Kuang Sze Chiang, Kevin

Biography

As an Associate Professor at the National University of Singapore (NUS) Faculty of Engineering, I emphasised on creating a student-centred collaborative learning environment in my class. I value team-based, systems thinking, and experiential learning through role-playing and aim to introduce these pedagogies in my courses. I integrate design-thinking methodology and develop my course design to promote problem identification and critical thinking skills needed to tackle complex real-world problems.

For my disciplinary research, I am passionate about developing and applying sensor technologies for damage detection and health monitoring in civil structures. With over 20 years of research experience in smart structures, optical fibre sensors, wireless sensors, and structural health monitoring, I have a proven track record of innovation and excellence in this field. I have commercialised an optical fibre sensor educational kit which is presently used in several schools in Singapore and holds several patents related to sensors. I have been invited to speak at various international conferences and venues such as the 20th International Plastic Optical Fibre Conference 2011 in Bilbao (Spain), JEC Innovative Composites Summit 2011 (Singapore), Institute of Engineers Singapore, Science at the Cafe @ Singapore Science Centre, Housing Development Board SHM Seminar.

Google Scholar page: http://scholar.google.com.sg/citations?user=oqThAEUAAAAJ&hl=en  

I have commercialized an optical fibre sensor educational kit and secured multiple patents for novel sensing technologies, such as load measurement for train track SHM, IoT sensors for monitoring the curing of concrete, smart thermal and electrical paint, and chemiluminescence-based sensors for landslide early warning. I am also a co-founder of an IoT sensor start-up ConcreteAI.io to monitor the early-age strength development of curing concrete, with the potential for significant improvement in operational efficiency in the construction industry. I have also published in various reputable journals and conferences and have been invited to speak at local and international venues.

I have taught large (>700) and small classes (<30) at college and department level including CE2407B Introduction to Numerical Methods. EG1109 Statics and Mechanics, CE3155 Structural Analysis, EG2401A Engineering Professionalism, CDE2501 Liveable Cities, CDE3504 Smart Cities, CE2102 Infrastructure and the Environment, CE5515 Structural Health Monitoring, CE3202 Data Acquisition for Civil Engineering Applications, EG3301 Design Thinking. For teaching, I have been awarded multiple teaching awards including the NUS Annual Excellence Teaching Award, Innovative Teaching Award, Engineering Educator Award and College Excellent Teaching Award.

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/kevinkuangsc

Qualifications

• BEng (1st Hons) 1995 University of Leeds, United Kingdom
• PhD 2002 University of Liverpool, United Kingdom
• MBA 2003 University of Leicester, United Kingdom
• Higher Education Teaching Certificate Harvard University, Derek Bok Center for Teaching and Learning 2023

Honours & Awards

• Singapore Millennium Foundation postdoctoral research fellowship (2003)
• University of Liverpool Postdoctoral Research Fellowship (2002)
• Overseas Research Scheme Scholarship (Universities-UK) (1998-2001) – PhD scholarship
• University of Liverpool International Postgraduate (PhD) Scholarship (1998-2001)
• European Union Joint Research Centre (Eu-JRC) Studentship (1999/2000)
• Third prize in the National Lecture Competition in London, UK (The Institute of Materials (UK) (2001)
• Represented the University of Liverpool in the British Young Engineers Reception (2001) at the House of Commons, London, UK
• University of Leeds, Tetley and Lupton International Undergraduate Scholarship (1993-1995)
• Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE UK) Project Prize (1995)
• MECOMB Precision Engineering Best All Round Top Performance Award (Singapore Polytechnic) (1991/92)

Teaching Awards

• NUS Annual Teaching Excellence Award AY2022/23
• NUS Annual Teaching Excellence Award AY2017/18
• CDE College Educator Award AY2022/23
• CDE College Educator Award AY2021/23
• FoE Engineering Educator Award AY2019/2020
• FoE Faculty Teaching Excellence Award AY2020/21
• FoE Innovative Teaching Award AY2019/2020
• FoE Innovative Teaching Award (Gold) AY2014/2015
• FoE Honours List AY2011/2012
• CEE Commendation List AY2013/2014

