RESEARCH AT CDE

At CDE, we push boundaries to achieve world-class research excellence through the exploration and application of engineering, architecture, and design to solve complex problems. We pioneer unique models of interdisciplinary research that takes advantage of the natural synergies between these fields to advance impactful, basic and translational research.

In addition to our ten departments, our cross-disciplinary research thrives through partnerships. Our researchers forge new frontiers through college-level centres, global research partnerships and industry collaborations, powered by state-of-the art research infrastructure and unique capabilities.

People are at the core of our pursuits. We are committed to empowering visionary talent poised to redefine the future of architecture, design, and engineering, anchored in diversity and interdisciplinary research.

Start with the problem, not the discipline: Rethinking solutions to sustainability challenges

October 2, 2026

Recently named the inaugural NUS Keppel Professor in Sustainability Solutions, NUS CDE’s Prof Rajasekhar Balasubramanian reflects on three decades of tackling complex sustainability challenges and translating research into real-world solutions.

Building the next generation of semiconductor talent in collaboration with Applied Materials and Micron

October 2, 2026

New graduate scholarships awarded through CDE’s Master of Science in Semiconductor Technology & Operations (MSc STO) programme

NUS CDE researchers unlock dexterous soft-robot motion from a single artificial muscle

September 30, 2026

Taking inspiration from the octopus’s neural connections, NUS CDE researchers have developed a way to produce dexterous soft-robot motion from a single artificial muscle.

NUS CDE researchers design AI hardware that filters out irrelevant visual data

September 28, 2026

A versatile transistor enables AI hardware to filter image data before analysis and adapt to different tasks, reducing energy consumption with little loss of accuracy.

Teaching drones to hunt, rockets to land and lattices to absorb

May 21, 2026

At the NUS Energy Solutions Hub, researchers and partners are pooling expertise across disciplines to reimagine from the ground up how tropical cities can stay cool, connected and carbon-conscious.

Familiar ground: Ageing gracefully in places we know

May 21, 2026

At the NUS Energy Solutions Hub, researchers and partners are pooling expertise across disciplines to reimagine from the ground up how tropical cities can stay cool, connected and carbon-conscious.

Defying gravity: The new threads of space flight and beyond

May 21, 2026

At the NUS Energy Solutions Hub, researchers and partners are pooling expertise across disciplines to reimagine from the ground up how tropical cities can stay cool, connected and carbon-conscious.

The art of letting go

May 20, 2026

At the NUS Energy Solutions Hub, researchers and partners are pooling expertise across disciplines to reimagine from the ground up how tropical cities can stay cool, connected and carbon-conscious.