About The National University of Singapore

Min-Yen Kan serves as Vice Dean of Undergraduate Studies and Associate Professor at the National University of Singapore, bringing extensive expertise in natural language processing, digital libraries, and information retrieval. His academic credentials include BS, MS, and Ph.D. degrees from Columbia University, where he was part of the Natural Language Processing Group. As a senior member of both ACM and IEEE, he has made significant contributions to computational linguistics, including serving as the ACL Anthology Director (2008-2018) and currently co-chairing the ACL Ethics Committee. His research impact is evidenced by over 16,000 citations, with groundbreaking work in areas such as matrix factorization for online recommendations, keyphrase extraction, and scholarly paper recommendation systems. He leads the Web Information Retrieval/Natural Language Processing Group (WING) at NUS, where he has mentored over 150 research projects and taught more than 2,000 students. His excellence in teaching was recognized with an Excellent Teaching award in 2015, and he has played crucial roles in organizing major conferences in NLP, information retrieval, and digital libraries.

Christian von der Weth currently serves as a Senior Lecturer and Assistant Dean of Communications in the School of Computing at the National University of Singapore, bringing extensive expertise in social media analytics and artificial intelligence. His academic credentials include a Ph.D. from the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology and an M.Sc. from Ilmenau University of Technology in Germany. Before his current role, he gained valuable experience as a Senior Research Fellow at the NUS Centre for Research in Privacy Technologies (N-CRiPT) and as a Research Fellow at both Nanyang Technological University and the National University of Ireland, Galway. His research focuses on critical areas including social media and social network analysis, applied machine learning, natural language processing, and information systems security. His notable work includes developing strategies to combat algorithmic threats on social media and creating solutions to slow the spread of misinformation online. His publications in prestigious venues like ACM Multimedia and IEEE ICME demonstrate his significant contributions to understanding and addressing challenges in social media platforms

Rafi Rashid serves as a Senior Lecturer at the National University of Singapore's Graduate School and Associate Director of Studies at Tembusu College, bringing extensive expertise in bacterial lipidomics, antimicrobial resistance, and interdisciplinary education. His research focuses on microbiology, lipidomics, biophysics, and biomedical engineering, with particular expertise in mass spectrometry, chromatography, microscopy, and cell biology techniques. As an educator, he teaches graduate courses on interdisciplinarity, research ethics, scientific integrity, and professional skills, while also serving as the Staff Advisor of the NUS Muslim Society and an accredited Islamic teacher under the Asatizah Recognition Scheme. His commitment to innovative education is demonstrated through his creation of the Microbiomes & Sustainability edX MOOC and his implementation of blended learning techniques. His research has contributed significantly to understanding bacterial lipid metabolism and antimicrobial resistance, as evidenced by his publications in prestigious journals. Beyond his academic work, he emphasizes the importance of putting the "Philosophy" back into "Doctor of Philosophy" and actively promotes sustainability and interdisciplinary approaches in both research and education.

Rajasekhar Balasubramanian (Bala) has established himself as a leading authority in environmental science since joining the National University of Singapore in 1996, following his role as a research scientist at the Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health. His research impact is evidenced by over 25,000 citations and an h-index of 90, with groundbreaking work in environmental sustainability, climate change, and urban air quality. As a founding figure of NUS's Environmental Engineering program, he has earned multiple teaching accolades, including five Engineering Educator Awards and three NUS Annual Teaching Excellence Awards. His research excellence has been recognized with prestigious honors including the Alan Berman Research Publication Award (2014), Research Project of the Year Award (2015), and the Highly Cited Research Article Award from Elsevier (2016). His international influence extends to his role as Lead Author for the UNEP's 6th Global Environment Outlook Report and membership on the Science Panel of the Asia-Pacific Clean Air Partnership. His current research focuses on understanding and mitigating the environmental and health impacts of air pollution through a multi-national, multi-institutional collaborative project. His work has garnered significant media attention from outlets including the New York Times, Washington Post, CNN, and Channel News Asia, establishing him as a prominent voice in environmental science and sustainability.

