Annual Report 2021

NUS Engineering

ANNUAL REPORT 2021

Towards a new beginning CDE forges new frontiers

Research that delivers real-world impact

Students put what they learn to application

Alumni reconnect and give back

Facts and figures

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Contents

Contents 02 A word from the Dean 04 Our leadership 07 Forging new frontiers 10 Research – From lab to real-world impact 24 Our students – From learning to applying 28 Alumni – Paying it forward 31 Facts and figures

Contents

Vision

Mission

A great engineering school that innovates for a better future

To nurture holistic engineers and to address global challenges through research, innovation, inspiration and influence.

Annual Report 2021

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A word from the Dean

A new beginning

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s we close 2021, I must begin by expressing once again my sincere gratitude for the resilience and dedication shown by NUS Engineering faculty, staff and students in the face of challenges, disruptions and uncertainties posed by the ongoing pandemic.

As vaccines take effect and international borders begin to reopen, there is reason to be hopeful that there is, at last, light at the end of the tunnel.

Despite the challenges, as you will see in the pages of this report, NUS Engineering has continued to mark many remarkable and inspiring achievements in our research and teaching. Facing disruptions to work and family lives, the flexibility and tireless positivity shown by

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A word from the Dean

all throughout the year is a strong testament to the spirit of NUS Engineering – one that will stand us in good stead as we embark on a bold new chapter in 2022.

Indeed, this annual report is the last from NUS Engineering as we look ahead to the merger with the School of Design and Environment.

The new NUS College of Design and Engineering (CDE) represents a fusion of two world-class schools, following the introduction of the Common Curriculum which gave students even more flexibility to build their own programme based on how broad, deep or integrated they want their education to be.

The formation of the new college is the latest step in a broader drive across NUS to transform the educational experience and intensify our focus on interdisciplinary learning to meet the needs and challenges of the future. More details about the launch of CDE are on page 08 of this report.

On the research front, 2021 saw NUS Engineering continue to push ahead with important advances in a number of areas, in particular, sustainability, the circular economy and food and energy security. From a system for harvesting energy from waste Wi-Fi signals to an advanced hydrogel for use in smart farms which could one day help grow food crops on Mars, our researchers had been pushing the boundaries of engineering and technology into new and exciting fields. For more research innovations at NUS Engineering over the past year, turn to page 10 of this report.

Meanwhile the quality and impact of our researchers continued to be recognised on a global level.

For example, 16 faculty members from NUS Engineering had been named in the 2021 Highly Cited Researchers™ list compiled by

Clarivate and among the World’s Most Influential Scientific Minds.

Another notable highlight was the Royal Society of Chemistry awarding its prestigious Centenary Prize for 2021 to Professor Liu Bin, NUS Vice President (Research and Technology) and Head of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering.

Whilst COVID continued to throw up a number of disruptions during the year, our students did us proud with their creativity, inquiring minds and drive to make the world a better place.

One particular highlight on this front was the victory of Team HOPES as global winners in the annual James Dyson Award. It was the first time in its 17-year history that a Singapore team won the award. The team’s winning design was a device that uses advanced sensor technology and artificial intelligence to enable glaucoma patients to easily and painlessly monitor their condition at home.

You can read more about Team HOPES’ journey and highlights of other student achievements starting on page 24 of this report.

management team, I would like to thank all who have contributed to the formation of CDE. Ahead of the formal launch of the college, it has been especially encouraging to see our students already beginning to meld into a cohesive CDE community. In December, a team of student ambassadors from across CDE programmes hosted the first CDE admissions programme. We look forward to similar events in the new year.

Moving forward as CDE, we have a proud heritage from two great schools to build on and I am honoured to have been named the Dean-Designate of the new college. I look forward to working with you all as we forge new frontiers in interdisciplinary education and research.

Professor Aaron Thean Dean, NUS Engineering Dean-Designate, NUS College of Design and Engineering

Among our alumni community, it was heartening to see in person events steadily resuming towards the end of 2021. In September we were able to welcome four illustrious female alumni back to campus to share their career experiences in the Women in NUS Engineering event. Later in December, we also celebrated the Annual Engineering Alumni Awards.

This year, we honoured two Distinguished and two Outstanding Engineering Alumni Award recipients. You can read more about us celebrating our alumni and their achievements on page 28.

As we embark on a new journey in 2022 as the College of Design and Engineering, on behalf of the new

Annual Report 2021

03

Our leadership

Deans and Vice-Deans

1. Professor Aaron Thean Dean

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2. Professor Teo Kie Leong Deputy Dean Vice-Dean Research and Technology 3. Associate Professor Martin Lindsay Buist Vice-Dean Undergraduate Programmes 4. Associate Professor Biplab Sikdar Vice-Dean Graduate Programmes 5. Associate Professor Praveen Linga Vice-Dean Communications and Outreach Office 6. Professor Ho Ghim Wei Vice-Dean Student Life 7. Professor Daniel Chua Director Alumni Relations and Development 8. Professor Yoon Soon Fatt Vice-Dean Industry

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Our leadership

Heads of Departments and Programmes

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4. Associate Professor Liang Yung Chii Acting Head Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering

7. Professor Gregory Chirikjian Head Department of Mechanical Engineering

1. Professor Dean Ho Head Department of Biomedical Engineering 2. Professor Liu Bin Head Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering 3. Professor Liew Jat Yuen, Richard Acting Head Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering

5. Associate Professor Ng Szu Hui Head Department of Industrial Systems Engineering and Management

8. Dr Alberto Corrias Director Engineering Scholars (E-Scholars) Programme 9. Associate Professor Loh Ai Poh Director Innovation and Design Programme

