INSIDEShanghai Jiao Tong bases grad school here ............................................ 3Not just a $37 million dream.................................................................... 8Technopreneurs with an edge ................................................................ 10Nipping disease in the bud ..................................................................... 12

January — March 2003 No. 47

http://www.ntu.edu.sg/pro/nnews.htm

New manat the helm

Just as Prof SuGuaning takesover the mantleof presidencyin January

2003, he quietly garners several prestigiousawards on the side for his sterling leadershipand contributions to engineering education andIT development. The new chief of NTU has sethimself a time frame of three to five years toturn NTU into a comprehensive university withmultidisciplinary finesse and global impact

Front-runner: Prof Su wants NTU to have a strong global presence

Prof Su Guaning, NTU’s new President, hasbeen busy taking on the tasks of universitychief. As he feels the ground and stakes outhis vision for NTU, awards have beenstreaming in – an apt reminder of the calibreof our new captain.

In November last year, just before steppinginto the shoes of President-Designate, theInstitution of Engineers Singapore (IES) andthe Institute of Electrical and ElectronicEngineers (IEEE) honoured him with theinaugural Joint Medal of Excellence. Thisrare accolade, given once every two years,recognises an individual’s outstandingcontributions to engineering education andthe engineering profession.

More recently, Prof Su received word thathe would be initiated into the IT Hall of Fameat the IT Leader Awards 2003 this February.This prestigious honour, accorded by theSingapore Computer Society, is a testamentto his outstanding leadership andcontributions through IT both in thegovernment sector and industry.

The latest awards add to an alreadyimpressive resume that includes otherhonours such as two Public AdministrationMedals (Silver and Gold), the Public ServiceMedal, and the IES Bronze, Silver, and GoldMedals.

Accolades aside, Prof Su has an outstandingcareer track record to show for his talentsand visionary leadership. A top scholar, hestarted out as an electrical engineer with theMinistry of Defence (MINDEF) developing

electronic warfare systems.His technical brilliance andleadership ability quicklyemerged, making him thenatural choice fordirectorship of the DefenceScience Organisation (DSO)in 1986. In 1997, he tookDSO into the private sector,forming DSO NationalLaboratories, and became itsfirst CEO. After assuming theappointment of Deputy

Now at NTU, Prof Su is confident of shapingyet another success story as the Universitylooks ahead to being one of the two majorcomprehensive universities in Singapore.“After 30 years in the defence field, I amexcited to move on to new and biggerchallenges in education.”

He added: “Under Dr Cham’s leadership,NTU has grown by leaps and bounds. It is nowone of Asia’s best universities, both in termsof teaching and research quality. On the basisof the assets Dr Cham has put together, I hopeto take NTU to greater heights as a globalname and a force to be reckoned with.”

Secretary in MINDEF for two years,he formed the 2,800-strong Defence Science& Technology Agency and held the reinsas founding Chief Executive from 2000 to2002.

At DSTA, through the deployment of severalpioneering web-based systems including aninnovative e-procurement system, Prof Suused IT and e-commerce to enhance workefficacy, setting the standard for othergovernment outfits. While organising amassive cultural shift within the organisation,he also instituted a flexible self-fundingframework to recruit, retain, and train thebest staff. Continued on page 2

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NTU News

Hinting that a name change to “NanyangUniversity” may be possible in 2005, whenNTU becomes a comprehensive university,Prof Su said: “NTU can be a successor to theold Nantah (Nanyang University) and embodythe same spirit of grit and enterprise. Wealready have a rich culture of innovation oncampus.”

He noted that a recent Singapore PressHoldings survey concluded that NTUgraduates are more creative and enterprisingthan their local counterparts, exactly what theknowledge-based economy needs.

NTU’s heritage can be traced back toNanyang University, which was established in1955 with funds from the Chinese communityas the first Chinese-medium university outsideChina and Taiwan. Donors ranged from thewealthiest businessmen to the humblesthawkers. The “Nantah Spirit”, a source of innerstrength, determination, zeal, and enterprise, isa legacy of this community.

Fleshing out his vision for a diversified NTU,Prof Su said that if all goes according to plan,the University will have three new schools –in physical sciences, humanities and socialsciences, and design and media – by 2005. Thiswill make NTU a truly comprehensive andmultidisciplinary university.

The proposal, first mooted by an inter-ministrycommittee reviewing university education inSingapore, has been endorsed by theInternational Academic Advisory Panel, whichrecently convened in Singapore.

On settingup threenew schools

Continued from page 1

On reviving the“Nantah Spirit”

Touching base with NTU students

The administrationbuilding of the formerNanyang University, nowhome to the ChineseHeritage Centre and theCentre for ChineseLanguage and Culture

to success ahead of the competition and be a commanding force, notjust locally but internationally.”

Seeing NTU as a service organisation tasked to “provide a greateducational experience, inspiring scholarship and valuable economiccontributions”, he said that the curriculum should be responsive andflexible to cater to different career needs.

“Engineering training, for example, could be practice-oriented, research-oriented, or technopreneurial and business-oriented. It’s different strokesfor different folks and we will reflect this in our training approach.”

To give the new schools a head start, Prof Su intends to woo top talentinto NTU’s fold, such as professors from Stanford University, his almamater, and Cambridge University. “More and more world-classuniversities such as Stanford, Cambridge, University of Washington,and Shanghai Jiao Tong are collaborating with us. They recognise ourtop-notch expertise and will come if we can offer them the rightenvironment and challenges.”

With the expansion of disciplines comes a renewed mission tocarve new niche areas and blaze new trails in global academia. SaidProf Su: “We are a young university – nimble and agile. We can sprint

Of one heart: TheNantah Spirit bringstogether hundreds ofkindred spirits,scattered across theglobe, for an alumnireunion every two years

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NTU News

Shanghai Jiao Tong University(SJTU) has partnered NTU togroom a special class of businessand professional leaders inSingapore and China. In doing so,it has become the first Chineseuniversity of world-class standingto establish a significant presencein Singapore.

