CDE GIVING
SPIE and CDE establish the Fellowship in Optical Science and Engineering
“Our world is full of excitement about the future, the fun of doing something new, and the satisfaction of understanding the laws of nature and what we might someday accomplish with them,” said Associate Professor Aaron Danner. An expert in optics and photonics, Assoc Prof Danner was instrumental in initiating the development of the SPIE-CDE Fellowship in Optical Science and Engineering and bringing it to CDE.
The SPIE Endowment Matching Program supports the Fellowship to enhance global capabilities in optics and photonics research, education and talent pipeline management. The US$1 million endowed fund was formed by a US$500,000 gift from SPIE, matched by a US$500,000 contribution from CDE through the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering.
The Fellowship will support a PhD student working in the field of optics and photonics at CDE. Dr Luo Qi, a post-doctoral fellow, added, "A scholarship in this field is not just a means of support; it’s a gateway to becoming part of something extraordinary, where it empowers the next generation of researchers to shape the future of science and industry."
Read more about the SPIE-CDE Fellowship here: https://cde.nus.edu.sg/news-detail/spie-and-cde-establish-the-fellowship-in-optical-science-and-engineering/
Students win Wee Hur Prize in Project Management course
The Department of the Built Environment (DBE) has been offering a Common Curriculum course, PF1101 Fundamentals of Project Management, since AY2021-2022. More than 5,300 students, both within and outside of the College of Design and Engineering, have now completed their training in project management.
In 2023, Wee Hur Holdings, a public listed company, made an endowed donation to the University to establish the Wee Hur Prize with a total of seven awards to be presented. These include awards for students with the top three highest marks for PF1101 each semester as well as the top graduating student from the BEng (Infrastructure and Project Management) or BSc (Project and Facilities Management) programme. The inaugural prizes for students with the top-three highest marks for PF1101 were presented by Mr Sua Chen Shiua, Executive Director of Wee Hur Construction Pte Ltd, on 13 January 2025. The three winners are Calvin Yeo Jiahao (Biomedical Engineering Year 1), Jen Le (Civil Engineering Year 1) and Ryan Ng Jingkai (Computer Engineering Year 1).
Helmed by DBE’s Professor Low Sui Pheng, a unique feature of this course is that students are given the opportunity to work on utilitarian projects to overcome challenges in 23 different industries which Singapore’s Ministry of Trade & Industry and the Future Economy Advisory Panel identified in various Industry Transformation Maps (ITM). This is the first and only course in the University where students from different design and engineering majors work together in multidisciplinary teams to solve real-life interdisciplinary ITM-related challenges in a VUCA environment that is volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous.
In this context, the three prize-winning students worked respectively on projects in the Air Transport, Food Services, and Professional Services industries (with a tourism focus). Calvin’s key takeaway from PF1101 is that it “transformed my perspective to recognise that project management is fundamentally about making informed decisions in uncertain conditions while not only managing but also motivating the people who will help bring your project to life.” Jen added that “PF1101 is about learning how to be an effective project manager, especially in a collaborative environment.” As Ryan shared, “I have learnt the many factors that go into consideration during the planning process of a project. Overall, this experience has shaped the way I approach projects in the future and is one I would consider a lesson for life.”
On the one important advice they would give for future students to maximise their learning outcomes from the course, Calvin alluded that “while technical knowledge is important, the real value comes from understanding how different stakeholders interact and how to strategically respond to their requests.” Jen advised future students to “not assume that a plan will stay the same throughout the project lifecycle; make sure to revisit and improve upon your plans - this is the key to iterative planning!” Finally, Ryan stressed “the importance of teamwork when working as a team. As the saying goes, the sum is greater than its parts."
DBE acknowledges the generosity given by Wee Hur Holdings to encourage students in this project management learning journey.
Master of Science (MSc) in Safety, Health and Environmental Technology students awarded for academic excellence
In 2021, the Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering Department raised funds through the generous contribution of Master of Science in Safety, Health and Environmental Technology (MSc SHE) Alumni, family, friends, and colleagues of Associate Professor Foo Swee Cheng. Their support, which amounted to $21,230 by 22 March 2022, was instrumental in establishing an award to encourage and recognise our postgraduate students in the MSc SHE degree programme who have displayed excellence in academics.
For Semester 1 AY2024-2025, the top two graduating MSc SHE students who have displayed academic excellence and outstanding achievements were awarded this prize.
- Best: Tan JinLiang Joshua (S$1,000 cash prize)
- Second Best: Li XuanChen (S$500 cash prize)