FACULTY AWARDS & RECOGNITION
NUS CDE’s Asst Prof He Xiaogang awarded Global Climate Research Prize
Assistant Professor He Xiaogang has been named the first recipient of the Global Climate Research Prize, a new biennial award founded by Clare Hall, University of Cambridge, and LUT University, Finland.
Asst Prof He was selected from a distinguished group of four finalists drawn from the world’s leading universities — including Stanford University, UC Berkeley, and the University of Toronto.
Presented on 10 June 2026 at the Cambridge Union Debating Chamber, the prize recognises published, high-quality research with transformative and transboundary implications for addressing climate change.
Asst Prof He’s research uses climate science, data analytics and resilience frameworks to better understand and manage extreme weather events. By showing how excess floodwater can be captured and stored for use during dry periods, his research is helping to shape practical solutions for managing water more reliably. This includes managed aquifer recharge, where floodwater is directed underground to replenish groundwater reserves.
The award includes a €200,000 (S$297,000) grant to the recipient’s institution to support the continued development and expansion of the winning research programme.
Read more here
Emeritus Professor Leung Chun Fai awarded ISSMGE Lifetime Achievement Medal
Emeritus Professor Leung Chun Fai has received the 2026 International Lifetime Achievement Medal from the International Society for Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering (ISSMGE).
Prof Leung received the medal from the ISSMGE President Dr Marc Ballous during the International Conference on Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering held in Vienna from 14 to 19 June.
The solid gold medal is among the top honours given by the Society.
The award is conferred through a rigorous selection process. Each national member society nominates one candidate, after which the top candidate from each continent advances to the global round, where the final recipients are selected.
ECE paper wins award at Asia-Pacific EMC symposium
A paper authored by Dr Zhao Zhenyu’s research group has received the Best Symposium Paper Award, 2nd Place, at the 2026 Asia-Pacific International Symposium and Exhibition on Electromagnetic Compatibility (APEMC 2026).
The paper, titled Phase Error Evaluation of Pin-Diode-Based Metasurfaces Under Electromagnetic Interference, was authored by Boyang Qian, Theng Huat Gan, Huamin Jie, Richard Xian-ke Gao and Zhenyu Zhao, with Dr Zhao serving as corresponding author.
APEMC is a leading international conference in electromagnetic compatibility and the major EMC conference in the Asia-Pacific region. Its 20th edition accepted around 230 papers from more than 20 countries and regions, with only three papers receiving top paper awards.
The awarded work focuses on active metasurfaces, advanced electromagnetic structures that can dynamically control wave propagation for applications including wireless communications, sensing, radar systems and intelligent electromagnetic technologies.
The team developed a quantitative framework to evaluate how strong electromagnetic interference can affect the performance of active metasurfaces. The findings provide insights into the reliability and limitations of reconfigurable metasurfaces in real-world electromagnetic environments, and will support Dr Zhao and his collaborators’ ongoing work to develop more robust next-generation metasurface technologies.
Prof Kenneth Huang Guang-Lih elected to Academy of Management Program Chair-Elect
Congratulations to Professor Kenneth Huang Guang-Lih on being elected as the Academy of Management (AOM) Technology and Innovation Management (TIM) Program Chair-Elect.
Prof. Huang will continue to serve the TIM Division over the next five years in a sequence of leadership roles, including Program Chair, Division Chair-Elect, Division Chair, and Past Division Chair.
The TIM Division encourages interdisciplinary scholarship and dialogue on the management of innovation and technological change from a variety of perspectives, including strategic, managerial, behavioral, and operational issues. The Division has around 3,535 members, making it one of the larger divisions within the Academy’s community of scholars.
The Academy of Management is regarded as the most prestigious global professional association in management and organisation studies, with a worldwide membership of over 21,000 worldwide.
Assoc Prof Zhang Huangwei receives international combustion science award
Associate Professor Zhang Huangwei has received the 2026 Hiroshi Tsuji Early Career Researcher Award, recognising his contributions to advancing combustion science research.
As the world looks for cleaner and safer energy systems, Assoc Prof Zhang’s research is helping scientists better understand how low-carbon fuels such as hydrogen and ammonia behave during combustion.
His work supports the development of future low-carbon energy technologies, while also strengthening Singapore’s capabilities in hydrogen, ammonia and energy system safety.
Assoc Prof Zhang said he was deeply honoured by the award, adding “this recognition reflects the rapid growth of combustion and clean energy research in Singapore, where strong collaborations among universities, research institutes, and industry are advancing next-generation sustainable energy technologies with global impact.”
He will be formally presented with the award, co-sponsored by The Combustion Institute and Elsevier, at the 41st International Symposium on Combustion in Kyoto, Japan, in July 2026.
