The University has partnered the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) in Switzerland to set up the seventh NUS Overseas College (NOC), after Beijing, New York, Shanghai, Silicon Valley, Stockholm and Tel Aviv.

The first batch of NUS Engineering graduates will begin the programme in July 2016 to pursue a postgraduate degree, and learn about entrepreneurship first-hand. They will spend six months interning at design-centric and engineering firms in Switzerland, while taking entrepreneurship-related courses at the EPFL.

The collaboration with NUS represents the Swiss institute’s first such venture with an overseas university. EPFL will send its students on an exchange programme to NUS, a feature unique of the NOC in Lausanne.

Dr Lily Chan, CEO of NUS Enterprise, noted that Singapore needs people who understand technology and the know-how to translate it. The new NOC at EPFL, chosen for its strengths in

research, design thinking and engineering, will equip students to meet the anticipated needs of Singapore in innovation and enterprise. The Swiss university is consistently ranked among the top research and engineering institutes in continental Europe.

Dr Chan believes that “when our students go to a place like Lausanne in Switzerland, they have the push to think, even more creatively, how they are going to get their

product outside and beyond that community they live in”.

Overseeing the NOC in Lausanne is Professor Christopher Tucci, EPFL’s Chair in Corporate Strategy and Innovation. Prof Tucci, also head of the Program of Management of Technology and Entrepreneurship, elaborated that the Master‘s programme features coursework as well as attachment to a start-up in Lausanne to work on an actual project.

NUS Engineering Dean Professor Chua Kee Chaing highlighted that the tie-up with EPFL provides another avenue for the students under the Global Engineering Programme to “immerse in an entrepreneurial environment”, while deepening their technology knowledge.

The University is also exploring further partnerships with other institutions in Europe for similar programmes.

Whale exhibit opens to public

The Jubilee Whale, recovered off the coast of Singapore last July by the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum (LKCNHM) at NUS, is now proudly displayed in the mammal section at the Museum’s gallery.

Staff nicknamed the whale “Jubi Lee” as it was found during Singapore’s Golden Jubilee year.

Ms Ho Ching, CEO of Temasek Holdings, unveiled the 10.6-metre sperm whale‘s mounted skeleton on 14 March.

Guests witnessing the memorable occasion included Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, Singapore‘s Minister for Foreign Affairs; Mr S Dhanabalan, Chairman of Temasek Trust and Mandai Safari Park Holdings; Professor Tommy Koh, Singapore‘s Ambassador-at-Large and Chairman of the Museum’s Advisory Board;

Madam Kay Kuok and Mr Ng Wai King, NUS Trustees; Professor Tan Chorh Chuan, NUS President; Professor Shen Zouwei, NUS Science Dean; and Professor Leo Tan, Director, (Special Projects), NUS Science.

More than 250 donors and supporters of the whale also attended the event. The Museum’s many individual and corporate supporters, such as Temasek Holdings, Wildlife Reserves Singapore and Mandai Safari Park Holdings, helped

raise over $1.3 million for the Jubilee Whale Fund. This goes towards the restoration

and maintenance of the whale, as well as marine biodiversity education, research and conservation.

The island's first complete whale skeleton was collected in 1892 from Malacca and had long been the centrepiece at the old Raffles Museum. However, it was gifted to Malaysia in 1974.

Professor Peter Ng, Head of

LKCNHM noted, “As fate

would have it, last year after we

opened the Museum, right in the middle of our

Jubilee Year celebrations, a large whale washed up off Jurong. Over the period of eight-plus months, we’ve taken the carcass of the floating

sperm whale, processed it, cleaned it, enough for a wonderful exhibit, and still make the Jubilee Year.”

He added, “Some nine months to deliver a whale from a carcass to an exhibit is a record time.”

Prof Ng praised the tireless efforts of staff,

volunteers and various government agencies in helping the Museum secure the whale and make the impressive exhibit possible.

Members of the public who wish to contribute to the Jubilee Whale Fund can do so at http://lkcnhm.nus.edu.sg/nus/index.php/donate2.

Swiss route for enterprising engineering students

Admiring the Jubilee Whale exhibit at the launch were (from far right) Mr Dhanabalan (partially hidden), Ms Ho, Dr Balakrishnan and Prof Tan

The EPFL campus in Lausanne sits by the shores of Lake Geneva

Photo: Alain Herzog, EPFL

Minister Heng lauds NUS entrepreneurshipNUS Enterprise’s start-up space The Hangar was abuzz with activity on 1 April, when Singapore Minister for Finance Heng Swee Keat dropped by for a visit.

Located within I3 Building, the

Hangar houses start-ups and entrepreneurs as they nurture their business ideas with NUS technologies, support services and expertise. The facility is an extension of the NUS Start-Up Runway that furnishes a suite of incubator and accelerator programmes to give entrepreneurs a leg up on their ventures.

Mr Heng interacted with founders of several innovative young firms including WateROAM, Subnero and Bronxculture.

Students of the NUS Overseas Colleges (NOC) programme also shared their experiences abroad in entrepreneurial hubs. NOC has placed more than 2,000 students in such hubs across the world.

Mr Heng was very impressed by The Hangar’s energy. “You see the students coming together to try out new ideas, brainstorming with one another, looking at critical problems in Singapore and in the world that are worth solving,” he said.

The Minister also visited Plug-In@Blk71, another start-up space managed by NUS Enterprise, in partnership with Singtel Innov8 and Media Development Authority.

NUS Enterprise CEO Dr Lily Chan (centre) describing The Hangar’s concept to Mr Heng (3rd from left)

32

NUS NEWS

Double degree from NUS, Sciences PoNUS and Sciences Po, France’s leading social sciences university, have introduced a Double Degree Programme (DDP) for undergraduates from August 2016. This represents the University’s first tie-up with Sciences Po and the French institute’s first joint undergraduate degree programme with a Singapore university.

NUS President Professor Tan Chorh Chuan and Sciences Po President Mr Frédéric Mion signed an agreement on 24 February at NUS to formally launch the programme.

