Photo credits: National Research Foundation, Singapore
EVENTS & OTHER HAPPENINGS
CDE students look to take their next big step at the NUS Career Fest 2025
Built on strong industry linkages, CDE equips students with the access and experience to launch careers in a wide range of sectors. At the NUS Career Fest 2025, more than 60 employers from industries such as semiconductor manufacturing, AI and IOT, renewable energy and many more, were excited to share the career opportunities available to our students.
Our students stood out for their preparation, technical knowledge, and eagerness to learn. As representative of Aumovio shared, “CDE students are well-prepared for the career fest and most have researched the company or checked the job postings. They know what job or internship they are pursuing.” Representative of Lonza echo this, noting, “Their strong foundation in technical knowledge and practical application, combined with adaptability and eagerness to learn, aligns perfectly with fast-paced industry environments.”
When asked about the qualities of CDE students that employers value the most, a representative of Univers said, “We value students who reflect a Challenger Mindset—they are curious, ask thoughtful questions, and take initiative to make an impact.” Meanwhile, Marvell’s representative highlighted that CDE students stand out not just for their technical skills, but also for their professionalism and attitude, thoughtful, curious, and eager to learn.
Reflecting on the experience, Sim Jing Heng (Year 2, Chemical Engineering) shared, “The Career Fest helped me learn more about the industry, key players in Singapore, and potential summer internships. It also sparked my interest in pharmaceutical-related roles.”
Through meaningful interactions with such companies, students not only learned about industry demands but also discovered how their strengths and curiosity can shape future career paths. CDE continues to support and equip students with the knowledge, skills, and confidence needed to navigate their future careers and seize opportunities across industries.
Fun, art, and togetherness at CDE Community Day
CDE Community Day was a whirlwind of fun and connection!
From exciting games to engaging arts and crafts activities, Community Day was an opportunity for everyone to take a breather and let loose. We can’t wait to see all the art pieces come together for the mural at To-gather! Keep your eyes peeled for when it goes up on display later this year!
ChBE community celebrates 50 years of innovation and impact
When Mr Lee Yi Shyan (Class of '86) first entered NUS, Fortran was the newest programming language and personal computers were still a novelty. Four decades later, speaking as Guest of Honour at the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering (ChBE) 50ᵗʰ Anniversary Gala Dinner, he reflected on how those early lessons in logic and systems thinking shaped not only his career but also Singapore’s broader story of progress.
"It is my belief that Singapore is what it is today because we have engineers at every level of leadership and decision-making.”
Mr Lee recounted his early career at MINDEF, where he learned to apply engineering reasoning to organisational systems. Later, during his time at the Economic Development Board, he worked on the concept of Jurong Island, which transformed seven separate islands into an integrated chemical and energy hub that now houses more than 100 world-class companies and sustains 27,000 high-value jobs.
He also shared how his education, which combined engineering with economics, sociology and management, prepared him for leadership across disciplines. From CEO of IE Singapore to Senior Minister of State, he illustrated how engineering education cultivates analytical thinking, adaptability and lifelong learning.
Turning to the Department’s future, Prof Saif Khan, Head of Department, reflected on how ChBE’s growth parallels Singapore’s transformation. From training engineers for Jurong’s early petrochemical plants to advancing today’s clean-energy and biopharmaceutical sectors, the Department has remained integral to national development.
He paid special tribute to ChBE’s female faculty trailblazers, whose achievements have left a lasting mark on Singapore’s research landscape. These include Prof Koon Gee Neoh, Prof Liu Bin, and the late Prof Miranda Yap, the first female recipient of the President’s Science and Technology Medal. Their leadership and scientific excellence continue to inspire new generations of women in STEM and exemplify ChBE’s inclusive culture of innovation.
“We honour the legacy of those who came before us and look forward to new horizons of discovery, innovation and collaboration,” said Prof Khan.
As ChBE celebrates its 50ᵗʰ year, the Department stands at another turning point, defined by the convergence of chemical, biological and digital engineering. Guided by its heritage of curiosity and collaboration, ChBE will continue to nurture engineers who design the sustainable industries and technologies of tomorrow.
