A Publication of National University of Singapore

JULY 2011

Celebrating the 1st and 100th Commencements

of medical graduates

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NUS President addressing the graduands

Celebrating Commencement 2011This year’s NUS commencement is historic for more reasons than one. The Main Commencement Ceremony on 4 July saw the graduation of the Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School’s (Duke-NUS) inaugural class. Its 24 students received their degrees together with 279 other students from the NUS Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine (YLLSoM), whose earliest predecessor institution held its first graduation ceremony in 1911, exactly 100 years ago.

Congratulating the new graduates, NUS President Prof Tan Chorh Chuan said: “You should always remember that you are part of a long and rich

New degrees awarded at Commencement 2011• BachelorofArtswithHonoursin

Philosophy (NUS-Australian National University Joint Degree Programme)

• BachelorofArtsinCommunicationsandNew Media (NUS-Waseda University Double Degree Programme)

• BachelorofArtsinEconomics(NUS-WasedaUniversity Double Degree Programme)

• MasterofBusinessAdministration(NUS-HECParisDoubleDegreeProgramme)

• DoctorofMedicine(Duke-NUSGraduateMedical School)

• DoctorofPhilosophyinMechanicalEngineering(NUS-IndianInstituteofTechnologyBombayJointDegreeProgramme)

• DoctorofPharmacy

• MasterofPsychology(Clinical)(NUS-University of Melbourne Joint Degree Programme)

• MasterofPsychology(Clinical)

• MasterinPublicAdministrationandManagement

• MasterofScience(QuantitativeFinance)

• BachelorofScienceinLifeSciences(NUS-Waseda University Double Degree Programme)

• BachelorofTechnology(IndustrialandManagementEngineering)

history of selfless and devoted service to the community. Your work and contributions will extend and redefine the tradition of medical excellence that has been the hallmark of our university for the past century.”

On the graduation of Duke-NUS’ pioneer batch, PresidentofDukeUniversityProfRichardHBrodhead,whogracedtheevent,said:“Today,wesee the fruits of our collective labours. ... It takes not only vision but hard work from all parties to turn a Memorandum of Understanding into a graduating class.”

– NUS President advising the new graduates to choose not just with their heads but with their hearts when

considering the many career options before them

No matter what you elect to pursue, if you do so with commitment, imagination and courage, you will find

fulfilment in your work and lives.

Attheceremony,NUSalsoconferredanHonoraryDoctor of Letters on Chairman of SPRING Singapore Mr Philip Yeo Liat Kok for his significant contributions to Singapore, the community and the University.

Singapore President S R Nathan, who will complete his term as NUS Chancellor this August, presided over the main ceremony for the final time. Also in attendancewasthenewMinisterforEducationMrHengSweeKeat. Some 9,772 students were conferred their degrees over 21 commencement ceremonies from 4 to 12 July – 6,502 students received bachelor degrees while another 3,270 received higher degrees. Among them were the pioneer batches for 13 new degrees. NUS Commencement 2011 culminated in a Commencement Dinner on 15 July that was attended by President Nathan as well as graduates, faculty, staff and alumni of the University.

YLLSoM students at the medical school’s 100th Commencement

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Visionary government leader Philip Yeo conferred Honorary Doctor of LettersChairman of SPRING Singapore Mr Philip Yeo LiatKokreceivedanHonoraryDoctorofLettersfrom NUS at the University’s Main Commencement Ceremony. Mr Yeo is widely recognised for his important contributions to Singapore’s economic development, particularly in the biomedical sciences, information technology, chemical and semiconductor industries.

“It is fitting that NUS today honours one of its most illustrious alumni: someone who has transformed our economy, created thousands of high quality jobs, inspired so many of us to believe that individuals do make a difference, and that Singapore’s destiny is in our hands,” said Dean of the NUS Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine Prof John Wong who gave the citation on Mr Yeo. Looking back on his career, Mr Yeo shared that rather than achievements and advancements, what were memorable were the fun he had in all the jobs he had held, seeing new opportunities his work had generated for others and the friendships he had built.

As Chairman of SPRING Singapore, Mr Yeo guides the agency with the mission of enabling and growinglocalenterprises.HeiscurrentlyalsotheSpecialAdvisorforEconomicDevelopmentatthe Prime Minister’s Office, and a member of the UnitedNationsCommitteeofExpertsinPublicAdministration. A recipient of many prestigious awards and accolades, Mr Yeo is best known for his effectiveness in developing talents and creating jobsforSingaporewhileservingattheEconomicDevelopmentBoardandAgencyforScience,Technology and Research.

