First day of school at University Town

AUGUST 2011 A Publication of National University of Singapore First day of school at University Town

Celebrating the first day of school at UTown NUS University Town came alive on 1 August 2011 with the start of the semester. To mark this historic day, representatives of the NUS community comprising more than 1,000 freshmen, seniors and staff made a symbolic walk across College Link, the bridge connecting Kent Ridge Campus and UTown. Cheers of the students added to the euphoric atmosphere during the walk across the 290-metre bridge, which was led by NUS Chairman Mr Wong Ngit Liong, President Prof Tan Chorh Chuan, Deputy President (Academic Affairs) and Provost Prof Tan Eng Chye and Deputy President (Administration) Mr Joseph Mullinix. Addressing the participants at Town Plaza after the walk, Prof Tan Chorh Chuan said: Although the procession over the bridge is a simple one, it is highly symbolic because University Town marks the largest single expansion in our University since it moved to the Kent Ridge Campus. And you all are the lucky recipients of this expansion, which reflects our strong commitment and unwavering belief in enhancing the campus experience for all our students. UTown s innovative model of learning and living on campus is the first of its kind in Singapore s higher education landscape. To be developed in phases, UTown has seen the completion of two residential colleges, a Graduate Residence and a state-of-the-art Education Resource Centre (ERC) in its initial phase. Prof Tan Chorh Chuan addressing the NUS community at Town Plaza Aerial view of symbolic walk across College Link to UTown on One of the most exciting things for me is that I m living together with five close friends in a six-bedroom apartment. We no longer look at our living quarters as merely fulfilling functional needs such as sleeping and resting, but as a place where we share ideas and learn through living together. It now feels more like home. KNOWLEDGE ENTERPRISE 2 A boisterous crowd rejoicing over the opening of UTown Mr Marvin Kang, University Scholars Programme student residing in Cinnamon College

Students enjoying the open spaces at Town Green the first day of school Staying at UTown is a whole new experience, even for those of us who have stayed in halls. While it was under construction, we kept peeking inside; and during vacation, we came and looked around. We also started a Facebook page which had about 1,000 hits every day from Tembusu residents. Everyone s very excited. The Cinnamon and Tembusu residential colleges will be home to 1,200 undergraduate students and the Graduate Residence will house 1,700 graduate students. Open 24/7, the ERC is well-equipped with a learning cafe, multimedia hub and technologyinfused seminar rooms to promote exchange of ideas and interdisciplinary collaborations. Welcoming all freshmen to NUS Explore the new campus, pursue your interests, stretch yourselves academically, develop your personal qualities, and connect with the people around you. Those were some of the many useful tips that NUS President Prof Tan Chorh Chuan shared with the attendees of this year s Freshmen Inauguration Ceremony (FIC) on 1 August. Ms Ei Phyu, Electrical Engineering student staying at Tembusu College At steady state, NUS expects to see some 10,000 students taking courses and using the facilities at UTown every week. The complex, which is open to all NUS students, staff and alumni, includes retail as well as food and beverage outlets. Organised by the NUS Students Union and Office of Student Affairs, the FIC was attended by over 2,000 representatives from different faculties, schools, academic programmes, residential colleges and halls of residences. During the Ceremony, the freshmen took the University Pledge, were introduced to student leaders and senior administrators, and treated to a series of performances put up by various student groups. Fresh faces and bright smiles at FIC 2011 University education is not about narrow intellectual training, but about the broadening of the mind the development of the whole person. Prof Tan Chorh Chuan speaking at FIC 2011 AUGUST 2011 3

