From climate change to the data explosion of the AI era, the challenges facing the world are growing ever more urgent and complex. At CDE Industry Day 2025, thought leaders from academia and industry stressed that meeting these challenges will require bolder partnerships, stronger talent pipelines and faster translation of research into real-world solutions.
Held on 26 September 2025, the annual event brought together leading voices from industry, academia and government under the theme Bridging Academia and Industry for Global Impact.
As well as keynote talks and a panel discussion, the atrium of the EA building was transformed into a showcase of CDE’s latest innovations and solutions, featuring more than 30 exhibits. Projects on show spanned sustainable construction and materials, clean energy and renewables, waste-to-resource technologies, robotics and AI applications, as well as sustainable computing and infrastructure, reflecting both the multidisciplinary expertise at CDE and its strong partnerships with industry.
From lab to market
Opening the day Professor Teo Kie Leong, Dean of CDE, used his welcome to address to highlight three pillars that underpin CDE’s approach to innovation: collaboration, translation and talent. These, he noted, are essential to ensure ideas move quickly from lab to market.
“Beyond the deep expertise of our faculty and researchers, our students are trained to think across disciplines and to create values in context. They are, in many ways, our superpower for innovation,” he said.
Professor Silvija Gradečak-Garaj, Vice Dean of CDE (Research and Technology), followed with a presentation on aspects of the College’s cutting-edge research ranging from AI models to map urban carbon emissions, to advances in semiconductor interconnects and next-generation solar cells.
“Across the world, we face challenges that are too urgent, too complex, and too global for any sector to solve alone,” she said. “These very challenges also open opportunities for us to work together and find solutions together.”
Cementing partnerships
To further strengthen CDE’s ties with industry leaders, the day also saw the College signing four new Memoranda of Understanding with Delta Electronics, GlobalFoundries, Micron and Stats ChipPAC, cementing partnerships that will expand research and create opportunities for students and researchers alike.
The programme then shifted to industry perspectives, with keynote speakers offering insights into how Singapore can maintain its edge in semiconductors and sustainability.
Mr Krishnan Subramanian, Corporate Vice President of NAND Technology Integration at Micron Technology, underscored Singapore’s role as a strategic hub for semiconductors, with 30 per cent of the firm’s global workforce based here. In the first keynote of the day, Mr Subramanian said that with AI driving exponential demand for memory and storage, Singapore’s position as Micron’s NAND Centre of Excellence has never been more critical.
“Singapore may be a dot on the world map, but it is a vital node in the global semiconductor industry,” he said, urging students to see opportunities in shaping the future of AI-powered technologies.
The second keynote by Mr Tan Szue Hann, Director of ESG Strategy at Keppel Ltd and a CDE alumnus, focused on sustainability. He highlighted the importance of adaptive reuse in the built environment, upgrading and reusing existing structures rather than tearing them down as a way to cut carbon emissions while creating economic value. He also spotlighted examples of academic research applied in real-world projects, from hybrid cooling systems on campus to net-zero retrofits in commercial buildings.
Catalyst for innovation
The day wrapped up with a lively panel session titled Positioning Singapore as a Tech and Talent Development Hub for Global Impact, featuring the two keynote speakers and Professor Cecilia Laschi, Provost’s Chair Professor of Robotics at CDE.
In the session moderated by Professor Yeo Yee Chia, Deputy Chief Executive of the Agency for Science, Technology, and Research (A*STAR), the panellists discussed a range of topics, from accelerating Singapore’s innovation culture, steps that the government can take to speed up the adoption of new technologies and ways to bolster Singapore’s tech talent pipeline.
CDE Industry Day 2025 underscored a clear message: addressing the urgent challenges of our time demands not only breakthrough research, but also strong partnerships, bold thinking, and the cultivation of future-ready talent.
Bringing together academia, industry and government, the event reaffirmed CDE’s role as a catalyst for innovation with global impact.
“The spirit of Industry Day is about transforming our intention into action,” Prof Teo had told the audience in his welcome address. “We aim to lead with clearer pathways, firmer commitment, and faster cycles from lab to market.”
