SINGAPORE UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY AND DESIGN ANNUAL REPORT WHERE KNOWLEDGE SHAPES MINDS 23 24
CONTENTS 02 03 04 06 17 28 31 33 09 10 MISSION, VISION AND ABOUT SUTD SUTD DESIGN PHILOSOPHY CHAIRMAN’S MESSAGE PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE SUTD SENIOR MANAGEMENT PROFILES COMMEMORATING PROFESSOR CHONG TOW CHONG EDUCATION SUTD ACADEMY SUTD AT A GLANCE SUTD BOARD OF TRUSTEES PROFILES
35 36 37 39 48 49 52 56 43 46 EXPANDING STUDENTS’ HORIZONS WITH SUTD’S EXTENSIVE GLOBAL PARTNERSHIPS STUDENTS ON SUTD’S UNIQUE INTERDISCIPLINARY EDUCATION FACULTY PROFILES RESEARCH VENTURE, INNOVATION & ENTREPRENEURSHIP GIVING TOWARDS A BETTER WORLD BY DESIGN CORPORATE GOVERNANCE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS ACHIEVEMENT HIGHLIGHTS SUSTAINABILITY AT SUTD
VISION ABOUT SUTD MISSION Trailblazing a Better World by Design. SUTD was incorporated on 24 July 2009 as a Company limited by guarantee under the Companies Act, Chapter 50. SUTD has a Memorandum and Articles of Association as its governing instrument. It has been accorded IPC (Institution of Public Character) status under the Charities Act, Chapter 37 until 20 July 2027. The principal activities of SUTD are in the advancement and dissemination of knowledge, the promotion of research and scholarships, and the conferring and awarding of degrees. We redefine design, education and research, and draw on multiple disciplines to make a positive impact on society. We nurture technically-grounded leaders who embrace risks to continuously innovate for a better tomorrow. p. 02 SINGAPORE UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY AND DESIGN
SUTD DESIGN PHILOSOPHY At SUTD, we believe in a Better World by Design. Design is the panacea of problems (Value) Design transforms lives & communities (Human-centric) Design is made powerful by digitalisation and big data (Technology) Design outcomes must be quantifiable and experienceable by everyone (Outcomes) Design, when powered by technology, is the informed, intentional, intelligent and imaginative force that will drive innovations to improve lives, grow economies and sustain our world. SUTD LEAP SUTD Leap is a mid-term growth strategy that aims to propel SUTD to the forefront of Design x Tech education and research in the Institute of Higher Learning (IHL) world through several innovative initiatives including the introduction of a Design, AI and Tech focused concept. It aims to create an environment that promotes design and creative co-solutioning with industry partners by bringing the real world into campus and vice versa through an unusual “cross-pollination” of academia and enterprise. By blurring the lines between academia and enterprise, students will be able to grow and innovate in a connected environment – and get a true sense of what real world demands are like and to manifest the power and value of design in the real world. p. 03 ANNUAL REPORT 2023/24
SUTD’s trajectory over the last 15 years has been purposeful. The relentless pursuit of design and tech excellence in both education and research has been our hallmark since Day One. MR LEE TZU YANG SUTD CHAIRMAN p. 04 SINGAPORE UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY AND DESIGN
MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIRMAN “Change is the only constant” is an oxymoron that rings true in today’s fast paced world. Technology is advancing in different fields at speeds never imagined before and the ability of mankind to organise and process new information, in order to apply it for good, will determine human progress. Artificial Intelligence (AI) has been enabled by the growth in computing power to provide potential insights and advances in so many fields that it will bring about fundamental changes in how we plan and operate. Human society is also changing with developments shaped by the speed of communications and the influence of ideas, together with the issues often encountered when people are pulled in different directions by external forces and question their long-held assumptions. How we will use the opportunities we have and deal with the threats we will face will be key to our future. Against this backdrop, educational institutions have a tremendous role to play, not only in readying this generation and the next for the future, but in deciding how we will transform ourselves to meet the challenge. Education in this environment of change must be always ongoing and evolving, and we need to look beyond our traditional stakeholders to be an agent for progress. SUTD was founded specifically to groom technically grounded leaders and innovators to serve societal needs through design and technology, and has been at the forefront of that change. We were the first university in Singapore to incorporate design thinking and design innovation into a multidisciplinary hands-on technology and designfocused curriculum. We rolled out the world’s first Design and Artificial Intelligence degree programme in 2020 – well before AI was a buzzword. This trailblazing spirit is part and parcel of our DNA and it is incorporated in our new Vision: “Trailblazing a Better World by Design”. SUTD’s trajectory over the last 15 years has been purposeful. The relentless pursuit of design and tech excellence in both education and research has been our hallmark since Day One. Professor Chong Tow Chong, who has been with SUTD since 2010, has been instrumental in putting the university on the Design and Tech IHL map. SUTD was named the top emerging engineering school in a study by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in 2018. His exemplary leadership – first as founding provost, and then as SUTD’s second president – has resulted in many significant initiatives including the SUTD Growth Plan (with a focus on Healthcare, Cities and Aviation, with AI/Data Science and Digital Manufacturing in its education, research and industry collaborations) and the SUTD Sustainability Plan (advancing sustainability-related research in collaboration with industry). Prof Chong stepped down as president on 31 July 2024, by which time SUTD’s strong bench strength had 29% of faculty listed among the top 2% of scientists globally by Stanford University in 2023. SUTD also grew an endowment fund, which enabled innovative programmes like the Baby Shark microinnovation fund (Baby Shark Fund) that aims to nurture innovation at every level. I am grateful for Prof Chong’s immense contribution to the