us a better opportunity to connect with the judges and communicate our ideas more effectively,” shared Brandon.

Both students credited their earlier experience in the 2025 CFA Institute Research Challenge as instrumental to their success in the UBS challenge, noting how they benefitted immensely from the mentorship received, as the experience shaped their thought processes and helped refine their research and pitching abilities.

Zhi Heng also acknowledged the role of the NUS Investment Society, a student-led club promoting financial literacy, in sharpening his analytical capabilities. “Regular stock pitch sessions and feedback from seniors and alumni really honed my research skills,” he said. “Courses like Accounting and Economics gave me the technical foundation to understand financial statements and market dynamics, but it was the student groups and competitions that brought those concepts to life.”

More than a win: Valuable skills and future careers in finance

For their win, the pair received prizes worth 14,000 yuan (S$2,500) and secured the opportunity for fast-tracked interviews with UBS.

“We’re definitely elated,” Brandon said. “But more than the win, it was the invaluable skills gained and the personalised feedback from the judges that mattered most. They were able to provide meaningful and actionable insights that we could use in our future internships and careers in finance.”

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Smart, safe, sustainable: NUS sets new benchmark for campus innovation with Singapore’s first university-based Integrated Operations Centre

✇NUS - National University of Singapore Newsroom

In a milestone for campus operations and digital transformation, NUS has launched Singapore’s first university-based Integrated Operations Centre (IOC) – a state-of-the-art facility that is redefining how campus services are managed.

Fully operational since January 2025 and located at Prince George’s Park, the facility consolidates real-time data from multiple critical systems, including security, emergency services, and building management, onto a single, integrated digital platform. With this capability, NUS now has unprecedented oversight of its operations across its sprawling, multi-site campus, which serves a community of over 64,000 students, faculty and staff.

“The IOC is more than just a control room, it is a strategic enabler that helps us manage the complexity of campus operations with greater precision and foresight,” said Mr Koh Yan Leng, NUS Vice President (Campus Infrastructure). “This is a key pillar in our Smart Campus journey and a model of what’s possible when digital transformation is aligned with operational excellence.”

One centre, many systems

Conceptualised in 2022 as part of NUS’ Smart Campus Envisioning, the IOC was designed to address longstanding operational pain points such as fragmented legacy systems, manual incident reporting, and reactive maintenance practices.

The project was piloted at NUS University Town in May 2024 and became fully operational early this year. Today, the IOC provides centralised oversight across six key domains: security, emergency response, facilities, transport, housing, and sustainability.

At the heart of the IOC is a cutting-edge digital twin of the NUS campus, an interactive 3D model layered with live feeds from CCTV cameras, IoT sensors, and building maintenance and management systems. This allows operators to visualise the entire campus environment, conduct virtual patrols and respond to incidents in real time.

This is coupled with a dynamic, integrated dashboard that consolidates alerts from multiple systems, enabling operators to detect anomalies, coordinate responses and streamline workflows, thereby reducing downtime and enhancing service delivery.

“From emergency responses to campus-wide facilities monitoring, the IOC gives our operations teams a single source of truth,” said Mr Leonard Li, Head of IOC. “We can detect incidents ranging from an isolated fire alarm to a chiller plant fault within 20 seconds and automatically trigger a work order via the NUS iReport system. That speed is a game changer.”

Smarter operations, better outcomes

Beyond the control room, the benefits of the IOC are already being felt across campus. Students and staff enjoy faster fixes for faulty facilities and more reliable Internal Shuttle Bus services. Operations teams report smoother coordination, reduced downtime, and clearer performance metrics. Campus safety has been enhanced through AI-powered surveillance tools, including facial and licence plate recognition technology – all achieved without the need for expanded manpower.

“The IOC is built on scalable, secure infrastructure that supports continuous improvement,” said Mr Lim Yeow Khee, Section Head of Integrated Operations, “By integrating disparate systems and adding layers of automation, we’ve laid the groundwork for long-term innovation in campus infrastructure.”

In its first months of full operation, the IOC has already delivered tangible improvements. Fault response times have improved by 45 per cent for urgent cases and by 57 per cent for non-urgent ones, while emergency dispatch times have reduced by up to 50 per cent with better triaging capabilities. Operator productivity has also increased by 40 per cent, aided by the centralised dashboard and automated alerts.

Scaling and enhancing capabilities

While operational efficiency remains a core focus, the IOC is also paving the way for a more sustainable campus. For example, real-time alerts are now triggered when utility consumption exceeds baseline thresholds by 40 per cent, allowing for timely corrective action. Over time, these alerts will be linked to automated responses built into standard operating procedures, further improving efficiency.

“We’ve observed that most IOCs stop at security or facility management,” noted Mr Li. “What sets the NUS IOC apart is the vision to support evolving campus services in mobility, space optimisation, and even hospitality.”

With University Town now fully integrated, the IOC is expanding its capabilities under Phase 2 to the NUS Kent Ridge and Bukit Timah Campuses. Planned enhancements in this phase include using real-time mobility dashboards to optimise Internal Shuttle Bus operations, aligning NUS’ environmental targets with sustainability reporting, and adopting smart city technologies such as Wi-Fi-based crowd sensing and large vision model (LVM) AI analytics for deeper operational insights.

“The scale of operations needed to support a university of this size is often invisible,” said Mr Koh. “The IOC shines a light on these efforts while giving us the tools to do them better,” he added.

 

By University Campus Infrastructure

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Assoc Prof Koh Ming Joo wins Kyoto Rising-Star Lectureship Award

✇NUS - National University of Singapore Newsroom

Associate Professor Koh Ming Joo from NUS Department of Chemistry has received the Kyoto Rising-Star Lectureship Award (2025) in recognition of his impactful contributions to organic chemistry research.

The Kyoto Rising-Star Lectureship Award was first established in 2020 by the MSD Life Science Foundation and later expanded to become an international accolade in 2023.

Assoc Prof Koh has gained international acclaim for his research in sustainable catalysis and radical chemistry that addresses critical challenges in chemical synthesis through base metal catalysis and radical cross-coupling chemistry.

Assoc Prof Koh said, “It’s an incredible honour to win this award and represent Singapore and NUS in the international arena. It really motivates us to continue our work to develop sustainable solutions that address challenges in chemical synthesis.”

See more

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Powering the scientific revolution with AI: World’s leading minds gather for inaugural AI4X 2025 conference at NUS

✇NUS - National University of Singapore Newsroom

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is speeding up scientific progress in diverse disciplines, from discovering new materials, to applying generative AI to detect dementia early, to improving climate modelling approaches by employing a combination of physical, hybrid AI and fully-data driven models.

These topics and more were explored at the inaugural AI4X 2025 conference held at NUS University Town. Taking place from 8 to 11 July 2025, the conference aims to spark cross-disciplinary collaboration and breakthroughs in AI innovation, accelerating scientific discovery and translational potential on all fronts.

AI4X 2025 is jointly organised by NUS Institute for Functional Intelligent Materials (I-FIM), together with the National Research Foundation, Singapore (NRF), Singapore’s Ministry of Education, Nanyang Technological University and the DSO National Laboratories. This strong alliance reflects the relevance and importance of the field in global research. I-FIM led the full planning and execution of the conference, which included conceptualisation, programme design, speaker selection and operations.

The world’s largest AI conference revolutionising the natural sciences, AI4X 2025 gathered close to 600 global researchers and industry leaders for talks and pre-conference workshops on AI innovation across sixteen different topics. It also comprised 27 keynote talks, 16 thematic sessions, and close to 100 poster presentations.

About 80 leading speakers from academia, start-ups, and global industry laboratories – including luminaries Gerbrand Ceder from the University of California, Berkeley, Boris Kozinsky from Harvard University, and Alex Aliper from Insilico – took part in the event.

“AI is reshaping how science is done,” said AI4X conference chair Professor Sir Konstantin Novoselov, Director of NUS I-FIM and winner of the 2010 Nobel Prize in Physics.

“Through AI4X, we aim to position Singapore and I-FIM as leaders in this global transition, by convening top minds to share, debate, and drive progress.”

Conceived in early 2024, the idea for AI4X was prompted by the increasing investment in the local “AI for Science” initiative, which focuses on the development and adoption of AI methods and tools that are transferable across multiple domains of science. In AI4X, the “X” represents all the scientific disciplines, including Climate, Environment, Medicine, Education, Finance, Mathematics and more.

Prof Novoselov noted that there were many things the researchers could learn from each other as experts from different disciplines. “We attempt to enhance this synergy through a mix of different topics in the talk sessions.”


Leveraging AI to enhance research

Conference speakers shared their views on how AI could further scientific progress, such as helping scientists work in more efficient ways.

The sheer volume of academic literature waiting to be read, combined with time-consuming experiments, often slows down scientific progress, said world-renowned mathematician Professor Weinan E in his talk “Building AI-Powered Infrastructure for Scientific Research”. 

“AI can transform the way we conduct scientific research,” he said.

Tools using AI can be used to streamline lab processes and automate experiments. “Instead of doing tedious work, you can spend more time thinking about new ideas,” said Prof E, who is the Inaugural Director of Beijing’s AI for Science Institute and a professor at Peking University’s Center for Machine Learning Research and School of Mathematical Sciences.

One key roadblock to scientific progress, he added, was the “curse of dimensionality”. As a problem’s dimensionality – the number of free parameters it has – grows, so did the amount of compute required using traditional methods. Deep learning, which powers most AI applications today, was the first methodology that could very accurately handle high-dimensional problems, said Prof E, whose team won the 2020 Association for Computing Machinery Gordon Bell Prize for their deep learning-based approach to simulating atomic movement.


Accelerating scientific discovery

Materials science is another frontier being reshaped by AI. The symmetrical atomic structure of a crystal is not merely aesthetic — it also governs its properties, from conductivity to transparency, said NUS I-FIM research fellow Dr Nikita Kazeev in a later presentation “Generation of Novel Stable Beautiful Materials”.

Designing crystals with ideal symmetrical properties would thus lead to the discovery of new materials for stronger batteries, solar cells, and more, explained Dr Kazeev in his talk.

He shared details of a new generative model he helped build, dubbed the “Wyckoff Transformer”, which can design uniquely symmetrical structures much faster than previous models. His team had introduced concepts such as “Wyckoff positions” (special positions that atoms tend to occupy) and “symmetry groups” to the model, which helped it learn about crystalline properties more easily.

What else does the future hold for AI in science? The talks and discussions at the AI4X 2025 Conference has shown that as technology advances, disciplinary boundaries will eventually disappear, with integrated databases and facilities in place.

Plans are underway to make AI4X an annual event, with expanded international participation and deeper industry engagement. The next edition, held in collaboration with the Acceleration Consortium at the University of Toronto, is slated for 2026.

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NUS researchers uncover new applications of magnetic field therapy in muscle and metabolic health

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Researchers at the National University of Singapore (NUS) have found new applications of magnetic field therapy with potential benefits for food sustainability and metabolic health.

One study, published in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences on 5 June 2025, demonstrated that short, weekly exposures to low-energy magnetic fields during early development enhanced muscle growth and quality in developing organisms, which has implications for improving meat yield and nutritional value in poultry production. A second study, published in the same journal on 6 June 2025, demonstrated that magnetic field therapy could alter the gut microbiome in beneficial ways that support better metabolism and bone health, with these effects transferable via microbiota-based therapies.

Led by Associate Professor Alfredo Franco-Obregón, Principal Investigator at the Institute for Health Innovation & Technology (iHealthtech) at NUS and faculty member at the Department of Surgery in NUS Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, the research team showed that magnetic stimulation can induce long-lasting physiological changes without the need for drugs, genetic modification, or invasive procedures.

The team’s findings highlight how a non-invasive, low-energy magnetic approach may be used to improve food production outcomes, develop microbiome-based therapies, and strengthen preventive health strategies.

Improving meat quality and growth

Poultry is the most imported livestock commodity globally by volume, with demand projected to grow in years to come. Breeding strategies in the industry that focus solely on muscle growth have often come at the expense of meat quality. In particular, there has long been a trade-off between faster growth and better taste, texture and nutrition.

The team’s latest research explores a new way to resolve that challenge. They found that exposing eggs to short bursts of magnetic fields during incubation could improve embryonic survival, overall growth and the development of oxidative muscle, which is a muscle type rich in mitochondria and associated with improved flavour and nutritional profile.

The work builds on earlier research by the team, which showed that magnetic pulses could be used to stimulate animal cells to produce the nutrients needed for lab-grown meat, reducing the need for animal-derived growth supplements. The study pointed to a greener, safer, and more cost-effective method of cell-based meat production.

In the current pilot study, the team demonstrated that brief, twice-weekly magnetic exposure of eggs promoted muscle development, and did so without genetic modification or pharmaceutical intervention.

“By improving both meat growth and quality, and importantly, in a sustainable and drug-free manner, our research could potentially overcome a major bottleneck in poultry farming,” said Assoc Prof Franco-Obregón. “Our research also highlights how magnetic stimulation can influence tissue development, which has wide-reaching applications in various sectors from food to agriculture to biomedicine.”

Conditioning the gut microbiome to improve health

In the second study, the researchers looked into how pulsed electromagnetic field (PEMF) therapy affects the gut microbiome, and whether its benefits can be transferred to others.

Their study found that weekly magnetic therapy instigated changes in the gut microbiota that led to healthier fat metabolism, improved glucose regulation and stronger bones. In preclinical studies, when gut microbes from magnetically treated donors were transplanted into obese recipients, the latter exhibited similarly enhanced metabolic traits — without receiving direct magnetic treatment.

Interestingly, transferring gut bacteria from donors that received magnetic stimulation led to more consistent improvements in bone health and blood sugar control than transfers from donors that had exercised. This suggests that magnetic stimulation may shape the gut microbiome in uniquely helpful ways.

These preliminary findings extend a broader line of magnetic field research led by Assoc Prof Franco-Obregón and his collaborators. In earlier studies, they showed that magnetic muscle stimulation in humans could improve mobility and lean body mass, especially in older adults. Other studies demonstrated that pulsed magnetic fields could trigger muscle cells to release anticancer molecules, enhance chemotherapy drug uptake in tumours and disrupt the energy metabolism of cancer cells. Crucially, these were all possible without harming surrounding healthy tissue.

Among these diverse applications is a common thread: the use of low-energy, non-invasive pulsed magnetic fields to initiate biological responses that support regeneration, immune modulation or systemic metabolic balance.

“Our work continues to show that the body can respond to magnetic cues in powerful ways — sometimes more gently and effectively than drugs or physical interventions,” added Assoc Prof Franco-Obregón. “This latest research adds a feather to the cap, placing the gut microbiome on the list of systems that can be modulated in this way.”

The potential implications span multiple domains, from preventive health and metabolic disorders to therapeutic strategies for ageing populations. With metabolic disease and frailty on the rise in many parts of the world, magnetic conditioning of the microbiome could offer a scalable, non-invasive alternative to improve health resilience.

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Commencement Dinner: A memorable night for a milestone year

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A joyous season celebrating the accomplishments of over 17,000 graduates from the Class of 2025, set against the backdrop of NUS’ 120th anniversary, culminated in a festive Commencement Dinner held on 22 July 2025 at the dining hall of the College of Alice and Peter Tan and Residential College 4.

Gathering valedictorians and representatives from the Class of 2025, along with the newly minted honorary graduates – Ambassador Chan Heng Chee, Dr Noeleen Heyzer, and Dr Wong Ngit Liong – the dinner was attended by about 350 guests. They included NUS Pro-Chancellor Mr Po’ad Mattar, NUS Chairman Mr Hsieh Fu Hua, NUS Trustee Ms Chew Gek Khim, NUS President Professor Tan Eng Chye, as well as students, faculty, staff and alumni.

The celebratory night kicked off on a high note with an exuberant performance by students from various NUS Centre for the Arts dance groups. Specially choreographed for the occasion and blending influences from Indian, Chinese, Malay and Western artistic traditions, the piece showcased the multiculturalism and diversity of student life at NUS.

Leading the night’s proceedings were Class of 2025 graduates Ms Rachel Chin from the NUS Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences and Mr Clement Ling from the NUS Faculty of Science. Reminiscing about university life and the vibrant community they encountered along the way, they recounted the highlights of their NUS journeys.

“Looking back, I’m really grateful for the many experiences I’ve had at NUS — from taking eye-opening modules and electives, to going on an unforgettable exchange programme, and getting to contribute to signature events like Open House and Commencement,” Ms Chin said.

For Mr Ling, graduating as part of the Class of 2025 during NUS’ 120th anniversary made his experience especially memorable. “Over the past four years, I’ve had the chance to explore my interests in science and technology, meet inspiring peers and professors, and contribute to the NUS community through different ways. It’s truly been a journey I’ll never forget.”

Lead with the heart

In his speech at the event, NUS President Prof Tan Eng Chye commended the graduating class for their hard-won achievements, noting the determination and resilience that enabled them to rise above academic challenges, personal obstacles and periods of uncertainty.

He highlighted the strong foundation laid during their time at university – from the rigorous academic training to opportunities for personal growth and the lasting bonds they forged along the way. 

As they prepare to begin their next chapter, he encouraged the graduating class to stay grounded in the values that had shaped them and to lead with clarity and heart, drawing inspiration from NUS’ founding mission.

“Lead with your heart, with purpose lighting your way. This was the case in 1905, 120 years ago, when we started out as a small medical school for the community. Even as we have evolved and redefined our identity as an educational institution, we remain committed in our mission to serve our country and society,” he said.

Concluding his speech with a toast, he added, “Congratulations once again on this very important milestone and welcome to the NUS alumni family! You are the generation that will shape what comes next, leading us to NUS150… and beyond.”

Grit and resilience

Taking to the stage to address his fellow graduates, Mr Lee Yat Bun, Student Senior Advisor of the 46th NUS Students’ Union (NUSSU) Executive Committee, offered a heartfelt message to his peers.

“Four years at NUS didn’t just earn us a degree. It gave us something more valuable – character. It taught us how to stay grounded in uncertainty, how to persevere under pressure, and how to lead in times of change,” said Mr Lee, an NUS Computing graduate in Computer Science who served two terms as NUSSU President between AY21/22 and AY22/23.

“As we step into the future as the next generation of leaders, thinkers, and creators, we carry with us the grit, the resilience, and the adaptability that have been refined during our time here.”

The evening drew to a close with two musical performances by Elton and Friends, a band led by Mandopop singer-songwriter Elton Lee, a Class of 2025 graduate from the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music (YST), who was accompanied by a string quartet comprising fellow YST graduates Reina Teo, Tan Xin Jie, Shannon Chan and Saran Charoennit.

Along with a stirring rendition of the classic ballad, “The Greatest Love of All”, the group also performed a poignant debut of “The Soundtrack of Youth” (谱写的青春), an original graduation song penned by Mr Lee, in a fitting close to the celebratory season.

This story concludes NUS News’ coverage of Commencement 2025, which celebrates the achievements of our graduates from the Class of 2025. For more on Commencement, read our stories and graduate profiles, check out the official Commencement website, or look up and tag #NUS2025 on our social media channels!

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Nursing a dream: One army medic’s journey from SAF to NUS valedictorian

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It isn’t every day that you get to see the material in your textbooks come to life. For Bernard Liang, this year’s valedictorian from the NUS Alice Lee Centre for Nursing Studies (NUS Nursing), it was an experience he would never forget.

The undergraduate, then 27, was about to sit his second-year mid-term exams on Women and Children’s Health. At 3am a few days prior, he had to rush his pregnant wife to the hospital as her contractions intensified. By afternoon, their daughter was born; by evening, he was back to his lecture notes, preparing for his exams. On the day his wife was discharged from the hospital, he sped to school for his exams after sending his family home — and aced them.

While his university life was not always so dramatic, it was an intense balancing act between family and studies during his time at NUS. Over four years, the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) Medical Corps regular welcomed two children, renovated his home, stayed combat fit — and, to top it off, graduated as valedictorian.

“I am deeply grateful to my wife, my family, my mentors, and everyone else who helped me in this journey. This is a validation of the sacrifices that not just me, but everyone supporting me, had to make,” said Bernard, 30, who received his Bachelor of Science (Nursing) (Honours) degree on 10 July 2025.

The army medic’s journey to NUS Nursing began six years into his time in the medical corps. Bernard, who had a diploma in veterinary technology, decided he wanted to “close the gap” between himself and his peers who were nursing-trained.

The NUS programme offered a good mix of theoretical knowledge and hands-on clinical work, noted Bernard, who received the SAF Military Domain Expert Scheme Study Award.
 

A hands-on approach to patient care

Transitioning from the rigours of military life to university took some getting used to at the beginning. “That time away from academia made it slightly challenging to readjust to the mindset of a student,” admitted Bernard.

But he soon hit his stride — armed with intellectual maturity, a steely resolve to soak up new knowledge, and existing skills in areas such as emergency resuscitation and triage.

He also benefitted from the guidance of NUS Nursing mentors such as Associate Professor Shefaly Shorey, who advised him on his thesis; as well as Assistant Professor Catherine Dong, whom he assisted with data collection, sample processing and more in-depth research studies such as the Heart-Brain Connection Translational Research Programme.

His clinical attachments left a deep impact. “We were taught theoretical frameworks — anatomy, physiology, how to assist doctors in providing better care. But an unexpected takeaway (was) how our patients taught us as well, because they have that lived experience of their own conditions,” he added.

He recalled encounters during home visits to patients as a student research assistant in Year 3, when he asked elderly stroke patients if they knew whether their condition had been caused by a blocked blood vessel or bleeding in the brain.

“When we asked them in (these) layman terms, they replied to us using medical terms, such as ‘ischaemic’ or ‘haemorrhagic’ stroke,” he said.

This experience taught him to view the patient-nurse dynamic in a different light.

“Instead of trying to micromanage them or (simply) educate them on their condition, we can shift to having a partnership with them,” he noted. “We should try to respect their knowledge and empower them to better manage their conditions.”
 

It takes a village

Beyond his studies, Bernard found time to captain the NUS Shooting Team — building on his leadership experience in the SAF, where he had led COVID-19 vaccinations at Selarang Camp and coordinated emergency preparedness for the National Day Parade.

He earned the NUS Achievement Award (Merit) for excellence in academics and sport, and also appeared on the Dean’s List.

Bernard credits his success to a robust support system at home, from his wife — the main caregiver of their children — to his parents and in-laws who stepped in regularly to help.

While an undergraduate, he carved out pockets of time to focus on schoolwork. After getting home in the evening, he would spend time with his daughter, before hitting the books from 10pm till as late as 2am after she had gone to bed. His NUS peers accommodated his schedule, agreeing to late-night Zoom meetings when they had to discuss groupwork.

Now back in the SAF Medical Corps and currently a Military Expert 4 Apprentice, Bernard believes his nursing training has given him a fuller, more patient-centric perspective of care.

“I hope I can be a leader who truly inspires trust and cultivates resilience in my men, and be someone who can champion continuous learning so we do not lose sight of our medical knowledge,” he added.

“My goal is to contribute towards advancing the standard of military medicine and integrate evidence-based care into our daily SAF operations.”

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NUS unveils first-of-its-kind Venture Capital Programme in Asia with S$150 million to boost growth of deep tech start-ups

✇NUS - National University of Singapore Newsroom

To help bridge a critical funding gap for early-stage tech ventures in Asia, NUS is launching a S$150 million Venture Capital (VC) Programme through its entrepreneurial arm, NUS Enterprise.

In Asia, venture capital funding has nosedived to a decade low of S$85 billion, with early-stage investments declining five per cent from 2023 to S$38 billion in 2024[1]. In this challenging climate, tech start-ups, particularly those born from intensive research and development cycles, face some of the steepest hurdles.

“Research-based start-ups face distinct challenges, including R&D cycles that are much longer than traditional start-ups, making them especially vulnerable in today’s cautious investment environment,” said Professor Tan Eng Chye, NUS President. “The new NUS Venture Capital Programme brings together capital, strategic partnerships, and specialised venture expertise to create a more resilient path from lab to market.”

A first-of-its-kind initiative by a university in Asia

The NUS VC Programme is designed to enhance support for early-stage tech innovation by focusing on high-potential ventures within the NUS ecosystem, including start-ups from the National Graduate Research Innovation Programme (National GRIP).

National GRIP empowers innovators to transform lab-based research discoveries into globally competitive, market-ready ventures. While GRIP currently provides up to S$250,000 in seed funding per start-up, many start-ups require continued support to move beyond proof of concept and into commercial markets.

The programme addresses this need by focusing on post-seed growth, combining capital and structured, hands-on venture-building support to help these start-ups scale effectively.

Backing tech start-ups with capital and expertise

The NUS VC Programme comprises two key components.

First, NUS will commit S$50 million over the next three years in selected venture capital firms with strong track records in early-stage deep tech investments. These firms will provide structured, hands-on support to start-ups, including time, expertise, and access to their networks to help them scale effectively.

The first two VC partners are Granite Asia, a leading multi-asset investment platform with a 25-year track record of backing breakthrough technology ventures globally, and 4BIO Capital, a specialist life sciences investor focused on advanced therapeutics.

Second, NUS will commit S$100 million to an autonomous investment fund focused on NUS-affiliated start-ups, with the flexibility to invest alongside selected VC partners.

“NUS has built one of the most ambitious deep tech pipelines in Asia — a launchpad for breakthrough ideas with global relevance. This partnership sets a new model for how deep tech can scale: pairing world-class research with long-term capital, deep operational support, and Granite Asia’s global network. Together, we aim to accelerate the next generation of transformative technologies from Singapore to the world,” said Ms Jenny Lee and Mr Jixun Foo, Senior Managing Partners, Granite Asia.

“The NUS VC Programme marks a significant step forward for early-stage tech innovation in Asia. By pairing investment with expert-led support, we are accelerating the growth of promising start-ups and strengthening the region’s innovation ecosystem. At 4BIO Capital, we look forward to partnering with NUS on this exciting initiative and learning from each other as we build and grow the companies developing the treatments of tomorrow,” added Dr Dima Kuzmin, Managing Partner, 4BIO Capital.

Enabling a complete pathway from lab to market

According to Dr Tan Sian Wee, NUS Senior Vice President (Innovation & Enterprise), the programme is designed to plug a critical gap in the innovation ecosystem. “National GRIP is an important first step in helping deep tech start-ups take root,” he said. “The VC Programme builds on this by pairing promising ventures with globally connected investors, enabling a more complete pathway to scale and commercial success.”

What sets this programme apart is its direct engagement with leading VC firms selected not only for their track records, but also for their market access in global innovation hubs. Beyond funding, these partners provide structured support ranging from mentorship, investor feedback, market entry, fundraising networks to operational guidance.

By strengthening the bridge between research and the market, NUS aims to boost the resilience and scalability of its tech start-ups and keep the innovation engine running despite a tough investment climate.

 

By NUS Enterprise


 

[1] https://news.crunchbase.com/venture/asia-startup-funding-tanks-eoy-2024/

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Can AI help improve care for older adults? Experts weigh in

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Imagine an older adult who lives alone laughing and chatting while on a video call – with a jovial 3D avatar. On platforms like Replika, artificial intelligence (AI) companions can hold conversations that not only feel strikingly lifelike, but also generate a sense of connection akin to human relationships.

Such AI companions could even be used to improve the well-being of older adults who live alone by offering them opportunities to assist AI in tasks instead of the other way around, said Assistant Professor Yi-Chieh Lee, from the NUS Department of Computer Science. “We found that if people contribute to and ‘help’ the AI, they will increase their self-esteem and decrease their feelings of loneliness,” he said at an expert meeting held on 27 June 2025 at NUS. It was organised by NUS’ Centre for Family and Population Research (CFPR) in collaboration with Sweden’s Lund University.

Titled “AI-Powered Care Interventions and Support Systems for Older Persons with Limited Kin Availability”, the event drew a diverse slate of academics from Australia, Hong Kong, South Korea, and beyond, who discussed how AI may help fill the caregiving gap for older persons, particularly those ageing with limited family support. While AI has potential to support more personalised and integrated care, panellists emphasised not to overlook ethical concerns.

In Asst Prof Lee’s research, study participants were asked to help an AI agent named “Chatti” develop a messaging app by providing insights. Subsequently, they were asked to respond to emotive statements measuring their self-esteem and loneliness, such as “I am satisfied with myself” or “I feel that I lack companionship”. The award-winning study found that humans helping AI contributed to a greater sense of autonomy. In this way, AI can potentially help isolated older adults reconnect with society, he said.

Tech that lends a hand

Such AI solutions will play an increasingly crucial role as family networks shrink at an alarming rate. Research projects that by 2050, an average 65-year-old woman in China will have about 30 living relatives — down from 60 in 2000. Similar declines in kin availability are expected globally.

This means that older persons in the near future may have fewer family-based resources to draw on in old age, noted NUS Associate Professor of Sociology and Anthropology Bussarawan “Puk” Teerawichitchainan, who is Co-Director of CFPR.  

This issue is equally pressing in Singapore, where the total fertility rate has been persistently low, plateauing at 0.97 since 2023. “We must ask, how can emerging technologies, particularly AI-powered technology, complement family and community-based support systems?” said Assoc Prof Bussarawan, who co-organised the expert meeting with Dr Wenqian Xu, a postdoctoral fellow at Lund University.

AI can help to ease labour shortages in healthcare while making care more personalised. Associate Professor Moon Choi from the KAIST Graduate School of Science and Technology Policy in South Korea noted how AI-powered phone services like CLOVA CareCall are already conducting weekly check-ins with older adults in South Korea, which is currently experiencing a shortage of nurses.

AI is also increasingly viewed as a key enabler of future living environments designed to support ageing in place for all older adults, particularly those with limited kin ties. Dr Kentaro Watanabe from Japan’s National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST) emphasised that smart home environments must integrate both technological and social resources to adapt effectively to the evolving needs of older adults.

Looking ahead, AI could enable hyper-personalised support and care through the use of digital twins — virtual models that mirror an individual’s physical and biological traits. Professor Vivian Lou from the University of Hong Kong is working with her team to develop a digital twin based on her own skeletal and muscle data. Such projects could pave the way for support and care that is ultra-tailored to an individual’s healthcare needs.

But Professor Pei-Lee Teh of Monash University Malaysia offered a word of caution. “AI should complement, not replace a human. It may monitor our health, but it cannot hold our hand the way that our children, family, or friends can,” she said.

AI’s hidden biases

Like humans, AI is susceptible to bias. For example, it can be ageist, said Associate Professor Xin Zhang of Peking University.

Specifically, AI scores high in “benevolent ageism” – a well-meaning yet patronising attitude that assumes an older person needs help. Dr Kathryn Lynn Muyskens, a research fellow at NUS’ Centre for Biomedical Ethics, referred to it as “a form of misrecognition and a failed connection”, adding that it can contribute to the widespread issue of loneliness among older adults, rather than help to solve it.

“It’s good to have a robot that seeks engagement and offers some sort of amusement to the older person. But if we’re talking about older adults who are lonely, this isn’t an antidote,” she said. “I’ve never felt lonelier personally than when I’m in a crowded room, for example. It’s the misrecognition in society that can make you feel lonelier.”

Care infrastructure for older adults therefore needs to be centred on older adults themselves, not what others, including AI, think they need, said Assoc Prof Zhang.

Even older adults with cognitive conditions, such as dementia, can be included in the conversation. “The idea that people living with dementia have no agency is something we need to question… in my experience, you can still engage them in co-designing technology and solutions,” said Dr Barbara Barbosa Neves from the University of Sydney.

For some attendees, the meeting sparked new awareness and hope. “(It) inspired me to talk to older adults to understand what they’re really looking out for,” said Harry Wu, a Year 2 Business undergraduate from NUS who attended the event.

“We need to hear from older adults about what they think they need,” added the 21-year-old, who is also minoring in AI.

At the end of the day, technology is a double-edged sword. “With one hand it gives, and with the other, it takes away,” said Dr Muyskens. The question is, as she put it: “Will (AI) make us more or less human?”

“This event marks just the beginning of much-needed interdisciplinary dialogues on how AI can be thoughtfully integrated into care systems,” said the expert meeting’s organiser Assoc Prof Teerawichitchainan. “Singapore and several Asian societies are facing profound family and demographic transitions, and we must explore how technology can support, not replace, human care.”

“Co-designing technologies, research and policies with older adults, caregivers, and other key stakeholders is essential,” added co-organiser Dr Xu. “That’s how we create care systems that are both innovative and inclusive.”

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NUS Law launches world-first AI-powered legal podcast to open up law to the public

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The Faculty of Law at the National University of Singapore (NUS Law) is proud to announce a world first in legal publishing: a podcast series based on articles from the Singapore Journal of Legal Studies (SJLS). Produced using Google’s AI-powered tool, NotebookLM, this marks the first time a legal journal has used generative AI to turn peer-reviewed legal research into accessible audio content.

The initiative reflects NUS Law’s commitment to building on its academic legacy while embracing new ways to share legal knowledge. By converting academic writing into podcast episodes designed for a general audience, NUS Law aims to make complex legal ideas easier to understand, without compromising on intellectual depth.

“This innovation underscores NUS Law’s commitment to thought leadership, academic excellence, and public engagement,” said Professor Andrew Simester, Dean of NUS Law. “We’re proud to be leading the way globally by using technology to extend the reach and relevance of legal research. It is a key part of our vision to be that bridge between legal academia and society.”

Established in 1959, SJLS is one of the oldest law journals in the British Commonwealth and a cornerstone of legal commentary in Singapore and the region. It is managed by NUS Law and guided by an international Advisory Board. Its articles cover a wide spectrum of legal issues, from domestic to international developments, with particular focus on Singapore, Asia, and the broader common-law world.

While the journal’s readership traditionally includes lawyers, academics, and legal observers, the podcast series would benefit the wider legal community, business leaders and policy makers. The full articles remain available under open access on the SJLS website, while the podcasts present concise, approachable summaries to spark interest beyond the legal field.

Professor Julien Chaisse from the City University of Hong Kong, whose work is featured in the series said: “This format is engaging and I am genuinely impressed by the way it brings legal academic writing into a more accessible format without losing its substance.”

Professor Emilios Avgouleas, Chair of International Banking Law and Finance at the University of Edinburgh, added: “This is an impressive initiative that uses modern technology to disseminate legal and interdisciplinary scholarship more widely. It is truly the future for the distribution of law journal content.”

The podcast is available for free on Spotify, with new episodes released regularly.

Listen to the Singapore Journal of Legal Studies Podcast on Spotify.

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Student changemakers: Advancing sustainability from classroom to community

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Greening the Future logo

 

In this series, NUS News explores how NUS is accelerating sustainability research and education in response to climate change challenges, and harnessing the knowledge and creativity of our people to pave the way to a greener future for all.

From food security to renewable energy and sustainable finance, a new generation of student changemakers is redefining what sustainability looks like. Though they may not come from traditional sustainability backgrounds, these students – hailing from different colleges, faculties, and schools across NUS – share one common goal: taking meaningful action on climate issues that matter most to them.

Whether it is addressing challenges in food systems, supporting the transition to electric vehicles or advancing green finance solutions, their efforts reflect the limitless potential of youth-led initiatives, strengthened by the rigorous academic foundation that NUS provides, in building a more sustainable future for all.

Cultivating ideas on food security from the ground up

Sustainability was not on his radar before university but the curriculum at the NUS College of Humanities and Sciences opened his eyes to a whole new world of interdisciplinary learning in sustainability education. Majoring in Geography — with its unique integration of human, physical, and political-economic perspectives — and minoring in Political Science and Geosciences provided Lei Hong Wei a better understanding of how diverse stakeholders interact in the fight against climate change.

Recounting his journey into environmental action, Hong Wei shared how he joined the NUS Students' Association for Visions of the Earth (NUS SAVE) in his first year before progressing to take on leadership roles in his second and third years of university. While he initially focused on sustainability metrics and reducing waste at student events like NUSSU Rag & Flag and Supernova, he soon found joy participating in gardening events and nature walks.

“I was trying out gardening at home during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021 and was experimenting with different seeds and growth methods,” he recalled. “Seeing my chillies and long beans grow and eventually bear fruit was delightful, which made me really want to share the joy of gardening with my friends. While individual efforts in contributing to our nation's food security agenda may be minute, I thought forming a community first is essential.”

Feeling inspired, Hong Wei who was then the Co-Director of NUS SAVE’s Green Canteens cell, reached out and collaborated with the University Campus Infrastructure to establish a rooftop garden at the Education Resource Centre in NUS University Town in June 2023. The fresh produce harvested from the garden was used in plant-based cooking workshops aimed at promoting sustainable living among students. NUS SAVE also advocated for the installation of a rainwater harvesting system to help automate irrigation and provide additional water for the plants during extremely hot days.

Outside of school, Hong Wei contributes to an environmental non-governmental organisation by providing policy feedback on coastal reclamation projects, volunteers at a rooftop farm in Orchard, and guides public nature walks to promote environmental awareness. Most recently, he completed an internship with the National Climate Change Secretariat, where he examined how rising temperatures may increase cooling demand — and with it, emissions — highlighting the intricacies between climate, infrastructure, and resource use. After his graduation in July, Hong Wei hopes to work at the intersection of food security and sustainability.

Translating passion into action through EV charging solutions

After enrolling in NUS Computer Science in 2018, Benjamin Long made a bold decision to leave university and run his start-up full-time. In 2021, he decided to return to NUS with renewed purpose ─ to deepen his technical expertise so as to grow in his role as the Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of the start-up.

“I’ve always been fascinated by technology, and in my view, NUS is the best local institution for computing,” he shares. This time, Benjamin chose to pursue Computer Engineering instead, to gain a deeper understanding of both hardware and software. “The hands-on exposure helped me approach problems with more rigour and confidence.”

He cites IT2900: Technical Management and Leadership as one of the most impactful courses he had taken as it had helped him develop essential leadership qualities such as self-awareness, resilience, and empathy—which he now draws on when navigating complex multi-stakeholder discussions and communicating climate issues. He added that some of the most rewarding moments of his NUS journey came from engaging with its world-class faculty who expanded his worldview and reinforced the importance of pairing technical excellence with visionary thinking to address the climate crisis.

Driven by a desire to learn as much as possible, Benjamin joined the NUS Overseas Colleges programme in Thailand during his third year of study to immerse himself in the vibrant entrepreneurship scene. The experience provided insights into how local context shapes sustainability priorities across ASEAN, broadened his regional perspective and underscored the importance of cross-border collaboration.

Eager to apply what he had learned, Benjamin brought these valuable insights back to his start-up – Beep Technologies. The company pivoted during the COVID-19 pandemic to address a key challenge in electric vehicle (EV) adoption, namely, the fragmented charging experience where drivers must download multiple apps to access chargers operated by different networks. To tackle this, the start-up built a roaming network that aggregates various charging operators into a single interface. Its latest product — an "EV Charging" mini-app that is integrated within the AXS Drive app — allows users to access over 4,000 charge points across the region without the need to register for multiple accounts. Beep Technologies is also partnering with logistics companies to electrify their fleets, driven by a shared belief in building a greener future.

Although sustainability wasn’t Benjamin’s initial focus, his work has naturally evolved in that direction. “Reading the book “Our Choice” by Al Gore when I was a teenager was a turning point. It showed me that we can build a better world without sacrificing the environment through renewables, hydrogen and EVs.”

Set to graduate from NUS this July, Benjamin is grateful for the university’s academic rigour, which sharpened his skills and supercharged his entrepreneurship journey. Looking ahead, he is committed to continue creating meaningful environmentally-conscious solutions that make a lasting impact.

Bridging passion and purpose in sustainable finance

From a young age, Lee Xin Chun felt a deep connection to nature. Her childhood was filled with time outdoors, and fast forward to today, as a freediver, she witnesses first-hand the impact of climate change and pollution on marine ecosystems. These encounters have shaped her commitment to finding solutions that protect the environment while driving meaningful change.

Her passion led her to the Sustainable and Green Finance Institute (SGFIN), where she is currently in the final stages of completing her Master of Science in Sustainable and Green Finance. Despite the complexities and ever-evolving nature of sustainability, she credits the professors’ unwavering dedication in mentoring the next generation.

“The professors at SGFIN are conducting cutting-edge research into the growing field of sustainable finance. They teach us important skills to communicate the material importance of sustainability to corporates. They are the best people to learn from.”

Xin Chun attributes some of the most valuable lessons she learnt during her master’s programme to her classmates from around the world. Learning and collaborating with them allowed her to gain a deeper understanding of sustainability through diverse cultural and national lenses. Together, they participated in several international forums and conferences, where they benefitted from the sharing by leading experts and industry professionals.

Beyond academia, Xin Chun is also the chairperson of the Inter-University Environmental Coalition (IUEC), comprising members from various environmental groups across different universities in Singapore. IUEC aims to foster greater collaboration across the local universities, government agencies and other stakeholders so as to advance more systemic sustainability initiatives across the universities.

Believing that human connection is essential to long-term collaboration, under her leadership, Xin Chun fostered a culture of trust and mutual understanding through open and candid conversations, even among groups with differing motivations. One of the key stakeholders in this effort is the Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment of Singapore, with which she has been engaging since 2022 to strengthen youth-government collaborations.

Looking ahead, Xin Chun is currently busy involved in the planning of the upcoming Sustainability Youth Festival 2025, co-organised by IUEC and non-profit organisation EB Impact on 1 August 2025. The Festival will feature a sustainability hackathon and conference, and aims to engage over 1,000 students from primary to tertiary levels to deepen their understanding about sustainability. She is also looking forward to graduating in August and beginning her career in sustainable finance.

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From campus to community: How NUS graduates are creating real-world impact

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More than just a place to earn a degree, NUS is also where students learn about real-world challenges, such as those faced by underserved communities.

We speak to four graduates who are using the skills they learnt at NUS to contribute to causes they care about.

Dylan Ee, Edwin Chuah, Roshen Sidhu: Designing solutions for persons with disabilities

Tapping their EZ-Link cards at the MRT fare gate is a routine few commuters here give much thought to. But for individuals with muscle-related disorders, which affect basic movements like walking and standing, the simple action can be a challenging task.

Due to muscle weakness, even raising their arms to tap their EZ-link card or asking for assistance at the gantry can be a strenuous task, said Edwin Chuah.

This was a task for the final year biomedical engineering major to solve as part of his coursework in the course Assistive Technology for Persons with Disability offered under the College of Design and Engineering (CDE) at NUS.

The course is also part of the Biomedical Engineering for Good (bGood) initiative under the Department of Biomedical Engineering at NUS CDE, which lets students tap their biomedical engineering skills to develop solutions for real-world problems through technical electives.

With the guidance of his professors, Edwin designed a prototype called ARMovin. The robotic exoskeleton is attached to the user’s wheelchair and aids with physical movement such as raising their arm.

ARMovin has since been tested successfully by Edwin’s client who has Duchenne muscular dystrophy. “With ARMovin, I hope that (individuals with disabilities) will be able to use public transport to get around independently,” said Edwin.

His classmate, Dylan Ee, also took part in bGood with the aim of helping others. Together with his coursemate Roshen Sidhu, they developed WheeLift — a height-adjustable wheelchair that improves accessibility for users.

To their delight, the prototype, which took more than a year to develop, drew positive feedback from testers during a trial. “It wasn’t just a classroom project, it had a real purpose. Seeing our creation make a difference was quite rewarding,” said Dylan. 

The trio — who are friends from their polytechnic days and are all 26 years old — plan to launch a social enterprise to take their solutions to market in the future.

Explaining the decision, Roshen said, “One of the main challenges is that even with a promising prototype, it can be difficult to find someone to carry the work forward after the semester ends — whether to further develop it or to bring it to market or the intended users.”

Thus, they were inspired to set up the social enterprise, which they have yet to name. “(It) aims to improve the quality of life for people with disabilities as well as their caregivers by providing affordable and customisable (assistive) devices. We hope to address these unmet needs,” said Edwin.

Dylan credits the bGood programme for the fruitful journey. “The programme allowed me to see problems through the eyes of the user,” he said. More crucially, it taught him to use his engineering skills to improve the lives of others.

“The shift from building for functionality to building for meaningful impact has shaped how we approach this social enterprise,” he added.

Clarissa Ong: Using her small business to fundraise for animals 

While some people picked up new hobbies during the COVID-19 pandemic, NUS Life Sciences major Clarissa Ong turned hers into a business. In 2021, she set up an online shop called theclaywagon, which sells polymer clay handicrafts such as earrings and keychains.

The custom-made accessories were well-received — and she even managed to use her platform to raise funds for an animal shelter at risk of closing down.

