CDE Commemorative Book

COLLEGE OF DESIGN AND ENGINEERING 2022–2025

OUR

STORY

Preface

OUR MISSION

To inspire, innovate and transform.

A leading college uniting creative minds to build a better future.

When we first set out to bring the disciplines of design, architecture and engineering into a single college, we knew we were embarking on an ambitious journey. The world was changing rapidly — new technologies reshaping industries, environmental pressures demanding new solutions, and students seeking more flexible and interconnected ways of learning. Creating the College of Design and Engineering in 2022 was our response to this moment: a chance to reimagine education and research in a way that was more agile, more integrated and more attuned to the needs of the future.

The years that followed were of thoughtful experimentation and steady, sometimes quiet, progress. Change was inevitably difficult, but there was much support from stakeholders who cared. Working through differences in culture, curriculum, processes, and operations, there was much sacrifice by our faculty and staff to see the merger through. I would like to thank Prof Lam Khee Poh and his team at the School of Design and Environment for working closely with the Faculty of Engineering Team to enable the union of two long-established schools into one, forging a new identity. It was rewarding to see how faculty and staff across departments came together to build shared platforms, launch new initiatives and define the character of a young College, finding its voice. Students embraced the opportunities to work across boundaries, taking on projects that required both creativity and technical depth. Our partners in industry and government supported us generously as we worked to refine and strengthen our direction.

Looking back, what stands out most is the collective spirit behind this transformation. CDE was not built overnight, nor by any single person or programme. CDE was built by the willingness of many to collaborate, adapt and imagine a new kind of academic home — one where new ideas and experiences emerge from past boundaries, and where design sensibilities and technical rigour go hand in hand.

Today, as I watch the College continue to grow under the Dean Professor Teo and his team, I am heartened by how these aspirations are taking shape. The work featured in this book reflects the energy, talent and commitment of our community. It shows how our students, faculty and partners are already shaping solutions that matter — to Singapore’s future and to the wider region and to the world.

I hope this commemorative book serves not only as a record of what we have achieved together, but also as a reminder of the boldness and sense of purpose that guided us from the very beginning. May it encourage us to keep asking how CDE can continue to evolve, and how we can use this shared College to educate, discover and build in ways that stay relevant to the world we serve. CDE’s story is still being written; it will be an ongoing endeavour by the faculty, staff, students, and alumni of the college. Hence, I am looking forward to the telling of this adventure. Cheers.

Professor Aaron Thean Provost

Dean’s Message

Transformative education, research impact and an engaged community.

It is truly remarkable how far we’ve come in building our expertise, expanding our horizons and building a global reputation in education, research and innovation.

But progress never stands still. And neither do we.

The world around us is shifting quickly. New technologies such as artificial intelligence are changing how we live and work, while global norms continue to evolve in ways that challenge us to think differently and act with greater agility. Amid this change, what keeps us grounded are the qualities that make us human — our curiosity, our willingness to learn, our empathy and our ability to see ourselves reflected in others. These qualities will continue to guide how we grow as individuals and as a community.

In 2022, we took a bold step forward with the formation of the College of Design and Engineering, bringing together the complementary disciplines of architecture, design and engineering under one roof. Indeed, this integration has opened up exciting new possibilities for cross-disciplinary collaboration, for transformative education and for research that tackles real-world challenges in more holistic ways.

We are encouraged by the growing international recognition of our work, and we remain committed to our pursuit of greater impact through curiosity-driven research, industry partnerships and education that nurtures not only technical excellence, but empathy, imagination and purpose.

Above all, we are proud of our students and alumni, who continue to push boundaries and make meaningful contributions across sectors and societies around the world.

As we look ahead, our aspiration is for the College to be known for its unique blend of design and engineering, and for the way we bring these strengths together to address some of humanity’s greatest challenges — now and in the years to come.

Let’s continue to dream big and inspire greatness in one another.

With your continued commitment and support, I am confident that together, we can shape the future.

Professor Teo Kie Leong Dean

CDE Taskforce (2021)

The CDE Taskforce members, with their guidance, foresight and collective wisdom, played a pivotal role in shaping CDE’s path forward. Their contributions provided a vital high-level lens during the merger, ensuring that CDE navigated change with clarity, purpose and a shared vision for a better future.

Chair

Professor Ho Teck Hua

Senior Deputy President and Provost, National University of Singapore (NUS)

Member

Mr Cheong Chee Hoo

CEO, DSO National Laboratories

Dr Cheong Koon Hean

Chairman, Centre for Liveable Cities, Ministry of National Development

Mr Russell Tham

Senior Managing Director, Temasek

Professor Wong Mun Summ

Co-Founding Director, WOHA

Dr Teo Ho Pin

President, Building and Estate Management Alumni, NUS

Mr Brian Tan

Vice President (Applied Global Services),

Regional President (South East Asia), Applied Materials

Professor Liu Bin

Vice President (Research and Technology), NUS

Professor Lam Khee Poh

Dean, School of Design and Engineering (SDE), NUS

Professor Aaron Thean

Dean, Faculty of Engineering (FoE), NUS

Associate Professor Martin Buist

Vice Dean (Undergraduate), FoE, NUS

Professor Michael Chew

Head (Building), SDE, NUS

Professor Ho Puay Peng

Deputy Head (Undergraduate), Electrical and Computer Engineering, FoE, NUS

Professor Richard Liew Jat Yuen

Acting Head (Civil and Environment Engineering), FoE, NUS

Associate Professor Hans Tan

Deputy Head (Academic), Industrial Design, SDE, NUS

Associate Professor Tham Chen Khong

Deputy Head (Undergraduate), ECE, FoE, NUS

Associate Professor Cheah Kok Ming Architecture, SDE, NUS

Note: Titles and designations reflect each member’s position at the time of their appointment to the taskforce.

College Advisory Board

(From 30 June 2025)

The CDE College Advisory Board’s valuable counsel and diverse perspectives help guide CDE’s development in its formative years, bridging academic and industry while enriching our efforts to stay relevant, forwardlooking and connected to the broader community.

Chair

Mr Peter Ho

Senior Advisor, Centre for Strategic Futures, Prime Minister’s Office

Member

Mr Andy Lee

Managing Director, Alibaba Cloud

Mr Brian Tan

Vice President (Applied Global Services), Regional President (South East Asia), Applied Materials

Er Chan Ewe Jin

President of The Institution of Engineers, Singapore and Managing Director, ECAS Consultants Pte Ltd

Ms Eng Se-Hsieng

Chief Sales Officer, nami.ai Pte Ltd

Ms Hazel Khoo

Director, Coastal Protection

PUB, Singapore’s National Water Agency

Er Jee Yi Yng

Managing Director, AECOM Singapore Pte Ltd

Mr Krishnan Subramanian

Corporate Vice President, NAND Technology Integration, Micron Technology

Dr Lee Shiang Long

Group Chief Technology and Digital Officer, ST Engineering

Er Lim Peng Hong

President of Professional Engineers Board and Managing Director, PH Consulting Pte Ltd

Mr Low Cheaw Hwei

Principal Consultant/Designer

Ar Mok Wei Wei

Managing Director, W Architects Pte Ltd

Mr Ng Lang

Chief Executive, Land Transport Authority

Mr Seah Moon Ming

Chairman, SMRT Corporation Ltd

Dr Siah Soh Yun

Vice President, Technology Development and R&D, GlobalFoundries Singapore Pte Ltd

Mr Tan Peng Yam

Chief Defence Scientist, MINDEF Singapore

Ar Tan Shao Yen

President and Group Chief Executive Officer, CPG Corporation Pte Ltd

Mr Wong Kin Hoong

Senior Director, Contract Management, Kingsmen Exhibits Pte Ltd

Mr Wong Mun Summ

Co-Founding Director of WOHA

Ms Yvonne Lim Li Chuen

Group Director, Physical Planning, Urban Redevelopment Authority

College Board

2022–2024

Dean From April 2024

Acting Dean Apr 2023 to Mar 2024

Dean Jan 2022 to Mar 2023

Deputy Dean

From Apr 2024

Deputy Dean (Research and Innovation)

Jan 2022 to Mar 2024

Deputy Dean (Education)

From May 2024

Deputy Dean (Academic Affairs and Education)

Jan 2022 to Mar 2024

Director (Administration)

Jan 2020 to Dec 2024

Vice Dean (Alumni Relations)

From May 2024

Jan 2022 to Apr 2024

Head (Development)

From Jul 2023

Vice Dean (Development)

Jan 2022 to Mar 2023

Vice Dean (Graduate Programmes)

From Jan 2023

Vice Dean (Graduate Research Programmes*)

Jan 2022 to Dec 2022

Vice Dean (Masters’ Programmes and Lifelong Education*)

Jan 2022 to Dec 2022

Professor Teo Kie Leong

Vice Dean (Industry, Innovation and Enterprise)

Jan 2022 to Feb 2023

Vice Dean (Outreach and Special Projects)

From May 2024

Vice Dean (Research and Technology)

From Aug 2024

Professor Aaron Thean

Professor Heng Chye Kiang

Associate Professor Martin Buist

Professor Teo Kie Leong

Ms Shireen Lian

Associate Professor Arthur Tay

Associate Professor Kua Harn Wei

Mr Wan Chee Yuen

Associate Professor Daniel Chua

Associate Professor Chai Kah Hin

Professor Wong Nyuk Hien

Associate Professor Chai Kah Hin

Sep 2022 to Jul 2024

Jan 2022 to July 2022

Vice Dean (Student Life)

From May 2024

Jan 2022 to Apr 2024

Vice Dean (Undergraduate Programmes)

From May 2024

Jan 2022 to Apr 2024

Head (Department of Architecture)

From May 2024

Acting Head (Department of Architecture)

Jan 2023 to May 2024

Head (Department of Architecture)

Jan 2022 to Dec 2022

Head (Department of Biomedical Engineering)

From Jan 2022

Head (Department of the Built Environment)

From Jan 2022

Head (Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering)

From Mar 2024

Acting Head

July 2022 to Feb 2024

Head (Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering)

Jan 2022 to Jun 2022

Professor Praveen Linga

Associate Professor James Kah

Professor Silvija Gradecak-Garaj

Associate Professor Benjamin Tee

Professor Biplab Sikdar

Associate Professor Darren Chian

Professor Ho Ghim Wei

Associate Professor Teo Chiang Juay

Associate Professor Martin Buist

Professor Jeffrey Hou

Professor Heng Chye Kiang

Professor Ho Puay Peng

Professor Dean Ho

Professor Michael Chew

Professor Saif Khan

Professor Liu Bin

Head (Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering)

From Jan 2022

Head (Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering)

From Jul 2023

Acting Head

Aug 2022 to Jul 2023

Acting Head (Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering)

Jan 2022 to Jul 2022

Head (Division of Industrial Design)

From Aug 2024

Acting Head (Division of Industrial Design)

Jan 2023 to July 2024

Head (Division of Industrial Design)

Jan 2022 to Dec 2022

Head (Department of Industrial Systems Engineering and Management)

From Jan 2022

Head (Department of Materials Science and Engineering)

From Oct 2023

Head (Department of Materials Science and Engineering)

Jan 2022 to Sep 2023

Head (Department of Mechanical Engineering)

From Jan 2025

Acting Head (Department of Mechanical Engineering)

Jul 2023 to Dec 2024

Head (Department of Mechanical Engineering)

Jan 2022 to Jun 2023

Professor Richard Liew

College Board 2025

Professor Biplab Sikdar

Associate Professor Liang Yung Chii

Professor Cornelis Joachim Petrus Maria de Bont

Associate Professor R Brian Stone

Associate Professor Christian Boucharenc

Associate Professor Ng Szu Hui

Professor Xue Jun Min

Professor Barbaros Özyilmaz

Professor Lee Poh Seng

Professor Lee Heow Pueh

Dean

Professor Teo Kie Leong

Deputy Dean

Professor Heng Chye Kiang

Deputy Dean (Education)

Associate Professor Martin Buist

Senior Director (Administration)

Ms Shireen Lian

Vice Dean (Alumni Relations)

Associate Professor Arthur Tay

Head (Development)

Ms Lynette Lai

Vice Dean (Graduate Programmes)

Associate Professor Chai Kah Hin

Vice Dean (Outreach and Special Projects)

Associate Professor James Kah

Vice Dean (Research and Technology)

Professor Silvija Gradecak-Garaj

Vice Dean (Student Life)

Associate Professor Darren Chian

Vice Dean

(Undergraduate Programmes)

Associate Professor Teo Chiang Juay

Head (Department of Architecture)

Professor Jeffrey Hou

Head (Department of Biomedical Engineering)

Professor Dean Ho

Head (Department of the Built Environment)

Professor Michael Chew

Head (Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering)

Professor Saif Khan

Head (Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering)

Professor Richard Liew

Head (Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering)

Professor Biplab Sikdar

Head (Division of Industrial Design)

Professor Cornelis Joachim Petrus Maria de Bont

Head (Department of Industrial Systems Engineering and Management)

Associate Professor Ng Szu Hui

Head (Department of Materials Science and Engineering)

Professor Xue Jun Min

Head (Department of Mechanical Engineering)

Professor Lee Poh Seng

Professor Gregory Chirikjian

1955 1980

2000

Professional engineering programmes commences at the then University of Malaya.