Invited Presentations

• Invited paper on Plastic Optical Fiber Sensor for Structural Health Monitoring at the 20^th International Plastic Optical Fibre Conference 2011 in Bilbao (Spain)
• Represented NUS and Zugo Photonics for ‘ A Special Afternoon Talk-Workshop’ entitled ‘Guiding Light to Sensing Right: An Optical Fibre Story’ at the SINGAPORE SCIENCE CENTRE on 23 March 2007. http://www.ies.org.sg/e-newsletter/Photonics.pdf
• Exhibited work on wireless monitoring with plastic optical fibre sensors at the NUS Technology Showcase 2006
• Invited to speak to SPRING SPORE Metrology Conference 2006 on the use of optical fibre sensors.
• Invited speaker for Department of Civil Engineering Afternoon Public Seminar entitled: Optical Fibre Nerves: Lighting the Path to Safer Structures (23rd September 2005)
• Invited speaker for Institute of Engineers Singapore/Inst. of Struct E (S) seminar (75 participants) entitle: Optical Fibre Sensors for Structural Health Monitoring (18th August 2005)
• Best speaker in the IOM3 National Lecture Competition in the North-West region of the UK. Represented North-West England in the National Lecture Competition in London, UK (Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining [IOM3], United Kingdom) (2001) and came in 3^rd place. The full article of the competition was featured in Materials World June 2001 magazine.

Professional Activities

• Editorial Board Member Smart Materials Research
• Regular Reviewer for:
• Sensors and Actuators A: Physical
• Measurement Science and Technology
• Composite Science and Technology
• Engineering Structures
• Smart Materials and Structures
• Journal of Materials Science
• Structural Stability and Dynamics
• Optics and Lasers in Engineering
• Composites Part A: Applied Science and Manufacturing
• Journal of Sensors
• Sensors

Teaching Areas

• Introduction to Numerical Methods for Engineering CE2407B
• Data Acquisition for Civil Engineers CE3202
• Smart Cities CDE3504
• Structural Health Monitoring CE5515
• Engineering Professionalism EG2401A
• Liveable Cities CDE2501

Selected Publications

1. Duan, D. Y., Kuang, K. S. C., Wang, Z. C., & Sun, X. T. (2023). Video Motion Magnification and Subpixel Edge Detection-Based Full-Field Dynamic Displacement Measurement. Structural Control and Health Monitoring, 2023.
2. Kuang, K. S. C., & Chan, W. T. (2023, March). Broadening the Perspective of the Roles of Civil Engineers–A Freshmen Module on How Engineers Solve Real-World Problems. In Proceedings of The 17th East Asian-Pacific Conference on Structural Engineering and Construction, 2022: EASEC-17, Singapore(pp. 353-359). Singapore: Springer Nature Singapore.
3. Ramani, V., Zhang, L., & Kuang, K. S. C. (2021). Probabilistic assessment of time to cracking of concrete cover due to corrosion using semantic segmentation of imaging probe sensor data. Automation in Construction, 132, 103963.
4. Ramani, V., & Kuang, K. S. C. (2021). Monitoring of rebar corrosion in concrete structures using a lens-based plastic optical fiber (LPOF) sensor. Construction and Building Materials, 276, 122129.
5. Ramani, V., & Kuang, K. S. C. (2020). Monitoring chloride ingress in concrete using an imaging probe sensor with sacrificial metal foil. Automation in Construction, 117, 103260.
6. Li, D., Kuang, K. S. C., & Koh, C. G. (2018). Rail crack monitoring based on Tsallis synchrosqueezed wavelet entropy of acoustic emission signals: A field study. Structural health monitoring, 17(6), 1410-1424.or with sacrificial metal foil. Automation in Construction, 117, 103260.
7. Zhang, S. L., Koh, C. G., & Kuang, K. S. C. (2018). Proposed rail pad sensor for wheel-rail contact force monitoring. Smart Materials and Structures, 27(11), 115041.
8. Kuang, K. S. C., Kenny, R., Whelan, M. P., Cantwell, W. J., & Chalker, P. R. (2001). Embedded fibre Bragg grating sensors in advanced composite materials. Composites Science and Technology, 61(10), 1379-1387.
9. Kuang, K. S. C., Cantwell, W. J., & Scully, P. J. (2002). An evaluation of a novel plastic optical fibre sensor for axial strain and bend measurements. Measurement Science and Technology, 13(10), 1523.
10. Kuang, K. S. C., Quek, S. T., & Maalej, M. (2008). Remote flood monitoring system based on plastic optical fibres and wireless motes. Sensors and Actuators A: Physical, 147(2), 449-455.