“Although I was unsure how successful the fundraiser would be, I decided that there was no harm in giving it a shot,” said Clarissa, 23. “Through the efforts of myself and other generous donors, the shelter managed to avoid closure.”

Despite the promising start, building a business from scratch was not easy. As sales picked up, she had to juggle schoolwork with the time-consuming task of designing and handcrafting her wares.

She also had to navigate the unfamiliar world of business marketing. That prompted her to take up a communications course at the NUS College of Humanities and Sciences (CHS).

“I learnt how to market my brand more effectively and design better collateral, such as posters, name cards, and information sheets,” Clarissa said.

What started as curiosity quickly turned into deep interest. She eventually completed a minor in Communications and New Media, and picked up coding in R and intermediate Korean through CHS courses.

In 2024, she further honed her retail skills by displaying her clay crafts at the Student Entrepreneur’s Market — supported by the university store NUS Co-op — where she modified her product packaging and display to cater to walk-in customers.

Her efforts to grow her business paid off. She went on to score a collaboration with food delivery company Deliveroo and sushi restaurant Maki-san, which commissioned her to produce keychains for a Chinese New Year 2025 campaign.

“I hope my creations will be able to bring joy to those who see them while also supporting meaningful causes,” said Clarissa, who is also an NUS Merit Scholarship and NUS Science – Dennis H. Murphy Merit Scholarship holder.

Besides fundraising for animals in need, she has volunteered with the Ministry of Social and Family Development as a befriender under ComLink — a government initiative that aims to uplift lower-income families for greater social mobility.

Clarissa notes that volunteering has opened her eyes to real-world problems outside of campus. “I often found myself learning valuable lessons from the families I met and being inspired by their resilience, strength, and generosity even in the face of uncertainty.”

After graduation, she hopes to pursue a career in science communication, which will marry her twin interests in life sciences and communications.

“NUS’ interdisciplinary approach has helped me develop key qualities like resilience and adaptability while equipping me with the skills to effectively communicate complex scientific concepts to a broader audience,” she added.

Her work on theclaywagon shows no signs of stopping either, and she has since expanded its offerings to include handmade ceramic products. Spurred by her earlier fundraising success, she continues to donate some of her profits to animal shelters.

“I used to believe that only big actions could truly make a difference,” she added. “However, throughout my academic journey, I received a lot of help from those around me, which allowed me to understand that even small gestures could make a big impact.”

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NUS Master’s graduates drive change in their fields

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Education, as anti-apartheid icon Nelson Mandela once said, is the most powerful weapon one can use to change the world. Three Master’s graduates share how they are applying what they learnt at NUS to enact change in their own ways.

Emily Yap: Healthcare from the heart

As people scrambled to stock up on essentials after Singapore raised the COVID-19 pandemic risk assessment to DORSCON Orange in February 2020, Emily Yap, who was a nursing undergraduate then, immediately worried for the safety of her grandmother, who was their family’s primary grocery shopper.

“If I’m worried about my grandmother, what about other elderly and low-income families? I felt that I needed to do something,” she said.

So she set up a ground-up initiative called Dunearn Youth with her friends in 2020, delivering groceries to the elderly and lower-income households. “Seeing the gratitude and relief on the faces of those we helped filled me with a warmth and purpose I had never experienced before,” said Emily. 

This experience led her to work in palliative care after completing her nursing degree in 2021. Working closely with palliative patients at Alexandra Hospital, she saw how life-limiting conditions impacted not just the patients, but their entire families, placing emotional and physical strain on caregivers.

As her passion and desire to help palliative patients and their caregivers grew, the Senior Staff Nurse enrolled in the Master of Public Health programme at the NUS Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health in 2023 so she could play a more effective role in helping them overcome challenges.

Emily was drawn to the programme’s comprehensive curriculum and emphasis on interdisciplinary learning, which allowed her to pick up skills like developing health proposals and programme evaluation.

They came in handy when Emily and her group members were assessing a rehabilitation programme for the elderly and recommending interventions to make it more effective. “(These skills) help you understand not only what the main problem is, but also what contributes to it. And from there, we can identify where and how to apply interventions meaningfully,” she explained.

The one-year programme also helped Emily overcome her fear of speaking up. The change was sparked by a professor’s words when her class had remained silent instead of participating in a discussion: “The greatest skill a public health practitioner should have is the courage to speak up. Without it, there can be no progress.”

It spurred her to speak up at the workplace as an advocate for change. “It made me feel like it’s okay for me to say constructive things that can improve the current state (of things),” said Emily, now 26.

In 2023, Emily received the Healthcare Humanity Award (Individual) presented by the National University Health System. The award recognised not only her compassionate care for patients but also her efforts to extend that care beyond hospital walls, reaching out to support and uplift the wider community.

To Emily, the recognition is more than just a personal validation; it is a powerful call to action to continue creating impact through compassionate leadership as the founder of Dunearn Youth. As she spearheads programmes to combat social isolation among the elderly and envisions launching support systems for caregivers in the near future, she aspires to galvanise others toward building a kinder, more connected community, demonstrating how real change begins with people who care enough to act.

“I want to be more than just a participant, I hope to be a catalyst for positive change, using both my clinical insights and public health training to meet the needs of the people and ensure that no patient or caregiver falls through the cracks.”

Douglas Wong: Policymaking for the elderly

When Douglas Wong’s parents started planning for retirement, they realised that they would struggle with their current financial circumstances. His father, who worked in a wet market, was considered self-employed, and was mandated to contribute only to his Medisave account. Without adequate financial planning, he lacked financial support in other areas. 

Although Douglas managed to come up with solutions for them, there were many others who might not have the privilege of relying on trusted relatives for such support and advice. “That was when I thought perhaps public policy is that avenue for me to express my newfound drive for change in society,” said the 31-year-old.

He quit a promising job in airport operations planning and enrolled in the Master in Public Policy programme at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy in 2023 with the goal of understanding social policies, including how to better manage seniors’ retirement needs.

Despite the steep learning curve, Douglas found the two-year programme comprehensive and rewarding, as it equipped him with a strong foundation in programming, data analysis, and economic frameworks for policy evaluation and development. To ensure he could keep up with discussions and communicate his ideas clearly, he took optional classes on effective writing and presentation skills and spent extra time studying the language of economics in public policy.

His cohort, which had a mix of international and local students, as well as the school’s cross-cultural programme, gave him insights into how outsiders viewed Singapore policies, and how they developed their own. Guest lectures by prominent figures in public policy, such as former Singapore Minister Yaacob Ibrahim, further enriched his learning.

In 2024, thanks to funding from LKYSPP, Douglas was able to go to Japan for his final-year project to study the issue of deploying manpower for long-term care as Singapore’s ageing population continues to grow. There, they spoke with various stakeholders — from Japanese civil servants to healthcare workers — to better understand their healthcare landscape and derive useful insights for Singapore.

He noted: “This goes beyond the ageing cohort, because while I am young now, I will become old in the future, and I very much hope to live in a society where we have a strong supporting workforce for healthcare.”

After graduation, Douglas hopes to join the public service as a policymaker and contribute to issues pertaining to the ageing population. “There are a lot of avenues within the public service to inch towards the kind of change that I envision for society,” he said.

Haja Mohideen: Building a strong foundation through lifelong learning

Three to four times a week over the past two years, Haja Mohideen swapped his civil engineer hard hat out for pen and paper at the NUS campus after office hours.

At 59, he holds a steady job as Lead Resident Engineer at Surbana Jurong Consultant Pte Ltd. But he believes one is never too old to learn. Despite having two bachelor’s degrees in civil engineering and mechanical engineering and a graduate certificate in geotechnical engineering, he returned to school in 2023 to pursue the Master of Science (Civil Engineering) at NUS College of Design and Engineering.

Working on massive construction projects exposed him to the challenges of Singapore’s complex soil terrain and sparked his interest in understanding appropriate mitigation measures such as constructing additional support structures, maintaining adequate moisture levels, and monitoring soil compaction. He was also keen to learn techniques for constructing smaller structural beams and columns without compromising their strength.

The NUS programme — designed for working professionals in the civil engineering and built environment sector — was the perfect fit. The lessons on site evaluation and new engineering techniques like high-strength concrete and composite construction came in useful at work almost immediately. During an excavation, for instance, he taught his colleagues to identify different types of soil they encountered.

The two-year programme also taught him cutting-edge software in the labs, which further honed his technical skills. But the highlight of his time at NUS was the culture of support.

“(The staff) offered personalised academic advice and really helped me assess my capacity. They recommended a suitable number of courses I could take each semester,” he said, adding that his professors would hop onto Zoom calls with him whenever the need arose.

As the oldest student in the cohort, he picked up collaborative problem-solving skills and tech capabilities from his younger classmates. The learning went both ways, as in return, Haja shared with them practical insights from his work experience and advice on time management and building a successful career.

“One of the most powerful things you can do for yourself is to take your future seriously,” he said. “When procrastination whispers that you will do it later, don’t listen, do it now. You don’t have to be perfect, but every step you take towards being organised is a step towards being in control of your life.”

This story is part of NUS News’ coverage of Commencement 2025, which celebrates the achievements of our graduates from the Class of 2025. For more on Commencement, read our stories and graduate profiles, check out the official Commencement website, or look up and tag #NUS2025 on our social media channels!

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Innovation for impact: NUS graduates launch tech start-ups to solve real-world problems

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Entrepreneurship is a risky business, even for those with extensive experience and ample connections. These five enterprising graduates from the NUS Class of 2025 have combined innovation and perseverance to take their tech start-ups to the next level.

Sindhu Mohan and Vishnu Sundaresan: Helping people Snowball to the best version of themselves

It started as a chance meeting in New York, then snowballed into something much bigger. In 2023, Sindhu Mohan, 20, and Vishnu Sundaresan, 22, found themselves paired up for a project while attending the NUS Overseas Colleges (NOC) programme. They had to come up with a tech start-up idea, and their discussions soon revealed a shared frustration – effective time management in an age of endless distractions.

“I had to juggle school, the social media agency I started, and content creation for my personal brand, so I became crazy about optimising my time,” said Sindhu, who graduated on 15 July 2025 with a Bachelor of Business Administration in Innovation and Entrepreneurship from NUS Business School. 

The NOC project, which started as an AI productivity assistant, would later evolve into a social app, Snowball, focusing on helping people specifically with their personal time management. Snowball essentially lets users log any goal, hobby, habit or any activity that they consider a “win”. Users can choose whether to keep each log private, shared with only close friends, or opened to everyone. It takes inspiration from similar apps like Duolingo and Instagram, but with an opposite aim – encouraging users to get off their phones to engage in meaningful activities in the real world, which they can then log in Snowball to share their progress with others.

After returning to Singapore in 2024, the duo secured a S$10,000 grant from the NUS Venture Initiation Programme. Snowball soft-launched in April 2025 for beta testing and now has over 100 users. After getting their start at NUS Enterprise's The Hangar, an on-campus incubator, they applied to The Furnace, an incubator under the NUS School of Computing's (NUS Computing), for additional office space during the semester.

“We also get access to mentorship at The Furnace and have even been able to hire interns, thanks to NUS Computing,” said Vishnu, who graduated with a Bachelor of Computing in Computer Science with Honours (Distinction) on 12 July 2025. Crediting the internships and core modules he took in school for strengthening his technical skill set, Vishnu noted that he also honed his leadership skills while serving as a Residential Assistant at Tembusu College.  

For Sindhu, staying at ENterprise House (N-House), an entrepreneurship-themed student residence, introduced her to the world of tech start-ups. Her N-House friends nudged her to apply to NOC. A pivotal year being immersed in the New York City start-up ecosystem made her decide to pursue launching a tech start-up instead of continuing with the marketing agency she was already familiar with running.

Snowball is now targeting a market launch on 14 July. The co-founders have also set their sights on bringing the app to the United States, where inspiration for the app first took shape.

Andre Lim and Jed Ng: Empowering students through AI-powered education

Sitting in a corner of University Town’s Starbucks, two young men – Andre Lim and Jed Ng – scrutinised lines of computer code. They were building something that could change the way students learn. 

Such evenings were common for the co-founders of Check, an artificial intelligence (AI)-powered agent which provides hyper-personalised help for students from secondary school to junior college. Launched in April 2025, the first-of-its-kind tutoring experience takes in queries from students and responds with curriculum-specific help.

Check was born out of Andre’s passion to help students learn better, having founded Singapore’s largest tutoring YouTube channel and a tuition centre. Some of his students, he recounted, hated studying geography but changed their minds after lessons with him, and are even pursuing the subject now.

To better cater to each student, Andre reimagined learning as a hyper-personalised experience powered by AI. But the NUS Business School graduate, now 25, knew he needed tech expertise to bring his idea to life. Andre coincidentally reconnected with Jed via LinkedIn, a peer from NUS Computing who had also attended the same secondary school. “I had always been drawn to start-ups over traditional corporate internships, so I started Check with Andre as a side project during my internship, to prototype ideas and explore possibilities,” Jed recalled, and what began as a side project soon evolved into a start-up.

Despite not having a computing background, Andre was no stranger to AI. During his field service project (FSP) in his final year, he worked with a healthtech company to launch an AI chatbot for doctors, giving him valuable experience and the idea to start an AI business. “NUS equips us well with theoretical knowledge, and ending the course with an FSP was a great way to apply what we had learned in a real-world setting,” said Andre.

Going on overseas exchanges — from attending a conference at the Harvard College in Asia Program to a semester-long Student Exchange Programme in Norway — also gave Andre valuable insights into diverse education systems, which would be handy when Check goes global.

For Jed, his computer science modules armed him with foundational knowledge. “For instance, the software engineering modules were instrumental in teaching me some of the best practices,” he said. 

Besides initial funding from Iterative, a start-up accelerator focused on ventures in Southeast Asia, Check has also drawn the interest of some 30 local and overseas investors. Since its launch, the platform has gained over 200 users, with the majority of them being junior college students. “Our goal is to make private tuition accessible at scale,” said Andre.

Andre graduated on 15 July 2025 with a Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance, Innovation and Entrepreneurship with Honours (Distinction), while Jed graduated on 12 July 2025 with a Bachelor of Computing in Computer Science with Honours.

Xie Qihuang: From pills to pixels – bridging the gap between patient care and technology

Xie Qihuang’s friends and relatives told him that taking a gap year would derail his carefully planned career. They were worried about adding another year to his already lengthy journey, which included a four-year scholarship bond. But Qihuang, a 26-year-old NUS Pharmacy graduate, took a leap of faith and used the time to participate in the NUS Overseas Colleges (NOC) programme. That decision would sow the seeds for Hesyra, his ambitious healthtech project aimed at helping to digitalise mundane administrative tasks so that healthcare providers can focus on patient care. 

To broaden his worldview, Qihuang opted for the year-long NOC programme in Sweden, driven by two key factors: its thriving health-tech scene and its unique 'lagom' culture, a Swedish word which embodies their philosophy of balance and moderation in all aspects of life. He wanted to learn from one of the leading healthcare innovation hubs in Europe while also being exposed to a more balanced life philosophy, a stark contrast to his experience in Singapore. This journey of discovery included studying Entrepreneurial Studies at the KTH Royal Institute of Technology and interning at a health-tech firm, Encare.

As a product management intern at Encare, Qihuang helped design a feature that enabled hospitals to benchmark surgical outcomes using metrics that were not only technically feasible but, more importantly, clinically meaningful. The experience proved transformative. “Technologists may spot inefficiencies, but clinicians understand the reasons behind them, which are often rooted in patient safety or care continuity. These experiences taught me to bridge both worlds, translating the nuanced needs of healthcare professionals and patients into the language of data analysts and engineers,” he said. 

The pieces came together during an NOC module, when Qihuang revisited an NUS MedTech Society project with the Singapore Cancer Society — a chatbot to help cancer patients access critical information. The experience had also exposed him to the reality of patients struggling to have all their questions answered within limited consultation time. When he returned to Singapore, he decided to build on these inspirations and set up Hesyra in April 2024. The name Hesyra combines the "He–" syllable, symbolising health and healing, with the "–syr" syllable, which is a blend between a system and scribe – reflecting Qihuang’s vision of supporting clinicians with tools that allow them to truly hear and be present in the conversation with their patients.

While not a registered company yet, Hesyra’s first product — an ambient transcription tool that transcribes doctor-patient conversations and generates comprehensive notes — is being tested in private clinics ahead of its launch on 31 July 2025. The solution removes the need for notetaking, allowing doctors to give more time and attention to patients, maximising consultations for them.

“My supervisor in Sweden once told me that there are a thousand things I can do, but only a few that will move the needle. For me, moving the needle means combining clinical experience with an entrepreneurial mindset. I aim to start on the frontlines of pharmacy, understanding the challenges my colleagues and patients face, and use that first-hand experience to build technology that truly serves them,” said Qihuang.

Qihuang will be graduating today, 17 July 2025, with a Bachelor of Pharmacy with Honours (Highest Distinction). Even as he embarks on his pharmacy career in a public hospital after Commencement, he remains focused on his long-term vision of innovating within the healthcare space. He is dedicated to scaling Hesyra in his own time, transforming his frontline experience into practical, tech-enabled solutions that improve the lives of patients and the workflows of clinicians.

 

This story is part of NUS News’ coverage of Commencement 2025, which celebrates the achievements of our graduates from the Class of 2025. For more on Commencement, read our stories and graduate profiles, check out the official Commencement website, or look up and tag #NUS2025 on our social media channels!

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NUS graduates with grit and guts: Three outstanding student-athletes share their stories

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When it comes to juggling life’s many commitments, these three NUS graduates from the Class of 2025 are in a league of their own. Not only did they thrive in their studies, but they also stood out for their relentless pursuit of sporting excellence.

Rebecca Ong: Composure under pressure on and off the piste

As the creepy figure dressed as a vampire slowly made her way on stage, the audience at Playhouse 2023/24, NUS Medical Society’s annual drama production, watched on in fear and suspense. Nailing the corpse-like role was Rebecca Ong Jia Min, who starred in the original play titled The Department of Occult Medicine. She had auditioned for the role to enjoy another side of university life. “I wanted to experience the arts, and NUS gave me that chance.”

This shot at theatrical exploration was a refreshing departure for the passionate athlete and one of many experiences Rebecca embraced during her university years. Having picked up fencing in 2011 when she was 10, Rebecca has represented Singapore in multiple Southeast Asian (SEA) Games since 2019. She was part of the team that won Singapore’s first gold in women’s team épée at the 2022 SEA Games.

“We trained very hard and cohesively. During the matches, we each knew our roles because we had practised as a team many times before. We knew when we had to go all out to score points and when we had to focus on holding the score. We fought hard together and cheered each other on,” she said.

Rebecca credits her many years in competitive sports for setting a foundation for her medical career. She is currently a house officer at the National University Hospital.

“Fencing and medicine both demand split-second decision-making under pressure,” she explained. “In a bout that’s only three minutes long, you don’t have time to think twice. It’s similar to emergency situations we encounter in the hospital.”

Her university journey also offered many opportunities to explore different areas of interest during the elective periods, from tending to snakebite victims in Taiwan as part of a rural medicine elective to studying oil painting in Rome for a fine art elective. 

“Overall, the NUS Medicine curriculum has been very enriching. It has given me many eye-opening experiences and some of the fondest memories of my university days,” she reflected. Due to the demanding schedule while transitioning from student to doctor, Rebecca has scaled back her fencing commitments for now, but continues to spar with her juniors and give them pointers to improve. 

“Just like in medicine, I’ve realised that I really enjoy taking time to learn about others’ lives and offer help where I can,” she said. 

Rebecca graduated with a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery on 10 July 2025. 

Mirza Nabil: Building mental fortitude through martial arts 

For Mirza Nabil Putra Azhar, silat is more than a sport — it was a lifeline during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

He had enrolled in the Alice Lee Centre for Nursing Studies in 2021, when most classes were held online. But while on the silat mats at the Multipurpose Sports Hall, he found the engagement he had been craving in a pandemic-disrupted world.

“Silat was my second home,” he said. “I heard about silat for the very first time during orientation. The NUS Silat Captain back then described the student sports group as a family — and that’s exactly what it became for me.”

Over four years, Mirza rose through the ranks at NUS Silat, clinching golds in the artistic team category at the National Tertiary Silat Competitions in 2022 and 2023, a gold in the doubles category at the same competition in 2023, as well as a bronze at the 2024 ASEAN University Games.

He cites venturing out of his comfort zone as his biggest achievement. “It wasn’t the medals. It was pushing myself to compete in two categories. That was my personal mountain,” he noted. “When I did it, it proved to me that I could handle more than I had thought possible.”

His journey was not always smooth. He had to deal with a series of personal losses, including the passing of his uncle and grandmother.

During that time, he drew strength from his loved ones and found solace in the practice of silat. “Sharing my struggles with my close friends and family helped. I would say silat also helped my mental health — I was able to see steady progress in this physical endeavour, and that really boosted my confidence.”

Mirza also discovered another passion through his nursing course: the field of mental health. “The importance of reaching out to others is underrated. Your emotions are valid, and you must know how to articulate them,” he said. It was also this discovery that inspired his graduation thesis on psychotherapeutic interventions that improve the psychological well-being of Muslims with depression.

Beyond the classroom, Mirza served as the Vice President and Head of Programmes for the NUS Muslim Society, where he led numerous initiatives to uplift the student community, strengthen bonds within the wider campus population, and contribute meaningfully to society at large.

He will continue to pursue his deep passion for mental wellbeing and serving others when he embarks on his career as a nurse with the Institute of Mental Health in August.

Mirza graduated on 10 July 2025 with a Bachelor of Science (Nursing) with Honours (Highest Distinction).

Vivien Tai: Syncing to focus and discipline

Asked by a friend to give artistic swimming a try at age 10, Vivien Tai Wen Ting gamely said yes — and eventually went on to make a splash in the artistic swimming arena.

After she qualified for the national team, one of her earliest memorable achievements was a gold in the team free routine at the 2017 SEA Games. She then went on to captain the team at the 2023 Asian Games, where they placed fifth – Singapore’s best-ever team showing at the regional competition.

Juggling the intense training with her Bachelor of Pharmacy studies was no walk in the park. During weekdays, Vivien would spend her days at school before heading off for training in the evening. The pace hardly let up on weekends – she would train from 9am to 5pm on Saturdays, and from 8am to 1pm on Sundays.

“There were days I wanted to give up. But the responsibility that I owed to the team is what kept me going on hard days,” she shared.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, she would even attend online classes by the poolside to be on time for training. She is grateful to her professors and schoolmates, who would check in on her if she missed any classes or needed to catch up on her schoolwork.

“I knew I had to plan ahead and manage my time well. In university, it’s very hard to catch up on a backlog, so I could not afford to fall behind,” she said.

NUS also made provisions for her when competitions clashed with her exams. For instance, she took her final examinations during the summer vacation break in 2023 due to her Asian Games commitments. “That kind of understanding was so crucial,” said Vivien.

She has since retired from competitive artistic swimming and is now working as an event operations executive at Singapore Aquatics while continuing to coach on the side. Nevertheless, she holds dear the precious lessons from her training days. “Artistic swimming taught me fortitude, time management, and empathy — especially on the bad days, when emotions are running high, you have to try to consider all points of view. These are qualities that go far beyond the pool”.

Vivien is confident that the breadth of her experiences will serve her well when she embarks on the journey towards obtaining her pharmacy license in the near future.

On 17 July 2025, Vivien will be graduating with a Bachelor of Pharmacy with Honours (Distinction).

This story is part of NUS News’ coverage of Commencement 2025, which celebrates the achievements of our graduates from the Class of 2025. For more on Commencement, read our stories and graduate profiles, check out the official Commencement website, or look up and tag #NUS2025 on our social media channels!

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Human-centred AI for positive impact

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Artificial Intelligence (AI) has emerged as one of the most transformative tools in modern science and technology. However, its value extends beyond high-performance algorithms or advances in automation. At NUS, researchers are applying AI in practical, human-centred ways to improve lives across a range of everyday settings.

From empowering older adults to take charge of their cognitive health, to helping people with visual impairments navigate the world with greater immersion, and enabling better oral health through diet tracking, NUS researchers are designing AI innovations that respond to real needs in the community.

On AI Appreciation Day 2025, we celebrate the adaptive, context-aware AI innovations that empower independence, dignity, and decision-making, a departure from one-size-fits-all approaches. What unites them is a clear focus on accessibility, personalisation and long-term benefit, each playing a role in reshaping the lives of ordinary people through the power of AI.

CURATE.DTx: Personalised cognitive training to support healthy ageing

As Singapore’s population ages, the risk of age-related cognitive decline is becoming an increasingly urgent health concern. For many older adults, early signs of memory loss or mental fatigue may go unnoticed or unaddressed until more serious symptoms emerge. Spotting this gap, a research team at NUS has developed CURATE.DTx, a digital platform that uses AI to deliver personalised cognitive training and potentially identify early warning signs of cognitive decline in a simple, engaging format.

The CURATE.DTx platform is adapted from a NASA-designed system which simulates real-world tasks to understand the user’s responses. The NUS team, co-led by Associate Professor Bina Rai from the Department of Biomedical Engineering at the College of Design and Engineering (CDE) and Dr Alexandria Remus, who is the Head of Digital Therapeutics at both the Institute of Digital Medicine and N.1 Institute for Health (N.1) at NUS, designed a gamified experience that challenges seniors to manage four concurrent tasks, such as watering plants, feeding fish or responding to audio cues, within a two-minute session. Each task is designed to train a specific aspect of cognitive function such as attention, memory or coordination.

The crux of CURATE.DTx is how the game adapts in real time to the individual’s performance. Integrating the platform with CURATE.AI, an AI engine originally developed for personalised medicine, enables the system to continuously fine-tune the game’s difficulty level based on how a user performs. If a player completes a round with ease, the AI will gently increase the challenge; if they struggle, it will dial back the complexity. The goal is to keep users engaged at just the right level — not too easy to be boring, not too hard to be frustrating.

Unlike most AI systems that rely on large datasets from many people, CURATE.AI uses only the individual’s own data to generate a personalised cognitive profile. This “small data” approach ensures that each person’s cognitive training is tailored to their abilities and progression over time.

“Older adults are not a one-size-fits-all group. CURATE.DTx recognises that even the same person may perform differently from day to day. By using their own performance data to adapt and improve, the system offers training that is both personalised and dynamic,” said Dr Remus who is also Senior Research Fellow at the Heat and Resilience Performance Centre at the NUS Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine.

As part of her thesis work, final-year NUS undergraduate student Cathlin Theophilus from the Department of Biomedical Engineering, CDE, helped to develop the latest adaptation of CURATE.DTx called “Life As A…” through several rounds of community testing with older adults.

“Designed with user-friendliness in mind, the game includes culturally familiar scenarios, like gardening, and intuitive touch controls. Participants receive positive feedback from a friendly virtual character and can earn in-game coins for completing tasks, reinforcing motivation without penalties for mistakes” said Assoc Prof Rai who is also a Principal Investigator at the N.1.

Early usability studies conducted in partnership with public hospitals, the first community engagement hub at the Health District@Queenstown, and BME for Good – an initiative by the Department of Biomedical Engineering at CDE - showed high engagement and willingness to continue playing. Many participants found the game enjoyable, especially when the storyline reflected familiar hobbies. Participants also identified the need for clear audio instructions and simplified interfaces.

Looking ahead, the team aims to refine the game’s mechanics further and test its long-term effectiveness in supporting cognitive health. Eventually, they aim to scale the tool for home use, making preventive cognitive care more accessible and less stigmatised.

SonicVista and AiSee: Enhancing daily living for the visually impaired through sound and smart assistance

Supporting independence in daily life is a key priority for people living with visual impairment. At NUS School of Computing, Associate Professor Suranga Nanayakkara and his team are developing tools that harness AI to address everyday challenges — to enhance how users connect with and enjoy the world around them and for functional navigation.

SonicVista is a mobile application that transforms panoramic scenes, such as parks or cityscapes, into immersive soundscapes. The application analyses an image of the user’s surroundings to identify key visual elements and generate realistic ambient audio: rustling leaves, distant church bells, and people conversing nearby. These AI-generated sounds are then layered with spoken descriptions to provide a multi-sensory experience of the environment.

The AI models behind SonicVista were trained to detect objects and simulate audio in a way that feels natural and spatially coherent. Instead of just hearing a list of what is around, users can experience the mood and texture of a scene through sound. For example, a visually impaired visitor to a garden might hear birdsong to the left, footsteps on gravel to the right and narration guiding them toward the next trail. This auditory experience brings leisure and exploration into reach, while preserving important environmental cues like voices or traffic.

Complementing SonicVista is AiSee, a wearable assistive device first developed in 2018. Since then, the team has introduced a range of improvements to make AiSee even more practical and intelligent. The current version features an open-ear speaker design that enhances comfort and allows environmental awareness, essential for safety and orientation.

More significantly, AiSee’s AI system now functions like a digital assistant that can perform complex tasks beyond simple object recognition, such as reading food labels and translating text. A video mode allows AiSee to assist users over extended activities, such as locating items at home or navigating a shopping centre. The team has been testing the device with visually impaired users in Singapore since late 2024, using feedback to refine both hardware and software. The NUS research team plans to include public trials at spaces like the Singapore Botanic Gardens, where visually impaired visitors can borrow a headset to explore the grounds independently.

“Our focus has always been on creating tools that empower, not just assist,” said Assoc Prof Nanayakkara. “Combining intelligent audio and interactive AI allows us to design technologies that help people experience more of the world on their own terms.”

Dental Diet Diary: improving dental health through informed diet-tracking

Tooth decay remains one of the most common chronic diseases worldwide, yet many people continue to underestimate how much their diet contributes to oral health issues. In Singapore, sugar-sweetened beverages and frequent snacking are widespread dietary habits, but patients often struggle to track how these behaviours affect their teeth. At the NUS Faculty of Dentistry, Assistant Professor Charlene Goh saw an opportunity to bridge the gap.

Together with collaborators from NUS School of Computing and Smart Systems Institute, they developed the Dental Diet Diary, a mobile tool that uses AI to recognise food from photos and offer personalised, dental-focused dietary feedback. The app was designed to support people in making small, informed dietary changes that could reduce their risk of dental caries.

The idea was sparked from conversations with dental students, who found traditional paper-based diet diaries to be inconvenient and outdated. Patients were often reluctant to complete them and, even when they did, dentists had little time to analyse the information in detail.

Existing nutrition-tracking apps tend to focus on calorie counting or general health. The Dental Diet Diary, however, combines deep learning with behavioural nudges tailored to the local context. Users simply snap a photo of their meal or drink, and the application’s AI model identifies the item and matches it to a nutritional database. The model was trained on over 200,000 images across 241 food categories, with a strong focus on familiar local dishes and beverages.

Once the food is recognised, the application highlights tooth decay-related factors such as sugar content, acidity and snacking frequency. Users receive real-time prompts, such as reminders to drink water after a sweetened kopi or to limit sticky desserts between meals. These messages are written in an informal, relatable style — “Do you ‘lim kopi’ with your buddies at tea time? Try asking for siew dai or kosong” — to help users connect the advice to their own habits.

“We wanted the app to be simple enough for everyday use, but also smart enough to guide meaningful change,” said Asst Prof Goh. “We’ve created a tool that supports oral health in a way that feels personal and relevant by narrowing the focus to caries prevention and designing around local diets.”

The project team includes researchers from the NUS School of Computing: Professor Ooi Beng Chin from the Department of Computer Science, Dr Zheng Kaiping, Senior Research Fellow with the NUS Database Systems Research Group, and Liu Changshuo, a PhD student. Together, they adapted existing food recognition technologies to better serve dental goals, reducing interface complexity and adding oral health education modules.

A pilot trial with Year 1 dental students demonstrated positive reception and usability. The team now plans to expand testing to patients at high risk of dental decay and is exploring a WhatsApp-based interface to widen accessibility. Future versions may also link the app to electronic health records to enable dentists and patients to co-manage diet-related risk factors with greater ease and continuity.

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NUS Computing hosts inaugural International Cybersecurity Olympiad to nurture future cybersecurity champions

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The National University of Singapore School of Computing (NUS Computing) proudly hosted the inaugural International Cybersecurity Olympiad (ICO) from 22 to 28 June 2025, marking a global milestone in cybersecurity education and talent development. The event, held at the NUS Computing’s Sea Building, aimed to raise global awareness of the importance of cybersecurity, nurture young talent, facilitate global networking, and encourage international collaboration.

ICO 2025 was supported by the Cyber Security Agency of Singapore, Centre for Strategic Infocomm Technologies (CSIT), and Singapore Exhibition and Convention Bureau. Mr Tan Kiat How, Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Digital Development and Information & Ministry of Health, was the Guest-of-Honour at the Opening Ceremony on 23 June, while Professor Xu Guo Qin, Director and Chief Principal Investigator at NUS Research Institute in Suzhou, graced the Closing Ceremony on 26 June.

Speaking to enthusiastic participants at the opening ceremony, Mr Tan said, “This Olympiad is a perfect example of cross-border collaborations, bringing together institutions from around the world to provide a platform that nurtures the next generation of cyber defenders. By creating opportunities like this – where mentorship, friendship and shared learning are central – we are not just levelling up the playing field. We are raising the game for everyone.”

Prof Xu said, “Today, AI is shaping every corner of our lives. But amid this excitement, we must ask a crucial question: Are our systems secure enough to withstand the risks that come with this intelligence? Because no matter how smart a system may be, it takes just one cyberattack to bring it down.”

“An AI model can write poetry, detect disease, or drive a car. But if its data is stolen or manipulated, or if its decision logic is compromised by cyber attackers, the consequences could be devastating. This is why I believe cybersecurity deserves equal attention and investment as AI,” he elaborated.

Nurturing global talent in cybersecurity

Inspired by renowned competitions such as the International Olympiad in Informatics (IOI) and International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO), ICO 2025 brought together the brightest young minds from 28 countries to compete, collaborate, and innovate in addressing pressing cybersecurity challenges. It provided a dynamic platform to identify and nurture future cybersecurity professionals, addressing the global shortage of skilled talent in this critical field.

Over the course of the week, 170 participants engaged in knowledge sharing and cultural exchanges, while also fostering international collaboration. They also participated in two rigorous five-hour contest rounds, tackling both attack-style and defence-style Capture-The-Flag (CTF) challenges.

Tan Jun Heng, from NUS High School of Math and Science, won the Overall Champion Shield for his outstanding achievements. Twelve participants clinched the gold medals while 22 participants were awarded silver medals and 34 participants received the bronze medal.

Jun Heng said, “I am honoured to be able to represent Singapore, and to win the Overall Champion Shield of the inaugural ICO. Being able to compete with talented individuals from around the world was an educational and fun experience. However, what made it special was not just the competition itself, but also the connections I formed with participants from all around the globe; it was truly inspiring to meet so many like-minded people who share the same passion for cybersecurity.”

He added, “I would like to thank NUS Computing for organising this inaugural event and for their dedication to building a global cybersecurity community. I look forward to seeing ICO continue to evolve and inspire future cybersecurity talent in the years to come!”

Associate Professor Tan Sun Teck, who is Chair of the ICO 2025 Organising Committee and a faculty member of NUS Computing, said, “The inaugural ICO is a significant step towards shaping a future-ready global cybersecurity workforce. We are thrilled to see the level of technical excellence, international camaraderie, and cross-cultural exchange on display. This initiative will continue to grow as a global beacon for cyber talent and nurture the next generation of skilled cybersecurity professionals.”

"CSIT celebrates the success of the inaugural International Cybersecurity Olympiad and is proud to have played a significant role not only as a sponsor, but also by lending our expertise as trainers and challenge contributors. This reflects our continued commitment to nurturing cybersecurity talent through such immersive learning experiences,” said Mr Chris Wong, Director of Advanced Security Technology, CSIT.

Looking ahead

The ICO continues its global journey with upcoming editions to be held in Sydney, Australia, in 2026; Turin, Italy, in 2027; and Tunis, Tunisia, in 2028.

The ICO community looks forward to building on the strong momentum of this year’s Olympiad, as they continue to inspire and nurture the next generation of cybersecurity talents.

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Turning passion into purpose: NUS graduates make music and forge memories

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Marching to the beat of their own drums, Elton Lee and Bian Tong have been pursuing music in and out of school. Their passion has brought them not only personal success, but also precious memories of their time at NUS.

Elton Lee: Writing pop music for the stars

The NUS University Cultural Centre Theatre filled with enthusiastic cheers as Elton Lee walked among the audience, waving his hands and getting them to sing along to the hit, “Just the Way You Are”, by Bruno Mars. 

This rousing pop concert was the capstone project of Elton, a student at the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music (YST) with a major in Music, Collaboration & Production and a minor in Entrepreneurship. From stage management and music arrangement to event promotion and marketing, he pulled off the one-man show with panache.

But this was far from his first brush with music production. Elton picked up songwriting in secondary school and began penning songs professionally for local productions and well-known artistes when he was 17.

Elton found early on that in addition to his passion for singing, songwriting allowed him to better express his emotions and thoughts. What started as a creative outlet soon blossomed into a professional career, when his composition was published as a sub-theme song for a local drama on Mediacorp in 2016. He then progressed to producing music and writing songs for artistes like South Korean boy band THE BOYZ, and Mandopop singers Rita Wang Yijin, and Jocie Guo. Since then, Elton has continued writing several theme songs for Mediacorp, some of which were nominated for the annual Mediacorp Star Awards (红星大奖).

Even as an established pop songwriter, Elton wanted to solidify his foundation in music production to get to the next level. This urge to strengthen his music production knowledge led him to join YST in 2021.

Elton attributes his success in staging the concert for his graduation capstone project on 14 March 2025 to those who supported him behind the scenes.

“I collaborated with my cohort mates who performed as my string orchestra, NUS VOICES students who were part of my pop band, and the NUS Arts Production Crew who managed the lighting of my entire show. The show would not have been possible without their contributions and expertise,” he said.

The concert was part of the NUS Arts Festival lineup, and the staff at the NUS Centre For The Arts (CFA) provided guidance on the event organisation process. Elton also enjoyed curating the set list of his own concert — creative freedom that not many pop singers who have signed management contracts get. Drawing together the combined support received, he ultimately chose to stage a show centred around emotional ballads, performing six original songs and seven covers.

More broadly, during his years at YST, Elton’s professors tailored their lessons to support his budding Mandopop career and help him enrich his music. Elton learnt, for instance, to arrange music to suit live performances and write string quartet scores for pop ballads. “After joining YST, I discovered how to bring my music to life — having a pop string quartet, accompanied by a pop band, along with lush ballads,” he said.

Beyond YST’s academic grounding, Elton’s journey at NUS expanded his musical stage and horizons. He joined the student band in King Edward VII Hall and VOICES, a student arts group for Mandopop musicians, performing in harmony with other music enthusiasts. These activities opened the doors to bigger opportunities — in 2023, Elton performed with the Asian Cultural Symphony Orchestra, and in 2024, he performed with the Singapore Chinese Orchestra alongside Dr Liang Wern Fook, a pioneer in a genre of songs originating from Singapore known as Xinyao. 

Alongside these diverse experiences, Elton continued to actively advance his career as a singer-songwriter. A pivotal experience was teaming up with a fellow YST student, Jeffery Tan, to write and produce a song titled “Remember to Forget”. This song was developed as part of Elton’s Year 1 Project, where he was the composer, vocalist, and arranger, while Jeffery handled the production and mixing. It won the Best Song Award at the 2022 SG:SW I Write the Songs, a national Mandopop songwriting festival.

More recently, Elton had the opportunity to be an ambassador for the 2025 SG:SW festival, where he encouraged the next generation of singer-songwriters to find their voice and share their stories.

Elton, who released a five-song EP in 2024, is preparing for a new release later this year. He hopes to continue improving as a singer-songwriter and make music that touches the hearts of his listeners.

“I want to use my talents in songwriting to create lasting memories for people,” he shared.

On that note, Elton will be releasing a graduation song in July 2025 titled “The Soundtrack of Youth(谱写的青春)”, which he will be performing at the NUS Commencement Dinner, as a tribute to his peers and all graduating students. The accompanying music video was filmed at the YST building in NUS.

Elton will graduate with a Bachelor of Music in Music, Collaboration, and Production with Honours (Distinction) with a minor in Entrepreneurship on 21 July 2025.

Bian Tong: Jazzing up lives

For Bian Tong, jazz is not just a blend of rhythm and melody but a powerful tool for social good. That vision took centre stage at Gardens by the Bay in April 2025, when he gathered hundreds of nursing home seniors and volunteers to celebrate Singapore’s 60th birthday and UNESCO International Jazz Day.

As the crowd grooved to the smooth rhythms and brassy tunes at the JASG60 event by The Jazzlings, a youth jazz collective helmed by Bian Tong, he was reminded of how music can bring communities together and bridge generations.

The Business Analytics major from the NUS School of Computing (NUS Computing) founded The Jazzlings in 2023, when he was discovered along with some members of the NUS Jazz Band at the NUS Commencement dinner. After enjoying their performance, Professor Chong Yap Seng, Dean of the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, invited them to perform at a formal dinner at the school.

The gig was to take place just two days after the Commencement dinner, and Bian Tong, who plays the saxophone, had to decide on a name for the group on the spot. He went with The Jazzlings, a nod to their constant learning journey in jazz.

Since then, The Jazzlings has grown from a collective of 13 members to a commercial outfit of almost 60 performers. It hit a six-figure revenue in 2024.

While music and business analytics are worlds apart, The Jazzlings’ success, in some ways, can be attributed to Bian Tong’s flair for business. Learning about topics like profit and cost in class and witnessing the ups and downs of start-ups he worked with as External Liaison Director of the NUS Entrepreneurship Society, meant he was well-equipped to run the collective. As founding director, he deals with logistics, accounts, marketing and more.

At times, he was so busy running the start-up that he struggled to meet academic deadlines. “JASG60, for example, was just a random idea that came to me, but it took so much away from me and away from my academics,” Bian Tong shared.

Thankfully, his course mates would remind him of upcoming deadlines and share their notes. Professors also answered his questions in the wee hours of the night. Their support went beyond his schoolwork. Some engaged The Jazzlings for gigs, while others gave ideas for expansion.

“A huge shoutout to all my professors. From Prof Chong, who started it all and even funded our jersey, to Assoc Prof Loy Hui Chieh from the Department of Philosophy at the NUS Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, and Assoc Prof Ben Leong from the Department of Computer Science at NUS Computing, who were very supportive and advised me on what The Jazzlings should do.”

Bian Tong also expressed his heartfelt gratitude to Associate Professor Kang Hway Chuan, who is the Master of West Wing of NUS College (NUSC), for supporting The Jazzlings by allowing them to use his master’s commons at NUSC for rehearsals. Assoc Prof Kang is also from the Department of Chemistry at the NUS Faculty of Science.

The collective also volunteers at hospitals and teaches jazz every fortnight at Changi Prison, a suggestion from Dr Norman Vasu, a Senior Lecturer at NUSC. Through jazz lessons, they stay in touch with offenders even after their release and connect them with social enterprise Architects of Life, which helps ex-offenders with reintegration.

As The Jazzlings continues to spread its wings, music is becoming an increasingly viable career option for Bian Tong.

“I’ll devote more time to The Jazzlings and see how it goes. But, of course, if that doesn’t work out, I can always fall back on my Business Analytics degree,” he said.

Bian Tong received his Bachelor of Science in Business Analytics with Honours (Merit) on 11 July 2025.

This story is part of NUS News’ coverage of Commencement 2025, which celebrates the achievements of our graduates from the Class of 2025. For more on Commencement, read our stories and graduate profiles, check out the official Commencement website, or look up and tag #NUS2025 on our social media channels!

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Commencement 2025: Three honorary degrees conferred as NUS celebrates achievements of graduating class

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Commencement season is in full swing, with the Class of 2025 ushering in a new chapter of their lives during a milestone year for the University as it celebrates a 120-year legacy of excellence, innovation and service alongside the achievements of more than 17,000 graduates.

This year’s Commencement also marked the conferment of honorary degrees on three distinguished leaders for their accomplishments in their respective fields. They were Ambassador-at-Large Chan Heng Chee from the Singapore Ministry of Foreign Affairs; social scientist Dr Noeleen Heyzer, former Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations and Rector of NUS’ Ridge View Residential College; as well as global technology pioneer Mr Wong Ngit Liong, Executive Chairman and founder of Venture Corporation.

All three leaders, who are former NUS Trustees, were conferred the Honorary Degree of Doctor of Letters at a ceremony presided over by Mr Desmond Lee, Minister for Education and Minister-in-Charge of Social Services Integration, on 14 July 2025. The event at the University Cultural Centre took place during a ceremony for the Class of 2025 graduates from NUS Business School, which is also celebrating its 60th anniversary this year.