The University of Singapore is established.

The Department of Engineering elevated to full Faculty status, offering a four-year professional engineering diploma. School of Architecture opens at Singapore Polytechnic. 1958

The Faculty of Architecture & Building is one of the first faculties to move into the Kent Ridge campus.

The Faculty of Engineering moves to the new Kent Ridge Campus.

The Faculty of Engineering is constituted under the University of Singapore. The Faculty of Architecture offers degrees in Architecture and Building & Estate Management.

OUR LEGACY

The Department of Building Science merges with the Department of Building & Estate Management to form the School of Building & Estate Management (SBEM).

2000

The Faculty of Architecture, Building and Real Estate is renamed the School of Design and Environment (SDE). Division of Industrial Design was set up.

Our story spans more than 70 years. CDE builds on the legacy and achievements of two world-class institutions at NUS, the Faculty of Engineering and the School of Design and Environment.

2020

2021

Students enrolling in the Faculty of Engineering as well as the SDE can seamlessly take courses from both schools to develop competencies across different fields.

2023

NUS’ first building cluster targeting net-zero launched.

NUS Cities, a new interdisciplinary education and research centre formed, boosting Singapore’s capabilities for sustainability leadership.

Introduction of a Common Curriculum that integrates knowledge and skillsets relevant to the professional training offered by both schools.

2022

Formal merger of the Faculty of Engineering and the SDE to form the College of Design and Engineering (CDE) with Professor Aaron Thean as the Dean.

2024

NUS alumnus Professor Teo Kie Leong named second Dean of CDE.

2025

CDE celebrates 70 years of Engineering and NUS celebrates 120 years.

TRANSFORMATIVE EDUCATION:

TRANSFORMATIVE FORGING THEIR OWN PATHS

THE START OF THE TRANSFORMATION

We live in an era supercharged by transformation. Technology is reshaping industries, digital tools are becoming part of daily life, and the way we design, engineer and build is constantly evolving. From healthcare to energy, sustainability to smart cities, staying ahead means being responsive, agile and forwardthinking.

At NUS, this spirit of evolution is engraved in the DNA of our design and engineering education. The Faculty of Engineering and the School of Design and Environment were each created in response to national needs and global trends. Both nurtured thinkers and builders who would rise to the challenges of their time. This shared drive to forge new frontiers and create long-lasting impact was a natural catalyst for what came next: the formation of a future-focused institution where design and engineering come together.

That became reality on 1 January 2022, with the launch of the College of Design and Engineering (CDE). It marked a new chapter where traditional design and engineering silos were dismantled to encourage collaboration and spark innovation.

At its core, the merger was anything but a structural change. It was a golden opportunity to cultivate a new generation of talent fluent in both creative and technical dialects. Throughout history, breakthroughs have emerged when designers and engineers joined forces. In today’s world, where disciplines increasingly intersect, CDE provides the environment for such synergy to thrive.

The formation of CDE is part of NUS’ commitment to reimagining education for the future. The new College is built on four pillars: a common curriculum, greater flexibility, an interdisciplinary approach and lifelong learning. Together, these give students the tools and freedom to shape their own learning paths.

NUS President Professor Tan Eng Chye had long stressed that world-class education must be nimble enough to prepare graduates for a future marked by ever greater volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity. The creation of CDE epitomises this forward-thinking ethos.

The transformation began in earnest in August 2021, when about 1,800 students from the Faculty of Engineering and the School of Design and Environment began a newly designed common curriculum. Developed jointly by both schools, the curriculum combines broad general education with specialised courses that interweave design and engineering. It gives students unprecedented flexibility in tailoring their learning experience. By January 2022, these students officially became part of CDE.

Today, CDE is home to 10 departments under the leadership of Professor Teo Kie Leong. The College’s guiding vision is to give its students the freedom to build a programme that is as broad or as specialised as they wish, and to graduate with the ability to see connections where others see boundaries.

From architects and engineers to designers and builtenvironment specialists, the next generation of problem-solvers, innovators and change-makers is taking shape at CDE — and this is only the beginning.

The formation of CDE

is part of NUS’

commitment to reimagining education for the future.

EXPANSION OF OUR CORE

CDE’s commitment to future-ready education continues with the announcement of its 15th undergraduate programme, the Bachelor of Engineering in Robotics and Machine Intelligence (BEng RMI) in 2024, with its first cohort in AY2025/2026.

From advanced manufacturing and automation to AI-driven smart systems, robotics is reshaping industries by enhancing efficiency, precision and safety.

Recognising this transformation, CDE developed the BEng RMI programme directly in response to industry needs and feedback, emphasising the growing importance of intelligent systems in robotics.

What sets this programme apart is its integration of AI with robotics engineering, going beyond conventional robotics to develop AI-powered robotic systems that can think, learn and adapt. Students will have the opportunity to design robotic platforms and master machine learning simultaneously, enabling them to craft truly intelligent robotic systems capable of decision-making and real-time adaptability.

This combination of disciplines aligns with real-world needs. Hosted by the Department of Mechanical Engineering, the programme draws on expertise from several other departments across CDE, including Biomedical Engineering, Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Electrical and Computer Engineering, and Materials Science and Engineering. This collaborative, interdisciplinary structure ensures students gain a well-rounded, industry-relevant education.

The new RMI programme focuses on deep, well-established expertise in robotics and intelligent systems that has been translated into real-world applications. One example is BeeX, a deep-tech startup founded by NUS alumni, which traces its origins to a student project begun in 2008. Today, BeeX is a powerhouse in autonomous underwater vehicles, developing high-precision systems used for underwater inspections in the maritime sector, showing how advances in robotics and AI can solve complex, real-world challenges.

Developed directly in response to industry needs and feedback, emphasising the growing importance of intelligent systems in robotics.

Our Undergraduate Programmes

Environmental and Sustainability Engineering

Environmental and sustainability engineers draw from the science of biology, chemistry, ecology and hydrology, to devise sustainable solutions to improve our quality of life, while maintaining a clean and healthy environment.

Architecture

Architects plan the future as well as design places for purpose and inspiration.

Landscape Architecture

Landscape architects plan, design and manage outdoor spaces such as parks, gardens, waterfronts and urban plazas to create functional, sustainable, and aesthetically pleasing environments.

Materials Science and Engineering

Materials engineers design, develop and enhance materials to solve challenges in technology, sustainability and everyday life, enabling advancements across industries.

Civil Engineering

Civil engineers plan, design, construct, maintain and operate a liveable city while ensuring human safety, climate resilience and environmental sustainability.

Infrastructure and Project Management

Professionals in this area apply their knowledge in the areas of engineering, management, finance and law to manage a variety of construction and infrastructure projects and systems in the built environment and other sectors.

Computer Engineering

Computer engineers design and build computing systems at all scales, from microcircuits to large-scale intelligent systems. They innovate in energy-efficient devices, advanced communication networks, and smart technologies, driving digital transformation across industries globally.

Electrical Engineering

Electrical engineers are innovators and problem solvers who design and optimise the systems powering modern technology. Their expertise advances communication networks, AI solutions, energy systems, and medical technologies, driving progress across industries like electronics, aerospace, and robotics.

Robotics and Machine Intelligence

Robotics engineers design and build robots and automated systems for applications across many industries, including defence, manufacturing, logistics, healthcare, and consumer electronics.

Engineering Science

Engineering scientists use mathematics and science to create practical solutions for complex problems that involve multiple areas of engineering.

Mechanical Engineering

Mechanical engineers use the principles of motion, force and energy to design, develop and manufacture mechanical devices and thermal systems, creating technologies that meet human needs.

Industrial and Systems Engineering

Industrial and systems engineers solve problems in multiple domains, backed by scientific approaches in data analytics, systems modelling, decision-making, and management.

Biomedical Engineering

Biomedical engineers turn engineering ideas into lifechanging healthcare solutions, tackling the complexity of living systems through the combined power of engineering, biology, and medicine.

Chemical Engineering

Chemical engineers transform molecules and materials from nature, including living matter, into a wide range of products that shape our modern lives, from medicines and cosmetics products to fuels and computer chips.

Industrial Design

Industrial designers create new products, services, spaces, apps, experiences, and businesses that people need and love.

COMPLEMENTING THE CORE

At CDE, learning is never one-size-fits-all and students get to design their own learning path. Through second majors or minors, they can engineer their learning experience to match their interests and goals.

To ensure students stay future-ready, CDE has developed a range of programmes over the past three years. Launched in AY2024/2025, the second major or minor in Computing (Design and Engineering), jointly curated with the NUS School of Computing, builds digital fluency and computational thinking for the modern workplace.

The second major or minor in the Innovation and Design Programme, introduced in AY2021/2022, nurtures entrepreneurial thinking. The second major in Sustainable Urban Development, also introduced in AY2021/2022, and the minor in Cities (effective AY2024/2025), prepare students to design greener, more liveable spaces.

Second majors allow students to combine two disciplines, building a broad and versatile skill set. Minors, whether from CDE or other NUS faculties, help students deepen knowledge in complementary fields — giving them an advantage in a rapidly evolving job market.

For example, a student with an Environmental and Sustainability Engineering major might pursue a second major in Sustainable Urban Development to build expertise in green infrastructure. If they are interested in health and urban systems, they could instead pair their major with minors in Public Health and Geographic Information Systems.

Leading sustainability focus in education and thought leadership

NUS Cities was established in 2023 as a unique interdisciplinary centre to pioneer a systems approach for the discovery of holistic and innovative solutions to improve the governance, planning and management of cities.

Hosted within CDE, NUS Cities brings together researchers and practitioners from diverse fields to educate, undertake research and provide advisory services on liveable, sustainable and resilient cities.

NUS Cities Symposium

NUS Cities holds their annual symposium to provide researchers, policymakers, industry experts, community leaders and students with a platform to discuss evolving urban challenges and strategies to tackle them.

Minor in Cities

NUS Cities offers the minor in Cities to all NUS students with a strong interest in urban planning, policy and governance. The programme equips students with the skills to understand how cities can become more liveable amidst increasing urbanisation, where they will explore the complexities of urban systems and learn to apply systems thinking to tackle urban challenges.

The NUS Master of Cities

The NUS Master of Cities is the first Asia-based programme that emphasises real-world case studies. The first intake in 2026 will gain first-hand perspectives of urban projects and policies from CDE’s expert faculty, and get the chance to immerse themselves in cross-cultural dialogues with other urban professionals.

SPECIALISED SKILLS FOR THE FUTURE

In addition to second majors and minors, students can deepen their expertise through specialisations — deep dives into emerging fields that build future-ready skills.

For instance, an undergraduate student with a Mechanical Engineering major interested in aerospace might pair specialisations in Aeronautical Engineering and Robotics — a strong foundation for the growing field of autonomous flight systems. A Chemical Engineering student aiming to break into the pharmaceutical sector could combine a minor in Pharmaceutical Science with a specialisation in Biopharmaceutical Engineering.

CDE’s array of specialisations is as broad as it is deep, cutting across majors to mirror the real world’s complexities and the endless opportunities it presents.