Here’s to the next 50 years of discovery and impact!
CEE70 Symposium celebrates legacy of nation-building, charts path for future engineering talent
“What began as a modest programme seven decades ago has since cultivated generations of engineers, expanded Singapore’s engineering capabilities, and contributed significantly to our nation’s progress.”
With these words, the CEE70 Symposium opened on 10 October 2025 at Marina Bay Sands, commemorating 70 years since Civil Engineering was first introduced at the University of Malaya, the foundation of what is today the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE) at the National University of Singapore.
Held in partnership with the Professional Engineers Board (PEB) and The Institution of Engineers, Singapore (IES), the milestone event brought together leaders from government and industry, alumni, researchers, faculty, and close to 300 students from 30 primary, secondary, and pre-university institutions.
The day-long celebration comprised three components — a symposium, a research exhibition, and a student fair — reflecting CEE’s mission to bridge education, research, and engagement. Themed “Our Achievements, Our Future”, the event looked back at the department’s far-reaching impact, while spotlighting the innovations and partnerships shaping Singapore’s future built environment.
In her keynote address, Guest of Honour Ms Indranee Rajah, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office and Second Minister for Finance and National Development, underscored the increasingly critical role of engineers in shaping sustainable and liveable cities.
“As we face challenges like climate change and resource scarcity, the role of civil and environmental engineers has never been more critical — or more exciting,” she said. “Built environment professionals shape how we live, work, and play. Their work creates the infrastructure that connects communities, and the solutions that protect our environment.”
Throughout the day, speakers from key agencies — including BCA, HDB, LTA, PUB, URA, JTC and HTX — shared insights into how Singapore is advancing resilience, sustainability, and innovation across infrastructure and the built environment. Leaders from the private sector, including Woh Hup and Obayashi Singapore, also spoke on the importance of industry-academia collaboration in driving transformation.
Professor Heng Chye Kiang, Deputy Dean (Research) of CDE, acknowledged the collective effort behind the department’s journey.
“Together, we have nurtured talent, advanced innovation, and shaped Singapore’s built environment into one we can all take pride in,” he said. “These partnerships continue to evolve — and they remain central to how we educate, innovate, and serve society.”
In his speech, Professor Richard Liew, Head of CEE, reflected on how the department’s growth has mirrored Singapore’s own national development.
“Over seven decades, NUS CEE has contributed to the ideas, infrastructure, and talent that built our nation — from water and sanitation to housing and transport; from land reclamation and deep foundations to coastal protection and environmental stewardship,” he said.
“Singapore has been our living laboratory and our shared mission — to engineer a safe, sustainable, and resilient home for generations to come.”
He reaffirmed the department’s long-term commitment to three key thrusts:
- Education — evolving the curriculum to prepare engineers for an interdisciplinary, rapidly changing world;
- Research — driving innovation in sustainable materials, water and coastal systems, and smart infrastructure; and
- Engagement — strengthening partnerships with industry and professional bodies, and fostering an inclusive, diverse engineering community.
Alongside the symposium, the research exhibition offered a glimpse into CEE’s latest innovations, including:
- Green cement and 3D concrete printing, developed with locally sourced waste materials to reduce carbon emissions and landfill reliance;
- Autonomous underwater vehicles for efficient, high-precision inspection of coastal infrastructure;
- Circular economy innovations that turn marine clay and construction waste into reusable building materials;
- Singapore’s first on-site 3D printed concrete building, developed in collaboration with Woh Hup.
The accompanying student fair brought engineering to life for young attendees, who explored hands-on exhibits on tunnel boring, desalination, coastal protection, and more. Students engaged directly with engineers, researchers, and university volunteers, discovering how civil and environmental engineering shape the world around them.
The CEE70 Symposium was more than a milestone celebration — it was a reaffirmation of the department’s enduring mission to serve society through engineering, and a call to action for the next generation to carry that purpose forward.