6. Professor Barbaros Oezyilmaz Head Department of Materials Science and Engineering

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Our leadership

Faculty Advisory Board The role of NUS Engineering Faculty Advisory Board is: • Advise on strategic directions of NUS Engineering 1

• Advise and assist in outreach to industry, public and professional bodies to advance engineering research and education • Advise and assist in promoting engineering as an exciting, appealing and meaningful career • Act as honorary ambassadors to promote NUS Engineering’s interests and perspectives to industry and government networks

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1. Mr Peter Ho (Chairman) Chairman Urban Redevelopment Authority Senior Advisor Centre for Strategic Futures, Strategy Group, Prime Minister’s Office 2. Dr Cheong Koon Hean Chief Executive Officer Housing and Development Board (HDB) 3. Mr Gan Seow Kee Chairman and Managing Director ExxonMobil Asia Pacific Pte Ltd 4. Er Tan Seng Chuan Managing Director Tembusu Asia Consulting Pte Ltd 5. Prof Low Teck Seng Chief Executive Officer National Research Foundation 6. Mr Quek Gim Pew Chief Defence Scientist Ministry of Defence 7. Mr Seah Moon Ming Chairman SMRT Corporation Ltd 8. Mr Russell Tham President New Enterprises and Ventures, Singapore Technologies Engineering Ltd 9. Dr Kurichi Kumar Head of Technology Asia Pacific, Rolls-Royce Singapore Pte Ltd

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Forging new frontiers

CDE

In August 2021, NUS announced the formation of the College of Design and Engineering (CDE), a new institution that brings together the Faculty of Engineering (FoE) and the School of Design and Environment (SDE).

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DE will be home to the 11 departments in the two existing schools, building on their unique strengths, talent, expertise and heritage. Future-focused with an emphasis on interdisciplinary learning and research, the new college is designed to advance exploration and application in the professions of engineering, architecture and design.

As part of a university-wide initiative by NUS to expand interdisciplinary learning and benefit more students, CDE will create new opportunities for students to take control of their education, preparing them for a multitude of career options in the future economy.

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Professor Aaron Thean, currently Dean of the Faculty of Engineering, has been named the Dean-Designate of the new college. Students enrolled in the two schools will seamlessly transit into the new college with effect from 1 January 2022.

Prof Ho said: “In the converging fields of engineering and design, professionals must be able to problem-find, ideate, build and realise their ideas into solutions that are practical, functional and appealing. This requires thinking and behaviour that reflect adaptability, empathy, creativity, and resourcefulness.”

‘Unique model’ CDE was conceptualised by a task force chaired by NUS Senior Deputy President and Provost Professor Ho Teck Hua, and comprised six industry leaders, Dean of the Faculty of Engineering, Dean of the School of Design and Environment, as well as eight senior academics from the two schools.

He added: “At NUS, we see a great opportunity to bring together two world-class NUS schools – the Faculty of Engineering and the School of Design and Environment – to pioneer a unique model of interdisciplinary undergraduate education that takes advantage of the natural synergies between these fields.”

CDE

As Dean-Designate of CDE, Prof Thean will lead the merger of the two schools to form the new College, which is expected to be officially launched later this year.

and engineering professions in Singapore. They will also gain a broad intellectual foundation for lifelong learning and development.”

Find out more about the university’s focus on interdisciplinary learning. https://news.nus.edu.sg/two-newcolleges-at-nus-to-deliver-flexibleinterdisciplinary-education-moreaccessibly-and-at-greater-scale/

Prof Thean said: “This is a very exciting development and we are encouraged by the positive response from students, employers and professional institutions following the introduction of the forwardlooking common curriculum.

At CDE, students will have the flexibility to build their own programme based on how broad, deep or integrated they want their education to be. This addresses the increasingly diverse design

Annual Report 2021

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Research From

lab to real-world impact

Research

Whilst the pandemic continued to bring uncertainties and challenges, our researchers stayed focused and resilient in their efforts to advance innovative, impactful engineering – receiving global recognition and accolades for their achievements.

NUS hydrogel tested for Mars mission farms

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n advanced hydrogel, developed by Assistant Professor Tan Swee Ching (Materials Science and Engineering), has been trialled for possible use on future manned missions to Mars.

The hydrogel, made using metal salts as the base, is able to absorb around three or four times its weight in water and release it in controllable ways.

The hydrogel’s properties can be applied to use in closedloop “smart farms”, to grow crops quickly and sustainably in areas affected by water and food scarcity.

Left: Asst Prof Tan Swee Ching with samples of the advanced hydrogels. Right: The prototype smart farm with hydrogel (green) shown on top.

The hydrogel caught the attention of a recent simulated Mars mission at the HI-SEAS Mars simulation facility in Hawaii, where researchers used the hydrogel to grow food crops as astronauts will one day have to do on the surface of Mars.

The HI-SEAS Mars simulation facility is located on the lava fields of Hawaii’s Mauna Loa volcano [Photo: University of Hawaii)

Watch our video about the hydrogel to see how it could one day help support missions to the Red Planet: https://youtu.be/1mTKbEjCqh0

Microgreens grown at the HI-SEAS Mars simulation facility using samples of the hydrogel. [Photo: Benjamin Greaves]

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Research

Pioneering smart bandage for monitoring chronic wounds

Prof Lim Chwee Teck (left) and Dr Gao Yuji (right) were the lead researchers of the NUS team that developed the VeCare platform.

