SUTD Appoints New Provost

05 Nov 2020

The Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD) is pleased to announce the appointment of Professor Phoon Kok Kwang as the University’s new Provost. Prof Phoon is currently the Senior Vice Provost (Academic Affairs) and a Distinguished Professor at the National University of Singapore (NUS), and will officially join SUTD in February 2021.
 

Prof Phoon brings to SUTD over 25 years of experience as a world-class researcher, top educator and active senior academic leader. A graduate of NUS and Cornell University, Prof Phoon is a geotechnical engineer and has served as the Head of the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department from 2013 to 2015. In 2015, Prof Phoon chaired the Task Force on Continuing and Professional Education that led to the establishment of NUS’ School of Continuing and Lifelong Education. He also served as the Chair of the University Promotion and Tenure Committee (UPTC) between 2015 and 2020.
 
Prof Phoon is also an award winning teacher and researcher, being a recipient of numerous awards, including garnering the Norman Medal twice (2005, 2020) – the highest honour granted by the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), the NUS Outstanding Researcher Award (2010), the NUS Annual Teaching Excellence Award (ATEA) (2011 and 2012), as well as the Humboldt Research Award from the Alexander von Humboldt-Stiftung/Foundation (2017). On top of the awards he has received, Prof Phoon also has extensive experience in the international research arena, being a founding editor of the Georisk journal, Managing Editor of the ASCE-ASME Journal of Risk and Uncertainty in Engineering Systems, Part A: Civil Engineering.  
 
Regarding the appointment, SUTD President, Professor Chong Tow Chong said: “We are very pleased to have Professor Phoon join the SUTD family. Professor Phoon’s many years of experience in academic leadership, as well as his understanding of SUTD's strong focus in design and deep appreciation for interdisciplinary learning and research will take SUTD to greater heights in achieving our mission to nurture future leaders and innovators to serve societal needs. We eagerly look forward to Professor Phoon working alongside the SUTD community in the next phase of growth of the university.”
 
In response to his move, Prof Phoon said: “SUTD is a hidden gem where education is constantly being re-imagined. I believe technology and design are here to make our lives better, not the other way round. Rather than seeing technology and humanity to be on a collision course, SUTD has been actively working with stakeholders to educate the next generation of engineers to offer a different future. I am deeply honoured to join SUTD where the entire institution is devoted to making this vision a reality.”