The new four-year DDP, co-hosted by the NUS University Scholars Programme (USP) and Sciences Po, will draw on the complementary strengths of both universities.

Students will spend their first two years at one of three Sciences Po campuses to study

its renowned liberal arts curriculum in the social sciences. This is followed by two years at NUS where they can specialise in either Economics, History, Political Science or Sociology which is offered by NUS Arts and Social Sciences.

The undergraduates will also expand their multidisciplinary studies by taking modules such as writing and critical thinking extended by USP.

The DDP will welcome an inaugural intake of up to 10 students.

Upon successfully completing the programme, students will earn two degrees — a Bachelor of Arts degree conferred by Sciences Po, and a Bachelor of Arts or Social Sciences (Honours) awarded by NUS. They are also expected to have gained proficiency in both English and French.

Prof Tan highlighted that the international exposure at Sciences Po and multidisciplinary education at NUS will nurture students to become global citizens effective in various cultural settings, and prepare them for diverse careers in a rapidly changing global environment.

“This DDP between Sciences Po and NUS combines today the best ingredients that are necessary to succeed in tomorrow’s world,” concurred Mr Mion.

Sciences Po’s Menton campus

When the academic year begins this August, undergraduates can opt for a new degree programme in Data Science and Analytics.

The four-year direct Honours programme, offered by the Departments of Mathematics,

and Statistics & Applied Probability in NUS Science, in collaboration with NUS Computing, will have an initial intake of about 60 students.

The first such programme by a university in Singapore will address the shortage of data

science experts needed to contribute to the country's Smart Nation initiative.

“You name any business sector, the role of data science is there,” said Professor Tan Eng Chye, NUS Deputy President (Academic Affairs) and Provost, adding that it is an emerging area that has changed the way business is conducted.

The technology-focused course is tailored to enable graduates to acquire, manage and explore data to meet the requirements of data collection, processing and analyses across various sectors. Students will learn skills — for instance, extracting important information from medical images, revealing hidden market indicators and predicting consumer behavior — to equip them for careers in broad-ranging industries.

Students will study modules in Mathematics, Statistics and Computer Science, and get practical exposure to the interplay between these three key areas. In their third and fourth years, they will delve into subjects such as computation and optimisation; computer algorithms; database and data processing; data mining; and machine learning.

A capstone module will enable the participants to work with real-life data and tackle actual issues facing the industry.

The programme, which will also be open to students across faculties as a minor or second major, complements the current Bachelor of Science in Business Analytics and Bachelor of Computing in Information Security offered by NUS Computing.

Grooming data science, analytics experts

Students in a computing class

This year’s NUS Law graduating cohort might have twice the number of First Class Honours recipients than previous years.

The School has revised its Class of Honours policy to bring its Honours awards closer to comparable universities in the UK and Australia. The top 10 per cent of each graduating class will now be eligible for the First Class Honours degree, up from the current 5 per cent. More students will also receive the Second Class (Upper Division) Honours degree, which will now come from the top 65 per cent to 68 per cent of each cohort, up from 50 per cent.

NUS Law Dean Professor Simon Chesterman made this announcement on 7 March, saying, “Other top law schools with a comparable cohort size, such as Oxford, London School of Economics and University College London, are awarding First Class Honours degrees in the range of 12 to 24 percent, and Second Class (Upper Division) Honours degrees in the range of 67 to 82 per cent. In view of the high quality of our students, NUS finds it timely to bring its honours awards closer to its peers.”

Law School reviews honours degrees

Open Day engages enthusiastic visitorsOn 12 March, more than 21,500 visitors turned up at NUS to check out the University’s Open Day 2016.

This year’s event saw some 110 speakers, 94 talks, 20 programme booths and 23 student activities. The programmes were well spread-out compared to previous years, utilising more venues at University Town.

Shuttle buses ferried visitors to residential colleges and selected venues at Kent Ridge Campus for tours. The new Yale-NUS College campus, inaugurated last October, hosted informative discussions on the value of a liberal arts education and tips on application procedures.

Queues snaked outside auditoriums and seminar rooms as students and parents lined up for talks conducted throughout the day. More sessions were added this year in anticipation of the overwhelming response.

Over at Bukit Timah Campus, visitors to Law Open Day witnessed first-hand the inner workings of a courtroom as they sat in on a moot, or mock trial.

Kelvin Singh, a Year 2 student from Raffles Junior College exploring a career in Medicine or Dentistry, had a fruitful and enjoyable experience. “I liked the fact that we could learn more by talking to faculty and current students at the programme booths. I think the student life and nice campus make NUS a conducive place to study,” he said.

The booths drew crowds keen to learn more about the University’s courses and programmes

NUS has been ranked among the 10 best universities globally for 13 subjects, up from 11 subjects last year. It is also Asia’s best across 25 subjects, four more than in 2015.

Published in the latest QS World University Rankings by Subject 2016, the subject areas range from engineering and technology, natural sciences, arts and humanities, to social sciences and management.

The University is among the world’s top five universities in two subjects — Civil and Structural Engineering (3rd) and Chemical Engineering (5th). It is also ranked among the world’s top 10 for Social Policy and Administration, one of the six new disciplines QS introduced to the rankings this year.

NUS Deputy President (Academic Affairs) and Provost Professor Tan Eng Chye noted that NUS’ progress in the latest rankings reflects its strengths and expertise as a comprehensive university.

“As Singapore builds up world-class research capabilities in areas that are critical to the nation and the economy, NUS is well-poised to contribute its leading expertise to address national challenges and improve lives of Singaporeans,” he added.

NUS was ranked in 34 of the 42 subjects relevant to the university, making the top 30 worldwide for a total of 33 subjects.

The University also took the top or second spot, among Asian universities in 29 subjects, including Nursing, and Social Policy and Administration, both new subjects being ranked.

The yearly rankings are based on surveys of 76,798 academics and 44,426 employers, as well as the analysis of 28.5 million research papers and more than 113 million citation attributions.