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groundbreaking smart wearable sensor that can wirelessly conduct realtime, point-of-care assessment of chronic wounds has been invented by a research team led by Professor Lim Chwee Teck (Biomedical Engineering), Director of the Institute for Health Innovation and Technology (iHealthtech).

Named VeCare, the system built around an innovative wound sensing bandage and associated app was developed in collaboration with clinical partners from Singapore General Hospital.

The VeCare platform comprises a chip, wound sensor, bandage and app for real-time, point-of-care chronic wound monitoring.

The novel sensor technology used in the device can detect temperature, pH, bacteria type and inflammatory factors specific to chronic wounds within 15 minutes, enabling fast and accurate wound assessment.

It has been estimated that about 2% of the world’s population suffer from chronic wounds. Moreover, with many countries facing an ageing population, healthcare providers are seeing more patients suffering from non-healing wounds such as diabetic foot and chronic venous leg ulcers.

Read more here: https://cde.nus.edu.sg/ pioneering-smart-bandage-formonitoring-chronic-wounds/

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VeCare enables point-of-care and realtime wound monitoring and assessment of chronic venous leg ulcers.

Research

Prof Lim Chwee Teck has been recognised for his distinguished academic achievements, independence of thought, originality, significance of discovery, and the overall impact of his research.

Prof Lim Chwee Teck named Asia’s Most Influential Scientist Change to: Professor Lim Chwee Teck (Biomedical Engineering), inaugural NUSS Chair Professor, has been named winner of the Asia’s Most Influential Scientist Award by the business magazine Fortune Times.

A prolific researcher and inventor, Prof Lim has been recognised for his distinguished academic achievements, independence of thought, originality, significance of discovery, and the overall impact of his research, the magazine’s award committee said.

It added that the award recognised his position as a good role model, inspiring people with his courage for innovation, exploring the truth of science and constantly forging ahead.

A mechanical engineer by training, Prof Lim’s research focuses on human disease mechanobiology and the development of microfluidic and wearable technologies for biomedical applications. He is also a serial entrepreneur having co-founded six startup companies which commercialise technologies developed in his lab, whilst he and his team have received more than 100 awards and honours.

“I always believe research is critically important in helping us to address some of the world’s grand challenges, be it about healthcare, climate or sustainability. That’s what motivates me to become a researcher.”

– Prof Lim Chwee Teck, Biomedical Engineering, Director of iHealthtech

Read more about Prof Lim’s work and what inspires him: https://cde.nus.edu.sg/prof-lim-chwee-tecknamed-asias-most-influential-scientist/

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Research

Food waste digester turns leftovers into energy and fertiliser

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self-sustaining food waste digester that converts leftover food into energy and fertiliser has been deployed for testing at a Singapore hawker centre – the East Coast Lagoon Food Village.

Assoc Prof Tong Yen Wah hopes that the digester system developed by his team is no longer just mere technology, but a component of social change.

The anaerobic digestion system, developed by a team led by Associate Professor Tong Yen Wah (Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering), uses microbes to convert food waste, reducing the need to send it for incineration.

Prof Liu Bin awarded Royal Society of Chemistry Centenary Prize

An associated biogas engine connected to the digester converts the gas produced by the microbes into electricity, while the bio-fertiliser created is used in landscaping applications for the nearby park and elsewhere.

Professor Liu Bin, NUS Vice President (Research and Technology) and Head of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering has been awarded the prestigious Royal Society of Chemistry’s Centenary Prize for 2021.

The electricity produced from the biogas is used both to power the system itself as well as two mobile phone charging stations for public use. Any excess electricity is used to power fans at the food centre.

The prize honours her work in the innovative design and synthesis of organic molecules and nanomaterials to advance biomedical research and

In 2020, food waste accounted for about 11% of the total waste generated in Singapore, but only 19% was recycled. As part of the efforts to treat food waste and demonstrate the feasibility of on-site food waste treatment, the National Environment Agency (NEA) is supporting NUS in conducting the trial of the system.

Read more here: https://cde.nus. edu.sg/foodwaste-digesterturns-leftoversinto-energyand-fertiliser/

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applications, as well as her excellence in communication.

The Centenary Prize, first established in 1947, is an award granted to outstanding chemists, who are also exceptional communicators, from outside the United Kingdom. Fifty previous winners of a Royal Society of Chemistry Prize have gone on to win Nobel Prizes for their pioneering work.

“I am deeply honoured to receive this award, especially when I look at the list of past awardees. Many of them are my role models since I was a graduate student. I would like to take this opportunity to thank my research team and collaborators and all those who have supported and inspired me in my career so far.”

– Prof Liu Bin, NUS Vice President (Research and Technology) and Head of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering

Read more here: https://cde.nus.edu.sg/prof-liu-bin-awarded-royalsociety-of-chemistry-centenary-prize/

Research

A greener solution for cooler outdoor dining

Harvesting energy from waste Wi-Fi signals

Assoc Prof Ernest Chua Kian Jon (left) and Dr Md Raisul Islam with their hybrid AC unit.

The research breakthrough was achieved by a team led by Prof Yang Hyunsoo (left) with Dr Raghav Sharma (right).

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research team led by Associate Professor Chua Kian Jon Ernest and Dr Raisul Islam (Mechanical Engineering) have designed an innovative, environmentally-friendly hybrid outdoor air conditioner (AC).

The new AC unit, tested at an outdoor food court close to the NUS campus, can cool an area within 3.5 – 4 metres of the unit, reducing both the ambient temperature and humidity while cutting energy consumption compared to other cooling devices.

The hybrid unit, about the size of a large refrigerator, uses an innovative process to separate air drying and cooling processes, increasing the efficiency of both.