HewasalsothePermanentSecretary(Defence)and founding Chairman of the National Computer Board,andhadplayedacriticalroleinthedevelopment of the Singapore Technologies Group, SembCorp and CapitaLand.

Mr Yeo receiving the degree scroll from President Nathan

NUS President Prof Tan Chorh Chuan said that Mr Yeo’s curiosity, zest for learning and strong spirit of public service were an inspiration to the NUS community.HealsoremarkedthatMrYeo“liveslife at a pace that leaves the rest of us breathless. Yet he always has time for young people, for his scholars and for his colleagues and friends.”

Tribute to NUS Chancellor at Commencement DinnerThe NUS personality is characterised by constant exploration and innovation, fierce determination to excel and unstinting dedication of one’s best efforts. A striking example of such commitment to excellence is shown by NUS Chancellor and Singapore President S R Nathan. NUS President Prof Tan Chorh Chuan was speaking at the annual Commencement Dinner on 15 July where he paid tribute to President Nathan who will complete his term as Chancellor this August.

Prof Tan said: “President Nathan is a great man.Hehasaccomplishedsuchagreatdealinsomanyareas.ButfortheNUScommunity,itis his genuine interest and deep engagement with our University that we are most grateful forandcherishthemost.”Hehopedthatthenew graduates would be inspired by President Nathan’s example to contribute, to do good and to serve society well.

President Nathan had given strong support to many University programmes and student activities, goingfarbeyondhisofficialdutiesasChancellor.HehadvisitedmanyoftheNUSdepartments,spokenat numerous events, hosted countless lunches and dinners at the Istana, and lent great help in fund-raising efforts.

President Nathan receiving a resounding round of applause from the dinner guests

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New senior appointments

Assoc Prof Benjamin Ong,ChiefExecutiveoftheNationalUniversityHealthSystem(NUHS),wasappointedSenior Vice President (Health Affairs) at NUS. A senior neurologist and an NUS faculty member since 1986, his new appointment will enhance synergies between medical and dental education, research and clinical practice at the National University Hospital(NUH)andNUS’YongLooLinSchoolofMedicine(YLLSoM)andFacultyofDentistry.

Vice President (University and Global Relations) Prof Lily Kong has assumed the additional role of Acting Executive Vice President (Academic Affairs) of Yale-NUS College. She played a pivotal part in the conceptualisation of Yale-NUS College and in the discussions that shaped the two universities’ recent agreement on this initiative. She will provide the critical leadership needed in setting up the College quickly, and her responsibilities include overseeing faculty recruitment, curricular design and student admissions.

Prof Ho Teck Hua has been appointed Vice President (Research Strategy).HeconcurrentlyholdstheTanChinTuanCentennialProfessorship.PreviouslyaVisitingProfessor,ProfHohasjoinedtheUniversity as a Professor in both the Departments of Marketing and Economics.HeiscurrentlyachairedProfessorattheUniversityofCalifornia,Berkeley’s(UCB)HaasSchoolofBusiness,andtheDirectorofUCB’sAsiaBusinessCentre.ProfHowillassistonresearchstrategymatters,includingoverseeingandbuildingtheUniversity’sFinanceandRiskManagement integrative research cluster.

Newly appointed Vice President (Administration), Mr Borislav Kotic brings with him a wealth of experience in business management and finance, across financial services, manufacturing as well as the higher educationsector.Priortothis,MrKoticwasChiefFinancialOfficer,thenChief Operating Officer and Deputy Vice Chancellor of the University ofSydneywhereheservedfornineyears.HewillhelpenhanceNUS’administrative systems for furtherance of the University’s academic mission.

Isabel Chan Professor in Medical Sciences John Wong Eu Li,whoisconcurrentlyDeanofYLLSoMandDeputyChiefExecutiveofNUHS,willrelinquishhisroleasDeanandtakeonthepositionofVice Provost (Academic Medicine) from 1 November 2011. A medical oncologist-haematologist, Prof Wong has been Dean of Medicine since 2003. Heiswidelyrecognisedasachampionofintegratedresearchandeducation to benefit patient care through multi-disciplinary teams of healthcareprofessionalsandscientists.Hehasalsocontributedtoraisingthe global profile of NUS medicine and developing partnerships with some of the world’s leading medical institutions.

