CONNECTING TO THE WORLDCONNECTING TO THE WORLD“Being on exchange gave me a whole new level of experience living and studying in a new environment.”

Around Sydney in 9 Days

Connecting to the World

Discovering the Magic of Materials Science

New Undergraduate Degree Programmes Cater to Demand in Emerging Industries

NTU Bridge Design Competition 2016

Continue on Pages 2 & 3

W H E R E C R E A T I V I T Y A N D T E C H N O L O G Y M E R G E

CoE Open House 2015

CoE Tea Party 2016

Hi Profs!

PEOPLE AND EVENTS

Putting a Brain on a Chip

SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING

LIFE AT COE

NTU College of Engineering Issue 05, 2016

online-version

http://bit.ly/1SlJZML

College of EngineeringSchool of Civil and Environmental EngineeringSchool of Electrical and Electronic Engineering

SCSE: School of Computer Science and Engineering

School of Mechanical and Aerospace EngineeringSchool of Materials Science and EngineeringSchool of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering

CoE: CEE:

EEE:

MAE:

MSE: SCBE:

Travelling around the country with fellow NTU exchange students on weekends

Jian Beng (first row on the extreme left) with colleagues from Union Multimedia where he worked part-time in

At NTU, we offer enriching student mobility programmes with more than 100 leading companies and 150 partner universities in more than 30 countries through our Global Education and Mobility (GEM) initiatives such as GEM Explorer and GEM Discoverer. These programmes, that range from two-week summer exchanges to semester-long experiences, offer students regional and international exposure, while developing global-mindedness and inter-cultural competency.

Connecting to the World

Let’s hear from some of our Engineering students who have participated in these global exchange programmes!

NTU offers several overseas exchange and attachment programmes that help undergraduates broaden their learning experience and develop global perspective. Find out more at: bit.ly/1Tv8xI7

POH CHAO YAN JACQIE

EXCHANGE UNIVERSITY: Aston University of Waterloo, United Kingdom

“Going on exchange was one of the biggest

decisions of my life, and I will definitely never

regret it. Going to a foreign land forces a

person out of the comfort zone. And by

leaving my comfort zone, I saw and learnt

things that I have never seen or experienced

before. I started to appreciate everything

around me and reminisce about the times I

had in Singapore.

TEO ZHI HAO

EXCHANGE UNIVERSITY:

Aalto University, Finland

CHAN TUCK GING

EXCHANGE UNIVERSITY: University of Strathclyde, United Kingdom

“Participating in a semester-long exchange in

a foreign country is challenging at best – and

daunting at worst.

As expected, with conversations beginning

with 'bonjour' and street signs ending in

'straße', I encountered communication

barriers wherever I travelled.

Interacting with people of other nationalities

made me realise that, as much as we think

we understand our world, there is so much

that we do not understand about other

people’s lives; they have entire worlds of

their own experiences, cultures and beliefs,

and we typically only ever scratch the

surface.

I learnt that sometimes, the obstacle that

keeps us from exploring is more internally

induced than externally imposed. Picking up

new skills should be embraced. In today’s

rapidly changing world, an appetite for

learning new things is central to keeping

up with developments and contributing to

our future.

The exchange programme also entails a

unique period of independent learning. In

addition to learning how to feed myself and

carry myself in public, I also got to know

myself a lot better in terms of my strengths,

weaknesses, priorities and character.

Venturing out of my comfort zone allowed

me to explore not only Europe, but my own

identity as a young adult as well.”

“Their lab sessions are more free-style as

compared to Singapore. We have a good lab

manual to follow closely in Singapore but in

Waterloo, we have to figure out everything

by ourselves. Instead of completing the lab

project during the lab session, the lab session

serves more as a time for us to ask questions

of the technical assistants. We usually have

to complete the lab project outside of normal

curriculum time, unlike in Singapore. This really

gives me the freedom to explore the various

aspects of the lab and to figure things out by

trial and error. That gives me the best results.