The SJTU Graduate School atNTU, the first of its kind everapproved by China’s Ministry ofEducation, received its pioneerbatch of 26 MBA students lastOctober. Its establishment reflectsSJTU’s first major effort tointernationalise.

The strategic alliance betweenSJTU and NTU includes thefollowing: SJTU offering itspopular MBA programme inSingapore; the Nanyang BusinessSchool (NBS) launching its 18-month Executive MBA (EMBA)programme in Shanghai; andSJTU and NTU jointly conductingexecutive programmes inEnvironmental Management andConstruction Management.

The programmes, targeted at

Top-ranked Chinese U opens firstoverseas graduate school at NTU

October 2002, was graced by HisExcellency Mr Zhang Jiuhuan,Ambassador, People’s Republic ofChina, and Mr TharmanShanmugaratnam, Senior Ministerof State for Trade & Industry andEducation, who said that the newpartnership would “build linkagesbetween both countries andconsequently forge strongerbusiness, industry, and researchcollaborations.”

As part of the alliance, NBSopened its first graduate office inChina at SJTU last December tofacilitate the running of its EMBA

senior managers and industryleaders from China, Singapore,and the region, will be co-taughtby SJTU and NTU professors.

“SJTU’s interest in collaboratingwith NTU will better positionNTU as a premium provider ofeducational services in China, bystrengthening our programmeswith more in-depth China-relatedcontent and curricula,” said formerNTU President Dr Cham TaoSoon.

The inauguration of the graduateschool, held at LT 28 on 30

Shanghai Jiao Tong University now operates out of the Nanyang Business School to offerits MBA programmein Singapore

programme for senior Chinesemanagers.

NBS Dean Prof Neo BoonSiong said: “Executives willget to network, and academicsfrom both sides will also worktogether on research projects. Thissynergy will benefit bothcountries.”

Under an Economic DevelopmentBoard scheme launched in 1997,SJTU is the ninth internationalWorld Class University (WCU) toopen an overseas wing inSingapore. ■

Not just a user-friendly tool for online and distance learning, iNTUitionhas been leading professors from the virtual classroom into the virtuallab, by facilitating collaborative project work with distant associates.

Faculty and researchers from the Satellite Engineering Centre (SEC)at the School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, for example,have been using iNTUition to communicate simultaneously with theircounterparts from the Institute for Telecommunications Research inAustralia and the Satellite Technology Research Centre in Korea.

The overseas users have given iNTUition the thumbs-up; they find itconvenient to use and are impressed with the sound quality. SEC, which

Distance’s no barrier to researchNTU professors are discovering how the latest e-learning tool is a great onlinefacilitator of collaborative research

is building its first micro-satellite, will continue to use the platformto interact with satellite specialists from other parts of the world,including Europe and the United States. For SEC, using iNTUition iscost effective since it is web-based.

An enhanced version of edveNTUre’s virtual classroom (Tutornet),iNTUition was introduced by the Centre for Educational Developmentlast July to enable professors to conduct classes, meetings, seminars,conferences, and even mentoring sessions online. It can be set up in a fewminutes at a PC or computer notebook. The live sessions can be editedfor re-use or be made available on-demand as stand-alone recordings.For more information, surf to http://edveNTUre.ntu.edu.sg. ■

Landmark inauguration: (From left) Prof Xie Shengwu, President, SJTU; Prof Zhou Qifeng, General Director, Office ofAcademic Degrees Committee of State Council, Ministry of Education, China; HE Zhang Jiuhuan, Ambassador Extraordinaryand Plenipotentiary, PRC; Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam, Minister of State for Trade & Industry and Education; Dr ChamTao Soon, former NTU President; and Prof Cheong Hee Kiat, NTU Deputy President

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NTU News

Siting EnvironmentallyUnwanted Facilities: Risks,Trade-offs and Choices, byNBS don Assoc Prof TanKhye Chong and Assoc ProfEuston Quah from theNational University ofSingapore, provides acredible alternative

Publishing prolificallyProfessors from the Nanyang Business School (NBS)recently published several new books

negotiations of US multinational companies inChina, Japan, and India, and offers negotiation tipsfor negotiators doing business in these countries. Therole of cultural values and norms is spotlighted witha new approach to the analysis of cross-bordernegotiations.

Dr Tan’s other book, Emerging Issues in Organizational Behavior: AnAsian Perspective of Globalization’s Challenges, was written with MrsChi Ching, who is also from NBS. This book examines issues affectingnew-generation Asian employees and organisations, such as workcommitment and motivation. Two contrasting views of globalisationand its impact on work and the work setting are presented. ■

NTU looks set to become a keyhigh-performance computing nodein the region, thanks to a newstrategic partnership with SunMicrosystems that will inject newinfrastructure and expertise forhigh-performance and gridcomputing.

The tie-up, formalised on20 December 2002, benefitsNTU’s Nanyang Centre forSupercomputing and Visualisation(NCSV). It paves the way fornew joint research projects inmechanical computer-aidedengineering and design,high-performance and gridcomputing, nanotechnology, andthe life sciences, as well ascollaborative inquiry intothe underlying technologiessupporting researchers in thesefields.

Another significant aspect of the

$10 million partnership inhigh-performance computingNTU’s three-year collaboration with SunMicrosystems promotes engineering andlife sciences research and includes thesetting up of a new centre at NTU

Commemorating the partnership are (left) Dr Cham Tao Soon, former NTUPresident, and Mr Naoyuki Nakanishi, Regional Director, Asia Pacific, GlobalEducation & Research, Sun Microsystems

partnership is the establishment ofa new centre – the Asia PacificScience and Technology Centre(APSTC) – within NCSV at NTU.Through this partnership, and withadditional support from theEconomic Development Board,APSTC will be staffed by threeresearch scientists and sixengineers who will develop newcapabilities in high-performanceand grid computing through tie-ups with both local and overseascollaborators.

APSTC will work closely withNCSV, which is affiliated to theSchool of Mechanical andProduction Engineering. Sun, anindustry leader in high-performance and technicalcomputing (HPTC), will facilitateother research tie-ups through itsextensive network of Centres ofExcellence around the world. WithSingapore being the headquarters,

other similar HPTC centres areplanned in Tokyo, Beijing, Seoul,Brisbane, and India.