As a result, a cooling coil temperature of just 20°C is needed instead of the 6°C for regular ACs, with a significant 32% improvement in energy efficiency.

Kopitiam Clementi patrons enjoying cool air from the hybrid AC.

Read more here: https://cde.nus.edu.sg/a-greenersolution-for-cooler-outdoordining/

new technology capable of harvesting energy from unused Wi-Fi signals has been developed by a team of researchers in collaboration with colleagues from Japan’s Tohoku University.

Using an array of tiny smart devices known as spin-torque oscillators (STOs), the researchers led by Professor Yang Hyunsoo (Electrical and Computer Engineering) developed a system to harvest and convert wireless radio frequencies into energy to power small electronics.

In their study, the researchers were able to use Wi-Fi signals to power a light-emitting diode (LED) without using any battery.

Going forward, they are looking to increase the number of STOs in the array, with a view to harvesting more energy that could be used for wirelessly charging other larger electronic devices such as sensors.

“We are surrounded by Wi-Fi signals, but when we are not using them to access the Internet, they are inactive, and this is a huge waste. Our latest result is a step towards turning readily available 2.4GHz radio waves into a green source of energy, hence reducing the need for batteries to power electronics that we use regularly.”

– Prof Yang Hyunsoo, Electrical and Computer Engineering

Read more here: https://cde.nus.edu.sg/harvesting-energyfrom-waste-wifi-signals/

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Research

Pursuing sustainable ocean data centres

Nanodiamond sensors unlock secrets of cells

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US Engineering has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Big Data Exchange (BDx), a Pan Asian data centre cluster and Sembcorp Marine to explore the feasibility of developing groundbreaking sustainable offshore ocean data centres.

Under the MOU, each party will contribute a unique element to advance the development of sustainable ocean data centres: • BDx will provide the data centre arrangement as well as the technical proposal and operational strategy.

• NUS Engineering will supply cooling technology along with metrics for meeting relevant energy efficiency targets.

• Sembcorp Marine will contribute an offshore platform solution.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, Professor Teo Kie Leong, Deputy Dean and Vice Dean of Research at NUS Engineering said: “Data centres are the infrastructure of the digital economy and there is an increasing need for them. It is therefore essential that data centres operate efficiently to minimise overall energy, water consumption, and carbon emissions.

Associate Professor Lee Poh Seng (Mechanical Engineering) Executive Director of the Energy Studies Institute at NUS will be leading the research team to supply liquid cooling technology and metrics for meeting relevant energy efficiency targets.

Dr James Kah Chen Yong (right) and PhD student Lin Yuanzhe with a vial of nanoparticles coated in polydopamine (PDA) by Dr Kah’s method.

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hen it comes to diamonds, bigger isn’t always better. A joint research endeavour between Dr James Kah Chen Yong (Biomedical Engineering) and researchers from Osaka University and the University of Queensland found that nanoscale diamonds, when coated with a special polymer, can be used to measure thermal conductivity.

These hybrid nanodiamond sensors allow scientists to visualise the flow of heat and energy within living cells in real time, learning how they operate.

The polymer-coated nanodiamonds provide a way to directly measure thermal conductivity within living cells for the first time.

The researchers say the sensors open up a range of potential applications investigating biological processes and could help shed light on metabolic disorders such as obesity.

Read more here: https://cde.nus.edu.sg/me/news/ sustainable-ocean-data-centres/

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Read more here: https://cde.nus.edu.sg/nanodiamondsensors-to-unlock-secrets-of-cells/

Research

Using waste clay to make greener concrete

Turning waste metal into versatile aerogels

Assoc Prof Duong Hai-Minh (seated, centre) and his research team from NUS Mechanical Engineering with their aerogels from metal waste.

From left: Dr Du Hongjian, Assoc Prof Pang Sze Dai, and Mr Anjaneya Dixit with the raw materials, processed clays, and finished concrete.

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oncrete is the most consumed man-made material on Earth and carries with it a heavy environmental impact.

Associate Professor Pang Sze Dai (Civil and Environmental Engineering) and his team from the Centre for Advanced Materials and Structures have developed a greener, more sustainable concrete using low-grade waste clay from tunnelling and excavation works to replace much of the sand used in concrete-making.

The researchers found their method was capable of producing ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC) – a far stronger type of concrete that can reduce the size of the structural elements, and potentially reduce the amount of concrete needed.

In addition, it helps to promote a circular economy with the utilisation of waste clay from tunnelling and foundation works, disposal of which is problematic in land-scarce Singapore with limited space available for landfill.

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research team led by Associate Professor Duong Hai-Minh (Mechanical Engineering) has developed an eco-friendly technique to convert aluminium and magnesium waste into high-value aerogels with many applications.

Their upcycling technique can potentially be extended to all types of metal waste and could offer a step towards mitigating the environmental impact of such waste.

“Our approach is cheaper, does not produce any hazardous waste, consumes less energy and is more environmentally-friendly than conventional recycling methods for metal waste,” said Assoc Prof Duong, who has previously produced aerogels from coffee grounds, scrap rubber, pineapple leaves, and other waste materials.

Like other forms of aerogels, metal aerogels are not only effective heat and sound insulators, but also offer a range of other properties and possible applications. For example, by incorporating optical fibres into the aerogel recipe, the researchers made translucent aluminium aerogel that is six times lighter and 120 times cheaper than translucent concrete (LiTraCon).

The team are also looking into possible biomedical applications for the aluminium aerogels as microcarriers – micro-sized beads for cells to grow on.