People from Canada were all very friendly and

speaking to them exposed me to their culture

and way of life. I think the biggest takeaway

is the friendships forged there and the

exposure to a different culture. Even though

the studies were difficult, the interactions

and experiences I had outweighed the

tough times. This is really a once-in-a-lifetime

opportunity and I wouldn’t do it any differently

if I were given the choice again.”

“The most important thing I have gained

from my exchange in the USA is the ability

to be flexible. As we all know, America

is very different from Singapore. You can

find differences in almost everything: daily

life, the education system and culture. In

the process of adapting, I believe I have

become a much more flexible person.

With everything so new and having few

familiar persons to help you out, the only

way forward is to discover and handle

them yourself. The different culture also

introduces one to new perspectives. That

allowed me to understand why locals act in

a certain way and see problems or issues

from different perspectives. Mixing with

people of various nationalities allowed

me to compare cultural differences and

to work with groups of different cultural

backgrounds.

In conclusion, I would say that overseas

exchange opens up the world to you.”

Duke of Wellington Statue (George Square). The cone is not an intended permanent feature. Sometimes it’s also found atop the Duke’s head!

Exchange student network tour in Helsinki

Weekend adventures with fellow NTU exchange students

Orientation day: tug-o-war

2 3CONVERGENCELIFE AT COE

Going on exchange has also taught me

to manage my time better and be more

independent.

With the same 24 hours as before, I now

have to squeeze in time for cooking, washing,

cleaning and catching up with family and

friends (despite the difference in the time

zones), on top of studying and going to school.

The biggest takeaway I have from this

exchange is learning how to communicate

effectively. And to do this, I had to adapt;

adapt to their way of speaking, working, and

way of life.”

“Being on exchange gave me a whole new

level of experience living and studying in a

new environment.

Studying in Aalto University was very

different as compared to studying in NTU.

Courses taught in NTU are more structured

and easy to understand whereas learning

here takes place mostly outside class and

students are required to read up more on the

classroom materials. It is tough getting used

to the way they teach here and to studying

on my own. I’ve become more independent

in my study habits since I arrived.”

KHOO HOE CHIN

EXCHANGE UNIVERSITY:

University of Waterloo, Canada

YAP JIAN BENG

EXCHANGE UNIVERSITY:

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, United States of America

In an effort to bring engineering to people,

our faculty, staff and students treated the

visitors to a fulfilling and interactive afternoon

at Marina Bay Sands.

The Dean, Prof Chen commenced the

programme by addressing the importance

of engineers and their contributions to our

lives, followed by Prof Goh Wang Ling’s

presentation on the engineering programmes

offered by CoE.

Mr Teng Ting Shien, a recent graduate who

was an ex-Chairman of the NTU Student

Union Council and an ex-President of the

SCBE club, shared his personal experiences

as an engineering student on the accelerated

Bachelor’s Programme, and talked about the

academic and non-academic activities that

he had participated during his enriching 3.5

years in NTU. Following the student’s sharing

session was the Q&A segment which received

an overwhelming response from the floor.

Scrumptious food and refreshments were

prepared for the visitors as they visited the

booths of the six engineering schools and

the Renaissance Engineering Programme

thereafter. The booths proved to be popular

with the guests as they got to engage in more

intimate conversations with the professors

and current students. We are sure that our invited guests have

enjoyed themselves as much as we did.

We welcome more potential students to

join CoE in future outreach events, like this

Tea Party, and discover the wonders of

Engineering at NTU College of Engineering!

“We had the opportunity to interact face-to-face with the professors and staff, who genuinely had the students’ interests in mind. The current students were also competent in their own fields and responded to our queries to the point.”

CoE Tea Party 20162016 started with a bang as the College of Engineering held its inaugural CoE Tea Party on 23rd January and welcomed about 300 prospective students and parents.

PEOPLE AND EVENTS4 5CONVERGENCE

New Undergraduate Degree Programmes Cater to Demand in Emerging Industries NTU CoE has launched four new highly interdisciplinary engineering programmes with second majors in rapidly expanding fields to cater to the rising demand for engineers with qualifications and broad skills beyond their core disciplines. These programmes allow students to develop their expertise in additional areas such as medical biology, pharmaceutical engineering, and food science technology.