NTU is pumping $5 million worthof infrastructure and expertise intothe partnership. Sun’s contributionof $5 million – $2 million in cashand $3 million in products andtechnology – will support R&Dand scholarships for researchstudents.

For a young centre establishedin 2001, NCSV has madegreat strides in exploitinghigh-performance computingto crack complex engineeringproblems. According toNCSV Director Prof LiewKim Meow, this collaborationwith Sun now places NCSVas the key high-performancecomputing centre in theregion. ■

For negotiation expertDr Tan Joo Seng, thesecond half of 2002 sawhim publishing not onebut two books. The first,Strategic NegotiationAcross Cultures, was ajoint effort with his NBScolleague, Ms ElizabethLim Ngah Kiing.It examines the

methodology that minimises conflictbetween public policy planners andthe general public on the siting ofuseful but “obnoxious” facilities suchas sewage treatment plants andnuclear power stations.

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NTU News

Environment Minister issues green challengeLast November, Mr Lim Swee Say kicked off ascience-based innovation programme organised byNTU to unleash the creative energies of JC students

Inspiring creativity: Environment MinisterMr Lim Swee Say urging students to breakenvironmental bottlenecks

While some of their peers were relaxingduring the last school holidays, 280 pre-university students – from 15 junior collegesand two institutes – put on their thinking capsand scoured the earth for high-tech solutionsto environmental problems.

The participants of the NTU-JC-ENVChallenge 2003 first explored topics in“Environmental Infotech” at a four-dayresidential camp at NTU, during which they

participated in workshops and visited sitessuch as landfills and wastewater treatmentplants.

Then, working in teams of 15 – 20 during theNovember/December vacation, they floatedideas for innovative applications that wouldtackle problems in environmentalmanagement, such as the management ofwater resources and waste.

The students took their cue from Mr Lim SweeSay, Minister for the Environment, whounderscored the importance of creating asustainable urban environment, which is onethat would continue to attract investment andfuel economic growth.

Launching the technopreneurial holidayprogramme on 18 November 2002, he said:“The challenges have changed. The issue isno longer one of reduction, but ofsustainability. We have to break bottlenecksin environmental management, making use oftechnology to help us.”

To illustrate his point, he explained thatvehicle emissions have continued to grow,despite emission limits set by the NationalEnvironment Agency. In this case, arriving ata sustainable solution could mean eventuallyreplacing all diesel-run vehicles with “green”vehicles.

This year’s Challenge, supported by theEducational Technology Division of theMinistry of Education and sponsored by SUTSakra Pte Ltd, Dayen Environmental Limited,and PerkinElmer Instruments, is the fourth ina series of programmes organised annually topromote science and technology pursuitsamong pre-university students.

The students’ applications will be judgedat a grand finale in February 2003. But itdoes not end there. Outstanding projectswill be sent to the relevant ministries forreview and possible implementation, saidAssoc Prof Simon Yu, Principal Staff Officer,who oversees the organisation of theprogramme. ■

Launching ACTIVE Day last September at theSports and Recreation Centre, Dr Cham TaoSoon revealed plans for interventionprogrammes targeted at staff prone to orsuffering from lifestyle diseases such as heartdisease and diabetes.

Building a healthiercommunity Dr Cham,

NTU’s ACTIVE Day had everything from a mass workout (above) and walk test to ahealth exhibition and health bazaar

University’s image as a health-consciousorganisation. For a more vibrant health andfitness culture on campus, he suggesteddecentralising health promotion at NTU.Schools and departments are encouraged toform their own local committees and toorganise their own activities with the help ofthe main NTU Healthy Lifestyle Committee(HLC).

Not one who distances action from his words,Dr Cham makes healthy living a way of life.According to Assoc Prof Quek Jin Jong,

Principal Officer, NIE, and HLC Chairman,Dr Cham devotes 30 minutes a day to exercise.“Few people know that Dr Cham used torepresent Singapore in table-tennis. He’s a rareindividual who excels both academically andin sports, a feat that few Presidents or ViceChancellors can achieve.”

ACTIVE Day is a day within the NationalHealthy Lifestyle Campaign month set asideby the Health Promotion Board to promotethe importance of exercise and healthy livingamong Singapore workers. ■

gracing ACTIVE Day for the lasttime, revealed new initiatives tokeep staff on the track to good health

NIE Director Prof Leo Tan thanking Dr Cham forfully supporting health promotion efforts at NTU

He also disclosedplans to chartwalking andjogging trails oncampus toenhance the

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NTU News

Designing to meet your needsEquipped with the most advanced R&Dfacilities in the region, the Centre forHuman Factors & Ergonomics (CHFE)aims to break new ground in product andsystem design and development

Hiring? Take your pickat this mall

NTU is doing its part to promotea more ergonomically-sensitivesociety with a new centreboasting state-of-the-art facilitiesfor human factors engineeringresearch and training.

The Centre for Human Factors &Ergonomics (CHFE), hosted bythe School of Mechanical andProduction Engineering (MPE),undertakes research and trainsexperts in human-centred designto create more user-friendlyindustrial automation andsystems, consumer products, andmilitary systems.

CHFE’s research takes on aparticular urgency as Singapore’sworkforce ages. Its researchagenda includes work and devicedesign to maximise thecontributions of an ageing

Targeting PSA’s remotely operated craneoperations: Development of a 3D Displayand Control System to enhance operatorperformance of remote container handling

Assoc Prof Lim Kee Yong fromMPE, who heads the centre, saidthat its R&D facilities arepresently the most advanced inSingapore and the region. “Theysupport the entire spectrum ofdesign concerns and activities,and include a fully-equippedusability laboratory which can beused to study team dynamics andevaluate simulations, prototypes,

and designs. There are alsofacilities for 3D motion-trackingto capture, in real time and space,human work movements anduser-product interactions. An eye-tracking system is also available

to assess visual perception ofproduct aesthetics.”

