Distinguished Alumni Award
Mr. Cheong Chee Hoo is the Chief Executive Officer of DSO National Laboratories (DSO), Singapore's national defence research and development organisation. DSO's mission is to develop technological surprises that sharpen the cutting edge of Singapore's defence capabilities. He joined DSO in 1993 after graduating from NUS with a Bachelor of Engineering in Electrical Engineering. He later returned to his alma mater for a Master of Science in Electrical Engineering, which he completed in 2001.
Over three decades, Mr. Cheong has built up a wide range of engineering capabilities at DSO, from radar and satellite development to systems design and systems engineering. He was one of the pioneers of radar systems development at DSO and was instrumental in developing Singapore's first fully indigenous airborne radar system. His contributions to advanced radar systems earned him the Defence Technology Prize in 2002 (Team) and 2006 (Individual).
Mr. Cheong has also held key appointments in the Directorate of Research & Development at the Defence Science and Technology Agency (DSTA) and in the Defence Research & Technology Office (DRTech) at the Ministry of Defence (MINDEF). In these roles, he led the development and implementation of R&D plans for both systems and emerging technologies. He became CEO of DSO in 2016. In 2020, he was awarded the Public Administration Medal (Gold) for his service to the nation.
Beyond DSO, Mr. Cheong contributes to Singapore's wider science and public sector ecosystem. He serves on the boards of the Land Transport Authority and A*STAR, and chairs the Temasek Laboratories at NUS, NTU and SUTD. Under his leadership, DSO has deepened its collaboration with NUS, advancing knowledge transfer and joint innovation in technologies critical to national security. This partnership has given NUS faculty and students the chance to take part in cutting-edge research and tackle complex, real-world engineering challenges.
Dr. Radhakrishnan L. Nagarajan is a globally recognised leader in photonics, currently serving as Senior Vice President and Chief Technology Officer of Optical Engineering at Marvell. He has led the development of high-speed optical platform technologies shaping modern communications, including through his earlier role as Senior Vice President and CTO of Platforms at Inphi. His technical impact is evidenced by more than 250 US patents, reflecting major advances in large-scale photonic integrated circuits and heterogeneous integration. His international standing is affirmed through election as a Fellow of IEEE, OPTICA, and the IET, and major honours including the IEEE/LEOS Aron Kressel Award, the IPRM Award, and the OPTICA David Richardson Medal. He was named to Electro Optics’ “Photonics100” in 2024 and was elected to the US National Academy of Engineering in 2025 for contributions to high-speed lasers and photonic integration technologies.
Dr. Nagarajan remains actively engaged with NUS as a Visiting Professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, bringing industry-leading expertise into teaching and research. He has also strengthened research capacity through industry support, spearheading Marvell Asia Pte Ltd’s $200,000 donation to fund microelectronics research at NUS’ SHINE Centre.
Ar. Tan Shao Yen is a leading architect and built-environment executive with extensive experience in delivering public- and private-sector projects across Singapore and the region. His work has been featured in URA’s “20 under 45: the next generation”, and he has contributed thought leadership through major industry and professional platforms.
Ar. Tan served as CEO of CPG Consultants (from 2013), where he advanced sustainability and design excellence, receiving the Green Architect of the Year award (2014) and leading work recognised with the President’s Design Award (2015). As Group Chief Innovation Officer (2019) and later Group CEO of CPG Corporation (2024), he drove integrated urban solutions and digital delivery, expanded CPG’s international footprint, and developed new capabilities spanning infrastructure and modern construction methods to strengthen Singapore’s built-environment reputation overseas.
In public service, Ar. Tan served on the Singapore Institute of Architects Council (2002–2012) and the Board of Architects (2014–2021), including two terms as BOA President (2016–2021), contributing to professional standards and governance. Through his services rendered to BOA, he was awarded the MND Dedicated Service Award (2019) and the MND Medallion (2022 and 2023) by the Ministry of National Development. He has also supported NUS through the CDE Advisory Board (2023–2025) and BOA-SIA accreditation visitation committees (2010; Chairman in 2015).