Rohan Williams currently serves as Head of the Integrative Analysis Unit at the Singapore Centre for Environmental Life Sciences Engineering (SCELSE), bringing unique expertise in computational biology and microbial systems analysis. His academic journey began with physics undergraduate studies, followed by a Ph.D. in human gastrointestinal physiology from the University of New South Wales in 2003. His career progression includes postdoctoral work in bioinformatics, genetics, and genomics at UNSW (2004-2007), and an academic appointment at the Australian National University (2007-2011) before joining SCELSE. His research focuses on developing innovative data-driven methods for studying complex microbial communities, particularly in wastewater systems, with significant contributions including frameshift-corrected long-read metagenomic data analysis and full-scale enhanced biological phosphorus removal under tropical conditions. His impact in the field is evidenced by approximately 70 peer-reviewed publications and an h-index of 25. His expertise spans metagenomics, microbial systems biology, and applied sequence bioinformatics, making him a leading figure in environmental microbiome research

Dr. Suresh Paranjothy serves as Lead Clinician for Diagnostic Imaging and Senior Consultant in Cardiothoracic Anaesthesia at the National University Hospital Singapore, while holding an appointment as Assistant Professor at the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine. His extensive training includes anesthesia residency in the UK, fellowships in adult cardiac anesthesia, and critical care medicine in Toronto, Canada. His expertise spans cardiac anesthesia, perioperative echocardiography, and point-of-care ultrasound, with significant publications in prestigious journals including the Journal of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Anesthesia. As an educator, he has revolutionized medical teaching through innovative e-learning initiatives, winning the geNiUSchannel Best Teacher Award for his video series on Principles of Cardiopulmonary Bypass. His commitment to medical education is further demonstrated through his role as an MMED Anaesthesia examiner since 2020 and his development of numerous courses in perioperative echocardiography for medical students and residents. His work combines clinical excellence with educational innovation, making complex medical concepts accessible through modern teaching methodologies

Kishore Mahbubani has established himself as one of Asia's foremost public intellectuals through his five decades of public service, including 33 years in Singapore's diplomatic corps and 13 years as the Founding Dean of the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy at the National University of Singapore. Currently serving as a Distinguished Fellow at the Asia Research Institute, NUS, he has made significant contributions to global discourse on international relations, particularly regarding Asia's rise and its implications for global order. His diplomatic career included serving twice as Singapore's Ambassador to the UN and as President of the UN Security Council, while earning the Public Administration Medal (Gold) from the Singaporean Government in 1998. His intellectual contributions are reflected in his prolific authorship of nine influential books, including "Has China Won?," "The Asian 21st Century," and "Can Asians Think?," which have been widely recognized with his inclusion in Foreign Policy's list of top global thinkers and his election to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2019. Through his regular contributions to major publications like the New York Times, Washington Post, and Financial Times, and his participation in global forums including twenty appearances at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Mahbubani has consistently provided influential perspectives on Asia's emerging role in global affairs and the shifting dynamics of international power

Patrick Janssen serves as an Associate Professor at the National University of Singapore's Department of Architecture and Director of the Design Automation Laboratory, while holding an adjunct position at TU Delft's 3D GeoInformation research group. His academic credentials include a Ph.D. from Hong Kong Polytechnic University, an MSc in Cognitive Science and Intelligent Computing from Westminster University, and an AA Diploma from the Architectural Association. His research focuses on computational methods and tools for design exploration and optimization at the urban scale, with particular emphasis on generative design, parametric design, and Building Information Modeling. His scholarly impact is evidenced by over 740 citations, with significant contributions to evolutionary design systems and environmental implications of urban density. His most cited work examines the relationship between density, urban block typology, and Sky View Factor performance. Through the Design Automation Laboratory, he continues to advance the field of computational design, developing innovative approaches to urban planning and architectural optimization.

Sow Chorng Haur is a Professor of Physics at the National University of Singapore (NUS), renowned for his contributions to nanoscience and nanomaterials research. His academic journey began at NUS, where he earned his B.Sc. (1st Class) in Physics in 1991 and M.Sc. in Physics two years later. He then pursued his Ph.D. at the University of Chicago, completing it in 1998, followed by a postdoctoral fellowship at Bell Laboratory, Lucent Technologies from 1999 to 2000. Returning to NUS in 2001, he joined the Department of Physics, where he has since established himself as a prolific researcher and exceptional educator. His research impact is evidenced by over 17,500 citations and numerous publications in the field of nanoscience, with significant contributions to areas such as nanostructured materials for energy storage and novel nanomaterial synthesis techniques. As an educator, Sow has received multiple teaching awards at NUS, reflecting his dedication to mentorship and instruction. His expertise spans nanoscience, nanomaterials, condensed matter physics, and science education, making him a key figure in both research and teaching at NUS