University and wish him all the best. On 1 August 2024, SUTD welcomed its new president, Professor Phoon Kok Kwang, who has been SUTD’s provost since 2021. Prof Phoon leads SUTD into its next phase of growth with the launch of SUTD Leap, announced in March 2024. SUTD Leap is a multi-year, multipronged strategic plan that aims to redesign higher education with a greater focus on design and deep tech. Building purposefully on our trajectory, SUTD Leap plans to create a design and technology co-solutioning ecosystem with industry partners. SUTD will engage industry leaders to co-create curriculum and programmes to inspire students, while faculty and researchers will support key industry projects. The synergy between academia and industry will provide students with a true sense of real world demands, and our faculty and researchers will develop and help deploy design and tech to unleash value in private, public and people sectors. We aim to nurture design x tech innovators and leaders for the future. SUTD has also been exploring alternative pathways in education. Through a collaboration with École 42 from France, we launched a public tuition-free peer-learning information and communications technology programme in September 2023. The new 42 Singapore programme had a strong reception with 190 students ranging from 18 to 60 years of age in the inaugural batch, from which three recently “graduated” from level 9 in record time, putting them amongst the top 1% of École 42 students worldwide. SUTD also made significant strides in innovation and enterprise. In addition to the Baby Shark Fund, our subsidiary SUTD Venture Holdings has invested in SUTD-related start-ups including Singapore-based quantum software company, Entropica Labs, AI document processing solutions provider Staple AI, and 4D-printed cast medtech company Castomize Technologies. These are doing well with Entropica successfully raising US$6.54 million over two rounds including a US$4.7 million in Series A funding recently. We start from a small base due to size, but with a much higher intensity of innovation and enterprise activity boosted by multidisciplinarity. We have reason to be grateful for great support from our donors and benefactors, as well as mentors for our ventures. I am thankful for your generosity in time, advice and funds, and I hope for your continued confidence in us as we work together to steer SUTD forward in our next stage of growth. LEE TZU YANG SUTD Chairman p. 05 ANNUAL REPORT 2023/24
PROFESSOR CHONG TOW CHONG SUTD PRESIDENT p. 06 SINGAPORE UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY AND DESIGN
MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT As I reflect on my last year as SUTD’s president, I am filled with pride and gratitude for the resilience, innovation and dedication of the SUTD community, which has enabled us to achieve remarkable milestones and reinforce the University’s reputation as a leader in design and technology education and research. This year, we received design accreditation for all our undergraduate programmes and two postgraduate programmes, a testament to the unique design curriculum that defines SUTD. This achievement underscores our commitment to providing a world-class education that equips our students with the relevant skills and knowledge to be the next generation of design and technology innovators. We also celebrated the graduation of our pioneer batch of Design and Artificial Intelligence (DAI) students. They have been equipped with the ability to unlock the full potential of design by harnessing the power of AI, paving the way for new opportunities. In fact, this year’s Capstone exhibition showcased many projects that incorporate design, AI and technology to create innovative and human-centric solutions to problems. I believe that as our DAI students enter the workforce, they will be able to make significant contributions to the fields that they are in, and I look forward to seeing their impact in the near future. SUTD’s faculty research excellence continues to shine on the global stage, with one-third of our faculty ranked among the top 2% of the most-cited scientists in the world. Assistant I am filled with pride and gratitude for the resilience, innovation and dedication of the SUTD community, which has enabled us to achieve remarkable milestones and reinforce the University’s reputation as a leader in design and technology education and research. Professor Soujanya Poria deserves special mention for his groundbreaking research in AI, which has earned him multiple prestigious accolades, including MIT Technology Review’s 2023 Under 35 Innovators for Asia-Pacific and the President’s Science & Technology Awards (PSTA) Young Scientist Award 2023. Assistant Professor Xiong Zehui also appeared in the Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia Class of 2023 list for his research in artificial intelligence, data science and wireless technologies. The achievements of these young professors in SUTD exemplify the potential and high calibre of talent present within our faculty. The Future Communications R&D Programme hosted by SUTD also established the first Southeast Asian Open Testing and Integration Centre (OTIC) in SUTD in 2023. The OTIC provides an open, collaborative, vendor independent and impartial working environment to support the progress of the Open Radio Access Network (O-RAN) industry ecosystem. The world’s first Global OTIC Summit, which was participated by eight OTICs worldwide, was also held at SUTD in August 2023. SUTD also inked various significant strategic partnerships during the year in review. The collaboration with the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore has resulted in joint projects and programmes, including aviation-related internships for our students, providing them with valuable industry experience and insights. We also extended and deepened our partnership with the SingHealth cluster, enhancing our collaborative efforts in healthcare p. 07 ANNUAL REPORT 2023/24
MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT Innovation remains a core part of SUTD’s mission, and this year the University introduced the Baby Shark Fund to support student-led projects that drive creativity and the entrepreneurial spirit. research and education. This synergy between design, technology, and healthcare will lead to innovative solutions that will improve patient outcomes and healthcare delivery. SUTD also partnered Toll Group to focus on developing supply chain optimisation and simulation technology. The Tote Board has committed $6 million in partnership with SUTD’s Lee Kuan Yew Centre for Innovative Cities and the Institute of Policy Studies for the “Future-Ready Society Impact Fund”, which will drive impactful research and initiatives that address societal needs and future challenges. On the education front, SUTD’s lifelong learning arm, SUTD Academy, introduced its latest industry-driven postgraduate degree courses with the launch of the Master of Science in Technology and Design (MTD) programme in September 2023. The inaugural cohort of 44 full-time students is enrolled in two pioneering specialisations: Cybersecurity and Sustainable Product Design. There are plans to roll out another six new MTD programmes to further expand SUTD’s offerings and meet the evolving needs of industry. Innovation remains a core part of SUTD’s mission, and this year the University introduced the Baby Shark Fund to support student-led projects that drive creativity and the entrepreneurial spirit. The Baby Shark Fund aims to provide students with the opportunity to engage in bottomup innovation by experimenting continuously. We hope to encourage every SUTD student to incubate new ideas, innovate through design and have the courage to venture into uncharted grounds beyond the classroom. The University further reinforced its commitment to sustainability by setting up a new Office of Sustainability. This office will lead the University’s efforts in sustainable research and education. In addition, SUTD’s partnership with Tianjin Eco-City has led to the establishment of the SUTD Eco-City Research and Innovation Centre. The Centre will nurture talents and coinnovate solutions for sustainable and low-carbon development, in partnership with the government, academia and industry players in Singapore and China, as well as explore joint programmes for research development, education and training, and enterprise development between Singapore and Tianjin. As I close, I would like to take a moment to reflect on my time at SUTD. Having spent a decade and a half as the founding provost and president of the University, I am blessed and honoured to have witnessed the remarkable growth of the University from scratch – much like a parent watching the growth of his child. We started with no curriculum, no faculty, no students and no campus, but look at what we have achieved. Today, we have a beautiful East Coast campus, about 85 tenuretrack faculty, over 1,900 students, more than 1,400 industry partnerships and over 8,000 research papers published. We have also enabled about 90 teams to explore their ideas and work towards turning them into reality. There are also some plans for the campus expansion. These accomplishments are no small feat for a university just 15 years young, and I am deeply grateful for all the hard work and tenacity of the entire SUTD community that made this possible. Additionally, I would like to extend my heartfelt gratitude to our donors and benefactors as what we have achieved would not have been possible without their generosity. Their support has been instrumental in enabling us to achieve our goals and provide exceptional opportunities for our students. We would also not have come so far without the unwavering support of the Ministry of Education as well as our Board of Trustees over all these years, so a big thank you to them. I believe that SUTD will be in good hands with provost Professor Phoon Kok Kwang taking over as SUTD’s third president. I am confident he and his team will lead the University to stay ahead of the curve, even as we continue our mission of trailblazing a better world by design. Thank you. PROFESSOR CHONG TOW CHONG SUTD President p. 08 SINGAPORE UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY AND DESIGN
SUTD AT A GLANCE OVERVIEW 82 partnerships in 26 countries 30 summer programmes in 13 countries 364 exchange opportunities 310 first-year students gained regional exposure to ASEAN & China 83 aspiring entrepreneur teams nurtured 169 Master’s and PhD students graduated 1,544 adult learners trained by SUTD Academy 143 faculty 398 administrative staff 496 researchers 28 undergraduate students graduated* All figures are accurate as of 31 March 2023. *SUTD had a change in undergraduate academic calendar in 2020, which affected the number of students graduating in 2023. p. 09 ANNUAL REPORT 2023/24
SUTD BOARD OF TRUSTEES PROFILES MR LEE TZU YANG (CHAIRMAN) Chairman, Public Service Commission Lee Tzu Yang graduated from the London School of Economics and Political Science in 1976. He joined Shell in 1979 and retired as Chairman of Shell Companies in Singapore in 2014 after serving in operational, commercial and strategy functions in a range of markets. He was recognised by the Institution of Chemical Engineers as an Honorary Fellow in 2016. He is Chairman of the Public Service Commission, and the Vice-President of the Judicial Service Commission and the Legal Service Commission. He also chairs the board of the Singapore University of Technology and Design. He was awarded the Bintang Bakti Masyarakat (Public Service Star) in 2005, the Pingat Jasa Gemilang (Meritorious Service Medal) in 2014, and the Darjah Utama Bakti Cemerlang (Distinguished Service Order) in 2022. DR FIDAH ALSAGOFF Vice Chairman, Healthcare & Life Sciences (Global Partnerships), Temasek International Pte Ltd Dr Fidah Alsagoff is the Vice Chairman, Healthcare & Life Sciences (Global Partnerships) at Temasek International Pte Ltd, where he has been since 2008. He was previously Global Head of Life Sciences, and Joint Head of Enterprise Development Group. In addition, he is also Chairman of ClavystBio Pte Ltd and Sheares Healthcare Management Pte Ltd. He was previously a Partner at Innosight Ventures Private Limited, and prior to that, was Chief Executive Officer of MOH Holdings. His career also includes nearly a decade in social entrepreneurship where he started up several programmes and enterprises catering to hitherto unmet healthcare needs of patients, with the latest enterprise being the establishment of the Singapore Cord Blood Bank. Fidah graduated from the National University of Singapore with a Bachelors of Medicine and Surgery, and later with a Masters of Medicine in Public Health. He attended INSEAD on a Lee Kuan Yew Scholarship for post-graduate studies, and subsequently graduated with an Executive MBA (with distinction). As valedictorian of his EMBA class, he was awarded the Claude Janssen Prize. p. 10 SINGAPORE UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY AND DESIGN