Honouring UTown s Founding Benefactors The Founding Benefactors of NUS University Town (UTown) were honoured at a ceremony cohosted by NUS and NUS Society (NUSS) on 29 July 2011. They were presented tokens of appreciation by Singapore s former Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew, who was the Special Guest at the event. The Benefactors, who contributed a total of S$40.1 million to UTown, included Ngee Ann Kongsi, Ho Bee Investments Ltd Chairman and CEO Mr Chua Thian Poh, PT Bayan Resources Founder and Chairman Dato Low Tuck Kwong, NUS Board of Trustees 2009-2010, Director of Kaiyi Investment Pte Ltd Ms Elaine Low, Wilmar International Pte Ltd, Wilmar International s Chief Executive Officer Mr Kuok Khoon Hong and Chief Operating Officer Mr Martua Sitorus, Dr Della Lee and Dr Lee Seng Gee, Keppel Corporation Ltd, The Silent Foundation Ltd and Suntar International Pte Ltd, Dr Tahir, and Mr and Mrs Wong Ngit Liong. Commending them for donating to a worthy cause, Mr Lee said: Your support will enable additional teaching staff to be recruited to run small-group learning in the Colleges, and provide scholarships and bursaries to deserving students who may otherwise miss out on the opportunity. (From left) Mr Lee presented a token of appreciation to Ngee Ann Kongsi President Dr Lim Kee Ming Similarly, NUS President Prof Tan Chorh Chuan conveyed the University s deep gratitude for the contributions of the donors, NUS board members and NUSS community. He said: Together with government matching, your generous support will provide NUS with the resources to establish the academic programmes so crucial for the success of UTown. UTown s physical facilities are excellent. However, it will be the software and special programmes that will make the greatest impact on our students and community, said Prof Tan. Mr Lee Kuan Yew conferred NUSS Honorary Membership The ceremony to honour UTown s Founding Benefactors also saw the conferment of an NUSS Honorary Membership on one of NUS most distinguished alumni, Mr Lee Kuan Yew, in recognition of his invaluable contributions to Singapore. Said NUSS President Mr Johnny Tan: As the founding father of modern Singapore, Mr Lee s visionary and transformative leadership of Singapore has enabled our country to make remarkable progress since independence. He added that NUSS is extremely honoured by Mr Lee s gracious acceptance of the Membership. Giving the citation on Mr Lee, Chairman of the East Asian Institute and NUS University Professor Wang Gungwu focused on the early years of Mr Lee s links with the University as a student of NUS predecessor institution, Raffles College, from 1940 to 1941. Prof Wang noted that the small Raffles College punched above its weight at a time of great turmoil and produced many of the leaders who gave modern Singapore the new start it needed. Mr Lee Kuan Yew of that Raffles College is an inspiration for NUS, NUSS, Singapore and beyond, said Prof Wang. World s leading experts in materials research converge at ICMAT 2011 KNOWLEDGE ENTERPRISE 4 The 6th International Conference on Materials for Advanced Technologies (ICMAT), organised by the Materials Research Society of Singapore (MRS-S) in association with NUS, Singapore s Agency for Science, Technology and Research and Nanyang Technological University, was held from 27 June to 1 July 2011 at Suntec Singapore. Involving more than 3,000 international delegates, it is the largest turnout ICMAT has seen since its inaugural conference in 2001. Among the attendees and speakers were many industry experts and renowned scientists in materials science and engineering, including four Nobel Laureates. Officiating at the opening ceremony was Singapore s Minister of Trade and Industry Mr Lim Hng Kiang. NUS President Prof Tan Chorh Chuan, who also graced the occasion, noted that conferences like ICMAT play a critical role in fostering the types of interaction and collaboration among experts in different fields that are necessary to address key R&D issues across disciplines. MRS-S President Prof B V R Chowdari from the NUS Department of Physics, said that since the first ICMAT, the biennial conference had become known in the materials science community as a respected platform for the sharing of information and celebration of the inquiring mind.

First interdisciplinary degree programme in environmental studies at NUS Starting from this new academic year, students can opt to pursue a Bachelor of Environmental Studies at NUS. This programme, which draws expertise from eight NUS faculties, is the first interdisciplinary undergraduate degree course offered by the University. It answers the need to develop expertise and nurture young talents who can think broadly and deeply about environmental issues, in view of the complex and interconnected environmental issues faced by the world today. The four-year direct Honours degree programme was designed by a taskforce led by highly respected conservationist Prof Leo Tan of the Faculty of Science (FoS) and well-known sociologist Assoc Prof Paulin Straughan from the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences (FASS). Students will acquire a solid foundation on environmental issues through a broad-based curriculum in their first two years, and specialise in either Environmental Biology hosted by the FoS or Environmental Geography hosted by the FASS in their third and final year of studies. Besides unique integrated modules, the curriculum also encompasses field trips, internship opportunities and roundtable discussions with top policymakers and industry captains. PhD students receive WFF prize in environmental and sustainability research The World Future Foundation (WFF) presented PhD Prizes in Environment and Sustainability Research to 10 students from NUS and the Nanyang Technological University this year. The top five students from both universities, with completed PhD theses related to the environment, sustainability and metropolis of the future, were each awarded US$10,000. Addressing the winners, NUS Vice Provost (Education) Prof Tan Thiam Soon cited the important global challenges of climate change, energy, water and food and noted that it is pivotal for the best young scientists and engineers to research and develop sustainable solutions that can turn potential disasters into opportunities. (From left) Winners Dr Babarao Ravichandar, Dr Liu Hongjun, Dr Mano Kalaiarasan, WFF Board Member Mr Chan Siew Wei and Chairman Dr Feng Lun, Prof Tan Thiam Soon, winner Dr Augustine Quek Tai Yong, and Associate Provost (Graduate Education) Prof Mohan Kankanhalli representing winner Dr Wang Jianjun Incepted last year, the Prize is supported by WFF, a philanthropic foundation established by social entrepreneur and real estate tycoon Dr Feng Lun. NUS partners Agilent Technologies in environmental research Agilent Technologies Inc. and the NUS Environmental Research Institute (NERI) forged an alliance to leverage on each other s strengths in life sciences and chemical analyses. This marked the first time Agilent collaborated with a university in environmental science and engineering in Southeast Asia. Under the collaboration, part of NERI s new laboratory located at the NUS was equipped with Agilent instruments for chemical and bioanalysis and electronic measurement. This facility provides NUS researchers with state-of-the-art instrumentation to conduct studies on water, air, soil, food and biospecimens, leading to applications that will benefit the research community, industry and society at large. Used primarily by NERI researchers, this facility is also open to international scientists and engineers who collaborate with NERI on environmental research. Agilent and NERI will also work closely to organise joint seminars and training programmes as well as publish scientific papers on environmental issues. AUGUST 2011 5