Assoc Prof Yeoh Khay Guan, a renowned expert in gastric and colorectal cancer, will succeed Prof Wong as the new Dean of Medicine. The Vice Dean (Academic Affairs) of YLLSoM since 2003, Assoc Prof Yeoh ispresentlyalsoVice-ChairmanoftheMedicalBoardofNUH.

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Former Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew joins NUS as Distinguished FellowMr Lee Kuan Yew, Singapore’s former Minister Mentor,hasbeenappointedDistinguishedFellowat NUS’ Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy (LKY School). NUS President Prof Tan Chorh Chuan said that the University is very honoured to have Mr Lee join the School, which will allow its students and faculty the opportunity to learn and benefit directly from his deep insights and experience in global affairs and governance. As the LKY School’s mission is to train the next generation of Asian leaders, Dean Prof Kishore Mahbubani noted that Mr Lee’s involvement would significantly enhance the ability of the School to fulfil its mission and raise its status globally. Mr Lee is currently the Senior Advisor to the Government of Singapore Investment Corporation.

Duke-NUS awards first Benjamin Sheares Professorship in Academic MedicineTo commemorate the rich medical legacy and distinguished service of the late SingaporePresidentDrBenjaminSheares,the Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School (Duke-NUS)establishedtheBenjaminShearesProfessorship in Academic Medicine in May 2011. This first professorship named after Dr Sheares is supported by a seed gift of S$2.5 millionfromtheToteBoardandSingHealthFoundation,andagenerousdonationfromDr Sheares’ family.

Duke-NUS awarded the Professorship recently to the School’s Vice Dean for Clinical and FacultyAffairs,ProfSooKheeChee,whoisalso the founding Director of the National Cancer Centre Singapore and Deputy Chief ExecutiveOfficeroftheSingaporeHealthServices.

Said Dean of Duke-NUS Prof Ranga Krishnan: “Prof Soo is an excellent clinician-scientist and reverededucator.HiscontinuedroleatDuke-NUSandSingHealthwillfurtherenhancethebuildingand establishing of Duke-NUS as a key component of the academic medical centre at Outram.”

Personally inspired by the legacy of Dr Sheares and humbled by this conferment, Prof Soo said that he would endeavour to fulfill the expectations that came with this Professorship and serve the community like Dr Sheares.

One of the founding fathers of Singapore medicine, Dr Sheares was a well-respected surgeon known for his deep passion for medicine and clinical research in obstetricsandgynaecology.Hewasinternationallyrecognised for the “Sheares Procedure” (surgical treatment of vaginal agenesis) and for pioneering the Lower Segment Caesarean Section.

Beyondhisoutstandingmedicalserviceandaccomplishments, Dr Sheares had also served with distinction as Singapore’s second President for three terms from 1971 to 1981.

Establishedin2004,theLKYSchool,anautonomous graduate school of NUS, aims to educate and train Asian policymakers and leaders so as to raise the standards of governance, improve the lives of people in the region and contribute to the transformation of Asia.

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Mr Lee Kuan Yew (left) with Prof Mahbubani at the LKY School’s 5th Anniversary Celebration in Sep 2009

Prof Soo (right) receiving the award from Dr Joseph Sheares, son of the late Dr Benjamin Sheares at the Duke-NUS graduation celebration

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(From left) UTown’s Cinnamon and Tembusu Colleges and Graduate Residence

Race car of the NUS FSAE team

ACCOLA

DES University Town’s graduate residence

and residential colleges recognised for excellence in built environmentAttheBuildingandConstructionAuthority(BCA)ofSingaporeAwards2011, NUS’ University Town (UTown) receivedtwoBCAGreenMarkforBuildingsAwardsforitsGraduateResidence as well as Cinnamon and Tembusu Colleges. The Graduate Residence was awarded a GoldPlus rating while the two residential colleges attained a Gold rating.

The Aquatic Science Centre @ Sungei Ulu Pandan set up by the Singapore-Delft Water Alliance, a joint collaboration between NUS, Singapore’s national wateragencyPUBandNetherlands-based research institute Deltares, alsoreceivedtheBCAGreenMarkforBuildingsAward(GoldPlus). Pleased that the University had once again been recognised for its sustainability efforts, NUS Deputy President (Administration) Mr Joseph Mullinix said: “There is a pressing need to address the critical issues of climate change and environmental sustainability, and the innovative green efforts that UTown has undertaken underscore NUS’ commitment to reducing our environmental impact.”