Marie Gibert-Flutre serves as an Associate Professor in Geography at Université Paris Cité's Department of East Asian Studies, bringing significant expertise in Asian urban studies and public space dynamics. Her academic journey includes a Ph.D. in urban geography from the University Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne (2014) and a postdoctoral fellowship at the Asia Research Institute's Asian Urbanisms Cluster at the National University of Singapore (2015-2016). Her research focuses on the production and appropriation of urban space in Asia, particularly examining how ordinary public spaces and neighborhoods contribute to understanding global Asian cities. As Principal Investigator for the Ho Chi Minh City case study in the International SEANNET research programme, she explores metropolization as a situated process. Her scholarly impact is evidenced by significant publications including "Les envers de la métropolisation: Les ruelles de Ho Chi Minh Ville (Vietnam)" (CNRS Edition, 2019) and co-editing "Asian Alleyways: An Urban Vernacular in Times of Globalization" (Amsterdam University Press, 2020). Her work has been recognized with the Grand Prix de thèse sur la ville 2015 and the Prix de thèse sur l'Asie du GIS-Asie 2016.

Ho Kong Chong serves as an Associate Professor at the National University of Singapore, bringing extensive expertise in urban sociology following his training at the University of Chicago. His research portfolio spans neighborhood and community development, heritage and place-making, urban political economy, and higher education, with particular focus on East and Southeast Asian cities. His scholarly impact is evidenced by significant publications, including "The Neighbourhood Roots of Social Cohesion" and "Neighbourhoods for the City in Pacific Asia," which have contributed substantially to understanding urban development in Asian contexts. Currently, he leads several major research initiatives, including the "Study of Mixed Housing Typologies" funded by the Ministry of National Development, and co-leads projects on in-work poverty, diverse city governance, and community behavior. His work as a Harvard-Yenching Institute scholar (1981-1984) and his extensive research on cities including Hong Kong, Seoul, Taipei, Bangkok, and Singapore has established him as a leading authority on Asian urban development and social cohesion.

Jeremie Molho currently serves as a Marie Curie Fellow at the European University Institute's Global Governance Programme, bringing expertise in cultural policies and urban diversity governance. His academic journey includes a BA in Middle Eastern Studies and MA in Urban Studies from Sciences Po Paris, followed by a Ph.D. in Geography from the University of Angers (2016). His research spans the globalization of art markets, cultural policies, and diversity management in global cities, with particular focus on emerging art hubs in Asia and the Middle East. From 2019 to 2021, he contributed to the Asian Urbanism Cluster at the National University of Singapore's Asia Research Institute, where he conducted significant research on Singapore and Doha's cultural policies. His scholarly impact is evidenced by numerous publications in prestigious journals, including work on art market hub development, cultural district policies, and urban diversity governance. He has also co-created five Massive Open Online Courses on cultural heritage, diversity, and diplomacy, demonstrating his commitment to educational outreach in cultural studies

Dr. Dawn Lim serves as a Senior Consultant Ophthalmologist and Head of Uveitis Service in the Department of Ophthalmology at National University Hospital, while holding a position as Assistant Professor at the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore. As a recipient of the Ministry of Health Training Scholarship, she completed her specialist training locally before pursuing a prestigious clinical fellowship at London's renowned Moorfields Eye Hospital. Her expertise spans multiple subspecialties, including surgical and medical management of glaucoma and uveitis, with particular proficiency in cataract surgery and glaucoma procedures. Her academic contributions include co-authoring scientific papers in peer-reviewed journals, presenting at international conferences, and contributing multiple book chapters to prominent ophthalmology texts including Yanoff & Duker. Her clinical practice focuses on comprehensive eye care, with special emphasis on cataracts and the management of primary and secondary glaucomas

Dr. Maria Cecilia Aquino serves as a Senior Resident Physician in the Department of Ophthalmology at National University Hospital and National University of Singapore. Her clinical practice encompasses general ophthalmology and comprehensive eye care, working alongside a distinguished team of eye specialists at NUH's Department of Ophthalmology. As part of the ophthalmology care team, she contributes to providing comprehensive eye care services to patients, participating in both clinical practice and academic medicine. Her role involves working closely with other specialists in the department to deliver quality eye care services to the Singapore community through the hospital's ophthalmology program

Professor Paul Chew serves as a Senior Consultant in the Department of Ophthalmology at National University Hospital and National University of Singapore, where he has established himself as a leading innovator in glaucoma treatment. His groundbreaking contributions include inventing and commercializing the globally available Glaucoma MP3 Therapy Laser, a significant advancement in glaucoma treatment. As head of glaucoma drainage implant research at NUH, he has developed new implant designs that enhance safety and success rates in treating severe glaucoma cases. His innovative work includes the invention of the PGI tube device for glaucoma, demonstrating his commitment to advancing surgical techniques and treatment options. His expertise in glaucoma surgery and research has made him a prominent figure in ophthalmology, contributing significantly to both clinical practice and technological advancement in the field