Top 10 in the world for 13 subjects

Subject World Ranking 2016

Architecture / Built Environment 9

Chemistry 7

Computer Science & Info Systems 9

Engineering – Chemical 5

Engineering – Civil & Structural 3

Engineering – Electrical & Electronic 6

Engineering – Mechanical, Aeronautical & Manufacturing

8

Environmental Sciences 10

Geography 9

Materials Science 8

Pharmacy & Pharmacology 9

54

NUS NEWS

Anatomy facility gets major makeover

The study of the human anatomy can now be conducted more efficiently and in better comfort at the NUS Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine (NUS Medicine), now that the 30-year-old learning and teaching facility has received an extensive facelift.

The space is now 16 per cent bigger than the original 1,050 square metres, with the capacity to accommodate 800 students from Medicine, Dentistry, Nursing, Pharmacy and Life Sciences who attend Human Anatomy practicals.

The refurbishment includes:

• An enlarged, well-ventilated hall for anatomy prosection classes, during which visuals of dissected specimens can be projected on large television screens, with commentary delivered via an enhanced audiovisual system

• Anti-slip flooring and improved lighting in areas

such as the new dissection and embalming rooms

• New-generation trolleys equipped with downdraft suction systems to minimise formalin exposure

• Refurbished mortuary to accommodate more cadavers

A new reception area for visitors and families of deceased body donors has also been set up in the Anatomy building.

The dissection and embalming areas have now been separated from the general teaching section so that prosectors can better carry out specimen preparation. NUS Anatomy will reintroduce the dissection elective posting for Year 4 NUS Medicine students, and begin offering new workshops for residents and specialists.

“The works are timely, because our student numbers have gone up over the years and we want to provide them and our staff

with a more conducive learning and teaching environment,” explained former NUS Anatomy Head Professor Bay Boon Huat.

The upgraded facility was officially opened on 17 March by Guest-of-Honour Singapore Minister for Health Gan Kim Yong.

Mr Gan pointed out that the refurbishment will benefit both undergraduate students and practising healthcare professionals. “All of them now have the opportunity to revise and reinforce their knowledge of anatomy in their respective areas of specialisation,” he said.

The human anatomy teaching facility has been refurbished and expanded

Touring the upgraded facility were (from left) Assoc Prof Shaikali Thameem Dheen, NUS Anatomy Head; Prof Bay; Mr Gan; Prof Rajendran Kanagasuntheram, NUS Anatomy; Assoc Prof Samuel Tay, NUS Anatomy Deputy Head; and Prof Tan Eng Chye, NUS Deputy President (Academic Affairs) and Provost

When night fell, the Marina Bay area in Singapore was transformed into a magical place by imaginative installations at the i Light Marina Bay art festival in March. Five distinct lanterns with geometric shadows — unique 3D-printed creations by NUS students — especially stood out.

Groove Light, a project by a team of 11 Year 4 NUS Architecture students, showcased intriguing pieces dubbed Submarine, Cliff, Seashell, Lighthouse and Coral. When light is shone through them, the relationship between the light source and the shadows formed conjured up an optical illusion of five lanterns floating above a continuous geometric shadow carpet.

Visitors can interact with the exhibit by pulling, swinging or rotating particular lanterns in different ways to distort the shadows and modify the lightscape created.

“We looked at how computational technologies in the 21st century could enhance future lighting in the public domain,” said Assistant Professor Shinya Okuda from NUS Architecture, who supervised the project with Associate Professors Joseph Lim and Cheah Kok Ming.

The lanterns, which embraced the sustainability message, were fabricated from biodegradable material that can be reused for 3D printing.

Organised by the Urban Redevelopment Authority of Singapore, the light festival aims to promote the use of public spaces

in the area, as well as present regional and international talent in lighting. Themed “In Praise of Shadows”, this year’s event boasted the most number of art interpretations displayed by local educational institutions, alongside world-class artists from Germany, Israel, Japan, New Zealand, Norway and the US.

Groovy lanterns light up Marina Bay

Groove Light installation at the i Light Marina Bay festival

Studies have shown that music can affect a person’s emotional and physical state. It can also be a channel to connect people, which was what NUS Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music (YSTCM) set out to achieve by teaming up with Sengkang Health in Singapore to promote patient and staff wellbeing through original musical compositions.

Year 4 YSTCM student Bethany May Nette, project founder and lead facilitator, started Healing Music as a community initiative. She said, “Getting together a dedicated team of YSTCM students for this project was effortless, as we were so eager to take on this wonderful opportunity which allowed us to share our talents and make special connections with people through music.”

Associate Professor Shane Taylor Constante from YSTCM Ensembles and Professional Development mentored the students on the project.

The seven undergraduates and 15 staff from Sengkang Health participated in a Creative Music Workshop in February at Alexandra Hospital. They created five original compositions over four days —

Meditation, Air, Rainforest, Nocturne and Minimalism. YSTCM alumnus Mr Neil Chan managed the recording of the music, which was carried out later at the Conservatory’s Concert Hall.

On 3 March, some 50 patients and staff at Alexandra Hospital attended the group’s first lunchtime concert. The concert was very well received, said Bethany.

“What was an absolute joy to witness was when we were playing our compositions, especially the upbeat numbers, we had wheelchair-bound patients clapping along, even singing...And that’s what this project is all about, really, connecting people through music,” she stressed.

Drawing from this successful experience, the group plans to release a new album with a different theme each year.

Healing music connects people

YSTCM and Sengkang Health performed for patients and hospital employees at Alexandra Hospital

76

NUS NEWS

Rising stars shine on Forbes under 30 listResearch Fellows Dr Neo Mei Lin from the Tropical Marine Science Institute at NUS and Dr Zuo Jian from NUS Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering are among the names on Forbes’ inaugural 30 Under 30 Asia list, under the Healthcare & Science category. The young entrepreneurs, scientists and healthcare innovators in this category are prominent in advancing the health and well-being of people worldwide.

Since young, Dr Neo has been fascinated with the marine environment and she wanted particularly to protect the giant clams. In 2011, she helmed Singapore’s giant clam restocking and conservation programme.