ACCOLADES NUS researcher wins Singapore s highest youth accolade Assoc Prof Teo Yik Ying from the NUS Departments of Statistics & Applied Probability and Epidemiology & Public Health was one of the five winners of this year s Singapore Youth Award (SYA). He was recognised for his achievements and contributions to the community in the fields of Science and Technology. As a statistical geneticist, Assoc Prof Teo had developed several novel and important methodological solutions to challenges in discovering the genetic causes of diseases such as diabetes, obesity and malaria. He had received many substantial grants and prestigious fellowships and awards, including the 2010 Young Scientist Award conferred by the Singapore National Academy of Sciences, and teaching excellence awards by the University of Oxford and NUS. Humbled by the award, Assoc Prof Teo said: I shall certainly try my best not to disappoint the people who have believed in me and nominated me to inspire and motivate young people in science. Besides Assoc Prof Teo, the other four winners of SYA 2011 included a film-maker, a community youth leader, a team of cyber wellness trailblazers, and an entrepreneur Mr Darius Cheung, who is an NUS alumnus. Mr Cheung, who has been actively providing guidance to the local start-up community, co-founded tencube with three fellow graduates. Highly impressed with its breakthrough product WaveSecure, tencube was acquired by global security giant McAfee late last year. Assoc Prof Teo is recognised for his impactful research and inspiring mentorship of students Photo: National Youth Council Double feat for NUS in dragon boat race KNOWLEDGE ENTERPRISE 6 It was a four-year wait for this double victory but well worth all the sweat and tears. NUS won the Prime Minister Challenge Trophy for both the men s and women s dragon boat races on 10 July 2011, a feat not seen since 2007. All this while, the Trophy had eluded the men s team while the women s team continued to triumph in the race amongst the four local universities. With a new coach on board, the men s team adopted kayaking as a new approach to training and sought reinforcement from the NUS Canoeing team. The women s team also contended with the challenge of forming a full crew for the race this year. But they made it nevertheless, beating stiff competition to emerge the winner. Similarly, the men s team showed their mettle with an equally close finish, to the rapturous cheers of a jubilant crowd of NUS supporters. The winning teams with their supporters

Unveiling Singapore s first biodiversity encyclopedia NUS researchers from the Department of Biological Sciences spearheaded a bold book project to consolidate almost 200 years of studies on Singapore s natural history. This first-ever comprehensive reference work entitled Singapore Biodiversity An Encyclopedia of the Natural Environment and Sustainable Development was launched on 18 July 2011 by NUS Chancellor and Singapore President S R Nathan, in the presence of some 130 guests representing key stakeholders of environment conservation in Singapore. The 552-page publication, edited by Prof Peter Ng, Prof Richard Corlett and Assoc Prof Hugh Tan from the Department of Biological Sciences, highlights Singapore s achievements in conserving its rich natural heritage despite its small land area and dense urban landscape. It will serve as a very important resource and context, which will help inform our thinking and action to further improve our natural heritage, said NUS President Prof Tan Chorh Chuan. First mooted by Prof Ng, who is also the Director of the Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research, this book project had received strong support from prominent leaders, such as Chairman of the National Heritage Board Prof Tommy Koh and then Chairman of the National Parks Board (NParks) Prof Leo Tan. Prof Koh became the publication s Chief Advisor and Prof Leo Tan, the Chair of the Editorial Advisory Committee. The monumental work supported by NParks also involved 65 contributors from the academia, government agencies and environmental activist groups in Singapore, including the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources, Ministry of National Development, National Environment Agency and Nature Society (Singapore). (From left) Prof Peter Ng; Mr Poon Hong Yuen, Board Member and Chief Executive Officer of NParks; President S R Nathan; Mr Mah Bow Tan, former Minister for National Development; Prof Tan Chorh Chuan and Mr Didier Millet, Managing Director of Editions Didier Millet at the book launch President Nathan himself was the project s patron who enabled substantial funding to be secured. Within a year and a half, a total of S$1.1 million was raised through generous donations from individuals and companies such as ExxonMobil Asia Pte Ltd, Keppel Corporation Ltd, Lee Foundation, Ngee Ann Kongsi, Mr Sam Goi and Mr Oei Hong Leong. This publication informs the people living in Singapore that though the island has lost most of its forests, mangroves and much of its reefs, its biodiversity is still rich and needs to be conserved. Prof Peter Ng (From left) Prof Leo Tan, Prof Peter Ng and Prof Tommy Koh proudly displaying their book Book highlights 23 essays offering a detailed introduction to Singapore s natural environment and conservation efforts, covering topics such as environmental threats, public policy and sustainable development A-Z guide with over 1,500 entries describing some 40,000 non-microbial species of organisms More than 2,000 photos, illustrations, graphs and maps AUGUST 2011 7