The Bachelor of Engineering in Materials

Engineering with a Second Major in Medical

Biology will enable students to interface

seamlessly between engineering and

life sciences. This new programme will

equip students with the skills to tackle

emerging healthcare developments such

as regenerative medicine. Designed for

students who possess a special interest

in biomaterials and biomedical devices

field, it also equips candidates with the

fundamentals of medical biology, placing

a special emphasis on the principles of

biological science. Graduates can look

forward to engaging in research and

development work in this dynamic and

rapidly evolving field.

Students taking the Bachelor of Engineering

in Bioengineering  or the Bachelor of

Engineering in Materials Engineering will

be able to take up a Second Major in

Pharmaceutical Engineering. Students

in these two programmes will gain

specialised knowledge in drug design

and development. They will also have

opportunities to work with leading

biopharmaceutical companies to gain

first-hand experience in drug design and

development. This programme prepares

students for exciting and meaningful

careers in the vital pharmaceutical

industries spanning key sectors such as

pharmacy and biotechnology, biomedical

and clinical sciences, healthcare and

research and development. 

T h e   B a c h e l o r o f E n g i n e e r i n g i n

Bioengineering with a Second Major in

Food Science and Technology will open

up myriad career opportunities in food

industries including MNCs, government

regulatory agencies, research institutions

and local SMEs.  NTU’s Second

Major in Food Science Technology

is offered in collaboration with the

prestigious Wageningen University from

the  Netherlands, whose Food Technology

programme is one of the best and most

innovative in Europe. Students will be

For more information on these programmes, please visit www.coe.ntu.edu.sg

at the forefront of resolving current and

future challenges in Food Security for

Singapore and beyond. These include

system integration for enhanced food

production, novel technologies for food

waste reduction and conversion, food

nutrition for an ageing population, as

well as risk analysis and management in

food safety.

LIFE AT COE

76 CONVERGENCE LIFE AT COE

NTU Bridge Design Competition 2016The NTU Bridge Design Competition (BDC) is an annual event organised by NTU’s Civil and Environmental Engineering Club, to provide a platform for engineering students, especially – Civil Engineering students – to simulate the experience of engineering structural designs before they join the industry.

Themed “Sustainable Bridge Design”, the

BDC 2016 attracted a total of 68 teams

from universities and polytechnics in

Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia. There

were 42 teams competing in the University

category and 26 teams in the Polytechnic

category.

During the two-day competition, the teams

were given limited resources and tasked

to design bridges not only for maximum

load-bearing properties, but also for

aesthetic appeal. On the first day, each

team had to construct a 3D-model of

their bridge using the materials provided

(balsa wood and adhesive). Two teams

caught everyone’s attention with their

arch-shaped bridges. It was interesting

to see how they had managed to bend

the balsa wood into graceful curves,

given that the wood itself is very fragile.

from NTU, NUS and BCA. The judging

was based on aesthetics, sustained

load–bearing and presentation, weighted

with a 20:60:20 ratio respectively. The

competition ended with an awards

ceremony honouring the top five teams

in each category, followed by a group

photo and dinner. The teams from Institut

Teknologi Bandung, Indonesia and the

BCA Academy won the First Place in the

University and Polytechnic categories

respectively.

A wide array of bridges by participating teams

Teams hard at work constructing their bridges

On the second day, participants were

required to present their designs to a

panel of judges composed of professors

The College of Engineering organised its first Open House on 11 December 2015, drawing student participants from 16 Junior Colleges. The half-day event provided a platform for them to gain a better understanding of the college and its engineering courses through informative and interactive sessions.

It was a fun-filled afternoon that followed

the Dean’s warm address and Prof Timothy

Tan’s sharing session. Participants got to

view project demonstrations and take part

in the hands-on activities brought to them

by our 6 engineering schools during the

Engineering in Action! segment.

The participants were fascinated by

the ‘hands-free’ activities at EEE’s mind-

controlled Mastermind game and SCSE’s

gesture-controlled quadcopter drone. They

also racked their brains to transfer the

theories they had learnt to the action-packed

challenges by SCBE (Chem-E-Car Challenge)

and MAE (Flying of foam planes). Over at

CEE and MSE, participants were treated to

an exciting time at the driving simulator and

the project demonstrations.