Advanced Electronics

Aeronautical Engineering

Analytics and Decision Intelligence

Artificial Intelligence in MSE

Biomedical Materials

Biopharmaceutical Engineering

Community Healthcare and Technology

Computational Engineering Science

Design Futures and Critical Inquiry

Digitalisation in Urban Infrastructure

Energy and Sustainability

Energy Science and Technology

Engineering Science in Medicine

Industry 4.0

Internet of Things

Landscape Practice

Landscape Studies

Materials for Renewable Energy and Sustainability

Microelectronics and Quantum Materials

Nanoscience and Technology

Nanostructured Materials and Nanotechnology

Process Engineering

Product Innovation

Robotics

Safety and Sustainability

Social and Service Transformation

Space Technology

Supply Chain Analytics

Sustainability Analytics

Sustainable Electric Transportation

Sustainable Green Buildings

Tissue Engineering

CDE’s mission to shape future changemakers goes beyond the classroom. Through dedicated scholarship programmes, the College supports students with the talent, passion and drive to lead — across both technical and creative disciplines.

It began with the Engineering Scholars Programme (E-Scholars), created for exceptional individuals pursuing any Bachelor of Engineering degree. E-Scholars enjoy an accelerated undergraduate experience, with opportunities for overseas exposure, close mentorship from leading professors and fast-tracked progression.

In 2024, CDE introduced the Design Scholars Programme (D-Scholars), tailored for aspiring architects, industrial designers and landscape architects. The programme nurtures creative leadership through global experiences and mentorship focused on design thinking and real-world impact.

ATTRACTING AND NURTURING FUTURE LEADERS

A Spectrum of Opportunities for Continuing Education and Learning

Indeed, learning does not end at graduation. A wide range of coursework-based programmes at CDE, full-time or part-time, extend opportunities for growth, whether for working professionals refining their expertise or graduates venturing into new fields.

From urban planning to robotics to biomedical engineering, the broad spectrum of disciplines speaks to the breadth of pathways that learners continue to explore at CDE.

Our Graduate Programmes by Coursework

Architecture

Master of Architecture

Master of Arts in Architectural Conservation

Master of Arts in Urban Design

Master of Landscape Architecture

Master of Science in Intergrated Sustainable Design

Master of Urban Planning

Built Environment

Master of Science in Building Performance and Sustainability

Master of Science in Project Management

Civil and Environmental Engineering

Master of Science in Civil Engineering

Master of Science in Environmental Engineering

Materials Science and Engineering

Master of Science in

Materials Science and Engineering

Biomedical Engineering

Master of Science in Biomedical Engineering

Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering

Master of Science in Chemical Engineering

Master of Science in Energy Systems

Master of Science in Safety, Health and Environmental Technology

Electrical and Computer Engineering

Master of Science in Computer Engineering

Master of Science in Electrical Engineering

Master of Science in Semiconductor Technology and Operations

Mechanical Engineering

Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering

Master of Science in Robotics

Industrial Systems Engineering and Management

Master of Science in Industrial and Systems Engineering

Master of Science in Management of Technology and Innovation

Master of Science in Maritime Technology and Management

Master of Science in Supply Chain Management

Engineering Design and Innovation

Master of Science in Engineering Design and Innovation

Industrial Design

Masters of Design in Integrated Design

DESIGN

ENGAGING INDUSTRY IN TALENT DEVELOPMENT

At CDE, engaging industry is an ongoing conversation. Specially curated forums and initiatives at the College create spaces where academia and industry come together to tackle pressing challenges, analyse future trends and cultivate talent for tomorrow’s workforce.

These engagements span a wide spectrum of topics, from robotics and AI to sustainable urban development and advanced manufacturing. Whether exploring the potential of automation and intelligent systems (Robotics Open Day), or uncovering creative problem-solving frameworks for industry challenges (Creative Problem-Solving and Generative AI), each session brings professionals, educators and students together in meaningful exchange.

Discussions on next-generation semiconductor technology Graduate Education Opportunities in Semiconductors), provide opportunities for graduate education and industrial internships, while ensuring that CDE has a finger on the pulse of evolving industrial needs.

CDE’s commitment to shaping a sustainable future is brought to life by events like Pursuing Net-Zero Built Environments , where participants learn how the built environment can adapt to the realities of climate change. A tour of SDE4, Singapore’s first purpose-built net-zero energy building, gives students an eye-opening opportunity to witness the real-world impact of their learning.

On the other hand, design-focused sessions ( Design Thinking Day) explore how user-centric thinking drives better business outcomes — spotlighting the power of design as a catalyst for innovation.

Ryan Lee

(Research Engineer @ CFI Singapore / Part-time PhD student @ CEE)

At CDE, flexible learning pathways, including part-time postgraduate programmes, enable working professionals to further their education while advancing research that responds to both national needs and global imperatives.

Ryan Lee Jun Yuan, a part-time PhD student at the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, and research engineer at the Coastal Protection and Flood Resilience Institute (CFI) Singapore, is working on a project to retrofit existing coastal protection structures along Singapore’s coastline, making them impervious to reduce seawater seepage.

“What attracted me to CFI Singapore were the unique opportunities to collaborate and exchange ideas with individuals from various disciplines — marine biologists, civil engineers and hydrologists. This enables me to consider the broader implications of my solutions beyond civil engineering and my specialisation of geotechnical engineering, to create holistic, cross-disciplinary solutions,” Ryan shared.

OUR FUTURE LEADERS IN DESIGN AND ENGINEERING

Sheryl Teng

(PhD student @ DID)

Sheryl Teng, a PhD student at the Division of Industrial Design, explores the intersection between materiality, design and human experience. Her research takes her from the workshop to international stages, most recently at Ars Electronica 2024, the world’s leading media arts festival held in Linz, Austria. There, Sheryl and her team showcased row x row, an interactive installation that invites audiences to rediscover the hidden mechanics of textile machines through a participatory digital interface.

“It’s fascinating how everyday materials and objects can be reimagined to create new dialogues between people and technology. Tactile exploration, combined with critical making, can change how we experience the world around us,” Sheryl shared.

STUDENTS MAKING IMPACT

Bold ideas. A relentless drive. And a spirit of adventure that breaks boundaries. Across classrooms, workshops and global stages, students at CDE are turning their ambitions into achievements. Racking up awards, designing future-ready solutions and racing towards new horizons, here’s how they are making their mark.

Innovation Through Empathy

Luke Goh’s Mammosense makes mammograms less painful.

For three consecutive years, CDE students have swept the national titles at the James Dyson Award, proving that empathy-led design can drive powerful solutions for real-world challenges.

In 2022, John Tay, valedictorian of his Industrial Design cohort, turned an unfortunate event into creative purpose. Motivated by his father’s stroke recovery, John developed Rehabit — a set of therapy equipment that guides stroke patients through rehabilitative exercises at home. Light, sturdy and easy to use, Rehabit turns tedious exercises into simple habits, removing complexities and obstacles to free the patient to focus on what matters most: on what matters most: to relearn the vital ability to move.

Fellow graduate Koh Bei Ning earned the national runner-up spot with Rollo, a textured rollerball designed to soothe eczema flare-ups without damaging sensitive skin. Motivated by her own experience living with the condition, Bei Ning created a cooling, tactile solution that brings both relief and peace of mind. In 2023, her Kickstarter campaign for Rollo was a resounding success, raising over S$100,000 from nearly 1,000 backers. From product designer to entrepreneur, Bei Ning now helps others manage their itch more comfortably, one rollerball at a time!

The momentum continued in 2023 with Siew E Ian claiming the national winner title for Auxobrace, a rehabilitation vest for open-heart surgery patients. Having endured two heart surgeries himself, E Ian engineered a lightweight brace using vacuum-powered, tessellating air bladders to support the sternum during recovery. Developed in collaboration with medical teams at the National University Hospital, Singapore, Auxobrace offers patients greater comfort and control, addressing the limitations of conventional, bulky sternal braces.

In 2024, Luke Goh took home the national win with Mammosense, an innovative device aimed at reducing pain during mammograms. Spurred by his mother’s uncomfortable experience, Luke harnessed LiDAR technology, along with advanced algorithms, to analyse breast tissue in real time, guiding radiographers to apply just the right amount of compression. Early trials show Mammosense can cut compression force by up to 34%, with a 25% reduction in reported pain during the compression.

The 2024 awards also spotlighted Project yaR, developed by Computer Engineering student Sparsh, in collaboration with Manas Bam from Computer Science at NUS Computing. Designed in partnership with the Singapore Association of the Visually Handicapped, the project features a wearable pendant that uses AI and image recognition to support users in daily tasks, from identifying medication labels to selecting matching outfits. Project yaR earned the team the national runner-up title. They were also the first runner-up at the Engineering Innovation Challenge 2024.

Siew E Ian’s Auxobrace helps open-heart surgery patients recover better.

Engineering education meets community action — that’s the spirit behind bGood, a yearly initiative by the Department of Biomedical Engineering (BME) that empowers students to co-create solutions with and for communities in need. Through experiential coursework in assistive technology and gerontechnology, students work directly with partners, from local care homes to overseas NGOs, to address real-world challenges through human-centred design. Engineering with empathy — and a drive to do good!

Community changemakers

For Nicholas, who lives with Duchenne muscular dystrophy, everyday tasks that we so often take for granted, like tapping an MRT card, can be difficult without arm mobility. Developed under bGood by students Edwin Chuah, Mervin Cheong, Glenice Kweh and Cathlin Theophilus, Armovin, a student-designed robotic arm fitted to Nicholas’s wheelchair, enables him to travel independently. The arm support is built using a mix of 3D-printed and metal parts, and is light, adaptable and affordable — thoughtful engineering that restores function and freedom.

Tapping into gamification and AI, the Golden Gamers, comprising BME graduates Jonathon Leong, Fatin Sharafana and Denise Caluza, developed Primeplay, a suite of arcade-style fitness games tailored to older persons. From rhythm-based grip training to virtual bike rides through Chinatown, these personalised programmes transform passive exercise into engaging, therapeutic and visually stimulating activities that help seniors stay active. Their innovation won the top prize at the 2024 Huawei Tech4City competition.

In Timor-Leste, students under bGlobal (an overseas extension of bGood that runs every year), immersed themselves in healthcare systems shaped by scarcity. Over 11 days, they visited hospitals and NGOs to understand frontline challenges, whether it’s malfunctioning medical devices or a lack of basic resources. Gabriel Wong developed AAAdapt, a modular battery pack to replace hard-to-source button cells in donated thermometers with common AA or AAA batteries, while Swathi Kumar and Lakshmi Sujeesh harnessed the abundance of local seaweed to create Kasugel, a healing gel that could serve as a low-cost, locally made wound dressing. The programme was a powerful reminder that impactful solutions are often borne out of empathy and an understanding of local context.

Can we picture a world where buildings tell stories, and public spaces shift perspectives? Through conceptual depth, visual storytelling and thoughtful spatial design, CDE’s architecture and landscape architecture students are reimagining the environments we live in. It is an invitation for us to view space through a different lens.

Ryan Quah (Class of 2024) won not one but two major awards in a standout year. His project Urban Tarzan, which rethinks urban infrastructure through a lens of sustainability and social function, won both Gold in Architecture and Best Design Impact at the Asia Young Designer Award 2023, besting 50,000 entries from 1,200 tertiary education institutions across 16 geographical locations. Recognised at home as well, Ryan was the sole architecture recipient of the NUS Achievement Award (Distinction), a rare honour in non-sports competitions.

Fellow alumnus Eugene Tan Wei Jie (Class of 2023) continued to dazzle on the international stage with his visionary thesis on the future of Pedra Branca. His evocative depictions, both poetic and political, imagine new relationships between architecture and ecology, earning him the top Drawing of the Year 2024 at Archisource, an Excellence in Digital Hybrid Media Award at the Ken Roberts Architectural Delineation Competition, and commendation at the RIBA Journal’s Eyeline Drawing Competition.

In public-space design, Terence Tan Jia Ren won Gold in the Spatial Design Awards (SPADE) at the Design Excellence Awards 2024. His project, The Way of the Dojo, transforms overlooked campus spaces into a sanctuary for martial arts practice. Inspired by resilience and heritage, Terence’s design channels the ethos of combat mastery through charred wood textures and immersive spatial journeys that honour the warrior spirit, inviting visitors to reflect on inner strength and tradition.

Shifting perspectives

Lean, mean studentbuilt machines

Volts, velocity and a vision for impact, CDE’s student engineers are building machines that make waves from track to tide.