To facilitate the study of officeand industrial ergonomics, thecentre has been equipped withbasic physiological measurementtools and the latest humanmodelling software for simulationand analysis of human-workspaceinteraction.

w o r k f o r c e .T e c h n o l o g yadvancement is alsokey. For instance,human-centred designis advocated to realisein full the potentialof our nationalinfrastructure, such asthe national digitali n f o r m a t i o ni n f r a s t r u c t u r eunderpinning theSingaporeOne/IT2000Masterplan.

The centre, establishedin 2002 with backingfrom MNCs, STGroup, MINDEF, theMinistry of Manpower,the EconomicDevelopment Board,and A*STAR, also

supports the world’s first DualMasters degree programme inhuman factors engineering. Thiswas launched in August 2001 withLinkopings University, home tothe largest graduate human factorsprogramme in Europe.

For more information aboutCHFE, visit http://www.ntu.edu.sg/mpe/centres/hfe/index.htm. ■

CareerMall@NTU

NTU has a pool of talented graduates eager andready to embark on their careers. Employers can check

them out at CareerMall@NTU, a state-of-the-art virtual careercentre.

Those who sign up will be able to search for candidates and postjob vacancies any time. This service is free for employers whoare keen to recruit NTU graduates.

Interested employers can register online at CareerMall@NTU(http://www.ntu.edu.sg/opawww/careermall/). For enquiries,contact Poh Ling at 6790-5852. ■

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NTU News

Making things smooth

Focused on removing bottlenecks, CSCM undertakes research, training, andconsultancy in supply chain management and development

The centre taps on multi-disciplinary expertise acrosscampus. Its current research focusrelates to closed-loop supplychains, supply chain contracts(such as vendor-managedinventories), and health-caresupply chain management.

In training, the centre supports thehighly successful MSc inLogistics programme offeredjointly by the Schools ofMechanical and ProductionEngineering (MPE) and Civil andEnvironmental Engineering(CEE). It also runs an executiveprogramme in Global SupplyChain Management with ErasmusUniversity in the Netherlands.This unique cross-cultural

The School of Computer Engineering (SCE) is offeringa new Master of Science programme in Embedded Systems.

The MSc (Embedded Systems) programme, which starts this July,will draw on the expertise of the Centre for High PerformanceEmbedded Systems, which is hosted by SCE. The programme istimely in relation to Singapore’s economic future as itcomplements the efforts of the Economic Development Boardand A*STAR to establish a strong embedded systems presence inSingapore.

The programme aims to produce highly skilled and employablegraduates for the rapidly evolving embedded systems industry.It comprises core modules focusing on essential skills forembedded systems design and elective modules on more advancedtopics.

Students will acquire relevant theory and knowledge of new toolsand methodologies used in industry and academia. During acompulsory year-long project, they gain hands-on experiencedeveloping market-viable products.

Designed with the practicing professional in mind, theprogramme will initially be offered only on a part-time basis.Prospective students can enrol online at http://www.ntu.edu.sg/sce/msc-embeddedsystems.htm. Applications close on28 February 2003. ■

New MSc programmein embedded systems

NTU has won the Intelligent20 Award for the second yearrunning. It was one of 20 winners from the region and theonly educational institution from Singapore to bag the annualaward which recognises the outstanding IT accomplishmentsof companies.

Regarded as a major event in the Asia-Pacific region’sIT calendar, the Intelligent20 Awards, organised byIntelligent Enterprise Asia, assesses the region’s best ITprojects across ten performance indicators. Managementsupport and involvement, the benefits of implementation toemployees/customers, return-on-technology investment,innovation, and project execution are some of the factorsconsidered.

The winners were selected by an independent panel of judgesfrom 10 leading IT research and management consulting firms.

According to Assoc Prof Daniel Tan, Director of the Centrefor Educational Development, the judges were impressed withNTU’s e-learning eco-system. He said: “This award recognisesthe synergistic efforts of the stakeholder communitiesresponsible for the success of the University’s e-learninginitiative, such as the Schools and the various administrativedepartments. All have made e-learning an effective strategicpillar for attracting, retaining, and training human capitaland talent.” ■

Second Intelligent20award

Vital links to resources and expertiseat the new Centre for Supply ChainManagement (CSCM)

The Centre for Supply ChainManagement (CSCM) was set uplast year to promote research,

teaching, and consultancy insupply chain management anddevelopment.

programme trains practitionersfrom the two participatingcountries.

Well plugged into the localgovernment and industrynetwork, the centre, hosted byMPE, has been routinelycollaborating with the InfocommDevelopment Authority ofSingapore to do studies on thelocal logistics industry.

For more information on thecentre and its services, contactCSCM Director Assoc ProfRajesh Piplani (tel: 6790-5601;email: mrpiplani@ntu.edu.sg) orMs Leong Yit Lin (tel:6790-4333; email: mylleong@ntu.edu.sg). ■

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NTU News

Imagine learning in executivecomfort and playing in a resort-like setting – all under one roof.A pipedream? Not anymore, withNTU’s new campus and alumniclubhouse making its grandentrance soon at the peak of One-North, Singapore’s new lifesciences and knowledge hub.

Giving a taste of things to come,the ground-breaking for the24,000-sq-m campus andclubhouse was held on Thursday,19 December 2002 at a ceremonyofficiated by Deputy PrimeMinister and Minister for DefenceDr Tony Tan. Education MinisterRAdm Teo Chee Hean wasamong the 200 guests, staff, andalumni who got glimpses of thenew facility through architecturalplans and models.

The design of NTU One-NorthCampus and NTU AlumniClubhouse embodies the closerelationship between NTU and itsalumni through a “weavingnetwork” design concept whichalso allows educational andrecreational facilities to be

Breaking new groundWhen completed in mid-2005, NTU’s $37 million satellite campus and alumniclubhouse in One-North will become a one-stop hub for education and recreation

Campus at the peak: NTU One-North Campus and NTU Alumni Clubhouse, perched majestically on a hill, will be connectedto the Biopolis and other knowledge centres in One-North by parkland

Best of both worlds: First-rate clubhouse facilities in a centre of learning

integrated over its ninestoreys. Within the compound,there is ample shared space forcourse participants, professors,industrialists, and alumni tomingle.