• InthefinalreleaseoftheQSWorldUniversityRankings® by Subject, which revealed the Social Sciences rankings, NUS emerged first among the Asian universities in the fields of Accounting andFinance,EconomicsandEconometrics,Law, Sociology, and Statistics and Operational Research; and was placed second in Asia in Politics and International Studies. Globally, NUS was listed among the top 25 universities in all these fields.

• TheNUSFSAE(FormulaSocietyofAutomotiveEngineers)teambeatstrongcompetitionfrom121internationalteamsatFormulaSAE®Michigan to clinch the Chief Design Award, the topprizeintheareaofEngineeringDesignDrawing, in May 2011. The team also emerged as the best Asian team and was placed among the top 20 percentile worldwide.

Ying Ren showing the new national record he set

• AteamfromtheNUSFacultyofEngineering,comprising Instructor Mr Joerg Dieter Weigl and Teaching Assistant Mr Wang Zizi, won two environmental awards – for zero vehicle emission and lowest well-to-wheel carbon dioxide emission – at Michelin’s Challenge Bibendum inBerlin,Germany.CompetingwithmajorindustryplayersintheElectricAssistedBicyclescategory, the team produced a power pack using hydrogen fuel cell that weighed only about 12 kilograms, which enabled their bicycle to go farther and enjoy faster refuelling than other electric-assisted bicycles.

• Final-yearNUSmedicalstudentMokYingRenbroke the 16-year 5,000-metre men’s national record at the Tokai University Time Trials on 28 May 2011. The new record now stands at 14:51.09.Expressinghishappinessoverthefeat,he found NUS to be a great training ground for athletes, having performed 90 percent of his training in and around NUS while living on campus.

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Prof Vedral, Principal Investigator at CQT

Cooling computers – the quantum physics wayResearchers attheCentreforQuantumTechnologies(CQT)atNUSandtheircollaboratorshave made a fundamental discovery concerning the energy cost of computations. Their findings, which could point to a novel way to cool future supercomputers, were published in the prestigious journal Nature on 1 June 2011.

Since the 1960s, it has been thought that the deletion of data in a computer leads unavoidably to the release of energy as heat. Known as Landauer’s principle, this implies that when a certain number of arithmetical operations per second have been exceeded, a computer will produce more heat than can be dissipated.

ProfVlatkoVedralofCQTandtheUniversityofOxford,ProfRenatoRennerofETHZurichInstitute for Theoretical Physics, together with other physicists in their research teams showed

that the deletion of data can have a cooling effect rather than generating heat when the quantum phenomenon known as entanglement is invoked. Quantumentanglementdescribesastatewherethe physical properties of a system are inextricably related.

Can the cooling effect be harnessed? So far the work has been theoretical. “Achieving the control at the quantum level that would be required to implement this in supercomputers is a huge technological challenge, but it may not be impossible. We have seen enormous progress in quantum technologies over the past 20 years,” said Prof Vedral. With the technology in quantum physics labs today, it should be possible to do a proof-of-principle experiment on a few bits of data.

The scientists made their discovery through combining ideas about entropy from two different fields – information theory and thermodynamics. “Our study shows that in both cases, entropy is considered as a type of lack of knowledge,” said Prof Renner.

Entropyisusuallyapositivequantity,butitwasknown in information theory that an entangled object could be perceived as having negative entropy. The scientists’ work explains the thermodynamic meaning of negative entropy.

The new connection may have other uses besides calculatingtheheatproductionofcomputers.Forexample, methods developed within information theory to handle entropy could lead to innovations in thermodynamics. – By CQT

Spearheading logistics research and education with world-class alliance Swiss-basedGlobalCoalitionforEfficientLogistics(GCEL)hasselectedTheLogisticsInstitute - Asia Pacific (TLI - Asia Pacific) at NUS as its first academic partner in launchingGCEL’sprestigiousGlobalAcademicSubcommittee. Comprising premier universities from around the world, the Committee will conduct state-of-the-art research to enhance a new and powerful digital platform, leading to exponential increase in global trade efficiency. “Through TLI - Asia Pacific, the Global Coalition can draw on the vast technical and academic capabilities spanning across the FacultiesofEngineering,Science,ComputingandBusinessatNUS.Thismulti-disciplinaryapproach will enable the Coalition to tackle complex and pressing logistics issues in a rigorous and comprehensive manner,” said NUS Deputy President (Academic Affairs) and ProvostProfTanEngChye,whochairsTLI-AsiaPacific’sAdvisoryBoard.