In April 2024, Team Bumblebee made waves at the Singapore Autonomous Underwater Challenge (SAUVC), clinching first place against over 100 teams from 20 countries. The multidisciplinary team comprises students from Mechanical Engineering, Electrical and Computer Engineering, Computer Science and NUS Business School. Based at CDE, they design and build autonomous maritime vehicles capable of navigating underwater, on the water and in the air, performing complex tasks autonomously. Piloting AUV4, the only vehicle to complete every task — including the notoriously tough bins pick-up and navigating underwater currents — the team’s precision and preparation paid off. Logging over 400 hours in-water before the event, the team proved that control and capability could outshine sheer speed, topping both the main competition and the bonus round.

Their winning streak soared higher in November 2024, when Bumblebee captured the championship at the Maritime RobotX Challenge in Florida — becoming the first team in the competition’s history to win the title twice. Fielding ASV 4.0 and drone Jellyfish 2.0, the team nailed complex autonomous tasks, from drone take-offs and landings to seamless inter-vehicle communication. They also swept multiple special awards, including Best Presentation and Best System Assessment, outshining 15 elite teams from around the world.

Team Lead Teoh Xu En from Electrical Engineering described winning the competition as a profound mix of relief and gratitude. The team navigated through significant uncertainties leading up to the event, such as a potential cancellation of the competition due to Hurricane Milton. They also faced shipment issues, with their boat arriving just a day before the competition. Despite these challenges, the team adapted quickly to changes, and every member was well-prepared, knowing their specific roles and responsibilities.

Vroom vroom! What began as a pandemic pivot has powered the NUS Formula SAE (FSAE) team into new territory, as they shifted gears from internal combustion to electric, designing and building Singapore’s first-ever electric race car.

The team’s next-generation race car, R24e, competed against 79 teams worldwide at the Formula SAE 2024 in Michigan, where they clinched an impressive overall 10thplace finish in just their second year with an electric car. Across dynamic events like acceleration, autocross and endurance, the team’s hard-earned testing mileage (over 500km) proved invaluable.

From designing lunar mining missions to launching satellites into orbit, CDE students are bringing their out-of-this-world ideas to fruition.

In 2022, a team of Innovation and Design Programme (iDP) students won the Grand Prize at the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) Innovation Challenge, crafting an autonomous last-mile delivery system powered by satellite navigation technologies.

Next destination: space

Hot on their heels, another iDP team soared to victory in February 2023, clinching the Grand Prize at the International Space Challenge with EclipseSat — a concept for a nanosatellite that orbits in sun-synchronous low earth orbit to capture photographs of cities at night to measure the level of light pollution. It uses a spectrometer and decomposes the light captured into specific wavelengths, analyses the types of light bulbs that are used by a city, and determines how these light bulbs affect the city’s energy consumption.

ice on the Moon, while Team Orbitus earned Merit for its asteroid sampling spacecraft. NUS Team 1 picked up the Most Innovative Project Award with a design to extract and convert water from celestial bodies into rocket fuel. All in all, a stellar showcase of creativity and engineering!

Second-year Electrical Engineering student Chew Yong Zhang impressed at the Space & Global Health Hackathon, held from 31 May – 1 June 2024, winning second place with a project using satellite data to monitor and predict urban heat distribution. Yong Zheng’s experience, blending global health and space tech, sparked ambitions to pursue a PhD in his technical domain and join an international organisation to implement impactful ideas.

Galassia-2

In April 2023, CDE students celebrated the successful launch of Lumelite-4, a microsatellite for maritime communications built at the Satellite Technology and Research (STAR) Centre at the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering. Alumni-turned-researchers Marcus Tay and Yuan FangXing were part of the mission team, handling everything from satellite assembly to ground station operations, and witnessing their creation blast into space from India’s Satish Dhawan Space Centre.

Just months later, in July 2023, Galassia-2 joined the fleet of student-built satellites in orbit. Developed by around 20 students across multiple disciplines, this CubeSat class of nanosatellite carries a multispectral camera to monitor agriculture and environmental changes. “The successful launch and deployment of Galassia-2 is another demonstration of CDE’s leading role in training the next generation of space engineers here in Singapore,” said Prof Teo Kie Leong, Dean of CDE.

project leaders

Eugene Ee (right) and Ng Zhen Ning (left) overseeing integration of the satellite with the deployer system prior to launch.

At the International Space Challenge in February 2024, CDE students swept the awards. Team Venator claimed the Grand Prize with a visionary concept to mine water

RESEARCH WITH

IMPACT

RECOGNISING EXCELLENCE IN RESEARCH

Lim Chwee Teck

In 2024, Professor Lim Chwee Teck from the Department of Biomedical Engineering was elected to the Fellowship of the Royal Society, the UK’s national academy of sciences, in recognition of his valuable contributions to science.

Prof Lim’s groundbreaking contributions to mechanobiology and biomedical engineering are world-renowned. His research is exemplified by innovative applications of engineering principles to address health challenges, where he fosters interdisciplinary collaboration to facilitate the translation of research from bench to bedside.

An internationally acclaimed leader in the field of organic functional materials, Professor Liu Bin has made extensive contributions to polymer chemistry and the applications of organic nanomaterials for biomedical, environmental and energy research.

Liu Bin

Professor Lim Chwee Teck dedicated his research life to mechanobiology and biomedical engineering, where he applies engineering principles to address health challenges.

In 2024, Tan Chin Tuan Centennial Professor Liu Bin from the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering became the first female individual winner of the President’s Science Award.

Prof Liu, who is also the Deputy President (Research and Technology) at NUS, was awarded for her discovery of the role of carbazole isomers in room temperature phosphorescence of carbazole, and subsequent revelation of the transformative impact of isostructural doping on the optical properties of organic semiconductors, opening new avenues of study and application.

Qiu Cheng-Wei

Professor Qiu Cheng-Wei from the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering received the President’s Science Award in 2023. He was recognised for his trailblazing contributions to topological thermal materials and diffusion physics, pioneering the fundamental framework in structured thermal metamaterials, quantum heat transport, advanced cooling technologies and nonreciprocal thermal photonics.

Professor Qiu Cheng-Wei is recognised for his pioneering research in topological thermal materials and diffusion physics to develop green tech solutions for emerging challenges such as global warming, energy crises and heat management in microelectronics.

Hans Tan

At the President*s Design Award (P*DA) 2023, Associate Professor Hans Tan from the Division of Industrial Design (DID) was recognised as one of the six winners of the Design of the Year award for his work titled R for Repair. The award is Singapore’s highest accolade for design achievement.

Associate Professor Hans Tan’s design project, R for Repair, landed him the Design of the Year award at the President*s Design Award (P*DA) 2023, Singapore’s highest accolade for design achievement.

For the R for Repair project, Assoc Prof Tan brought together 10 well-known Singapore-based designers with 18 students from DID, who were briefed to create their own interpretation of repair and repair processes respectively. The aim was to demonstrate how repair can enhance the meaning taken from an object, highlighting the emotional as well as functional value of repair and showing that sustainability can be both desirable and purposeful.

CDE FACULTY AMONG THE WORLD’S MOST INFLUENTIAL SCIENTIFIC MINDS

Each year since its founding, a growing number of faculty have earned a place on Clarivate’s Highly Cited ResearchersTM list, which identifies the top 1% of scientists worldwide by citation impact.

In 2022, 18 CDE researchers made the list. That number increased to 21 in 2023, and again to 25 in 2024. Representing disciplines across chemistry, engineering, materials science, computer science and more, CDE researchers are not only advancing their fields but also helping place Singapore in the top ten globally.

Within NUS, CDE accounted for more than half of the University’s Highly Cited Researchers each year, underscoring the College’s growing influence as a hub for high-impact, cross-disciplinary science. The 28 CDE faculty named on the list from 2022 to 2024 are as follows.

Emeritus Professor Ang Beng Wah

Cross-Field 2022, 2023, 2024

Professor Shawn Chen Xiaoyuan

Chemistry 2022, 2023, 2024

Professor Sam Ge Shuzhi

Engineering 2022 Cross-Field 2024

Materials Science 2023

Professor Ho Ghim Wei Cross-Field 2023, 2024

Assistant Professor Hou Yi Cross-Field 2023, 2024

Associate Professor Sibudjing Kawi

Cross-Field 2022, 2023, 2024

Associate Professor Vincent Lee Chengkuo Cross-Field 2023, 2024

Professor Praveen Linga Engineering 2024

Professor Lin Zhiqun Chemistry 2022, 2023 Cross-Field 2024

Professor Liu Bin Chemistry 2022, 2023, 2024

Professor Antonio Helio Castro Neto Physics 2022, 2023, 2024

Professor Sir Konstantin Novoselov

Materials Science 2022, 2023 Physics 2022, 2023, 2024

Professor Barbaros Özyilmaz

Cross-Field 2022

Visiting Professor Qiang Yujie Cross-Field 2024

Professor Qiu Cheng-Wei Physics 2022, 2023, 2024

Professor Seeram Ramakrishna Cross-Field 2022, 2023

Assistant Professor Sing Swee Leong Cross-Field 2022, 2023, 2024

Dr Su Bin Economics and Business 2022, 2023 Cross-Field 2024

Professor Wang Chi-Hwa

Cross-Field 2023, 2024

Professor John Wang

Materials Science 2022, 2023, 2024

Adjunct Associate Professor Wang Xiaonan Cross-Field 2024

Wang Yuxiang Cross-Field 2024

Professor Xie Jianping Chemistry 2022, 2023, 2024

Professor Yan Ning Cross-Field 2022, 2023 Chemistry 2024

Associate Professor Thomas Yeo Boon Thye Neuroscience and Behaviour 2022, 2023, 2024

Assistant Professor Iris Yu Cross-Field 2023

Professor Zhang Rui

Computer Science 2022, 2023, 2024

Professor Zhao Dan Cross-Field 2024

FORGING NEW FRONTIERS WITH RESEARCH

Research at CDE drives real-world impact for communities, society and industry. From sustainable cities and health innovations to advanced materials, artificial intelligence, robotics and environmental resilience, CDE’s brightest minds tackle some of the most pressing challenges of our time while aligning with Singapore’s national needs. Through interdisciplinary collaboration and design thinking, CDE is forging new frontiers in science and technology to shape industries, inform policies and improve everyday lives.

Global challenges are constantly evolving. So too must the frontiers of research that address them. CDE’s innovators are exploring new and emerging fields, from active ageing solutions that support longer healthspans, to quantum and microelectronics technologies that redefine the future of computing and secure communications.

The CDE Research Newsletter Forging

was launched in 2024 to collate and showcase the progress CDE is making in academia and beyond!

From left to right, top to bottom

Issue 1 — Climate Resillience Technology

Issue 2 — From Ideas to Reality

Issue 3 — Ageing

Issue 4 — Robotics

Issue 5 — Microelectronics

Key Areas of Research

Active Ageing

Advancing knowledge and practices essential for enhancing living environments that foster the physical, psychological and social well-being of individuals across all age groups, especially in light of demographic shifts and climate change.

Data Science and AI

Driving industrial digitalisation, tackling cybersecurity challenges and advancing machine learning for climate modelling, urban planning, biomedical innovation, materials discovery, and robotics.

Decarbonisation Analytics and Intelligence

Leveraging advanced data analytics, machine learning and artificial intelligence to assess and optimise strategies to help industries minimise carbon footprints.

Environmental Research

Focused on creating innovative, science-driven solutions to address the growing impacts of climate change. This includes developing technologies and strategies for renewable energy, sustainable urban development, climate-resilient infrastructure, and circular economy systems. By integrating insights from engineering, design, and data science, this research seeks to understand and reduce the environmental footprint of human activity while enhancing the resilience of both natural and built environments.

Future Microelectronics

Focuses on developing next-generation IoT technologies to support the infrastructure of a Smart Nation. Key priorities include ultra-low-power devices, edge computing, flexible electronics and integrated sensor networks that are efficient, secure and scalable. It addresses critical challenges in energy efficiency, miniaturisation and real-time data processing to enable seamless connectivity across smart cities, healthcare, transportation and environmental systems.

Health Innovation

Advancing accessible healthcare innovation by combining engineering and design in areas like digital health, AI, diagnostics, robotics, biomaterials, imaging and education.