Facilities run the gamut fromlecture theatres, seminar rooms,and a multimedia theatrette toresort and fun pools, a spa, aneight-lane bowling alley, tenniscourts, posh lounges, and aNantah-themed restaurant.

At a choice location on theperiphery of town, just afive-minute walk from BuonaVista MRT station, the newsatellite campus will offergreater convenience to workingprofessionals taking NTU’spart-time MBA, Masters,and continuing educationprogrammes.

Continued on page 9

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NTU News

Ground-breaking moment: (From left) Mr R Sinnakaruppan, Education Minister RAdm (NS) Teo Chee Hean, Deputy PrimeMinister Dr Tony Tan, Dr Cham Tao Soon, and Prof Su Guaning breaking the ground

Describing the site as “ideal”,former NTU President Dr ChamTao Soon said: “It’s near the MRT,along an established educationbelt, and in the centre of a vibrantscience hub where scientists andhigh-tech workers are based. It’salso next to the Ministry ofEducation, making it the perfectplace for in-service training ofteachers.”

The University plans to attractstudents and even trainers for itscourses from the One-Northcommunity. Those among NTU’s73,000 alumni can look forwardto continuing education atdiscounted rates.

The NTU Alumni Club, whichcurrently operates a town club in

Java’s their cup of tea Computer Engineering trio scoopsthe “Best Idea” and “Audience Choice” awards at Wireless Java Jam, a competitionfor tertiary students

Treasure Island, an exciting game that can be played anywhereand anytime, earned its inventors from the School ofComputer Engineering – Dev Ramnane, Prashant Goela, andRomil Gupta – two top awards at Wireless Java Jam 2002. Thiscompetition, held as part of an entrepreneurship developmentprogramme, was organised by the Java Wireless Competency Centre(JWCC).

The competition brought together over 200 students from six localtertiary institutions for a marathon coding session at NIE lastDecember. The students spent over two days (and nights) developingnovel applications for Java™-enabled mobile phones using theJavaTM 2 Platform, Micro Edition (J2ME). Only the top three J2MEapplications received awards. Judging was done by a distinguishedpanel from Singtel, M1, Starhub, IDA, JWCC, Nokia, Siemens, andSun Microsystems.

In Treasure Island, players solve clues, the answers of which arefound at participating retail stores, to win prizes such as storevouchers. An example of a clue could be “Simply Black” – a lineof clothes by Giordano. Players can chat and collaboratively solve

Double victory for computer whizzes (from left) Prashant, Dev, and Romil

T a l k i n gp o i n t :G u e s t sviewing amodel ofthe campusand alumniclubhouse

River Valley Road, is wooing new memberswith the promise of an exclusiveestablishment boasting clubhouse facilitiescomparable to the best in Singapore.

“The distinctive, innovative, and wholesomefacilities would not only cater to the needs ofthe younger graduates and their families, butalso to the needs of the older Nantah graduatesand their families,” said Mr R Sinnakaruppan,President of the NTU Alumni Club.

An added icing to the cake is a very attractiveentrance fee of $3,600 for the first 3,000 alumniwho sign up after the ground-breaking. ■

the clues in a bid to be the fastest team at the right store with thecorrect answer. To ensure security while redeeming vouchers, aunique access code is sent to the gamers via SMS. ■

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Technopreneurship

Entrepreneurs have greatbusiness ideas based onsubstantive innovation. And theyare driven to make a bigdifference to themselves and tothe world, by not being deterredby the first failure or giving upon the second.

So said Mr Teo Ming Kian,Chairman of the EconomicDevelopment Board, at theinaugural graduation ceremonyfor the graduate diplomaTechnopreneurship andInnovation Programme (TIP).TIP, a vigorous four-monthprogramme jointly conductedwith the University ofWashington (UW), includes asix-week stint of “real-life”training in venture creation inSeattle.

Speaking at the Main LectureTheatre on 15 November 2002,Mr Teo added that “disruptiveinnovations” have beenresponsible for “new worlds andmarkets, and increasedefficiencies”.

Prof Neo Boon Siong, too, hadan important message for thegraduates – avoid “ethicalpitfalls” when chasing corporatedreams. Recalling the implosionof former business stalwarts like

Primed for successThe pioneer graduates of Asia’s first technopreneurship and innovation programmeare on a roll. They speak of “elevated visions” and “new opportunities” – and haveturned talk into action

Enron and Worldcom, theNanyang Business School Deansaid: “Be clear about what youwill not do… forgetting andneglecting our spiritual, moralcentre will ultimately destroyus.”

For Mr Jeffrey Goh, CEO ofLightspeed Technologies Pte Ltd,who added to the afternoon’sinspirational timbre, the path tosuccess is based on “a certainsimplicity”. A venture borne intohard times, such as during arecession, is almost certain to bevery streamlined, he said.

TIP, the NanyangTechnopreneurship Center’smaiden effort, has madethe grade, if industry feedbackand the students’ entrepreneurialzeal are anything to go by.About half of the 49 graduates arenow embarking on new start-ups.And many have been grabbed bycompanies, including six whowere recruited to join a start-upthat is venturing into China.

“We are aggressively exploringopportunities opened to us by theprogramme,” said Denise Chng,a Dean’s List TIP graduate. “Infact, a couple of us are headingback to the States in a few weeks’time.” ■

These TIP pioneers have formed an alumni club to help their alma mater groom future student entrepreneurs

The pioneer TIP graduates, from diverse academicbackgrounds, have been raving about the course, whichis the first of its kind in the Asia-Pacific. They now eachhold a TIP graduate diploma scroll jointly issued by NTUand UW.

Their six weeks in Seattle were particularly exciting;they toured corporate giants, participated in an excitingbusiness plan competition, and even met Microsoft CIO RickDevenuti and Starbucks founder and CEO Howard Shultzu.