Read more here
HIGHLIGHTS
FACULTY AWARDS & RECOGNITION
NUS CDE’s Asst Prof He Xiaogang awarded Global Climate Research Prize
Assistant Professor He Xiaogang has been named the first recipient of the Global Climate Research Prize, a new biennial award founded by Clare Hall, University of Cambridge, and LUT University, Finland.
Asst Prof He was selected from a distinguished group of four finalists drawn from the world’s leading universities — including Stanford University, UC Berkeley, and the University of Toronto.
Presented on 10 June 2026 at the Cambridge Union Debating Chamber, the prize recognises published, high-quality research with transformative and transboundary implications for addressing climate change.
Asst Prof He’s research uses climate science, data analytics and resilience frameworks to better understand and manage extreme weather events. By showing how excess floodwater can be captured and stored for use during dry periods, his research is helping to shape practical solutions for managing water more reliably. This includes managed aquifer recharge, where floodwater is directed underground to replenish groundwater reserves.
The award includes a €200,000 (S$297,000) grant to the recipient’s institution to support the continued development and expansion of the winning research programme.
Read more here
Emeritus Professor Leung Chun Fai awarded ISSMGE Lifetime Achievement Medal
Emeritus Professor Leung Chun Fai has received the 2026 International Lifetime Achievement Medal from the International Society for Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering (ISSMGE).
Prof Leung received the medal from the ISSMGE President Dr Marc Ballous during the International Conference on Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering held in Vienna from 14 to 19 June.
The solid gold medal is among the top honours given by the Society.
The award is conferred through a rigorous selection process. Each national member society nominates one candidate, after which the top candidate from each continent advances to the global round, where the final recipients are selected.
ECE paper wins award at Asia-Pacific EMC symposium
A paper authored by Dr Zhao Zhenyu’s research group has received the Best Symposium Paper Award, 2nd Place, at the 2026 Asia-Pacific International Symposium and Exhibition on Electromagnetic Compatibility (APEMC 2026).
The paper, titled Phase Error Evaluation of Pin-Diode-Based Metasurfaces Under Electromagnetic Interference, was authored by Boyang Qian, Theng Huat Gan, Huamin Jie, Richard Xian-ke Gao and Zhenyu Zhao, with Dr Zhao serving as corresponding author.
APEMC is a leading international conference in electromagnetic compatibility and the major EMC conference in the Asia-Pacific region. Its 20th edition accepted around 230 papers from more than 20 countries and regions, with only three papers receiving top paper awards.
The awarded work focuses on active metasurfaces, advanced electromagnetic structures that can dynamically control wave propagation for applications including wireless communications, sensing, radar systems and intelligent electromagnetic technologies.
The team developed a quantitative framework to evaluate how strong electromagnetic interference can affect the performance of active metasurfaces. The findings provide insights into the reliability and limitations of reconfigurable metasurfaces in real-world electromagnetic environments, and will support Dr Zhao and his collaborators’ ongoing work to develop more robust next-generation metasurface technologies.
Prof Kenneth Huang Guang-Lih elected to Academy of Management Program Chair-Elect
Congratulations to Professor Kenneth Huang Guang-Lih on being elected as the Academy of Management (AOM) Technology and Innovation Management (TIM) Program Chair-Elect.
Prof. Huang will continue to serve the TIM Division over the next five years in a sequence of leadership roles, including Program Chair, Division Chair-Elect, Division Chair, and Past Division Chair.
The TIM Division encourages interdisciplinary scholarship and dialogue on the management of innovation and technological change from a variety of perspectives, including strategic, managerial, behavioral, and operational issues. The Division has around 3,535 members, making it one of the larger divisions within the Academy’s community of scholars.
The Academy of Management is regarded as the most prestigious global professional association in management and organisation studies, with a worldwide membership of over 21,000 worldwide.
Assoc Prof Zhang Huangwei receives international combustion science award
Associate Professor Zhang Huangwei has received the 2026 Hiroshi Tsuji Early Career Researcher Award, recognising his contributions to advancing combustion science research.
As the world looks for cleaner and safer energy systems, Assoc Prof Zhang’s research is helping scientists better understand how low-carbon fuels such as hydrogen and ammonia behave during combustion.
His work supports the development of future low-carbon energy technologies, while also strengthening Singapore’s capabilities in hydrogen, ammonia and energy system safety.
Assoc Prof Zhang said he was deeply honoured by the award, adding “this recognition reflects the rapid growth of combustion and clean energy research in Singapore, where strong collaborations among universities, research institutes, and industry are advancing next-generation sustainable energy technologies with global impact.”
He will be formally presented with the award, co-sponsored by The Combustion Institute and Elsevier, at the 41st International Symposium on Combustion in Kyoto, Japan, in July 2026.
Read more here