Maritime

Focuses on the modelling, simulation and optimisation of future-ready ports and maritime operations. It addresses challenges in efficiency, automation and sustainability through smart logistics, autonomous vessels and integrated digital platforms. By leveraging advanced analytics and systems engineering, this research supports the development of greener, safer and more resilient maritime infrastructure in an increasingly connected global economy.

Materials Research and Manufacturing

Developing new materials and advanced manufacturing methods, with a focus on biomaterials, soft matter, AI for materials discovery, quantum materials and advanced characterisation.

Quantum Technology

Developing secure communication, computing, and sensing systems by integrating expertise from electrical, computer, optical and materials engineering to advance quantum technologies like networks, imaging and quantum-safe systems.

Research by Design

Advancing translational research through creative practice focused on Asia, with a strong emphasis on critical and creative engagement in architectural making, writing and thinking.

Robotics

Focusing on human-robot collaborative systems, advances in sensors and actuators, microelectronics and computing to enable a data-driven approach to computing in robotics that will create a new generation of robots that learn and adapt to human needs.

Urban Solutions and Sustainability

Creating sustainable and livable urban environments by addressing challenges in city design, transportation, energy systems, environmental quality (including air, noise, water, and wastewater), and using computational tools for urban planning and management.

OUR STORIES OF IMPACT

Here are just some of the many stories of impact at CDE, where research meets real-world relevance to tackle global challenges and shape a better future.

Architecture

What makes a city comfortable? A new AIpowered index offers clues

PI: Assistant Professor Filip Biljecki Presidential Young Professor

Dragon Carts lead charge to empower community solutions

PI: Associate Professor Cho Im Sik

Architecting resilient, future-proof cities

PI: Associate Professor Yuan Chao

What makes a city comfortable to live in? Assistant Professor Filip Biljecki developed a multidimensional AI-powered comfort index that factors in not just infrastructure, but also how people feel in urban spaces. Combining deep learning with environmental, socio-economic and street-level visual data, the model reveals surprising insights, such as suburbs outperforming city centres on comfort due to greenery and perceived safety. The index could help urban planners design neighbourhoods that feel better to live in, not just look good on paper.

Led by Associate Professor Cho Im Sik, the Dragon Heart Community Platform blends online tools and mobile “Dragon Carts” to empower residents to co-create solutions for municipal issues. Piloted in Toa Payoh East with over 1,400 residents, the platform draws from social norms research and community co-design. Early results point to stronger place attachment, neighbourly ties and collective ownership as key drivers of better living environments.

Urban research at CDE is directly shaping how cities are designed to enhance liveability and resilience. The urban heat island (UHI) effect remains a growing concern for densely populated cities like Singapore, affecting everything from public health to energy consumption. Associate Professor Yuan Chao has developed a climate-sensitive framework that assesses UHI, wind flow and urban design implications to help urban planners and governments alike make data-driven decisions that balance climate resilience with urban development.

Shaping restorative environments using natural materials

PI: Associate Professor Shinya Okuda

Biomedical Engineering

AI platform enables doctors to optimise personalised chemotherapy dose

PI: Professor Dean Ho

DNA tech could speed up cancer diagnostics

PI: Associate Professor Shao Huilin

Associate Professor Shinya Okuda partnered with Alexandra Hospital to develop BioHeal, an initiative that upcycles felled trees into timber installations for the hospital’s new rehabilitation centre. Instead of regarding fallen trees as waste, the team’s “trees-to-design” approach preserves their natural forms — adapting their sizes, textures and grains into functional yet aesthetically appealing elements. By repurposing trees naturally felled or removed for maintenance, the project showcases how upcycling can blend sustainability with biophilic design to create beautiful spaces that enmesh history, community and healing.

Professor Dean Ho and his team developed CURATE.AI, an artificial-intelligence platform that customises chemotherapy doses based on a patient’s clinical data. A pilot trial involving patients with advanced solid tumours has shown that clinicians accepted nearly 97 per cent of the AI-recommended doses, with some receiving optimised doses that were about 20 per cent lower on average. Their AI-driven tool dynamically adjusts treatments for more precise and effective oncology care — it also marks a big step towards integrating AI into clinical workflows.

Associate Professor Shao Huilin has co-developed TETRIS, a DNA-based technology that decodes complex protein interactions in tumour cells with unprecedented detail. TETRIS enables accurate sub-typing of tumours and rapid identification of aggressive cancers, all within a matter of hours, by mapping how proteins assemble and interact within cancerous tissues. Tested on breast cancer biopsies, the method reveals molecular signatures that help clinicians tailor treatments more precisely.

DNA-barcoded gold nanoparticles for precision cancer therapy

PI: Assistant Professor Andy Tay

Presidential Young Professor

Assistant Professor Andy Tay has developed a high-throughput DNA barcoding method to identify gold nanoparticles best suited for cancer treatment. Through the tagging of nanoparticles with unique DNA sequences, his team uncovered how different tumour cell types respond to specific designs, with triangular nanoparticles showing high uptake and strong photothermal effects. The approach allows rapid screening of nanoparticle performance in living systems, enabling safer, more precise therapies and RNA delivery strategies tailored to specific organs or cancer types.

Teaching machines to see, reason and anticipate in medical settings

PI: Assistant Professor Jin Yueming

Built Environment

Rethinking cooling: Solutions to break out addiction to air-con

PI: Associate Professor Adrian Chong

Assistant Professor Jin Yueming is teaching machines to see, reason and anticipate in complex clinical settings. Her research bridges computer vision, medical imaging and AI reasoning, with tools that work alongside — and not just for — clinicians. From Med-SA, a lightweight adapter that tunes generalist AI to interpret scans with expert-level precision, to Pro-NeXt, a unified model for specialist visual tasks, her work reshapes how intelligence is designed. Whether forecasting surgical steps or planning treatments, her algorithms aim to collaborate with human judgement — bringing clarity, consistency and context to high-stakes medical decisions.

Can we stay cool without cranking up the aircon? At the Integrated Data, Energy Analysis + Simulation (IDEAS) lab, Associate Professor Adrian Chong and his team are rethinking Singapore’s dependence on energy-heavy cooling. Combining simulations, sensor data and machine learning, the lab designs smarter systems that adapt to real conditions. In one trial office, cooling kicks in incrementally — from natural ventilation to spot cooling to air-conditioning only when needed — guided by real-time occupant feedback. This approach cuts energy use by up to 60%, showing how tech-enabled design can lead to a future where comfort and sustainability go hand in hand.

Modelling personal comfort: a smart thermostat that learns what temperature you like

PI: Assistant Professor Ali Ghahramani Presidential Young Professor

Call for urgent action on indoor air quality

PI: Professor Chandra Sekhar and Associate Professor Tham Kwok Wai

How warm is just right? With ComfortGPT, a machine-learning model developed by Assistant Professor Ali Ghahramani, thermal comfort gets personal. Trained on data from over 100,000 smart thermostats, the system learns individual temperature preferences over time and adapts to seasonal shifts, moods and routines. By combining transformer architecture with comfort archetypes, it predicts what you’ll want next, before you even reach for the remote. The result? Smarter buildings, happier occupants and a better balance between comfort and energy efficiency.

While cutting-edge sensors adorn buildings to boost operations and efficiency, indoor air quality (IAQ), a critical yet often neglected aspect of public health — remains under-addressed, even as most of us spend nearly 90 per cent of our time indoors. Professor Chandra Sekhar and Associate Professor Tham Kwok Wai are advocating for global IAQ standards to ensure healthier indoor environments, highlighting advanced ventilation systems, IoT sensors and real-time monitoring as solutions. Their policy recommendations emphasise the urgent need for mandatory IAQ regulations in buildings, which bridge the gap between research, policy and real-world implementation to create cleaner, safer indoor spaces.

Automating 3D scanning of built environments

PI: Assistant Professor Vincent Gan

Assistant Professor Vincent Gan developed autonomous systems that enable robots to map complex indoor spaces without human guidance. His team integrated Building Information Modelling with spatial data standards to optimise navigation and scanning routes, allowing quadruped robots to capture high-fidelity 3D models efficiently even in GPS-limited settings. By combining intelligent planning algorithms with robust sensing, the research streamlined the digitalisation of the built environment, reducing time, labour and error in construction and maintenance workflows, and advancing the use of robotics in creating smarter, more responsive cities.

Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering

Breakthrough boosts perovskite solar cell efficiency to new record

PI: Assistant Professor Hou Yi

Presidential Young Professor

Nanotechnology and the future of farming

PI: Assistant Professor Tedrick Lew

Presidential Young Professor

Innovative CO2 conversion offers hope for cutting emissions

PI: Assistant Professor Wang Lei

Presidential Young Professor

Solar technology is making significant progress at CDE. Assistant Professor Hou Yi achieved a record-breaking 25.7 per cent efficiency in perovskite solar cells by developing a novel interface material using antimony-doped tin oxides. This chemically stable, highly transparent and conductive layer significantly reduces energy loss, bringing perovskite cells — seen as the likely basis for future solar cells — closer to the efficiency of their traditional silicon-based counterparts. Their lightweight and flexible nature opens up possibilities for integration into IoT devices, vehicle roofs and building facades.

What if plants could tell us when they’re stressed — before they show any signs? At the Lew Lab, Assistant Professor Tedrick Lew leads a multidisciplinary team exploring how nanotechnology can revolutionise smart agriculture. By embedding fluorescent nanosensors into plant tissues, his team has enabled real-time monitoring of plant health using just a smartphone. The lab also designs nanocarriers to deliver nutrients or treatments with precision, boosting crop resilience while reducing chemical use. With these nano-enabled tools, the Lew Lab is engineering crops that can thrive in tougher climates, enabling high-yield farming in an ever-changing world.

The fight against climate change is taking centre stage, with researchers rethinking how carbon emissions can be captured and repurposed. For instance, Assistant Professor Wang Lei is advancing the electrochemical reduction of carbon dioxide into useful chemicals. In one study, his team developed a palladium catalyst enhanced with polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) to convert the greenhouse gas into formic acid, a key industrial chemical used in agriculture, pharmaceuticals and fuels. Importantly, PVP improves the catalyst’s performance and longevity, which enhances its potential for industrial applications.

Taking a bite out of carbon emissions

PI: Professor Yan Ning

As the world searches for sustainable ways to feed its population, Professor Yan Ning explored “green chemical farming” — a new paradigm that uses chemistry and engineering to create food without conventional agriculture. His team proposed transforming simple molecules like water, carbon dioxide and ammonia into nutrients that microbes such as algae and yeast can convert into edible proteins. The method could reduce dependence on farmland and livestock while cutting resource use and emissions, revealing how future food production could be driven not by soil and sunlight, but by science.

Civil and Environmental Engineering

Waste plastics on roads: Building a circular economy

PI: Associate Professor Raymond Ong

Each year, Singapore generates over a billion plastic items, most of which end up incinerated or in landfills. Associate Professor Raymond Ong is tackling this problem by embedding plastics into the very roads we drive on. His team’s research examines how recycled plastics can be used in asphalt mixes without compromising durability, safety or environmental standards. Working with agencies such as the Land Transport Authority, they have developed plasticbitumen composites that enhanced road durability by 30% while showing no microplastic leakage. By turning discarded materials into infrastructure, the project offers a practical route to a circular economy where waste plastic finds a second life underfoot.

Turning food waste into wealth

PI: Assistant Professor Iris Yu

Singapore generated 755,000 tonnes of food waste in 2023 — over a tenth of the nation’s total waste. Assistant Professor Iris Yu is tackling this challenge by developing a low-energy process that converts food waste into high-value bioproducts. Her team uses microwave pulses to break down starchy and sugary waste, producing a nutrient-rich feedstock for growing microalgae, which are fast-growing organisms that can be harvested for biofuels, animal feed and nutritional compounds. From stale bread to sugar-rich wastewater, the approach transforms discarded materials into useful resources, supporting both waste reduction and Singapore’s circular economy goals.

Clearing the air for sustainable cities

PI: Professor Rajasekhar Balasubramanian

At the intersection of environmental science, public health and urban policy, Professor Rajasekhar Balasubramanian has advanced global understanding of tropical air pollution, particularly the environmental and health impacts of biomass burning. His studies on urban air quality — from tracking exposure to airborne particles across global cities to revealing how lockdowns reshaped pollution patterns — have provided critical evidence for policy action. As a member of the United Nations Environment Programme’s Asia Pacific Clean Air Partnership, he continues to inform international strategies on reducing particulate matter and improving air quality in rapidly urbanising regions.