Dr Zuo’s interest in membrane science and technology drove him to develop a thin-film composite membrane. The patent-pending innovation has been applied in the production of bioalcohol, an environmentally friendly biofuel.

Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia showcases 300 upcoming risk-taking entrepreneurs and young trailblazers in 10 different categories — Consumer Technology; Enterprise Technology; Entertainment & Sports;

Finance & Venture Capital; Healthcare & Science; Manufacturing & Energy; Media, Marketing & Advertising; Retail & Commerce; Social Entrepreneurs; and The Arts.

Other NUS alumni also on the Forbes list are:

• NUS Business Ms Chan Yi Wen, Co-Founder, Bolt Media in Media, Marketing & Advertising

• NUS Science Ms Guan Dian, Co-Founder and Vice-President, PatSnap, in Enterprise Technology

• NUS Engineering Mr Lucas Ngoo and NUS Business Mr Quek Siu Rui, Co-Founders, Carousell, in Consumer Technology

• NUS Engineering Mr Shu Su, Founder and CEO, Mingyizhudao, in Healthcare & Science

Mr Royston Tay, Co-Founder and CEO of Zopim, and Dr Wong Tien Hua, President of Singapore Medical Association, who is also Adjunct Assistant Professor at Duke-NUS Medical School, are NUS alumni who served as judges for the Enterprise Technology and Healthcare & Science categories respectively.

ACCOLADES

Dr Neo (left) and Dr Zuo are among the young trailblazers in Forbes’ inaugural 30 Under 30 Asia list, under the Healthcare & Science category

The Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) has conferred the 2015 Asia-Pacific Leadership Award on NUS President Professor Tan Chorh Chuan.

The Award recognises the heads of CASE member institutions who actively support advancement, create a vision and inspire others, establish a positive image for their institution while leading it to higher levels of success, increase their institution’s stature in the community and encourage innovation and risk-taking among employees.

CASE is an international association of educational institutions that supports more than 3,700 schools, colleges and universities worldwide in developing their alumni relations and fundraising.

CASE President Ms Sue Cunnningham said, “As President of NUS and through his impressive

international work in academe and medicine, Prof Tan has had a profound impact upon education, health and society. He has also been an impressive champion for institutional advancement. He is a creative, visionary leader and true champion of the power of education and the work that professionals do on behalf of their institutions in advancing education.”

Under Prof Tan’s stewardship, NUS has risen to become one of the world’s top universities. He advocates the University’s global outlook and Asian orientation, championing the advancement of education through his global leadership roles such as Chairperson of the International Alliance of Research Universities, Chair of the World Economic

Forum’s Global Leaders Forum, and a member of the World Economic Forum’s Science Advisory Committee.

On the Singapore front, Prof Tan’s key roles include Chairman of the National University Health System; Deputy Chairman of the Agency for Science, Technology and Research and Chairman of the Central Provident Fund Advisory Panel.

In a video screened at the award ceremony, Prof Tan was lauded for his achievements by various eminent figures and institutions, including Dr Noeleen Heyzer, NUS Board Member and Former United Nations Under-Secretary-General; Mr S R Nathan, Singapore’s 6th President and former NUS Chancellor; Professor Peter Salovey, President, Yale University; Professor Atsushi Seike, President, Keio University; and Mr David Ho, President of NUS Society.

NUS President honoured for education leadership

NUS Professors Lim Chwee Teck and James Goh have been elected to the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering (AIMBE) College of Fellows.

AIMBE Fellows represent the top 2 per cent in the fields of medical and biological engineering. Only two other people from Singapore have been awarded the Fellowship since AIMBE’s inception in 1991.

Prof Lim is a Provost’s Chair Professor at NUS Biomedical Engineering and a Principal Investigator at the NUS Mechanobiology Institute. He was elected to the Fellowship in recognition of his exceptional research efforts leading to the development of biomedical technologies that can directly benefit patient communities.

Prof Lim and his interdisciplinary team apply mechanobiological principles to study human diseases such as cancer, malaria and ageing. Besides learning about disease pathophysiology, they use state-of-the-art micro and nanotechnology to develop

miniaturised devices — which include microfluidic chips, tunable nanomaterials and wearable biosensors — for the diagnosis, management and treatment of these diseases. Prof Lim’s innovations have led to several successful start-up companies.

Prof Goh, who heads NUS Biomedical Engineering, is also a Research Professor at

NUS Orthopaedic Surgery. He is currently the President of the International Federation of Medical and Biological Engineering with 59 national member societies and six transnational member societies worldwide.

Prof Goh was elected an AIMBE Fellow for his exceptional contributions to musculoskeletal bioengineering and active promotion of the biomedical engineering field.

He has successfully developed fabrication approaches mimicking natural intervertebral discs and bioreactors capable of emulating the complex physiological mechanical conditions of load-bearing tissues. His patented silk sleeve technology used in tissue interface augmentation device for anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction is undergoing preclinical study.

Both professors were formally inducted at AIMBE’s 25th Annual Event held in early April at the National Academy of Sciences in Washington, DC.

Fellows on prestigious biomedical engineering body

Prof Lim (left) and Prof Goh at the AIMBE’s 25th Annual Event

First in worldwide construction researchNUS has been placed first globally for international construction research by the Canadian Journal of Civil Engineering, outperforming 72 other institutions.

The research focuses on four core themes — risk management, performance measurement, general strategy and competitiveness, as well as foreign market entry decisions. It was based on a bibliometric analysis over a 10-year period from 2003 to 2013.

The University topped the list in the total number of publications; number of articles produced by a single institution; and number of first author articles produced. It also came in second for the number of collaborative inter-institutional articles produced.

Of the 16 papers worldwide cited at least 25 times, the University contributed to the largest number. These most cited articles were authored or co-authored by NUS’ School of Design and Environment Professors Low Sui Pheng, George Ofori and Florence Ling.

Pro bono awards recognise legal contribution

NUS Law has lauded seven students and alumni for their pro bono work at the inaugural NUS Law Pro Bono Awards Ceremony in March. Two new grants that finance laudable pro bono projects by students were also presented.