Asia s first aquatic science centre spearheads studies on freshwater management Built along the banks of Sungei Ulu Pandan is a state-of-the-art research facility where in-depth studies on freshwater management can be carried out on-site. This Aquatic Science Centre (ASC), the first such centre in Asia, was officially launched on 6 July 2011 by the Singapore-Delft Water Alliance (SDWA). Headed by Assoc Prof Vladan Babovic, SDWA is a multi-disciplinary research centre jointly supported by NUS, Singapore s national water agency PUB and Dutch research institute Deltares. At the ASC opening ceremony, Singapore Minister for the Environment and Water Resources Dr Vivian Balakrishnan said: The Centre s research findings will help PUB develop sustainable solutions to keep our waterways and catchments clean and attractive. This is crucial for Singapore where two-thirds of our land area is now water catchment. (From left) Prof Tan Chorh Chuan, Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, Ambassador of the Netherlands to Singapore H E Johannes Jansing, and Managing Director of Deltares Mr Harry Baayen at the ASC opening ceremony The S$6.4 million ASC has a wellequipped indoor environmental and eco-toxicology laboratory for analysing environmental samples, and cutting-edge outdoor work areas such as a bioflume with high precision scanning devices, a plant nursery, flowtanks, biosorption columns and a meteorological station. It also boasts of a 95-metre long wave-like transparent roof as well as rain water collection and in-house waste water treatment capabilities. Donors help set up Ong Pang Boon Bursary The philanthropic support that NUS receives from its alumni and friends provides financial aid and enriched learning opportunities for its students, said NUS President Prof Tan Chorh Chuan. He was speaking at an appreciation lunch on 19 July 2011, held to commemorate the establishment of the Ong Pang Boon Bursary at NUS. Prof Tan said: Last year, gifts to NUS helped to fund nearly 2,000 bursary awards to our students. The Ong Pang Boon Bursary will continue that tradition and commitment to ensure that no deserving student is denied an opportunity of studying at NUS due to financial difficulties. KNOWLEDGE ENTERPRISE 8 A distinguished alumnus, Mr Ong Pang Boon has been lauded as one of the architects of modern Singapore. He was a minister in Singapore s first Cabinet in 1959, and had held various important ministerial portfolios until the mid 1980s. Thanking Mr Ong for allowing NUS to recognise his achievements in this way, Prof Tan also conveyed the University s gratitude to all those who made the Ong Pang Boon Bursary possible, particularly Ms Pang Cheng Lian, Mr Tang See Chim and Mr Lim Soo Peng, who championed the cause. KNOWLEDGE ENTERPRISE n AUGUST 2011 VOLUME 11 NO. 02 Editor: Fua Lee Na n Writer: Veronique Y W Ah Sen n Distribution Manager: Matthew Seah Office of Corporate Relations, National University of Singapore University Hall, Lee Kong Chian Wing UHL#05-03, 21 Lower Kent Ridge Road, Singapore 119077 Tel: (65) 6601 1341 Fax: (65) 6775 6386 E-mail: Knowledge_Enterprise@nus.edu.sg Website: newshub.nus.edu.sg ISSN 0219-614X Company Registration Number: 200604346E Mr Ong receiving a gift of appreciation from President Nathan The Ong Pang Boon Bursary received gifts totalling S$2.28 million. Together with the government matching grant, the funds will form an endowment that will benefit up to 20 deserving undergraduate students chosen from across the University every year. If you wish to know more about giving to NUS, please call Ms Ho Yuen Kwan at (+65) 6516 5755 or email askdvo@nus.edu.sg Cover photo: Education Minister Mr Heng Swee Keat (centre) with two new graduates.