Building the future with 3D concrete printing

PI: Dr Du Hongjian and Associate Professor Pang Sze Dai

Dr Du Hongjian and Associate Professor Pang Sze Dai are advancing research in sustainable materials and construction automation to transform how cities are built. In collaboration with Woh Hup and the National Additive Manufacturing Innovation Cluster in Singapore, their projects develop low-carbon printing mixes from waste glass powder and calcined clay, and explore how 3D printing can be structurally integrated into high-rise modular construction. Their efforts combine materials innovation with structural design, driving a new generation of urban construction that is cleaner, more efficient and better suited to Singapore’s tropical environment.

Electrical and Computer Engineering

Energy-efficient inorganic membranes for a cleaner future

PI: Professor Ho Ghim Wei

Professor Ho Ghim Wei has developed a synthesis strategy that enables the creation of freestanding, ultrathin inorganic membranes, advancing energy-efficient separation and conversion technologies. The method allows inorganic building blocks to self-assemble in liquid, producing membranes whose thickness and pore structures can be precisely tuned for different uses. Lightweight, selective and highly customisable, these membranes could improve energy usage in applications such as filtration, catalysis and sensing, offering cleaner pathways for production and resource recovery while advancing the global drive toward sustainable, low-carbon processes.

Cutting-edge chips for ultralow-power AI connected devices

PI: Professor Massimo Alioto

First demonstration of a secure quantum network with untrusted quantum devices

PI: Associate Professor Charles Lim

Professor Massimo Alioto is leading the charge to bring ultra-low-power AI to edge devices. At the FD-fAbrICS joint lab, which he directs, his team is developing next-generation silicon systems using fully depleted silicon-on-insulator (FD-SOI) technology. These chips slash energy consumption, extending battery life and cutting wireless power demands — a boon for smart wearables and IoT devices. In partnership with Soitec and NXP Semiconductors, the lab’s work is scaled through the FD-SOI & IoT Industry Consortium, aimed at accelerating adoption across Singapore’s semiconductor landscape.

Researchers at CDE are making significant headway in quantum key distribution (QKD), a method of securely sharing a secret key between two parties using the principles of quantum mechanics. Associate Professor Charles Lim co-led a team that demonstrated, for the first time, a device-independent QKD protocol, which ensures secure key exchange without requiring users to trust the underlying quantum hardware. This approach harnesses quantum principles to securely share secret keys, even in noisy conditions, making it resistant to potential vulnerabilities like tampered devices or hacking attempts. Importantly, it brings long-term, unbreakable security closer to reality and lays the groundwork for future quantum networks that offer safer, more resilient communications.

Tracing the family tree of AI models

PI: Assistant Professor Wang Xinchao

Presidential Young Professor

Industrial Design

A microscope with an ergonomic design

PI: Associate Professor Christophe Gaubert

AI models often inherit traits from predecessors. But can we trace their lineage? Assistant Professor Wang Xinchao has developed methods to detect “neural ancestry,” revealing how models evolve through fine-tuning. One approach scans a model’s internal structure for familial fingerprints; another trains AI to spot inheritance patterns from data. Asst Prof Wang’s framework accurately maps model relationships, providing a powerful tool for bias tracing, accountability and AI governance.

With CALIPSO, an ergonomic microscope system designed for organoid imaging, Associate Professor Christophe Gaubert and his team have reimagined the interface between scientists and their tools. The system’s intuitive form, from its sliding access door to its user-focused spatial layout, enhances precision, ease and focus during imaging workflows. CALIPSO’s thoughtful functionality was recognised with a Red Dot: Best of the Best award in 2024, the highest honour awarded at the Red Dot Design Awards.

Smart fabrics for health monitoring

PI: Assistant Professor Irmandy Wicaksono

Presidential Young Professor

Serving innovation on a ceramic platter

PI: Assistant Professor Clement Zheng

Presidential Young Professor

Assistant Professor Irmandy Wicaksono is developing “soft technologies” — textiles that seamlessly integrate sensors and electronics into wearable fabrics. Using digital knitting techniques, his work enables clothing to track heart rate, breathing, movement and posture in real time, turning everyday garments into health-monitoring tools. Designed to be comfortable, durable and washable, these fabrics open new possibilities across patient care, rehabilitation and sports. His research has even been tested in zero-gravity conditions that point to future applications in space suits.

Ceramics are everywhere: on our tables, in our homes. But they are rarely thought of as interactive. Assistant Professor Clement Zheng is changing that. By carving intricate circuit traces into glazed ceramic and filling them with conductive ink, his team has created touchsensitive tableware, temperature-responsive tiles and even flowerpots that monitor soil moisture. Marrying craft with computing, these smart ceramics serve up new possibilities for home interfaces — beautifully blending form and function, and offering a poetic new take on how everyday objects can sense, respond and connect.

Training first responders through extended reality

PI: Associate Professor Yen Ching-Chiuan

Associate Professor Yen Ching-Chiuan and his team collaborated with the Home Team Science and Technology Agency and the Singapore Civil Defence Force to develop a world-first extended reality (XR) training system for emergency responders. The system combines virtual reality with a multi-sensory suit that simulates sight, sound, heat and even smell, allowing officers to train for road traffic and hazardous materials incidents safely and realistically. Having been deployed at the Civil Defence Academy, the award-winning system redefines how first responders learn, turning simulation into a powerful tool for readiness and resilience.

Industrial Systems Engineering and Management

Trust, but verify: a new framework for smarter decision-making

PI: Assistant Professor Cheung Wang Chi

Connecting power, sharing progress

PI: Dr Su Bin

Historical data can help or hinder, so knowing when to trust it is crucial. Assistant Professor Cheung Wang Chi tackled this dilemma by developing MIN-UCB, a new algorithm that weighs past data against present uncertainty. His theoretical study shows that without context, historical insights can mislead, but if the “margin of error” is known, decisions can be both cautious and informed. His work lays a foundation for smarter, more reliable decision-making in dynamic environments like e-commerce, resource allocation and beyond.

Dr Su Bin modelled how linking ASEAN’s power grids could accelerate the region’s transition to net zero. His study shows that cross-border electricity trade would cut system costs by 12% and lower average power prices by over 10%, while allowing nations to tap one another’s renewable strengths. With an integrated grid, renewables could supply more than 90% of the region’s electricity by 2050. The findings underscore how cooperation, not isolation, can drive Southeast Asia’s clean energy ambitions faster, fairer and at far lower cost.

Simulating the mega ports of the future

PI: Dr Li Haobin

At the Centre of Excellence in Modelling and Simulation for Next Generation Ports, Co-Director Dr Li Haobin and his team have developed SINGAPort Studio — a digital twin software that reimagines how container terminals are designed, planned and optimised. Powered by advanced object-oriented discrete-event simulation and optimisation methodologies, the platform can model mega ports handling up to 20 million twenty-foot equivalent units a year with millimetre precision and millisecond timing. From static design evaluations to dynamic, data-driven operations, SINGAPort Studio provides a high-fidelity environment for testing ideas, refining decisions and shaping the future of port performance in Singapore and beyond.

Materials Science and Engineering

Fluid-like electrons unlock new tech possibilities

PI: Associate Professor Denis Bandurin Presidential Young Professor

Unveiling black phosphorus’s potential for innovative spintronics

PI: Professor Barbaros Özyilmaz and Assistant Professor Ahmet Avsar

Ultrafast, energy-efficient memory and logic devices

PI: Professor Chen Jingsheng

Turning silicon transistors into artificial neurons

PI: Associate Professor Mario Lanza

Assistant Professor Denis Bandurin has shown that electrons in graphene can flow like a fluid — a behaviour that defies traditional models of electronics. One of his team’s studies revealed that terahertz radiation reduces the viscosity of this electron fluid, which boosts conductivity. This effect enabled the creation of viscous electron bolometers, ultra-fast sensors capable of detecting terahertz waves. These findings open new directions for designing future electronic devices, where electron flow is harnessed more like a liquid than a wire.

Black phosphorus may hold the key to next-generation spintronic devices. Led by Professor Barbaros Özyilmaz, researchers found that the material’s unique crystal structure enables directional, long-lasting electron spin transport — a critical requirement for low-power electronics. In contrast with conventional charge-based electronics, spintronics uses the spin of electrons, which dissipates far less heat. The team also demonstrated electrical control of spin flow in black phosphorus, which could lead to efficient, tunable spintronic technologies.

Professor Chen Jingsheng and his team have achieved a breakthrough in antiferromagnetic spintronics, demonstrating all-electrical perpendicular switching of chiral antiferromagnetic order. Using a specially engineered bilayer structure, they showed that electric currents alone can toggle magnetic states without magnetic fields or heat — a feat long thought to be out of reach. Their discovery advances next-generation spintronic technologies, enabling ultrafast, low-power memory and logic devices that could redefine the future of computing.

Associate Professor Mario Lanza has shown that a single, standard silicon transistor can behave like a biological neuron and synapse when operated in a novel way. By adjusting the transistor’s resistance, his team replicated neural firing and memory-like behaviour — the basis of braininspired computing. This breakthrough led to the creation of a two-transistor Neuro-Synaptic RAM cell that merges memory and computation in one place. Scalable and compatible with existing semiconductor technology, the approach brings energy-efficient, neuromorphic chips a step closer to powering the next generation of artificial intelligence.

Setting new electronic benchmarks with graphene

PI: Assistant Professor Alexey Berdyugin

Presidential Young Professor

Mechanical Engineering

Enhancing home mobility with soft robotics

PI: Professor Cecilia Laschi

Assistant Professor Alexey Berdyugin and his team have achieved record electron mobility in graphene, surpassing traditional semiconductors for the first time. By shielding graphene from electrical disorder using either twisted multilayer structures or ultra-thin metallic screening, the team reduced charge inhomogeneity to unprecedented levels, enabling quantum effects to appear at extremely low magnetic fields. These breakthroughs set new records for graphene’s electronic limits and open new possibilities for high-speed, low-power electronics, precision sensing and quantum technologies.

Inspired by the dexterity of octopus arms, Professor Cecilia Laschi has developed a soft robotic arm that offers both physical assistance and emotional comfort, with potential applications in eldercare. The arm gently wraps around the user to provide support, stiffening only when needed, such as during sit-to-stand transitions. Unlike its rigid cousins, the robot’s soft, adaptive form enables safe, close interactions. Designed for home use, the system is being enhanced with machine learning and mobility features, with the goal of bringing dignified, intuitive support into everyday living spaces.

Pioneering new energy and sustainability solutions

PI: Professor Lee Poh Seng

Professor Lee Poh Seng is spearheading efforts to reimagine how we power the future. As founding director of the NUS Energy Solutions Hub (NESH), he brings together interdisciplinary expertise across NUS to develop integrated, data-driven and context-specific solutions for a low-carbon world. From sustainable multi-energy districts to energy-conscious computing and tropical urban resilience, the hub’s research priorities reflect a systems-level approach to sustainability, one which considers not only technology but also policy, urban form and human behaviour.

Unlocking the potential of active matter

PI: Assistant Professor Zhu Lailai

Uncovering the drivers of extreme weather in the tropics

PI: Assistant Professor Gianmarco Mengaldo

Assistant Professor Zhu Lailai’s team has uncovered how self-propelled micro-droplets, a form of active matter, can shift between solid, liquid and gas-like states, and even stir turbulence in fluids despite their minuscule size. These droplets move by chemical reactions and self-organise into dynamic patterns, with their behaviour changing as activity levels rise. His study reveals how active matter can be tuned to reshape flow and structure simultaneously, giving rise to adaptive materials that mimic the responsiveness of living systems.

Assistant Professor Gianmarco Mengaldo and his team have revealed how shifting tropical weather patterns are fuelling more frequent heatwaves and heavy rainfall across the IndoPacific. Using a dynamical systems approach to analyse daily weather behaviour, the study uncovered new large-scale patterns emerging since the 1990s — changes linked to the Pacific Walker Circulation and potentially driven by global warming. The findings provide new insight into how extreme weather develops in one of the world’s most vulnerable regions, helping improve climate models and guide future resilience planning.