Read more here: https://cde.nus.edu.sg/using-wasteclay-to-make-greener-concrete/

Read more here: https://cde.nus.edu.sg/turning-wastemetal-into-versatile-aerogels/

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Research

Blood test for real-time monitoring of cancer treatment

Innovative technique automates production of pharmaceutical compounds

Asst Prof Shao Huilin (left) and Dr Sijun Pan (right) and their team developed ExoSCOPE.

Dr Liu Chenguang (left) and Asst Prof Wu Jie (right) are part of the team that developed the automated technique.

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n innovative nanotechnology blood test to quickly assess the effectiveness of targeted cancer therapy has been developed by researchers led by Assistant Professor Shao Huilin (Biomedical Engineering and the Institute for Health Innovation and Technology (iHealthtech)).

The system called ExoSCOPE could tell doctors whether cancer drugs are working for a patient within 24 hours of the start of the treatment.

The new system is much simpler, cheaper and is less invasive than current assessment methods, which can take weeks to return results.

Unlike conventional chemotherapies that interfere with all rapidly dividing cells and can cause widespread damage, targeted medicines attack specific molecules that instruct cancer cells to grow and spread and in turn block the abnormal growth of the cancer.

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iving a new spin to conventional chemical synthesis, researchers from Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering have developed an innovative process to automate the production of small molecules suitable for pharmaceutical use.

The new method can potentially be used for molecules that are typically produced via manual processes, thereby reducing the manpower required.

Demonstrating the novel technique on prexersatib, a pharmaceutical molecule used in cancer treatment, the team achieved a fully automated six-step synthesis with 65% isolated yield within 32 hours, compared with around a week for current standard production processes.

In addition, their automated technique also successfully produced 23 prexasertib derivatives, signifying the method’s potential use in drug discovery and design.

The team says the findings can be applied to the production of a wide range of pharmaceutical molecules.

The new system is much simpler, cheaper and is less invasive than current assessment methods.

The researchers behind the breakthrough were led by Associate Professor Saif A. Khan (Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering) and Assistant Professor Wu Jie from the NUS Department of Chemistry.

Read more here: https://cde.nus.edu.sg/blood-testfor-real-time-monitoring-of-cancertreatment/

Read more here: https://cde.nus.edu.sg/innovativetechnique-automates-production-ofpharmaceutical-compounds/

NUS Engineering

Research

New method boosts speed of hydrogenation process

The NUS research team led by Assoc Prof Yan Ning (middle) with doctoral student Mr Lim Chia Wei (left), and Research Fellow Dr Max Hulsey (right).

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research team led by Associate Professor Yan Ning (Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering) has developed a novel method to increase the rate of hydrogenation – a chemical reaction used in many industrial applications from food production to petrochemicals and pharmaceutical manufacturing.

By using their new approach, the researchers were able to increase the rate of ethylene hydrogenation by more than five times compared to standard industrial rates; a level which could deliver both higher yields for industry and reduce environmental impact.

Hydrogenation is a process involving the addition of

hydrogen to unsaturated chemical bonds, and is commonly used to solidify, preserve or purify many products, raw materials, or ingredients. The process typically uses a static solid catalyst to speed up the reaction.

Comparatively, the technique developed by the researchers applies oscillating electric potentials to a commercial hydrogenation catalyst, which they found dramatically increased the hydrogenation rate of ethylene to ethane.

“Such enhancements in the rates or selectivity of chemical reactions are instrumental in making a chemical process more efficient. Our work demonstrates a more direct and cost-effective way of optimising catalyst performance that is beyond conventional methods.”

– Assoc Prof Yan Ning, Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering

Read more here: https://cde.nus.edu.sg/new-method-boosts-speed-of-hydrogenationprocess/

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Research

Developing green and efficient cooling solutions for data centres

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esearchers from NUS Engineering have joined forces with research and industry partners to launch a $23 million programme aimed at developing innovative and sustainable cooling solutions for data centres located in tropical locations.

As a central element of the programme, a state-of-the-art testbed facility will be set up at NUS to promote co-creation and demonstration of advanced cooling technologies.

The new Sustainable Tropical Data Centre Testbed (STDCT) – the first of its kind in the tropics – will serve as an innovation hub for academia and industry

to work together to futureproof the region’s data centre industry.

New Media Express Pte Ltd, and Red Dot Analytics Pte Ltd.

The STDCT and its research activities will be jointly led

by Programme Director Associate Professor Lee Poh Seng (Mechanical Engineering) with researchers at Nanyang Technological University (NTU) and supported by Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA).

It is jointly funded by the National Research Foundation Singapore (NRF), and anchor industry partner Facebook. Five other industry partners involved are Ascenix Pte Ltd, CoolestDC Pte Ltd, Keppel Data Centres,

Read more here: https://cde.nus.edu.sg/developing-greenand-efficient-cooling-solutions-for-datacentres/

A state-of-the-art testbed facility will be set up in NUS to promote co-creation and demonstration of advanced cooling technologies (Artist’s impression of facility).

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Research

New smart 2D material promises improved drug delivery

Novel approach to wirelessly power wearable devices

The team that created the 2D-electrolytes was led by Prof Antonio Castro Neto (right), Director of CA2DM. With him is Ms Mariana Costa (left), the first author of the groundbreaking publication.

A research team led by Assoc Prof Jerald Yoo (left) has developed the novel wireless powering solution for wearables.

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new class of intelligent material that could be used in a range of applications from drug delivery to energy storage has been developed by a team of researchers at the NUS Centre for Advanced 2D Materials (CA2DM) led by Professor Antonio Castro Neto (Materials Science and Engineering).