MR RAMLEE BIN BUANG Chairman, 1FSS Pte Ltd Ramlee Bin Buang has more than 40 years of experience in international business and finance having worked in audit and leading multinational corporations from various industries. Ramlee is a member of the Chartered Association of Certified Accountants (United Kingdom), CPA (Australia) and a non-practicing member of the Institute of Singapore Chartered Accountants. He also holds a Graduate Diploma in Marketing, a Graduate Diploma in Applied Positive Psychology and attended the Harvard Business School Advanced Management Program in 2011. He is a Certified Professional Co-Active Coach (The Coaches Training Institute) and is a member of International Coaching Federation. He was a former Executive Director of Cerebos Pacific Limited and currently serves on the board of various charities and companies in Singapore. MR ROBERT CHEW Director of iGlobe Platinum Fund II and iGlobe Advisors Robert Chew is director of iGlobe Platinum Fund II and iGlobe Advisors. He serves on the boards of the Agency for Integrated Care, Health Sciences Authority, Singapore University of Technology and Design, Singapore Mediation Centre, and LawNet Technology Services. He also serves on the boards of non-profit organisations – Kwong Wai Shiu Hospital, Shared Services for Charities, Singapore Hospice Council (Chairman), Tan Kah Kee Foundation, and WeCare Community Services (Chairman). He was previously a partner in Accenture. He is a Fellow of the Singapore Institute of Directors and the Singapore Computer Society (SCS), and was awarded SCS’s Hall of Fame in 2016 and IT Leader of the Year in 2009. He was conferred the Public Service Medal in 2013 and the Public Service Star in 2017. MS DEBORAH LEE Director, CapitaLand Ascott Trust Deborah Lee is presently an Independent Director of Ascott Residence Trust Management Ltd, Ascott Business Trust Management Pte Ltd, Metro Holdings Ltd and Assurity Trusted Solutions Pte Ltd. She is also a board member of WTL Capital Pte Ltd. Deborah was previously Executive Vice-President, Corporate Development of Singapore Press Holdings Ltd (SPH) from 2007 to 2015. Prior to joining SPH, she was a consultant, specialising in corporate development work and mergers and acquisitions. Before her consultancy work, Deborah was Senior Vice-President, Business Development at the Wuthelam Group, overseeing the establishment of the industrial electronics business, real estate business development and private equity investment for the Group in the region. Deborah started her career as an auditor with Pricewaterhouse and subsequently joined Hewlett Packard, holding various management positions over a period of 11 years. Deborah holds a Bachelor of Accountancy (Honours) and a Master in Applied Finance from the National University of Singapore. She is a Chartered Financial Analyst charterholder. p. 11 ANNUAL REPORT 2023/24
SUTD BOARD OF TRUSTEES PROFILES MR LIM KANG SONG Chairman, Proxtera Pte Ltd Lim Kang Song is the Chairman of Proxtera Pte Ltd. Kang Song graduated from the National University of Singapore and worked in different capacities and functions at IBM, Oracle, Tandem and 3rd Frontier. He was the CEO of Certis Australia, Oracle Singapore and Chief of Staff, IBM Asia Pacific Finance Sector. Kang Song has also served on various task forces and associations including the TechSkills Accelerator (TeSA), Committee on the Future Economy (CFE) and the Singapore International Chamber of Commerce. MS LIM WAN YONG Permanent Secretary (Education Development), Ministry of Education (until June 2024) Lim Wan Yong is currently Permanent Secretary (Education) at the Ministry of Education. Prior to this, she was Deputy Secretary (Planning), Ministry of National Development from 2017, and concurrently Deputy Secretary (Security Coordination), Prime Minister’s Office from 2019. She previously held various appointments in the Trade Development Board (now Enterprise Singapore), Ministry of Trade and Industry, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Finance and Civil Service College, and was Special Assistant to thenDPM/Coordinating Minister for National Security Teo Chee Hean. Wan Yong graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations, and a Master of Science in Industrial Engineering and Engineering Management from Stanford University, USA. MS MAY LOH Partner, Albright Stonebridge Group-DGA May Loh leads the Singapore office of Albright Stonebridge Group (ASGDGA), a global strategic geopolitical advisory and commercial diplomacy consultancy. An alumnus of the University of Kent (UK) and Harvard Law School (USA), May was with the Singapore Legal Service for two decades, starting as a Justices’ Law Clerk to the Chief Justice, and subsequently serving in various roles including in the Competition Commission of Singapore, the AttorneyGeneral’s Chambers and as a District Judge in the State Courts. May was seconded to the Singapore Administrative Service, where she worked on manpower policy, labour relations (tri-partite compact) and international relations (negotiating free trade agreements). An alumni advisor to the Singapore delegation of the St Gallen Symposium, May serves on several charity boards and is Chairman of The Helping Hand, a halfway house awarded the Institution of a Public Character (IPC) status. p. 12 SINGAPORE UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY AND DESIGN