Emboldened to reach new heights of success is TIP graduateRuby Teo, who started Stalford Tuition Centre at age 18 andnow runs a chain of five tuition centres in Singapore with anenrolment of 2,000. “I plan to expand from five to ten centresin the next two years. The sky is the limit!”

Darren Loi, who started three companies as a student,is happy to put his newly acquired “accounting, financialanalysis, and strategic thinking skills” to good use. Heset up eFormula Pte Ltd just before the course began andnow plans to open another office in Vietnam. “The programmehas taught me how to strategise my business so that it canglobalise,” he shared.

Andy Ng, who earned his Bachelor’s degree last year, isgrateful for getting his big break through TIP. “It was at one

It’s been alife-changing TIP

Continued on page 11

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Students

of those many networking sessions organisedfor us that I had the opportunity to meet andtalk to Mr Leslie Loh, 1998 Entrepreneur ofthe Year. He has offered me the opportunityto work in tandem with him to develop hissecond start-up.”

For professional trainer Gena Chen, who gaveher TIP classmates free lessons in publicspeaking and presentation, the best thing aboutthe course is the wide business network andnew opportunities gained. She added: “I usedto be uneasy with technology, but notanymore.”

Four students from the School ofElectrical and ElectronicEngineering (EEE) have donetheir mentor proud.

One of them, graduate studentLim Wei Keat, devised a novelmethod of classifying breastcancer using fuzzy neuralnetworks and emerged a finalistin the Far Eastern EconomicReview’s Young InventorsAwards 2002. His work,supervised by Assoc Prof ErMeng Joo, was judged against173 entries from 15 countriesacross the region.

In presenting his techniquebased on artificial intelligence,Wei Keat hopes to give asecond opinion to radiologists,who, in local hospitals, arecurrently relied upon toclassify mammographic masses.“Human interpretation canbe unreliable due to factorssuch as fatigue and age,” hesaid. Dr Mark Brooks, an

Head-turningresearchTriple E studentsshow their stuff inrecent competitionsand take home topawards

Interventional Radiologist atAustin Repatriation MedicalCentre in Australia, is keen tocarry out clinical trials with NTUusing the new technique.

For undergraduates John NahKhuan Holm and Low ChangBoon, success came in the formof the top prize in the Electronicsand Computer Engineeringcategory of a student paper

A proud moment for Wei Keat and his supervisor, Assoc Prof Er Meng Joo

contest organised by theInstitution of EngineersSingapore. Their paper, “Real-time Implementation of aDynamic Fuzzy Neural NetworksController for a SCARA”,supervised by Assoc Prof Er, beat15 entries from NUS and NTU,repeating the previous year’s winby EEE students.

Not to be outdone, Sun Yalei,

Want to start a company, but lack the skills and confidence to do this? Join thehighly successful graduate diploma Technopreneurship & Innovation Programme(TIP), which will run again from 2 June to 15 August. The exhilarating TIPcurriculum offers 10 weeks of experiential learning at NTU followed by a six-week programme at the University of Washington (UW) in Seattle. To join theprogramme, apply online at http://www.ntu.edu.sg/ntc before Monday, 31 March2003. All successful applicants qualify for consideration for “zero-bond”scholarships, each worth up to $20,000. ■

Second launch of Technopreneurship& Innovation Programme

a PhD student, presented aninnovative method of designingfuzzy logic controllers anddid his School proud.His groundbreaking paper,“Design of a Mixed-TypeFuzzy Logic Controller byComputing with Words”,earned him a place in the finalsof the 4th Asian ControlConference (ASCC) best papercompetition. ■

12

Even before the School ofBiological Sciences (SBS), set upin July 2001, moves into its ownfacility in 2005, its researchershave been hard at workaddressing the latest medicalconcerns and exposing thepioneer Biological Sciencesstudents to the intricacies of thefield.

The projects at the BiologicalSciences Research Centre(BSRC) are varied and tackle themost virulent of diseases, such ascancer. One researcher isuncovering how integrins (whichcan be thought of as velcro on thesurface of cells) speed up thegrowth of cancer cells. Anotherresearcher is trying to understandhow a protein called BCL-2 maybe able to cause cancer cells todie.

A project, of great significance to

Journeying to the depths of diseaseResearchers from the School of BiologicalSciences are making sense of chronicailments. They have between them almost50 projects on cancer, hepatitis, heartdisease, and AIDs

The new QuickSENSE bio-sensor technology, developedover two years, provides a veryquick and accurate method ofsensing target analytes such areproteins, bacteria, viruses, andDNA. A prototype is being testedfor the healthcare industry.

The QuickSENSE sensors areportable and simple to use,allowing bedside and on-sitetesting. By comparison,conventional methods ofidentifying or detecting biologicalanalytes are generally slow andoften involve a laborious process.

women everywhere, investigatesthe link between receptors for twofemale hormones, progesteroneand estrogen, and breast cancer.

Troubled by high cholesterol?NTU researchers are hard at workstudying the phenomenon tounderstand how cholesterol-carrying particles calledlipoproteins cause cholesterolbuild-up in our arteries(Atherosclerosis). If an answer isfound, antibodies could bedeveloped to stop this build-up ofplaque, and in arteries rather thanthe liver where cholesterol isproduced naturally by the body.

Viruses are also a hot topic atBSRC. One researcher isdeveloping a vaccine that targetsjust the virus, and not good cells.Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, Epstein-Barr, and Avian Corona are someviruses being investigated to see

how they interact with their hostand cause organ injury. Forexample, it has been found thatthe Hepatitis C virus, whichinfects 170 million peopleworldwide every year, activatessome genes that trigger theproduction of very dangerousliver-damaging proteins. A studyis also being done on the WestNile Virus spread by mosquitoesthat causes life-threatening brainencephalitis.

The Dean of SBS himself, Prof

James Tam, is uncovering howHIV enters cells, causinginfection and disease progression.Based on this understanding, hisgroup is developing more potentnew-generation therapeuticagents and vaccines to preventHIV entry into host cells.