The Pro Bono Leadership Awards recognised six students and alumni who had demonstrated exceptional leadership and commitment to pro bono: Year 3 Law students Joshua Matthew Goh and Lim Wei Zhen; Year 4 Law students Lennart Ng and Kenneth Wang Ye; Alumni Mr Mitchell Yeo and Ms Lye Yuan Jun.

The NUS Law Class of 1992 Pro Bono Award, established by the NUS Law Class of 1992 with a $20,000 donation, supports up to three sustainable pro bono projects annually, at a maximum of $2,500 each. The 2016 recipients of this award are Innocence Project (Singapore), Military Justice Project and NUS Adult Protection Research Team.

The RHTLaw Taylor Wessing Subhas Anandan Pro Bono Award, named after RHTLaw Taylor Wessing’s late Senior Partner Mr Subhas Anandan, a strong advocate of pro bono work, was presented to the Criminal Justice Club. The Award offers a cash prize of $25,000 for five years to student-initiated programmes.

During the event, Ms Indranee Rajah, Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Law and Ministry of Finance, paid tribute to the winners, particularly alumnus Mr Ng Bin Hong (Class of 2014), who received the Pro Bono Champion Award for his dedication to vulnerable adults. Some of Mr Ng’s recommendations on the Mental Capacity Act are currently being reviewed by the Government.

Ms Indranee (right) speaking with winners of the inaugural Pro Bono Awards

Ms Tricia King (left), Vice President of International Operations at CASE, presenting the award to Prof Tan

98

NUS NEWS

It has been a year since Singapore’s Founding Prime Minister, the late Mr Lee Kuan Yew, passed away, but his memories and legacy stay strong.

At the first anniversary of Mr Lee’s passing on 23 March, the NUS Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy (LKY School) organised a special forum titled “The Enduring Ideas of Lee Kuan Yew” to commemorate the profound insights of the great statesman. Some 600 participants attended the event.

In his opening remarks, NUS Deputy President (Academic Affairs) and Provost Professor Tan Eng Chye paid tribute to Mr Lee, calling him “a leader like no other”.

Prof Tan noted, “Grateful Singaporeans grieved the passing of an incorruptible

leader whose passion, vision and tireless efforts have found and created a thriving and successful Singapore of today. One year on, Mr Lee Kuan Yew’s life and work continues to shape Singapore.”

The panel discussion, chaired by LKY School Vice Dean (Academic Affairs) Associate Professor Kenneth Paul Tan, focused on four aspects of Mr Lee’s legacy: multiracialism; renewal of leadership and internal reform within the People’s Action Party; a clean and green Singapore; and Mr Lee’s influence on the world.

Mr Lee’s ideas of creating an inclusive, multiracial society as well as a clean, green physical space was built upon his vision of a stable and peaceful nation

with first-world standards of clean and green public spaces. He believed the strategy would encourage companies to base themselves in Singapore and attract tourists to its shores.

Dr Zainul Abidin, Singapore Ambassador to the State of Kuwait and the Special Envoy of the Minister for Foreign Affairs to the Middle East, began the discussion on Mr Lee’s aspiration of Singapore as a multiracial society,

expressing hope that his ideals will last for the good of the country.

Although Singapore has achieved peace between the different races, there is still some urgency in addressing multiracial issues, not only among the country’s minorities but also in response to its changing population profile due to immigration, he admitted.

Professor Chan Heng Chee, Chairman of the Singapore University of Technology and Design’s Lee Kuan Yew Centre for Innovative Cities, elaborated on Mr Lee’s goal to make Singapore an “oasis in Southeast Asia”.

Prof Chan, an NUS Trustee, pointed out that Mr Lee kick-started the national tree planting effort in 1963. Known as “Singapore’s Chief Gardener”,

he also effected many lessons he had learnt from his trips abroad, said Prof Chan, who accompanied Mr Lee frequently on his trips in the US, during her 16-year stint as Singapore’s Ambassador to that country.

To realise his vision, Mr Lee transformed Singapore through projects such as affordable public housing and cleaning up the Singapore River instead of using ideologies and appealing to emotion, noted Dr Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Foreign Secretary of India, Ministry of External Affairs. Dr Jaishankar, who had met Mr Lee on several occasions, had flown into Singapore to speak at the event.

Dr Shashi Jayakumar, Senior Fellow and Head of the S Rajaratnam School of International Studies’ Centre of Excellence for National Security, lauded Mr Lee’s political foresight. He fielded and tested potential leaders, even during the country’s infancy, to ensure lines of succession that would secure Singapore’s survival.

The panellists also recognised Mr Lee’s foresight in building up human capital; preempting environmental issues; and creating the “Singapore” brand, out of which arose a sense of national pride.

Lee Kuan Yew’s enduring ideas

PERSPECTIVES

From left: Assoc Prof Tan, Prof Chan, Dr Jaishankar, Dr Zainul and Dr Jayakumar sharing their thoughts about the late Mr Lee

NUS and Sembcorp Development Ltd (Sembcorp) have inked an agreement to co-develop a research centre at the Nanjing International Water Hub (NIWH), sited at the Sino-Singapore Nanjing Eco Hi-tech Island in Nanjing, China.

The Memorandum of Understanding was signed by NUS Engineering Dean Professor Chua Kee Chaing and Mr Tan Cheng Guan, Director of Sembcorp and Head of Group Business Development & Commercial of Sembcorp Industries Ltd.

The Water Technology Innovation Centre will support joint research with leading

Chinese universities and facilitate the commercialisation of projects with Sembcorp and other industry partners such as Singapore’s small-and-medium-sized enterprises and Chinese water technology companies. The collaboration will use water-related intellectual property created by the NUS Centre for Water Research and the Water Technology Innovation Centre.

Sembcorp is developing the NIWH, scheduled for completion by 2018. The water hub, set up as an integrated venue to serve the needs of the Chinese water industry, focuses on facilitating research and development work on waste water treatment,

commercialising new treatment technologies, as well as enabling the exchange of industry best

practices and innovative solutions for the advancement of the water industry.

