Professor Liu Bin (Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering) has been awarded the prestigious President’s Science Award (PSA) for 2024, recognising her ground-breaking research on how organic semiconductors emit light. Her discovery could open up new possibilities in areas like advanced medical diagnostics, optical data encryption, and afterglow devices—everyday technologies that rely on long-lasting light emissions.
The award was presented to Prof Liu by President Tharman Shanmugaratnam at a ceremony held on 27 September at Nanyang Technological University.
Presented annually, the PSA is given to scientists and engineers whose work has significantly advanced their field and is among the country’s top honours for research scientists and engineers. The award recognises individuals for upholding research excellence and strengthening the growing community of scientific talent in Singapore.
Prof Liu, currently Deputy President (Research and Technology) at NUS and Tan Chin Tuan Centennial Professor, is a world-renowned researcher in the field of organic functional materials. She is also the former head of the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at CDE.
Her research which led to the award answered a long-standing mystery as to what causes a particular organic semiconductor, carbazole, to emit a bright, long-lasting glow. Prof Liu discovered that this glow was caused by a tiny variation in its chemical structure—known as an isomer. Her work shows that even a trace amount of this isomer plays a crucial role in creating the bright light.
In the PSA award citation, Prof Liu is honoured: “For her discovery of the role of carbazole isomers in room temperature phosphorescence of carbazole, and subsequent revelation of the transformative impact of isostructural doping on the optical properties of organic semiconductors, opening new avenues of study and application.”
The award is the latest recognition for Prof Liu who has made significant contributions to the design and synthesis of organic molecules and nanomaterials, impacting biomedical research, environmental monitoring, and energy applications. She holds over 30 patents, with many licensed to companies worldwide, reflecting her commitment to translating research into real-world solutions.
In her leadership roles at NUS, Professor Liu has been instrumental in fostering innovation and nurturing future research leaders. She is particularly passionate about encouraging more women to pursue careers in science and engineering.
The President’s Science Award is among several accolades Professor Liu has received, including the Royal Society of Chemistry’s Centenary Prize in 2021 and election to the US National Academy of Engineering in 2022, underscoring her status as a leading figure in the Singaporean and global scientific communities.