The intelligent material dubbed “2D-electrolytes” is just one atom thick and as with other intelligent materials alters its shape in response to changes in its environment.

Like traditional electrolytes, these new “2D-electrolytes” dissociate their atoms in different solvents, and become electrically charged. Furthermore, the arrangement of these materials can be controlled by external factors, such as pH and temperature.

One area in which the researchers say the new material could prove especially useful is in healthcare, where it could be used to direct drugs to a specific target inside the body. This is particularly important for treating diseases like cancer, as the material only releases the drug payload when it detects the presence of a cancer cell, leaving healthy cells unharmed.

Read more here: https://cde.nus.edu.sg/new-smart2d-material-promises-improveddrug-delivery/

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n innovative power transmission and energy harvesting system that uses the human body to transmit power to wearable devices has been developed by a team of researchers led by Associate Professor Jerald Yoo (Electrical and Computer Engineering and the N.1 Institute for Health).

The breakthrough could pave the way to smaller, cheaper, battery-free wearable tech. The system uses a single power source such as a mobile phone to wirelessly power other wearable devices on a user’s body, using the human body itself as a medium for power transmission.

The team’s novel system also has an added advantage – it can harvest unused energy from electromagnetic waves given off by devices such as laptops.

Their system is designed around a transmitter and receiver system each containing a chip that is used as a springboard to extend power coverage over the user’s entire body. The system then harnesses energy from the source via a process called body-coupled power transmission.

Read more here: https://cde.nus.edu.sg/novelapproach-to-wirelessly-powerwearable-devices/

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Research

Smart foam gives robots a human-like sense of touch

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smart foam could give robots a human-like sense of touch to better judge human intentions and respond to changes in their environment.

Called artificially innervated foam, or AiFoam, the new material – which is soft and feels like a sponge – mimics the human sense of touch, can sense nearby objects without actually touching and repairs itself when damaged.

The material was developed by a team led by Assistant Professor Benjamin Tee (Materials

Advances in artificial intelligence (AI) have seen robots and machines become significantly smarter in recent years, but they still lack the ability to touch and feel their subtle and complex surroundings as humans do.

The NUS team is exploring partnerships with robotics companies to use AiFoam to enable more seamless interactions between humans and machines.

Read more here: https://cde.nus.edu.sg/smart-foam-gives-robotsa-human-like-sense-of-touch/

Sixteen NUS Engineers named among the World’s Most Influential Scientific Minds

– Asst Prof Benjamin Tee, Materials Science and Engineering and iHealthtech

AiFoam was created by a team led by Asst Prof Benjamin Tee (left). Mr Guo Hongchen (right), a member of the research team, is holding a sample of the smart foam.

researchers who demonstrate significant impact and influence in their chosen field by publishing several highly cited papers during the last decade.

Sixteen faculty members from NUS Engineering have been recognised in the 2021 Highly Cited Researchers™ list and among the World’s Most Influential Scientific Minds.

The names are drawn from the publications that rank in the top one per cent by citations for field and publication year in the Web of Science™ citation index.

The annual list – compiled by Clarivate and released towards the end of the year – identifies

The 2021 list comprises 6,602 researchers from more than 70 countries and regions.

Read more here: https://cde.nus.edu.sg/sixteen-nus-engineersnamed-among-the-worlds-most-influentialscientific-minds/

22

“We want to show that it is possible to replicate the human sense of touch in a robot, which opens up a new paradigm in the interaction between man and machine for future applications.”

Science and Engineering and Institute for Health Innovation and Technology (iHealthtech)).

NUS Engineering

“NUS is incredibly proud of our highly regarded researchers who have been pushing the frontiers of their respective fields, and in turn, benefitting the community by creating new knowledge and solving real-world problems.

Their outstanding work advances NUS’ standing as one of the world’s leading universities, and strengthens Singapore’s reputation as a world-class research hub.”

– Professor Chen Tsuhan, NUS Deputy President (Research and Technology)

Research

NUS engineers bring attack-proof quantum communications two steps forward

Q

uantum key distribution (QKD) is a method for secure communication that uses quantum mechanics to encrypt information. While the security of QKD is unbreakable in principle, if it is incorrectly implemented, vital information could still be stolen by attackers.

These are known as sidechannel attacks, where the attackers exploit weaknesses

Read more here: https://cde.nus.edu.sg/nusengineers-bring-attack-proofquantum-communicationstwo-steps-forward/

in the setup of the information system to eavesdrop on the exchange of secret keys.

Researchers led by Assistant Professor Charles Lim (Electrical and Computer Engineering and Centre for Quantum Technologies) have developed two methods, one theoretical and one experimental, to ensure that

QKD communications cannot be attacked in this way.

The first is an ultra-secure cryptography protocol that can be deployed in any communication network that needs long-term security. The second is a first-of-its-kind device that defends QKD systems against bright light pulse attacks by creating a power threshold.

“Rapid advances in quantum computing and algorithmic research mean we can no longer take today’s toughest security software for granted. Our two new approaches hold promise to ensuring that the information systems which we use for banking, health and other critical infrastructure and data storage can hold up against any potential future attacks.”

– Asst Prof Lim, Electrical and Computer Engineering and Centre for Quantum Technologies

Asst Prof Charles Lim (back) and Dr Zhang Gong (front) with their team’s first-ofits-kind quantum power limiter device.

Annual Report 2021

23

Our students From

learning applying

to

Our students

As borders begin to reopen and pandemic travel restrictions ease, our students can soon look forward to resuming participation in international competitions. In the meantime, they continued to apply their creativity, skills and learning in delivering innovative solutions that improve lives.