The Open House also showcased per-

formances by NTU student clubs – Guitar

Ensemble, Breakers, as well as Soul Funky

Pop and Lock. A photo booth was available

for participants to bring home their photo

memories, and snacks and lunch were also

served. We would like to thank all students,

staff and faculty for their enthusiastic

participation. We look forward to future events

for spreading the CoE spirit to more potential

students!

CoE Open House 2015

The participants were fascinated by the different activities and racked their brains trying to put what they had learnt into practice

The participants were treated to an exciting time at the driving simulator and other project demonstrations

Not only did the participants have fun, they also gained insights and learnt about the engineering science behind these innovations.

“I enjoyed the day’s various activities and I learnt many things. The staff also answered my questions. Thank you for the awesome event!”

PEOPLE AND EVENTS

“Our prototype can give meaning to the data by matching it with knowledge obtained from patient databases, so it can give useful, refined information to users instead of raw data.”

Prof. Basu (extreme right) with his team members

The researchers tested the small and light-

weight prototype, that can be mounted

on headgear, and were able to decode a

monkey’s brain waves and predict how

it wanted to move its fingers with 99.3%

accuracy. This could pave the way for

creating implants or portable devices to help

paralysed people regain use of their limbs.

The researchers exploited manufacturing

imperfections to make their smart chip

smaller, lighter and less power-hungry than

counterparts on the market. Electronic

devices consist of transistors that amplify

electric currents or act as switches to start

and stop various processes. While transistors

are supposed to have specified sizes and

properties, they invariably deviate to some

degree because of design differences and

manufacturing inconsistencies.

The NTU chip takes advantage of these

unintended variations in the transistors’

threshold voltage, which determines their

ability to produce current for a given input

voltage. It uses mathematical formulas

that multiply input signals such as brain

waves, temperatures, pressure, sounds and

images using the array of transistors with

varying threshold voltages. This fleshes out

similarities and differences among the signals.

The chip can then better compare each signal

to specified patterns.

Prof. Basu of EEE said the the chip’s low

power usage and compact size allows it to

be embedded in sensors so that they can sort

through raw data and transmit only refined or

specified information. He added that wearable

medical devices that monitor physiological

parameters such as heartbeats, blood oxygen

levels and brain activity are becoming more

common, but that most of them simply collect

the data and display it in visual form with a

smart-phone.

The team has received funding from the

Singapore – MIT Alliance for Research

and Technology to improve its prototype,

including its ability to recognise images.

ASST. PROF. JAMES JING KWAN,

SCBE

Kungfu Master:

When Prof. James is not teaching or doing

research, he would be practising his moves

in martial arts. Having practised martial arts

since childhood, it has become part of his

life, and was in some aspects, his inspiration

for his passion towards teaching.

Students would describe me as:

“A good teacher, friendly, and thorough in

regards to the course material. Many have

mentioned that they are engaged in my

classes because of my emphasis on the

“real world” application of what is being

taught. I also try to make the concepts I am

explaining more memorable and intuitive.

I think that students would also consider

me very approachable, and appreciate the

open door policy I maintain. I try to remain

available to them as much as possible, which

I believe they will appreciate.”

Advice to students:

“Always be open to new opportunities - take

chances and be OK with making mistakes.

It is the risks, and ultimately mistakes which

you make now that will help give you insight

on determining the important things later

in life.”

ASST. PROF. LEONG WEILIN,

SCBE AND EEE

Giving back to NTU:

Prof. Leong obtained both her Bachelor of

Engineering degree and Ph.D. degree at

NTU. She hopes that she can give back to

NTU through her scientific contributions

and the students she mentors.

Secret recipe for effective teaching:

“I believe that a truly successful teacher

is one who motivates the students to

understand and appreciate the beauty

of the subject. Students should be able

to know the ‘why’ of learning the subject.