Associate Professor Victor Koh currently serves as Head of the Department of Ophthalmology at both National University Hospital and National University of Singapore's Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, bringing extensive expertise in glaucoma and complex cataract surgery. After graduating from NUS Medical School in 2007, he completed his ophthalmology specialist training in 2016 with distinction, earning his MRCSEd from the Royal College of Ophthalmology, Edinburgh. His specialized training includes a three-year glaucoma fellowship under Prof Paul Chew and further sub-specialization in childhood glaucoma at Moorfields Eye Hospital under Prof Sir Peng Khaw. His clinical expertise encompasses adult and childhood glaucoma management, complex cataract surgery, and advanced surgical techniques including femtosecond laser-assisted procedures. As leader of the SPIN (Ophthalmology) program at NUHS, he focuses on developing innovative medical devices for community-based diagnostics and new treatments for refractory glaucoma. His academic excellence is reflected in over 2,500 citations and recognition through awards including the NUS-NUH Young Educator Award 2014 and NUH Young Clinician Mentor Award 2015. He also holds a Masters in Innovation from NUS and serves as co-editor of "Essentials of Ophthalmology - For Medical School and Beyond

Professor Ching-Yu Cheng serves as the Director of the Center for Innovation & Precision Eye Health at the National University of Singapore's Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, while concurrently heading the Data Science Unit and Ocular Epidemiology Group at Singapore Eye Research Institute. His distinguished career encompasses groundbreaking research in epidemiology and genetics of age-related ocular diseases, particularly glaucoma, with over 600 scientific publications in prestigious journals including Nature Genetics, JAMA, and The Lancet Global Health. As Editor-in-Chief of Ophthalmic Epidemiology and chair of the APAO Research Standing Committee, his influence extends across the field of ophthalmology research. His work in AI-based big data analytics for disease prediction and detection has revolutionized ocular image analysis, while his leadership at the Centre focuses on developing novel portable eye screening devices and precision gene therapy for rare eye diseases. His contributions have been recognized with numerous honors, including Clinician Scientist Awards from Singapore, APAO Achievement and Outstanding Service Awards, the AAO Achievement Award, and Fellowship of ARVO

Dr. Katherine Lun serves as an Associate Consultant in the Department of Ophthalmology at the National University Hospital and Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore. As part of the ophthalmology team, she contributes to comprehensive eye care services and participates in clinical education at the university. Her role involves providing specialized eye care services while working alongside senior consultants in the department to deliver quality patient care and contribute to the academic mission of the institution. Her clinical practice encompasses general ophthalmology and the management of various eye conditions within the hospital's ophthalmology program.

Dr. Marcus Tan Chun Jin serves as a Consultant in the Department of Ophthalmology at National University Hospital and Alexandra Hospital, while holding the position of Deputy Group Chief Technology Officer of the National University Health System (NUHS). His academic excellence began during his undergraduate years at NUS, where he received the Lee Foundation Academic Award, and continued through his Masters of Medicine in Ophthalmology (2017) and Masters in Technology in Enterprise Business Analytics. As a Fellow of the Royal College of Ophthalmologists, he specializes in cataract and glaucoma surgery, having trained under Professor Paul Chew, and leads innovative developments in Digital Health and technology implementation. His contributions have been recognized through numerous awards, including the NUS Teaching Enhancement Grant (2022), NUH-NHIC Joint MedTech Grant (2019), and multiple NUHS Young Clinician Mentor Awards. His expertise spans complex glaucoma cases, minimally invasive glaucoma surgery, and the integration of artificial intelligence in ophthalmology, while securing research grants exceeding half a million dollars and maintaining active roles in medical education as an Instructor-Clinician Track faculty at NUS Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine and Adjunct Clinical Lecturer at Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine

Adjunct Associate Professor Seng Chee Loon serves as Head of Ophthalmology at Alexandra Hospital and Senior Consultant at National University Hospital, while also leading as the cluster glaucoma subspecialty head. His extensive training includes specialist degrees from the National University of Singapore and Edinburgh, complemented by a Masters of Medicine (Merit) in Clinical Epidemiology from Sydney University. His expertise encompasses glaucoma surgery, complex cataract procedures, and the epidemiology of eye diseases. Beyond his clinical excellence, he has demonstrated remarkable commitment to humanitarian work through medical missions in Bangladesh, China, Indonesia, and Nepal spanning over 18 years, earning him the Humanity Award from President Nathan in 2011. His leadership and clinical expertise were further recognized with the inaugural Master Clinician Award in 2023. As a senior consultant, he combines cutting-edge treatment approaches with extensive research in eye disease epidemiology, ensuring both innovation and safety in patient care.