PLATFORMS FOR PARTNERSHIPS

Impactful research does not happen in silos but through partnerships. At CDE, dedicated platforms bring together academia, industry, government and communities to foster collaboration, knowledge exchange and resource sharing. These partnerships drive innovation, strengthen research impact and accelerate the translation of ideas into solutions that tackle global challenges.

Institute (CFI) Singapore is Singapore’s first Centre of Excellence dedicated to coastal and flood resilience research. Supported by PUB under its S$125 million national research programme, CFI Singapore brings together a multi-institutional and interdisciplinary ecosystem to develop integrated, nature-based and engineering solutions tailored to Singapore’s unique coastal challenges. Bridging academia and industry, the centre builds local capabilities and pioneers strategies for climate adaptation and long-term coastal protection.

The Centre for Environment and Ageing Well (ENgAGE) was launched in 2024 to lead research and innovation at the intersection of ageing, climate and the built environment. The centre brings together researchers, policymakers and communities to co-develop inclusive, realworld solutions for Singapore’s ageing society. With a strong focus on community engagement, ENgAGE integrates design, health and social research to shape future living environments where everyone can thrive with dignity and connection.

The Sustainable Tropical Data Centre Testbed (STDCT) was launched in 2023 as the world’s first full-scale research facility dedicated to developing sustainable cooling solutions for data centres in tropical climates. A joint initiative by NUS, the Nanyang Technological University and 20 industry partners, STDCT serves as a living lab to test, validate and derisk next-generation cooling technologies. STDCT supports Singapore’s Green Plan 2030 and aims to set new benchmarks in power usage effectiveness and carbon reduction for the region’s fast-growing data-centre sector.

The Applied Materials–NUS Advanced Materials Corporate Lab entered its second phase in 2024 with a major expansion jointly supported by the National Research Foundation. Hosted by CDE and the Faculty of Science, the upgraded lab features a new cleanroom and advanced capabilities to accelerate semiconductor innovation, particularly in process and interface engineering.

Coastal Protection and Flood Resilience Institute (CFI Singapore)

Strengthens local capabilities and expertise in coastal protection and flood management research and solution development.

Centre of Excellence in Modelling and Simulation for Next Generation Ports (C4NGP)

Focuses on developing smart digital twins, driving industry adoption, and commercialising innovative technologies for the Singapore maritime and port sectors.

RESEARCH AREAS RESEARCH CENTRES

Sustainable Tropical Data Centre Testbed (STDCT)

Advances Singapore’s leadership in sustainable and efficient data centre solutions tailored for high-temperature, high-humidity environments.

Centre for Protective Technology (CPT)

Leads research in the development of cutting-edge protective technologies, offering scientific and engineering solutions to meet current and evolving national defence systems, and ensuring the continued advancement of defence capabilities.

NUS Centre for Additive Manufacturing (AM.NUS)

Develops comprehensive capabilities across the additive manufacturing value chain, including design, materials development and process optimisation.

Advanced Research and Technology Innovation Centre (ARTIC)

Fosters innovation in science and technology through collaborative research across NUS.

Advanced Robotics Centre (ARC)

Leads and advances robotics research at NUS and throughout Singapore.

Centre for Environment and Ageing Well (ENgAGE)

Pioneers solutions to ageing-related challenges, aiming to create vibrant, inclusive futures for older adults in Singapore, Asia, and beyond.

Centre for Sustainable Asian Cities (CSAC)

Develops innovative urban planning, design solutions, and technologies for high-density environments, with a focus on Asian cities and developing regions.

Singapore Hybrid-Integrated Next Generation μ-Electronics (SHINE) Centre

Advances nextgeneration hybrid-integrated (flexible and rigid) microelectronics for future IoT technologies.

Centre for Advanced Robotic Technology Innovation

Promotes the development of robotics towards advanced and innovative solutions, and application of technologies and skills to support the needs of industry and society.

Corporate Laboratories Research Facilities

Applied Materials-NUS Advanced Materials Corporate Laboratory (AMAT-NUS)

Drives innovation in advanced materials engineering for commercial applications in the semiconductor industry.

Cisco-NUS Accelerated Digital Economy Corporate Laboratory

Boosts innovation and research in key technology areas, including artificial intelligence, healthcare, urban infrastructure and cybersecurity.

E6NanoFab

Provides cuttingedge cleanroom facilities (class 10 to class 10,000) for the fabrication of sensitive micro and nanoscale devices, advancing nanofabrication researchby offering world-class technology, enabling the integration of multiple materials and devices into innovative nanoscale structures.

The Electron Microscopy Facility (EMF)

Provides state-of-theart instrumentation and the expertise required for highresolution imaging — down to the atomic-level — of a wide variety of materials.

INNOVATION & TRANSLATION: DISCOVER TOMORROW’S UNICORNS

At CDE, visionary ideas and disruptive solutions don’t just spark — they flourish.

As a cradle of innovation and entrepreneurship, CDE has nurtured student ventures that have gone on to make their mark on the global stage. In 2021, PatSnap, an AI-driven platform for R&D and IP intelligence, became the first NUS-supported start-up to achieve unicorn status, followed by Carousell, a mobile classifieds marketplace. Discover more unicorns of tomorrow — bold, brilliant and proudly born at CDE.

CBE Eco-Solutions (CBE) provides a double-sustainable solution to treat industrial carbon waste: 1) CBE recycles the carbon waste into high-value products, instead of incineration and landfill; 2) CBE’s end products have broad energy and environmental applications. Co-founded in 2020 by Dr Yao Zhiyi (PhD Chemical Engineering, Class of 2018) and Dr Babu Cadiam Mohan (Research Fellow at CDE), the startup is built on its patented carbon waste recycling technology that reduces 1.4 tons of carbon emissions per ton of carbon waste treated. Backed by S$5.5 million in pre-Series A funding, it completed its Jurong demonstration plant in November 2024 and is poised to set a new benchmark for sustainable practices, not only in Southeast Asia but across the globe.

CBE Eco Solutions

ConcreteAI

ConcreteAI is revolutionising the construction industry by enabling real-time, continuous monitoring of concrete strength. Its innovative solution involves integrating a sensor with probes to provide live data to track the curing process, helping builders, contractors and precast manufacturers cut casting cycle time by 20%, slash resource waste by 50% and ensure consistent, high-quality control of in-situ concrete. Founded by Chang Qingyang (Civil Engineering, Class of 2021), Lim Yun Han (Materials Science & Engineering, Class of 2021), Ooi Xi Yi (Computer Engineering, Class of 2021), and Issac Siow Ming En (Civil Engineering, Class of 2021), all of whom pursued the iDP CDE4301A Ideas to Startup course, ConcreteAI’s mission is to boost productivity, sustainability and quality in construction worldwide.

Singfilm Solar

Established in 2023 by Assistant Professor Hou Yi from the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Singfilm Solar is redefining how and where solar energy can be utilised. The startup is at the forefront of high-efficiency perovskite solar cell technology, enabling applications ranging from space satellites to smart electronic shelf labels in supermarkets. Supported by US$15 million in early-stage funding, Singfilm Solar operates the world’s largest indoor perovskite PV production line. With commercial deployments already underway and multiple global efficiency records achieved, the company is driving the next generation of lightweight, flexible, and versatile solar solutions.

NEU Battery Materials

In 2023, NEU Battery Materials raised US$ 3.7 million to scale its patented lithium battery recycling technology. Co-founded by CDE alumnus Kenneth Palmer (Mechanical Engineering, Class of 2020) and Bryan Oh (Business, Class of 2019), the startup has developed the world’s first patented electrochemical process to recycle lithium cleanly and efficiently. Backed by US$4.2 million in total funding, it now runs a Singapore facility that processes up to 200 tonnes annually. NEU is currently scaling up to construct a semi-commercial facility in Singapore with a capacity of 1,300 tonnes annually. The company has since secured multiple contracts with suppliers, including CATL, the largest battery manufacturer, and global battery manufacturers. Both founders made Forbes’ 30 Under 30 Asia list in 2024, and the company is on the Forbes Asia 100 To Watch Companies in 2024.

A DYNAMIC, INNOVATIVE & CARING

COMMUNITY

Industry and Innovation Days

Bringing together experts from industry and academia, CDE held its first Industry Day in 2023 to explore and discuss sustainable solutions for critical issues facing our planet.

to a

was

As part of Innovus, students participated in a series of workshops designed to prepare them for the final pitch competition on Innovation Day, where the finalists of the Eureka and Impact Accelerator Challenges got to pitch their startup ideas to a judging panel ‘Shark Tank’ style.

The first CDE Innovation Day held in October 2024 saw the conclusion of Innovus@CDE, a six-month initiative set up to spark innovative ideas and a sense of entrepreneurship among students through a series of workshops and challenges. Supported by NUS Enterprise, the event also showcased startups and initiatives from NUS and CDE.

Shaping Inclusive Futures

CDE hosted the Asian Deans’ Forum 2024, where members from leading Asian universities gathered to explore how research can be translated into meaningful impact. Discussions centred on balancing fundamental research with applied outcomes, and how collaboration across institutions can strengthen talent development and innovation in the region.

The hallmark event was the Rising Stars Women in Engineering Workshop. The workshop convened young women scholars, researchers and engineers from around the world, fostering professional development and expanding opportunities for those aspiring to build and advance careers in academia.

Above

Left

Through keynote lectures, panel discussions and mentoring sessions, more than 50 participants exchanged insights on leadership in engineering and how women can continue to drive breakthrough in research.

The Asian Deans’ Forum brings together representatives from engineering schools of seven leading Asian universities to share experiences and approaches to the development of engineering knowledge with the aim of leading the field for the 21st century.

Building futures: The story behind the CDE Bursary

At CDE, opportunity should never depend on circumstance. The CDE Bursary embodies this belief, empowering driven students to realise their potential and uplifting a community built on equity and care.

The inaugural CDE Bursary Night held in October 2024 brought together donors, alumni, students and staff in a celebration of generosity and purpose. Professor Teo Kie Leong thanked benefactors whose gifts strengthen the College’s mission of inclusive education and shape future innovators.

With the new CDE Bursary Fund, supported by NUS management, the NUS Alumni Student Advancement Committee and the Engineering Class of 1982, CDE reaffirms a shared vision that success is not defined by background, but by a passion to make an impact for good.

Top Teoh Yu Ting (Year 4, Mechanical Engineering), a recipient of the Malaysian Community Bursary, volunteers at College events such as the CDE Charity Golf, where she served as emcee.

Bottom left and right

Donors, alumni and CDE leaders gathered at the inaugural CDE Bursary Night 2024 to honour the generosity that fuels student support and future innovators.

Strengthening Alumni Networks

CDE’s alumni network spans generations and disciplines, from engineering and architecture to design and the built environment. Across industries and around the world, CDE graduates continue to shape the spaces we live in, the systems we rely on and the technologies that usher in the future.

The CDE Women Symposium is held every year to celebrate the achievements of women from CDE.