The Honorary Degree is the University’s highest tribute to outstanding individuals who have rendered distinguished service and made a noteworthy impact on Singapore and the world.

“We are very proud to confer honorary degrees this year on three eminent leaders and visionaries – Ambassador Chan Heng Chee, Dr Noeleen Heyzer and Mr Wong Ngit Liong – all of whom have distinguished themselves through excellence and innovation in their fields, and elevated Singapore’s standing on the international stage. Their profound accomplishments are a testament to their exceptional capabilities and steadfast commitment to the advancement of society and betterment of communities in Singapore and beyond,” NUS President Professor Tan Eng Chye said in a statement.

Ambassador Chan Heng Chee: A leading figure in diplomacy, geopolitics and public policy

Ambassador Chan Heng Chee, an NUS alumna, was recognised for her distinguished work in policy studies, international relations and intellectual think tanks, marking a lifetime of contributions to scholarship, diplomacy and civic life.

A leading voice on Singaporean politics, she was the first female head of Political Science at NUS and the founding director of the NUS Institute of Policy Studies think tank.

She has served as Singapore’s United Nations (UN) Representative and Ambassador to the United States of America, bringing scholarly rigour as well as diplomatic finesse to the world stage. Her 16 years in Washington deepened ties between Singapore and the US, culminating in the US-Singapore Free Trade Agreement, for which her contributions were honoured in Singapore and internationally.

As a public intellectual, her contributions have included serving on the Council for Minority Rights and launching the Lee Kuan Yew Centre for Innovative Cities, where she was the Former Chair.  She was also a member of the NUS Board of Trustees from 2012 to 2024.

“Throughout her career, Ambassador Chan has helped to shape how Singapore understands itself and how Singapore is understood by the world — as an academic, as a diplomat, and now as one of our leading intellectuals,” Professor Simon Chesterman, NUS Vice Provost (Educational Innovation) and Dean of NUS College, said in his delivery of the citation for her conferment. “Ambassador Chan brings together a rare combination of intellectual independence, global experience, and a deep and abiding commitment to public service.”

Taking to the stage to offer her thoughts on the future, she emphasised to the graduates the importance of cultivating intellectual curiosity and an awareness of geopolitics in an era when artificial intelligence is disrupting life and work, and unpredictability is the new normal. “Try to understand and follow what is happening in the world and in your country.  It is crucial for your future. . . . going forward, geopolitics is an inescapable part of our future, and we should be prepared to ride it, and to deal with it.”

Dr Noeleen Heyzer: A legacy of peace and justice

Dr Noeleen Heyzer, an NUS alumna who served as Trustee from 2013 to 2018, was honoured for her visionary leadership in advancing the empowerment of women globally, raising Singapore's international profile and making a global impact through her service at the UN and beyond.

A trailblazer of women’s empowerment across the world, Dr Noeleen was the first woman from outside North America to head the UN Development Fund for Women, turning it from a modest entity into a global force. She was also the first woman to serve as Executive Secretary of the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, leading the commission in advancing regional cooperation.

As the UN Secretary-General’s Special Adviser for Timor-Leste and later as Special Envoy on Myanmar, she worked closely with conflict-affected communities and leaders to forge paths toward peace. Beyond her efforts in advancing peace, her work in global governance has continued through her service on many boards and committees, including the UN Secretary-General's High-Level Advisory Board on Mediation. 

In her citation for Dr Noeleen’s conferment, Associate Professor Leong Ching, NUS Vice Provost (Student Life) and Acting Dean of the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, lauded Dr Noeleen for her courage and clarity of purpose. “Her leadership has redefined the nature of power itself — as a force for dignity, inclusion, and transformation. She has dedicated her life to building a more peaceful and sustainable world.”

“[In various settings], she brought integrity, empathy, and an unwavering commitment to dialogue and justice,” she added.

In her acceptance speech, Dr Noeleen encouraged the graduates to hold firm to their values and uplift societies by reshaping the world in positive ways. “Be the leaders who build not just companies, but weave communities. Use your talents not only to grow economies, but to reimagine them. Let your success be measured by achievements that uplift people, that value human dignity and care for our planet,” she told the graduates.

Mr Wong Ngit Liong: A visionary leader in business, education and public service

Mr Wong Ngit Liong was lauded for his achievements as a leader and pioneer in the global technology industry, contributions to Singapore’s higher education and national development, and dedication to public service through active involvement on national boards and committees.

As Executive Chairman and founder of Venture Corporation, he has been instrumental in the company’s transformation from a start-up in electronics manufacturing services to a leading provider of technology services, products and solutions worldwide, exemplifying visionary leadership and strategic foresight.

As Chairman of the NUS Board of Trustees from 2004 to 2016, Mr Wong’s steadfast leadership and bold vision transformed NUS from a respected local teaching institution into a leading global university highly regarded for its scholarship and research.

Mr Wong’s dedication to public service is further reflected in his active participation in numerous national committees, such as the Economic Development Board, the then-Trade Development Board, DBS Bank, and Singapore Exchange. In recognition of his exceptional contributions to Singapore, he has been conferred the Meritorious Service Medal and the Distinguished Service Order.

“Mr Wong has made lasting contributions to Singapore’s higher education and national development. . . . He was instrumental in driving major reforms that propelled NUS into the ranks of the world’s top universities,” Professor Aaron Thean, NUS Deputy President (Academic Affairs) and Provost, said in his citation for Mr Wong’s conferment. “His leadership was crucial in the corporatisation of the university and its structural transformation.”

Lauding NUS’ progress as an educational powerhouse, Mr Wong said, “NUS has grown tremendously and developed into a mighty river of life, pregnant with new knowledge, innovative research, contributing relevant and impactful services and solutions to Singapore and the world.”

“The world today needs new analyses and deep, strategic thinking and also bold execution. NUS is capable of playing that vital role going forward,” he added.

During the ceremony, close to 100 graduates from the Master of Urban Planning and Bachelor of Science with Honours (Real Estate) Concurrent Degree Programme, as well as the Bachelor of Science with Honours (Real Estate) Double Degree Programme, took to the stage to applause from their families and friends.

The occasion was also marked by an uplifting performance by JDN Party Quest, comprising graduands from the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music who delivered a whimsical rendition of “Dancing Sea Otter” from the popular online game MapleStory, and a nostalgic performance of “Rasa Sayang”.

The spirit of the season was aptly captured by Mr Tan Kah Yong, valedictorian from the NUS Business School. “Our ability to step out of our comfort zones, adapt and grab opportunities that come our way is something that we all have inside us, and something that we can do as we move on to the workforce,” he said. “Most importantly, let us believe in ourselves, put in the effort and trust the process, and I’m sure we will be a better version of who we are today.”

This year’s Commencement season began on 10 July 2025, with 35 ceremonies scheduled until 21 July 2025. The celebrations will culminate in the Commencement Dinner, to be held on Tuesday, 22 July 2025. 

This story is part of NUS News’ coverage of Commencement 2025, which celebrates the achievements of our graduates from the Class of 2025. For more on Commencement, read our stories and graduate profiles, check out the official Commencement website, or look up and tag #NUS2025 on our social media channels!

Read the press release on the Honorary Graduates here and watch the full ceremony below.
 

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NUS confers Honorary Degrees on Ambassador Chan Heng Chee, Dr Noeleen Heyzer and Mr Wong Ngit Liong

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The National University of Singapore (NUS) has conferred the Honorary Degree of Doctor of Letters on three distinguished leaders: Ambassador-at-Large Chan Heng Chee with the Singapore Ministry of Foreign Affairs; social scientist Dr Noeleen Heyzer, former Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations and Rector of Ridge View Residential College, NUS; as well as global technology pioneer Mr Wong Ngit Liong, Executive Chairman and founder of Venture Corporation.

The honorary degrees were presented during a Special Ceremony, held as part of the NUS Commencement 2025, presided by Mr Desmond Lee, Minister for Education and Minister-in-Charge of Social Services Integration. The Honorary Degree is the University’s highest form of recognition for outstanding individuals who have rendered distinguished service and have had a noteworthy impact in Singapore and globally.

This year's Commencement holds added significance as the University commemorates its 120th anniversary – celebrating a proud legacy of excellence, innovation, and service.

Ambassador Chan Heng Chee, an NUS alumna, was recognised for her distinguished work in policy studies, international relations and intellectual think-tanks, marking a lifetime of contributions to scholarship, diplomacy and civic life.

Dr Noeleen Heyzer, who is also an NUS alumna, was honoured for her visionary leadership in advancing the empowerment of women globally, raising Singapore's international profile and making global impact through her service at the United Nations (UN) and beyond.

Mr Wong Ngit Liong was lauded for his achievements as a leader and pioneer in the global technology industry, contributions to Singapore’s higher education and national development, and dedication to public service through active involvement on national boards and committees.

The NUS Class of 2025 comprises 17,646 graduates: 7,948 students will receive Bachelor’s degrees and 9,698 will receive graduate degrees. A total of 35 ceremonies will be held at the NUS University Cultural Centre over a period of 12 days, from 10 to 21 July 2025. NUS Commencement 2025 will conclude with the Commencement Dinner, which will be held on 22 July 2025.

NUS President Professor Tan Eng Chye said, “We are very proud to confer honorary degrees this year on three eminent leaders and visionaries – Ambassador Chan Heng Chee, Dr Noeleen Heyzer and Mr Wong Ngit Liong – all of whom have distinguished themselves through excellence and innovation in their fields, and elevated Singapore’s standing on the international stage. Their profound accomplishments are a testament to their exceptional capabilities and steadfast commitment to the advancement of society and betterment of communities in Singapore and beyond. They have greatly inspired us with the journeys they have taken and we are celebrating the achievements of these outstanding individuals today.”

This year, 268 students will be graduating as the pioneer cohort of 13 programmes:

  • Master of Science (Behavioural and Implementation Sciences in Health)
  • Master of Science (Precision Health and Medicine)
  • Master of Science (Applied Biomedicine)
  • Bachelor of Information Technology
  • Master of Arts (Japanese Visual Cultures)
  • Master of Science (Strategic Analysis and Innovation)
  • Master of Science (Data Science for Sustainability)
  • Master of Science (Biodiversity Conservation and Sustainability)
  • Master of Science (Physics for Technology)
  • Master of Pharmacy (Clinical Pharmacy)
  • Master of Science (Semiconductor Technology and Operations)
  • Bachelor of Engineering (Infrastructure and Project Management)
  • Master of Design in Integrated Design

2025 Honorary Doctor of Letters Recipient – Ambassador Chan Heng Chee

Ambassador Chan Heng Chee began her career as a political scientist, graduating with First Class Honours in Political Science from the University of Singapore, a Master of Arts degree from Cornell University, and a PhD from the University of Singapore.

She taught at NUS and became the University’s first female head of Political Science. Through award-winning books, she established herself as a leading voice on Singaporean politics, unafraid to ask discomfiting questions and bring clarity to complex issues. She was next appointed to lead the new Institute of Policy Studies, which remains an influential think tank.

In 1989, as Singapore’s United Nations Representative and Ambassador to the United States of America, Ambassador Chan brought scholarly rigour as well as diplomatic finesse to the world stage. Her 16 years in Washington deepened ties, culminating in the US-Singapore Free Trade Agreement. Her contributions were honoured in Singapore and internationally.

Ambassador Chan has also made significant achievements as a public intellectual, joining the Council for Minority Rights and launching another think-tank: the Lee Kuan Yew Centre for Innovative Cities.

Throughout her career, Ambassador Chan, who also served as a member of the NUS Board of Trustees from 2012 to 2024, has helped shape how Singapore understands itself and how it is understood by the world — as an academic, a diplomat, and leading intellectual. She brings together a rare combination of intellectual independence, global experience, and a deep commitment to public service.

Please refer to Annex 1 for the Citation for Ambassador Chan Heng Chee.

2025 Honorary Doctor of Letters Recipient – Dr Noeleen Heyzer

A trailblazer of women’s empowerment across the world, Dr Noeleen Heyzer’s leadership has redefined the nature of power itself – as a force for dignity, inclusion, and transformation.  She has dedicated her life to building a more peaceful and sustainable world and raised Singapore's international profile during her career at the United Nations (UN) and beyond.

Dr Noeleen was the first woman from outside North America to head the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM). During her tenure, she transformed UNIFEM from a small organisation into a leading powerhouse empowering woman globally. She was instrumental in securing the landmark UN Security Council Resolution 1325, which recognises women as essential to peace and security, and post-conflict recovery.

Dr Noeleen was the first woman to serve as the Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) since its founding in 1947. Under her leadership, ESCAP grew in profile and stature, advancing regional cooperation rooted in equity, resilience, and sustainable development.

Dr Noeleen’s courage and clarity of purpose have shaped peacebuilding efforts in some of the world’s most fragile contexts. As the UN Secretary-General’s Special Adviser for Timor-Leste and later as Special Envoy on Myanmar, she worked closely with conflict-affected communities and leaders to forge paths toward peace.

Dr Noeleen has made global impact through her service in many local and international boards and committees, including UN Secretary-General's High-Level Advisory Board on Mediation. Dr Noeleen also served as a member of the NUS Board of Trustees from 2013 to 2018. She is also the Rector of NUS Ridge View Residential College, where she continues to inspire generations of young Singaporeans.

Please refer to Annex 2 for the Citation for Dr Noeleen.

2025 Honorary Doctor of Letters Recipient – Mr Wong Ngit Liong

Mr Wong Ngit Liong is a distinguished leader and pioneer in the global technology industry. As Executive Chairman and founder of Venture Corporation, he has been instrumental in building the company into a leading provider of technology services, products, and solutions worldwide. Since its inception in 1984, Mr Wong has led Venture Corporation’s evolution from a start-up in electronics manufacturing services into a globally recognised technology powerhouse, exemplifying visionary leadership and strategic foresight.

Mr Wong holds a Bachelor of Engineering (First Class Honours) in Electrical Engineering from the University of Malaya, a Master of Science in Electronics Engineering from the University of California, Berkeley (Fulbright Scholar), and a Master of Business Administration (with Distinction) from McGill University. His professional career began at Hewlett-Packard (HP), where he played a pivotal role in expanding HP’s operations in Singapore and Malaysia.

In addition to his corporate leadership, Mr Wong has made lasting contributions to Singapore’s higher education landscape and national development. As Chairman of the NUS Board of Trustees from 2004 to 2016, he was instrumental in driving major reforms that propelled NUS into the ranks of the world’s top universities. His leadership was crucial in the corporatisation of the university and its structural transformation.

Mr Wong’s dedication to public service is reflected in his active participation on numerous national boards and committees, including the Economic Development Board, the then-Trade Development Board, DBS Bank, Singapore Exchange, the Committee to Review Salaries of Political Appointment Holders, the Constitutional Commission to Review the Elected Presidency, and the 2002 Economic Review Committee. In recognition of his exceptional service and contributions to Singapore, Mr Wong has been conferred the Meritorious Service Medal and the Distinguished Service Order.

Please refer to Annex 3 for the Citation for Mr Wong.

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From prison to university: This ex-offender proves it’s never too late for a fresh start

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Mason Andre Lim has walked a long road of redemption – one paved with determination, second chances and the will to rebuild his life.

At 36, he is graduating from the NUS Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences with a Bachelor of Social Sciences with Honours, majoring in Communications and New Media (CNM) – a milestone that marks not just academic achievement, but a powerful personal turnaround.

With his driven and enterprising outlook, it is hard to tell that Mason had drifted off course in his early 20s, grappling with academic pressures, emotional setbacks, and decisions that would eventually derail his life.

However, Mason held on to slivers of hope – buoyed by love and support from his mother – and eventually found his way back from a period marked by instability, depression and eventual incarceration.

Battling darkness and depression

Mason’s journey was fraught with early setbacks. He dropped out of Victoria Junior College at 17 and left Temasek Polytechnic midway through his final year. He was by then hooked on weed – having started “smoking socially” at gatherings – and lured by the profits from hosting poker games in a rented apartment.

He fell into severe depression after a friend failed to repay a large sum of money. Devastated, he retreated to Thailand and spent months playing video games as well as taking drugs to stave off the emptiness.

His addiction did not stop even after he returned to Singapore. “My mental state was completely haywire,” said Mason, recalling those dark times when he was wracked by depression and the sinking feeling that he had let his family down.

At 24, the age many consider to be their physical prime, Mason struggled to even climb a flight of stairs and was dependent on opioids and other debilitating drugs to make it through the day. Physically and mentally, he was at an all-time low.

Not long after, the Central Narcotics Bureau came knocking on his door and Mason was sentenced to five years in jail on drug-related charges.

An unexpected lifeline and path to redemption

Ironically, his years in Tanah Merah Prison were the happiest part of his 20s, Mason said. Living by the motto “every day spent here is another day closer to home”, he saw prison time as an opportunity rather than just punishment.

“I remember my mother telling me when I was at my lowest point, that ‘Mummy will never give up on you’. That cut through a lot of the pain I was feeling and made me want to turn my life around,” Mason recounted.

Enrolling in prison school, he found the structured environment a boon for his studies. “There’s no social media, there’s no TV, there’s nothing else I can do. I just sat in front of class and paid attention and did my homework,” he said.

The laser focus paid off. In 2021, Mason completed his A levels, becoming Prison School’s top student with five As and one B. This caught the attention of Associate Professor Faishal Ibrahim, then-Minister of State for Home Affairs, during a visit to meet the graduating cohort.

When Assoc Prof Faishal asked about his plans, Mason shared that he would like to pursue further studies. Given his good conduct and rehabilitation progress, Mason was assessed by the Singapore Prison Service to be suitable to be emplaced on a community-based programme, where he served the tail-end of his sentence in the community. He was emplaced in the community programme for a period of three months. In addition, Mason received the Yellow Ribbon Fund STAR (Skills Training Assistance to Restart) Bursary, which fully covered his university tuition fees.

Mason’s acceptance into NUS signalled a fresh start for him after prison. He was eager not to let his past define him. 

Slightly apprehensive at being a fresh undergraduate at 32 – almost 10 years older than his peers – Mason kept mostly to himself, worried about the age gap and how readily his peers would accept him because of his past.

However, most of his fears were unfounded. “Everybody took (my past) quite coolly. I think Gen Zs don’t really bother about such stuff,” he quipped.

Determined to make up for his late start in adulting, Mason grew adept at juggling multiple commitments. To earn an income as he baulked at the thought of relying on his parents for pocket money, he sold high-end vacuum cleaners in between tutorials – something he excelled at owing to his knack for persuasion.

His academic work in the NUS CNM Department further honed his communication and rhetorical skills and taught him to sharpen his persuasive powers.

A key highlight for Mason was the Consulting as a Communication and Career Skill course by CNM Adjunct Associate Professor, Dr Alan Tea. His clear articulation and deep insights into the nuances of corporate language in Business-to-Business (B2B) versus Business-to-Consumer (B2C) sales were an eye-opener. The course not only sharpened his consulting skills but also provided knowledge he could directly apply to his own sales work. Inspired by the experience, Mason dedicated his thesis to examining the differences in consulting strategies and approaches between B2B and B2C contexts, under Dr Tea’s guidance.

Dr Jinna Tay’s media course, which delved into the complex disruptions of Singapore’s national identities, media texts and institutions through the media production and policies that shape them, and included an industry visit to Mediacorp, was also an experience he deeply relished.

While some of his peers fretted over their grades, Mason was largely unfazed by university. “I’ve been through severe depression, I’ve been through jail, so nothing really gets to me that much,” he said, matter-of-factly.

He also found time to captain and manage an adult football team, volunteer at Meet-the-People sessions and elderly home visits in the Cheng San neighbourhood, and take travel breaks.

“So, when people tell me they don’t have time to do anything, I cannot relate,” he said.

Proof of what’s possible

A graduation scroll marks not just an academic achievement, but also a personal milestone.

“I’ve quit junior college, I’ve quit polytechnic, so I told myself, I’m going to finish this, no matter what. I’m going to prove to people I can complete all these things at once,” said Mason, who is grateful to his family, girlfriend, and professors like Dr Tea and Dr Tay for motivating him.

“I feel the greatest sense of achievement when I tell people I’ve managed to complete university while juggling work.”

Having obtained his Real Estate Salesperson certification during his four years in NUS, Mason plans to become a property agent and also harbours dreams of launching his own premium streetwear brand one day.

In the meantime, he is in a good mental space and is busy paying it forward. He delivers talks at the prison school and recently shared his experiences at the Singapore Boys’ Home – an arrangement by the NUS Centre for Future-ready Graduates.

Mason’s journey from the depths of addiction to the peaks of academic and personal fulfilment is proof that with resilience, resolve, and the right support, transformation is possible at any stage of life.

“It really just boils down to your mindset and how much you really want something,” he said.

This story is part of NUS News’ coverage of Commencement 2025, which celebrates the achievements of our graduates from the Class of 2025. For more on Commencement, read our stories and graduate profiles, check out the official Commencement website, or look up and tag #NUS2025 on our social media channels!

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The art of academics: NUS graduates on pursuing their artistic passions

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Pursuing the arts is more than a pastime. As three NUS graduates from the Class of 2025 can attest, it’s a way of making sense of the world through media like theatre, fiction and poetry. Better yet, it has also enriched their time at NUS.

Jade Ow: Singapore’s trailblazing deaf actress

As a teenager, Jade Ow was always told that her voice was not “standard or conventional” enough for theatre. Born with moderate-severe deafness, she turned instead to visual arts, literature, and dance as outlets of expression.

But Jade still longed to break into theatre. In 2021, she decided to take a leap of faith and enrolled in Theatre Studies at the NUS Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, with a minor in Chinese Translation.

“I had a really difficult time convincing people at first that I could go into theatre,” admitted the 23-year-old. Her family was also worried about the financial viability of theatre as a career.  

Thankfully, she found a “support crew” at NUS. “Teachers came together to really help me with my journey, and I’m very grateful for them,” she shared. For instance, Dr Noorlinah Mohamed, who taught the course Voice Studies and Production, guided her through intensive voice and speech training in her second year.

The Student Accessibility Unit also equipped her with assistive speech-to-text technologies, helping her fill in the gaps when she lip-read during conversations and classes. They even connected her with theatre professionals, including director and disability arts advocate Peter Sau, who is currently her mentor in ART:DIS Singapore, a non-profit that advocates for opportunities for persons with disabilities within the arts scene. These experiences honed her craft and expanded her industry network.

By 2023, Jade had found not only her voice, but also her calling. Today, she has carved a niche for herself as one of Singapore’s few deaf actresses.

“Every chance to put myself out there is one step closer to where I want to be… It’s not really about achieving an Oscar or a 金马奖 (Golden Horse Award),” she said. “To me, the highest level of artistry is getting to that level where I feel satisfaction when I am performing.”

Her biggest role to date is her breakthrough autobiographical performance in Through The Looking Glass, directed by Claire Teo, and performed as part of the Light to Night Festival in conjunction with Singapore Art Week 2025. She credits NUS for providing a rare confluence of cultural diversity, academic freedom, and advocacy platforms. “I don’t think I could have gotten such a journey anywhere else in the world,” she noted.

Her family has since thrown their support behind her career choice. Post-graduation, she continues her journey as a theatre professional, while working with arts entities such as the National Gallery Singapore and the Singapore Drama Educators Association to promote disability arts in the region.

She also wishes to inspire other disabled artists. “I’m hoping to visit more special education schools, share my experience as an artist and disability advocate, and encourage students to see the arts as a path they can take too,” she said.

Ng Ziqin: Blending law with a love for writing  

Ng Ziqin’s passion for the literary arts began before her NUS days. She started writing novels in secondary school, completing a coming-of-age novel, Every School a Good School, just before entering university. The book was a 2022 Epigram Books Fiction Prize finalist.

During her four years at NUS Law, Ziqin led University Court Friends, a pro bono project under the faculty’s pro bono group; served as Editor-in-Chief of its digital publication, Justified; and taught writing classes via Book-a-Writer, a programme started by literary non-profit SingLit Station.

For the 23-year-old, who lived on campus for two years under the NUS College (NUSC) programme, law and writing are two sides of the same craft. “NUS taught me what kind of lawyer — and person — I want to be,” she said. “I want to keep being someone who finds purpose in my job and maintains a personality and friends outside of work.”

At NUSC, she honed her short-story writing skills through the Global Experience (GEx) Paris programme, choosing a course centred on the arts, diplomacy, and social innovation. During the month-long programme, which included language classes and seminars, she found time to visit 18 museums in Brussels, Paris, Villers-Cotterêts and Giverny. This immersive journey inspired a collection of five short stories, titled Tales from the Pyramides, currently unpublished.

Ziqin even found a way to merge her interest in law and creative writing. For instance, she joined the scriptwriting team for Law IV, an annual musical traditionally staged by the graduating law cohort. 

These creative projects are ways of “exploring authenticity”. This process is critical for Ziqin who “draws from lived experience” to pen her stories.

Ziqin will be preparing for the Bar exam in the coming months — but that doesn’t mean she is putting her creative work on the backburner.

When time allows, she hopes to spend the latter half of 2025 working on her next novel, about a university student stranded with a Chinese ethnic minority tribe during a trip to China.

The idea was sparked by her visit to Betel Nut Valley in Hainan, a lived experience she wishes to capture in writing.

Stephanie Peck: Finding purpose in poetry and psychology

In the quaint, seaside town of Swanage, England, with its chalk cliffs and sea breeze echoing with bird cries, Stephanie Peck and her friends came to a realisation: life was bigger than the woes they faced as secondary school students.

“It was so peaceful, our brains couldn’t handle it,” she said with a laugh. 

“The adolescent period is not easy. (Psychologists) call it a period of storm and stress,” said Stephanie. Then 15, she was in Swanage to learn about geography. But the trip ended up sparking her curiosity about the human mind and mental health.

Now 23, she has traversed an eclectic academic journey. She initially enrolled in medicine, but eventually switched to psychology, along with a double minor in English Literature and Southeast Asian Studies at the NUS Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. In hindsight, the arts was the right place as she grew creatively and academically.

During her five years in the College of Alice & Peter Tan (CAPT), a pivotal moment came in 2022 when she took the course Identities in Asia. It was taught by Senior Lecturer, Dr Kankana Mukhopadhyay, who encouraged the budding poet to submit poetry reflecting on the course’s field trips.

With Dr Kankana’s support, Stephanie launched “Beginner’s Guide to Writing Poetry”, the following year, a reading and writing group she facilitated within CAPT for her final three semesters. One participant, who had long wished to learn to write poetry but never had the chance, described the sessions as “an answered prayer”.

In 2024, Stephanie took her love for the arts abroad to Botswana for a two-month teaching internship at Delta Waters International School in Maun, a key partner of CAPT’s Study Trips for Engagement and EnRichment (STEER) programme. There she taught English, Literature, and Creative Writing to secondary and primary school students.

Post-graduation, Stephanie hopes to pursue clinical psychology, kickstarting her career in the mental health and social service sectors.

“What draws me to both poetry and psychology is their shared power to surprise — to shift a person’s perspective when they feel stuck. Sometimes, change begins with simply seeing things differently,” she said.

 

This story is part of NUS News’ coverage of Commencement 2025, which celebrates the achievements of our graduates from the Class of 2025. For more on Commencement, read our stories and graduate profiles, check out the official Commencement website, or look up and tag #NUS2025 on our social media channels!

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Institutes of Higher Learning launch new programmes to support enterprises and individuals amidst global disruption at SkillsFuture Festival × NUS 2025

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The National University of Singapore (NUS), in partnership with SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG) and Lifelong Learning Singapore (LLSG), with support from the Institutes of Higher Learning (IHLs), hosted the SkillsFuture Festival × NUS 2025 on 12 July 2025. Guest-of-Honour Dr Janil Puthucheary, Senior Minister of State for Education and Sustainability and the Environment, delivered a speech and toured the booths showcasing the IHLs’ Continuing Education and Training (CET) initiatives. The event attracted more than 350 attendees.

IHLs doing more to support Continuing Education and Training

Themed ‘FutureWork’, SkillsFuture Festival × NUS 2025 brought together industry, thought leaders and practice-based academics to address key challenges, exchange new perspectives on up-and-coming trends, and uncover strategies on how Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), working professionals and mid-career individuals can make the most of lifelong learning to stay resilient and future-ready amidst the shifting global landscape.

In recent years, IHLs have progressively embarked on a series of initiatives to empower the local workforce to respond to workplace challenges stemming from the adoption of Artificial Intelligence (AI), geopolitical uncertainties, and other similar disruptive forces. These initiatives range from tie-ups championing industry transformation, to refreshing existing CET programmes and the introduction of new courses.

To support mid-career individuals switching to new industries or job roles, IHLs are rolling out 54 new courses under the SkillsFuture Career Transition Programme (SCTP) this year (see Annexe). These new courses are designed to help mid-career individuals adapt to evolving job demands – from pivoting into new sectors and launching entrepreneurial ventures, to upskilling in emerging areas such as AI and immersive media.

Professor Tan Eng Chye, NUS President said, “It is our privilege to host the SkillsFuture Festival this year with the support of SSG and our partners from various IHLs. The collaborative ecosystem in continuous learning and development is vital in preparing and equipping all our students, graduates and working professionals to be resilient, adaptable and future-ready to thrive amidst global uncertainties and in the digital economy.

NUS is committed towards developing and delivering courses which are highly relevant to industry practice and work – by keeping abreast of skills that employers are looking for and designing our courses to impart such in-demand skills. Our bite-sized micro-credentials are popular, as we recognise how such stackable courses are more appealing to and better meet the needs of working adults.”

Mr Tan Kok Yam, Chief Executive of SSG said, “Our IHLs are key partners of the SkillsFuture movement. With their strong pedagogical know-how, content knowledge and considerable industry networks, they bring three Rs to our adult learning ecosystem – Rigour in content creation and delivery, Relevance to industry needs, and Responsiveness to changes in the economic landscape. SSG will partner our IHLs to raise the water level for the entire CET sector.”

Empowering workers for the future: Insights, skills and learning opportunities

At a panel discussion held in conjunction with the event, Professor Bernard Yeung, Emeritus Professor from the Department of Finance and Department of Strategy and Policy at NUS Business School, and Professor Danny Quah, Li Ka Shing Professor in Economics, Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy at NUS, shared valuable insights on the changing world order, and the threats and opportunities that companies and the workforce should prepare for.

Additionally, the event featured 15 future-oriented workshops across a wide range of topics including the use of AI agents; using AI in areas like design, storytelling, and leadership; digital security; technopreneurship; and how we can drive sustainable change in our environment. Participating IHLs, LLSG and SSG also set up booths to share more information about their CET programmes and initiatives, as well as the Jobs-Skills Portal.   

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Five Arts and Social Sciences alumni honoured for their service and contributions to society

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Five stellar alumni from the NUS Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences (FASS) were lauded with the FASS Distinguished Arts and Social Sciences Alumni Awards (DASSAA) on 10 July 2025 for their outstanding service and contributions to society.

Established in 2015, the DASSAA celebrates alumni who have made a meaningful impact on the University, the wider community, and Singapore, or who have advanced the arts and social sciences through their dedication and achievements locally or internationally.

This year’s honourees are culinary curator and chef Ms Violet Oon; diplomat and former politician Mr Sam Tan Chin Siong; diplomat, Brigadier-General (Retd) and respected community leader Mr Ishak Ismail, pioneering social worker and advocate Dr Sudha Nair; as well as academic and innovator in education, Professor Low Ee Ling.

Changemakers shaping the aspirations of the next generation of FASS minds

FASS Dean Professor Lionel Wee underscored how the Faculty has long stood as a beacon of intellectual curiosity, cultural advancement, and social responsibility and that the vision has “always been to nurture not only thinkers and creators, but also compassionate leaders who use their knowledge for the greater good.”

These recipients, he added, inspire current and future students not only to dream boldly but also to use their knowledge in the service of others. “In a time when the world needs thoughtful leadership more than ever, your examples inspire others. Your journeys remind us that success is not just measured by personal accolades, but by the positive impact we create in the lives of others,” he said.

The event featured videos of the award recipients reflecting on their university days as they shared key moments in their professional journeys.

Mr Ishak fondly recalled his time at NUS, where he bonded with fellow Sheares Hall hostelites over sports and activities, and spent long hours studying with friends in the library after classes. It was also at NUS that he met his life partner.

When asked how her FASS education had shaped her career, Ms Oon shared that studying sociology and political science made a “world of difference” in how she approached food heritage and culture.

“So I don’t interpret food as delicious or not – that is a given,” she said. “What matters is what does it mean to a people? How do you judge the food? You have to learn about the culture and the proper techniques of cooking. That comes from studying, from checking. And if you take a subject like sociology, everything is based on facts and on research – I think that is so important.”

From food heritage to public leadership: FASS Alumni who left their mark on Singapore society

This year’s award recipients have left their mark in areas ranging from Peranakan cuisine and diplomacy to family violence intervention and academic leadership.

Widely regarded as the grande dame of Singaporean cooking, Ms Oon began her career as an arts and music critic before pioneering a food column that launched her decades-long career as Singapore’s leading food writer. She opened her first Peranakan restaurant in 1993, and today, the “Violet Oon Singapore” restaurant group is synonymous with heritage cuisine, with iconic outlets like Violet Oon Singapore at Dempsey and ION Orchard. As Singapore’s food ambassador, she led national chef delegations at international culinary festivals and her accolades include being inducted into the Singapore Women’s Hall of Fame (2016) and receiving the Singapore Tourism Board’s Lifetime Achievement Award (2019).

Mr Tan is Singapore’s Special Envoy for Arctic Affairs and Non-Resident High Commissioner to Canada. He has built a distinguished career in public service, diplomacy, and civic leadership. From 2009 to 2020, he served as Senior Parliamentary Secretary and Minister of State in several ministries, including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth. He was also a Member of Parliament from 2006 to 2020. Mr Tan held key community and cultural leadership roles, including CEO of Business China (2007 to 2009), where he strengthened Singapore-China ties. For his longstanding service, he was awarded the Public Service Medal in 2002.

Mr Ishak served in the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) for over 29 years, rising to the rank of Brigadier-General and playing a pivotal role in transforming SAF’s training systems and leadership development. He later held senior roles in private firms that focused on defence solutions and regional growth. He is now Singapore’s Non-Resident High Commissioner to Pakistan, and chairs both the Families for Life Council and the National Maritime Safety at Sea Council. He is also Principal Consultant at i-Grow Partners Pte Ltd, where he has been a certified coach appointed by the SAF to facilitate team leadership and development since 2016. He received the Public Administration Medal (Military) in 2008 and the Public Service Medal in 2023.

A social work veteran for over 30 years, Dr Nair began her career in 1987 at the Ang Mo Kio Family Service Centre (FSC), transforming it in 17 years into a model for other FSCs to follow. In 1999, she co-founded the Centre for Promoting Alternatives to Violence (PAVE), Singapore’s first one-stop specialist centre for family violence, which now manages around 2,000 cases annually. Beyond frontline work, Dr Nair has nurtured future social workers through research and teaching at the NUS Department of Social Work, and has served on national bodies such as the Council of Presidential Advisers. Her many accolades include the Outstanding Social Worker Award (1998) and the Public Service Star (2022).

Prof Low is President’s Chair Professor in Education (Applied Linguistics and Teacher Education) and Dean of Academic and Faculty Affairs at the National Institute of Education (NIE), Nanyang Technological University. A leading voice in teacher education, applied linguistics, and educational policy, she has shaped NIE’s strategic directions through initiatives like “A Teacher Education Model for the 21st Century. For her dedication, she received the Public Administration Medal (Bronze) in 2012. Internationally, she was recognised for her exemplary scholarship by the Academy for Leadership in Teacher Education (ALiTE) at the University of Hong Kong in 2021, and has been selected as the President-Elect of the International Academy of Education (IAE) in 2024.

The recipients were presented with their awards at a simple ceremony at Conrad Singapore Marina Bay. Joining to celebrate the occasion with them were 56 family and friends of the honourees, as well as FASS staff and faculty.

Click here for more information on the award recipients

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Singapore Nuclear Research and Safety Initiative established as full-fledged research institute

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Singapore's nuclear safety research initiative has been established as a full-fledged institute, now known as the Singapore Nuclear Research and Safety Institute (SNRSI). Operating from a new purpose-built facility at the National University of Singapore (NUS), the institute has been strengthened with a $66 million grant under the Research, Innovation & Enterprise plan for its next bound of research into nuclear safety.

Mr Heng Swee Keat, Chairman of the National Research Foundation, announced these developments at the official launch of the SNRSI Building on 11 July 2025.

SNRSI’s expanded research scope is part of Singapore’s national efforts to strengthen capabilities to understand and assess nuclear technologies and nuclear safety. This will support studies on potential deployment of nuclear energy, while enabling better assessment of the impact of regional nuclear developments.

Working with international partners and other research performers across the research ecosystem, such as those specialised in mechanical engineering and material science, SNRSI will coordinate and expand research in nuclear safety, radiobiology, radiochemistry, and nuclear policy.

As the key institute for Singapore to develop and concentrate expertise in nuclear technology and safety, SNRSI plans to grow to a pool of 100 experts by 2030, up from 50 today.

The new building will provide more space and potential for SNRSI to grow its manpower strength and enhance its facilities in the future. Specialised equipment and state-of-the-art laboratories will enhance SNRSI’s research capabilities in reactor safety, radionuclide dispersion, radiobiology, radiochemistry and nuclear policy. Additionally, the new building will provide dedicated facilities to enhance public education on nuclear science and technology (please refer to Annexe A for more information on the new building).

SNRSI complements Singapore's national capabilities in radiation protection and nuclear safety, working closely with agencies like the National Environment Agency (NEA). The new building will also house NEA's scientific facilities in radiation monitoring, including the National Radiochemistry Laboratory, Secondary Standards Dosimetry Laboratory, and advanced ambient radiation monitoring station. This co-location enables seamless sharing of expertise and resources, strengthening Singapore's nuclear safety ecosystem. (refer to Annexe C for more information on NEA’s laboratories).

SNRSI participates in regional forums and collaborations, including the ASEAN Network on Nuclear Power Safety Research (NPSR), to foster cooperation on nuclear safety within the region. Looking ahead, it is poised to play a key role in representing Singapore on international technical and scientific platforms, while fostering collaboration with other research institutes. The revamped SNRSI will be able to host regular visits by international experts, building on its partnerships while also expanding its network of partnerships with other research labs, IHLs, and research institutes around the world. These efforts will also enhance SNRSI’s ability to attract talent and develop a strong pipeline of technical experts in the nuclear field (refer to Annexe B for more information on SNRSI’s research areas).

Associate Professor Chung Keng Yeow, Director of SNRSI, said, “The Singapore Nuclear Research and Safety Institute’s new facility and establishment as a full-fledged institute put us in good stead to expand our team and research capabilities. With our strong capabilities and expertise in research and policy, we are well-poised to be at the forefront of research in nuclear safety, as well as enhance regional collaboration and develop talent in this area.” 

Ms Koh Li-Na, Deputy Chief Executive Officer of Meteorological Services and Radiation Protection at NEA, said, “The establishment of SNRSI as an institute and the growth of SNRSI will deepen our scientific capacity to understand and assess nuclear safety and radiological impacts, working with international partners and other local research institutions. With NEA's radiation monitoring laboratories also located in the new SNRSI building, we look forward to partnering SNRSI to strengthen our national capability in radiation protection and nuclear safety.”

NEA is Singapore's regulatory authority for radiation safety and environmental protection. It also implements international conventions relating to nuclear safety, security and safeguards that Singapore is a party to.

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Turning adversity into growth: NUS graduates on overcoming life’s curveballs

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Ask any university student about the struggles they face, and you are likely to unearth a cornucopia of answers — from tight deadlines to difficult readings to project work woes.

But some, in particular, have to overcome far greater challenges – from facing financial difficulties to managing a loved one’s illness. Two graduates in the NUS Class of 2025 in particular, have shown grit and gumption through adversity.

Sebastian Eu: From overcoming personal adversity to launching a career in finance

When he was 11 years old, Sebastian Eu’s grandparents sat him down and broke the news: his father had been in a motorbike accident in Malaysia. His right leg had been amputated, causing Sebastian’s mother to take unpaid leave from her job in a semiconductor assembly line to care for him.

That news marked a turn in the family’s fortunes. While Sebastian’s family could once afford to dine out and buy him toys and games, they now had to cut back on expenses as medical bills piled up. His mother stepped up, taking on part-time work in addition to her full-time job to pay the bills.

Seeing how hard his mother worked, he also did his best to help. “I still (wanted) to get toys and games, but I realised it was… tough on my mum,” recalled the now-27-year-old. “She could afford it, but it meant that something had to be cut elsewhere in our finances.”

He continued to be prudent, exercising frugality whenever he could. “I would go for cheaper alternatives when I was eating out, whether in school or with my friends. It helped me build my saving habits,” he added.

These childhood experiences shaped his decision to study business, which he hoped would help him secure a stable job. In 2021, Sebastian enrolled in NUS’ Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) programme, with his tuition fees paid for by bursaries such as the government-funded Higher Education Bursary.

Then he put his ambitions to work. Knowing that finance was a deeply competitive field, he invested his time into finding out more about the industry and networking with experts.

One of the first things he did was join the NUS Asset & Wealth Management Club, a student-led interest group that regularly invited industry professionals for sharing sessions. “I would stay behind and talk to (them),” he said, adding that the conversations sparked his curiosity about working in a private bank.

He decided to find out. After polishing his resume with the help of an NUS Business School career advisor, he successfully applied for an internship at the Bank of Singapore in his third year. It was time to suit up for corporate life.

“It was my first finance and banking stint, so I really didn’t know what to expect. I had to learn on the job,” he noted. “Things move quickly, and sometimes (the situation) can be volatile. Going to work was a refreshing experience because I wasn’t doing the same thing every day.”

Having dipped his toes into finance, Sebastian was ready to dive in headlong. In his final summer, he applied for another internship with HSBC’s global private banking division. His strong performance and dedication during the stint led to a full-time offer as a graduate analyst post-graduation.

The first person he told was his mum, who was overjoyed as she was worried whether he could find a job. But she was his inspiration. “Looking at how hard my mum worked was (one of) the reasons I pushed myself so hard,” he said.

Julia Liaw: How chance led to a career in law

Growing up, Julia Liaw spent a lot of time in libraries. The reason: She did not have a phone.

Money was tight for her family, especially with two other siblings and a mother battling chronic illnesses. So Julia whiled away her time among the shelves, devouring Enid Blyton books. She went so often that the librarian memorised her identity card number.

“That, in part, was why I decided to pursue law. It’s such a reading-inclined industry,” said Julia, 24. But her journey from libraries to law school came about by chance.

Attracted by the breadth of the curriculum, she initially applied for the liberal arts programme at Yale-NUS College. It was her mother who nudged her towards something more “practical” and encouraged her to pursue a professional degree like law. 

After doing the math and factoring in financial aid and a study award she had received from Yale-NUS, Julia realised that studying both — via the Double Degree Programme in Law and Liberal Arts — seemed like the best of both worlds, both academically and economically. She signed on the dotted line, kickstarting her university journey. But it wasn’t always easy.

“In my first year of law school, I struggled a lot academically,” Julia admitted. “It was only in my second year, after going around and seeking guidance from my peers, that I started figuring things out.” Her grades improved so much that she clinched the Most Improved Student Award and secured a place on the Dean’s List.

Despite her academic struggles, Julia continued to push herself outside her comfort zone in other ways. She volunteered as a tuition teacher and student peer counsellor, and even took up extra-curricular activities like ultimate frisbee.

“My experiences growing up contributed to the reasons why I do what I do. When I was a kid, I wished I had more tuition, but I didn’t want my parents to spend money on it,” she said. That was why she volunteered with TEACH SG, an NUS initiative that allows NUS students to mentor youth from disadvantaged families.

She also found time for pro bono work, where she helped the elderly navigate legal matters and crafted publications to raise awareness for sexual assault survivors – work that she found deeply meaningful. “Pro bono work keeps me grounded. It’s the human aspect of law,” she explained. She also joined NUS Law’s Pro Bono Group and its Mooting and Debating Club (MDC), on top of working a slew of part-time jobs outside of school for income. Her days were hectic, often packed to the brim from morning to midnight.

Her experiences challenged her and helped her grow through discomfort. One example was the B.A. Mallal Moot, Singapore’s oldest and most prestigious mooting competition, organised by the MDC.