MS LOW SIN LENG Chairman of the Board, Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts A President Scholar and Colombo Plan Scholar, Low Sin Leng holds a First Class Honours in Electrical and Electronics Engineering from the University of Alberta, an MBA from the Catholic University of Leuven, Belgium and an AMP from Harvard Business School. Sin Leng has been awarded the Board of Governors Prize in Engineering (1973, 1974), and Gold medals in the Electrical Engineering Department and Engineering Faculty (1975) of the University of Alberta. She supports her Alma Mater the National Junior College and serves as an advisor to the St. Nicholas Girls’ School. She has been conferred the Service to Education Award 2006 from the Ministry of Education. Sin Leng served 20 years in the Singapore Government Administrative Service holding senior positions including Deputy Secretary of the Ministry of Trade & Industry, Deputy Secretary of the Ministry of Finance and Director of the Ministry of Education before joining the private sector. First with Singapore Power Limited as Executive Vice President in 1995 and subsequently Sembcorp Industries Limited as Group Chief Operating Officer in 2000. Sin Leng was the Senior Executive Director of Sembcorp Industries Limited and concurrently the Executive Chairman of Sembcorp Development Limited which spearheads the Group’s integrated township and industrial park business in China, Vietnam and Indonesia. Under her leadership, she transformed the business model and built a series of sustainable integrated township projects in these countries. Of particular success was the expansion of VSIP (Vietnam - Singapore Industrial Park) from one Industrial Park to five integrated townships during her tenure. The footprint of Sembcorp’s integrated township projects had also been expanded from Wuxi/Suzhou into Nanjing and Chengdu in China; and from Riau Islands into Central Java of Indonesia. On 1 January 2013, she retired from Sembcorp Industries Ltd and assumed the new role of Senior Advisor. From 1 January 2013 to 31 December 2016, she was the Chairman, Sino-Singapore (Chengdu) Innovation Park Development Co., Ltd; steering the development of the joint venture project between Singapore consortium (Sembcorp and Ascendas-Singbridge) and Chengdu government under the wave of “Great Western China Development”. In 2021, Sin Leng was conferred the prestigious Public Service Medal (Pingat Bakti Masyarakat), in recognition of her outstanding contributions to education and the public service. p. 13 ANNUAL REPORT 2023/24
SUTD BOARD OF TRUSTEES PROFILES MR AMIT MIDHA Chief Executive Officer, Alat Amit Midha is Chief Executive Officer at Alat, responsible for the realisation of the Kingdom’s ambition to build a world-class manufacturing hub in Saudi Arabia that will strategically transform global industries through next generation technologies, innovation and sustainable practices. Amit is a global strategic business leader who has built and transformed businesses in various leadership roles across the globe including China, the US, India, and Singapore. His diverse experience and his focus on business transformation in the technology sector, makes Amit the ideal candidate to lead Alat. Amit was responsible for Dell’s growth in Asia Pacific and Japan, overseeing a multibillion-dollar business spanning more than 40 countries. Amit is passionate about using technology to transform businesses, embracing sustainability and reimagining conventional approaches to business, to deliver better outcomes and make a real difference to the world. In his last role at Dell, Amit served as President, Asia Pacific and Japan and the EVP, Global Digital Cities where he focused on digital city initiatives for public sector entities around the world. The success of Amit’s role was honoured with the prestigious Chinese Magnolia Gold Award in 2013 for contribution to the city of Shanghai. In 2010, he also received both the People’s Choice CEO of the Year award as part of CNBC’s China Business Leader Awards and CEO of the year in IT from Bloomberg. MR QUEK GIM PEW Senior R&D Consultant, Ministry of Defence Besides his role as the Senior R&D Consultant of the Singapore Ministry of Defence (MINDEF), Quek Gim Pew is also Deputy Chairman of the Office for Space Technology and Industry (OSTIn) and board member of the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), SMRT Trains Ltd, Technology Center for Offshore and Marine (TCOMS), Singapore, Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD), Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT) and NUS High School. He chairs the National Supercomputing Center Steering Committee and co-chairs the National Quantum Strategy Steering Committee. He also sits on the Scientific Advisory Board of the Campus for Research Excellence and Technological Enterprise (CREATE), and Management Boards of the Center for Remote Imaging, Sensing and Processing (CRISP) and Singapore Nuclear Research and Safety Initiative (SNRSI). He is a Fellow of the Academy of Engineering, Singapore, and an Adjunct Professor in the NUS Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering. In his career, he has held various appointments in the defence technology community including Director of R&D at the Ministry of Defence and the Deputy Chief Executive (Technology) of the Defence Science and Technology Agency Board. He was the Chief Executive Officer of DSO from 2004 to 2016 and the Chief Defence Scientist of MINDEF from 2016 to 2021. Gim Pew was awarded the President’s Science and Technology Medal in 2023, the NUS Outstanding Services Award in 2023, the Public Administration Medal (Gold) in 2007 and the Defence Technology Prize (Individual) in 1992. p. 14 SINGAPORE UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY AND DESIGN
MS CECILIA TAN Vice President, Global Government Relations and Public Policy, P&G Asia Pacific, Middle East & Africa Cecilia Tan has been with P&G for over 20 years, starting her career in 2004 as a leader in real estate acquisition and divestiture in Asia. Cecilia graduated from the National University of Singapore. Prior to joining P&G, she began her career in 1996 at JTC Corporation, a government agency responsible for Singapore’s industrial progress under the Ministry of Trade and Industry. In 2001, she was seconded to Ascendas Shanghai, a subsidiary of JTC Corporation, where she led the development of business space solutions for customers establishing operations in China. Since 2013, Cecilia has led the Government Relations and Public Policy advocacy work at P&G Asia Pacific, working with a team of professionals. Her responsibilities expanded in 2020 to include the Middle East and Africa region. In her current role, she is responsible for protecting and growing P&G’s business through strategic advocacy in the areas of legislation, regulation, and public policy. She collaborates with senior P&G executives to establish partnerships with government stakeholders, external thought leaders, and organisations. Cecilia is a strong advocate for talent development and is passionate about inspiring individuals to pursue possibilities and reinvention. She actively mentors in the Singapore Young Women’s Leadership Connection. She also serves on the Advisory Committee of the Singapore Eco Fund, Ministry of Environment and Sustainability, supporting projects that promote