Biography
Dr. Jovan Tan is a Lecturer at the Engineering Design and Innovation Centre. He teaches the EG2301 Value Creation in Innovation course and supervises undergraduate students in EG3301R Ideas to Proof-of-Concept and EG4301 DCP dissertation. His research interests are in applied innovation and sustainability, where Restorative Innovation and the LASER framework to design innovations for the circular economy are his most notable work. He has also been regularly featured on respectable media outlets, including Channel NewsAsia’s Money Mind and CNA938, for his thought leadership and expertise in sustainability and the circular economy.
Dr. Tan is also a Fellow of the World Economic Forum, where he co-leads initiatives and fosters collaborations and communities relating to innovation in manufacturing, sustainability, and the circular economy. With his vast entrepreneurship and industry experiences, he advises TRIA, chairs the SAFRA Entrepreneurs’ Club, and is appointed to several other committees, including the NUS Zero Waste Taskforce.
Dr. Tan earned his Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Engineering and Master of Science (MSc) in Management from the National University of Singapore.
Teaching and Research Interests
- Innovation & Entrepreneurship
- Sustainable Innovations, Materials & Technologies
- Sustainability Leadership and Management
- Circular Economy
- Life Cycle and Impact Assessment
- Resources, Conservation & Recycling
Fellowships and Affiliations
- Fellow, World Economic Forum
- Advisor, TRIA
- Chairman, SAFRA Entrepreneurs’ Club
- Committee Member, SAFRA Youth Network
- Committee Member, Research Group, Feed 9 Billion
- Committee Member, Green Action for Communities (GAC) for Bukit Batok East Constituency, People’s Association
- Member, Working Group for Sustainable Packaging Standards & Technical Reference Development, Singapore Standards Council
- Member, Zero Waste Taskforce, National University of Singapore
Education Background
- Doctor of Philosophy, National University of Singapore, 2023
- Specialist Diploma in Data Science (Data Analytics), Singapore Polytechnic, 2022
- Master of Science in Management, National University of Singapore, 2019
- Bachelor of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, University of Adelaide, 2016
- Diploma in Engineering with Business, Singapore Polytechnic, 2014
Selected Research Papers
- J. Tan and V. Cha, ‘Innovation for Circular Economy’, in An Introduction to Circular Economy, L. Liu and S. Ramakrishna, Eds., Singapore: Springer, 2021, pp. 369–395. doi: 10.1007/978-981-15-8510-4_19.
- J. Tan, S. K. Tiwari, and S. Ramakrishna, ‘Single-Use Plastics in the Food Services Industry: Can It Be Sustainable?’, Mater Circ Econ, vol. 3, no. 1, p. 7, Apr. 2021, doi: 10.1007/s42824-021-00019-1.
- J. Tan, F. J. Tan, and S. Ramakrishna, ‘Transitioning to a Circular Economy: A Systematic Review of Its Drivers and Barriers’, Sustainability, vol. 14, no. 3, p. 1757, Jan. 2022, doi: 10.3390/su14031757.
- J. Tan, S. Jia, and S. Ramakrishna, ‘End-of-Life Photovoltaic Modules’, Energies, vol. 15, no. 14, p. 5113, Jan. 2022, doi: 10.3390/en15145113.
- J. Tan, S. Jia, and S. Ramakrishna, ‘Accelerating Plastic Circularity: A Critical Assessment of the Pathways and Processes to Circular Plastics’, Processes, vol. 11, no. 5, p. 1457, May 2023, doi: 10.3390/pr11051457.