Students get first-hand look into the world of Formula 1
As the Singapore F1 Grand Prix rolled around at the start of October, CDE felt the need for speed at the first-ever Asia Pacific edition of the Red Bull Pen to Pit Lane event, proudly hosted at NUS on 1 October 2025.
Organised in collaboration with the Engineering Design and Innovation Centre (EDIC), the event saw Morgan Maia, Senior Technical Partnerships Manager at Red Bull Racing, share about the team’s history and evolution through the years of their participation in F1.
He shared about the Red Bull Racing team and its divisions, and how they combine to achieve results on and off the track. Attendees were also given a glimpse into the design lifecycle of an F1 car. From CAD designs to simulation testing and eventually to testing on the track, it is a massive effort that combines the expertise of designers, engineers, data analysts, and scientists.
Morgan spoke on the importance of connecting with young talent worldwide and said, “Being able to speak to the next generation of engineers is an honour for us. From today‘s session, I hope that the students have taken away an understanding of some of the finer details within motorsport and the many complexities involved in putting an F1 car on track. I also hope that they left the auditorium feeling inspired and that a career in motorsport is possible.”
Morgan was then joined onstage by Chloe Chambers, F1 Academy driver from the Red Bull Ford Academy Programme, for a panel discussion. They fielded questions ranging from career opportunities in F1, handling logistics for a race weekend, and what it takes to be an F1 Academy driver.
Several EDIC student competition projects were also present, including NUS Formula SAE.
The event closed out with a Kahoot challenge, with the winner receiving an exclusive race weekend experience at the Red Bull F1 team garage. The lucky winner with the fastest fingers was Rupan Kumar Manogar (Y4 Mechanical Engineering, 2nd Major in Innovation and Design). The FSAE team member was inspired by the event and said, “It was very eye-opening to see the overlaps with what we do at FSAE in terms of building a Formula car. It shows how our experiences here at CDE can translate to real-world opportunities.”
BARC is back, bigger than ever at the ArtScience Museum
The Interactive Materials Lab, led by Assistant Professor Clement Zheng, was commissioned by the ArtScience Museum to create a new interactive experience based on BARC for the exhibition Another World is Possible. Part of the section, From Console to Cosmos, BARC uses the everyday barcode as a playful material, bridging the physical and digital. Its provocative yet fun interactions invite visitors to imagine the future of technology. Building on BARC’s success, the lab continues exploring how barcodes shape our relationship with everyday tech. This includes:
ScantoPlay, a video game distorting familiar barcodes into playful challenges (BYOX exhibition, Singapore Design Week 2025).
As well as a project-based course where DID students critically and creatively reimagine barcodes/QR codes as design materials for new services is currently running for this semester's Year 2 and Year 3 undergraduate students.
The exhibition runs until 22 Feb 2026 and is also featured in SingaporeDesignWeek2025. For more info on the exhibit, click here.
Assoc Prof Lee Jung Joo emphasises an 'ecosystemic approach' at World Design Cities Conference 2025
Associate Professor Lee Jung-Joo, Deputy Head of Research in the Division of Industrial Design (DID) and Director of Service Design Lab Singapore, was invited by Tongji University to deliver a keynote talk at the World Design Cities Conference (WDCC) 2025 held in Shanghai, China from 28th September to 1st October.
This year’s WDCC, themed “Design Boosts Flourishing”, drew over 92,000 attendees and featured more than 30 sessions with global design leaders and experts. The conference was jointly hosted by the Shanghai Municipal People’s Government and UNESCO, with the goal of establishing a global platform for design innovation and collaboration.
Assoc Prof Lee delivered her keynote, titled, “Infrastructuring Future Mobility through Service Co-design”, at the Service Design Forum, featured within the WDCC, alongside other leading academics in the field of service design.
At Service Design Lab Singapore, Assoc Prof Lee leads her team in collaborative design projects with government agencies and companies to attain human-centred service innovation.
In her WDCC 2025 keynote, Associate Professor Lee emphasised the importance of an ecosystemic approach to integrating emerging technologies, such as autonomous vehicles, into citizens’ everyday lives. She highlighted the pivotal role of service design in bridging the gap between citizen experiences, public policies and technological systems. Her talk drew on insights from a recent collaborative project with Singapore’s Land Transport Authority (LTA) and Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA), which focused on preparing the nation’s urban infrastructure for the operation of autonomous vehicles.