In the area of bioinformatics,SBS researchers are usingcomputing tools to writecomputer software to analyse thestructure and functions of genesand proteins. ■

At one of BSRC’s two labs at the Innovation Centre, Prof James Tam and hisfaculty lead Dr Cham on a tour of discovery

Making sense of biology with QuickSENSEPortable bio-sensors developed by amultidisciplinary team can quickly detectdisease-causing bacteria

The instruments used also tend tobe bulky and laboratory-based.

On how the healthcare industrymight benefit from QuickSENSE,lead researcher Assoc Prof LimChu-Sing from the School ofMechanical and ProductionEngineering (MPE) said: “We arehoping that because of the bio-sensor’s higher sensitivity, newinformation can also be learntabout diseases.” The team is alsoworking towards applying thetechnology to other industries. Itrecently tied up with a localsecurity agency and a life-science

Research

13

company to further developthree of its sensors.

Partnering Assoc Prof LimChu-Sing in this project areProf Anand Asundi, Dr AnilKishen, and Dr MercheryShelly John from MPE; AssocProf Chia Tet Fatt from NIE;and Asst Prof Lim Siew Phengfrom the School of BiologicalSciences. The researchers arenow working with doctors andscientists from the SingaporeGeneral Hospital to furtheradvance the technology. ■

Rapid detection of disease-causingbacteria is now possible with newtechnology developed by (clockwisefrom left) Assoc Prof Lim Chu-Sing,Dr Kishen, Prof Asundi, and theirstudents

Conferences/Seminars

The media connection SCI forum examines how themedia shapes national identity and raises the need for responsible reporting

At Sentosa Resort, CK Yangfrom Taiwan, C Kunalan fromSingapore, and Hari Chandrafrom Malaysia banteredwith one another andentertained the audience –final-year PESS teacher-trainees and participants from13 countries – on wide-rangingtopics such as key influencesin their sporting careers,typical training and studyschedules, reward systems, andvalues and attitudes gainedthrough sports.

All three boast outstandingtrack records. CK Yang is athree-time Olympian, a worldrecord holder, and a silvermedalist (1960 Rome Gamesdecathlon event). Closer tohome, C Kunalan is a two-timeOlympian and a nationalrecord holder in sprints. HariChandra raced in the 1956

Talking sports Three Asian athletics stars– each an Olympian – were prominently featured at an“Olympians Forum” last November

Melbourne Games.

The forum took place duringan international academicsession organised by theSingapore Olympic Academy

Airing views: (From left) Jack Neo, Dr Balakrishnan, and Ida Bachtiar

Last October, students at theSchool of Communication andInformation (SCI) participated ina two-hour discussion on“national identity” and themedia’s role in shaping it.

They were at a forum titled“Inform, Entertain, Connect:Singapore’s Media and NationalIdentity”.

Leading the forum were familiar

faces – Dr Vivian Balakrishnan,Minister of State forNational Development, whochairs the Remaking Singapore

Committee; Ms Ida Bachtiar,Executive Producer, Naga Films,and the former host of TalkingPoint; and Mr Jack Neo,

Comedian and Producer of hitfilms I Not Stupid and Money NoEnough.

Dr Balakrishnan argued that theSingapore media is not a fourthestate of the government and thatit is either a business or a citizen-stakeholder in society. “Be awareof the limitations of the societyyou live in and the system inwhich we operate,” he said,adding that journalists should not“masquerade, and then, when itstarts to storm, say that you area bystander and not a player.” Hefurther urged fresh journalists tobe responsible for what theyreport to the public.

SCI aims to conduct suchinformal forums regularly tobenefit students as well asfaculty and alumni. ■

Backtracking for a change, Olympians (left to right) Hari Chandra, DavidWaters (NIE), CK Yang, and C Kunalan revisit their sporting careers and sharetheir successes

(SOA). SOA, the educationarm of the Singapore NationalOlympic Council, is housed inNIE’s Physical Education andSports Science (PESS)Academic Group. ■

14

Short Takes

“You will hear soon that the University is going to expand to a ‘mega-university’ with 35,000 students.”

This was what Dr Cham Tao Soon let slip at the last Thank YouLunch he hosted as NTU President for 75 long-serving supportersand senior staff of the University on 20 November.

“With that, the University would need more help from you,” hecontinued, to laughter from his guests.

NTU has come a long way – from 582 students in 1982 to close to25,000 students today.

Guests enjoyed a 20-course international buffet spread in theNanyang Auditorium Exhibition Hall. Dr Cham later presented eachguest a token of appreciation – a specially engraved crystal glass.

The Thank You Lunch is organised annually by the Public RelationsOffice on behalf of the President of NTU to thank contributors to theUniversity, such as members of School Advisory Committees. ■

“Mega university” soon

Dr Cham is all smiles in the warm company of associates who have dedicatedmuch of their time to serving the University

When a group ofstudents firstthought of forminga Hindu Society atNTU back in 2000,they knew that thegreatest hurdle to

No mantra-chanting fanaticsallowed!

overcome would be public perception. Just mentioning “HinduSociety” often prompted images of mantra-chanting fanatics in anincense-soaked haze.

Full of idealism, and despite all odds, these pioneers went ahead toform a Hindu Society anyway.

Materials Engineering student S Thevigha, the President of thefirst management committee, said that the society hopes toclear misconceptions about Hinduism among both Hindus and non-Hindus. “At the moment, we are concentrating on the infrastructureand publicity. Then we will be focusing on our basic objectives tocreate an interest in and awareness of the religion among NTUstudents.” ■

Fellowship and fun at a Hindu Society event

between France and Singapore in the field of science. One initiativehe has facilitated is a project on aeroponic culture undertaken by NIEand CIRAD-Forêts researchers to produce quality saplings forsoftwood forests in the region. ■

French decoration forNIE Director

Appointments

Researchers from the School of Computer Engineering recentlyshowcased how Grid Technology can be used to pool together vastamounts of resources from geographically dispersed locations, suchas Singapore and Japan, to process live medical images of the brain.

Their technology enables fast detection of Alzheimer’s and epilepsy,and is being expanded to include detection of other mental illnessesand brain afflictions.