NUS students win IKEA Young Designer Awards

S

tudents from Mechanical Engineering came out on top in the IKEA Singapore Young Designer Awards, with teams taking first and second places in the competition.

This year, teams were set the challenge to design for “a future without food waste”. The top spot went to team U-Life – made up of Mitchell Chan, Darren Lim and Ho Min Kent – for their design of a UV light food preservation device.

“Our design is centred around modularity and simplicity,” the team said. “The circular node design ensures that our UV light can reach all surrounding food

Read more our winning teams and their entries here: https://cde.nus.edu.sg/idp/ news/nus-students-wonikea-young-designer-awards/

Listen to Mitchell Chan speak about his team’s winning design on Money FM 89.3: https://www.moneyfm893. sg/guest/corinna-schulerand-mitchell-chan-ikea

produce. By using recycled PLA, we are not only able to reduce food waste, but also plastic waste. This echoes our team’s vision of creating a sustainable future.”

First runner-up in the competition went to team HaveAlr, featuring Mechanical Engineering student Lim Jia Wei alongside colleagues from Pharmaceutical Science and Data Science. HaveAlr

is a grocery tracker which automatically updates a consumer’s purchases from e-commerce platforms, enabling them to track purchases and corresponding expiration dates in their pantry.

The U-Life team members are Mitchell Chan, Darren Lim and Ho Min Kent.

The IKEA Singapore Young Designer Award was launched in 2014 for students in tertiary institutions to showcase their design ideas for creating a better life at home.

This UV light food preservation device made using recycled PLA not only reduces food waste but also plastic waste.

Annual Report 2021

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Our students

NUS team named global winners of Dyson Award

A

team of young inventors from NUS Engineering had been named global winners of the prestigious James Dyson Award – the first time in the award’s 17-year history that a Singapore team has won.

The team’s winning design, a wearable device called Home Eye Pressure E-skin Sensor (HOPES), uses advanced sensor technology and artificial intelligence to allow glaucoma patients to easily and painlessly monitor their condition at home.

The HOPES team is made up of Yu Kelu and Si Li (both PhD students in Materials Science and Engineering), and David Lee (Research Assistant and Electrical and Computer Engineering graduate). They were supervised and supported

by Assistant Professor Benjamin Tee (Materials Science and Engineering).

HOPES was selected as a Singapore National Winner of the Award earlier this year and subsequently shortlisted into the International Top 20 from among 83 national finalists from 28 countries and regions. The shortlisted teams were reviewed

by Sir James Dyson, Founder and Chief Engineer at Dyson.

The HOPE team receiving news of their win from James Dyson himself.

“We were told that the judging process was still ongoing and that the panel had more questions,” HOPES team member Yu Kelu said. “So we were shocked when Mr Dyson himself appeared on the video call. And when he told us we had won the top prize, it didn’t quite sink in at first. It was only after the call that we realised what a big thing this was. We started cheering and I even cried.”

The award is given by the James Dyson Foundation, the charitable arm of the Dyson firm.

Read more about the award and watch a video of the team receiving news of their win from James Dyson himself: https://cde.nus.edu.sg/nus-team-namedglobal-winners-of-dyson-award/

26

NUS Engineering

HOPES is a simple, accurate and painless device for glaucoma patients to monitor their condition through home testing.

The team estimates that HOPES will cost less than S$200 when produced at scale, and the cost could be further reduced if there is additional financial support.

Our students

The students building their own Mars rover

T

he landing of NASA’s Perseverance rover on Mars in February 2021 sparked renewed popular interest in Earth’s nearest planetary neighbour. But did you know there is another Mars rover under development right here at NUS?

and builds rover prototypes for participation in various international competitions.

NUS Students for the Exploration and Development of Space (SEDS) is a student club for those passionate about space technologies and development. It is also a chapter of the global SEDS movement.

On her experience working on a Mars Rover prototype, Rover team project director Pranati Rajagopal (Year 3, Electrical Engineering) said: “The thought of building a rover may seem herculean and daunting.

But following the design methodology, breaking down complex tasks into simpler ones, and having teammates that are driven and committed makes it easier.”

Counting many NUS Engineering students among its members, NUS SEDS aims to make space accessible to everyone, organising talks, seminars, and networking sessions with key actors in the space industry.

Additionally, it has project teams focusing on different aspects of space technology, including a rover team that designs

Engineering team lead Anoushka Bhutani (Year 3, Mechanical Engineering) said: “Being a part of the SEDS Rover Team has taught me how to learn independently and from failure. When something fails, troubleshooting and identifying the root of the failure often leads us to a far deeper understanding of the system.”

Read more about Pranati and Anoushka’s experience working on the SEDS rover: https://cde.nus.edu.sg/the-studentsbuilding-their-own-mars-rover/

Listen to the interview of Pranati and Anoushka on Money FM 89.3 about the rover: https://omny.fm/shows/money-fm-893/ pranati-rajagopal-anoushka-bhutani?fb clid=IwAR3e9Sv7oahB1q2C38Dfxmv79_ Jno7bkmNiC9WKmrm8FCc1CgWxxdukijR8

Annual Report 2021

27

Alumni

Paying it forward

Alumni

As our graduates and alumni went on to apply their knowledge in the real world, we continued to stay connected with them and celebrate their achievements.

Celebrating our illustrious alumni

Distinguished Engineering Alumni Award (DEAA)

I

n December, we celebrated the annual Engineering Alumni Awards, recognising the accomplishments and contributions of exemplary NUS Engineering alumni.