As an educator, it is important that I make

sure students are not just memorising the

lecture notes to score in examinations,

but are able to apply or integrate the

concepts and information to become good

engineers and scientists. My teaching

should not just be confined to the time

spent in the classroom. I shall maintain

an open door policy to allow students

to clear their doubts and extend their

understanding.”

Advice to students:

“Develop a genuine interest in your

courses rather than just looking from the

examination point of view.”

ASST. PROF. GRZEGORZ LISAK,

CEE

Globetrotter:

Prof. Lisak loves to travel around the world

to experience the different cultures and

cuisines. An avid explorer, he loves visiting

remote and unique places and basking in

the nature. Besides that, Prof. Lisak also

enjoys a good book and a good movie, a

glass of wine and the company of his friends

and occasionally, a game of badminton and

swimming.

Students would describe me as:

“My students would describe me as someone

whom they can turn to in times of need, and

seek advice in matters connected to their

studies and career development. They see

me as a person who is fair with them and

who is always willing to assist.”

Advice to students:

“The time of studies is a perfect opportunity

for you to get to know what you want to

do in life. Please remember, your future

work should be something that you enjoy

doing. Now is the time for you to explore

and decide what will make you happy and

fulfilled in your future career. Be determined

in your developmental goals and don't

forget to enjoy the student life in between.”

Putting a Brain on a ChipHi Profs! Inspired by the human brain, researchers at EEE have developed a smart chip that could imbue portable and wearable devices with artificial intelligence at minimal energy use and cost.

The Convergence team invites 3 new profs who have recently joined/will be joining NTU College of Engineering to tell us a bit more about themselves and dish out some advice for students.

SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING 98 CONVERGENCEPEOPLE AND EVENTS

It was a meaningful day as we helped

out at one of Australia’s largest disability

organisations – House with No Steps. It

is a not-for-profit packaging company

which employs and supports people with

disabilities. We were tasked to help the

employees with the packing of different

snacks and repackaging of tissue packs

into separate cartons for shipping. The

voluntary work at House with No Steps

not only displayed our teamwork and our

commitment to community service, but also

exposed us to Australian community work

and culture through our interactions with the

company representative and the employees.

To top off the trip, we visited the Featherdale

Wildlife Park where we had close contact

with kangaroos, koala bears, goats and

sheep, etc. We were all excited to have

some 'hands-on' experience with the

animals.

We took a tour of the School of Electrical and

Information Engineering (EIE) at the University

of Sydney to find out more about the offerings

of the school and some of their laboratories.

We were impressed with the instruments

at the laboratories, such as the equipment

provided by ABB Technologies for microgrid

simulation and classroom testing.

There was also a sharing session by two

Power and Biomedical Engineering research

students that shed a great deal of light on

the complications behind the integration of

renewable energies with the grid, as well as

on research life at the School of EIE.

Another highlight of the day was experiencing

their local sports scene. We managed to

watch one of the matches of the National

Rugby League 'live'. This is the top league

of professional clubs in Australasia (Australia,

New Zealand, New Guinea and neighbouring

islands in the Pacific Ocean).

It was an eventful day as we immersed in the

beauty of the people and sights of Sydney.

The trip was enriching and rewarding because we not only got to experience the local culture, but we also got to know one another better and forged new friendships.

Life in NTU as a student is never boring! 18 students from the EEE Leadership, Enrichment and Development (LEAD) programme, together with a staff member, embarked on an overseas cultural trip to Sydney, Australia. The trip sought to provide an opportunity for these students to learn more about the culture and way of life of the Australians and to gain some valuable life lessons.

Let them take you through their exciting and enriching journey in Sydney.

Around Sydney in 9 Days

We often have to squeeze with our ‘loot’ on

the bus during airport transfer but not this

time round! We got to travel in comfort with

ample space on the airport transfer shuttle

bus. This was made possible thanks to a

special trailer just for carrying our luggage.

Our first visit destination was the Paddy’s

Market – Sydney’s biggest market with a

wide variety of stalls selling everything from

food and fashion to gifts and gadgets. We

also visited Sydney’s Chinatown, a colourful

display of Asian culture, shopping and cuisine.