“It made me very uncomfortable going in front of people and speaking when you can’t fully predict the questions that are coming to you. I really disliked it, but I did it because I disliked it,” she said. “It’s made me a clearer thinker, a better speaker, and someone who can see both sides of a point. These are soft skills which I think are the most valuable things I can get out of law school.”

Most importantly, she seized opportunities to have fun — such as travelling to Malaysia for an impromptu dive trip together with a group of friends from Yale-NUS. As her time at university draws to a close, she has planned her next step. Apart from joining a reputable law firm, Julia intends to continue her pro bono work as far as possible.

“I might have a high threshold for burnout – perhaps my circumstances have made things easier for me in that way,” she said with a laugh. “But there are still a lot of things for me to learn when I go into the workplace, and I am excited to grow, both as a lawyer and as a person.”

This story is part of NUS News’ coverage of Commencement 2025, which celebrates the achievements of our graduates from the Class of 2025. For more on Commencement, read our stories and graduate profiles, check out the official Commencement website, or look up and tag #NUS2025 on our social media channels!

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Celebrating a legacy of growth and global impact

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NUS marked its 120th anniversary with a grand gala dinner on 3 July 2025 at Marina Bay Sands, gathering close to 2,000 alumni, donors, partners and friends, including Guest-of-Honour Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr Vivian Balakrishnan (Medicine ’85, MMed ’91), Emeritus Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong (Arts '64, HonLLD '15), and Senior Minister of State for Health and Manpower Dr Koh Poh Koon (Medicine ’96, MMed ’03). The evening paid tribute to NUS’ astounding journey of service, innovation and impact since its founding in 1905.

From its roots as the Straits Settlements and Federated Malay States Government Medical School with only 23 students, NUS has grown into a globally renowned institution spanning 15 colleges, faculties and schools across three campuses.

In his opening remarks, NUS President Professor Tan Eng Chye (Science ’85) reflected on its founding purpose: "The Straits Settlements and Federated Malay States Government Medical School was the forerunner of the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, honouring a legacy of service from tending to the wounded in World War II to serving on the frontlines during the COVID-19 pandemic,” he shared. “Today, the School of Medicine is pushing the frontiers of groundbreaking research discoveries such as developing life-saving CAR-T cell immunotherapy to treat leukaemia, and the world’s first blood-based diagnostic test for early gastric cancer detection.”

Prof Tan noted that this same spirit of service still drives NUS today, which now educates over 7,000 undergraduates each year, producing graduates who contribute across society — including more than half of today’s Cabinet ministers.

Relevance in a changing world

Yet Prof Tan was clear-eyed about the challenges ahead. Rapid technological disruption, shifting student expectations and geopolitical uncertainties will test the University’s resilience and relevance. "To remain relevant, we must continuously adapt — renewing our value in each new generation, not only in how and what we teach, but how we lead and inspire," he emphasised.

Against this backdrop, Prof Tan reaffirmed the role of education as an intrinsic part of the Singapore social compact. “A significant number of our students and alumni are the first in their families to go to university. In providing opportunities to study at NUS, we are nurturing the best and brightest talents, uplifting families, and inspiring the next generation to realise their aspirations.”

In the last financial year, NUS received S$233 million in philanthropic gifts, including S$26 million earmarked to support students from low-income families through the Enhanced Financial Aid Scheme, benefitting around 3,000 undergraduates annually. 

Addressing global health challenges

Next to address the guests was the Dean of NUS Medicine, Professor Chong Yap Seng (Medicine ’88, MD ’07), who highlighted how NUS’ founding mission — to meet public health needs — is just as critical today. He described an increasingly complex health landscape marked by geopolitical instability, climate change, the promises and threats of artificial intelligence and misinformation spread on social media.

"A whole-of-society, whole-of-planet approach is required more urgently than ever," he said, adding that "the combined efforts of people with diverse skills, expertise and perspectives will be vital to creating a healthier and more sustainable future."

A citadel with open gates

Guest-of-Honour Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, a former president and chairman of the NUS Students’ Union, spoke about how global volatility will inevitably affect academia and science, potentially leading to higher inflation, greater risks for smaller nations and a slowdown in innovation. He described NUS through three vivid metaphors: first, as a cradle nurturing Singapore’s national identity and unity since 1905; second, as a citadel with open gates — strong yet welcoming to talent and ideas.

"NUS needs to have open gates, and we need to have our fair share of access to talent and ideas, while still remembering that this is the citadel based in Singapore, to protect Singapore," he explained.

Lastly, he urged NUS to be a launch pad for new technological breakthroughs, ensuring Singapore and Asia do not get left behind in a fast-changing world. His words echoed NUS’ international outlook, which is supported by a global alumni network of nearly 390,000 across more than 100 countries.

A night of joy, gratitude and pride

The gala dinner was a lively celebration of NUS spirit and camaraderie. Guests were welcomed by a candle-lined walkway and a playful photo wall with handheld props featuring messages like “I love NUS” and “Where I Found My Tribe.” Student and alumni performances from NUS Dance Blast! and The Jazzlings provided entertainment during the dinner, while video segments highlighted NUS’ incredible growth and brought celebratory greetings from alumni across the world. The occasion was also truly global, with alumni travelling to Singapore from cities such as Tokyo, Jakarta, Yangon, Vancouver, London, and Melbourne.

Interactive exhibits filled the foyer, from the AiSee assistive technology demonstration by NUS Computing to a showcase of Duke-NUS young alumni leading in innovation. NUS Libraries also delighted guests with a fun campus landmark quiz. In a meaningful gesture, Dr Balakrishnan, Prof Tan, Prof Chong and Chief Alumni Officer Ms Ovidia Lim-Rajaram (Arts & Social Sciences ’89) unveiled and watered a Tembusu tree — a living symbol of resilience and growth.

"Tonight, we celebrate 120 years of NUS — but this evening is about so much more than a number. It’s about the remarkable journey of a humble medical school that has grown into one of the world’s leading universities," Ms Lim-Rajaram told the guests.

Celebrating milestones and a vision for tomorrow

The celebration also honoured key milestones across NUS’ schools and faculties, including the 120th anniversary of the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, 70 years of NUS Engineering, 60 years of the NUS Business School, 50 years of NUS Computing, 45 years of Kent Ridge Hall, 20 years of Duke-NUS Medical School and NUS High School, and 15 years of Tembusu College.

As the evening concluded with a cake-cutting ceremony, guests looked forward to a year of commemorative events — from the NUS120 Homecoming at Bukit Timah Campus, the Distinguished Speaker Series, the #NUSLife Photo Exhibition, NUS120 SuperNova, to Rag and Flag — that will continue to connect past, present and future generations. As NUS looks ahead to its next 120 years, it stands ready to nurture bold thinkers, responsible leaders and a community grounded in service and shared purpose.

 

By NUS Office of Alumni Relations

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Forging bonds, changing lives: The human touch and the NUS Medicine journey

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Commencement celebrations for more than 17,000 graduates from the NUS Class of 2025 have begun, with 35 ceremonies taking place at the University Cultural Centre from 10 to 21 July 2025.

In tribute to the University’s beginnings as a small medical school founded in 1905 to serve the community, the season’s first ceremonies honoured graduates of the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine (NUS Medicine).

As the University and NUS Medicine celebrate their 120th anniversaries, these founding ideals and dedication to service have continued through the decades. Addressing graduates at the inaugural ceremony, NUS President Professor Tan Eng Chye underscored this enduring ethos of scholarship and service. “While we have grown and evolved, we remain steadfast in our mission to serve the needs of our country and society. As you move forward with purpose, passion, and confidence, you join a legacy of dreamers, changemakers, and trailblazers to shape a better future for all.” 

Now embarking on their next chapter, three NUS Medicine graduates share the challenges and milestones that marked their path through university.

Sophie Xie: When presence is a present

For Sophie Xie Jia Lin, medicine is as much about human connection as it is about clinical knowledge.

Back in junior college, she was drawn to pursuing medicine as a career for its blend of academic rigour and deep human connection. Now undergoing supervised clinical practice in Internal Medicine at the National University Hospital, the Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) graduate recalls a recent encounter that affirmed her career choice.

“One of the patients whom I discharged came to give me a hug. She told me, ‘You are a good doctor and I love you because you made me feel cared for.’ I hadn’t thought much about what I’d done for her, but that was when I realised that being present can be as powerful as any procedure,” she said. “Moments like these really make my job a lot more meaningful.”

Her journey at NUS Medicine also took her beyond the wards and lecture halls. She participated in projects like NUS Medicine’s Receiving and Giving (RAG) and Flag performance in her first year, even when the COVID-19 pandemic meant recording choreography over Zoom.

In her second year, she co-led the production as part of the organising committee, drawing on her years of training in Chinese dance and her interest in choreography and film to direct the project. “These creative outlets have been essential in helping me stay grounded and reconnect with myself outside of medicine. I see a parallel between my journey in medicine and in the arts – just as I continue to grow in clinical knowledge, I also seek new ways to grow in my pursuits. I think the beauty of NUS Medicine lies in the fact that I had the freedom and opportunities to continue exploring and growing even outside of class,” said the former resident of King Edward VII Hall (KEVII), home to many students from NUS Medicine.

Sophie also teamed up with fellow medical student Joseph Lim, from the same graduating class of 2025, to produce two short films. “Filmmaking was a really interesting opportunity for me to see how different art mediums can convey a message and give the audience this very visceral feeling,” she said.

When she felt isolated during the COVID-19 pandemic, she leaned on her KEVII family. “There was a strong sense of camaraderie all across NUS Medicine. From clinical rotations to preparing for exams, we had each other’s backs,” she said.

Looking ahead, Sophie aims to pursue a career in Internal Medicine, where she hopes to provide continuity of care and spend meaningful time with patients, in line with her belief that medicine is, at its core, about human connection. “Medicine stimulated me intellectually. But more than that, it has given me the space to form deep human bonds,” she noted. “[Medicine] is a very humbling journey, with many things to learn. There’s an analogy that I try to practise: life is like hiking a mountain. When we look forward, it feels endless and tough, but when we take a pause and look back, we realise we have actually come such a long way.”

Ashlee Tan: Diving deep into medicine and sport

When her best friend said she wanted to be a paediatrician when she grew up, a young Ashlee Tan Yi Xuan adopted the same dream.

This fun childhood wish turned into a firm ambition as she grew older. One striking moment was a project in primary school, where she learnt about less fortunate children in impoverished parts of the world with no access to proper healthcare.

Seeing medicine as a way to contribute to society, Ashlee, who is also a national diver, applied to study MBBS at NUS Medicine. However, at her admission interview in 2019,  someone advised her to pick between her first love — diving, which she had picked up at the age of 11 — and her medical studies.

But she took the plunge anyway. “I didn’t think it was possible to thrive at NUS Medicine while continuing to pursue competitive diving,” she said. “Everyone said medicine was too intense. As it turns out, if you really want it, you’ll find a way.”

And so she did, even taking a gap year in 2023 to train full-time. The decision came after the 2021 SEA Games in Hanoi, held right after her final exams in Year 3.

“It was brutal — studying and training simultaneously. I could not even fly to Hanoi together with the rest of my team because I still had practical exams,” she recalled. “We missed out on silver, but that reignited the fire in me and I realised that I was not ready to hang up my swimming suit.”

The gap year culminated in the 2024 World Aquatics Championships in Doha, where she narrowly missed out on qualifying for the Olympics. “It wasn’t the result I wanted, but it reminded me I could compete at that level. It gave me more confidence to tackle not just diving but medical school too,” she recounted.

Training 30 hours a week during her gap year and maintaining a lighter but consistent schedule after returning to school helped to hone her time management skills. Her strategies for managing her time well included doing up colour-coded physical timetables and task lists. Although she focused on full-time training, she still spent at least two hours studying every day, which helped make her final year more manageable.

“I’m very visual. Planning helped me stop panicking. And nothing beats the satisfaction of striking a task off my to-do list,” she explained.

Ashlee is still putting in the hours at the pool as she eyes the 2028 Olympics. Now undergoing clinical training at the internal medicine division of Ng Teng Fong General Hospital, she shared, “I’ve learned to make quality count more than quantity. It’s about pacing myself and training smart.”

One piece of advice she would give her younger self? “Go all in, even from the first year. Don’t assume anything is impossible,” she laughed.

Ang Jing Xuan: Seeing the person behind the patient

Caring is at the heart of nursing. For Ang Jing Xuan, that meant understanding the person and not just the condition.

This inspired him to take on a second major in Sociology while pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Nursing at the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine’s Alice Lee Centre for Nursing Studies. One early clinical placement confirmed that he was on the right path.

“I was caring for an elderly patient who kept coming back for the same condition,” he recalled. “Medically, everything was right. But she told me, ‘It’s hard when you’re doing this alone.’ That hit me. It wasn’t just a physical problem, it was a social one too.”

Sociology gave him the vocabulary to articulate what he was observing — and the tools to respond. “Nursing taught me to notice the details of a patient’s condition, but Sociology taught me to notice the bigger picture,” he explained.

He applied this approach beyond the hospital wards, including during a 2024 summer internship at DBS, where he helped gamify a customer service initiative. “After watching how the bank managed change with empathy, patiently teaching their staff how to use new technology, I thought I could bring this human-centred perspective back to nursing,” he said.

Juggling a second major was challenging. “I’d overload my semesters just to feel productive,” he confessed. “But during exam season, panic would hit. My friends and I turned it into a late-night mission: staying up till 3am, quizzing each other and trying every trick to cram those slides into our heads. We were all over-caffeinated, half-delirious, but we got through it together.”

Now on the cusp of his nursing career, Jing Xuan is drawn to the adrenaline rush of the emergency wards and intensive care units. But he also hopes to use his training in Sociology to improve systems and support patients more holistically.

“I don’t just see a diagnosis anymore,” he said. “I see the person behind it — and all the structures that they’re navigating. That perspective has made me more thoughtful, more curious, and more committed to finding ways we can support people in their everyday lives. I also want to make a small but real change in nursing, perhaps by finding ways to streamline patient care or support staff during their most hectic shifts.”

 

This story is part of NUS News’ coverage of Commencement 2025, which celebrates the achievements of our graduates from the Class of 2025. For more on Commencement, read our stories and graduate profiles, check out the official Commencement website, or look up and tag #NUS2025 on our social media channels!

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Empowering tomorrow’s economic leaders in a divided world

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In a time marked by rising global tensions, fractured trade relations, and deepening social and economic divides, the National Economics and Financial Management Challenge (NEFMC) 2025, organised by the NUS Economics Society (ECS), brought together nearly 1,000 pre-tertiary students in June to grapple with a question that could define their generation: What does economic resilience look like in a world that’s increasingly divided?

This year’s theme, “Economic Resilience in a Divided World”, reflects a reality that young people are already living through — a world where geopolitical instability, climate shocks, and market fragmentation are no longer abstract headlines, but defining features of the systems they will one day lead.

Hridayansh Khera, the incoming 63rd ECS President and a first-year Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences Economics major, remarked at the opening ceremony, “The theme couldn’t be more timely. Our participants aren’t just solving economic problems — they’re building the mindset needed to lead through disruption.”

A landmark year of record participation, esteemed collaborations and thought leadership

Organised annually by ECS, NEFMC 2025 saw its biggest edition yet with participation expanding nearly threefold in scale this year compared to previous iterations. This year also marked a major milestone, with the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) joining as the event’s key sponsor for the first time, underscoring the challenge’s increasing significance in the national pre-tertiary academic landscape.

The competition scored another first when it hosted Professor Lars Peter Hansen, the 2013 Nobel Laureate in Economic Sciences from the University of Chicago, for a virtual keynote dialogue on 10 June 2025 titled “Scientific Uncertainty in Climate Policy: Conceal or Confront?”.

At the session, Prof Hansen emphasised that uncertainty in climate models should not be a justification for inaction but directly integrated into policymaking. He cautioned against the risks of overconfidence in the modelling process and explained why effective policies must strike a balance between preparation for worst-case scenarios and waiting for better data.

During the competition, students across three regional rounds tackled real-world economic challenges through case analyses, policy strategy and live presentations. The first two rounds saw teams of four or five competing in an online assessment that tested their understanding of economics and finance fundamentals, followed by a research analysis of the effects of geopolitical tensions on supply chain dynamics. The top six teams entered the final round and presented their cases for how low- and middle-income countries can navigate geopolitical shocks in areas such as trade finance, energy transition, and wealth and income inequality.

The esteemed panel of judges included Mr Joe Hooper, Director of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Global Centre for Technology, Innovation and Sustainable Development; Mr Eduardo Pedrosa, Executive Director of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Secretariat; Mr Richard Stein, Managing Director at Goldman Sachs; and Ms Benish Aslam, Regional Lead of Government Affairs and Policy at The Asia Pacific Medical Technology Association (APACMed).

After intense deliberation, the judging panel awarded the top prize to Team Financial Decimators from NUS High School of Mathematics and Science. Their presentation stood out for its detailed analysis and strong, evidence-based policy recommendations tailored to the needs of developing countries. The winning team represented Singapore at the Australasian Economics Olympiad last week and emerged in second place in the team category!

Building a green Singapore

The finals also saw Mr Stanley Loh, Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment, deliver his keynote address titled “Sustainable Singapore: Building a Green Economy in an Ever-Evolving World”. Mr Loh, who is also an alumnus of NUS Economics and former ECS President, then participated in a fireside chat with Mr Khera, discussing the impact of geopolitical tensions on the development of a green economy and some of his personal experiences from when he was a student.

Mr Loh laid out the stark implications of climate inaction, warning that sea levels could rise by up to 1.15m by 2100 – a scenario that would place large parts of Singapore at serious risk. He noted that temperatures could rise by up to 5°C, with today’s coolest month (January) being warmer than the hottest month (May) in the 1960s. Beyond these extremes, he emphasised the severe externalities climate change could bring, including detrimental impacts on public health, infrastructure, and food systems. 

Global coordination, he reminded participants, is essential, with the global community leveraging the diverse relative strengths of nations to create a more efficient and globally coordinated response to the climate crisis. “Each country brings something different — some have advantages in alternative energy, others in R&D or systemic implementation. We need to tap on comparative advantage in climate action too.”

Inspiring young economists

Reflecting on the experience, Zhu Yancun from Team Financial Decimators noted how the NEFMC was an incredible opportunity for the team to explore the exciting intersection of economics, geopolitics, and finance. “We worked across multiple time zones during the competition period because we were in different countries across the competition period. The challenges of collaborating online only strengthened our bond as a team and made our success more rewarding. We now walk away inspired by the role economists can play in building a more sustainable and equitable world.”

At the closing ceremony, outgoing and 62nd ECS President Colin Chow shared, “At its core, NEFMC has always been more than just observing policy from the sidelines. It’s about sparking curiosity, challenging assumptions, and empowering students to reshape the way we think about policy. I believe that the best ideas come when students are given the space to experiment and reimagine—and it’s been incredibly rewarding to watch this cohort do exactly that.”

 

By the NUS Economics Society at NUS Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences

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The problem with social media is bigger than who gets access

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Governments around the world are imposing stricter rules on social media use, shifting the focus from regulating content to regulating access. Countries like Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia and Australia are implementing policies such as identity verification, platform licensing and age restrictions. Dr Chew Han Ei, Senior Research Fellow from the Institute of Policy Studies at the NUS Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, highlights that while these measures aim to enhance online safety, especially for younger users, they risk excluding vulnerable groups, anonymous users, and those unable to verify their identity, potentially pushing them toward less regulated platforms.

Dr Chew cautions that true digital safety goes beyond gatekeeping; social media systems need to be redesigned to ensure that they can respond to failures and hold up under pressure. He added that rather than relying solely on access controls, a safer internet requires platforms to be accountable, and are equipped with robust reporting tools, responsible algorithms, responsive moderation, and interface designs that prioritise user safety and well-being.

Read more here.

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NUS champions youth-led Regen Asia Summit to revitalise ecosystems and communities

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The two-day Regen Asia Summit (RAS) 2025, part of the National University of Singapore’s (NUS) 120th anniversary celebrations, was launched on 4 July 2025 as a dynamic platform to address environmental and social concerns through regeneration, which focuses on healing current environmental degradation and strengthening social resilience by nurturing resilient ecosystems. A total of 600 bright young minds, including 31 student leaders from the ASEAN region, gathered at the Summit to discuss strategies for restoring, renewing and revitalising ecosystems.

The participants, together with around 100 impact leaders and innovators from around the world – including thought leaders from indigenous communities – discussed ways to use interdisciplinary frameworks to address socio-environmental problems and foster intergenerational solutions. By promoting meaningful dialogue and idea-sharing, RAS aims to empower youths to sharpen skills and build lasting intergenerational networks for regeneration.

Held in connection with the NUS College (NUSC) course, Regeneration: Paradigm & Practice for Planetary Health, which equips students with the basic principles and concepts of regeneration, RAS embodies a bottom-up approach, with students leading the charge as conveners and creators of regional conversations. The Summit is fully organised by a team of 31 students from the ASEAN region, who make up the International Student Executive Committee. Led by NUS final-year students Misha Rajendran and Brendan Toh from the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, the Committee conceptualised and brought the Summit’s vision to life, overseeing all aspects from programming and speaker outreach to logistics, sponsorship procurement, design, media, and engagement.

Ms Rajendran shared, “This Summit brought together young people from across Asia, united by a shared commitment to both people and the planet. Bringing this vision to life was only possible through the passion and creativity of the student leaders, supported every step of the way by dedicated staff. Leading this diverse team, spanning different geographies, disciplines, and lived experiences, was an incredible privilege. Together, we created a space where intergenerational voices and innovative ideas could flourish, inspiring holistic solutions to restore the health of our ecosystems and societies. This experience has shown me that when young people unite around a shared vision, there is truly no limit to what we can achieve.”

Centred on the theme “Intergenerational Collaboration for Regeneration”, RAS features fireside chats and close to 50 panel discussions, showcases and workshops exploring regeneration across six core domains – Culture & Society, Ecology, Economy, Governance & Civil Society, Built Environment, and Life & Wellbeing. RAS’ innovative approach aims to move the conversation beyond sustaining the present to actively restoring, healing, and revitalising ecosystems and communities.

A highlight of RAS was a fireside chat featuring President of the Republic of Singapore Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam, who inspired young leaders with valuable insights on the evening of July 4. President Tharman later joined participants at the Summit’s Impact Leaders Dinner for further interaction.

President Tharman, who is also NUS Chancellor, shared, “The Regen Asia Summit is an important new platform for student leaders across the region. It enables them to envision paths to development that preserve societies’ balance with nature, while advancing resilience and the well-being of vulnerable communities.”

The Summit is the latest in a line-up of programmes and events to celebrate NUS’ 120th anniversary this year, commemorating a legacy, forged over generations, of excellence, innovation and service. NUS President Tan Eng Chye said, “NUS is proud to host the inaugural Regen Asia Summit which brings together passionate students and thought leaders from around the world. This is a very impressive ground-up effort by a team of over 30 student leaders from the ASEAN region who collaborated across borders and joined hands to discuss environmental protection and social resilience. Their deep commitment to cross-cultural exchange will inspire more young people towards regional solidarity and youth-driven leadership in tackling pressing global challenges. We are confident the Summit will inspire positive change and grow into a powerful force for good – both in the region and beyond.”

As a starting point to engage diverse stakeholders, encourage collaboration across Asia, advocate for action, and shape policy, RAS sets the stage for the upcoming Asian Undergraduate Symposium (AUS) 2025, where ideas are translated into impact projects for a chance to secure seed grants. Organised as the NUS-AUN (ASEAN University Network) Summer Camp, the annual AUS brings together 300 undergraduates from over 50 ASEAN partner universities each year and will take place between 7 and 19 July 2025 at NUS College.

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Global risk vulnerabilities an alarming concern, signalling the imperative need for a more united and multilateral response

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Multilateral institutions and society at large are dangerously unprepared for the most critical and interconnected risks threatening humanity. If left unaddressed, these risks have the potential to exacerbate geopolitical tensions, societal discord, crisis response challenges and much more.

This is the key takeaway from the inaugural 2024 United Nations’ Global Risk Report (UNGRR), which identifies a clear set of “Global Risk Vulnerabilities” – risks rated as highly important by respondents yet multilateral preparedness is gravely lacking.

The report is based on a global survey conducted in 2024 of over 1,100 experts and stakeholders across governments, industry, academia, and civil society, and offers a snapshot of how they perceive global risks and assess the multilateral system’s readiness to address the risks. The LRF Institute for the Public Understanding of Risk (IPUR) at the National University of Singapore was the survey partner to the UN, leading the design of the survey methodology and conducting the analysis, contributing invaluable insights that helped shape key findings of the report.

Mis- and disinformation was the top global risk vulnerability followed by three high-priority risk clusters, each belonging to a single risk category and all regarded as crucial but under-addressed by current global systems:

1.     Digital and cyber risks such as cybersecurity breakdown and AI
2.     Health and social risks such as pandemics and mass migration
3.     Resource/environmental risks such as natural hazards and biodiversity loss

When asked to identify which stakeholder group would be best placed to act on each global risk vulnerability, respondents overwhelmingly said joint action by multiple governments was the most effective response. Joint action between governments and civil society, and joint action by governments and the private sector, also consistently ranked as top choices.

“This report makes clear that our world is not just facing isolated risks, but a web of vulnerabilities that are deeply interconnected and under-addressed. It’s also clear that the solutions lie not in silos but collaborative action. It is imperative that we move beyond fragmented responses and invest in more agile, inclusive, and collaborative approaches to safeguard our future,” said Professor Leonard Lee, IPUR Director and contributing author of the UNGRR.

Singapore’s deep interconnections to international trade and financial networks mean that it is particularly important for the country to follow trends in global risks, as any disruptions or shifts in these networks such as economic downturns, geopolitical tensions, and technological changes can have significant and immediate impacts on the country’s economy, stability, and long-term growth prospects.

Dr Olivia Jensen, Deputy Director at IPUR and contributing author of the UNGRR, said, “As an individual, thinking about rising global risks can leave us feeling fearful and helpless but the UNGRR suggests that the critical factor shaping outcomes is how we respond when risks materialise rather than the risks themselves. In times of great uncertainty about global trends, there is even more value in engaging as citizens and employees to signal to our leaders which actions we want them to take.”

The report further outlines how interconnections between risks frequently amplify vulnerabilities. For example, climate change drives migration and political tension, technological advancements can widen inequality gaps, and mis- and disinformation can erode social cohesion and trust in governing institutions. These feedback loops can trigger cascading crises, overwhelming global and regional systems.

Insights from the report were used to develop four foresight scenarios, potentially unfolding between now and 2050. These scenarios demonstrate the potential for “global breakdown” if vulnerabilities remain unaddressed but also highlight the promise of “global breakthrough” through urgent, cooperative, and targeted action on these vulnerabilities.

Other key findings from the report:

  • Across all regions, environmental risks emerged as the highest priority, with climate change inaction and large-scale pollution ranking at the top.
  • Climate change inaction was seen as a strong driver of biodiversity decline, resource shortages, natural hazards, and mass migration.
  • The biggest perceived barriers to action were weak governance/coordination, lack of political consensus, and low trust/accountability.
  • Regional vulnerabilities showed that some areas, especially lower-income regions, faced acute threats from economic shocks, while others grappled with the destabilising impact of technology or geopolitics.

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NUS researchers honoured as visionaries shaping Asia’s future

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Two exceptional NUS researchers have been named in Tatler’s Gen.T Leaders of Tomorrow 2025, a prestigious list celebrating young changemakers across Asia who are shaping the future of their fields.

The NUS honourees, Associate Professor Benjamin Tee and Assistant Professor Jocelyn Chew Han Shi, embody the spirit of innovation and public impact, translating cutting-edge science into real-world solutions that improve lives.

Assoc Prof Benjamin Tee: Blazing trails as an ecosystem builder, entrepreneur and materials scientist

Associate Professor Benjamin Tee from the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at the College of Design and Engineering at NUS is recognised for his entrepreneurial impact and contributions in nurturing startups.

In his role as Vice President (Ecosystem Building) at NUS Enterprise, Assoc Prof Tee drives innovation platforms and programmes such as the National Graduate Research Innovation Programme (GRIP), BLOCK71 Global Network, and the NUS Overseas Colleges programme. These platforms give tech and deeptech founders the boost they need to turn their early ideas into reality.

Balancing his role in shaping vibrant startup ecosystem in NUS, Singapore and beyond, Assoc Prof Tee has also made his mark as a successful serial entrepreneur. In 2019, he co-founded TwoPlus Fertility with a partner, combining his expertise in medical technology and passion for entrepreneurship. The company aims to assist over a million couples through at-home fertility aids, from supplements to test kits, in their journey towards parenthood.

Assoc Prof Tee has also co-founded three other start-ups: Privi Medical (acquired), Hannah Life Technologies and Tacniq.AI.

In the lab, Assoc Prof Tee is charting new frontiers in electronic skin and intelligent sensor technologies. He leads the Sensors.AI Labs, where his research bridges materials science, electronics, and advanced technologies to build devices inspired by human skin—capable of sensing, healing, and adapting.

His innovations include the development of world’s fastest sensing electronic skins, brightest stretchable and self-healing lighting device, and high-performance sensors for applications in human-robot interactions.

Assoc Prof Tee’s achievements in scientific research have earned him prestigious international recognitions, including the World Economic Forum’s Singapore Young Scientist of the year in 2019, the National Research Foundation Fellowship in 2017, and the MIT Technology Review’s TR35 Innovator (Global) in 2015. In 2021, his team’s work on healthcare sensors emerged as the International Winner of the James Dyson Foundation Prize — marking Singapore’s first global win in the award’s 17-year history.

“It is an incredible honour to be named among Tatler Gen.T’s Leaders of Tomorrow 2025 list. This recognition reflects my collaborative spirit to drive research, innovation, and enterprise from Singapore to the world. I am excited to continue advancing solutions that pushes the frontiers of technology and deliver meaningful impact on society,” said Assoc Prof Tee.

Read the citation on Assoc Prof Benjamin Tee here. 

Asst Prof Jocelyn Chew Han Shi: Driving digital behavioural health and servant leadership

Assistant Professor Jocelyn Chew from the NUS Alice Lee Centre for Nursing Studies (NUS Nursing) has been recognised for her visionary work at the intersection of digital health, behavioural science, and nursing innovation.

“Being named a Tatler Gen.T Leader of Tomorrow is both an honour and a reminder of the responsibility we carry to shape a healthier, more equitable future,” she said. “At NUS, I’m privileged to work at the intersection of science, innovation, and care—where bold ideas can translate into real-world impact for the communities we serve.”

Asst Prof Chew’s academic journey at NUS is marked by three key themes: translational research, personal growth, and community inspiration.

In the realm of translational research, Asst Prof Chew has led interdisciplinary work in obesity management and cardiometabolic health. One of her flagship innovations is the Modu© app (formerly known as eTRIP) and the LIGHTER programme, which uses behavioural science, digital phenotyping and novel counselling techniques to encourage healthier lifestyle habits. In addition, she founded the Singapore Nursing Innovation Group, set up a nurse-led translational service, and has consistently worked to build platforms that empower students and clinicians to address unmet clinical needs.

According to Asst Prof Chew, her personal and professional growth has been deeply shaped by the dynamic academic environment at NUS. Balancing roles as a scientist and mother of two young children, she is grateful for her family’s support and expresses a deeper appreciation for work-life integration and servant leadership in academia.

Asst Prof Chew draws constant inspiration from her students, mentors, and colleagues across disciplines. “The collegiality and diversity of thought at NUS make it a truly energising place to work and grow,” she added.

She expressed her appreciation to colleagues and mentors including Professor Dean Ho, Adjunct Professor Ngiam Kee Yuan, Associate Professor Shefaly Shorey, Professor Wang Wenru, Professor Nick Sevdalis, Professor Roger Foo and Professor Liaw Sok Ying (Head of NUS Nursing), for generously sharing their wisdom and providing unwavering support over the years.

Read the citation of Asst Prof Jocelyn Chew here.

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NUS researchers develop novel material for water quality monitoring device

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Clean, safe water is vital for human health and well-being. It also plays a critical role in our food security, supports high-tech industries, and enables sustainable urbanisation. However, detecting contamination quickly and accurately remains a major challenge in many parts of the world. A groundbreaking new device developed by researchers at the National University of Singapore (NUS) has the potential to significantly advance water quality monitoring and management.

Taking inspiration from the biological function of the oily protective layer found on human skin, a team of researchers led by Associate Professor Benjamin Tee from the Department of Materials Science and Engineering in the College of Design and Engineering at NUS translated this concept into a versatile material, named ReSURF, capable of spontaneously forming a water-repellent interface. This new material, which can be prepared through a rapid micro-phase separation approach, autonomously self-heals and can be recycled. The researchers incorporated the material into a device known as a triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG), which uses the energy from the movement of water droplets to create an electric charge. The resulting device (ReSURF sensor) can be applied as a water quality monitor.

“The ReSURF sensor can detect various pollutants, such as oils and fluorinated compounds, which are challenging for many existing sensors. This capability, together with unique features such as self-powered, self-healing, reusability and recyclability, positions ReSURF as a sustainable solution for real-time, on-site, and sustainable water quality monitoring,” said Assoc Prof Tee.

The team’s design of the ReSURF material and performance of the novel water quality sensor were published in the scientific journal Nature Communications on 1 July 2025.

Rapid and sustainable water quality sensing

Existing water quality monitoring technologies such as electrochemical sensors, optical detection systems, and biosensors are effective in certain specific applications, such as detecting heavy metals, phosphorus, and microbial pollution.

However, these technologies often face limitations including slow response, high costs, reliance on external reagents or power sources, limited reusability, and the need for bulky laboratory equipment or specialised instrumentation.

The ReSURF sensor developed by the NUS team effectively overcomes these challenges, particularly in on-site real-time water quality sensing. The self-powered device has demonstrated the ability to detect water contaminants in approximately 6 milliseconds (i.e. around 40 times faster than a blink of the eye).

Additionally, the ReSURF sensor is designed to be self-healing and recyclable, making it a sustainable and low-maintenance solution. Being stretchable and transparent, the material can be easily integrated into flexible platforms, including soft robotics and wearable electronics, setting it apart from conventional sensing materials.

Furthermore, the ReSURF material applied as a sensor offers an environmentally friendly solution as it can be easily recycled due to its solubility in solvents, enabling it to be reused in new devices without suffering a loss in performance.

ReSURF sensor: How it works

The ReSURF sensor monitors water quality by analysing the electrical signals generated when analytes — such as salts, oils, or pollutants — in the water droplets, contact its surface. When water droplets containing analytes strike the water-repellent surface of the sensor, they spread out and slide off quickly, generating electric charges within milliseconds. The magnitude and characteristics of the signal generated would vary according to the composition and concentration of the analytes present. By monitoring these signals in real time, the ReSURF sensor can rapidly and accurately assess water quality without the need for external power sources.

To demonstrate its capabilities, the researchers tested the ReSURF sensor on a pufferfish-like soft robot in detecting oil in water and perfluorooctanoic acid – a common contaminant found in water sources. The test produced promising results with both contaminants producing different voltage signals, providing a proof-of-concept that the ReSURF sensor can be used in early surveillance of possible contamination.

Safeguarding water quality

The ReSURF sensor offers broad application potential. It can be deployed in rivers, lakes, and reservoirs to enable early surveillance of pollutants, allowing for quick response to water contamination emergencies. In agriculture, it is capable of monitoring water safety in areas like rice fields. In industrial settings and sewage treatment plants, the ReSURF sensor could provide valuable insights for wastewater management.

Next steps

The research team hopes to optimise the ReSURF sensor by enhancing the specificity of pollutant detection, integrating wireless data transmission capabilities, and scaling the system for long-term or large-scale environmental monitoring. Additionally, the researchers plan to explore more eco-friendly material alternatives to enhance sustainability and align with evolving environmental regulations.

“Future iterations could integrate additional sensing modalities or machine learning–based signal analysis to enable more precise identification and classification of pollutants. We envision this platform as a foundation for the development of more intelligent and responsive water quality monitoring systems,” said Assoc Prof Tee.

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Optimising green transport systems with smart tools: A mission to power a sustainable future

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As countries race towards achieving net-zero emissions through renewable energy adoption, research plays a pivotal role in shaping how we harness these greener energy sources to power our cities, move people, and manage resources. Professor Dipti Srinivasan from the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the College of Design and Engineering at NUS is combining her passion for artificial intelligence (AI) with a deep commitment to sustainability by developing smart tools that make clean technologies -- like electric buses and renewable energy -- not just viable, but efficient and scalable.

Her journey began with a simple yet powerful question: How can AI solve real-world energy problems? Over time, this curiosity evolved into a focused mission — to help society reduce its reliance on fossil fuels by making renewable energy sources, such as solar and wind, more reliable and accessible.

“I wanted to find smart, data-driven ways to help integrate renewable energy sources better into our power systems and support a cleaner, more sustainable future,” Prof Srinivasan explained.

A data-driven vision for greener cities

Prof Srinivasan’s current research investigates how computational intelligence — drawing on nature-inspired methods like neural networks and evolutionary algorithms — can optimise renewable energy integration and electrified transport systems.

Computational tools are particularly useful in harnessing complex systems, such as city-wide electric bus networks or national power grids, to provide insights for planning and balancing supply and demand, as well as supporting decision-making under constraints such as battery capacity or power grid limits.

Prof Srinivasan and her team leverage on evolutionary computation, which mimics natural selection, to find different solutions by keeping the best-performing ones and improving them over time — just like how nature evolves stronger species. The research team applies this technique to determine the best locations and sizes for battery storage, so that energy is stored and delivered efficiently across the power grid.

Smarter charging, smarter fleets

In a study last year, Prof Srinivasan and Dr Can Bark Saner, who is a research fellow from the Department of Mathematics at the NUS Faculty of Science, introduced a multi-module optimsation framework for the planning and operation of electric bus (e-bus) shuttle fleets to reduce life cycle cost, and maximise savings on charger procurement, electricity, and battery degradation.

The framework was published in the journal IEEE Transactions on Intelligent Transportation Systems on 21 August 2024.

As part of the framework, the NUS team proposed a three-module model comprising:

·      a vehicle scheduling module to determine e-bus deployment and trip assignments to ensure alignment with energy consumption and mitigate battery degradation;

·       a charger deployment and charging planning module that determines the number of chargers to deploy at depots and across e-bus charging schedules to minimise life cycle costs; and

·       an online charging scheduling module which updates charging schedules to handle uncertainties in trip energy consumption.

Her team’s work complements the focus on computational intelligence-based decision-making — especially in the context of large-scale electrical vehicle (EV) charging and integration with renewable power. With this proposed framework, they demonstrated a life cycle cost reduction of up to 38.2 per cent, facilitating up to a 90.2 per cent decrease in battery degradation cost.

“We’re working on how to manage EV charging at scale, especially for large fleets in cities, workplaces, or public charging hubs. The goal is to maximise the use of solar and wind power during EV charging, by aligning charging schedules with periods of high renewable energy generation. That way, we make the most of renewable energy and reduce stress on the grid,” said Prof Srinivasan.

The team is also developing algorithms to support Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) technologies, allowing EVs not just to consume power, but to return it to the electrical grid when needed — turning EVs into mobile storage units that help stabilise the power system.

Beyond technologies -- towards consumer adoption

Integrating EVs and renewable energy into existing infrastructure is not just a technical challenge, it involves various stakeholders from industry partners to consumers. Prof Srinivasan stresses the importance of looking beyond infrastructure. For clean technologies to succeed, people need to understand, trust, and feel supported in adopting them.

“We must think about affordability, ease of use, and awareness. People need clear information, strong incentives, and policies that support their choices,” said Prof Srinivasan.

She added, “People need access to clear information, financial incentives, and reliable technology that fits seamlessly into their lives. Supportive policies and a strong focus on consumer behaviour and acceptance also play a key role in driving the transition to clean energy.”

Envisioning Singapore’s renewable energy future

Looking towards a sustainable future, Prof Srinivasan sees enormous potential in Singapore’s approach to energy innovation.

She envisions a future where renewable energy plays a central role in Singapore’s power system — enabled by smart tools, supported by strong policy, and integrated into everyday life. Prof Srinivasan highlighted that with land constraints, breakthroughs are needed in solar deployment, energy storage, and grid management.

At the heart of her work is a belief that technology, when designed thoughtfully and deployed strategically, can drive real change for a greener and more sustainable future with renewable energy.

“This work isn’t just about algorithms or software. It’s about building systems that support a cleaner, more resilient future, and making sure that the shift to renewables and electric mobility is not just possible, but practical,” said Prof Srinivasan.

As cities and countries plan for more e-buses, greener grids, and sustainable transport systems, Prof Srinivasan’s research offers a critical piece of the puzzle — ensuring we don’t just adopt clean technology, but do so intelligently, affordably, and equitably.

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Boosting solar efficiency: NUS researchers achieve record-setting perovskite tandem solar cell with novel NIR-harvesting molecule

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Scientists at the National University of Singapore (NUS) have demonstrated a perovskite–organic tandem solar cell with a certified world-record power conversion efficiency of 26.4 per cent over a 1 cm2 active area — making it the highest-performing device of its kind to date. This milestone is driven by a newly designed narrow-bandgap organic absorber that significantly enhances near-infrared (NIR) photon harvesting, a long-standing bottleneck in thin-film tandem solar cells.

This latest research breakthrough was achieved under the leadership of Assistant Professor Hou Yi, who is a Presidential Young Professor in the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering under the College of Design and Engineering at NUS and leads the Perovskite-based Multijunction Solar Cells Group at the Solar Energy Research Institute of Singapore (SERIS) at NUS.

The NUS research team published their groundbreaking work in the prestigious scientific journal Nature on 25 June 2025.

Unlocking the promise of tandem solar cells

Perovskite and organic semiconductors both offer widely tunable bandgaps, enabling tandem cells to approach very high theoretical efficiencies. “Thanks to their light weight and flexible form factor, perovskite–organic tandem solar cells are ideally suited to power applications that are run directly on devices such as drones, wearable electronics, smart fabrics and other AI-enabled devices,” said Asst Prof Hou.

However, the absence of efficient NIR thin-film absorbers – which help to capture sunlight in the NIR region more efficiently and hence improving the overall efficiency of tandem cells - has kept perovskite–organic tandem cells lagging behind alternative designs.

Harnessing the near-infrared

To overcome this challenge, Asst Prof Hou and his team developed an asymmetric organic acceptor with an extended conjugation structure, enabling absorption deep into the NIR region while maintaining a sufficient driving force for efficient charge separation and promoting ordered molecular packing. Ultrafast spectroscopy and device physics analyses confirmed that this design achieves high free charge carrier collection with minimal energy loss.

Building on the organic subcell’s performance, the researchers stacked it beneath a high-efficiency perovskite top cell, interfacing the two layers with a transparent conducting oxide (TCO)-based interconnector.

The newly designed tandem cell achieved a power conversion efficiency of 27.5 per cent on 0.05-cm2 samples and 26.7 per cent on 1-cm2 devices, with the 26.4 per cent result independently certified. These findings mark the highest certified performance to date among perovskite–organic, perovskite–CIGS, and single-junction perovskite cells at comparable size.

“With efficiencies poised to exceed 30 per cent, these flexible films are ideal for roll-to-roll production and seamless integration onto curved or fabric substrates — think self-powered health patches that harvest sunlight to run onboard sensors, or smart textiles that monitor biometrics without the need for bulky batteries,” noted Asst Prof Hou.

Next step

In the next phase of their research, the NUS team will focus on enhancing real-world operational stability and advancing towards pilot-line manufacturing - crucial steps in bringing flexible, high-performance solar technology to market.

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New leadership appointments

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The National University of Singapore (NUS) has appointed Professor Tulika Mitra as the new Dean for the NUS School of Computing (NUS Computing), and Associate Professor Leong Ching as the Acting Dean for the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy (LKYSPP). Both appointments will take effect from 1 July 2025. Assoc Prof Leong will hold the Acting Dean appointment concurrently with her role as Vice Provost (Student Life), while a Dean search is underway.

They succeed current Deans Professor Tan Kian Lee and Professor Danny Quah respectively, who are returning to their academic pursuits at NUS in research and teaching.

NUS President Professor Tan Eng Chye, said, “We are pleased to appoint Prof Tulika Mitra as Dean of the School of Computing and Assoc Prof Leong Ching as Acting Dean of the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy while a search for the Dean is being carried out. With their extensive academic and industry experience, I am confident that their leadership will propel NUS Computing and LKYSPP towards higher levels of excellence, enabling us to be at the forefront of teaching, research and innovation while nurturing future-ready students with deep intellectual rigour and the resilience and adaptability to thrive in today’s digital economy.”