environmental sustainability and community involvement. MS TAN MIN LAN Group Managing Director, Head Chief Investment Office APAC, UBS Global Wealth Management Tan Min Lan is a Group Managing Director at UBS AG. Since July 2013, she is the Head of the APAC investment office at UBS Global Wealth Management. She serves on the Global Investment Committee, Emerging Market Investment Committee and Asia Investment Committee at UBS Global Wealth Management, which formulate the regional and global UBS House View. Prior to joining UBS Global Wealth Management, Min Lan spent 11 years with the UBS Investment Bank where she held a number of senior appointments. From 2002 to 2012, Min Lan was the Head of Research and Strategist at UBS Securities Singapore. Over this period, Min Lan was ranked a top analyst in Asia across major institutional investor surveys, including being named the Number 1 analyst in Singapore by Asiamoney for 10 straight years. From 2006, she was concurrently appointed the Head of Equities for Singapore, with oversight of research, sales, trading and execution, prime brokerage and exchange traded derivatives. In 2012, Min Lan was made the Global Head of FICC Macro Strategy Research, where she was in charge of teams covering global asset allocation, global emerging markets, fixed income, FX and credit research. Before joining UBS, Min Lan worked as a senior economist with the Econometric Modelling unit at the Monetary Authority of Singapore, as well as an economist and strategist at Merrill Lynch covering the Asian equities markets. Min Lan holds a Bachelor in Accountancy (Hons) from the National University of Singapore and is a CFA charterholder. p. 15 ANNUAL REPORT 2023/24
SUTD BOARD OF TRUSTEES PROFILES MR TAN PENG YAM Chief Defence Scientist, Ministry of Defence Tan Peng Yam is currently the Chief Defence Scientist of the Singapore Ministry of Defence having served as the Chief Executive of Defence Science and Technology Agency (DSTA) for more than 10 years. He was previously the Chief Executive of DSTA and before that had assumed various appointments in the Singapore Ministry of Defence and DSTA in the management of research and technology and large scale systems engineering projects. Peng Yam is a board member of DSTA, DSO National Laboratories, ST Engineering and Synapxe (national HealthTech agency). He is the chairman of Cap Vista Private Limited (start-up investment and engagement), the Temasek Defence Systems Institute Management Board and a member of the Board of Trustees of the Singapore University of Technology and Design. He also chairs the SMRT (a public transport service provider) Technical Advisory Panel. Peng Yam was awarded the Public Administration Medal Bronze, Silver and Gold (Singapore), Commander of Order of Merit of Italian Republic, Grand Cross of Naval Merit with White Mark (Spain), and the Royal Order of the Polar Star, Knight First Class (Sweden). He was also conferred the ASEAN Federation of Engineering Organisation Honorary Fellowship. p. 16 SINGAPORE UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY AND DESIGN
PROFESSOR CHONG TOW CHONG President Professor Chong Tow Chong is President of SUTD. Prior to that, he was SUTD’s founding Provost from 2010 to 2018, where he played a crucial role in steering the strategic development and operationalisation of the University. Before joining SUTD, Prof Chong was the Executive Director of Agency for Science, Technology and Research’s (A*STAR) Science and Engineering Research Council (SERC) and the Data Storage Institute for 15 years. He also had a distinguished 30-year academic career at National University of Singapore (NUS) as a Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering. Prof Chong has authored and co-authored over 400 publications in international refereed journals, presented more than 35 invited talks, and registered 25 patents. He is the recipient of numerous awards, including the President’s Science and Technology Medal, the Public Administration Medal (Gold and Silver), the IES/IEEE Joint Medal of Excellence Award, the ASME ISPS Division Leadership in Research and Development Award, and the Teaching Excellence Award from NUS. Prof Chong is also Fellow of the Academy of Engineering Singapore (SAEng), the Institution of Engineers Singapore and the ASEAN Academy of Engineering and Technology. He holds a Bachelor of Engineering (BEng) from Tokyo Institute of Technology, a Master of Engineering (MEng) from NUS, and a Doctor of Science (Sc.D) from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), all in Electrical Engineering. PROFESSOR PHOON KOK KWANG President-Designate and Provost Cheng Tsang Man Chair Professor Professor Phoon Kok Kwang is Provost of SUTD, as well as Cheng Tsang Man Chair Professor. He is a Fellow of the Academy of Engineering Singapore (SAEng), the Singapore National Academy of Science (SNAS), the Institution of Engineers Singapore and the American Society of Civil Engineers. In addition to being Treasurer of Academy of Engineering Singapore, he is also a member of the Committee of Government Scientific Advisors and the Singapore-Tianjin Economic and Trade Council. Prof Phoon also sits on the Board of the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore. He obtained his BEng and MEng from NUS and his PhD from Cornell University. Prior to joining SUTD, Prof Phoon was Senior Vice-Provost (Academic Affairs) at NUS. He has also served as the Deputy Chief Scientific Advisor (DCSA) to the National Research Foundation, Prime Minister’s Office, Singapore. Prof Phoon is a world leader in the development of statistical and machine learning methods for geotechnical engineering. He was bestowed the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) Norman Medal twice in 2005 and 2020, the Humboldt Research Award in 2017, the Harry Poulos Award in 2023, and the Alfredo Ang Award in 2024 among other accolades. Prof Phoon, who is the Founding Editor of Georisk and Editor-in-chief of Geodata and AI, is a Professional Engineer in Singapore and an ASEAN Chartered Professional Engineer. SUTD SENIOR MANAGEMENT PROFILES p. 17 ANNUAL REPORT 2023/24