NUS-Sembcorp innovative water centre in Nanjing

Prof Chua (seated, far right) and Mr Tan (seated, 2nd from right) signing the agreement in Nanjing

As Director of Medical Services with the Singapore Ministry of Health when SARS broke out 13 years ago, NUS President Professor Tan Chorh Chuan led the public health response to the deadly respiratory disease. He has now brought his first-hand experience in battling the infection to the Global Health Risk Framework (GHRF) Commission.

Prof Tan was one of 12 prominent international experts of an Independent Oversight Group (IOG), tasked with steering the health commission to examine gaps on preparedness, response and leadership in addressing the growing threat of infectious diseases. The IOG guided the commission on the scope of

the study, handled conflict-of-interest concerns, implemented the peer-review process and helped in disseminating the procedure. Other IOG members included President of the Japan Community Health Care Organization Dr Shigeru Omi; Former Director-General of the Pan American Health Organization Dr Mirta Roses; and Head of Global Health and Healthcare Industries at the World Economic Forum Dr Arnaud Bernaert.

The independent GHRF Commission was convened by the US National Academy of Medicine to conduct the study. The IOG drew on insights and expertise across the globe through 11 days of public meetings and more than 250 presentations, while

ensuring independence and objectivity of the Commission.

The rate of pandemics has been rising, notably from SARS in 2003 to the Ebola outbreak in 2014. Despite the alarming security risk, countries are woefully underinvested and underprepared to protect populations from such threats, due to other more pressing priorities.

Set against this backdrop, the Commission published a report titled The Neglected Dimension of Global Security: A Framework to Counter Infectious Disease Crises in January this year. It highlights the critical need of pandemic preparedness in national security and economic stability. More importantly, it reveals that the impact of the crises is beyond human health and mobilisation, necessitating long-term commitment of multiple parties and sectors to mitigate the situation.

“This report serves as a catalyst, an evidence-based, objective set of recommendations that could provide the basis for coordinated action by the many stakeholders involved,” said Prof Tan. He stressed that a significant level of preparedness needs to be maintained because “the threat is always there”.

NUS President advises on pandemic threat

Prof Tan (4th from right) at the Asia launch cum seminar of the Report Recommendations held in Hong Kong on 13 March

– Prof Chan Heng Chee,Member, NUS Board of Trustees

He was a man before his time. He emphasised green before it was fashionable to be green.

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NUS NEWS

In a world’s first, NUS engineers have successfully converted paper waste into cellulose aerogels which can soak up oil and pollutants.

The non-toxic, ultralight, flexible and strong invention can be produced at an extremely low price point and in half the time of current techniques. The porous and low-density material promises wide-ranging applications such as oil spill clean-up, heat insulation and packaging.

Existing cellulose aerogels are made from virgin pulp, but the NUS method uses recycled paper. This green approach consumes 70 per cent less energy, gives out less polluting emissions and requires less toxic dioxins in the chlorine bleaching process.

Team leader Assistant Professor Duong Hai Minh from NUS Mechanical Engineering said, “Traditional aerogels are mainly made of silica, which is not environmentally friendly. In contrast, cellulose is low cost and makes up 75 to 85 per cent of recycled paper.”

The hydrophilic cellulose aerogels can absorb oil due to a coating of trimethoxy-methylsilane that makes them repel water. Presently, cleaning of oil spills employs polypropylene-based absorbents which cost up to $11 per piece, whereas the NUS product costs a fraction of that amount.

The advantages of using these aerogels to clean up oil spills include an absorption capacity of up to 90 times their dry weight, which is four times higher than commercial sorbents; 99 per cent recovery of absorbed crude oil from the aerogels; biodegradability, unlike polypropylene-based absorbents; and ease-of-use, as the oil spill does not need to be primed first to separate oil and water.

Building insulation is also another viable application for the aerogels, because of their low thermal conductivity. Once treated, their water-repellant property

RESEARCH

Paper waste wipes up pollutantsScientists at the Food Science and Technology Programme at NUS Science have created a bread packed with natural goodness that digests more slowly, thus improving blood glucose control.

The new bread, fortified with a natural plant pigment called anthocyanin, has a low digestion rate. The organic compound’s high antioxidant content also offers additional health benefits and may help prevent cardiovascular and neurological diseases, cancer and inflammation.

The first such study where a bread product is supplemented with black rice extract, the findings offer potential for healthier and diabetic-friendly food products.

Anthocyanins occur naturally as pigments in fruits such as blueberries, grapes and blackberries, as well as grains and vegetables like black rice and purple sweet potatoes. Research shows that anthocyanins are rich in antioxidant properties, and help in obesity and diabetes control as they can inhibit digestive enzymes, hence lowering blood glucose levels.

Professor Zhou Weibiao, Director of the Food Science and Technology Programme who headed the investigation, explained that bread was selected for the study as it forms a staple and popular food worldwide, and brings more societal impact.

He said, “We hope to conduct further studies to incorporate anthocyanins into other food items,

The cellulose aerogel made from recycled paper can soak up to 90 times its dry weight

Diabetic-friendly bread rich with anthocyanin

Impatient young women age more rapidly The truth is out: impatience does make a woman grow old faster.

NUS researchers have scientifically proven that impatient young Chinese women show signs of more rapid ageing at the cellular level. This is the first time that a determinant of decision-making has been linked to shortening of DNA telomere length, an indicator of mortality and ageing-related diseases.

The work, published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences in February, was helmed by Professors Chew Soo Hong from NUS Economics and Richard Ebstein from NUS Psychology.

The investigators used an incentivised delay discounting activity to determine the extent of impatience of 1,158 healthy Chinese undergraduates at the University. The participants had to decide between receiving $100 the next day, or larger rewards a month later. Those opting for earlier gratification were considered more impatient.

The team also measured the length of the participants’ leukocyte telomeres — the caps at the end of each DNA strand which protect the chromosome. Telomeres decrease in length each time a cell divides and

ages, and once they reach a critical short length, the cell will no longer divide.