School of Computing

Prof Mitra has served as Vice Provost (Academic Affairs) since January 2021 and as the Chair of the University Promotion and Tenure Committee (UPTC) since May 2020. From fostering a more supportive and robust promotion and tenure culture to introducing the induction programmes for new faculty, she has been instrumental in identifying and recruiting top academic talents, upholding academic excellence, strengthening the Singaporean academic pipeline. She has created a direct pathway for Full Professorship through impactful educational leadership and incorporated clear guidelines for practice track promotions. Her contributions were recognised with the Singapore Public Administration Medal (Silver) in 2024.

Prof Mitra is a leading expert in hardware-software codesign of computing systems, specialising in real-time embedded systems and energy-efficient AI accelerators. Currently Provost’s Chair Professor in the Department of Computer Science, she has been with NUS Computing since 2001. She has served as the Editor-in-Chief of ACM Transactions on Embedded Computing Systems, Member of the ACM Publications Board, and General/Program Chair of many conferences. Additionally, she serves on the DSTA Board of Directors, Scientific Advisory Board of MPI-SWS, Barkhausen Institute, and international expert panels of the Chinese University of Hong Kong, INRIA France, and KTH Sweden.

On taking up her new appointment, Prof Mitra said, “I am honoured to lead the School at a time when our discipline is central to interdisciplinary innovations reshaping the modern world. I look forward to returning to my roots and working closely with the NUS Computing family of exceptional colleagues and students.”

Prof Mitra will concurrently take on the role of Vice Provost (Special Projects) in addition to helming the School of Computing. She will support the Deputy President (Academic Affairs) and Provost in leading high-impact strategic initiatives for the University.

Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy

Associate Professor Leong Ching joined LKYSPP in 2014 and was appointed to her current position in 2019.

An economist with a focus on applying institutional theory to the policy sciences, Assoc Prof Leong is today among the leading scholars in the field of behavioural public policy (BPP), with visiting appointments at the London School of Economics and Cambridge University.

She uses large field experiments to understand the motivating forces of government and public behaviour where her work has had significant impact on water policy and sustainability issues, as well as on public willingness to accept novelty such as recycled drinking water as a solution to global water scarcity. In the recent COVID-19 pandemic, her work on the willingness to accept new science in the form of mRNA vaccines has been cited by the World Health Organisation (WHO) as an important behavioural intervention to reduce hesitancy.  

Beyond her contributions to public policy research and academic excellence, Assoc Prof Leong is committed to student growth and development. In her current role as Vice Provost (Student Life), she has overseen the integration of student life into the NUS curriculum. 

In her new role as Acting Dean at LKYSPP, Assoc Prof Leong will build on LKYSPP’s strengths and track record in research, education and engagement, while fostering partnerships with government, industry and society. She will be supported by the current members of the LKYSPP Deanery who will continue to contribute towards leadership for the School.

Assoc Prof Leong said, “The Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy is built on a belief in the transformational power of policy ideas. I look forward to working with my colleagues to continue producing these global public goods so as to inform government and public decisions on the most pressing problems of our time.”

New Vice Provost (Academic Affairs)

Professor Ho Ghim Wei, who has been serving as Associate Provost (Academic Affairs), will succeed Prof Mitra as Vice Provost (Academic Affairs) from 1 July 2025. In her new role, she will lead the University’s efforts to nurture, develop and empower faculty members towards excellence in education, research and innovation.

At the Office of the Provost, Prof Ho has been supporting the Vice Provost in overseeing the academic review process and upholding standards of excellence in faculty career progression. She has been playing key roles in organising faculty development workshops and events, as well as in outreach and recruitment efforts.

Prof Ho is an outstanding scholar from the College of Design and Engineering (CDE), where she leads the Sustainable Smart Solar Systems research group. Her team conducts fundamental and applied research on nanosystems based on emerging low-dimensional nanomaterials, interfacial interactions and hybridised functionalities for applications in energy, the environment, electronics and healthcare. She also served as Vice Dean for Student Life at CDE for over four years.

In appreciation

Expressing his gratitude to the two outgoing deans for their service, President Tan said, “I am deeply grateful to Kian Lee and Danny for their leadership and service. A homegrown talent, Kian Lee is an outstanding researcher, data scientist and educator who has steered the faculty from a small department in its early years into one of the world’s top and highly competitive computing schools. Danny is an eminent economist who has enabled LKYSPP to strengthen and anchor its position as a global thought leader, advancing impactful policy solutions and training policy makers for Singapore, the region, and beyond.”

“As they return to academia, I look forward to their continued contributions to NUS in inspiring future generations of researchers and students to shape the future of technology and serve for the greater good of society,” President Tan added.

Under Prof Tan’s leadership, NUS Computing has flourished, consistently drawing in and nurturing the best and brightest talents. In tandem with the growing prominence and impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI), the School has expanded its curriculum offerings with the launch of three new AI-centric degree programmes, and the opening of Sea Building and Sea Connect – featuring new collaborative spaces for teaching and innovation, and home to 12 research labs which will catalyse long-term, fruitful collaborations between academia and industry.

These efforts are vital in driving NUS’ bold ambitions in cutting-edge research, education, and collaboration, advancing the rapidly evolving fields in computing such as AI and data science.

A distinguished global scholar, Prof Quah returned from London in 2016 and joined LKYSPP to pursue research in and contribute to policy development on international economic relations, income inequality, and economic growth.  Over the past seven years as Dean of LKYSPP, he has been a visionary and transformative leader.

Under his stewardship, the School has strengthened its position as a leader and authority in public policy research and education, with distinct focus on Asia’s unique challenges and opportunities. Among the significant initiatives that expanded the School’s reach and impact are enhanced leadership training programmes; the Global-is-Asian platform, advancing research and collaboration across the Asia-Pacific and beyond; and the biennial Festival of Ideas, a flagship forum for policy dialogue bringing together experts and opinion leaders to address the most pressing issues of our time.

A prolific writer and sought-after speaker, Prof Quah has worked to push the frontiers of research in his field and, at leading international forums, drawn on that academic research to provide thought leadership in economic policy, global governance, and Asia’s role in international affairs.  

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New biomaterial developed by NUS researchers shows how ageing in the heart could be reversed

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A new lab-grown material has revealed that some of the effects of ageing in the heart may be slowed and even reversed. The discovery could open the door to therapies that rejuvenate the heart by changing its cellular environment, rather than focusing on the heart cells themselves.

The research, published recently in Nature Materials, was carried out by a team led by Assistant Professor Jennifer Young from the Department of Biomedical Engineering in the College of Design and Engineering (CDE) at the National University of Singapore (NUS). Asst Prof Young is also a scientist at the NUS Mechanobiology Institute (MBI).

The team focused on the extracellular matrix (ECM)—the complex framework that surrounds and supports heart cells. This net-like scaffolding made of proteins and other components holds cells in place and sends chemical signals that guide how the cells function.

As the heart ages, the ECM becomes stiffer and its biochemical composition changes. These changes can trigger harmful activity in heart cells, contributing to scarring, loss of flexibility, and reduced function.

“Most ageing research focuses on how cells change over time,” said Asst Prof Young. “Our study looks instead at the ECM and how changes in this environment affect heart ageing.”

To investigate this, the team developed a hybrid biomaterial called DECIPHER (DECellularized In Situ Polyacrylamide Hydrogel-ECM hybrid), made by combining natural heart tissue with a synthetic gel to closely mimic the stiffness and composition of the ECM.

“Until now, it’s been difficult to pinpoint which of these changes—physical stiffness or biochemical signals—play the bigger role in driving this decline, because they usually happen at the same time,” said Avery Rui Sun, PhD student in NUS CDE and MBI, and first author of the study.

“The DECIPHER platform solves this problem, allowing researchers to independently control the stiffness and the biochemical signals presented to the cells—something no previous system using native tissue has been able to do.”

When the team placed aged heart cells onto DECIPHER scaffolds that mimicked ‘young’ ECM cues, they found that the cells began to behave more like young cells—even when the material remained stiff. Closer investigation revealed that this included a shift in gene activity across thousands of genes associated with ageing and cell function.

In contrast, young cells placed on ‘aged’ ECM began to show signs of dysfunction, even if the scaffold was soft.

“This showed us that the biochemical environment around aged heart cells matters more than stiffness, while young cells take in both cues,” said Asst Prof Young.

“Even when the tissue was very stiff, as it typically is in aged hearts, the presence of ‘young’ biochemical signals was enough to push aged cells back toward a healthier, more functional state,” she added. “This suggests that if we can find a way to restore these signals in the ageing heart, we might be able to reverse some of the damage and improve how the heart functions over time.”

“On the other hand, for young heart cells, we found that higher stiffness can cause them to prematurely ‘age’, suggesting that if we target specific aspects of ECM ageing, we might slow or prevent heart dysfunction over time.”

While the work is still in the research phase, the team says their findings open up a new direction for therapies aimed at preserving or restoring heart health during ageing—by targeting the ECM itself. They hope the method could also be adapted to study other tissues affected by ageing and disease. Beyond the heart, the team believes the DECIPHER method could be applied to study ageing and disease in other organs as well due to the major role of the ECM in cell function across all our tissues.

“Many age-related diseases involve changes in tissue stiffness—not just in the heart,” said Asst Prof Young. “For example, the same approach could be applied to kidney and skin tissue, and it could be adapted to study conditions like fibrosis or even cancer, where the mechanical environment plays a major role in how cells behave.”

The study was a collaboration involving researchers from CDE, MBI, Department of Biological Sciences at the NUS Faculty of Science, NUS Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine and Cardiovascular Research Institute at the National University Heart Centre Singapore.

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S$2 million gift from Tahir Foundation to support Indonesian students at NUS and NTU Singapore, strengthen bilateral ties, and nurture regional talent

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The Tahir Foundation, established by prominent Indonesian philanthropist Dato’ Sri Professor Dr Tahir, Chairman of Mayapada Group, has pledged S$2 million to the National University of Singapore (NUS) and Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore) in support of Indonesian students at the two universities. The gift was announced at a ceremony held on 12 June 2025, at NUS.

Each university will receive S$1 million for student financial aid, enabling more Indonesian students, regardless of their financial circumstances, to benefit from a world-class education in Singapore and to reinforce the strong people-to-people ties between Indonesia and Singapore.

A shared vision for ASEAN’s future

The gift reflects a broader regional ambition: nurturing future leaders, strengthening ASEAN’s talent pipeline, and deepening collaboration across borders. It also affirms the universities’ shared commitment to inclusive education and regional impact.

Dato’ Sri Professor Dr Tahir, Chairman of Mayapada Group said: “I strongly believe that education is fundamental in uplifting society and transforming our collective future. NUS and NTU, as leading global universities, are well-positioned to contribute significantly to Singapore and the world. I hope this gift will enable Indonesian students to realise their potential and inspire them to give back to their communities.”

NUS President Professor Tan Eng Chye said: “At NUS, we believe education is transformative in empowering individuals and uplifting communities. This gift will open opportunities for more Indonesian students to pursue tertiary education at world-class institutions in Singapore, and help to build a more collaborative and resilient Southeast Asia region, by fostering ties, familiarity and connections between the youths of Indonesia and Singapore. We hope this gift will inspire others to also step forward to support and nurture the next generation of leaders in the region through education.”

NTU President Professor Ho Teck Hua said: “Dr Tahir’s gift reflects his belief in the power of education to transcend borders. It enables more talented Indonesian students to pursue their aspirations at NTU, opening doors to life-changing opportunities that can transform not just individuals, but entire communities. The gift embodies our shared conviction that education plays a pivotal role in nurturing future-ready talent and in fostering a more connected region.”  

A lifelong commitment to education

Dr Tahir has long championed education as a key driver of social mobility. He studied on a scholarship at Nanyang University, which later merged with the University of Singapore in 1980 to form NUS. He graduated in 1976 with a Bachelor of Commerce and is recognised as a distinguished alumnus of both NUS and NTU.

Over the past two decades, Dr Tahir has been a steadfast supporter of education, contributing to student bursaries and scholarships, as well as research and academic programmes in Singapore. In 2012, he made a landmark S$30 million gift to the NUS Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, his largest philanthropic gift to an educational institution. The gift helped advance medical research and academic programmes.

Dr Tahir also funded key initiatives such as the Tahir NTU-Universitas Airlangga Students Exchange Programme, which strengthens academic ties between Singapore and Indonesia, as well as the NTU Priorities Fund. In 2021, Dr Tahir made a gift in support of student bursaries, providing financial assistance to deserving NTU students and enabling them to pursue their education with greater peace of mind.

Investing in regional talent and collaboration

Strategically positioned in the heart of Southeast Asia, Singapore serves as a vital hub for regional education and collaboration. As the nation’s flagship university and top-ranked institution in Southeast Asia, NUS plays a leading role in advancing research, innovation and global partnerships across the region.

Situated in Singapore’s innovation corridor, NTU is consistently ranked among the world’s top young universities and is recognised for its excellence in sustainability, engineering, and interdisciplinary research. The University plays a pivotal role in advancing technological innovation, industry collaboration and talent development, contributing to Southeast Asia’s progress and global competitiveness.

Through this latest gift from the Tahir Foundation, more Indonesian students will have the opportunity to join the vibrant, diverse and intellectually dynamic communities at NUS and NTU. This will not only shape their personal and professional growth but will also contribute to deeper regional understanding and cooperation — laying the groundwork for a stronger, more inclusive Southeast Asia.

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NUS Centre for Governance and Sustainability launches e-book to mark 15 years

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In celebration of its 15th anniversary, the Centre for Governance and Sustainability (CGS) at NUS Business School launched a commemorative e-book titled 15 Lessons in Corporate Sustainability and Governance on 16 May 2025, at an event organised by the school’s alumni office NUS BIZAlum to mark the Business School’s 60th anniversary.

The e-book is a compilation of commentaries on corporate governance and sustainability, many of which were previously published by local and international media platforms and updated for the commemorative publication. It aims to inspire individuals and organisations to embrace the cause through essays on the mindset, implementation steps, communication approach, and talent investments required to integrate sustainability into a business.

Aside from marking CGS’ milestone anniversary, the e-book embodies CGS Director Professor Lawrence Loh’s vision of the centre as a source of practical, understandable information. He noted that the emphasis by the media outlets on clarity and conciseness when reviewing the commentaries for publication has helped ensure that the content remains accessible to business practitioners, students, and policymakers. Prof Loh added that he envisions the e-book as a useful educational tool for his courses and lectures.

“We don’t want to be seen as an ivory tower. We want to be seen as a lighthouse that guides practice and policy,” he said, telling NUS News that his hope is for CGS to eventually go beyond pointing the way to actively leading companies to best practices, like a tugboat guiding ships into safe harbour.

Research with policy impact

Housed under the NUS Business School, CGS was first established as the Centre for Governance, Institutions and Organisations in 2010 with a team of five and an initial focus on corporate governance. Since the beginning, its work has centred on applied research, such as studies to identify baselines or trends among companies, using an integrative approach that leverages industry outreach and collaborations to ensure that its research yields useful insights for managers and policymakers.

Its current projects span corporate governance, corporate sustainability, and the interface between the two, yielding findings that are useful not only to the projects’ funding partners but also to consultants and policymakers who cite them in recommendations and proposals.

All this is accomplished by a lean team of 10, comprising Prof Loh, seven researchers, and two administrative staff, with the help of visiting PhD students on one-year appointments and student interns, research assistants, and Business School faculty members who contribute on an ad hoc basis. Their work has far-reaching impact, garnering the centre over 500 media mentions annually in recent years in local and international media outlets such as AFP, BBC, CNN, China Daily, Nikkei Asia, The Washington Post, and Xinhua News.

Prior to taking over from Professor Chang Sea-Jin as CGS director in 2015, Prof Loh played a pivotal role in adding corporate sustainability to the centre’s scope through his work on the first national study on sustainability reporting in Singapore as a research affiliate in 2014. The centre strengthened its corporate sustainability research pillar over the years with more studies and assessments, and it was relaunched as the Centre for Governance and Sustainability in 2021 to better represent its agenda.

In those early years, the topic was not on the radar for most of the business world, and Prof Loh recalls fielding basic questions like “What is sustainability?” from business leaders.

But CGS’ foresight was rewarded in 2015 when the Paris Agreement on climate change was signed and interest in corporate sustainability skyrocketed. CGS stood out as a reliable source that was already doing work in the field, and its reputation was further bolstered by official recognition and partnerships with regulators and business players, such as the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS), the Singapore Exchange (SGX), and luxury group Kering.

For example, in 2013, MAS appointed CGS and the Singapore Institute of Directors as the Domestic Ranking Body to assess and rank Singapore’s listed companies on corporate governance for the ASEAN Capital Markets Forum. The central bank also uses CGS data in its annual financial stability review.

In 2019, CGS was appointed by SGX as an independent assessor to conduct biennial assessments of Singapore-listed companies’ sustainability reporting, and the Singapore Exchange Regulation website lists the Singapore Governance and Transparency Index, a key CGS project, among its sustainability resources for companies.

Since May 2024, CGS has been studying climate- and nature-related transition strategies among companies across Asia Pacific under a three-year collaboration with luxury group Kering, which owns brands such as Gucci and Bottega Veneta.

“Everything we do in CGS is evidence-based,” said Prof Loh, noting that the positions taken by CGS are not based on personal convictions or speculation but derived from data assembled with the help of industry partners and regulators. “Sustainability is not airy-fairy. It has to be factual.”

Prof Loh translates the findings into meaningful insights for businesses through his written commentaries, analysis provided to the media, and speeches at various business events and webinars. These have helped CGS gain mindshare in the business community and promote an evidence-based approach to the sustainability conversation.

Looking back, looking forward

In his 10 years as CGS director, Prof Loh has observed awareness of corporate sustainability evolve significantly, and he believes CGS has helped to drive market behaviour towards greater transparency and sustainability by providing the data to support policy changes and new regulations.

“What we have found over the years to be very interesting is this idea, that ‘What you regulate is what you get.’ As we track company disclosures, we found that whenever there’s a new regulation like a requirement or listing rule, there will be a corresponding change in market behaviour,” he shared.

Business leaders’ questions too have progressed from “Why do we need to care about sustainability?” to “How do we do it?” More recently, the questions have revolved around how much to invest into it, which Prof Loh says reflects a new perspective of sustainability as capital expenditure – a long-term investment – instead of operating expenditure.

It is an encouraging sign, especially since CGS has been working to get businesses to consider economics alongside the familiar environmental, social, and governance (ESG) framework in their sustainability activities. Prof Loh has shared about this new EESG approach over the past year through opinion pieces and masterclasses like the one he delivered at the e-book launch titled “From ESG to EESG: Incorporating Economics into Sustainability,” in which he built the business case for sustainability efforts that go beyond responsibility and risk management to yield returns.

Even as the work of establishing EESG as the new norm has just begun, Prof Loh looks forward to CGS leading the charge to tackle what he sees as the final frontier of sustainability – fostering a well-being economy that supports human and environmental well-being rather than prioritising economic growth at all cost.

In July 2024, CGS signed a memorandum of understanding with TPC (Tsao Pao Chee) Group to establish the Well-Being and EESG Alliance, which will develop strategies and metrics to guide organisations in embedding well-being into their sustainability efforts.

Said Prof Loh: “In sustainability, looking at climate change is only half the story. An emerging area is human health, and well-being may be the final thing that sustainability is all about – well-being that is holistically defined, not just physically or physiologically, but also psychologically.”

Influencing such major change may seem ambitious for the small research centre, but Prof Loh’s hope is that CGS will not only be recognised for its successes but also rewarded with more resources to scale up its work in its next chapter. After all, the past 15 years have shown that the centre can punch well above its weight, even with limited staff and funding.

“We have reached a certain point where we just need that boost into the next curve, and an investment at this point would help us to ride on the goodwill from our work,” he said. “I think we have not realised our full potential yet.”

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Prof Dariusz Wójcik clinches prestigious Royal Geographical Society Murchison award for geographical excellence

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Professor Dariusz Wójcik from the Department of Geography at the NUS Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences has been conferred the prestigious Murchison Award by the Royal Geographical Society with the Institute of British Geographers (RGS-IBG) for geographical excellence.

The RGS-IBG noted that the award is in recognition of his body of publications, which has “forged a whole new branch of geographical science” and has established geography “as a key discipline for the study of money and finance”. They cited his recently published book The Atlas of Finance – the first-ever book-sized collection of maps and visuals dedicated to financial geography – as “a definitive contribution to our understanding of the geographical structure of the global financial system.” Past recipients of the award include the notable Dr Roger Tomlinson, a distinguished geographer and creator of the world’s first Geographic Information System.

Founded in 1830 and based in London, the RGS-IBG is a renowned institution dedicated to advancing geographical science through supporting and promoting geography and its practitioners through research, education and public engagement. With 16,000 members currently, the organisation is the largest and most active scholarly geographical society.

Prof Wójcik was presented the award by the Society’s President, Professor Dame Jane Francis, at a ceremony in London on 2 June. On receiving the award, he shared, “I feel honoured and humbled. I hope that this occasion serves as encouragement to others who study finance and space, within and beyond financial geography.”

A financial and economic geographer, Prof Wójcik’s research combines insights from geography, economics, political economy, sociology and anthropology. He has published 8 books and over 120 articles and book chapters in leading journals and edited volumes. Before coming to NUS, he served as a Professor of Economic Geography at the University of Oxford's School of Geography and the Environment until 2023. He is also the founder and inaugural chair of the Global Network on Financial Geography (FinGeo), a research network that fosters collaboration among scholars interested in the spatial aspects of finance, and the founding Editor-in-Chief of the Finance & Space journal.

Click here to learn more about Prof Wójcik in a RGS-IBG interview.

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Uncovering hidden stories behind cultural treasures though advanced technologies

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When we walk through a museum, we often marvel at the beauty, uniqueness, or exquisite craftsmanship of treasured artefacts, each with its own story to tell. But what if we could go deeper – beyond what the eye can see – to understand how these objects were made and the materials used?

This question brought together scientists, conservators, curators, and archaeologists from around the world to the “Inspiring Objects” session co-organised by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the Singapore Synchrotron Light Source (SSLS) at NUS. Held at the Peranakan Museum on 20 May 2025, the session showcased how advanced analytical techniques – mostly powered by particle accelerators – are changing the way we understand and preserve art, history, and heritage.

The “Inspiring Objects” session is part of a five-day workshop, jointly organised by IAEA and NUS, to provide a comprehensive overview of the latest experimental advancements and methodologies to optimise best practices in accelerator-based heritage science.

“We are here to show how our colleagues in nuclear science can contribute to the preservation of cultural and natural heritage. Today, we are not diving into scientific complexity—but instead offering a glimpse of how these technologies can help us understand the past and connect with it in new ways,” said Dr Aliz Simon, a nuclear physicist at the IAEA Division of Physical and Chemical Sciences.

Using advanced scientific techniques to preserve cultural treasures

Accelerator technology utilises electromagnetic fields to propel charged particles such as electrons or protons to high speeds and energies which can give analytical information on objects at extreme sensitivity. This advanced technology can be used to analyse layers behind an object’s surface at the nanometre level without cutting or destroying the object. Harnessing accelerator techniques pushes the boundaries of analysing aspects of artefact properties such as pigments, art techniques and materials that are invisible to the naked eye.

At the “Inspiring Objects” session, scientists from 13 countries presented case studies, each demonstrating how accelerator-based and other advanced analytical methods can uncover the fine details of how artefacts were made and the process of degradation to better guide conservation and preservation strategies.

Presenting her study on a Portrait of Tan Beng Wan (1851-1891), Dr Agnieszka Banas, Principal Research Fellow from NUS SSLS, explained how the use of optical-photothermal infrared (O-PTIR) spectroscopy, a recently developed technique that measures infrared absorption with high spatial resolution and sensitivity, offers a promising alternative for the analysis of heritage samples. Using O-PTIR, she uncovered the chemical changes behind the whitish haze seen on the bottom left side of the painting that was subtly altering the painting’s appearance with fine layers and tiny particles of degradation products that older techniques could not detect. This included a thin layer of gordaite measuring less than 2 micrometres, and crystalline zinc soaps, providing essential data that conservators can act on.

“With novel technology, we’re able to zoom in like never before—to see the exact compounds causing deterioration. That means we can give conservators the precise information they need to act. This work isn’t just about solving puzzles. We’re doing it for future generations,” said Dr Agnieszka.

Unpacking the details of another uniquely Singaporean artefact, a piece of Peranakan beadwork, was Dr Krzysztof Banas, Principal Research Fellow from NUS SSLS. Using synchrotron-based micro-X-ray Fluorescence Microscopy (microXFM), the researchers traced how the colourful glass beads of the piece deteriorated over time.

“We found that the fading colours in these beads are caused by the leaching of potassium ions, which alters the internal structure of the glass. That discovery isn’t just scientifically interesting—it gives conservators a roadmap for how to protect these objects by controlling temperature and humidity,” said Dr Krzysztof.

45,000 years of stories – told through science

Among the presentations at the “Inspiring Objects” session were studies that span centuries, continents, and cultures, all brought together with a common goal of preserving key components of cultural heritage.

The oldest artefact presented at the session was the largest rock art region in Indonesia found in the Maros-Pangkep Karst area in South Sulawesi. This area is home to more than 400 rock art cave sites with distinctive images including hand stencil art, with squatting figures dating as far back as 45,000 years ago, making it a significant archaeological site. Using a combination of advanced analytical methods, the researchers from Indonesia found that the pigment weathering of these rock art images is due to the formation of whewellite, a mineral which is associated with microbial activity, on the pigment surface.  

Drawing focus onto the musical arts, researchers from Italy uncovered the acoustic secrets of the 17th–Century Guarneri cello which belonged to Andrea Guarneri (1623-1698), the founder of a family of luthiers from Cremona, a city in Italy. Using synchrotron radiation (SR) phase-contrast microtomography, an imaging technique that uses X-rays to visualise the internal structure of materials, the researchers revealed the secret recipe behind the coating of the cello that could be responsible for the quality of these instruments.

Researchers from China also demonstrated how understanding the past can pave the way for future innovations. Using ptychographic X-ray computed tomography (PtyCT) combined with X-ray fluorescence computed tomography (XRF-CT), a method for 3D-imaging and elemental mapping at high resolution, the researchers found that the glaze on a Song Dynasty (960-1279 CE) ceramic from Jianyang kilns in the Fujian province, contains the crystals of a rare form of iron oxide. This form of iron oxide remains challenging to synthesise with modern techniques. However, studying these crystals could provide insight to its unique patterns, guiding modern synthesis for applications in Materials Science.

Science for the humanities

The session provided an eye-opening, cross-disciplinary journey through time and space, united by a single idea: that every object has a story, and sometimes the story can be retold with new facts and perspectives through the lens of science.

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Inaugural conference addresses challenges to advancing social mobility amid global shifts

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As geopolitical upheaval, technological disruption, and demographic shifts signal an impending economic slowdown for most of the world, social mobility is gaining recognition for its bearing on a society’s ability to tackle these challenges.

This characteristic of societies describes how closely the social status of individuals is linked to that of their parents, with social immobility resulting in barriers that prevent talented and hardworking people from realising their full potential. On the other hand, high social mobility ensures that people have access to opportunities and a fair chance to achieve their dreams, leading to greater stability and prosperity for society at large.

About 700 policymakers, researchers, and practitioners from across the people, public, and private sectors gathered on 29-30 April 2025 to exchange ideas and research findings for advancing social mobility at the inaugural International Conference on Societies of Opportunity. The conference was organised by Singapore’s Ministry of Social and Family Development and the Institute of Policy Studies (IPS).

Said Dr Justin Lee, Senior Research Fellow and Head of Policy Lab at IPS: “The topic of social mobility is timely as societies worldwide grapple with economic and technological shifts. The conference examines how government policies, corporate investments, and community action can contribute to a more equitable and inclusive society.”

Over the two days, attendees gleaned insights from two keynote speeches, three plenary sessions, and four breakout sessions on effective ways that governments, community organisations, corporates, academia, and individuals can help to remove obstacles to progress and uplift those in the lower strata of society.

Close links between social mobility and economic growth

In the conference’s opening address, then Deputy Prime Minister Mr Heng Swee Keat contrasted the post-World War period of strong economic growth and social mobility with the current era where opportunities and progress are being stymied by deglobalisation, technological disruption, and ageing populations. Countries that once relied on the free flow of people, ideas, and capital across borders for growth must now put more effort into maximising their existing resources, especially their human capital.

“As a small node in the global economy, Singapore cannot block the forces of global change. Instead, we must create opportunities for our people, by staying relevant and useful to the world,” said Mr Heng, who cited building partnerships with other countries, investing in research and education to keep pace with technological developments, and shoring up support for the lowest rungs of society as some of Singapore’s strategies for doing so.

The need for both macro- and micro-level interventions to achieve social mobility targets was explored in keynote speeches by Professor Danny Quah, Dean and Li Ka Shing Professor in Economics at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, and Professor Raj Chetty, William A. Ackman Professor of Public Economics and Director of Opportunity Insights at Harvard University.

Prof Quah illustrated the importance of macro-level interventions using the Growth-Mobility Curve, which emerged from comparisons of cross-country data showing that past economy-wide growth foreshadows high social mobility. “Economic growth provides the space and the opportunity for all members of society to advance, especially those at the bottom end of the income distribution,” he said.

Approaching the question from the other direction, Prof Chetty shared findings on the direct impact of childhood circumstances on economic opportunities and mobility, uncovered through analysing large-scale data sets.

For instance, one study of 20 million people born in the United States found that their upward economic mobility was strongly linked to the levels of inequality, stability of family structures, education, and social capital in the neighbourhoods where they grew up. Another study of children whose families moved from poorer to richer neighbourhoods, even just across the road, showed a clear pattern of higher earnings in adulthood, with greater gains realised by those who moved earlier in life.

“If you take a given child and change that child’s environment, that dramatically changes their life outcomes,” said Prof Chetty, noting that the findings have been replicated in other countries. “This is very encouraging for those interested in improving economic opportunity and social mobility, because it shows that this is a tractable problem.”

Perspectives from research and practice

Making welfare systems more universal and prioritising cross-class mixing to increase social capital were some of the recommendations put forward in the conference to make social mobility efforts more effective.

Professor Irene Ng of the Department of Social Work at the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences (FASS) highlighted the challenges that needy individuals face in navigating in Singapore’s welfare system, where an emphasis on self-reliance and keeping welfare spending low has resulted in a wide variety of programmes with various application processes and requirements to follow.

“A low-income person’s mind is constantly preoccupied with how to pay the bills, how to put food on the table, and that leaves little cognitive space for other important tasks in life,” she said. “This has implications on how multiple programmes can cognitively overload low-income individuals, so that it has the counteracting effect of impairing their function and ability to succeed at work and comply with programmes.”

Citing research that shows more universal or generous welfare systems to be more successful at promoting social mobility, Prof Ng recommended consolidating programmes, simplifying processes, and incorporating automatic stabilisers like inflation indexing to ensure that assistance keeps pace with economic conditions.

To help lower-income groups increase their social capital, several speakers suggested ways to promote mixing between people of different socioeconomic classes, which can expose children to more potential career options and pave the way to opportunities through job referrals or advice.

“For opportunities to translate into uptake, people need the guiding hand of social capital, someone who comes alongside to say, ‘This is the way to go about it, this is what to say, this is how to say it,’” said Associate Professor Vincent Chua of the Department of Sociology and Anthropology at FASS, whose research found that having a mentor like a trusted teacher increases the probability of a young person becoming a university graduate. He proposed matching effective teachers to less popular schools and prioritising mentor-mentee matching for students of lower socioeconomic status.

Along similar lines, social capital can be built through engaging parents and community members as volunteers in school activities like reading programmes, said Emeritus Professor Esther Ho, Senior Research Fellow at the Department of Educational Administration and Policy and Director of the Hong Kong Centre for International Student Assessment, both at the Chinese University of Hong Kong. She noted that such programmes have a significant impact on reading habits and enjoyment especially among lower-income students whose parents may have less time to read with them at home.

Representatives from the social service, corporate, and philanthropic sectors underscored the need to ensure that invested capital drives outcomes and catalyses innovation, rather than simply funding well-intentioned programmes that may not yield meaningful results. This requires focusing on outcome metrics like learning improvements instead of activity metrics like teacher training hours, as well as forming strategic partnerships to tap the right expertise and leverage innovative mechanisms like blended finance.

Said Ms Tan Li San, CEO of the National Council of Social Service, “As society becomes more complex and the global environment becomes more uncertain, it’s even more critical to tap on different stakeholders who bring valuable expertise and assets that can help us create much greater social impact in our society.”

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Assoc Prof Ryan Chisholm recognised with George Mercer Award

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Associate Professor Ryan Chisholm from the NUS Department of Biological Sciences (DBS) received the prestigious 2025 George Mercer Award for the paper “Unveiling the Transition from Niche to Dispersal Assembly in Ecology,” published in Nature on 7 June 2023. He received the award with lead author Dr Lynette Loke, an NUS DBS alumni.

The George Mercer Award was established in 1948 and is awarded annually for an outstanding ecological research paper published within the past two years by a younger researcher, with the lead author of the paper being 40 years of age or younger at the time of publication.

The researchers’ paper was recognised for advancing the understanding of the effects of immigration on species coexistence in intertidal communities. The authors planned a field experiment with a novel design for manipulating immigration rates. Dr Loke executed the experiment on seawalls in Sentosa, Singapore. The authors then combined these results with models to test a classic hypothesis about community assembly versus a novel hypothesis recently developed in Assoc Prof Chisholm's lab.

Consistent with the novel hypothesis, the authors showed that the number of niches in a habitat sets a low floor rather than a high ceiling on the number of coexisting species — and that there appears to be no ceiling at all if new species arrive rapidly enough. The results support the view that most species coexist transiently, not stably, and that coexistence is maintained by ongoing immigration.

The integration of field experiments with clear hypotheses and mathematical modelling provides novel insights that advance the understanding of the forces structuring ecological communities. The researchers also combined theory and empirical evidence in a creative and exceptionally well-written way.

See more

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Framework for analysing large-scale metabolomic data

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Statisticians from the National University of Singapore (NUS) have developed a pioneering approach for analysing population-scale metabolomic data, marking a major advancement in the precision and depth of metabolic profiling. This new method promises to improve both personalised healthcare and preventive medicine by improving the accuracy and interpretability of metabolic analyses.

The pioneering framework, developed by a team of researchers led by Associate Professor Yao Zhigang from the Department of Statistics and Data Science at the NUS Faculty of Science, employs advanced mathematical techniques to fit low-dimensional manifolds into the high-dimensional space of Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR)-based metabolic biomarkers. This effectively reduces noise and reveals meaningful patterns associated with metabolic change. It can be used to better stratify individuals based on their metabolic profile and associated risk of disease. The research was carried out in collaboration with Professor Yau Shing-Tung of Tsinghua University.

Their findings were published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America on 28 May 2025.

Exploiting manifold fitting techniques to decipher metabolic heterogeneity

Metabolomic profiling, particularly through NMR-based biomarkers, offers rich insights into human metabolism. However, the complexity and dimensionality of such data have long challenged conventional analytical techniques. Traditional methods often struggle to uncover the subtle and structured biological variations underpinning disease risks.

The new framework represents a significant advancement in overcoming these limitations. It begins by clustering 251 metabolic biomarkers—measured from over 210,000 participants in the UK Biobank—into seven biologically meaningful categories, reflecting the modular organisation of human metabolism. Manifold fitting is then applied to each category to reveal smooth, low-dimensional structures that capture the essential variations in metabolic states.

At the core of this framework is the manifold fitting module, which models how individuals are distributed in a low-dimensional space based on their metabolic profiles. This geometric representation not only reduces noise but also enhances interpretability by uncovering coherent metabolic patterns that correlate with health and disease outcomes.

The key innovation lies in the method’s ability to stratify the population. In three of the seven categories, the fitted manifolds clearly divide individuals into two major subgroups, each associated with distinct risks for conditions such as metabolic disorders, cardiovascular disease, and autoimmune conditions.

During a plenary lecture at the 2025 International Congress of Chinese Mathematicians (ICCM), Assoc Prof Yao explained, "The new approach allows us to identify meaningful metabolic subgroups by fitting low-dimensional manifolds to high-dimensional biomarker data. This will significantly improve our ability to relate metabolic states to susceptibility to disease."

Compared to traditional analyses, this manifold-based framework demonstrates superior performance in preserving biological signals, identifying disease-relevant subgroups, and aligning with demographic, clinical, and lifestyle factors. These strengths position it as a powerful tool for metabolic research and precision health applications.

Future directions: Advancing genetic and longitudinal insight into metabolic health

Building on the success of this framework, the research team is now exploring several promising directions to deepen their understanding of metabolic heterogeneity and its clinical implications.

One key avenue involves integrating genetic data with the identified metabolic subgroups. By conducting genome-wide association studies within each manifold-defined subgroup, the researchers aim to uncover genetic variants linked to specific metabolic patterns. This could provide critical insights into the hereditary basis of metabolic diversity and help elucidate the genetic architecture underlying complex metabolic traits and their associated disease risks.

Another focus is the longitudinal analysis of metabolic manifolds to assess their stability over time and evaluate their potential as predictive biomarkers. By analysing time-series metabolomic data, the team seeks to trace how individuals transition between metabolic states over time and determine whether these shifts are associated with disease onset or progression. Such findings could pave the way for early detection systems and more precisely timed preventive interventions.

“Our framework not only captures the current structure of metabolic variation but also lays the foundation for investigating its genetic origins and temporal dynamics. These future directions could significantly enhance personalised healthcare by enabling earlier and more targeted responses to metabolic risk,” added Assoc Prof Yao.

This ongoing research continues to expand the frontiers of metabolic profiling, providing a robust and adaptable platform for population health studies and precision medicine.

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At NUS College, Wednesdays are for community

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Under the NUSOne initiative, the freedom to spend Wednesday afternoons pursuing out-of-classroom activities has given NUS students more opportunities to develop a richer, more holistic student life. Students have spent the time learning about sustainability and serving the community, equipping them with skills ranging from entrepreneurship to cookery and crafts, while building bridges with other segments of society.

At NUS College (NUSC), this allocated time has been turned into a community-building opportunity for faculty, staff, and students, some of whom live off-campus, with the rest spread across two residential colleges.

Inspired by weekly family meals that help families remain close even as children grow up and start to lead independent lives, Associate Professor Eleanor Wong, NUSC Vice Dean (Residential Programmes & Enrichment), proposed making Wednesday afternoons and evenings the default timing for all NUSC events.

“We want to create a regular time when members of the NUSC community – students, staff and faculty, past and present – know that if they ‘come home’ to NUSC during this time, there will always be some other members of our family there, there will always be some activity going on, and there will always be the chance to catch up with each other,” said Prof El, as she is fondly known on campus.

Thus was born “Wednesdays at NUSC”, an initiative that consolidates both student- and staff-led events into a consistent schedule of opportunities for the community to gather. The first run took place in Semester 2 of AY2024/2025 and the initiative is set to continue in the new academic year.

The NUS College Club, a constituent club of the NUS Students’ Union that represents the NUSC student community, leads the planning together with NUSC staff advisors by creating a list of event themes at the start of the semester and sending out a call for proposals. The college’s Student Life Team further supports them by facilitating collaboration among the committees and assisting with logistics and funding to make the ideas happen.

Every Wednesday of the past semester (except for Reading Week and Exam Week), the students have gathered for activities like watching movies, engaging in arts and crafts, and enjoying performances by NUSC interest groups. Casual gatherings were interspersed with structured events such as town hall meetings, start- and end-of-semester dinners, and a Valentine’s Day carnival with nostalgic activities and treats such as a bouncy castle and old-school ice cream.

The results have been “very encouraging,” said Prof El, who observed that the events attract consistent attendance from students and even some alumni. There is no pressure to attend every event, but with a wide variety to choose from, the hope is that most members of the NUSC community will attend at least a few in each semester and Wednesdays at NUSC will become a tradition that draws them back “home” whenever they can spare the time.

Combined efforts yield bigger, better events

Students have reacted positively to the initiative, with some noting that the fixed schedule aligned with their common free time makes it more convenient to attend the events. Those involved in organising the events also appreciate the additional support to make their efforts more impactful, since the initiative provides some funding and encourages collaboration between student interest groups.

“Previously, there were a lot of smaller-scale events planned by specific groups and the reach of each one was smaller. But when two committees collaborate, we can publicise the event via two channels and have greater reach,” shared Larissa Yong, a second-year Data Science and Analytics student with a second major in Quantitative Finance who served as vice president of community life in the NUS College Club for AY2024/2025.

“A lot of us also try to make it every Wednesday, since we know beforehand that there will be something to attend.”

The NUS College Club is now brainstorming ideas for the next semester, with possible activities including a primary school-style sports day featuring three-legged races and hula hoop games, as well as an arts-themed night to showcase student performances.

Ymir Meddeb, a third-year Computer Engineering major and director of NUSC’s Student Affairs Committee, said the Wednesdays at NUSC initiative helped his committee make this year’s combined NUSC Cultural Night and Chinese New Year Celebrations the largest edition of their diversity-themed events so far. Students and alumni set up about 10 booths with activities and food showcasing different cultures, traditions and religions, and the event attracted a turnout of about 120 students.

“It was stressful and took quite a bit of coordination with other committees, but when people started flooding in at the event, I felt like ‘Wow, I did that!’” he said.

With more opportunities to interact across cohorts, bond over shared interests, and try out new experiences like performing in front of an audience, first-year students like Psychology major Syed Ariq Miiad can integrate more quickly into the college, fostering a stronger sense of community and well-being among the students.

Miiad participated in several events where the Livecore (music and band) interest group was involved, quickly made friends with students who shared his interest, and ended up joining the group’s organising committee within his first year.

Said Summer Fong, a Year 2 Mechanical Engineering major: “Having these regular events makes the dorm experience much livelier, which is really important to help people feel like NUSC is their home, rather than their bedroom.”

Having an event to look forward to every Wednesday is also good for mental health, Miiad noted. “It offers something to do in the mid-week when you need to relax and take a break from academic work, and this is a way that people can use the time to chill and engage in community bonding.”

He added: “I feel that these events are important for well-being. Most people will probably choose to attend them rather than being alone in their rooms.”

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Law with a heart: Celebrating the NUS Pro Bono Group’s legacy

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Some legacies aren’t written in legislation or court records, but in lives changed and minds inspired. The story of the NUS Pro Bono Group (NUS PBG) is one with such a legacy – sparked by student passion and shaped by professors who believed that the law should serve the public good.

Law students have been doing pro bono work since 1959, when students at the then-University of Malaya assisted the Legal Aid Bureau. In the 1990s, a handful of passionate NUS Law students became involved in pro bono work when they volunteered at prison facilities and children’s homes.

As student interest grew, so did the need for a formal platform – one that could sustain these efforts and weave pro bono work into the fabric of legal education at NUS Law. In 2005, under Professor Tan Cheng Han, SC’s then-deanship, that vision came to life with the launch of the student-initiated NUS PBG – Singapore’s first student-run pro bono group. This was a bold step at a time when pro bono work was not yet a part of mainstream legal education.

NUS PBG has just celebrated 20 years of student pro bono efforts, and two decades on, pro bono work and community work has become a cornerstone of the NUS Law undergraduate experience. The Faculty has a number of student-led pro bono groups who receive support from NUS Law professors and the NUS Law Centre for Pro Bono and Clinical Legal Education. Today, NUS PBG remains the largest student-run pro bono initiative in the country with over 240 students championing access to justice every year, working with migrant workers, at-risk youth, and many other underserved communities across 10 projects, including FIDReC, Syariah Law Friends and the Legal Education & Awareness Programme (LEAP). Pro bono work has also become mandatory for students in all three law schools in Singapore.

To mark the 20 year Anniversary of PBG’s founding, Prof Tan reflects on the challenges and evolution of student pro bono work, and how NUS PBG has made a lasting impact on legal education at NUS Law and in Singapore.

1. How did the idea of a Pro Bono Group at NUS Law first come about?

This was a student-led idea. It began when Joseph Wong, then a final-year law student, approached me with the idea of starting a student pro bono initiative within NUS Law. I had little hesitation agreeing as exposing students to pro bono cases has many advantages. These include defining the type of lawyer we want our students to be and giving them the exposure to practical problems that lawyers have to face in practice. It also showcases how meaningful the law can be, which we hope will instil pride in our students for the profession they will become a part of.