SUTD SENIOR MANAGEMENT PROFILES MS GISELIA GIAM Vice President, Administration and Chief Financial Officer Giselia Giam is the Vice President, Administration and Chief Financial Officer at SUTD. In this role, she oversees the University’s financial and general administrative functions. Her responsibilities encompass finance, procurement, campus infrastructure and facilities, information technology, enterprise risk management, investment, legal affairs as well as business excellence. Giselia has over 30 years of experience in corporate finance and general management in both private and public sectors. She started her professional career at Ernst & Young. Early in her career, she was the Country General Manager of a single source office solution start-up and the Chief Operating Officer of a Singapore Exchange-listed private education provider before joining the education sector. She is an experienced university administrator who was instrumental in setting up the Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School as Vice Dean, Corporate Services prior to joining SUTD. She holds a Bachelor of Accountancy degree from NUS and Master in Business Administration from the Eastern Michigan University, USA. Giselia is a Fellow Chartered Accountant of Singapore with the Institute of Singapore Chartered Accountants and a certified Enterprise Risk Manager. She has obtained a Professional Certification in Sustainability from the Institute of Singapore Chartered Accountants. Senior Academic Leadership PROFESSOR RICKY ANG LAY KEE Associate Provost, International Relations Ng Teng Fong Chair Professor Professor Ricky Ang Lay Kee is the Associate Provost for International Relations, an Ng Teng Fong Chair Professor and the Programme Director of STEAMunity at SUTD. Prior to this, he has held several significant positions at SUTD, including Head of the Science, Mathematics, and Technology Cluster (2018-2023), Acting Head of Engineering Product Development (2017-2019), Director of Graduate Studies (2015-2017), and PhD Programme Director (2012-2014). His contributions to the University were recognised with the Singapore Public Administration Medal (Bronze) in 2017. Prof Ang is a fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), a fellow of the UK Institute of Physics (IOP), a fellow of the International Artificial Intelligence Industry Alliance (AIIA) and an IEEE Distinguished Lecturer. He is also on various advisory boards of journals including the Physics of Plasmas and Nano Express. He is a leading expert in electron emission theory, interface carrier transport, computational nanoelectronics and fractional modelling, with research funded by various agencies in Singapore and the USA. He earned his Bachelor of Science (BSc) from the National Tsinghua University (Hsinchu) and his Master of Science (MSc) and PhD from the Nuclear Engineering and Radiological Sciences programme at the University of Michigan. He was also the Los Alamos National Laboratory Director Postdoctoral Fellow in the Applied Physics Division before joining Nanyang Technological University (NTU) School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering. He has also been ranked Top 2% Scientists (Applied Physics) by Stanford University since 2021, and has been a member of the jury panel (Physical Science) of the Falling Walls Science Breakthrough since 2022. p. 18 SINGAPORE UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY AND DESIGN
PROFESSOR CHUA CHEE KAI Associate Provost, Research Cheng Tsang Man Chair Professor Professor Chua Chee Kai is the Associate Provost for Research at SUTD and was the Head of the Engineering Product Development pillar from 2019 to 2022. Before joining SUTD, he spent more than three decades at NTU, serving as Head of Division (19992008) and Chair (2011-2014) at the School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, and as Executive Director of the Singapore Centre for 3D Printing (2014-2019). In recognition of his service, he was awarded the Public Administration Medal (Silver) by the President of Singapore in 2014. Prof Chua, who is also the Chair Professor for the Cheng Tsang Man Professorship at SUTD, aims to advance education and research in Additive Manufacturing (AM). As a Fellow of the Academy of Engineering, Singapore, he has been a significant contributor to the AM field for over 34 years. His innovative work in AM processes, including tissue engineering scaffolds, is highly regarded. He has received the International Freeform and Additive Manufacturing Excellence (FAME) Award (2018) and has been a Highly Cited Researcher™ in 2022 and 2023 (Clarivate). As of 2024, he has authored over 500 publications and 10 books, generating more than 27,000 citations. Additionally, he serves as the chief editor of “Virtual and Physical Prototyping” and the “International Journal of Bioprinting”. PROFESSOR ASHRAF A. KASSIM Associate Provost, Education Professor Ashraf A. Kassim is the Associate Provost for the Office of Education and a Professor in the Information Systems Technology and Design (ISTD) pillar at SUTD. Before joining SUTD, he was a Professor of Electrical & Computer Engineering (ECE) at NUS after completing his PhD at Carnegie Mellon University. At NUS, he held senior administrative roles, including Vice-Provost and Director of Research Governance, and served as Vice-Dean at the Engineering school, Deputy-Head of the ECE Department, and Assistant Director at the Ministry of Education. Prior to NUS, Prof Kassim worked at Texas Instruments on machine vision algorithms for use in fully automated semiconductor-device production equipment. Prof Kassim has received numerous awards, including the Mendaki Foundation’s Anugerah Cemerlang (Academic Excellence) Award, the Institution of Engineers Singapore Award (2011), the Public Administration Medal (Bronze) (2012), and the National Day Long Service Award (2018). He has served on various boards and committees, including the Singapore Science Centre and the Centre for Maritime Studies. His research interests include computer vision, medical image analysis, image processing, and machine/deep learning, with over 170 technical publications, several book chapters, and a book to his name. He has also contributed to numerous international conferences and editorial boards. p. 19 ANNUAL REPORT 2023/24
