HIGHLIGHTS
CDE GIVING
What does the calculus of Net Zero by 2050 mean -
Sharing by Visiting Seatrium Professor Dr Christopher Wiernecki
Dr Christopher Wiernicki, the Chairman and CEO of the American Bureau of Shipping, delivered the inaugural Seatrium Public Lecture on Friday, 23 February 2024. During the lecture, attended by over 400 participants, he highlighted the challenges and opportunities that shipping companies will face to meet Net Zero by 2050.
Dr Wiernicki is the first Visiting Seatrium Professor appointed under the Seatrium Professorship Gift Agreement between NUS and Seatrium. This Gift Agreement is designed to attract top talent in energy transition and sustainability to Singapore to promote knowledge transfer that will lead to the development of innovative technology.
With over 35 years of experience, Dr Wiernicki is a member of the National Infrastructure Advisory Council, where he advises the White House on risk reduction and resilience in America’s infrastructure sectors. In 2023, he was also a member of the Maritime International Advisory Panel, established by the Ministry of Transport and Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore. That same year, he received the GREEN4SEA Leadership Award for his outstanding contributions to sustainability.
After a deep dive into the current issues, Dr Wiernicki posed these questions to the audience
- How do we turn challenges into opportunities?
- What do we do when problems are real, stakes are high, time is short and abstract are inadequate?
- What is the real chemistry for success?
- What is the real fuel of the future?
Reminding the audience that success is a team sport, the speaker shared that there is now a ‘whole new generation’ of public-private partnerships working together. He forecasts a tremendous amount of investment towards ideas on new infrastructure, citing research in clean marine hubs and green corridors. But these changes will take time and talent.
Addressing the students, he shared that the talent equation had changed. It is no longer about age, experience and training but skills, continuous learning, and systems thinking. More specifically, he said the key is the ability “to…be continuous learners” and to adapt to the speed of change in technology. With the speed of technology changes, everyone must be able to adapt. He asked students to be “the quarterbacks” and to be the ones that help collectively solve the problems ahead. “We are counting on you.” This was Dr Wiernicki’s ringing call to action for our students, and it ended the lecture on a high note of hope and possibility.
The evening was a reminder of the long-standing relationship between both institutions. We are very grateful for the contribution and support of Seatrium. The many weeks of planning have finally brought the Inaugural Seatrium Public Lecture to fruition. We look forward to deeper ties in collaborative research and education in energy transition and sustainability.
A celebration of love and giving
Love was in the air as alumni and friends of NUS CDE attended the Celebration of Love & Giving event organised by the Alumni Student Advancement Committee, held on 16 February 2024.
It was an occasion for alumni members and donors to come together and celebrate not just the connection with their loved ones, but with the larger NUS community as well.
We heard from bursary recipients, as they shared about their experiences in NUS, and how the generous donations from alumni and donors helped to empower their journeys. Recent NUS graduate Mr Indra Putra Kamsan (Chemical Engineering, Class ’23), shared "With this financial support, I could focus on my studies and fully immerse myself in the rich university experience. Now, with a stable job, I am closer to achieving my goals of supporting my family and providing a comfortable home for my father, thanks to the support I received from the NUS community.”
We are grateful for the continued generosity of alumni and donors who helped to support the aspirations of deserving students at NUS.
Read more at: From love to generosity: Alumni couples and donors raise over S$677,250 (nus.edu.sg)