FACULTY AWARDS & RECOGNITION
Prof Liu Bin named Fellow of the National Academy of Inventors
For her contributions to invention and real-world impact, Prof Liu Bin has been named a Fellow of the National Academy of Inventors (NAI), the highest professional distinction awarded solely to inventors.
Prof Liu, currently NUS Deputy President (Research and Technology) and holder of the Tan Chin Tuan Centennial Professorship, is among 16 International Fellows named to the NAI’s 2025 cohort. The honour recognises inventors whose patented technologies have delivered tangible societal and economic impact.
Announcing the 2025 cohort, NAI President Dr Paul R. Sanberg said: “NAI Fellows are a driving force within the innovation ecosystem, and their contributions across scientific disciplines are shaping the future of our world.”
A world-renowned researcher in organic functional materials, Prof Liu is best known for her ground-breaking work on how organic semiconductors emit light. Her research has enabled new applications in areas such as advanced medical diagnostics, optical data encryption and long-lasting light-emitting devices. She holds more than 30 patents, many of which have been licensed globally, reflecting her strong commitment to translating research into practical solutions.
Her election as an NAI Fellow adds to a distinguished list of honours, including the President’s Science Award in 2024 and election to the US National Academy of Engineering in 2022.
The 2025 class of NAI Fellows will be formally honoured at the Academy’s 15th Annual Conference on 4 June 2026 in Los Angeles.
Three CDE faculty named IEEE Fellows for 2026
CDE faculty members Prof Aaron Thean, Prof Yeo Yee-Chia and Assoc Prof Liang Yung Chii have been elected Fellows of IEEE, recognising their outstanding contributions to the field of electrical and computer engineering.
The IEEE fellowship is announced annually and is conferred on individuals with an exceptional record of accomplishments.
Prof Aaron Thean, who is also NUS Deputy President (Academic Affairs) and Provost, was elected “for leadership in logic transistor innovations in non-silicon channels and non-planar device technologies,” helping to advance next-generation transistor designs for continued improvements in computing performance.
Prof Yeo Yee Chia was elected “for contributions to high-mobility FinFET processing technologies,” with work that has strengthened advanced chip fabrication for faster, lower-power microelectronics.
Assoc Prof Liang Yung Chii was elected “for innovative contributions in designing power semiconductor devices and integrated circuits for power electronic applications,” supporting more efficient power conversion in systems such as electric vehicles, renewable energy and data centres.
All three faculty are members of the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering.
IEEE is the world’s largest professional technical organisation dedicated to advancing technology related to electricity, electronics, computing, communications and related fields.
The IEEE Fellow grade is the organisation’s highest level of membership. Each year, fewer than 0.1 per cent of IEEE’s total membership are elevated to Fellow status through a rigorous peer-review process, making it one of the most selective honours in the engineering and technology community.
Assoc Prof Hwang Yun Hye wins Silver at SLAA for Campus Rewilding Research
Congratulations to Assoc Prof Hwang Yun Hye on winning Silver in the Research, Analysis & Planning category at this year’s Singapore Landscape Architecture Awards (SLAA). Her project, “Rewilding Campus as a Sustainable Landscape Design and Management Guideline,” distils a decade of research into ecologically sustainable guidelines—demonstrating how rewilding increases native flora and fauna, strengthens environmental outcomes, and involves active stakeholders across four diverse campus sites.
Read more about how her campus rewilding project establishes a resilient framework for alternative green spaces in urban settings here.
DBE team clinches Best Presentation Award at ACM BuildSys 2025
A team consisting of Assistant Professor Ali Ghahramani and DBE graduate Iqbal Shah recently presented their study on ultrawide-band (UWB) hardware at The 12th ACM International Conference on Systems for Energy-Efficient Buildings, Cities, and Transportation (BuildSys 2025) held in Colorado, USA from 20-21 November 2025.
Their study demonstrates how the built-in UWB hardware in smartphones can be effectively unlocked and paired with a digital-twin framework to achieve accurate indoor occupant localisation, enabling precise and reliable control of smart directional fans in real building environments.