At the Awards Ceremony held at the NUSS Kent Ridge Guild House, we recognised four NUS Engineering alumni for their outstanding achievements.

Our heartiest congratulations to all award recipients.

Mr Vincent Chong Sy Feng Group President and CEO of ST Engineering, a global technology, defence and engineering group.

Professor Er Meng Hwa a Professor of Electrical and Electronic Engineering at Nanyang Technological University.

Outstanding Engineering Young Alumni Award (OEYAA)

Read more about the Engineering Alumni Award winners here: https://cde.nus.edu. sg/engineeringalumni-awards-2021/

Er. Kwa Chin Soon Deputy Director of Land Transport Authority, in charge of the construction of the part of Circle Line MRT running through the Central Business District.

Mr Moh Wei Qun Raymond CEO and Co-founder of Hanalytics Pte Ltd, also known as BioMind.

Annual Report 2021

29

Alumni

Celebrating Women in NUS Engineering

I

n September, the “Women in NUS Engineering” event brought together several of our most distinguished female Engineering alumni to share their experiences with fellow alumni, NUS staff and students.

The hybrid webinar was held in support of 2021 as the Year of Celebrating SG Women.

Guest-of-Honour Mr Masagos Zulkifli, Minister for Social and Family Development (Distinguished Engineering Alumni Award Winner) gave the keynote speech to open the event. This was followed by sharing of personal stories and a panel discussion featuring outstanding women alumni including:

30

NUS Engineering

• Ms Ho Ching, CEO Temasek Holdings (Distinguished Engineering Alumni Award Winner)

The NUS Faculty of Engineering’s inaugural “Women in NUS Engineering” event saw a line-up of celebrated guest speakers.

• Ms Aw Kah Peng, Chairman, Shell Companies in Singapore (Distinguished Engineering Alumni Award Winner) • Ms Wan Siew Ping, Senior Manager, Singapore Institute of Manufacturing Technology (Engineering Alumni Service Honours Recipient) • Ms Eng Se-Hsieng, Senior Vice-President, Business Development, Skylab Services Pte Ltd (Outstanding Engineering Young Alumni Award Winner)

Watch a recording of the event here: https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=q3NozFzE_1A

Facts and figures

Facts and figures

Facts and figures Students

•

As at 31 December 2021

BEng Total 4,834

Total 5,850

Total 2,778

32

NUS Engineering

(EE1383 + CEG683)

MSc Class of 2021

Undergraduate student enrolment

Graduate student enrolment

2,066 1,642

MEng

134

PhD

992

Total

4,834

B Tech

29

Biomedical Engineering

627

Chemical Engineering

968

Civil Engineering

509

Computer Engineering

683

Electrical Engineering

781

Engineering Science Programme

126

Environmental Engineering

161

Industrial and Systems Engineering

303

Materials Science and Engineering

280

Mechanical Engineering

1,383

Total

5,850

MSc

1,642

MEng

134

EngD

10

PhD

992

Total

2,778

Facts and figures

Staff

•

As at 31 December 2021 Tenure track faculty

Total 1,584

Staff profile

Professors

70

Associate professors

124

Assistant professors

56

Other teaching staff

78

Total number of full-time faculty members

328

Adjunct staff

133

Visiting/emeritus professors/honorary fellow

41

Research staff

781

Executive and administrative (executive)

112

Executive and administrative (administrative) Total staff strength

Research

•

189 1,584

As at 31 December 2021

Entrepreneurial activities at NUS Engineering Figures are cumulative 450 400 350 300 250 200 150 100 50 0

Spin-off/start-up companies

Licensed technologies

Inventions patented

2015 and before

72

180

283

2016

87

206

306

2017

95

250

326

2018

111

278

356

2019

130

337

374

2020

144

385

401

2021

169

435

430

Annual Report 2021

33

Facts and figures

Facts and figures Research

•

As at 31 December 2021

Research grants awarded to NUS Engineering (Excluding research scholarship) Fiscal year FY2017/2018

119,838,361

FY2018/2019

185,580,223

FY2019/2020

149,077,988

FY2020/2021

150,151,570

FY2021/2022

191,783,289 Grand total

Research

•

As at 31 January 2022

Research grants and scholarships awarded in FY2021/2022

Grand total 191,783,289

External research grants

4,374,985

MOE research grants

38,057,962

MOE research scholarships

14,067,971

Grand total

34

NUS Engineering

135,282,371

External research scholarships

191,783,289

Facts and figures

Research

•

As at 31 January 2022

Number of citations (in 5-year intervals) Citing years 2012-2016

19,739

2013-2017

24,720

2014-2018

29,091

2015-2019

36,987

2016-2020

46,923

2017-2021

63,250

2018-2022

58,256 Times cited 10,000

20,000

30,000

40,000

50,000

60,000

Average citations per paper (in 5-year intervals) Citing years 2012-2016

6.02

2013-2017

6.86

2014-2018

7.52

2015-2019

8.81

2016-2020

10.15

2017-2021

12.38

2018-2022

12.28 1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

Citations per paper

Number of papers (in 5-year intervals) Citing years 2012-2016

3,278

2013-2017

3,603

2014-2018

3,870

2015-2019

4,198

2016-2020

4,624

2017-2021

5,107

2018-2022

4,744 500

1,000

1,500

2,000

2,500

3,000

3,500

4,000

4,500

5,000

Number of papers

Annual Report 2021

35

NUS ENGINEERING NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF SINGAPORE 9 Engineering Drive 1 Level 7, Dean’s Office Singapore 117575