The initial idea was that this would be led by the school’s management. Instead, I challenged the student to make it a student-led initiative, with supervision from one of our Faculty, Associate Professor Helena Whalen-Bridge. My experience with NUS Law students is that they are creative, enterprising and idealistic. I had great confidence that if they embraced this approach, the activity would be a success, and that taking ownership of such an initiative was also an opportunity for them to learn and grow as individuals. They did not disappoint me. Assoc Prof Whalen-Bridge has reported that students embody the developments I envisioned, and that allowing students to identify legal need in the community has had a lasting impact.

2. What were some of the challenges the students faced when doing pro bono work then and what kind of impact has NUS PBG made on Singapore’s legal landscape?

Pro bono work was in its infancy up till the turn of the century, especially compared to where it is today. While there were groups of lawyers who engaged in pro bono work, it was not something that was emphasised  ̶   the Criminal Legal Aid Scheme initiated by the Law Society of Singapore being a notable exception.

NUS Law was the only law school in Singapore when NUS PBG was established. Student involvement in pro bono work had been somewhat minimal before NUS PBG, with activities largely stemming from personal connections with particular lawyers who did some pro bono work. Under the Legal Profession Act, only qualified lawyers can give legal advice, so when NUS PBG was established, it was crucial for the students to establish partnerships with lawyers and appropriate organisations to work collaboratively with.

I facilitated some of the initial connections and recall that one of the first collaborations NUS PBG established was with the Association of Women for Action and Research (AWARE). The students worked as research assistants with AWARE to prepare a paper for the Singapore Parliament on possible legislation to criminalise child sex tourism. This eventually led to the enactment of Section 376C of the Penal Code that made it a crime for a citizen or permanent resident of Singapore to have commercial sex with a minor outside Singapore. This initial project gave the students confidence that they could make a difference and led to many other collaborations, such as with the then-Pro Bono Services Office of the Law Society (now PBSG), the State Courts, and the Legal Aid Bureau.

NUS Law was also fortunate that Assoc Prof Helena Whalen-Bridge agreed to be the Faculty Advisor to the students. Her wise guidance and dedication over the past 20 years have been crucial to NUS PBG’s success.

3. How has the legal profession’s pro bono landscape evolved over the years?

Prior to becoming Dean of NUS Law in 2001, a senior judge whom I liked and respected cautioned that pro bono initiatives could be seen as pushing against established norms or ‘activism’, even if they were just ensuring access to justice.

That said, this perception has shifted over time. Today, pro bono work is widely recognised and even institutionalised, with practising lawyers being encouraged to take up more of such cases to help those in need and even government support for community legal clinics.

Over time, the NUS PBG also gained recognition as a vital part of the legal education at NUS, one that fosters a culture of community service and civic responsibility among law students. The benefits of pro bono work on the development of law students are so well-established today that it has been made compulsory for all law students in Singapore to complete at least 20 hours of pro bono work! I have no doubt that it was the success of NUS PBG that led to this outcome and contributed to the change of mindset.

4. Tell us more about the increasing importance of student-led initiatives in bridging the access-to-justice gap and empowering the next generation of lawyers to take on social responsibility.

Most societies are likely to have some access-to-justice gaps and Singapore is no exception. Engaging in pro bono work while in university sensitises students to the plight of those who cannot easily afford legal advice. It also makes them more aware of the opportunities in this space and the positive difference they can make as future members of the profession. All these set the foundation for members of the legal profession to continue to contribute meaningfully to the social fabric of Singapore. I am confident that NUS PBG and the legacy it has built will continue to influence future generations of law students to be engaged in helping the less able have better access to justice.

Please click here to learn more about NUS PGB’s projects and the communities they serve.

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Incoming Professor Rickie Patani elected Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences

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Professor Rickie Patani, who will soon join the NUS Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine in August 2025, has been elected as a Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences. This prestigious recognition celebrates excellence in the field and is a testament to Prof Patani’s leadership and impact on medicine and society.

A distinguished physician and scientist, Prof Patani has over a decade of research experience in neurodegeneration, particularly in human induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) models. His work has significantly advanced understanding of ribonucleic acid (RNA) metabolism and cellular autonomy in the context of neurodegenerative diseases.

Prof Patani has received multiple prestigious awards for his research, including the Lister Research Prize, the Brain Sciences Young Investigator Award, International 3Rs Prize, Paulo Gontijo Prize in Medicine, Graham Bull Prize, and Goulstonian Lectureship from the Royal College of Physicians.

At NUS, Prof Patani will be Professor of Neuroscience in the Departments of Medicine and Anatomy. He will also take on the role of Director of the Neurobiology Programme at the Life Sciences Institute.

In addition to his research and clinical roles, Prof Patani contributes to the scientific community through service on several influential panels, including the MRC Neuroscience and Mental Health Board, MRC Training and Careers Strategy Board, and the MND Association Funding Panel.

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Assoc Prof Taberez Ahmed Neyazi awarded prestigious fellowship at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton

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Associate Professor Taberez Ahmed Neyazi from the Department of Communications and New Media at the NUS Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences has been named a Member of the Institute for Advanced Study (IAS), Princeton for the Academic Year 2025-2026.

Founded in 1930, the IAS is one of the world’s leading centres for theoretical research and intellectual exploration. Renowned for providing an environment of deep intellectual engagement and academic freedom, its membership is awarded to individuals whose research is expected to produce significant and original contributions.

Members of the IAS span the academic spectrum, from early-career researchers of exceptional promise to distinguished senior scholars, and come to the Institute for residencies ranging from one term to several years. Past Members include luminaries such as Albert Einstein, theoretical physicist or ‘father of the atomic bomb’ J. Robert Oppenheimer, and renowned anthropologist Clifford Geertz.

This prestigious appointment places Assoc Prof Neyazi among a select group of approximately 200 scholars chosen annually from a competitive pool of applicants worldwide. He will begin his fellowship in IAS’ School of Social Science from September this year.

Assoc Prof Neyazi said, “I’m honoured to be selected as a Member of the Institute for Advanced Study. The IAS has long been a place where scholars are given the time and space to think deeply and engage critically with big ideas. I look forward to joining this extraordinary intellectual community and to advancing my research in such a uniquely stimulating environment.”

While in residence, he will be working on his book that focuses on the politics of internet shutdowns. As part of this project, he will be researching the evolving relationship between technology, governance, and power, with a particular focus on how digital infrastructure and emerging technologies like artificial intelligence shape political and social dynamics across different political regimes.

More broadly, Assoc Prof Neyazi’s research focuses on the relationship between media use and political behaviour, analysing campaign strategies, internet control, and misinformation. He pays particular attention to developments in the Asia-Pacific region, especially in India, Indonesia, and Malaysia, examining how the evolving information environment shapes online behaviours and influences the future of democratic politics.

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How NUS start-ups are driving sustainable change through green innovation

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Greening the Future logo

 

In this series, NUS News explores how NUS is accelerating sustainability research and education in response to climate change challenges, and harnessing the knowledge and creativity of our people to pave the way to a greener future for all.

In the fight against climate change, a new generation of NUS student entrepreneurs is storming the sustainability frontier.

From reducing energy waste to reinventing urban agriculture, these eco-warriors have been tackling environmental challenges through viable business models. With support from programmes such as the NUS Overseas Colleges (NOC), BLOCK71 at THE HANGAR, BLOCK71 Social Impact Hub (SIH), and various initiatives by NUS Enterprise, they have shown how the University serves as a fertile ground for sustainability innovation, proving that environmental responsibility and entrepreneurial success can go hand in hand.

Here’s how three promising NUS-supported start-ups are making a green mark.

EcoVolt

“Vampire energy” might sound like something out of a horror movie, but it’s a real environmental menace that silently drains power and resources. This phenomenon — where devices continue to “suck” energy even when not in use — accounts for over 16 per cent of power consumption in homes and offices.

Enter EcoVolt, a start-up determined to drive a stake through the problem. Founded by four NUS students who met through the Sustainable Development Goals Open Hack @ NUS 2024, it has developed a two-pronged solution to monitor and eliminate such energy wastage.

“We empower organisations to monitor, manage and eliminate plug load wastage,” said the team, which comprises Year 5 Computer Science undergraduate Eugene Chia, Year 4  Business undergraduate Raphael Chew, Year 4 Information Systems undergraduate Glenn Quah and Year 4 Electrical Engineering undergraduate Ho Wei Hao. All four are participants of the NOC programme, through which they undertook internships at overseas tech start-ups.

By employing custom-designed adapters, socket plates, and extension cords, EcoVolt collects and transmits data to its proprietary software platform, enabling users to monitor and manage plug loads across multiple locations — from individual desks to entire building networks. This allows users to easily track and target idle plug loads, or electricity consumed by devices that remain plugged in but are not actively used.

Incubated under BLOCK71 SIH since April 2025, EcoVolt hopes its technology will be widely adopted. “This is really an ‘every little bit counts’ initiative,” said the founders. “This is our only planet, so we need to find ways to stay on it.”

Cityscape Farms

As urbanisation increases, so does the distance between people and their food sources. Cityscape Farms is addressing this disconnect with plug-and-play hydroponic systems designed specifically for Singapore’s urban environment.

“Our mission is to bring sustainable farming to Singaporeans by integrating nature into homes, schools, and offices,” said the team founded by College of Design and Engineering alumni Davian Chan Sze Peng and Manzel Joseph Seet, School of Computing and Faculty of Science alumnus Ho Hol Yin, and Year 3 undergraduate from the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences Chew Chi Ying.

The start-up tackles two major sustainability challenges: urban food insecurity and inefficient use of space and resources in traditional farming methods. Their modular hydroponic systems, which are complemented by smart irrigation solutions, aim to reduce the reliance on traditional farming methods while promoting local food production with minimal waste.

After initially creating systems that were overly complex and costly, the team pivoted to a simplified design with a gamified app, making urban farming accessible to anyone, regardless of whether they have green fingers or experience in sustainable farming. The start-up aims to promote local food production, creating a win-win solution by reducing reliance on overseas imports and lowering the carbon footprint associated with them.

Currently incubated at the NUS Agritech Centre, the recipient of the NUS Enterprise Venture Initiation Programme ­— Impact Track is finalising its commercial products for corporate clients while expanding its outreach to schools, offices and even the broader Southeast Asian market.

PlasticTinkers

Over 900 million kg of plastic waste is generated annually in Singapore alone. Only a small fraction of this is recycled, while most end up in landfills or incinerators and contribute to pollution and carbon emissions.

PlasticTinkers tackles the growing plastic waste problem by giving discarded plastics a second life. The start-up collects and processes used plastic bottles, transforming them into filaments for 3D printing.

Co-founded by Edwin Lam, a Master of Architecture Year 5 student, the start-up consolidates the entire recycling process under one roof – from gathering waste plastic, converting it to usable filament, to producing functional products using 3D printing.

“We want to significantly increase the plastic recycling rate by empowering individuals and revolutionising the sustainability culture in Singapore,” said Edwin, whose start-up was awarded a project grant from the NUS x Hult Prize 2025 and is currently incubated under BLOCK71 at THE HANGAR.

In addition to promoting environmental awareness through hands-on workshops and community collaborations, the start-up collaborated with Yeo’s and other partners earlier this year to create Singapore’s largest 3D-printed fortune cat, measuring 1.2 m by 0.8 m. The project earned a spot in the Singapore Book of Records as the largest 3D-printed model made from recycled plastic bottles.

Moving forward, the team aims to develop a compact recycling machine deployable in collaborative workspaces and educational institutions across Singapore to enable and empower communities to produce their own 3D printing filaments from plastic waste.

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Beyond the grades: What success means to a new generation

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Traditionally, success in meritocratic Singapore has been closely tied to academic achievement, career advancement and wealth accumulation – think elite schools, top university degrees and high-paying jobs in coveted professional industries like finance and law. But is this definition too narrow? And should it be broadened to include other considerations to foster greater individual well-being and societal resilience?

These questions, which many young Singaporeans have been grappling with more openly in recent years, were central to discussions at the recent Insights Singapore Forum (ISF) themed “Redefining Success: Navigating One’s Youth”.

Organised by the NUS Political Science Society (PSSOC), this year’s Forum gathered prominent speakers including Ms Sun Xueling, Senior Minister of State for National Development and Transport, Associate Professor Razwana Begum from the Singapore University of Social Sciences and Nominated Member of Parliament, and Dr Mathew Mathews, Principal Research Fellow and Head of the IPS Social Lab at the Institute of Policy Studies (IPS), for a dialogue with secondary- and tertiary-level students.

Speakers at the Forum weighed in on the themes of meritocracy, the reality of inherited privilege, and how peer pressure and social media can influence conventional ideas of success. While they emphasised the pivotal role of society and employers in recognising and valuing individuals who pursue less traditional career paths, they also stressed the need for individuals to align their purpose with market realities and evolving technologies, particularly with the advent of the Fourth Industrial Revolution that is fuelled by advances in artificial intelligence.

The discussion also touched on the topic of elitism and whether such attitudes can be fully overcome. A key point of consideration for participants was whether the issue could also stem from an unintended and unfortunate consequence of meritocracy. Speakers pointed out that the belief in success as solely being the result of hard work can lead individuals to assume that those who have not done as well simply did not try hard enough.

Participants also discussed how meritocracy, while intended to reward individual effort and ability, can unintentionally entrench intergenerational privilege. This is because those who have benefitted from the system are better positioned to support their children not only in education, but also in access to resources, networks, and opportunities. While government interventions can address these imbalances, there was a call among speakers and participants for a broader societal shift – one that moves the focus beyond individual success toward a more inclusive and multi-dimensional understanding of success within society.

Another point raised during the discussion was whether having a narrow definition of success, based solely on academic and career achievement, could lead to negative outcomes such as narcissism, mental health issues, and a distorted sense of what success truly means. Instead of narrowly pursuing rigid definitions, a better definition of success could involve recognising each individual’s attributes and aspirations and celebrating achievements at different milestones,  the speakers suggested.

Ultimately, more open conversations amongst policymakers, educators, parents and young people themselves would also be imperative to communicate and catalyse such a paradigm shift.

The dialogue was moderated by Mr Ng Chia Wee from the Department of Political Science at the NUS Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences (FASS). Noting that the idea of success is “never an easy topic to grapple with in our society”, Mr Ng said he appreciated the speakers’ candour at tackling the topic and expressed hope that participants will build on these insightful takeaways and “continue the conversation in their own ways”.

One participant, Hwa Chong Institution’s Ms Soh Jia Min, shared that it was interesting to hear different perspectives about how success in today’s society no longer follows just a few conventional paths, and how there are structural efforts being made to support more diverse definitions of success.

Ms Irdina Duran, President of PSSOC and a Year 2 FASS student said: “We hope that attendees would have gained a clearer understanding of what success truly means: the steps we, as a society, need to take to get there, and the importance of embracing this mindset shift. We also hope that students managed to make meaningful connections with one another, and we truly appreciate their support and enthusiastic participation.”

Formerly known as Ninety Percent, the ISF is an annual dialogue aimed at fostering vibrant academic discussions on Singapore’s past, present and future to enhance political awareness among today’s youth. Previous iterations of the Forum have witnessed the discussion of a host of engaging and topical issues, both local and international, such as the role of the People’s Action Party in Singapore or political liberalisation in China. Past panellists have included prominent academics, members of parliament as well as representatives from civil society and non-governmental organisations.

 

By NUS Political Science Society at the NUS Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences

 

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Boosting cancer treatment: NUS researchers develop efficient ‘food delivery service’ for transporting cancer-fighting genes

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Researchers at the National University of Singapore (NUS) have developed a scalable, non-viral technology that efficiently delivers genetic material into human immune cells. The platform, called Nanostraw Electro-actuated Transfection (NExT), uses tiny hollow nanostructures and electrical pulses to insert a wide variety of biomolecules — proteins, mRNA and gene-editing tools — into immune cells with high efficiency and minimal disruption.

The team, led by Assistant Professor Andy Tay from the Department of Biomedical Engineering in the College of Design and Engineering as well as the Institute for Health Innovation and Technology at NUS, demonstrated that NExT can transfect – that is, deliver genetic material into – over 14 million immune cells in a single run, including difficult-to-engineer cell types such as gamma-delta T cells, T regulatory cells, dendritic cells, macrophages, natural killer cells and neutrophils which are being developed as alternative immune cell therapies.

NExT makes gene delivery quicker and less damaging, which in turn helps lower manufacturing costs and improve the consistency of engineered cell products, including those used in chimeric antigen receptor-T (CAR-T) cell therapies for cancer. This could potentially widen patient access to advanced treatments that are currently limited by high costs and production challenges.

The team’s findings were published in the journal Biomaterials on 5 January 2025. Researchers from the NUS Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine also contributed to the research breakthrough.

Next-generation gene delivery

Cancer remains one of the leading causes of death globally, responsible for nearly 10 million lives each year. Among the most promising treatment strategies to emerge in recent times is CAR-T cell therapy, which involves reprogramming a patient’s immune cells to recognise, target and kill cancer cells. This personalised approach has demonstrated success in treating blood cancers, especially in those who have exhausted conventional options. However, it remains expensive and logistically complex.

On 1 August 2024, the Singapore Ministry of Health began to provide subsidies for cell, tissue and gene therapy products (CTGTPs) that are assessed to be clinically and cost effective. The first CTGTP eligible for subsidy is a treatment known as tisagenlecleucel, a type of CAR-T cell therapy for treating blood cancers.

“In Singapore, a single CAR-T cell infusion can cost about S$670,000. Although subsidies are available, they typically cover only a fraction of the cost. This may limit access to the therapy for a significant number of patients, even as demand grows,” said Asst Prof Tay.

One of the main hurdles in CAR-T manufacturing lies in the delivery of genetic material into immune cells. Current industry-standard methods include viral vectors and bulk electroporation. On the one hand, while viral approaches are effective, they raise concerns around safety, immunogenicity and random gene integration. On the other, bulk electroporation, which relies on high-voltage electric pulses, can stress and damage cells, thus reducing their therapeutic quality.

The NUS team’s NExT platform overcomes these limitations. It works by interfacing cells with a dense forest of nanostraws — microscopic hollow tubes less than a thousandth the width of a human hair. When a mild electrical signal is applied, the nanostraws open temporary pores in the cell membrane, allowing biomolecules such as mRNA or CRISPR/Cas9 complexes to enter the cell cytoplasm directly.

“Our NExT platform can handle a wide range of immune cell types. This is particularly timely as the field of cell therapy expands beyond traditional CAR-T approaches to include other cell types,” said Mr Arun Kumar, the paper’s first author and a PhD student at NUS supervised by Asst Prof Tay.

“Think of gene delivery like selecting a food delivery service. Ideally you want one that’s fast, reliable, keeps the food fresh and doesn’t cost a fortune. That’s what gene delivery should be like — efficient, cost-effective, doesn’t stress the cells too much, and adaptable to many different ‘orders’, or biomolecules,” added Mr Kumar.

In preclinical experiments, the NExT platform achieved transfection efficiencies of up to 94% for proteins and over 80% for mRNA in primary T cells, while maintaining key biological functions such as proliferation, migration and cytokine production.

“We were very encouraged to see that even after transfection, the immune cells retained their essential tumour-fighting characteristics. This suggests that the platform delivers both the efficiency as well as the cell quality needed for effective therapy,” said Asst Prof Tay.

More accessible and adaptable cancer treatments

The NExT platform can engineer alternative immune cells that are less likely to trigger severe immune reactions, and in some cases can function without matching the patient’s immune profile, making them suitable for “off-the-shelf” allogeneic therapies.

In addition, the high-throughput nature of the platform is designed to address the scale and cost bottlenecks of cell therapy production. The NUS researchers’ multi-well version of the platform can transfect over 14 million cells in a single run, enabling the simultaneous delivery of different genetic cargoes into multiple immune cell types from various donors to reduce production time.

Working towards clinical translation, the team’s next step is to validate the technology in preclinical studies before advancing to human trials. They are also working with industry partners to explore how the system can be integrated into existing cell therapy manufacturing workflows and are actively seeking opportunities to test the platform in real-world commercial settings.

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NUS statement on handling of books from Yale-NUS College Library

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Statement by Associate Professor Natalie Pang, University Librarian, National University of Singapore

In maintaining our library collection, excess books are routinely rehomed in other libraries or given away to faculty members and, at times, students. Books which are not taken up are then sent for recycling, in line with common library practices.

In our current exercise of relocating the books from the Yale-NUS College Library, the majority of the books has been rehomed within NUS Libraries.

In this instance, excess books were offered only to faculty members, and not students.

We understand later that many students are interested in having these books and we would have usually acceded to their requests. We did not do so on this occasion and we apologise for the operational lapse.

In view of the strong interest from students, we are now organising a giveaway on campus so that the excess books can find a new home.

Going forward, we are reviewing our process and will take proactive steps to distribute excess books to the NUS community and the wider public so that they can benefit as many people as possible.

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NUS IT wins Digital Achievers (Team) Award at Tech Leader Awards 2025 for groundbreaking AI-Know project

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NUS Information Technology (NUS IT) has been recognised with the Digital Achievers (Team) award at the Singapore Computer Society’s Tech Leader Awards 2025, in recognition of their trailblazing work on AI-Know—a transformative platform poised to redefine how the NUS community engages with artificial intelligence.

Developed in-house by the Enterprise Services Team at NUS IT in collaboration with departments across the University, AI-Know is a university-wide initiative aimed at empowering, enabling, and educating the NUS community on Generative AI (GenAI). Designed as a one-stop super-app for AI-driven tools and training, AI-Know has already impacted nearly 1,000 staff members across more than 120 departments, driving unprecedented levels of digital transformation and innovation.

At the heart of AI-Know is a centralised suite of AI productivity tools, namely, AI-Chat, AI-Draw, AI-Minute, and AI-Guide These tools are revolutionising traditional workflows by automating manual tasks, enhancing decision-making, and boosting efficiency across administrative and academic domains. For instance, the AI-Minute tool alone has saved an estimated 9,480 man-hours annually by automating the generation of meeting minutes.

“AI-Know isn’t just a project—it’s a movement,” said Mr Irving Neil Kwok, Head of Enterprise Services, NUS IT. “It exemplifies how a university can lead digital transformation from within. This award reflects our team’s commitment to making AI accessible, impactful, and sustainable for everyone at NUS. We’re proud that AI-Know has empowered our staff to build and use AI solutions tailored to their needs—and we’re just getting started.”

One of AI-Know’s standout features is its emphasis on citizen development, enabling staff to independently create AI solutions via the AI-Create platform. This bottom-up innovation has led to successful deployments such as the automation of hostel appeals processing by the Office of Student Affairs which helps reduce processing time and human errors; and the aptitude-based admissions process for the Office of Admissions speeding up decision-making while ensuring no promising candidate is overlooked.

Beyond its operational impact, AI-Know also prioritises AI literacy through tiered Digital Enablement training sessions, offering foundational to advanced skills in using GenAI for work. To date, over 1,000 NUS staff have undergone AI training sessions, fostering a future-ready culture of innovation across campus.

AI-Know’s scalability and agility are also key to its success. The platform supports rapid prototyping, iterative enhancements based on user feedback, and seamless integration of the latest AI models from OpenAI, Google and Anthropic. This ensures that the NUS community always has access to cutting-edge capabilities.

Looking ahead, the team is working to extend the reach of AI-Know to the 50,000-strong student community. One initiative on the horizon is a new AI-powered career guidance chatbot, co-developed with the Centre for Future Graduates, to deliver personalised support and boost career readiness.

With its comprehensive, collaborative, and future-facing approach, AI-Know is not only setting the gold standard for AI integration within higher education but also serving as a blueprint for digital transformation in institutions worldwide.

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Uncovering hidden stories of the pre-war Japanese community in Singapore

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Singapore is home to cultural neighbourhoods such as Little India, Chinatown, Kampong Glam and the area around Tanjong Pagar that has become affectionately known as ‘Koreatown’. But did you know that there was once a ‘Little Japan’ too?

‘Little Japan’ was an area around Middle Road – part of what we know as Bugis today – that comprised businesses, schools and places of worship for a Japanese community that settled in Singapore in the 1800s and 1900s. A community of thousands, they were far from little. Their presence in pre-war Singapore was significant in shaping Singapore’s identity as a cosmopolitan port city in the colonial period.

Dr Clay Eaton, historian and lecturer in the NUS Department of Japanese Studies and Associate at the NUS Asia Research Institute’s (ARI’s) Inter-Asia Engagement cluster, said, “The Japanese wartime occupation of Singapore is well-known to many of us, but Japan and Singapore’s relationship predates World War II. The unique role that the Japanese played here, as representatives of a major imperial power as well as a part of the broader Asian community, can help us better appreciate Singapore’s rich cultural past. Very little work has been done on this community, especially in English, but they can tell us quite a bit about the social complexity of this period.”

In an attempt to reconstruct the pre-war Japanese community in Singapore’s “Little Japan” around Middle Road, Dr Eaton; Professor Naoko Shimazu, also an Associate at ARI’s Inter-Asia Engagements Cluster and former Research Cluster Leader; and Dr Chee Keng Lee from NUS College teamed up for a project known as ‘Mapping Middle Road’, the first public history project of its kind about the Japanese community in Singapore.

The project was carried out under the National Heritage Board’s (NHB) Heritage Research Grant and was hosted by ARI. It took two years to complete and was published as a story map for the National Library Board’s Curiocity[1]. Mapping these historical findings allows users to better visualise how past movements of the Japanese communities around Middle Road unfolded and changed with significant events, thus turning abstract historical change into something we can see and trace across a real-world landscape.

The findings in ‘Mapping Middle Road’ were widely discussed at conferences and talks in Asia and Europe.

The researchers’ findings were also further expanded and later developed into an online resource named ‘Middle Road: Pre-War Japanese Community in Singapore’ that is accessible to the public at MUSE, NHB’s digital heritage publication hosted on Roots.

Bringing the Japanese community’s shifting past to life through maps and movement

Developing this digital map to help users see not only where events and communities existed, but also how they shifted over time, was no easy task.

A team of faculty and student researchers combed through resources such as photos, advertisements, newspaper articles, travelogues and guides in various English- and Japanese-language materials residing in the National Library’s NewspaperSG online archive, the Japanese Association of Singapore’s collections, and the National Diet Library (the national library of Japan); to locate specific references to the Japanese community associated with particular places in the country.

They identified over 20 locations and institutions to feature in the story map, with their efforts culminating in the visual reconstruction of the presence and movement of various Japanese institutions over time. These included schools, clinics, places of worship and businesses – all of which together help us imagine what life was like for the Japanese community here in Singapore at that time.

Dr Eaton shared, “Perhaps our biggest surprise, since this was a mapping project, was how mobile some of the institutions we were tracking ended up being. Just about every prominent business moved at least once (like the clothier Ebisuya) or had multiple branch locations (like the Tamagawa restaurant).”  

Important locations such as the Japanese Consulate, Japanese Association and Toyo Hotel moved multiple times, making it challenging to pinpoint their locations onto a map, Dr Eaton shared. Ultimately, the team embraced the shifts in locations as a key factor in explaining the changes within the community over time.

The Consulate’s move from its original location on Sophia Road – located near the Japanese resident community along Middle Road – to the ‘Gudan’ district (the Japanese term for the Central Business District) came as Japan rose in political power globally. Its eventual return to quieter offices on Mt Emily before World War II presumably symbolised the growing isolation of the Japanese Empire on the world stage.

Prof Shimazu shared how researchers had also identified a significant class division within Singapore’s pre-war Japanese community, noting tensions between the first Japanese settlers in Singapore in the late 1800s and a more affluent and educated wave of Japanese immigrants who arrived after 1910 and worked in the Gudan district.

The establishment of elite institutions like the Japanese Association and Japanese Club did not help to bridge the gap. The Gudan expatriates played a crucial role in ending licensed Japanese prostitution in 1920, which affected the original Japanese community along Middle Road.

The stories the research team uncovered confirmed what they had initially thought – that the Japanese community was diverse just like any other and was made up of interesting and dynamic individuals who were at times at odds with each other, but at other times, brought together by a shared sense of national belonging.


 

[1] National Library Board’s Curiocity houses digitised maps, photographs and multimedia content that are combined for users to explore the past and see how it has shaped the present.  

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NUS Sustainable Futures Forum explores cross-sector climate solutions

✇NUS - National University of Singapore Newsroom

In a world of rising sea levels, record-high temperatures and more frequent extreme weather events, climate change knows no borders and addressing this requires urgent, wide-ranging solutions. NUS is stepping up to the plate with the launch of NUS Sustainable Futures (NUS SF) — a new initiative that encourages experts across different disciplines to work together to tackle green issues.

It aims to break down academic silos and foster collaborative research to develop solutions to complex sustainability challenges, said Professor Koh Lian Pin, NUS Vice President (Sustainability and Resilience) and Chief Sustainability Scientist, who heads the NUS SF team, in his welcome address at the launch.

Climate-related challenges are “amplifying the tensions and trade-offs among the competing priorities of society, creating wicked problems”, observed Prof Koh, adding that solving these challenges will require researchers and partners from different fields to work together.

The new NUS SF will answer that collaborative call. As a show of commitment, the University will invest S$10 million to support training and research, focusing on the areas of building energy resilience, addressing climate and nature-related challenges, and enhancing urban sustainability. It also aims to secure additional funding from the government and industry partners over the next 12 months.

In his opening address, the event’s Guest-of-Honour, Mr Stanley Loh, Permanent Secretary for Sustainability and the Environment, highlighted that the urgency for collaborative initiatives is real. Following the United States’ recent withdrawal from the Paris Agreement, an international treaty which pledges to cap global warming at 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, there was a notable shift leading to some uncertainties around global climate commitments.

“But what has not changed is the speed of climate change,” he stressed, adding that the government will not be able to solve challenges alone. “The public, private, and people sectors need to work together to co-create projects, systems, and mindset changes required for this huge transition.”

Additionally, a new NUS Sustainability Academy will complement NUS SF’s education and capacity-building arm. Jointly established with the NUS School of Continuing and Lifelong Education, the Academy will curate programmes to upskill professionals on sustainability topics such as climate, energy, nature, and green finance. An example is the newly launched Professional Certificate in Carbon Services and Trading that is developed in collaboration with industry professionals and government agencies such as the Singapore Economic Development Board and Enterprise Singapore.

Also under the NUS SF umbrella is a Sustainability Plaza that will showcase NUS’ sustainability research and thought leadership, as well as facilitate engagements between the University and various external stakeholders in exploring partnership and entrepreneurial opportunities.

NUS Sustainable Futures Forum: Accelerating science translation through Public-Private-People partnership

The launch of NUS SF, held during the NUS Sustainable Futures Forum, brought together industry leaders, academics, and government officials across four panel discussions aligned with the key pillars of NUS SF:

  • Advancing Grid Modernisation and Renewable Energy Integration for a Sustainable Future moderated by Professor Lee Poh Seng, Co-Director of the NUS Energy Solutions Hub, NUS SF;
  • Transformational Changes for Climate-resilient Agriculture in Southeast Asia moderated by Associate Professor L. Roman Carrasco, Co-Director of Initiatives for Climate, Oceans & Nature, NUS SF;
  • Capacity Building Track by NUS Sustainability Academy moderated by Ms Melissa Low, Head of the Academy, NUS SF; and
  • Inclusive Cities for a Sustainable Future: Community, Health and Social Capital moderated by Associate Professor Yuan Chao, Co-Director of Integrative Urban Solutions, NUS SF.

Breaking down silos

Dr Su Bin, Senior Research Fellow and Division Head of NUS Energy Studies Institute (ESI) and panellist at the forum, said that energy modelling can inform policy and investment decisions across countries.

One of ESI’s key findings is that an integrated ASEAN power grid could reduce total system costs by up to 12 per cent. There is growing momentum in this area, with Singapore doubling its capacity to import electricity from Laos and Malaysia in 2024. 

Such collaboration should be extended beyond energy to the field of agriculture, which is the foundation of food security and sustainability. Yet, agriculture practices often come with an environmental cost — from deforestation to soil and water pollution as well as the loss of biodiversity — so how can we meet our food security needs while mitigating these harmful consequences?

In response, Associate Professor Janice Lee from Nanyang Technological University’s Asian School of the Environment suggested working directly with smallholder farmers to improve their green footprint, but cautioned that this needs to be complemented by strong governance that protects biodiversity.

There is, however, reason to be optimistic, said Assistant Professor Remi Luo from NUS’ Department of Geography. For instance, he noted that research has shown that oil palm production can be doubled by closing yield gaps without the need for deforestation. Yield gaps refer to the difference between a crop’s actual and potential yield.

“Some answers are already out there. We just need significant effort to pick them up and implement them,” he said. 

Education and equity in climate action

Panellists also discussed ways to mitigate the impact of climate change on different segments of society, by relooking policies, education and urban development. 

In the sinking capital of Jakarta, Indonesia, the wealthy are able to relocate to avoid rising sea levels, said Professor Yu Qin from NUS’ Department of Real Estate. The poor have no choice but to stay. Such “market failures” necessitate re-examining policies to see how they can help lower-income groups better adapt to the effects of climate change, she said.

But there are also opportunities for everyday folk to play their part, especially in the healthcare sector. As healthcare itself contributes significantly to carbon emissions –– more than aviation or shipping globally –– engaging healthcare workers in sustainability is crucial, said Adjunct Assistant Professor Amanda Zain, Deputy Director at the NUS Centre of Sustainable Medicine.

Given their trusted position in society, healthcare workers can be a “significant lever for climate action”, she said. For example, they can help to decarbonise the sector by switching to more environmentally friendly anaesthetic gases.

There is, however, a gap between will and action. While 80 per cent of global healthcare professionals expressed willingness to adopt sustainable practices, only about one-third knew what their country’s net-zero target was, she added.

NUS aims to improve awareness by enhancing sustainability education. For example, the NUS Sustainability Academy recently refreshed its flagship Climate Change and Sustainability 101 Course for Public Officers, which has been expanded to include additional topics on green supply chain and procurement, water sustainability as well as waste recycling.

The Academy has also partnered with the London-based Task Force on Nature-related Financial Disclosures to launch its first regional “Train the Trainers” programme in Singapore, which aims to communicate nature-related financial disclosures to industry players in a more consistent way.

Sustainability, however, is a long game. The impact of sustainability education should be measured over extended timeframes, said Professor Lawrence Loh, Director of the Centre for Governance and Sustainability at the NUS Business School.

“We need three, five, 10-year follow-ups with our learners. Ultimately, we should bring them back for continuous learning as their career needs evolve,” he said.

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Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum celebrates 10 years of excellence in research and outreach

✇NUS - National University of Singapore Newsroom

The Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum (LKCNHM) of the NUS Faculty of Science commemorated its 10th anniversary on 6 May 2025 with a series of engaging activities. Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam, President of the Republic of Singapore and NUS Chancellor, attended the celebration as the Guest-of-Honour, marking a decade of excellence in biodiversity research, education, and natural heritage conservation at LKCNHM.

Since its official opening on 18 April 2015, the Museum has transformed into a leading institute in Southeast Asia, dedicated to preserving biodiversity and inspiring future generations. Over the last decade, LKCNHM has welcomed more than 650,000 visitors, with 2024 recording its highest annual visitorship of over 88,000.

The Museum’s educational outreach efforts have also expanded significantly since its establishment, having engaged over 105,000 participants – from pre-schoolers to tertiary students – through gallery tours, talks, nature walks, and workshops. In addition, the Museum runs seasonal biodiversity programmes for the public and continues to enhance inclusivity and accessibility, ensuring that learning opportunities remain available to all.

“Over the past decade, [the] Museum has been a beacon of learning and exploration, welcoming hundreds of thousands of visitors to its galleries and engaging tens of thousands of students through workshops and tours. It has also become an indispensable resource for NUS students, offering unique opportunities for experimental learning and deep dives into the rich biodiversity of Singapore and Southeast Asia,” said Professor Aaron Thean, NUS Deputy President (Academic Affairs) and Provost.

“Our vision is to be a leader in Southeast Asian biodiversity research, education, and outreach,” said Associate Professor Darren Yeo, Head of LKCNHM. “To this end, we have actively pursued research and discovery with local and regional partners, imparted expertise to biodiversity and conservation, and nurtured awareness and interest in biodiversity, natural heritage and environmental issues.”

Living up to its name as a regional biodiversity research hub, LKCNHM’s Zoological Reference Collection serves as Singapore’s national zoological repository, and houses over one million specimens today – approximately double from when it was first launched in 2015. The Museum has been a catalyst for biodiversity research, leading over 20 expeditions and biodiversity surveys across Singapore and the region. These efforts have contributed to the discovery of new species and strengthened international scientific partnerships, reinforcing LKCNHM’s position as a research node in the region.

Appreciating the past to preserve a brighter future

As part of the 10th anniversary celebration, LKCNHM unveiled its special anniversary exhibition ‘A Decade of Discovery: Stories from the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum’, showcasing the Museum’s origins, journey, and milestones over the past decade. Reflecting LKCNHM’s legacy and outlining its vision for the future, the exhibition highlights how Singapore’s only natural history museum has served as a vital hub for scientific research, education, and community engagement – uncovering the rich biodiversity and deep historical connections of Southeast Asia.

One unique specimen on display at the exhibition is the leaf coral or Pavona Decussata, collected in 1974 from Pulau Hantu – an island located to the south of the main island of Singapore, off the Straits of Singapore. This large coral colony was a gift donated to the Museum by Dr Chuang Shou-Hwa, a Singaporean zoologist who headed the Zoology Department of the then University of Singapore from 1971-1977.

At the event, the Museum also launched its commemorative book, Archipelago of Islands: Natural and Other Histories of Singapore, to mark Singapore’s 60th year of independence. The book explores the key roles of Singapore’s islands as habitats, homes and navigational landmarks — interweaving stories of nature, history, and culture, while also offering fresh perspectives on the nation’s archipelagic nature.

For example, a chapter in the book traces the historical identities of St John’s Island. Starting out as a quarantine location in response to a cholera epidemic in Singapore in 1873 and later repurposed as a detention centre for political detainees in 1948, the chapter explores St John’s Island’s historical evolution into the vibrant marine research and conservation hub it is today.

In conjunction with the 10th anniversary celebration, LKCNHM is also collaborating with the Science Centre Singapore on a special year-end exhibition themed around extinctions and dinosaurs, featuring an extraordinary journey over 400 million years of Earth’s history.

Embarking on a new decade of innovation and impact

Looking ahead to the future, LKCNHM seeks to continue its efforts in uncovering new insights into the natural history of Singapore and the region by expanding the adjacent wing of the LKCNHM building located in NUS. At the event, Assoc Prof Yeo shared LKCNHM’s aspiration that the expansion will realise the Museum’s “ambitions for growth and greater impact in the years to come” and “will ultimately lead to an enlarged and enhanced LKCNHM before our 20th year”.

Embracing the latest technological advancements, LKCNHM will expand its research scope to include artificial intelligence (AI) tools. “We are partnering with NUS School of Computing and NUS AI Institute to develop AI toolkits for researchers, educators, and the public,” said Assoc Prof Yeo.

“By leveraging on the Museum’s extensive biodiversity database and expertise, and collaborating with subject matter experts across NUS, we are well-positioned to execute this innovative interdisciplinary endeavour”, he added.

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Tails of truth: How effective are fables with human-like animals in teaching children honesty?

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Classic fables like Goldilocks and the Three Bears that feature anthropomorphised animals, or animals with human traits, have entertained children for centuries while aiming to teach moral values. But just how effective are these stories in instilling virtues?

NUS psychologist Associate Professor Ding Xiao Pan, along with her students Cleo Tay, Chua Yu Juan and Joey Cheng from NUS Psychology, carried out an experiment involving more than 200 Singaporean children aged three to six to determine if such moral tales are effective in teaching children honesty.

Assoc Prof Ding Xiao Pan noted that children’s books that feature anthropomorphised animals are very common in everyday life. She said, “Honesty is an important virtue, so we are seeking effective ways to foster it in young children. Most existing studies have been conducted in Western societies and often feature animals that many children in Singapore may not be familiar with, such as raccoons. Therefore, we sought to explore whether featuring animals they were more familiar with can most effectively support the development of honesty in our children.”

In the study, each child was instructed not to peek at a laptop screen while sitting in a room alone and unsupervised. However, most children would turn around and peek at the screen, unable to resist the temptation. After the experimenter came back the room, each of them was read a different version of the moral story, George Washington and the Cherry Tree, in which Little George, the protagonist, chops down his father’s favourite cherry tree and confesses to his wrongdoing when confronted. In each version, the protagonist was portrayed either as a human, an elephant, a rat or a ‘control condition’,  where the human protagonist opts not to confess to his wrongdoing.

Researchers then asked the children if they had peeked at the screen to measure if the type of protagonist influenced their honesty.

They found that for children aged three to four, the effectiveness of moral stories differed based on the type of character, with human characters having more of an effect on honesty than stories with anthropomorphised characters. In contrast, how the protagonist was portrayed had no effect on the honesty of children aged five to six.

Another interesting finding was that portraying the protagonist as a disliked character, such as a rat, rather than a preferred character, such as an elephant, was less effective at promoting honesty than using a human protagonist.

“The study’s findings are useful in helping us understand how children relate to and are influenced by the portrayal of characters in stories, and how we can modify classic moral stories to maximise their usefulness at promoting honesty and other values,” said Assoc Prof Ding.

Read more about the study here.

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New NUS Sustainable Futures initiative builds on interdisciplinary research and cross-sector collaborations to drive sustainability research and education

✇NUS - National University of Singapore Newsroom

The National University of Singapore (NUS) today announced the launch of NUS Sustainable Futures (NUS SF), a whole-of-university initiative bringing together expertise from across its research ecosystem to advance interdisciplinary and cross-sector collaborations in addressing climate change challenges. Permanent Secretary for Sustainability and the Environment Mr Stanley Loh launched this new initiative as Guest-of-Honour.

As climate change challenges become more complex and global, solutions to address these challenges will need to cut across disciplines, sectors and geographies. As such, NUS SF will adopt a mission-driven, problem-solving approach by converging NUS researchers to collaborate across sustainability domains, as well as with stakeholders including industry and government partners both locally and across Asia.

Additionally, NUS SF will round out efforts by the University and its key partners in developing and delivering continuing education training programmes rooted in climate, conservation and sustainability science and actionable research. The aim is to help professionals in the sustainability sector chart meaningful career transitions and equip them with the domain knowledge to address critical policy issues and meet regulatory requirements.

NUS will invest S$10 million to support three research focus areas as well as the NUS Sustainability Academy under NUS SF. To date, NUS SF has helped NUS researchers secure external funding of around S$5 million for low carbon energy system and other sustainability-related research. It aims to raise additional funding from the Government and industry partners over the next 12 months.

NUS SF is led by Professor Koh Lian Pin, NUS Vice President (Sustainability and Resilience) and Chief Sustainability Scientist. Helming the University’s sustainability agenda, Prof Koh oversees and champions sustainability-related research at NUS, tackling the twin planetary crises of climate change and biodiversity loss, through a whole-of-university strategy that bridges academia with policymakers, industry and civil society. He is also the Director of the NUS Centre for Nature-based Climate Solutions, as well as the Kwan Im Thong Hood Cho Temple Professor of Conservation.

Prof Koh said, “Today’s launch of NUS Sustainable Futures is just the beginning – with seed funding from the University to support cross‑pillar research projects, and capacity building through our Sustainability Academy. Driven by Public‑Private‑People partnership, NUS Sustainable Futures is our blueprint to build a greener, more resilient, and low‑carbon future.”

Key pillars of NUS Sustainable Futures

Research in NUS SF will centre around strategic Sustainability Missions which will investigate wide-ranging Sustainability Challenges that will be tackled by Sustainability Communities through partnerships.

    (i)         Sustainability Missions

Currently, nearly one in three NUS faculty conducts sustainability-related research ranging from green hydrogen innovations for climate change mitigation, to nature-based and engineered solutions for coastal protection and adaptation, and sustainable redevelopment strategies for urban resilience. The University hopes to leverage this momentum to deepen its environmental impact while fostering greater collaboration across different disciplines, sectors and geographies.

NUS SF has identified three focal areas that had risen in salience over the last decade. In response, it will converge researchers in STEM, the social sciences and policy domains across NUS, as well as industry, government, philanthropic and civil society partners, to anticipate and identify emerging sustainability challenges, and develop cross-cutting programmes or solutions to address these challenges.