SUTD SENIOR MANAGEMENT PROFILES PROFESSOR CHEONG KOON HEAN Chairman, Lee Kuan Yew Centre for Innovative Cities Professor Cheong Koon Hean is the Chairman of the Lee Kuan Yew Centre for Innovative Cities (LKYCIC) at SUTD. She has played a key role in Singapore’s urban transformation. During her tenure as CEO of the Housing and Development Board (HDB) from 2010 to 2020, she oversaw the development and management of over 1 million public housing flats and introduced a new generation of sustainable, biophilic and smart HDB towns, while advancing policies for affordable housing and supporting vulnerable groups. Prior to HDB, Prof Cheong was the CEO of the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) from 2004 to 2010, where she uplifted planning and design standards and contributed significantly to the development of major growth areas such as Marina Bay and Jurong East. On 1 January 2021, Prof Cheong was appointed Chairman of the Centre for Liveable Cities under the Ministry of National Development, Singapore. She currently chairs the Lee Kuan Yew World City Prize Nominating Committee and serves on several boards, including the NUS and Capitaland Group. An active participant in international affairs, she has held various senior roles and advised on governance, planning, and sustainability. Prof Cheong is also currently Singapore’s Non-Resident Ambassador to Finland. A Colombo Plan scholar with multiple awards, Prof Cheong holds a First Class Honours degree and University Gold Medal in Architecture, a Doctor of Architecture honoris causa, a Master’s degree in Urban Development Planning, and has completed the Advanced Management Programme at Harvard Business School. She has been recognised with numerous awards, including the Meritorious Service Medal, the International Women Forum’s ‘Woman Who Makes a Difference’ Award, the Urban Land Institute Prize for visionaries in urban development and the CTBUH Lynn S. Beedle Lifetime Achievement Award. PROFESSOR LIM SEH CHUN Acting Provost-Designate and Advisor, Special Projects Professor Lim Seh Chun is the Acting Provost-Designate and Advisor, Special Projects in the Office of Provost, SUTD. Prior to that, he was the Associate Provost for Student Affairs. Having joined SUTD since 2014, Prof Lim has been a strong advocate in enhancing students’ learning and living experiences, pushing for greater student-centric activities, and improving students’ welfare. Before SUTD, Prof Lim spent more than 30 years with NUS during which he held several management appointments including Head of Mechanical Engineering, Deputy Dean of Engineering, Chief of Staff (President’s Office) and Associate President. He was appointed the first Chairman of the NUS University Promotion & Tenure Committee, and served as Chairman of two NUS business entities: Singapore University Press and WizLearn Pte Ltd. Prof Lim has served as a member of the review panel for the A*STAR Joint Council Office (JCO) project grants and was a member of the A*STAR SERC Audit Committee. He is presently Chairman, Singapore School of Science and Technology Board of Directors. p. 20 SINGAPORE UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY AND DESIGN
PROFESSOR TAI LEE SIANG Deputy President-Designate and Head of Pillar, Architecture and Sustainable Design, Director, DesignZ, Programme Director, Design and Artificial Intelligence, and Cheng Tsang Man Chair Professor Professor Tai Lee Siang is the Head of the Architecture and Sustainable Design (ASD) Pillar – a role he has held since 2021. He also oversees the Design and Artificial Intelligence (DAI) degree programme that is now seeing a profound impact in the fields of design. In 2022, he was appointed as Centre Director of DesignZ – the next generation design centre of SUTD. Prof Tai graduated with a Bachelor of Architecture (Honours) from NUS in 1987 and has been practising as an architect and urban designer since 1990. As a partner at DP Architects Pte Ltd, his projects won local and international awards, and he was featured in URA’s ‘20 under 45’ young architects’ exhibition in 2004. He served as President of the Singapore Institute of Architects from 2007 to 2009 and became the first Chairman of the Design Alliance of Singapore in 2009. In 2013, he was elected President of the Design Business Chamber Singapore and launched the Singapore Good Design Mark in 2014. From 2010 to 2016, he was Group Managing Director of Ong&Ong Group, a multidisciplinary design firm. In 2011, Prof Tai was elected President of the Singapore Green Building Council and established Singapore’s first green building product certification scheme. He joined the World Green Building Council as a Board Director in 2013 and was elected Chairman in 2016, initiating the global “Advancing Net Zero” campaign. After his tenure at the World Green Building Council, he joined the Building and Construction Authority (BCA) as Executive Director of BuildSG, leading a nearly 100-strong team and spearheading industry transformation. PROFESSOR LOW HONG YEE Head of Pillar, Engineering Product Development Kwan Im Thong Hood Cho Temple Chair Professor in Healthcare Engineering Professor Low Hong Yee is Head of Pillar for Engineering Product Development at SUTD. Prior to this, she served as Associate Head of Pillar and also held the role of Director for the Digital Manufacturing and Design (DManD) Centre. Prior to joining SUTD in 2013, Prof Low spent about 13 years at the Institute of Materials Research and Engineering (IMRE) under A*STAR. She served as a founding group head for the Patterning and Fabrication Capability Group between 2007 and 2010 and the Director for Research and Innovation between 2010 and 2012 at IMRE. Her research interest is primarily in polymer science and engineering, with a focus on nanoscale engineering. Prof Low has co-authored more than 120 peer reviewed publications and is a co-inventor for 25 granted patents in the topic of biomimetic nanoimprinting. For her work in biomimetic nanoimprinting, she received the 2010 L’Oreal for Women in Science National Fellowship. Two of her patents had been licensed to Nanovue Pte. Ltd, a Singapore start-up which had entered IPO in Australia in 2018. In her professional activities, Prof Low has served as a member of the scientific advisory panel for SABIC Innovative Plastics, The Netherlands (2013-2017), founding advisory member for Materials Horizon (Royal Society of Chemistry, London), jury member in L’Oreal for Women in Science National Fellowship (2015 to current), and panel member for A*STAR Industrial Alignment Fund-Pre-positioning programme (2023-current). Since joining SUTD, her research activities have expanded to include high resolution 3D fabrication, responsive micro, nano-surfaces, multi-materials and multi-scale digital manufacturing in applications ranging from passive carbon capture to healthcare wearables. p. 21 ANNUAL REPORT 2023/24
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