Alumni Awards 2022

Distinguished Alumni Award

Mr Dalson Chung

Dr Uma Maheswaran Cheyyar Ramanathan

Mr Teo Swee Ann

Alumni Excellence Award

Er Cong Zhengxia

Outstanding Young Alumni Award

Mr Jeffrey Tiong Jee Hui

Dr Andy Tay Kah Ping

Dr Aishwarya Bandla

Alumni Rising Star Award

Mr Andy Soh Wei Zhi

Mr Ong Kok Chung

Ms Poh Yun Ru

of the

Recipients of the Distinguished Alumni Award 2022: Mr Dalson Chung (second from left) and Mr Teo Swee Ann (second from right). Pictured with CDE Dean Professor Aaron Thean (left) and Vice Dean Associate Professor Kua Harn Wei (right).

of the

Acting

2023

Distinguished Alumni Award

Mr Mok Wei Wei

Mr Brian Tan

Dr Teo Ho Pin

Alumni Excellence Award

Mr Calvin Chung

Mr Goh Chee Kiong

Er Jee Yi Yng

Mr Mario Singh

Ar Seah Chee Huang

Outstanding Young Alumni Award

Dr Agnes Xue

Dr Diwakar Velu

Mr Larry Yeung

Mr Jax Lee

Dr Mohammad Farahani

Mr Sim Hao Jie

Dr Viveka Kalidasan

Alumni Rising Star Award

Ms Anthea Foong

Ms Gracia Fei

Mr Ismail Weiliang Osman

Dr Xu Boyan

Team Excellence Award

PatSnap

(Mr Jeffrey Tiong & Ms Guan Dian)

ShopBack

(Mr Henry Chan & Mr Joel Leong)

2024

Distinguished Alumni Award

Ar Wong Mun Summ

Er Chan Ewe Jin

Mr Augustin Lee Tong Yang

Mr Kong Mun Kwong

Alumni Excellence Award

Mr Ajay Bhattacharya

Ms Hazel Khoo

Mr John Ng Peng Wah

Outstanding Young Alumni Award

Dr Betty Tsai

Ar Chio Wen Tian

Mr Looi Cheng Hui

Alumni Rising Star Award

Mr Vincent Loka

Ms Tong Yu

Ms Ho Pui Yng

Ms Shobana D/O Sreetharan

Dr Hanson Lee Song Han

Team Excellence Award

Building & Estate Management

Alumni (BEMA)

(Dr Teo Ho Pin (President), Mr Hansen Tan Zun Cheng (Vice President),

Mr Louis Tay Bok Hock, Ms Ong Yen

Peng, Ms Tan Shan Shan, Mr Ignatius Ignatius, Mr Peter Ang Swee Koon, Mr Choo Wee Jiang, Mr Lee Hay Keong)

ONE SMART Engineering Pte Ltd

(Er David Ng Chew Chiat &

Er Dr Victor Ong Chee Wee)

Forging Bonds

A community that plays together, stays together. At CDE these bonds are nurtured through key events that bring students, faculty and staff together beyond the classroom.

Annual events such as CDE Day and CDE Community Day, held each academic year since 2022, continue to sustain a sense of community and belonging across cohorts.

Our Circle of Patrons

The College has been fortunate to have support from its alumni, partners and others like yourself, who have provided financial assistance and granted opportunities to our students.

Each generous gift bestowed upon us has had a profound impact on our students’ lives. Your financial support has relieved them of significant burdens, allowing them to fully immerse themselves in their education at CDE. This has not only inspired them to excel in their chosen fields but also to give back, ensuring that the cycle of generosity and opportunity-giving continues.

Materials

Foo and Serene Siar Autodesk Asia Pte Ltd

Together, we are building a community within CDE that is dedicated to making a positive difference. We are united by our passion for using our expertise in architecture, design, and engineering to create real change in various ways. Our shared aim is to inspire all our students with a spirit of innovation that can address complex challenges and ultimately contribute to the betterment of society.

DSO National Laboratories

Partnering for Change & Impact

Hermes-Epitek Corporation Pte Ltd

Global Foundaries

Singapore Pte Ltd

Loh Boon Chye

Micron

Professional Engineers Board

Singapore

Portabella Ricardo

Woh Hup (Private) Limited

Foundation

Gates Foundation Keppel

Seatrium Limited

Feng Lun

Shell Companies Singapore

Above

Below

In this workshop on decorative finishes, Ms Huang Hsiu Hui shared with the MA in Architectural Conservation programme students the history, techniques, and repair methodology behind the art of Qian Ci (translation: embedded ceramics) and Jian Nian (translation: cut and paste).

Housed in a conserved townhouse at 141 Neil Road, the Architecture Conservation Laboratory (ArClab) is a living classroom for research, teaching and professional training in heritage conservation. Established in January 2022 with a generous gift from the Portabella family, including the donation of the house and S$2 million in funding, ArClab offers students and researchers hands-on opportunities in adaptive reuse, net-zero retrofitting and climate resilience. The first of its kind in Southeast Asia, ArClab is a model for sustainable heritage management and a catalyst for nurturing future leaders in the development of our built environment.

Supported by a generous gift from Mrs Lee Li-ming, the Centre for Environment and Ageing Well (ENgAGE) is rethinking how we age — and how we design for it. Across themes of climate, community and care, ENgAGE brings together researchers, policymakers and seniors themselves to co-create environments that support dignity, inclusion and purpose across all age groups. Inaugurated in August 2024, the Centre grounds its work in the lived experiences of seniors, whether it’s redesigning everyday public spaces to foster connection, or developing new models of age-friendly housing that support independence and care in the community.

Centre for Environment and Ageing Well (ENgAGE) was

and Second

for Finance and National Development

With a S$1.4 million gift from the Keppel Care Foundation in December 2023, the Keppel Professorship in Sustainability Solutions supports research on climate resilience and urban sustainability, led by inaugural chair Prof Rajasekhar Balasubramanian (Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering). The Professorship funds sustainability-related research, including public outreach campaigns and lectures related to sustainability. In parallel, a S$500,000 boost to the Keppel Bursary for Engineering (established in 2014) extends support to financially disadvantaged undergraduates at CDE.

A signing ceremony was held at NUS to establish the new Professorship and enhance the Keppel Bursary for Engineering for CDE undergraduates.

In October 2023, Seatrium Limited and CDE signed an MoU to establish the Seatrium Professorship, aimed at advancing innovation in energy transition and sustainability. Supported for an initial term of two years, the Professorship and its visiting counterpart (Seatrium Visiting Professorship) bring leading global experts to Singapore to promote knowledge transfer and develop innovative technology and processes to boost competitiveness locally.

As part of the Applied Materials–NUS Advanced Materials Corporate Lab Phase 2 announced in 2024, the Applied Materials Professorship was established to attract global experts in semiconductors, materials science and other technology fields. Professor Erwin Kessels, widely recognised for his work in atomic layer deposition, thin-film growth and surface diagnostics, began his appointment as the inaugural Applied Materials–NUS Chair Professor with his first visit to NUS in March 2025.

The Applied Materials-NUS Advanced Materials Corporate Lab aims to enhance Singapore’s position as a global hub for advanced semiconductor technology.

Musim Mas Group, a global integrated palm oil major, established the Musim Mas Professorship in Sustainability in 2010 to drive research and education on emerging sustainability challenges across the region. In October 2024, Professor Tong Yen Wah (Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering) was accorded the title, bringing with him deep expertise in bioenergy and waste management. With ongoing research into glycerine pitch waste and wastewater treatment, the partnership bridges academia and industry while offering students hands-on opportunities to tackle real-world challenges.

Inspiring Connections

Across the campus, many thoughtfully designed spaces, from student-crafted artworks and installations to the Innovation and Design Hub, invite moments of reflection, creativity and connection.

Top Big Picture at Nanoscale

Crafted by Jason Ong in collaboration with CDE, this artwork epitomises the seamless integration of design and engineering through systems thinking. By incorporating Scanning Electron Microscopy images of natural systems such as crystals, cells and molecules, the piece features abstract forms enriched with reflective motifs that symbolise diverse research contributions.

Bottom left

Week 13 at CDE

This mural artwork created by Theepa Kanisan captures the bustling energy of the E4 corridor, with everyone striving to reach their destination or complete a task. It even features one of the beloved NUS cats!

Bottom right

Covid Craze, Crystal Gaze

In a partnership between artist Tan Seow Wei and Dr Bina Raj from the Department of Biomedical Engineering, inspiration was drawn from X-ray crystallography — a pivotal tool that revealed the helical structure of the DNA molecule and is now utilised to analyse the molecular structure of the COVID-19 protein.

The Innovation and Design Hub located at block EA is a space for students to create, tinker and pursue exciting ideas to spur innovation!

Building Sustainability for A Better Future

Creating something that is practical, aspirational, efficient and beautiful is no small feat.

CDE buildings — SDE 1, SDE 3 and SDE 4 achieved just that.

SDE

1 and SDE 3

Officially opened in February 2023, SDE 1 & SDE 3 are adaptive reuse projects; offering lessons on how such rejuvenation can be done to meet new needs while improving energy and embodied carbon performance. Together with SDE4, they form NUS’ first building cluster, achieving net-zero energy and super low carbon.

A pioneering adaptive reuse project that revitalises two 1970s institutional buildings totalling 23,680 sqm, transforming them into a net-zero energy academic environment optimised for high comfort and sustainability. Through reuse, the designs extend the embodied carbon from previous generations into the future.

SDE

4

Singapore’s first purpose-built netzero energy building, which has since achieved net-positive energy, and the first building in Southeast Asia to be awarded the stringent Zero Energy Certification by the International Living Future Institute (ILFI), one of the world’s most prestigious sustainability organisations.

SDE 4 was also the first university building in the world to achieve WELL Certified™ Gold, and the first building in Singapore to be conferred the WELL Certification, a premier building standard by the International WELL Building Institute (IWBI).

More about the buildings: https://cde.nus.edu.sg/arch/cdig/cdig-sde-1/ https://cde.nus.edu.sg/arch/cdig/cdig-sde-3/ https://cde.nus.edu.sg/arch/cdig/cdig-sde-4/

CDE

NUMBERS BY THE

Profile of Students

Students

Enrolment

Profile Class of

First degree graduates*

Higher degree and graduate diploma graduates*

*Figures are based on degrees conferred between 1 July 20XX and 30 June 20XX+1. Double degree graduates are counted towards both their home and second faculties.

New Programmes

AY2021/2022

Master’s Degree Programmes

Bachelor’s Degree Programmes

Master of Science in Maritime Technology and Management

AY2022/2023

• Master of Science in Biomedical Engineering

• Master of Science in Energy Systems

• Master of Science in Computer Engineering

• Master of Science in Robotics

• Master of Science in Engineering Design and Innovation

AY2023/2024

AY2024/2025

• Master of Science in Semiconductor Technology and Operations

• Master of Design in Integrated Design

Bachelor of Engineering (Robotics and Machine Intelligence) (Hons)

Second Majors

Sustainable Urban Development

Minors

Specialisations

Innovation and Design Programme

Landscape Architectural Studies

• Community Healthcare and Technology

• Industry 4.0

• Microelectronics and Quantum Materials

• Process Engineering

• Space Technology

• Tissue Engineering

• Cities

• Visual Communication Design

• Landscape Practice

• Landscape Studies

• Safety and Sustainability

• Sustainability Analytics

Computing (Design and Engineering)

Computing (Design and Engineering)

• Artificial Intelligence in MSE

• Sustainable Green Buildings

*Full list of programmes can be found in the sheets titled “Master’s Degree Programmes” and “UG Programmes”. The items listed here are the new programmes/majors/minors/specialisations newly added (or name/curriculum change) during the AY.

Staff Strength: In Figures

*Including tenured faculty and other teaching staff. Excluding part-time teaching staff and adjuncts. Figures represent full-time equivalents and exclude staff on honorary appointments.

Research Funding: In Figures

National Research Foundation

A*STAR –Agency for Science, Technology and Research

Ministry of Education

Companies / industries (local & overseas)

Ministry of Defence

Other local ministries / statutory boards

Ministry of Health / National Medical Research Council

Other government bodies Grand Total Organisation

Total project value awarded by external sources in FY2021

Total project value awarded by external sources in FY2022

Total project value awarded by external sources in FY2023

Total project value awarded by external sources in FY2024

$65,041,590 $27,845,492 $11,029,464 $8,439,360 $3,653,921 $4,110,831 $1,268,624 $33,123,725 $154,513,006

Research Funding: In Figures

Research & Industry

No. of new projects launched

No. of projects completed

FY2024

FY2023 226

FY2022 226

FY2021 272

No. of papers published in international journals, including articles, reviews, conference papers, books and book chapters

FY2024 FY2023 2,551 FY2022 3,369 FY2021 3,339 3,682

Academic organisations

FY2024

FY2023 257

FY2022 245

FY2021 258

Foreign governments

Foundations and associations

No. of new research collaborations that took off:

FY2024 162

FY2023 97

FY2022 84

FY2021 86

FY2024 6 FY2023 2

FY2022 8 FY2021 5

FY2024 4 FY2023 0

FY2022 1 FY2021 0 Government agencies and statutory boards

FY2024 41

FY2023 31

FY2022 44 FY2021 41 Industry organisations FY2024 60 FY2023 46

FY2022 82 FY2021 64 Technology licenses issued FY2024 41 FY2023 35

FY2022 35

FY2021 51

Spin-offs and Startups: In Figures

Benefactions: In Figures

*Gift receipts exclude Singapore government matching grants.