One of the focal areas pertains to energy sustainability and resilience, particularly in tropical and urban settings, as the world transits to a low-carbon economy. This will be led by Professor Lee Poh Seng, Co-Director of the NUS Energy Solutions Hub under NUS SF and Head of the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the College of Design and Engineering (CDE).

Another focal area is on advancing technological innovations and nature-based solutions to address climate change, biodiversity loss and environmental degradation. This will be led by Associate Professor L. Roman Carrasco, Co-Director of Initiatives for Climate, Oceans & Nature under NUS SF, and Deputy Head of the Department of Biological Sciences at the Faculty of Science.

The third focal area is to enhance urban resilience and sustainability in Singapore and the ASEAN region. This will be led by Associate Professor Yuan Chao, Co-Director of Integrative Urban Solutions under NUS SF, and Deputy Head (Research) of the Department of Architecture at CDE.

   (ii)         Sustainability Academy

Today, NUS offers a diverse spectrum of more than 800 sustainability-centric undergraduate, postgraduate and continuing education and training (CET) courses. Building upon this, the new Sustainability Academy ― a collaborative effort between NUS SF and the NUS School of Continuing and Lifelong Education ― will curate and develop a holistic suite of CET courses, from across NUS faculties and schools, to prepare the workforce in Singapore and the region for a low-carbon economy. These courses cover sustainability topics such as climate, nature, energy and green finance.

The Sustainability Academy will offer a new Professional Certificate in Carbon Services and Trading comprising a series of three courses which will be held in June, August and September 2025. The Professional Certificate seeks to support the national agenda of developing Singapore into a carbon services and trading hub by equipping professionals to take on new and emerging roles in carbon markets. It is developed after validation and in collaboration with industry professionals and government agencies such as the Singapore Economic Development Board and Enterprise Singapore.

Under a new partnership with the Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment, the Academy has also refreshed the curriculum for its signature Climate Change and Sustainability 101 Course for Public Officers. To support the public sector’s current and future sustainability efforts while upskilling its workforce, the course has been expanded to include additional topics on green supply chain and procurement, water sustainability as well as waste recycling.

 (iii)         Sustainability Plaza

The Sustainability Plaza will showcase NUS’ sustainability research and thought leadership, and help facilitate engagements between the University with industry, government and other stakeholders in exploring partnership and entrepreneurial opportunities. It will also coordinate the hosting of distinguished visitors to NUS; facilitate participation of NUS researchers in major international and national sustainability events; and organise outreach events and social engagements with stakeholders.

NUS Sustainable Futures Forum

Themed “Accelerating science translation through Public-Private-People partnership”, the NUS Sustainable Futures Forum was held on 6 May 2025 in conjunction with the launch of NUS SF. A partner event of Ecosperity Week 2025, the forum featured four insightful panel discussions which mirror the key pillars of NUS SF:

  1. Advancing Grid Modernisation and Renewable Energy Integration for a Sustainable Future
  2. Transformational Changes for Climate-resilient Agriculture in Southeast Asia
  3. Capacity Building Track by NUS Sustainability Academy
  4. Inclusive Cities for a Sustainable Future: Community, Health and Social Capital

For more information on the forum, please visit https://www.nus.edu.sg/research/research-capabilities/nus-sustainable-futures/Forum-cum-Launch-Event-2025.

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A vibrant tapestry: 120 years of diversity and excellence at NUS

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Amid the strains of Balinese music, an Indonesian dancer ­— decked in gold from head to toe — launched into a traditional legong dance. Intricate hand movements followed increasingly frenzied footwork as the music built to a crescendo.

Following this first act, the dancer changed into an equally elaborate costume — this time more kaleidoscopic and silken — but moved to a more sedate rhythm in a dance inspired by Bornean traditions.

These two performances were put up by first-year Master of Arts (Arts and Cultural Entrepreneurship) student Ni Komang Ananda Gayatri at the NUS120: Our Global Story event, a cultural fiesta held at the NUS Central Library Atrium on 16 April 2025.

“Through dance, I’ve crossed oceans. I’ve met people, shared stories… And somehow, dancing brought me to NUS, one of the top universities in the world,” said Ananda, who hails from East Kalimantan, the Indonesian part of Borneo island, in a video that clinched second prize in the NUS People Stories Showcase that attracted over 30 submissions from NUS students, staff and alumni from around the world.

The showcase was one of the highlights of the cultural fiesta, which is part of a series of year-long celebrations held to mark NUS’ 120th anniversary. At the event, NUS President Professor Tan Eng Chye reflected on the University’s remarkable growth, paying tribute to a community whose collective efforts have shaped it into a world-class institution.

“We have become an institution that Singaporeans are very proud of,” said Prof Tan. “Today’s event celebrates the people — you! — who have helped to build NUS: our students, our faculty, our staff, as well as our alumni. You form a very vibrant, very diverse and, importantly, integrated and collaborative community, united with one single mission towards excellence.”

The event, attended by over 700 staff and students, was a celebration of such diversity. Not only did participants enjoy a smorgasbord of foods at an international food bazaar, they also watched a variety of performances – from traditional Japanese dance Kasa Odori to street dances by the NUS Korean Cultural Interest Group, set to the tune of contemporary hits like aespa’s “Pink Hoodie”.

Beyond performances, participants also had opportunities to attend workshops by youth organisation Fashion Parade, which included batik, block-printing, and Chinese knot-making. Proceeds from the event, which totalled over S$10,500 dollars, will support NUS Giving’s Enhanced Financial Aid Scheme to enable more students to “enjoy the full suite of the NUS experience, from a one-year stay at the hostel to possibly an exchange programme overseas”, said Prof Tan.

A global nexus

Diversity goes hand in hand with identity and belonging. There was a consensus among those who submitted their stories to the story showcase that NUS had imbued in them a sense of belonging – and for some, even safety.

Instructor of Physiology at Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, Noof Abdullah Saad Shaif, recalled the deeply challenging time studying medicine in her hometown Yemen amid war, “sleeping in the basement with my emergency bag strapped to me, never knowing if I would wake the next day.” At NUS, however, those fears dissipated and she found “a place I could call home.”

For Ananda, NUS –– home to 120 nationalities –– also offers an important international network. “In my class, we have students from all around the world – Switzerland, America, Malaysia, China, and more – and each of us bring with us different case studies to learn from,” she said, observing that different countries have different approaches to art.

“In Korea, for instance, K-pop has almost become a business product. Now compare that with India or Switzerland –– how are their approaches to their own music different?”

Such insights have encouraged her to set up the Bali-based production house Gayatri Art Lab in 2023, with an aim to preserve and promote Balinese art. “I want to show the world that Bali is not just a beach club,” she added with a smile.

NUS Business School Honorary Fellow Chu Singfat had a slightly wider grin on his face, after his submission was deemed the winning entry of the stories showcase. “Serendipity defines my affinity with NUS,” declared the former analytics professor, whose wife is an NUS Business School alumna, in his video submission. Coincidentally, he joined the school in 1991 and both his children are also studying here now.

Singfat reflected on NUS’ evolution, drawing parallels between the university and Mauritius, where he spent his formative years. Just as Hakka immigrants helped the Mauritian capital of Port Louis flourish as a cosmopolitan city, students and staff from around the world provided expertise that was vital to NUS’ transformation.

After 31 years at NUS, he has realised that the best students leveraged each other’s strengths. “In a team, what you need is somebody who can crunch numbers and somebody who can tell a story — that’s diversity,” he shared.

“I always tell students to form diverse teams — diverse in nationalities, diverse in skills. If you are all the same in a team, you won’t produce great results. Where NUS is today, you can say it’s because of diversity.”

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‘Godfathers of AI’ Yoshua Bengio and Yann LeCun weigh in on potential of human-level AI, emerging risks and future frontiers at NUS lectures

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With ChatGPT and other artificial intelligence (AI) tools now able to write college essays and turn photographs into anime art, how close are we to the rise of a superhuman AI that poses an existential threat to humans?

Renowned AI pioneers, Professor Yoshua Bengio and Professor Yann LeCun, presented contrasting perspectives on the future of the field in separate lectures that marked the launch of the NUS120 Distinguished Speaker Series last week. The series is part of a line-up of events held to celebrate the University’s 120th anniversary this year.

Prof Bengio, the founder and scientific advisor of Mila – Quebec AI Institute, warned of the potentially catastrophic consequences of AI, calling for “guardrails” to prevent the technology from turning against humans. Meanwhile, Prof LeCun, who is Vice President and Chief AI Scientist at Meta, homed in on the significant limitations of generative AI and expressed scepticism that it could lead to machines with human-level intelligence.

The two experts and recipients of the Turing Award, regarded as computing’s highest honour, were visiting Singapore for the 13th International Conference on Learning Representations, held in parallel with Singapore AI Research Week. Their lectures at NUS on 25 and 27 April 2025 attracted more than 1,000 registered participants and have since garnered over 11,000 views on YouTube.

Rise of the machines

In recent years, Large Language Models (LLMs) — AI systems such as ChatGPT that can generate language by processing huge amounts of data — have shown exponential progress in their capacity for abstract reasoning.

Prof Bengio, who is also a Full Professor of Computer Science at Université de Montreal, said rapid advancements in AI could pave the way for a vastly powerful technology that might have its own goals and become our competitors.

“They could use their intelligence in many ways, to at the minimum disrupt our societies, and at worst get rid of us,” he said. “It’s something that sounds like science fiction but, unfortunately, is very plausible.”

Part of this stems from the fact that a lot of AI is trained on data from human behaviour.

“Every living thing is trying to preserve itself…but it might not be a great idea to create machines that want to preserve themselves against our wishes,” Prof Bengio pointed out. “Unfortunately, that is what we are starting to observe.”

Researchers have observed AI engaging in deceptive behaviour to ensure its own “survival”, be it by cheating in chess, or lying to ensure a certain line of code survives a system update.

This is especially risky when the AI is “agentic” — autonomous and capable of making decisions without human intervention — and programmed to seek reward maximisation. 

AI also has an advantage over humans in several ways, Prof Bengio added. Besides being “immortal” and easily replicated, they can communicate with one another quickly and absorb vastly more information.    

Role of Large Language Models

Prof LeCun, who also serves as the Jacob T. Schwartz Professor at New York University, was more circumspect about the attainability of human-level AI — known in the industry as Artificial General Intelligence (AGI), or, as Meta calls it, Advanced Machine Intelligence (AMI).

Machines will eventually be smarter than humans, but this could be a matter of 10 or a hundred years. A four-year-old, Prof LeCun noted, would have seen 50 times more data than the biggest LLMs. Even cats and dogs, he argued, were more advanced, and the odds of AGI being achieved with LLMs were near zero.

“LLMs are very useful, there’s no question about that. But if you are really interested in reaching human-level AI, you should not work on LLMs,” he said.

These models face other severe limitations, particularly when it comes to “Systems 2”, in which AI is able to reason and draw conclusions from information they have not encountered before. Generative AI, of which LLMs are a part, does not work well for images and videos.

One step towards addressing this gap is the Joint Embedding Predictive Architecture (JEPA), a non-generative AI model by Meta that learns by predicting parts of a video or image that have been masked, Prof LeCun noted. This method discards unpredictable information, rather than trying to predict every pixel.

Guardrails against bad actors

While AGI is a “global public good” with enormous potential, several precautions are needed, stressed Prof Bengio.

He called for a safer type of AI system modelled after the Platonic idea of a scientist — where the AI is completely honest, free from self-interest, and focuses on generating theories rather than acting autonomously in the real world. This type of AI system could be used to control agentic AI, and serve as a “guardrail” against it, he noted.

Prof Bengio also highlighted the importance of AI regulation. AI organisations need independent oversight, otherwise they may start cutting corners and overlooking safety and security in a race to get to AGI first.

“When the interests of a company as a profit-making organisation and society diverge, you (have) a problem,” said Prof Bengio, who was responding to a question from moderator Professor Simon Chesterman, NUS’ Vice Provost (Educational Innovation) and Dean of NUS College.

“Economic domination can easily turn into political domination — military domination — because these systems can be used to develop new technology,” Prof Bengio argued, adding that advanced AI could also be exploited by terrorists in cyber and other attacks.

While Prof LeCun agreed that AI control should not be in the hands of just a few corporate entities, he said that building objective-driven AI with human-like intelligence was necessary to achieve what he saw as the future of AI — a world where everyone is walking around with intelligent virtual assistants. The solution, he argued, lay in open-source AI.

Singapore as a nexus

NUS President Professor Tan Eng Chye, who delivered remarks at both events, was confident AI would continue to shape human civilisation.

“When applied thoughtfully, AI can help resolve some of our biggest challenges,” he said, citing its applications in managing healthcare needs of rapidly ageing populations and optimising urban systems for efficiency. “The question remains: how will AI continue to innovate?”

On the market implications of AI, Prof Bengio warned that the rise of super-AI companies could trigger an economic upheaval if these firms use their superintelligent AI technologies to dominate markets by offering superior services at lower costs. “They could potentially wipe out the economy of the planet, except for their profit,” he cautioned.

Prof LeCun offered a different take, based on what he believed to be the consensus among economists: “We are not going to run out of jobs because we are not going to run out of problems to solve.”

He stressed the importance of “deep technical knowledge”, and advised students to pursue subjects with a “longer shelf life”. Faced with the choice of taking a course on mobile app programming or one on quantum mechanics, he recommends choosing the latter because the underlying methods and thinking skills it imparts are likely to remain relevant even as technologies evolve.

AI development also presented opportunities for Singapore, suggested Prof LeCun, responding to a question from the moderator, NUS AI Institute Director and Provost's Chair Professor of Computer Science, Professor Mohan Kankanhalli.

Currently, the data being used to train AI systems does not represent the full diversity of cultures, languages and value systems in the world. But AI-relevant data should not be filtered only by AI companies in China or the West Coast of the United States, Prof LeCun added.

He laid out a future where organisations in the US, China, and Europe would provide foundation models — which are expensive to build — as open-source infrastructure that could be trained collaboratively with players in other countries.

This is where Singapore, and its universities such as NUS, could play a key role: working with others in Southeast Asia to gather data to train worldwide foundational models, and providing computing infrastructure, expertise, and data centres.

“It could be a nexus for Asia,” Prof LeCun added.

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Seniors are taking the kampung spirit beyond the neighbourhood

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By Prof Elaine Ho, Senior Research Fellow at the Asia Research Institute at NUS and Vice Dean at the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences at NUS; Assoc Prof Vincent Chua, Dept of Sociology and Anthropology; and Assoc Prof Feng Chen-Chieh, Dept of Geography, both from the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences at NUS

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Unearthing treasures: Students explore food and textile sustainability through NUSOne initiatives

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By 2030, NUS aims to be a zero-waste establishment. To reach this goal, the University seeks to increase overall campus recycling rates to 60 per cent through incentives and schemes such as a “pay-as-you-throw” system in refuse bin centres, the adoption of reusable items for takeaways, and platforms for exchanging pre-loved items – efforts that encourage the community to embrace sustainability as a way of life.

Two recent NUSOne initiatives are building on that effort by encouraging students to reduce waste and approach their consumption habits in a more sustainable and responsible manner. Held on Wednesday afternoons, these sessions aim to broaden students’ access to a wide range of activities, promoting holistic learning beyond the classroom.

On a visit to Google Asia-Pacific’s headquarters on 16 April 2025, over 40 NUS students had an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at Google’s innovative food sustainability practices, discovering how the global tech firm promotes health, reduces waste, and champions sustainability in its operations. As the final event this semester in a diverse series of NUSOne activities organised by NUS Enterprise, this highly oversubscribed visit sought to expose students to sustainability practices, rounding out a line-up that centred around entrepreneurial skills, self-discovery and resilience, culinary and cultural experiences, and community service and gratitude.

The visit was carefully curated to give the students a glimpse into Google’s mammoth operations, highlight the growing role of sustainability in shaping entrepreneurial mindsets and encourage students to reflect on how environmentally responsible practices can create value, enhance operational efficiency, and unlock new business opportunities. With three cafes and coffee bars as well as 14 micro-kitchens, the technology giant serves up an estimated 4,000 meals, including breakfast and 1,500 cups of coffee daily, in addition to 90 catered monthly events.

A key initiative for Google is single-use plastic reduction. As part of these measures, plastic bags for food deliveries have been replaced with reusable containers. Snacks are now served in bulk, replacing individually wrapped snacks that are often packed using single-use plastic. Conventional plastic pots used to serve yoghurt have also been swapped out for glass pots.

Students also learned creative ways to reuse food waste, which are at the forefront of Google’s food sustainability initiatives. In partnership with a local bakery, Google repurposes used coffee grounds to create artisanal sourdough loaves. This is in addition to transforming the flesh of carved pumpkins into comforting autumnal dishes on Halloween, and showcasing snack companies that utilise “imperfect” and otherwise unsellable produce, which is then turned into tasty products.

Some tips on caring for the environment were also shared, such as switching to eating more vegetables to reduce the environmental impact of food production. “I learned that food sustainability is not just about reducing food waste but also about upcycling,” said third-year student Haziq Hamzah from NUS Business School, noting that being eco-friendly can also involve “using materials such as biodegradable starch to make consumables such as tea bags.”

The students also visited the coffee bar – not to try the brew, but to learn how coffee husks, a waste product from coffee bean processing, are upcycled into durable, reusable cups to replace ceramic and plastic cup alternatives. Upon reaching the end of their life cycle, the cups are returned to a vendor and repurposed into entirely new products. In line with efforts to accelerate the transition to a circular economy, this regenerative approach minimises waste and maximises the reuse of finite resources by turning yesterday’s waste into tomorrow’s resource.

Google staff also explained the use of LeanPath, a programme that uses technology to generate data on food waste. In their micro-kitchens, mechanised scales measure food waste from meal preparations, with the interface displaying the weight of food wasted and the total cost incurred after each meal service. The programme also measures how much food was prepared in comparison with the amount that was consumed, which helps inform production levels. In this manner, Google tracks food consumption and expenditure patterns, helping them cater food according to estimated demand.

For Prashant Rai, a first-year student from the Faculty of Science, Google’s tracking of food waste and use of data to improve kitchen operations was inspiring. “It shows how small, consistent practices can build over time into something impactful. It also made me realise that if something is made easy to follow and built into your daily routine, it becomes second nature.”

Following this visit, Prashant is keen to play a part in advancing sustainability practices. One way he hopes to do so is through his start-up, WATTR, which promotes more mindful shower habits. Equipped with ultrasonic sensors that track the amount of water being used in real time, its device can be clipped onto water pipes, enabling users to adjust their water consumption on the spot.

“This visit showed me that sustainability is becoming a serious priority across all types of companies, even technology giants like Google, which takes bold steps to lower its environmental impact. This was encouraging to see as it reminded me that there is a real space and demand for sustainability-driven solutions. It also gave me confidence that if our product can help people save water while also lowering operational costs, there’s going to be a strong market for it,” he shared.

Another event that took place in early April was the upcycling workshop for textile waste. This event was one of NUS Office of Student Affairs (OSA)’s community engagement programmes, organised to support students in applying their skills and knowledge to enhance the well-being of the community and the environment.

In line with this aim, the workshop highlighted NUS’ broader zero-waste objective by repurposing single-use polyvinyl chloride (PVC) banners from major university events that would otherwise be discarded, giving them a new lease of life. OSA had also canvassed for these banners ahead of time.

During the three-hour-long workshop, over 20 participants were introduced to the basics of machine sewing and learned how to operate a sewing machine. Later, they put their newfound skills to practical use by crafting tote bags and pouches from the templates provided. In addition to the PVC banners, participants were provided with many second-hand textiles such as cut-up polo-tees, denim jeans, beads, and other fabrics. The hands-on nature of the workshop underscored the importance of individual ownership and environmental protection, emphasising the role everyone has to play in conserving the environment.

Caylee Chua, a final-year Master of Science student from the College of Design and Engineering, said of the workshop, “It was really fun and a great hands-on introduction to using a sewing machine. The variety of fabric scraps helped us see the potential creativity in upcycling – style isn't always about the newest trend, it's about recombining items you already have in new and exciting ways.”

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Connecting classrooms to communities: How Tembusu College’s people-centred teaching approach grounds learning in the real world

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At Tembusu College, students are not just learning about society—they are learning with it. Through carefully designed, socially responsive learning experiences, the College’s Communities and Engagement (C&E) Senior Seminars invite students to step beyond their disciplinary boundaries and confront real-world complexity head-on.

Engaging directly with community partners, students co-create knowledge and build mutual understanding with individuals such as elderly residents, migrant workers and public health officers. For these students, such conversations become the curriculum—they are not only taught to think critically, but also to act meaningfully.

Each Academic Year, over 220 students from diverse academic backgrounds participate in small, interdisciplinary seminars that extend beyond classroom walls. Rather than relying solely on textbooks, they immerse themselves in complex social environments, engaging in participatory research and reflection to cultivate both intellectual rigour and emotional intelligence.

“As part of our diverse, humanistic, interdisciplinary, inquiry-oriented programmes that broadens students’ perspectives, we connect theory with practice, and transform ideas into impact,” explained Dr Connor Graham, Director of Studies at Tembusu College. “People-centred learning allows students to develop an awareness of others and their worldviews, reflexivity and adaptability in addition to the more academic outcomes of thinking critically and questioning with relevance”.

Building empathy through action

Tembusu College’s people-centred pedagogical model fosters openness across disciplines—from sociology and biomedical science to engineering and the arts—while uniting students under a shared ethos: Helping People and Species in Need, Engaging the World, Developing Creativity, and Promoting Interdisciplinarity.

In small-class settings and interdisciplinary teams, students apply methods such as ethnographic field notes, interviews, and participatory observation to tackle pressing social issues. These are not short-term projects. Many are rooted in longstanding partnerships with community organisations, allowing successive cohorts to build on previous work and deepen engagement over time.

One such course, Health and the Community in Singapore, is part of an ongoing partnership with the Health Promotion Board. It aims to bridge the STEM–non-STEM divide and understand gaps in public health literacy.

In April 2024, students conducted research into the health needs of youths using community-based participatory methods. One group designed a low-sodium dietary intervention tailored for NUS undergraduates, featuring a visually intuitive labelling system to nudge the making of healthier food choices. Their project received a grant from NUS Health & Wellbeing and is under plans for a collaborative pilot study with Associate Professor Alberto Salvo from the NUS Department of Economics.

In another course, Technologies and Ageing in Singapore, students explored the ageing process and the lived experiences of elderly citizens through interviews, fieldwork, and person-centred therapy frameworks. Between February and April 2024, one group developed an assistive tool to facilitate end-of-life planning conversations with seniors, which was piloted at the Evergreen Circle Active Ageing Centre and later adapted for use at St Luke’s Eldercare (Ayer Rajah).

Another group created Dig Deeper, a reflective card game designed to prompt family conversations about end-of-life matters. One parent who participated in the exercise said, “As a family, we’ve never really talked about end-of-life topics. We’re not that old yet, but this game really made us reflect on our beliefs and values, and the legacy we want to leave behind.” The student participant added, “It’s funny how I haven’t felt this close to my parents in such a long time. Sometimes we’re so busy doing our own things that we forget how important it is to connect.”

Understanding happiness through dialogue

The Happiness by Design course also exemplifies Tembusu College’s people-centred approach. Partnering with social enterprises such as Happiness Initiative Singapore, students explore the multifaceted nature of well-being and life satisfaction through interviews, focus groups, and thematic analysis.

Over the semester, students develop the interpersonal and professional competencies needed for working in real-world contexts. Their conversations with members of the public helped to ground abstract academic concepts in lived realities, often challenging assumptions and leaving a lasting emotional impact. Through these interactions, students expand their conceptual vocabulary and come to understand well-being as a dynamic, deeply personal process that includes resilience, self-transcendence and growth.

Vu Bao Lien Hoa, a Year 2 student from the NUS Business School, who read the course, said, “The class discussions not only deepened my intellectual curiosity but also motivated me to communicate effectively, helping me express ideas more clearly while actively listening to others’ insights. I also became more open-minded, learning to navigate differing viewpoints with empathy and respect.”

Mr Sherman Ho, the co-founder of Happiness Initiative noted that the students’ project findings, which were shared at the course’s community engagement event, helped to illuminate the different well-being needs of various age groups in Singapore to the community participants. He appreciated how the dialogues opened up space for honest conversations about what it means to thrive today. Beyond surfacing key themes and generational shifts, many felt reassured knowing they were not alone in their challenges and aspirations—and were part of a larger, caring community.

Growing a community of learners and changemakers

With momentum building, Tembusu College is expanding its course offerings. A new seminar, Migrant Workers, Rhetoric, and Performance, marks the first NUS course centred on migrant workers. Students collaborate with Kaugnay, a migrant worker group under the auspices of the Humanitarian Organisation for Migration Economics, also known as HOME, to co-create inclusive and empowering activities and performances to engage migrant workers.

Associate Professor Ho Chee Kong, Tembusu College Master said, “Tembusu College’s C&E courses offer a diverse variety of channels for dialogue between the students and the communities they engage with. Arising from these dialogues are meaningful constructs for deeper understanding, compassion and gratitude towards one another in a more responsive societal development.”

By connecting classrooms with communities, Tembusu College is redefining what it means to teach and learn—where critical thinking meets meaningful action, and conversation becomes the heart of the curriculum.

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Asst Prof Wang Xinchao named in IEEE AI’s 10 to Watch for 2024

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Assistant Professor Wang Xinchao from the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering under the College of Design and Engineering at NUS has been named one of the 2024 recipients of the prestigious IEEE AI’s 10 to Watch. 

As an NUS Presidential Young Professor and the only award recipient from Singapore, Asst Prof Wang is recognised for his impactful research in Efficient Machine Learning. His work focuses on developing Artificial Intelligence (AI) models that are more compact, faster, and less dependent on large datasets — a direction that promises to make AI more accessible, environmentally friendly, and widely applicable across industries. 

Presented every two years by the IEEE Computer Society, the award honours rising stars who are making significant contributions to the field of AI. In addition to celebrating exceptional talent, it also highlights pioneering innovation and visionary thinking that are shaping the future of AI. 

See more
 

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YST woos prospective students with immersive admissions experience

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Like a job interview, the university admissions process is a two-way street. While the university is processing documents from prospective students and assessing them through interviews and auditions, applicants are also gathering information, often from their school seniors and the Internet, to make their final decisions.

Applicants to the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music (YST) who are shortlisted for admission will now add first-hand experience to their considerations, after the school revamped its admissions process in 2024. Moving away from traditional auditions as the primary means of assessment, YST has created a full-day immersion experience to give prospective students a taste of life in NUS and YST while enabling faculty members to assess them holistically as they participate in lessons and collaborative sessions.

Candidates must first undergo a pre-screening process, with specific requirements varying based on the programme they are applying for. Screened candidates are then invited to take part in the immersion experience, where they will be further assessed before they are considered for an admissions offer.

“As our reputation climbs, so does our competition with top conservatories in the world to recruit the best music students internationally,” said Mr Tan Wei Boon, Deputy Director of Student Life at YST. The new immersion experience is designed to evaluate candidates more effectively and encourage higher acceptance of admissions offers so as to ensure a high-quality student cohort each year, he added.

Early results since the revamped process was implemented are promising. Students who were admitted through the first edition in 2024 thrived in their first semester of studies, achieving an unprecedented 100% pass rate in all their courses.

Said Professor Peter Tornquist, Dean of YST: “YST Immersion has truly been a game-changing initiative, energising and modernising our admissions process. It gives applicants a fuller reflection of our pedagogical approach, allows us to achieve a better student fit, and resonates with the multi-faceted capacities that young music professionals need in today’s industry.”

The second edition of the immersion experience was conducted from January to March this year and hosted 89 prospective students hailing from 12 countries including Singapore, China, Uzbekistan, Russia, Indonesia, and Australia. Since applicants may now need to travel farther than before to complete the in-person admissions process, financial aid is offered in special cases to ensure that deserving students are not excluded due to financial difficulties.

Enhanced interactions for better assessments

The old admissions process followed the approach used by most music schools, which assesses applicants primarily through auditions before a faculty panel. These auditions would take place at YST for applicants based in Singapore or at one of YST’s regional audition centres, usually in China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, or South Korea, for applicants based elsewhere.

This approach was not ideal as it did not leave much time for the students and the panel to interact on a deeper level beyond a 20 to 30-minute audition performance, said Mr Tan.

The new immersive experience enhances the assessment process by giving candidates a glimpse into a day in the life of a YST undergraduate. While the candidates learn about YST’s pedagogical approach and interact with their potential future classmates through various activities, the faculty members teaching and observing the sessions get to conduct a more holistic assessment of each prospective student across various areas and competencies.

Typical activities include individual and chamber music lessons with a faculty member from the relevant major, as well as a collaborative music-making session with peers. Activities are also tailored for the various majors. Applicants for performance majors such as strings, winds, and brass are given the opportunity to rehearse in groups with a chamber coach, while applicants for the Audio Arts & Sciences major complete a hands-on practicum where they learn the basics of setting up a recording session. Meanwhile, Composition applicants attend a seminar where they take part in discussions and debates on contemporary composers in the field.

Additional information sessions are incorporated throughout, such as a tour of YST’s state-of-the-art facilities and the NUS campus led by student ambassadors, and a dialogue with the YST Student Life Office where students can ask questions about topics ranging from scholarships and bursaries to campus housing and educational opportunities, such as pursuing minors or second majors in other NUS schools and faculties.

Sneak peek into YST life

Current YST students who were admitted through the revamped admissions process said it gave them an accurate preview of what YST classes would be like and enabled them to evaluate whether the school culture and teaching style would suit them.

First-year student Lucius Quek, who is majoring in Audio Arts & Sciences, said that going through the immersion experience and getting to engage in conversation with YST faculty and staff helped him to feel confident in his decision to accept YST’s offer when it was extended. The teaching methodology and materials used in the immersion matched his actual student experience, enabling him to quickly find his footing in YST.

Christian Daniel Ragay Borres, a first-year Percussion student from the Philippines, was pleased to learn that YST would not be putting him through the traditional audition process used by most conservatories, including the Australian music schools he applied to.

He appreciated the two-way exchange of information facilitated by the lesson format, noting: “It wasn’t just my skills being presented to them, but also their teaching styles and plans being experienced by me.”

The collaborative music-making session in the immersion experience for Music & Society / Music, Collaboration & Production (MS/MCP) candidates was especially memorable for first-year student Cervone Seah, who recalls working with musicians from diverse backgrounds to create a new piece based on improvisation. The exercise highlighted the importance of teamwork and creativity, both of which she has found to be integral to her MS/MCP studies.

“The immersion was an excellent preview of the dynamic and interdisciplinary approach that defines the MS/MCP programme,” Cervone said. “Experiencing YST’s culture first-hand reassured me that this was the right place for my musical and academic growth.”

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Book on religion and the environment by Dr Faizah Zakaria accorded prestigious Association for Asian Studies award

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A book titled “The Camphor Tree and the Elephant: Religion and Ecological Change in Maritime Southeast Asia” by historian Dr Faizah Zakaria has claimed the prestigious annual “Harry J. Benda Prize (First book on Southeast Asian Studies)” by the Southeast Asia Council of the Association for Asian Studies. Established in 1977, the Prize honours books that make exceptional contributions to the understanding of Southeast Asia, specifically to authors publishing their first major work on the topic. One of the most esteemed awards in the field, receiving this prize is considered a major milestone for early-career scholars.

Published in February 2023 by University of Washington Press, Dr Zakaria’s book explores how religious beliefs and practices have influenced the way people in the region interact with their environment, specifically with respect to the natural world. She traces the conversion of the Batak people in upland Sumatra and the Malay Peninsula to Islam and Christianity during the 19th century, and finds that the process helped shape social structures that voided the natural world of enchantment, ushered in a cash economy, and placed the power to remake local landscapes into the hands of elites.

Dr Zakaria shared how she felt honoured to receive the distinction in the company of many wonderful scholars whose field-shaping books in Southeast Asian studies have been recognised through this award.

She added, “More importantly, I hope that my book will spark new conversations about environmental history and ethics as well as the role of religious communities in co-creating a sustainable world. Area studies, with its phenomenological approaches to understanding the region's communities, continues to offer grounded views to the pressing issues of our time and I hope that more students will be interested to explore the region on their own terms."

Dr Zakaria holds a joint appointment in the Departments of Southeast Asian Studies and Malay Studies at the NUS Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Her research interests focus on religion and ecology, environmental justice and indigenous movements in Southeast Asia. She is currently working on a research project on the role of religion and science in disaster responses, focusing on volcanic eruptions, and she also co-coordinates a digital humanities project comparing Malay and Chinese heritage medicine. 

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Patrick Tan appointed as Duke-NUS Dean to lead next era of medical innovation and education

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Duke-NUS Medical School has appointed Professor Patrick Tan as its next and fourth Dean, effective 1 January 2026, marking a new chapter for the School as it builds on its legacy of medical education, research and innovation. Prof Tan will serve as Dean-designate from 1 July 2025, succeeding Professor Thomas Coffman, the School’s longest-serving Dean since 2015. This leadership transition coincides with the School’s 20th anniversary, underscoring Duke-NUS’ commitment to advancing the future of healthcare in Singapore and the region.

An internationally recognised cancer geneticist and clinician-scientist, Prof Tan is currently Senior Vice-Dean for Research at Duke-NUS, where he leads transformative research initiatives in genomics, precision medicine and biomedical innovation. He was one of the School’s pioneer faculty members and has been involved in advancing its research strategy.

Prof Tan has also been an active contributor in Singapore’s research landscape, taking on roles including Executive Director of Precision Health Research Singapore (PRECISE), Senior Scientific Advisor at SingHealth, and former Executive Director of the Genome Institute of Singapore. His leadership in integrating cutting-edge science with clinical applications has placed him at the forefront of Singapore’s biomedical ecosystem.

A firm believer in team science, Prof Tan is passionate about fostering interdisciplinary collaborations to solve Singapore’s most pressing healthcare challenges. His ability to drive impactful change was recognised with the Exemplary Leader Award at the 2023 Public Sector Transformation Award Ceremony. Other awards include the President’s Science Award (Team), American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Team Science Award, and election to the American Society of Clinical Investigation and Association of American Physicians.

A strong endorsement from Duke and NUS leadership

Professor Tan Eng Chye, President of the National University of Singapore (NUS), said:

“After a rigorous search within the University and globally, Patrick has been identified as the best candidate to lead Duke-NUS into its next chapter of growth as a key pillar in Singapore’s healthcare and biomedical ecosystem. Patrick brings remarkable visionary leadership and profound expertise through years of dedicated service and contributions as researcher, scientist and educator. I am confident that his leadership and wealth of knowledge will bring the School towards higher levels of excellence, ensuring that our next generation of doctors, researchers and healthcare leaders are well-prepared to meet the challenges of tomorrow.”

Mr Goh Yew Lin, Chairman of the Duke-NUS Governing Board, said:

“Patrick is first and foremost a world-class researcher, but what sets him apart is his deep understanding of how discovery and education must go hand in hand. As a graduate-entry medical school, Duke-NUS trains future clinicians who are not only skilled in patient care but also capable of asking bold questions and driving innovation. As Dean, he will ensure that the School’s research priorities remain aligned with our national Research, Innovation and Enterprise (RIE) strategy, while strengthening translation and partnerships that attract industry collaborators and nurture a culture of innovation among our students.”

Professor Mary Klotman, MD, Executive Vice President for Health Affairs at Duke University, Dean of Duke University School of Medicine, and Chief Academic Officer of Duke Health, welcomed Prof Tan’s appointment:

“We are excited to work with Patrick as he takes on the mantle of the next Dean of Duke-NUS. A distinguished scientist and strategic leader, he brings a clear vision for how cutting-edge research and meaningful education can converge to improve lives. His commitment to collaboration and academic excellence makes him well-positioned to lead Duke-NUS into its next phase—strengthening our global partnership and expanding the School’s contributions to advance health for all.”

The joint search committee to identify the successor for the role of Dean was chaired by Professor Aaron Thean, Deputy President (Academic Affairs) and Provost of the National University of Singapore, as well as Deputy Chairman of Duke-NUS Governing Board; and included faculty members from Duke-NUS, NUS, Duke University, SingHealth and the Duke-NUS Governing Board.

Professor Tan’s Vision for Duke-NUS

Reflecting on his appointment, Professor Patrick Tan shared:

“The healthcare landscape is evolving rapidly, driven by shifting demographics, intensifying demands on healthcare, and technological innovations. These are major challenges, but they also create huge opportunities. As Dean, I look forward to enhancing our long-standing Academic Medicine partnership with SingHealth and harnessing the collective strengths of Duke University and NUS, our parent institutions, to deepen our understanding of diseases and advancing medical solutions that will make a real difference to patients.

“By combining the power of cutting-edge research, medical education and translational innovation, Duke-NUS is uniquely positioned to shape the future of medicine. Together with our valued partners, I am immensely grateful for the opportunity to work with our faculty, students, alumni and stakeholders to build on this strong foundation and drive the School’s next stage of development in Singapore and the world.”

Honouring a Decade of Leadership: Professor Thomas Coffman

Duke-NUS also expresses deep gratitude to Professor Thomas Coffman for his exceptional leadership over the past decade.

A renowned physician-scientist in nephrology and cardiovascular research, Prof Coffman strengthened Duke-NUS’ education and research landscape, ensuring that its training programmes remain rigorous and responsive to Singapore’s evolving healthcare needs. He founded and built up the School’s Cardiovascular and Metabolic Disorders Signature Research Programme as Director. Under his leadership, Duke-NUS also secured strategic funding to advance key research initiatives and played a critical role in Singapore’s COVID-19 response, contributing to innovations such as rapid immune response testing.

Prof Klotman expressed her appreciation for outgoing Dean, Prof Coffman, adding:

“Tom has been an extraordinary bridge between Duke and Duke-NUS, deepening the ties between our institutions and reinforcing the values we share—academic excellence, collaboration and impact. Under his steady and visionary leadership, Duke-NUS has flourished as a beacon of innovation in education, research and clinical care. His legacy is not only reflected in the School’s achievements but in the strength of our transcontinental partnership and global contributions to biomedical science.”

Mr Goh also expressed appreciation to outgoing Dean, Prof Coffman, saying:

“Tom has led Duke-NUS through a defining decade with wisdom, vigour and steady resolve. He has not only guided the School’s academic and research growth, but also shaped a culture that prizes excellence, collaboration and innovation. We are deeply grateful for his contributions and leadership, which have laid a strong foundation for the next chapter.”

Even as he steps down from his role as Dean, Prof Coffman will continue to lead key research initiatives, including DYNAMO, a multi-institutional study focussed on reducing the prevalence of diabetic kidney disease in Singapore and around the world.

Note: For detailed biographies of Professor Patrick Tan and Professor Thomas Coffman, please refer to the Annexe.

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45 years with Kent Ridge Hall: Alumni and residents reunite at anniversary gala

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In celebration of its 45th anniversary, Kent Ridge Hall (KRH) hosted a gala dinner on 28 March 2025, recognising the achievements of its student community in sports, culture and service, and featuring a vibrant line-up of alumni performances.

Held at the Gardens by the Bay’s Flower Field Hall, the dinner was attended by more than 300 residents, alumni and guests, including the Guest of Honour, Deputy Dean of Students and Associate Professor Adeline Seow.

A total of 28 awards in eight categories celebrating sports, culture and service were presented to honour the outstanding residents and interest groups within the community.

Individuals who exceeded expectations in their respective fields were recognised, with the Excellence, Sportsman / Cultural Artist of the Year and Service Champion Awards presented to those who demonstrated exceptional dedication to Kent Ridge Hall and excelled in their respective areas of specialisation.

The most prestigious accolade, the Outstanding Resident of the Year Award, honoured outstanding residents who have made significant contributions to the Hall in three key areas – culture, community, and sports – with notable accomplishments in at least two of these areas. 

The winner of this year’s Outstanding Resident Award was Phua Zhuo Jun, a final-year student from the College of Design and Engineering, who was recognised for cultural and service excellence.

“Kent Ridge Hall has been a huge part of my university life. It’s where I continued to grow my passion for dance, while also stepping out of my comfort zone to explore new experiences through committees and sports. Along the way, I met some of the most genuine, inspiring friends who’ve walked alongside me through it all,” said Zhao Jun. 

“As I prepare to graduate, I know I’ll deeply miss the little things like the late-night suppers, spontaneous block chats, the energy of practices and meetings, and the warmth of this community I’ve called home.”

Guests were treated to a lively line-up of musical acts, including the four-piece band KR Rockers – comprising Reynold Pereira (Law, ‘89), Nizam Ismail (Law, ‘91), Jasmine Liew and Eel Keat Chiew (Arts and Social Sciences, ‘90) – who performed a set of songs from the 80s and beyond.

They were joined by the Merry Acapellers, a six-member group comprising Attishya Kho (Business, ‘22), Lee Hui Kay (Business, ’20), Lim Jia Hui (Arts and Social Sciences, ’22), Justin May (Arts and Social Sciences, ’20), Russell Wong (Arts and Social Sciences, ’20), and Ryan Tan (Science, ’21), who performed a medley of retro and pop hits. 

Mr Vincent Gan (Engineering, ’05), a KRH non-Resident Fellow for the past seven years, said both the Hall and the University have been pivotal in shaping his leadership skills, teamwork, and resilience. “[KRH]’s dynamic environment, filled with passionate individuals from diverse backgrounds, challenged me to grow beyond academics,” said Mr Gan, who is also Senior Executive Director of Financial Services at Great Eastern Financial Advisers. “Whether it was taking on leadership roles, participating in hall events, or engaging in late-night discussions, I developed the ability to connect with people, navigate challenges, and lead with purpose—skills that continue to serve me well in my career and personal endeavours.”

Meanwhile, Mr Goh Wee Ping (Engineering, ‘11), Chief Executive Officer of Wee Hur Capital Pte Ltd and Chief Investment Officer of Wee Hur Holdings Ltd, shared that his time in KRH fostered in him a strong commitment to giving back to the community. “I made lots of lifelong friends in KRH and am grateful for the experiences that have made me the person I am today. I have learnt the importance of having a good network, and that humility is a virtue that everyone appreciates, no matter where someone comes from or who they interact with.”

KRH’s legacy extends beyond its alumni and the roles they played while in the Hall. In Dr Ivan Low’s case (Science, ’08), he met his wife Ms Hui Ting Chng (Science, ‘08) at the Hall and the couple welcomed their daughter, Fennalyn, during his term as the Hall’s Residential Fellow. Dr Low joined KRH as a Residential Fellow in 2012, spending more than eight years in the role. 

Dr Low will soon be the founding Master of Valour House, NUS’ first sports-themed hostel. Having juggled seven sports as an undergraduate, his first four years at KRH enabled him to learn how to manage residential life and academic pursuits, navigate challenges, and lead by example. Even as he embarks on his next chapter leading a new hostel, KRH will remain deeply ingrained in his identity. “Valour House’s colour is purple – and that’s because my blood is a mixture of blue and red. Part of me still bleeds blue!” he said, referencing the blue of Kent Ridge Hall’s colours. 

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New breakthrough combats lenalidomide resistance in multiple myeloma

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A new study conducted by researchers from the Cancer Science Institute of Singapore (CSI Singapore) at the National University of Singapore has uncovered a key mechanism behind lenalidomide resistance in multiple myeloma (MM), offering new insights into potential strategies for improving treatment outcomes and overcoming drug resistance.

The team, led by Dr Teoh Phaik Ju and Dr Koh Mun Yee, together with Professor Chng Wee Joo and Associate Professor Polly Chen, identified a gene called ADAR1, which encodes an RNA editing enzyme, as a key factor in suppressing the immune response triggered by lenalidomide—an immune-stimulating drug, essential to kill MM cells. The findings were published in the high-impact scientific journal Blood on 13 March 2025.

ADAR1’s role in lenalidomide resistance in MM

MM is a type of cancer that affects plasma cells in the bone marrow. While standard-of-care treatments like lenalidomide, an immunomodulatory drug (IMiD), have improved survival rates for many MM patients, a significant number still experience relapse due to the development of drug resistance.

Lenalidomide works by binding to a protein called cereblon (CRBN), which breaks down several proteins that are essential for MM cell survival and growth. However, many patients eventually stop responding to the drug, leading to disease relapse. While 20 to 30 per cent of the resistance cases have been linked to defects in CRBN and its associated factors, the underlying mechanisms in most resistance cases have remained poorly understood. This study reports new findings demonstrating that ADAR1 abnormalities lead to a suppressed immune system in IMiD-resistant MM cases.