The researchers observed that females identified as impatient had shorter telomere length, but no such correlations were found in the male participants. The results were robust after controlling for health-related variables, inclination for risk and lifestyle behaviours.

The NUS team plans to conduct an analysis of the telomere length of older ageing individuals, as well as several interdisciplinary studies involving behavioural economics and molecular genetics.

such as biscuits. We also want to look at other bioactivity and other health benefits.”

Currently, health-promoting bread mainly incorporates whole grains and fibres to decrease the rate of digestion, among other health benefits.

Dr Sui Xiaonan, a recent PhD graduate from the NUS

Programme and first author of the work published in Food Chemistry, pointed out, “Reducing the digestion rate of the bread may lead to a lower glycaemic index and slower absorption of the

bread’s carbohydrates. This usually suggests a lower

insulin demand, and could potentially improve long-

term blood glucose control.”

The team showed that digestion rate of the anthocyanin-fortified bread dropped by 14.1 per cent when 2 per cent of anthocyanin

extract from black rice was added to the bread dough and baked. This compares favourably with normal white bread which breaks down into sugar rapidly. Prof Zhou highlighted that 2 per cent was the optimum level in terms of bread texture and taste.

The scientists are planning to work with industry partners to commercialise the bread.

The research has been covered extensively in local and international media, including CNN, The Huffington Post and Gizmag. It has also created a lot of excitement on social media.

suits both dry and wet climes, and their structure remains stable for years in tropical climates, explained Asst Prof Duong.

The novel product can also be applied in packing materials to replace non-biodegradable plastic-based materials; personal hygiene products; drug delivery; and medical “plugs” for wounds.

The team has filed a patent for their invention in the US, China, India and Southeast Asia. The NUS Industry Liaison Office has licensed the technology to Bronxculture Pte Ltd for commercialisation.

Anthocyanin-rich black rice extract added to dough makes the bread more diabetic-friendly

Dr Sui (left) and Prof Zhou with their freshly baked anthocyanin-fortified buns

– Prof Zhou Weibiao, Director, Food Science and Technology Programme

Despite their antioxidant capacity and associated health benefits, the knowledge of using anthocyanins as an ingredient in food products, particularly semi-solid products, is very limited.

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NUS NEWS

New centre seeks cure for childhood leukaemiaChildren with paediatric acute leukaemia, the most common form of childhood cancers, will be receiving more personalised treatment soon, thanks to promising research being conducted at a new facility at NUS.

The VIVA-NUS Centre for Translational Research in Acute Leukaemia (CenTRAL), officially opened on 4 March, is a partnership between the NUS Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine (NUS Medicine) and VIVA Foundation for Children with Cancer (VIVA). Focusing on paediatric acute leukaemia work, its funding comes from a $10 million contribution from donors and partners brought together by VIVA.

The new centre seeks to improve cure rates and quality of life for children with leukaemia through more accurate disease classification and prediction, and determination of treatment response. It will be led by

Associate Professor Allen Yeoh and Professor Dario Campana, both from NUS Paediatrics.

VIVA-NUS CenTRAL will also build on a joint study by Assoc Prof Yeoh and researchers from Unidad De Oncologia Pediatric in Guatemala, the Japanese Pediatric Leukemia/Lymphoma Study Group, and St Jude

Children’s Research Hospital in the US. The research, published recently in Nature Genetics, found that NUDT15 gene variations inherited by children with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) can lead to severe side effects.

The investigation involving 270 children with ALL from Singapore, Guatemala and Japan discovered

that NUDT15 variants alter the metabolism of mercaptopurine, a class of chemotherapy medication crucial in curing ALL. The children become intolerant of standard drug doses, risking treatment-disrupting toxicity. About 20 per cent of Singapore patients in the trial carry the variants, which are more prevalent in Asian children.

Screening for NUDT15 variants will allow doctors to potentially tailor chemotherapy doses according to a patient’s genotype, while avoiding toxicity.

NUS President Professor Tan Chorh Chuan said the centre’s opening marked a milestone in the development of more effective treatments for leukaemia. He thanked the support of VIVA, in partnership with the Children’s Cancer Foundation, the Tote Board and Singapore Turf Club as well as the Lee Foundation, “that has enabled us to make such strong progress in our common cause against this cancer”.

Smart green home for the tropics

In the not-so-distant future, Singapore residents can look forward to living spaces that answer their personal requirements, complete with smart technologies catering for an ageing population.

Two new research laboratories dedicated to the study of smart building technologies for indoor and outdoor environments are being set up at NUS,

gearing up for the country’s Smart Nation vision. City Developments Limited (CDL) has donated $2.25 million to these programmes and associated research.

The new initiatives are jointly driven by the NUS School of Design and Environment (SDE) and CDL, with support from Singapore’s Economic Development Board.

On 22 March, Mr Desmond Lee, Senior Minister of State, Ministry of National Development and Ministry of Home Affairs officially launched the NUS-CDL Smart Green Home and NUS-CDL Tropical Technologies Laboratory (T2 Lab), the first such programmes dedicated to tropical climate.

The NUS-CDL Smart Green Home, an indoor test-bed environment, will provide a venue for holistic and innovative experimental studies on smart features, green building technologies and design for sustainable living. The 100m2 full-sized home will be used for testing, analysing, evaluating and piloting rapidly evolving smart home innovations in a “plug-and-play” real-life environment, along with experimentation of technology-human interface, using novel smart materials, systems and finishes.

Scheduled for completion by December 2017, the facility will be constructed within a new building at SDE, managed by the School’s Department of Building.

The 107m2 NUS-CDL T2 Lab is designed as an adaptable indoor-outdoor research platform that can be customised to test lifestyle scenarios, space-use configurations and features, as well as leading-edge or emerging technologies. Managed by the School’s Department of Architecture, it will focus on studying ideas relating to themes such as “healthy, green living” and “future lifestyles”.

The new laboratory, expected to be completed year end, will have the flexibility to address various functions while trials are conducted on high-performance materials and environmental systems.