We visited one of Australia’s most iconic

geographical formations – The Blue

Mountains. Enroute, we stopped by at

Lincoln’s Rock – a cliff face opening out into

the Blue Mountain valley. Our tour guide gave

us a deeper insight into the rich cultural and

geographical history of the Blue Mountains.

It was a day of fun at the Luna Park, one

of only two amusement parks in the world

protected by Government legislation.

Everyone on the team tried out the

different roller coaster rides and challenged

themselves to overcome their initial fears. It

was a good bonding session for the team

as we looked out for one another constantly.

Days

More leg space on the bus!

All smiles before the roller coaster rides at the Luna Park

Close encounter with the animals!

Posing at Wavetronics

Not forgetting to do community service while we were overseas

The Customs House and the Sydney Fish Market

Immersing in the local sports scene

We also spent a day visiting popular tourist

locations such as the Customs House, a

historical landmark that served as the

Customs Service headquarters until 1990.

It currently houses the Sydney City Library.

Following that, we visited the iconic Sydney

Opera House, Hyde Park and the Sydney

Fish Market.

1 2 3

4

5 6 7

9 8

10 11CONVERGENCELIFE AT COE

On the fourth day, we visited Wavetronics,

a company that provides electronic manu-

facturing services such as the production of

circuit boards for other companies; and the

University of Technology Sydney (UTS).

At Wavetronics, we had the privilege of

touring the company and were shown the

manufacturing lines for the production of

circuit boards. The entire production process

was highly automated and precise, resulting

in higher efficiency with minimal errors.

Next on the itinerary was the visit to

UTS. We first visited Building 11, a new

building for the Faculty of Engineering and

Information Technology (FEIT). The lobby

has a high-tech interesting interactive

wall. Another interesting highlight of the

building is the new UTS Data Arena which is

a 360-degree interactive visualisation facility

exploring large databases, visualisation of

scientific data for education, research and

development, and for other purposes. We

also visited other facilities on campus such

as their technology-enabled classrooms,

laboratories, Learning Precinct, Student

Learning Commons, Centre for Autonomous

Systems – a.k.a. Robotics Workshop – and

others. We were shown some of the robots

developed to inspect buildings and provide

cleaning and maintenance works, etc.

How many of us have the chance to learn about the science and engineering behind materials we see and use every day? Studentswho attended the Materials Awareness Day did.

Discovering the Magic of Materials Science

СatchUs

Dean’s Offi ceCollege of EngineeringNanyang Technological University70 Nanyang Drive Block N1.3-B1-01 Singapore 637457

Convergence TeamTel: +65 6316 8896Fax: +65 6896 8757Email: outreach-coe@ntu.edu.sgwww.coe.ntu.edu.sg

To make the whole event more exciting, there

were also prizes to be won! One lucky student

from Temasek Junior College found herself

the unexpected winner and took home the

grand prize – an iPad Mini.

The feedback from the participants was

encouraging and positive and we are glad

that the participants enjoyed themselves and

discovered the interesting and exciting side

of Materials Science. For those who missed

out on this year’s Materials Awareness Day,

please join us next year!

Let’s hear from some of the participants:

“It was an interesting way of learning about materials, through magic.” — Nur from YJC

“I didn’t expect that science and engineering could be so interesting together.” — Michael from RVHS

12 CONVERGENCELIFE AT COE

The Materials Awareness Day is an annual

event by MSE to increase awareness among

prospective and current MSE students of

the importance of Materials Science and

Engineering in industry and in our daily

lives. Held on 20 February 2016, the event

welcomed about 100 students from various

junior colleges.

Participants had an enriching day where

they got to view project demonstrations and

participate in hands-on activities at the five

booths that MSE had put up.

Superabsorbent polymers that can turn water into solid and make it disappear.

Creating ferro fl uid using oil, toner and magnet.

Hydrophobic sand which is able to return to its original ‘dry’ state after being scooped out from water.

Some highlights at the booths were:

Instant crystallisation where the mysterious material inside the hand warmers

‘freezes’ almost instantly.

Lenz’ Law which explains how to implement and tune a spinstabilised magnetic levitation.

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