Overcoming drug resistance

ADAR1 inhibits lenalidomide’s activity by editing double-stranded RNA (dsRNA), thus hindering the immune response and reducing the effectiveness of the drug in combating MM growth and proliferation. The researchers discovered that by reducing the levels of ADAR1 and increasing dsRNA accumulation in MM cells, they could increase the sensitivity of the cells to lenalidomide. This would, in turn, lead to the activation of the immune responses and kill the MM cells. The discovery adds a new layer to the understanding of how MM patients may become resistant to IMiD, highlighting the role of dsRNA pathways beyond the previously understood CRBN pathway.

The findings also suggest that targeting ADAR1 and the dsRNA pathway could offer promising strategies to overcome resistance to lenalidomide in MM. As clinical trials continue to explore the potential of new IMiD analogues, such as CRBN-E3 ligase modulators (CELMoDs) and other drugs with similar pharmacological profile, combining these treatments with ADAR1 inhibitors may provide a more effective approach to tackle drug resistance and improve patient outcomes.

With ADAR1 inhibitors currently in preclinical development, this strategy holds great promise for advancing treatment options for MM. In addition, the research team plans to further investigate ADAR1’s role in alternative splicing, a post-transcriptional gene regulatory mechanism, in MM, which could uncover even more opportunities for treatments.

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Thriving in the 100-Year Life: New NUS programme inspires senior leaders to pursue significance in their next chapter

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Named the world’s sixth Blue Zone 2.0 in August 2023, Singapore has been cited as one of the globe’s healthiest, happiest, and longest-living populations. Blue Zones are places where people live longer and enjoy better health well into old age.

Indeed, with Singapore set to attain “super-aged” status in 2026 – when one in five citizens will be aged 65 and above – the question of how people can thrive in a 100-year life with longer health spans while leading purposeful lives has become more urgent. This concept stems from a 2016 book by two London Business School professors who challenged people to rethink the traditional life stages of study, work, and retirement. The Distinguished Senior Fellowship Programme (DSFP) offered by the NUS School of Continuing and Lifelong Education (SCALE), is a newly launched programme designed specifically to address this question. The programme will welcome its first cohort in August 2025.

Recognising that senior leaders seek purposeful engagement beyond their career pinnacle, the DSFP ― billed as the first of its kind in Asia ― provides a platform for interdisciplinary learning, personal reflection, and societal contribution, demonstrating how universities such as NUS can innovate to serve learners across the life spectrum.

“In Singapore, longevity is no longer a question but an expectation. People are living well into their 80s. Yet, socially and economically, we are still expected to retire in our mid-60s,” said Professor Virginia Cha, DSFP’s Academic Director. “In fact, we should avoid using the label ‘seniors’, and address this emergent, dominant force as ‘thrivers’.”

“More has to be done to engage this growing group of ‘thrivers’ who have accumulated a lifetime of experiences, wisdom, resources, connections; and deploy this hard-earned equity in new, meaningful ways so that our communities can benefit from this longevity dividend,” she added.

Built on the idea of “Thriving in the 100-Year Life”, which reframes ageing as a period of growth rather than decline, DSFP’s focus is not on chalking up credentials for career advancement. Instead, it seeks to help participants (known as Fellows) build a post-professional identity and make a meaningful impact on the community through group work.

“When we think of retirement, we think of people diminishing or slowing down. With the DSFP, we want to change that narrative to one of high growth and learning,” said Prof Cha. “The programme is a call for ‘thrivers’ to ‘come back to school’ and connect with their peers, forge a new identity, and gain new knowledge together.”

Rethinking the role of universities

With its focus on enriching senior leaders, the DSFP also highlights the evolving role of universities. 

"Universities push the boundaries of knowledge for society and are a beacon for the love of learning," said Professor Susanna Leong, Vice Provost (Masters' Programmes & Lifelong Education) and Dean of SCALE. "As our societies grow healthier and live longer, it is befitting for universities to welcome older learners back to our campus. In an institute of learning, we are all students; it is the spirit of open-minded learning and curiosity that keeps us forever young.”

The DSFP aims to achieve this through a series of modules structured around five pillars – Purpose, Exploration, Action, Community, and Health.

The Core course focuses on developing a purpose project, where Fellows work in teams to make meaningful contributions in areas such as youth development, sustainability, longevity, healthcare, the arts, and entrepreneurship. These are complemented by a Signature course comprising eight seminars that expound on various dimensions of thriving in the “100-Year Life”.

One of the Signature course seminars, titled “Elixir of Life: Manufacturing Cells as Medicine”, will teach Fellows the science behind immune cell therapy.

“It’s a privilege to engage Fellows who are experienced in their respective fields and share with them recent developments in cell therapy and the impact it can make on healthcare,” said Dr Andy Tay Kah Ping from the NUS College of Design and Engineering, who will be conducting the seminar.

“The use of immune cells is one of the most effective treatments for cancer and I am excited to share with the Fellows about my research and inspire them to use their respective expertise and networks to grow this sector,” added Dr Tay, who is also the Assistant Professor and Presidential Young Professor at the NUS Department of Biomedical Engineering.

There are also Elective seminars, which consist of Master’s-level seminars in history, culture, religion, philosophy, and contemporary affairs. Executive seminars on such subjects are not common, said Prof Cha. “But we want to give our Fellows a wider range of topics in areas they might not have been able to study before.”

Building people to build a better world

While the DSFP is new to Asia, top universities in Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States have been running similar courses. Harvard University launched the Advanced Leadership Initiative in 2008, while Stanford University unveiled its Distinguished Careers Institute in 2015.

Prof Cha has a grand vision for DSFP. “In five to 10 years, when the world thinks about a best-in-class programme for ‘thrivers’ in their Third Transition, NUS and the DSFP should be top of mind, along with Harvard and Stanford.”

Universities have established degree programmes to help with the first transition (workforce entry) and second transition (career advancement). The Third Transition refers to the life stage after a successful career.

What sets DSFP apart is how it measures value – by the impact its Fellows create. “While other education programmes use conventional measures of value, such as how much salary is earned after programme completion, or how much funding is raised through a project, we want to go one step further,” Prof Cha said. “We want to measure how many people are impacted by our Fellows after they complete the programme.”

DSFP includes a week-long experiential learning trip to a Southeast Asian country. The first cohort will travel to Cambodia’s capital, Phnom Penh, where Fellows will visit Smiling Gecko, a non-profit which runs a sustainable resort that funds a farm and a 500-student school for underprivileged children.

“The trip will forge a strong community and encourage deep reflection as the Fellows eat, converse, and explore purpose projects together,” Prof Cha said. “This trip will bring the concepts of Problem, People, and Place to a concrete form, so they can visualise, and by extension, be inspired on the impact they want to make with their purpose project.”

For Ms Vicky Lim-Tan, an Independent Director of Maya Bank Philippines and Fellow from the programme’s inaugural cohort, the trip will be a special one. “I find it extra meaningful that the Programme’s impact experience trip will take place in Cambodia, a country I had helped support with the Asian Development Bank’s Commune Council Development Project some 20 years ago,” she said. “Life indeed comes full circle.”

The programme’s emphasis on meaningful impact is rooted in its five pillars, which emerged from interviews and surveys with NUS alumni who fit its target audience.

“We asked what they were looking for post-retirement, and most said things like taking care of grandchildren or playing golf,” Prof Cha said. “Most people don’t realise that continual education and meaningful purpose project activities are options. We want to give ‘thrivers’ these options.”

She added: “We do not want to be just another executive programme. Our greater vision is to build deep humans to benefit society.”

Applications for the DSFP are now open. For more information, please visit https://scale.nus.edu.sg/home/dsfp.

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NUS researchers and alumnus contribute to major quantum computing milestone at JPMorganChase

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A team of researchers has demonstrated possibly the first practical application of quantum computing using commercially available hardware — a milestone that unlocks the long-term promise and potential of quantum technologies. The major breakthrough, published in Nature on 25 March 2025, shows that quantum computers could be used to generate certified random numbers that are mathematically proven to be unpredictable — a foundational capability for secure banking, cryptography and digital services. 

Associate Professor Charles Lim, who is on leave from the National University of Singapore (NUS), introduced the idea of certified quantum randomness to the bank, where a research team collaborated with US national laboratories and universities to bring the idea to reality. A quantum cryptography expert from the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering in the College of Design and Engineering (CDE) at NUS, Assoc Prof Lim is currently leading networking and security research at JPMorganChase. 

Two other NUS-affiliated researchers also made significant contributions to the paper: Dr. Kon Wen Yu, a PhD graduate from NUS CDE, and Enrique Cervero-Martín, a PhD student at the Centre for Quantum Technologies at NUS, both of whom were mentored by Assoc Prof Lim at JPMorgan. 

Realising certified randomness 

The research addresses a long-standing challenge in quantum computing: demonstrating a useful task that near-term quantum computers can perform beyond the reach of even the most powerful classical supercomputers. Random number generation — essential for encryption, secure authentication, digital lotteries and e-games — has long been seen as a promising application. However, proving the quality and freshness of such randomness has remained difficult to achieve. 

To solve this, the team implemented a protocol known as certified randomness, based on a method called random circuit sampling. The protocol involves sending quantum “challenge” circuits to a remote quantum computer, analysing its responses and then using classical supercomputers to certify that the results could not have been feasibly simulated by any classical means. The experiment was performed using the 56-qubit Quantinuum H2-1 trapped-ion quantum processor, accessed remotely over the internet. 

In addition to verifying the authenticity of the output, the researchers also demonstrated randomness expansion, in which more certified random bits than the initial randomness used to initiate the process are produced. Combining quantum processing with exascale classical computing, the researchers successfully certified over 71,000 bits of entropy, producing what is known to be the first experimental realisation of certified randomness using existing quantum hardware. 

The breakthrough comes at a time when expectations around, and investments in, quantum computing are high. While a fully functional general-purpose quantum computer is only expected in five to seven years, this study provides a proof point for what today’s intermediate-scale quantum devices can achieve — with immediate relevance to secure key generation and cryptographic protocols that require trusted randomness. 

From academia to industry and back 

Assoc Prof Lim’s key involvement in the project reflects the practicality of close academia-industry collaboration in advancing critical areas of research. In 2022, Assoc Prof Lim took no-pay leave from NUS to lead JPMorgan’s global quantum research team, which enables him to apply his research in real-world contexts while maintaining his academic roots and contributing to national and international initiatives to forge new frontiers in quantum computing. 

At NUS, Assoc Prof Lim has built a strong research portfolio in quantum cybersecurity and quantum integrated photonics, particular in quantum key distribution (QKD) and quantum random number generation (QRNG). His work includes landmark demonstrations such as one of the world’s first device-independent QKD systems (Nature, 2022) and a proposal for chip-based QRNG with certified randomness (Nature Communications, 2023). He is also a National Research Foundation Fellow, a recipient of Singapore’s Young Scientist Award (2019) and an active contributor to international standardisation efforts for quantum cryptography. 
 

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NUS Asia Research Institute receives S$3 million gift to establish the Nalanda Endowed Professorship in India-China Studies

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The NUS Asia Research Institute (ARI) announced today the establishment of the Nalanda Endowed Professorship in India-China Studies. The Professorship seeks to promote research and education on India-China relations – specifically, the political, economic, historical and cultural interactions between India and China – with the overarching goal to shape policy and deepen societal understanding in the interdisciplinary field.

The Professorship is made possible through a generous S$3 million gift from the Nalanda Library Fund Limited (NLFL) which was presented by Former Minister Mr George Yeo as NLFL Trustee to Director of ARI, Professor Tim Bunnell in a ceremony witnessed by NUS President Professor Tan Eng Chye at NUS this afternoon.

The NLFL was established to collect donations for the Nalanda University Library in India, providing facilities for study, research, and teaching. Its trustees include  Mr Yeo, Ho Bee Land Executive Chairman Mr Chua Thian Poh and NUS University Professor Wang Gungwu. Donors from Singapore had agreed to gift up to S$10 million for the construction of the library to be designed by Singapore architects. After plans were shelved, the Trustees decided, with the approval of all donors, that the remaining amount of S$3 million be donated to NUS for the establishment of the Nalanda Endowed Professorship in India-China Studies.

Prof Tan said, “NUS is delighted to be partnering with the Nalanda Library Fund Limited to establish the Nalanda Endowed Professorship in India-China Studies at ARI. This collaboration underscores our shared commitment to illuminating the deep history and contemporary significance of India-China relations and advancing this field of research.”

He added, “By promoting study of the many ways in which India and China have influenced each other over long centuries, this Nalanda Endowed Professorship will contribute to advancing understanding between the two countries in ways that serve as ballast for regional stability and prosperity today and into the future.”

The Professorship will be awarded to leading scholars in the domain for a fixed term. The appointed professor (otherwise known as the Chair) will spearhead original research through a long-term project on India-China relations, lead archival initiatives to collect, digitise and preserve original materials related to historical research on India-China ties and their regional influence, mentor graduate students, as well as contribute to the broader discourse in the field through engagements with the academic and policymaking communities and the public in the form of workshops, public lectures and an annual conference. The global search for the first Chair has already begun.

Prof Bunnell said, “Trans-Asian research has been part of ARI’s DNA for some time, the Nalanda Endowed Professorship in India-China Studies builds on this legacy of trans-regional research. We look forward to the new professorship complimenting the important work provided by ARI’s Asian Peace Programme on India and China by situating contemporary geo-politics as one form among many forms of relations between these two historically consequential Asian countries.” 

Mr Yeo, who is also a current visiting scholar at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy at NUS added, “The prospect for peace and development in our region this century depends much on good relations between China and India. I hope the professorship can, in a small way, contribute to greater understanding between these two great civilizations. Southeast Asia is where the mandalas of India and China overlap. We provide a natural platform for the convening of discussions on their contact with each other over the centuries in different domains and their contribution to Southeast Asia.”

About ARI

ARI was established in 2001 to provide a focal point and resource for world-class research on the Asian region at NUS. ARI engages the humanities and social sciences broadly defined, and especially interdisciplinary frontiers between and beyond disciplines. As a university-level institute, ARI brings together scholars from different departments, faculties and colleges across campus for seminars, conferences and collaborative research projects. Located at one of Asia’s communication hubs, the Institute is also an important place for scholarly encounters between Singapore, the region and wider worlds.

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Prof Rajasekhar Balasubramanian elected as Fellow of AAAS

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Professor Rajasekhar Balasubramanian from the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering under the College of Design and Engineering at NUS has been elected as a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). He is recognised for his distinguished contributions to the field of air quality and international leadership in atmospheric research, particularly in establishing an understanding of tropical biomass burning, and its environmental and health impacts. 

AAAS is one of the world’s largest general scientific societies and publisher of the Science family of journals. Prof Balasubramanian joins an esteemed group of 471 scientists and engineers who have been elected as Fellows this year. 

A pioneer in environmental sustainability, climate change and urban air quality, Prof Balasubramanian’s research in sustainability offers a thorough understanding of the intricate relationship between urbanisation, the environment and society. He is also a member of the Science Panel of the Asia Pacific Clean Air Partnership (APCAP), which was established to bring together scientific expertise from regional initiatives to offer policy recommendations guided by science, supporting efforts to address air pollution in the Asia Pacific region. 

See more 
 

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NUS researchers combine 3D bioprinting with AI to personalise oral soft tissue grafts

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A team of researchers from the National University of Singapore (NUS) has developed a method to fabricate personalised gingival (gum) tissue grafts using an innovative combination of 3D bioprinting and artificial intelligence (AI).

Led by Assistant Professor Gopu Sriram from NUS Faculty of Dentistry, the team’s approach presents a more customisable and less invasive alternative to traditional grafting methods, which often involve harvesting tissue from the patient’s mouth — a process that can be both uncomfortable and constrained by the availability of suitable tissue.

The 3D bioprinting and AI-enabled technique has the potential to address key challenges in dental procedures more effectively, such as repairing gum defects caused by periodontal disease or complications from dental implants. For instance, by enabling the precise fabrication of tissue constructs tailored to individual patients, the method can significantly improve treatment outcomes, reduce patient discomfort, and minimise the risk of complications, such as infections, during recovery.

The team’s research was published in the journal Advanced Healthcare Materials on 17 December 2024, and was supported by grants from National Additive Manufacturing Innovation Cluster (NAMIC) and National University Health System (NUHS).

Turbocharging the bioprinting process with AI

Gum tissue grafts are essential in dental care, particularly for addressing mucogingival defects such as gum recession, and complications arising from periodontal disease or dental implants. Typically, these grafts are harvested from the patient’s mouth. Though effective, these procedures come with significant drawbacks: patient discomfort, limited tissue availability, and a higher risk of postoperative complications.

To overcome these challenges, the researchers turned to 3D bioprinting, a technique that fabricates custom-made tissue grafts tailored to the specific dimensions of each patient’s defect. They developed a specialised bio-ink which supports the growth of healthy cells, while also ensuring the material can be printed accurately and holds its shape and structure.

However, the viability of 3D bioprinting is only as good as the parameters applied during the process. Factors such as extrusion pressure, print speed, nozzle dimensions, bio-ink viscosity and printhead temperature all play a crucial role in determining the final properties and performance of the printed component. Tuning these parameters has traditionally been done through tedious, manual trial-and-error experiments that are extremely time- and resource-consuming.

“To speed up the 3D bioprinting process, we integrated AI into our workflow to address this critical bottleneck,” said Professor Dean Ho, Head of the Department of Biomedical Engineering in the College of Design and Engineering at NUS, and co-corresponding author of the research paper. “This approach greatly streamlines the process by reducing the number of experiments needed to optimise the bioprinting parameters — from potentially thousands to just 25 combinations,” added Prof Ho, who is also Director of the Institute for Digital Medicine (WisDM) at NUS Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, and N.1 Institute for Health (N.1) at NUS.

This tremendous efficiency boost afforded by the team’s AI-driven workflow saves time and resources while ensuring the creation of tissue constructs with precise dimensions and structural integrity.

“Our study is among the first to specifically integrate 3D bioprinting and AI technologies for the biofabrication of customised oral soft tissue constructs,” said Asst Prof Sriram, who is also the Thrust Co-Lead of Dental and Craniofacial 3DP Applications at NUS Centre for Additive Manufacturing (AM.NUS). “3D bioprinting is by far more challenging than conventional 3D printing because it involves living cells, which introduce a host of complexities to the printing process.”

The bioprinted gum tissue grafts exhibited strong biomimetic properties, maintaining over 90% cell viability immediately after printing and throughout an 18-day culture period. The grafts also retained their shape and structural integrity, while histological analyses confirmed the presence of key proteins and a multi-layered structure closely resembling natural gum tissue.

The future of dental care

In dentistry, the ability to produce personalised gum tissue grafts with improved efficiency, structural integrity, and biomimetic properties could address longstanding clinical challenges associated with periodontal diseases and dental implants. “This research demonstrates how AI and 3D bioprinting can converge to solve complex medical problems through precision medicine,” added Asst Prof Sriram. “By optimising tissue grafts for individual patients, we can reduce the invasiveness of dental procedures while ensuring better healing and recovery.”

Excitingly, the potential implications of this research extend beyond dentistry. “3D bioprinting allows us to create tissue grafts that precisely match the dimensions of a patient’s wounds, potentially reducing or eliminating the need to harvest tissue from the patient’s body,” said Asst Prof Sriram.

“This level of customisation minimises graft distortion and tension during wound closure, reducing the risk of complications, surgery time and discomfort to the patients.” said Dr Jacob Chew, a periodontist, co-investigator of the study, and Academic Fellow at NUS Faculty of Dentistry.

Furthermore, the scarless healing characteristics of oral tissue provide a unique advantage, as insights from this study could inform the fabrication of similar grafts for other barrier tissues, such as skin, potentially aiding in the scarless healing of skin wounds.

Future research will focus on translating these findings from bench to bedside. The team plans to conduct in vivo studies to assess the integration and stability of the grafts in oral environments. They also aim to explore the integration of blood vessels into the grafts through multi-material bioprinting to create more complex and functional constructs. With these developments, the researchers hope to advance the field of regenerative dentistry while paving the way for broader applications in tissue engineering.

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Propelling deep tech innovation with NUS’ newest start-up hub in Tokyo

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NUS Enterprise, the entrepreneurial arm of NUS, celebrated the opening of BLOCK71 Tokyo, its second office in Japan on 28 March 2025. The new Tokyo office strengthens NUS’ role in the global start-up ecosystem and opens new doors for entrepreneurs, made possible by strong collaborations with Japanese partners like JR East, its key partner for BLOCK71 Tokyo.

The partnership between NUS and JR East began in September 2023 with a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to promote entrepreneurial opportunities between Singapore and Japan. That same year, NUS launched the NUS Enterprise Market Immersion Programme in Japan, with JR East as one of its partners. This programme has enabled NUS start-ups like M.I. Cloud Technologies and Mycotech Lab to explore the Japanese market and connect with potential corporate partners.

Building on this momentum, NUS teamed up earlier this year with JR East and ICMG Group, a leading business co-creation partner for Japanese companies, to launch a programme aimed at advancing open innovation strategies in Southeast Asia. This initiative encourages Japanese companies to collaborate with start-ups to create new products and services, accelerate growth, and bring innovative solutions to market faster.

The opening of BLOCK71 Tokyo marks a significant milestone in the collaboration between NUS and its Japanese partners, reinforcing the shared commitment to developing robust start-up ecosystems in both countries. Located at TAKANAWA GATEWAY Link Scholars’ Hub, BLOCK71 Tokyo will support the growth of Southeast Asian technology-driven start-ups in Japan, contributing to an urban development focus on environmental sustainability, mobility and robotics, and smart health. It will also provide Japanese start-ups with the resources needed to expand into Southeast Asia and beyond.

"Japan’s strong foundation in technology and research makes it an ideal environment for start-up growth. It ranks among the world’s top three countries for patent applications and invests over 3 per cent of its GDP in R&D, one of the highest globally,” said NUS President Professor Tan Eng Chye at the opening of BLOCK71 Tokyo.

“This creates immense potential for innovation. With BLOCK71 Tokyo located in the country’s latest innovation hub, we have a strategic platform to connect start-ups and drive cross-border collaboration. To amplify our impact, we are partnering one of Japan’s top universities, a major corporation, and a leading venture capital firm, all sharing our vision to foster deep tech innovation and build a robust global ecosystem,” he added.     

The BLOCK71 Japan team has since supported over 15 start-ups following the successful launch of BLOCK71 Nagoya in November 2024. BLOCK71 is NUS Enterprise’s global network of physical accelerators, providing start-ups with resources, mentorship, and access to international markets across 11 cities.

NUS collaborates with Japanese partners, who will invest about S$10 million to spur global venture creation

To deepen its impact, NUS inked three new partnerships in the lead-up to the opening of BLOCK71 Tokyo. Through these strategic collaborations, NUS will reinforce its position as a leading start-up university in the global innovation landscape, nurturing entrepreneurial mindsets and empowering the next generation of technology entrepreneurs.  

Central Japan Innovation Capital

The first partnership is with Central Japan Innovation Capital (CJIC), a subsidiary of the Tokai National Higher Education and Research System. CJIC will invest up to 5 per cent of its assets under management in NUS-affiliated deep tech start-ups, supporting their growth and expansion into the Japanese and Southeast Asian markets. The fund aims to raise over S$40 million by November 2025. This collaboration will also provide broader opportunities for knowledge exchange and cross-border innovation.

Kyoto University

Beyond funding, NUS is enhancing entrepreneurial support for deep tech start-ups through its partnership with Kyoto University. As a first step, Kyoto University will send start-ups to join the NUS Graduate Research Innovation Programme (NUS GRIP). They will also become the first overseas university partner to offer a localised version of the programme. This will empower Kyoto University’s graduate students, researchers, and alumni to transform research into impactful deep tech ventures, addressing some of the social challenges in Asia and seizing new opportunities.

Both universities will also offer exchange programmes to foster cross-border entrepreneurial experiences. Kyoto University students will have the opportunity to intern at NUS GRIP start-ups, while NUS GRIP start-ups can gain hands-on experience from Kyoto University Innovation Capital Co. Ltd, the university’s venture capital arm.

TIS Inc

NUS will expand its entrepreneurship efforts to build a globally connected start-up ecosystem through a partnership with TIS Inc, one of Japan's leading IT companies. Together, they will launch the Deep Tech Seed to A Growth Expansion Programme (Deep-SAGE), a tailored start-up acceleration initiative to help seed-stage start-ups worldwide scale towards pre-Series A and Series A funding.

Over the next three years, TIS Inc will invest a total of S$7.6 million in Deep-SAGE, supporting up to 30 start-ups. As part of this commitment, at least S$500,000 will be allocated annually to fund a minimum of two start-ups per cohort. The programme, delivered by BLOCK71, will provide structured support through virtual mentorship sessions and workshops. Additionally, start-ups will gain access to incubation opportunities at BLOCK71 offices in 11 cities, including Singapore, Silicon Valley, Saigon and Suzhou.

Deepening market immersion and cultural exchange in Tokyo

Building on the collaboration between NUS and JR East, and riding on the success of its second Japan Immersion Programme in Nagoya held in 2024, BLOCK71 Japan will launch the third edition in Tokyo in May 2025. Start-ups that participated in the 2024 programme have gained valuable insights into Japan’s manufacturing landscape and went on to build industry connections, secure customers, and develop proof-of-concept projects, all of which are crucial for breaking into Japan’s competitive market.

Robotics firm RoPlus had a fruitful experience participating in the Japan Immersion Programme organised by BLOCK71 Japan in 2024, said Mr Low Jin Huat, the start-up’s co-founder. “We had the opportunity to engage in individual meetings with stakeholders, including end-users and potential investors. Additionally, we showcased our products at Messe Nagoya, where we connected with various industry partners and increased market awareness.”

“Through this programme, we successfully secured a distributor for the Japanese market and engaged two potential end-users,” Mr Low added, as he thanked BLOCK71 Japan for “fostering a supportive ecosystem and providing a strategic platform for NUS spin-offs to enter the Japanese market.”

Another start-up said the programme enabled it to make valuable connections with Japanese companies. “We were able to secure a pilot project with one of the companies we met during this programme. It has helped us shape our strategy for entering the Japanese market,” said Mr Zaid Ahmed Khan, CEO of M.I. Cloud Technologies.

The 2025 edition will focus on the three key themes of TAKANAWA GATEWAY CITY, namely, environmental sustainability, mobility and robotics, and smart health. It will welcome five Southeast Asian start-ups, who will have the chance to showcase their solutions at the upcoming GATEWAY Tech TAKANAWA, an event for large corporations and start-ups to exchange innovative ideas and solutions. This immersive experience will further strengthen ties between Southeast Asia and Japan, equipping start-ups with the knowledge and networks they need to enter new markets and drive innovation.

 

By NUS Enterprise

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NUS collaborates with Microsoft Research Asia to advance AI research and cultivate computing talent

✇NUS - National University of Singapore Newsroom

The National University of Singapore (NUS) is collaborating with Microsoft Research Asia to drive deep scientific exploration in artificial intelligence (AI) and computing while fostering the next generation of tech talent across Asia and beyond.

NUS will focus on AI-driven research with Microsoft Research Asia in key areas such as healthcare, societal AI, spatial intelligence, as well as data-intensive computing. This collaboration will boost progress in these fields, enhance cross-disciplinary research capability, and aim to strengthen the region’s role in shaping the future of AI and computing on a global scale.

Talent is the key driver behind the development of AI. NUS has signed a five-year research collaboration agreement with Microsoft Research Asia for a Joint PhD Supervision Programme, bringing together NUS' academic and research excellence with Microsoft Research Asia’s global leadership in AI, computing research, and industrial applications to cultivate talent. As part of this collaboration, NUS and Microsoft Research Asia will nurture PhD students through the Industrial Postgraduate Programme (IPP), a programme supported by the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB) that enables globally leading companies to develop talent aligned with industry needs, as well as PhD programmes offered by the NUS School of Computing. This initiative will help to cultivate interdisciplinary, high-calibre tech professionals and drive the integration of AI technology across industries.

Through strategic research projects and workshops, NUS and Microsoft Research Asia will strive to strengthen Asia’s integration with the global AI research community and amplify the region’s impact on international technology innovation.

Professor Tan Eng Chye, NUS President, said, “In line with Singapore’s AI strategy to accelerate the growth of the digital economy, the collaboration between NUS and Microsoft Research Asia will strengthen local AI capabilities and create meaningful impact for society and industries. As a leader in AI research and innovation, Microsoft Research Asia has a strong track record of pioneering breakthroughs and fostering deep academic collaborations. By joining forces with Microsoft Research Asia, we hope to drive cutting-edge advancements, translate research into real-world applications, and nurture AI talent with a global perspective.”

Dr Lidong Zhou, Corporate Vice President and Managing Director of Microsoft Research Asia, added, “Microsoft Research Asia is committed to driving technological innovation through cutting-edge open research and establishing long-term collaboration with leading academic institutions worldwide. Asia is a key global hub for AI innovation with a robust research ecosystem, strong industrial foundation, and international outlook. NUS, as one of the most influential academic institutions in Asia and beyond, has been our longstanding partner. We believe this collaboration will significantly advance AI technology and its applications and contribute to the global AI ecosystem.”

Mr Jermaine Loy, Managing Director, EDB said, "Talent development is central to Singapore’s vision to become a globally leading AI innovation hub. This collaboration between NUS and Microsoft Research Asia will offer our local students the opportunity to advance the development of frontier AI technology in Singapore under the mentorship of world-class researchers. At the same time, by fostering interdisciplinary expertise and industry-academia collaboration, this initiative will further strengthen Singapore’s AI talent pipeline and enhance the competitiveness of our companies and industries here."

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NUS Singapore History Prize doubles from S$50,000 to S$100,000

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The Department of History at the NUS Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences has announced that the call for submissions for the 2027 NUS Singapore History Prize is now open.

Set up in 2014 on a generous endowment by an anonymous donor, the NUS Singapore History Prize has been awarded to fiction and non-fiction books in 2018, 2021 and 2024 with the aim to spur interest in the understanding of Singapore’s history.

The 2027 NUS Singapore History Prize will, for the first time, recognise a non-print media work that engages deeply with Singapore’s history under the new ‘Arts and Multimedia’ category. Moving forward, the Prize will alternate between the ‘Books’ and ‘Arts and Multimedia’ categories every three years.

Thanks to a doubling of the endowment by the donor, prize money for the 2027 NUS Singapore History Prize winner will also increase twofold, from S$50,000 to S$100,000, to inspire more impactful works and submissions in the coming years.

These new developments broaden the Prize’s reach and seeks to further the objective of the Prize – that is, to make Singapore’s unique and complex history more accessible to non-academic audiences and to encourage greater discussion among Singaporeans and the world of Singapore’s rich and vibrant history, and its place in the world.

Head of the FASS Department of History, Associate Professor Joey Long said, “We firmly support our donor’s belief that Singaporeans can learn a lot more about Singapore’s rich history from different mediums. These include documentaries, films, visual arts, performing arts, installation art, podcasts, and videos (excluding audiobooks, books in printed form, and e-books). As such, we are glad that the Prize has now been expanded to recognise works beyond books, which also reflects NUS’ commitment to foster a comprehensive appreciation of Singapore’s past through accessible and modern platforms.”

A distinguished Jury Panel chaired by Mr Kishore Mahbubani will judge the Prize and announce a winner in 2027. Mr Mahbubani is a Distinguished Fellow at the NUS Asia Research Institute.

Mr Mahbubani said, “Thanks to our donor who has doubled the prize money and encouraged the creation of a new category, Singaporeans will be able to engage more deeply with their rich history. There is no doubt that for the next phase of Singapore’s national development, the Singaporean sense of national identity must be deepened and strengthened. The best way to do this is to develop a deep and common understanding of Singapore’s history. Hence, in addition to its academic and scholarly contributions, the NUS Singapore History Prize is also supporting a strong national imperative.”

Details of the 2027 NUS Singapore History Prize

The new Arts and Multimedia category will mirror the Book category in its selection process, with the winner determined through an open, public and global competition. For the 2025-2027 competition, the organisers will accept nominations from any artist, author, playwright, performer, producer, or publisher of a multimedia and artistic historical work delivered in the English language (works translated into the English language are also acceptable). There will be no limitations on the date of production as the goal is to open the admission window as wide as possible. The work should address any field, theme, or period of Singaporean history, with the goal of providing either new insights or new ways of exciting the imagination of Singaporeans about Singapore’s history. Nominations will be restricted to a maximum of three works per applicant and will have to be submitted by 31 May 2027.

For more information about the NUS Singapore History Prize, please email: hisbox11@nus.edu.sg.

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Advancing semiconductor devices for artificial intelligence

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Researchers from the National University of Singapore (NUS) have demonstrated that a single, standard silicon transistor, the fundamental building block of microchips used in computers, smartphones and almost every electronic system, can function like a biological neuron and synapse when operated in a specific, unconventional way.

Led by Associate Professor Mario Lanza from the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at the College of Design and Engineering, NUS, the research team’s work presents a highly scalable and energy-efficient solution for hardware-based artificial neural networks (ANNs). This brings neuromorphic computing — where chips could process information more efficiently, much like the human brain — closer to reality. Their study was published in the journal Nature on 26 March 2025.

Putting the brains in silicon

The world’s most sophisticated computers already exist inside our heads. Studies show that the human brain is, by and large, more energy-efficient than electronic processors, thanks to almost 90 billion neurons that form some 100 trillion connections with each other, and synapses that tune their strength over time — a process known as synaptic plasticity, which underpins learning and memory.

For decades, scientists have sought to replicate this efficiency using artificial neural networks (ANNs). ANNs have recently driven remarkable advances in artificial intelligence (AI), loosely inspired by how the brain processes information. But while they borrow biological terminology, the similarities run only skin deep — software-based ANNs, such as those powering large language models like ChatGPT, have a voracious appetite for computational resources, and hence, electricity. This makes them impractical for many applications.

Neuromorphic computing aims to mimic the computing power and energy efficiency of the brain. This requires not only re-designing system architecture to carry out memory and computation at the same place — the so-called in-memory computing (IMC) — but also to develop electronic devices that exploit physical and electronic phenomena capable of replicating more faithfully how neurons and synapses work. However, current neuromorphic computing systems are stymied by the need for complicated multi-transistor circuits or emerging materials that are yet to be validated for large-scale manufacturing.

“To enable true neuromorphic computing, where microchips behave like biological neurons and synapses, we need hardware that is both scalable and energy-efficient,” said Professor Lanza.

The NUS research team has now demonstrated that a single, standard silicon transistor, when arranged and operated in a specific way, can replicate both neural firing and synaptic weight changes — the fundamental mechanisms of biological neurons and synapses. This was achieved through adjusting the resistance of the bulk terminal to specific values, which allow controlling two physical phenomena taking place into the transistor: punch through impact ionisation and charge trapping. Moreover, the team built a two-transistor cell capable of operating either in neuron or synaptic regime, which the researchers have called "Neuro-Synaptic Random Access Memory", or NS-RAM.

“Other approaches require complex transistor arrays or novel materials with uncertain manufacturability, but our method makes use of commercial CMOS (complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor) technology, the same platform found in modern computer processors and memory microchips,” explained Professor Lanza. “This means it’s scalable, reliable and compatible with existing semiconductor fabrication processes.”

Through experiments, the NS-RAM cell demonstrated low power consumption, maintained stable performance over many cycles of operation and exhibited consistent, predictable behaviour across different devices — all of which are desired attributes for building reliable ANN hardware suited for real-world applications. The team’s breakthrough marks a step change in the development of compact, power-efficient AI processors that could enable faster, more responsive computing.

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NUS physicists discover a copper-free high-temperature superconducting oxide

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Professor Ariando and Dr Stephen Lin Er Chow from the National University of Singapore (NUS) Department of Physics have designed and synthesised a groundbreaking new material—a copper-free superconducting oxide—capable of superconducting at approximately 40 Kelvin (K), or about minus 233 degrees Celsius (deg C), under ambient pressure. This discovery further advances NUS’ and Singapore’s leadership at the forefront of high-temperature superconductivity research.

Nearly four decades after the discovery of copper oxide superconductivity, which earned the 1987 Nobel Prize in Physics, the NUS researchers have now identified another high-temperature superconducting oxide that expands the understanding of unconventional superconductivity beyond copper oxides. 

The promise of superconductors

Modern electronics generate heat and consume energy during operation. Superconductors, however, possess a unique property known as the zero-resistance state, which eliminates energy loss due to electrical resistance. In theory, this makes them ideal for modern electronic applications, addressing the world's growing energy demands.

Despite the discovery of thousands of superconducting materials, the vast majority function only at extremely low temperatures near absolute zero (0 K), or about minus 273 deg C, making them impractical for widespread use. 

The 1987 Nobel Prize Breakthrough

Nearly 40 years ago, physicists Johannes Bednorz and Karl Müller discovered a new class of superconductors—copper oxides—which exhibit superconductivity at temperatures above 30 K, significantly higher than any previously known superconductors.

This breakthrough, which earned them the Nobel Prize in Physics, laid the foundation for high-temperature superconductivity research. To this day, copper oxides remain the only superconducting oxides that function at temperatures above 30 K, or about minus 243 dec C, under ambient pressure, without requiring lattice compression.

A breakthrough beyond copper

In a series of studies, Prof Ariando and Dr Chow identified a direct correlation between interlayer interactions in layered systems and superconducting temperatures.

Building on this insight, the researchers developed a phenomenological model that predicted several compounds capable of high-temperature superconductivity, similar to copper oxides, but without copper.

The team successfully synthesised (Sm-Eu-Ca)NiO₂ nickel oxide, one of the predicted materials, and confirmed zero electrical resistance (superconductivity) well above 30 K in this compound.

Dr Chow stated, "As we predicted and designed, this non-copper-based superconducting oxide demonstrates high-temperature superconductivity under atmospheric pressure at sea level, without the need for additional compression—just like copper oxides. This finding suggests that unconventional high-temperature superconductivity is not exclusive to copper but could be a more widespread property among elements in the periodic table."

“This observation has profound implications for both theoretical understanding and experimental realisation of a broader scope of superconducting materials with practical applications in modern electronics,” added Prof Ariando.

The research breakthrough was published in the scientific journal Nature on 20 March 2025.

Expanding the frontier of high-temperature superconductors 

"This is the first time since the Nobel-winning discovery that a copper-free high-temperature superconducting oxide has been found to function under ambient pressure," emphasised Prof Ariando.

"Additionally, this new material is highly stable under ambient conditions, significantly improving its accessibility."

This discovery has sparked growing interest, not only in the material itself but also in the broader potential for a new class of high-temperature superconductors.

Further research and future implications

The research team continues to investigate the material’s unique properties, exploring tuning parameters such as electronic occupancy shifting and hydrostatic pressure. These efforts aim to deepen the understanding of high-temperature superconducting mechanisms and pave the way for synthesising a broader family of superconductors with even higher operating temperatures.

Another contributor to this work includes Mr Zhaoyang Luo, an NUS PhD student with the research team, who demonstrated the high crystallinity and pure-phase nature of the synthesised material using electron microscopy.

This breakthrough represents a major step toward the development of next-generation superconducting materials, with practical applications in modern electronics and energy-efficient technologies.

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SGFIN Sustainability Summit 2025 strikes hopeful note for climate action

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When visiting Singapore, most people immediately notice the city’s cleanliness, and so did Professor Myles Allen of Oxford University when he visited for the first time at the invitation of the NUS Sustainable and Green Finance Institute (SGFIN) to be its keynote presenter at the SGFIN Sustainability Summit 2025 held on 13-14 March 2025.

He observed that maintaining Singapore’s clean streets takes not just extensive cleaning efforts, but also a sense of social responsibility to recognise that littering transfers the cost of disposal onto other people and is simply “not okay”.

“When are we going to get to the stage where dumping carbon dioxide into the atmosphere and imposing the cost of disposing of or coping with the impact of your carbon dioxide on other people is also not okay?” asked Prof Allen, who is Head of Atmospheric, Oceanic and Planetary Physics in the Department of Physics and Professor of Geosystem Science in the School of Geography and Environment, both at the University of Oxford.

Calling for climate policy to be reframed from the traditional focus on changing corporate and citizen behaviour to a focus on product and waste disposal, Prof Allen’s keynote presentation outlined a roadmap to halt global warming within 30 years, which would limit future warming to less than the amount that has occurred since the 2000s.

“We could stop global warming within a generation, but it requires a fresh approach to climate policy, and one that I think should be inspired by the turbulence we’re seeing over climate policy around the world,” he said.

Prof Allen’s suggestion was among several cautiously optimistic messages about climate action shared during the summit, held to the theme “Commitments, Challenges, and Innovations in the Transition to Sustainable Economy”. The event was attended by about 200 representatives from the global sustainable finance community, including academics, industry leaders, policymakers and regulators, financial institutions, and legal experts.

Optimism amid policy turbulence

In her opening address, Guest of Honour Ms Grace Fu, Minister for Sustainability and the Environment and Minister-in-charge of Trade Relations, noted that the challenges in the fight against climate change are “complex… but not insurmountable.”

Although global momentum appears to be wavering, Singapore is pressing forward with collaborations and contributions to key enablers of the green transition, she said.

Similarly, industry keynote speaker Ms Emily Chew, Head of Sustainability at GIC, said the sovereign wealth fund’s assessment of global climate policies indicates that “despite the headlines, it’s not a one-way pullback on climate policy around the world.”

Policy momentum in the European Union, China, Australia, and the United Kingdom remains strong, and Europe’s focus on renewable energy and related products has intensified, driven by energy cost concerns due to the Russia-Ukraine conflict and a desire to compete with China on key components in the clean energy value chain.

Ms Chew noted that demand for energy continues to outstrip supply at a pace that cannot be met with fossil fuel energy alone. This will drive growth in renewable energy capacity, as renewable energy technology development, advances in energy efficiency, improvements in grid management, and innovations in energy storage like battery technology and liquid storage are expected to ramp up even more rapidly to fill the gap.

Nevertheless, through its climate scenarios research, GIC sees growing conviction that the world may face a “too little, too late” scenario when it comes to the global transition. In this scenario, policy responses to address emissions would be insufficient to keep global warming below 2 degrees Celsius. It is thus looking at investing in not just climate solutions and climate transition, but also climate adaptation, which will be inevitable in a world that is 2-3 degrees Celsius warmer by 2100.

Achieving Geological Net Zero

To avert this crisis, the world must address the issue of carbon dioxide disposal, said Prof Allen.

Progress on replacing fossil fuels with clean energy and reversing deforestation has been far from satisfactory, especially with the reluctance of certain economies and industries to give up fossil fuels. In addition, these methods do not reduce carbon emissions enough to meet net-zero goals.

“If we don’t avoid producing carbon dioxide, we have to take up the slack by increasing the amount we put back in the Earth’s crust, because the amount we can store at the surface by restoring forests is actually quite limited,” Prof Allen said.

“We need to stop fossil fuels from causing global warming, and we need to do it before the world stops using fossil fuels.”

The climate goal should be Geological Net Zero, incorporating capture and storage of carbon dioxide in the Earth’s crust to balance the existing and ongoing emissions, he said. With this approach, getting to net zero by 2055 would entail capturing and storing underground 10 per cent of carbon dioxide produced from fossil sources by 2035, 50 per cent by 2045, and 100 per cent by 2055.

Carbon capture solutions are already available and effective, but more capital is needed to scale up such projects, which currently receive less than 1 per cent of transition investments.  The high cost of direct air capture of carbon dioxide, about US$600 per tonne, could be managed by pricing it into fossil fuel costs over time, Prof Allen argued. For example, he estimates that doing so for petrol would increase prices by only 60 US cents per litre over 30 years.

Prof Allen also warned that there is a risk of miscalculating the emissions reduction needed to achieve net-zero targets, due to ambiguous wording in Article 4 of the Paris Agreement. The article calls for striking a balance between carbon emissions and removals to stop global warming but does not specify exactly what removals are included, which leaves the door open for natural carbon uptake by forests and oceans to be “double counted” as part of removal efforts.

“If we only aim for net zero with this definition of emissions, then we stabilise the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, rather than allowing it to fall as it should. We would see constant concentrations (of carbon dioxide) resulting, and that allows ongoing warming,” Prof Allen said.

He ended on a positive note, urging those present to take the helm and not wait for direction from elsewhere.

“There is an opportunity here for Asia to lead the way to a more effective, less intrusive, more pragmatic climate future based on the principle that if you generate carbon dioxide, you have the responsibility to dispose of it responsibly and not just dump it into the atmosphere for somebody else to clean up – a policy that I might say is inspired by the clean streets of Singapore.”

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