INDUSTRY & INNOVATION
NUS CDE deepens semiconductor AI push through industry collaboration and talent development
NUS CDE is advancing semiconductor innovation through two new AI-focused efforts in research and education. A Memorandum of Understanding signed on 10 June 2026 strengthens CDE’s partnership with Applied Materials to use AI in speeding up semiconductor process development through the Applied Materials-NUS Advanced Materials Corporate Lab. At the same time, CDE will introduce a new Applied AI for Materials and Process Engineering specialisation under the MSc in Semiconductor Technology and Operations from August 2026, equipping students to apply AI and computational tools to semiconductor and advanced manufacturing challenges. Together, these moves strengthen CDE’s role in driving industry-relevant research and preparing talent for an AI-enabled semiconductor future.
Read more here.
STDCT partnerships strengthen water resilience in Singapore’s data centres
The Sustainable Tropical Data Centre Testbed, hosted at NUS CDE, is partnering with PUB, SGTech’s Data Centre Chapter and the Singapore Water Association to develop more sustainable water solutions for Singapore’s growing data centre sector. As Singapore’s first tropical data centre testbed, STDCT supports the testing and validation of technologies for high-temperature, high-humidity environments, with partners focusing on areas such as water-lite cooling, heat rejection systems, balancing water and power usage effectiveness, best practices for tropical operations, and sector-wide capacity building. Together, these efforts aim to strengthen water resilience, improve resource efficiency and support the sustainable growth of data centres in Singapore.
Read more here.
NUS teams win Boeing BUILD 2026 with solutions for aviation, safety and sustainability
Organised by Boeing in partnership with NUS Enterprise, the Boeing University Innovation Leadership Development (BUILD) Programme supports innovators tackling real-world challenges in areas such as advanced technology, sustainability, and social and cultural impact. Winners were selected from ten finalist teams after a week-long bootcamp and a demonstration day. As the top three teams, Team Coolah, Team Maleo and Team Urbanflow each received USD 10,000 in funding and three months of incubation support to further develop their ideas.
Read more here
Indoor Air 2026 aims to advance healthier indoor spaces
“Indoor air quality is no longer a niche technical concern; it is a health imperative that affects how we live, work, and learn in dense urban environments.”
That was the message from Associate Professor Tham Kwok Wai serving as Conference President of Indoor Air 2026, the world’s leading conference on indoor air quality.
Co-organised by the Department of the Built Environment and the Singapore Green Building Council, the four-day conference opened on 15 June 2026 bringing together more than 900 academics, engineers, medical practitioners, policymakers and industry experts from around the world.
Under the theme “Enhancing Wellbeing in Existential Challenges: Deepening Understanding, Building Resilience”, Indoor Air 2026 focuses on how buildings can better support health, wellbeing and resilience in the face of challenges including climate change, pandemics, decarbonisation and urbanisation.
CDE researchers are contributing expertise in areas including ventilation, indoor air quality and healthier built environments, including through a key session on airborne outbreaks in confined and high-occupancy spaces, co-convened by Professor Chandra Sekhar.
“The knowledge exchanged here over the next four days will deepen insights, drive innovation, and shape building standards and policies for years to come,” said Assoc Prof Tham.
Read more here
NUS CDE and BW Digital partner to advance quantum-ready data centre infrastructure for Southeast Asia
NUS CDE and BW Digital have launched a strategic research collaboration to build the engineering foundations for next-generation quantum-ready digital infrastructure suited to Southeast Asia’s tropical conditions. The partnership deepens BW Digital’s engagement with Singapore’s AI and quantum research ecosystem while supporting its investments in future-ready infrastructure. It also supports Singapore’s broader ambitions in artificial intelligence, high-performance computing and quantum technologies, while strengthening its role as a leading regional data centre hub.
Read more here.
HIGHLIGHTS
INDUSTRY & INNOVATION
NUS CDE deepens semiconductor AI push through industry collaboration and talent development
NUS CDE is advancing semiconductor innovation through two new AI-focused efforts in research and education. A Memorandum of Understanding signed on 10 June 2026 strengthens CDE’s partnership with Applied Materials to use AI in speeding up semiconductor process development through the Applied Materials-NUS Advanced Materials Corporate Lab. At the same time, CDE will introduce a new Applied AI for Materials and Process Engineering specialisation under the MSc in Semiconductor Technology and Operations from August 2026, equipping students to apply AI and computational tools to semiconductor and advanced manufacturing challenges. Together, these moves strengthen CDE’s role in driving industry-relevant research and preparing talent for an AI-enabled semiconductor future.
Read more here.
STDCT partnerships strengthen water resilience in Singapore’s data centres
The Sustainable Tropical Data Centre Testbed, hosted at NUS CDE, is partnering with PUB, SGTech’s Data Centre Chapter and the Singapore Water Association to develop more sustainable water solutions for Singapore’s growing data centre sector. As Singapore’s first tropical data centre testbed, STDCT supports the testing and validation of technologies for high-temperature, high-humidity environments, with partners focusing on areas such as water-lite cooling, heat rejection systems, balancing water and power usage effectiveness, best practices for tropical operations, and sector-wide capacity building. Together, these efforts aim to strengthen water resilience, improve resource efficiency and support the sustainable growth of data centres in Singapore.
Read more here.
NUS teams win Boeing BUILD 2026 with solutions for aviation, safety and sustainability
Organised by Boeing in partnership with NUS Enterprise, the Boeing University Innovation Leadership Development (BUILD) Programme supports innovators tackling real-world challenges in areas such as advanced technology, sustainability, and social and cultural impact. Winners were selected from ten finalist teams after a week-long bootcamp and a demonstration day. As the top three teams, Team Coolah, Team Maleo and Team Urbanflow each received USD 10,000 in funding and three months of incubation support to further develop their ideas.
Read more here
Indoor Air 2026 aims to advance healthier indoor spaces
“Indoor air quality is no longer a niche technical concern; it is a health imperative that affects how we live, work, and learn in dense urban environments.”
That was the message from Associate Professor Tham Kwok Wai serving as Conference President of Indoor Air 2026, the world’s leading conference on indoor air quality.
Co-organised by the Department of the Built Environment and the Singapore Green Building Council, the four-day conference opened on 15 June 2026 bringing together more than 900 academics, engineers, medical practitioners, policymakers and industry experts from around the world.
Under the theme “Enhancing Wellbeing in Existential Challenges: Deepening Understanding, Building Resilience”, Indoor Air 2026 focuses on how buildings can better support health, wellbeing and resilience in the face of challenges including climate change, pandemics, decarbonisation and urbanisation.
CDE researchers are contributing expertise in areas including ventilation, indoor air quality and healthier built environments, including through a key session on airborne outbreaks in confined and high-occupancy spaces, co-convened by Professor Chandra Sekhar.
“The knowledge exchanged here over the next four days will deepen insights, drive innovation, and shape building standards and policies for years to come,” said Assoc Prof Tham.
Read more here
NUS CDE and BW Digital partner to advance quantum-ready data centre infrastructure for Southeast Asia
NUS CDE and BW Digital have launched a strategic research collaboration to build the engineering foundations for next-generation quantum-ready digital infrastructure suited to Southeast Asia’s tropical conditions. The partnership deepens BW Digital’s engagement with Singapore’s AI and quantum research ecosystem while supporting its investments in future-ready infrastructure. It also supports Singapore’s broader ambitions in artificial intelligence, high-performance computing and quantum technologies, while strengthening its role as a leading regional data centre hub.
Read more here.