Asst Prof Tedrick Lew receives Next ASEAN Innovator Award 2025
Congratulations to Assistant Professor Tedrick Lew on being awarded the Next ASEAN Innovator Award 2025.
Supported by Government of the Republic of Korea, the Ministry of Science and ICT, the Science and Technology Policy Institute (STEPI) the The ASEAN Secretariat (ASEAN), the award recognises outstanding early-career ASEAN researchers advancing science and technology through collaboration with Korean institutions.
The award ceremony was held on 25 November 2025 and was graced by Mr Koo Hyuk-Chae, First Vice Minister at the Ministry of Science and ICT, Republic of Korea.
Selected from 94 applicants, Asst Prof Lew was honoured for research on implantable nanoscale plant sensors and nanoparticle-based delivery systems that enhance plant stress tolerance — work that aims to solve climate change and food security problems.
“I’m honoured to receive this award, which reflects not only our research but the collective effort of many students and collaborators who believe in building climate-resilient agriculture,” said Asst Prof Lew. “This recognition motivates us to keep pushing the boundaries of what is possible.”
Read more: https://cde.nus.edu.sg/news-detail/asst-prof-tedrick-lew-receives-next-asean-innovator-award-2025/
Asst Prof Lum Yanwei honoured with 2025 WIN Rising Star Award
“This award encourages me to continue innovating and collaborating to tackle the most difficult scientific challenges in nanoscience and CO2 conversion catalysis.”
Congratulations to Assistant Professor Lum Yanwei on being named the recipient of the 2025 WIN Rising Star Award in Nanoscience and Nanotechnology by the Waterloo Institute for Nanotechnology (WIN) in Canada.
The annual award from WIN, Canada’s largest nanotechnology institute, recognises outstanding emerging international researchers whose work aligns with WIN’s own research thematic areas and with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals.
Asst Prof Lum joined CDE as a Presidential Young Professor in 2021. His research interests focus on electrochemical CO2 reduction and other sustainable chemical transformations using renewable electricity to turn waste carbon emissions into valuable products.
Commenting on the news, Asst Prof Lum said the recognition “strengthens my commitment to advancing electrochemical CO2 conversion from fundamental mechanisms to systems level innovation and to contributing solutions that support a more sustainable and circular carbon economy.”
This latest award adds to Asst Prof Lum’s growing list of accolades, which include the ASEAN-ROK Next ASEAN Innovator Award (2021) and being named one of the MIT TR35 Innovators Under 35 Asia Pacific (2022).
Asst Prof Lum will officially receive the award and deliver a keynote address at the institute’s WIN Day event on 1 May 2026.
Elevated to Fellow of the Institution of Engineering and Technology (FIET)
Congratulations to Prof Ang Kah Wee on his appointment as Fellow of the Institution of Engineering and Technology (FIET).
The IET Fellowship is conferred upon individuals who have demonstrated sustained and significant achievements in engineering, technology, or related disciplines over a minimum of five years. As the highest grade of membership within the IET, the FIET designation recognises professional distinction, leadership, and impact on the engineering community.
Appointed IEEE Fellow Committee Member for 2026-2027 & Chair of IEEE IAS Andrew W Smith Outstanding Young member Achievement Award Committee for 2026
Professor Akshay Kumar Rathore has been appointed as an IEEE Fellow Committee Member for 2026-2027. The IEEE Fellow Committee is a high-level committee responsible for reviewing Fellow nominations and recommending a final slate of candidates to the IEEE Board of Directors for elevation to the prestigious grade of Fellow. This is a 52-member committee representing the 10 IEEE Regions, 46 IEEE Societies/Technical Councils and various affiliations that evaluates over 1,200 nominations. Prof Rathore has also been appointed to Chair the IEEE IAS Andrew W Smith Outstanding Young Member Achievement Award Committee for 2026, renewable for an additional two years. This award is sponsored by the IEEE Industry Applications Society (IAS) and recognises outstanding achievement and contribution to the profession through involvement in IEEE IAS activities by an IAS member less than 35 years of age. Prof Rathore was the recipient of this award in 2013.