HealsofeltthattheSubcommittee’smission,teamandglobalreachwouldenableNUStopositionmany of its key supply chain programmes for greater global excellence.

GCEL Co-Chairman Captain Samuel Salloum with Prof Tan Eng Chye sealing the NUS-GCEL partnership

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Editor: Fua Lee Na n Writer: Veronique Y W Ah Sen n Distribution Manager: Matthew Seah

Office of Corporate Relations, National University of Singapore UniversityHall,LeeKongChianWingUHL#05-03,21LowerKentRidgeRoad,Singapore119077Tel:(65)66011341Fax:(65)67756386E-mail:Knowledge_Enterprise@nus.edu.sgWebsite:newshub.nus.edu.sg

ISSN0219-614XCompanyRegistrationNumber:200604346E Cover photo: Education Minister Mr Heng Swee Keat (centre) with two new graduates.

KNOWLEDGE ENTERPRISE n JULY 2011 VOLUME 11 NO. 01

(From left) Mr Benedict Cheong, Assistant Chief Executive of Policy at PUB Mr Chua Soon Guan, Prof Seetharam Kallidaikurichi, Dean of LKY School Prof Kishore Mahbubani, and Executive Vice-Dean and Director of Executive Education at LKY School Mr Stavros Yiannouka, at the programme’s launch

Paying tribute to the late Mrs Lee Kuan YewNUS and the Singapore Management University (SMU) announced on 6 July 2011 that they would launch several new initiatives respectively as a tribute to the late Madam Kwa Geok Choo, wife of former Singapore Prime Minister and Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew. NUS will establish a professorship in property law, a distinguished visitors programme, and bursaries and scholarships in honour of Madam Kwa, an alumna of the University. SMU will name its new Law Library, a new Scholars Programme and a Top Law Graduate Award after her. NUS President Prof Tan Chorh Chuan said that through NUS’ initiatives in legal education and research, bursaries and scholarships, the University hopes to keep Madam Kwa’s memory alive to

inspire generations of promising young lawyers to contribute to the legal fraternity and society at large. “The values that Madam Kwa espoused and represented are very much the same values we want our students to emulate – her pursuit of excellence, her integrity, her humility, her dedication and her graciousness,” said SMU President Prof Arnoud De Meyer. Madam Kwa’s niece Ms Kwa Kim Li, Managing Partner of Lee & Lee, expressed the family’s appreciation for the initiatives. Describing Madam Kwa as a brilliant lawyer, a visionary ahead of her time and a lady made of steel and silk in equal parts, she said: “Much as my aunt shied away from being in the spotlight, she would have been very honoured by this.”

Temasek Foundation funds Asia’s first multi-year water leadership programmeThe Institute of Water Policy (IWP), a leading water policy think-tank at NUS’ Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy (LKY School), has launched Asia’s first multi-year water leadership programme withgeneroussupportfromTemasekFoundation.TheTemasekFoundationWaterLeadershipProgramme will train 700 water leaders in Asia over the next 10 years to ensure improved access to life-saving water and sanitation facilities in the continent’s emerging markets.

ChiefExecutiveOfficerofTemasekFoundationMrBenedictCheongsaid:“TheInstituteofWaterPolicy’s cutting-edge research and dedication to nurturing Asia’s future water leaders make it the ideal partner to take the lead in this initiative and we look forward to supporting the subsequent phases of this 10-year programme.” The Programme, which is aimed at middle to senior level professionals at water utilities, government agencies and civic organisations, will teach best practices in the governance of water utilities, as well as potential strategies to deal with existing and future challenges.

IWP Director Prof Seetharam KallidaikurichiEsaid:“DespiteAsia’s recent growth and

prosperity, there is a huge inequality in the level of access to water and sanitation. In fact, 52 percent of the global population who lacks access to improved water facilities lives in Asia. Thanks toTemasekFoundation’sgenerousgift,wehopeto develop a new generation of water leaders who will address this inequality through new ideas and technologies.”

For more information on how to make a gift to NUS, please contact Ms Ho Yuen Kwan on 6516 5755 or email askdvo@nus.edu.sg. To find out more about IWP, please visit www.spp.nus.edu.sg/iwp.

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