“I was blown away to see all the collaborative initiatives by the City of Shanghai towards Service Design as a catalyst for ecosystemic innovations, across policy, technology, citizen communities and environment,” Assoc Prof Lee noted of her experience. “Their understanding of service design goes beyond a mere tool, but rightly at its potential for ecological innovation.”
Proud to see Assoc Prof Lee representing DID on the global stage and contributing to advancing the discourse on design.
To learn more about Service Design Lab, click here.
DID to host the premier human-computer interaction and design conference for the first time in Southeast Asia
The Division of Industrial Design (DID) will be hosting Association for Computing Machinery’s Designing Interactive Systems (ACM DIS) conference next year from 13 to 17 June 2026 at NUS University Town. ACM DIS is a premier international conference in the field of human-computer interaction and design. This marks only the second time for the conference to be held in Asia and the very first time in Southeast Asia.
Several DID faculty members and students are actively involved in organising the event. Associate Professor Lee Jung-Joo and Associate Professor Yen Ching-Chiuan, who are serving as General Chairs, are joined by Assistant Professor Clement Zheng, Assistant Professor Janghee Cho, Assistant Professor Gabriel Lipkowitz, Assistant Professor Justin Moon and Senior Lecturer Karin Aue, all of whom are part of the organising committee.
DID is committed to showcasing Singapore’s vibrant innovation landscape across design, human-computer interaction and emerging technologies to the global audience. The submission will be open from early January 2026 across various categories, including Papers, Workshops and Pictorials, as well as a Student Design Competition.
Beyond Interaction
In the face of climate change, pandemics, economic and political instability, and the rapid evolution of emerging technologies, the role of interactive systems design has expanded far beyond traditional human-computer interaction. We are increasingly observing how the deployment of new interactive technologies can produce unforeseen ripple effects across diverse domains.
ACM DIS 2026 aims to provoke a fundamental re-examination of what it means to design interactive systems.
DID invites researchers, practitioners, and educators to critically and creatively explore the complexities beyond interaction.
For more information and submission details, click here.
CDE staff rally together to provide food donations for the less fortunate
CDE would like to extend heartfelt thanks to the many generous staff members who came forward to donate food and supplies as part of CDE's Food Donation Drive from 9-10 September 2025. Over the course of two days, two pallets worth of essential items were collected, including staples, nutritious canned food, cooking oil, sugar, and more. These donations will help support families and individuals in need across Singapore.
This is the second year running that CDE is collaborating with Food From The Heart to collect food donations for the less fortunate. Food From The Heart works closely with local schools, grassroots organisations, family service centres, senior activity centres, and charities to collectively address the concerns of food insecurity in Singapore. If you'd like to donate as well, keep an eye out for the next CDE Food Donation Drive!
A splash of fun and wellness at Hydrodash Palawan Sentosa
CDE staff came together for an unforgettable day at HydroDash Palawan Sentosa, embracing the thrill of the water obstacle courses as teams.
This staff wellness activity encouraged colleagues to step out of their comfort zones, work together, and cheer each other on. Laughter, friendly competition, and shared challenges brought everyone closer, leaving big smiles on faces and a stronger sense of camaraderie. Beyond the fun and excitement, the event created lasting memories and reinforced the spirit of teamwork, connection, and well-being within the CDE community.
HIGHLIGHTS
UPCOMING AND ONGOING EVENTS!
EDIC Project Showcase Nov 2025
This semester’s EDIC Project Showcase will feature projects from Year 3 students in the Innovation and Design Programme (iDP) who are completing CDE3301 Ideas to Proof-of-Concept this semester and MSc EDI students in the CDE5312 Beyond the Surface: Exploring Interactive Wearables course.
CDE Alumni Gala 2025
Serving as both an Alumni Reunion and the CDE Awards Ceremony, the Gala will honour outstanding alumni whose achievements exemplify innovation, leadership, and service to society.