From left: Prof Campana; Mrs Jennifer Yeo, Chairperson of VIVA Foundation; Prof Tan; Assoc Prof Yeoh; and Mr Ho Cheng Huat, Chairperson of Children’s Cancer Foundation at the opening of VIVA-NUS CenTRAL

Artist’s Impression of T2 Lab

To find out more about making a gift to NUS, call 1-800-DEVELOP (1-800-338-3567), email askdvo@nus.edu.sg or visit www.giving.nus.edu.sg

Scholarship gift from senior alumni

Back row from left: Ms Kwa, NUS President Prof Tan Chorh Chuan,

Assoc Prof Kwa and Mrs Kwa, with synchronised swimming

performers from Ang Peng Siong Swimming School

I hope the recipients will remember that the Scholarship is enabling them to realise their dreams, and at some time in their future reflect on enabling others to achieve theirs, in keeping with the spirit of the quote by William Penn that my father would have read every day, ‘I expect to pass through this world but once. Any good that I can do, or any kindness that I can show to any fellow creature, let me do it now. Let me not defer or neglect it, for I shall not pass this way again.’

Assoc Prof Kwa Chong Guan ’68 (Arts and Social Sciences)

Associate Professor Kwa Chong Guan (’68) and his sister Ms Kwa Kim Hwa (’73) have made a gift to enable NUS to establish the Mabel and Soon Siew Kwa Scholarship, named in memory of their loving and supportive parents. This gift was facilitated by Mr David Ho, President of the National University of Singapore Society (NUSS). In recognition of their generosity, NUSS named the Kent Ridge Guild House swimming complex the Mabel and Soon Siew Kwa Swimming Complex.

Editorial Team: Tan Lay Leng, Loo Po Li, Cassandra Yue, Sharon Roberts, Amanda Yee:: Office of Corporate Relations, National University of Singapore :: University Hall, Lee Kong Chian Wing, UHL #05-03, 21 Lower Kent Ridge Road, Singapore 119077 :: +65 6516 1517 (Tel) :: +65 6775 7630 (Fax) :: news@nus.edu.sg (E) :: news.nus.edu.sg/inprint (W):: Company Registration No: 200604346E

New members on NUS BoardThree new members joined NUS Board of Trustees on 1 April this year: Mr Loh Chin Hua, CEO and Executive Director of Keppel Corporation Limited; Dr Leslie Teo, Chief Economist and Director of Economics and Investment Strategy, GIC Private Limited; and Mr Wong Fong Fui, Chairman and Group CEO of Boustead Singapore Limited.

Mr Loh has more than 25 years of real estate investing and fund management experience spanning Asia, Europe and the US. He joined the Keppel Group in 2002 and founded Alpha Investment Partners, growing its Asset under Management to over $12 billion. He concurrently chairs several companies within Keppel including Keppel Offshore and Marine, Keppel Land, and Keppel Infrastructure Holdings.

Dr Teo, who also hails from the investment industry, oversees the team in charge of GIC’s asset allocation, total portfolio construction and identification of key long-term trends. He is a Council Member of the Economic Society of Singapore, a non-profit organisation of economists and other professionals interested in economics; and a Board Member of Pacific

Pension and Investment Institute, a global organisation of institutional investors.

Mr Wong, a Co-opted Member of the Entrepreneurship Committee at NUS, has a reputation of being a business turnaround expert. He helped restore the 188-year-old Boustead into a profitable industrial real estate, energy, environmental engineering and technology group. He was instrumental in starting up and privatising Myanmar Airways International, as well as transforming the near-bankrupt conglomerate QAF into a success story.

Said Mr Wong Ngit Liong, NUS Board Chairman, “The University will benefit

greatly from their global experience and expertise as we strive to excel as a global university in a rapidly changing higher education landscape, and to differentiate ourselves by making a deep impact through research excellence.”

Mr Wong also thanked three Trustees who have stepped down — Mr Hans-Dieter Bott, former Managing Director of Siemens Private Limited; Ms Chan Chia Lin, Director of Holywell Private Limited; and Mr Han Fook Kwang, The Straits Times’ Editor-at-Large of Singapore Press Holdings Limited. Mr Bott and Ms Chan relinquished their positions on 31 March 2016 while Mr Han’s stint with the Board ended on 31 December 2015.

Mr Loh Dr Teo Mr Wong

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NUS NEWS

7.22am 8.23am 9.32am

In the wee hours of 9 March, astronomy enthusiasts gathered on the NUS Football Field with telescopes aimed at the sky while waiting for sunrise.

As the Sun climbed above the horizon, some 3,000 people comprising students, staff and the public gathered to witness the celestial event of the year. The Solar Eclipse Observation, organised by NUS Physics, rounded up the host of activities consisting of astronomy talks, astrophotography exhibition and stargazing.

With the last solar eclipse over Singapore happening seven years ago, the excitement was palpable as the spectators gazed at the Sun through their Solar Viewers and modified overhead projectors. Local astronomers, together with NUS faculty and students, also

helped the spectators view the eclipse through telescopes they had set up.

At 7.22am, the Moon started blocking out the Sun’s rays. When the eclipse reached maximum obscuration (87 per cent) at 8.23am, the light became noticeably dimmer. Then the sunlight steadily grew brighter until the eclipse ended two hours later at 9.32am.

Those in Singapore only saw a partial eclipse but the Sun was fully blocked out in Luwuk, Sulawesi. A group of eclipse fans from Singapore, including two NUS Physics students, flew to the Indonesian island, and a team member succeeded in beaming a live broadcast of the total eclipse onto a projector screen at the NUS field. The students, Laurentcia Arlany and Edmund Yuen, were studying the bending of light by the Sun’s

gravitational field, an effect predicted by Einstein’s theory of general relativity.

Among those in the crowd were NUS students taking the “Sky and Telescopes” general elective module and NUS Astronomical Society members who had stayed on after an overnight stargazing session.

The next eclipse which will occur in December 2019 will be annular, whereby the Moon covers the Sun’s centre, leaving a “ring of fire” around the Sun’s edges.

Some 3,000 people gathered to watch the eclipse at the NUS Football Field

Solar spectacle