Medically significant and visually exciting, “Brain Data Processing andVisualisation” was one of the top 40 most-visited booths atSuperComputing 2002, the premier high performance computingconference and exhibition held in Baltimore, USA, last November. Theproject results from a partnership with Osaka University, where a teamof medical and IT experts has been studying brain disorders. ■

A great honour: Prof Leo Tan (right) wasmade Officier de l’Ordre National du Meriteon 13 November 2002 at a reception hostedby the Ambassador of France to Singapore,Mr Michel Filhol (left)

Kudos to Prof Leo Tan, whonow joins an elite group ofAsians who have beenconferred the Ordre Nationaldu Merite (National Order ofMerit) by the President ofFrance. This award, theyoungest and one of the mostdistinguished of the FrenchOrders, is given to reward“distinguished merits”acquired in a public post(civilian or military) orprivately. Prof Tan hasgreatly enhanced cooperation

Speedy detectionof Alzheimer’s

AppointmentsAssoc Prof Lawrence Koe Choon Chiaw (CEE) – Director, EnvironmentalEngineering Research Centre (EERC)Ms Sim Hwee Hwang – Lecturer, Humanities & Social Studies Education, NIEMr Michael Vallance – Lecturer, English Language & Literature, NIE

Appointed Assistant Professor on conferment of PhD/Education (NIE): DrCyraine Marissa Wettasinghe (Instructional Science); Dr Lim Beng Soon(English Language & Literature); Dr Sim Wai Chew (English Language &Literature); Dr Phillip Alexander Towndrow (English Language & Literature);Dr Teo Chin Soon, Peter (English Language & Literature); Dr Roksana BibiBte Abdullah (Asian Languages & Cultures); Dr Seetha Lakshmi (AsianLanguages & Cultures); and Dr Yeap Ban Har (Mathematics & MathematicsEducation)

Re-appointmentsProf Tan Hong Siang – Director of ResearchProf Henry Fan (CEE) – Director, Centre for Transportation StudiesAssoc Prof Lua Aik Chong (MPE) – Deputy Director, EERC

15

Staff News

The University welcomes the following new staff members:

Nanyang Business School (NBS)Miss Elizabeth Ann O’Neil - Research Associate

School of Computer Engineering (SCE)Asst Prof Adel Ben Mnaouer - Assistant ProfessorAsst Prof Shi Daming - Assistant ProfessorMr Lua Eng Keong - LecturerMr Vinod Achutavarrier Prasad - LecturerProf Gagalowicz Andre - Visiting ProfessorDr Ravishankar Sharma - Senior FellowDr Jaya Sil - Research FellowDr Pramod Kumar Meher - Research FellowMr Lu Ji - Project OfficerMr Shi Jian - Project OfficerMr Tan Ching Wai - Project OfficerMr Xavier Percival - Project OfficerMr Yin Ming - Project OfficerMr Zhao Hanfeng - Project Officer

School of Materials Engineering (SME)Prof Tu King-Ning - Tan Kah Kee ProfessorAssoc Prof (Adj) Tan Eng Beng, Geoffrey - Adjunct Associate ProfessorDr Chan Wing Aun - Research FellowMr Ng Kuang Chern, Nathaniel - Project Officer

School of Civil & Environmental Engineering (CEE)Asst Prof Cheah Yuen Jen - Assistant ProfessorProf Anthony Gordon Fane - Temasek ProfessorMiss Chow San San - Project OfficerMr Hu Ou’er - Project OfficerMdm Ji Yajun - Project OfficerMr Ju Changkuan - Project OfficerMr Julianto Cahyadi - Project OfficerMr Liu Qishan - Project OfficerMr Pan Shun - Project OfficerMr Wong Kong Chue - Project OfficerMr Yee Woon Kang - Project OfficerMr Yuan Weifeng - Project OfficerMr Zhang Hua - Project OfficerMr Lim Kong Meng - Senior Officer (Grade 3)

School of Electrical & Electronic Engineering (EEE)Asst Prof Ng Beng Koon - Assistant ProfessorProf Sanjit Kumar Mitra - Nanyang ProfessorAssoc Prof (Adj) Lakshmi Narasimhan - Adjunct Associate ProfessorAssoc Prof (Adj) Ronda Venkateswarlu - Adjunct Associate ProfessorDr Zhang Hong - Senior FellowDr Cheng Min - Research FellowDr Dong Xinyong - Research FellowDr Gao Fei - Research FellowDr Huang Lei - Research FellowDr Li Jianqing - Research FellowDr Supratic Chakraborty - Research FellowDr Tian Yuan - Research FellowDr Wu Duolong - Research FellowDr Xu Chunxiang - Research FellowMr Tan Meng Tong - Research AssociateMr Wang Haibo - Research AssociateMr Wu Daowei - Research AssociateMdm Yang Huijuan - Research AssociateMr Ge Ning - Project OfficerMr Lee Yi Chau - Project OfficerMr Lu Haiping - Project OfficerMr Luo Yang - Project OfficerMr Ng Teck Chiew - Project OfficerMiss Poh Siew Hua - Project OfficerMr Shan Xiaoyong Project OfficerMiss Wang Xiaoyan - Project OfficerMiss Wang Yan - Project OfficerMiss Zuo Yuexi - Project Officer

School of Mechanical & Production Engineering (MPE)Asst Prof Duh Been-Lirn - Assistant ProfessorAsst Prof Ng Teng Yong - Assistant ProfessorDr Chao Zhixia - Research FellowDr Guo Lixin - Research FellowMr Chen Xiaojun - Research AssociateMr Fan Ailong - Research AssociateMr Jiang Long - Research AssociateMr Kithva Prakash Hariram - Research AssociateMr Ren Ji - Research AssociateMdm Sun Yuhong - Research AssociateMr Wong Ching Ho, Stephen - Research AssociateMr Xia Zetao - Research AssociateMr Zhang Qinghang - Research AssociateMr Zhang Zheng - Research AssociateMr Zhao Xin - Research AssociateMr Abele Stoelwinder - Project OfficerMr Liu Dongsheng - Project Officer

School of Biological Sciences (SBS)Dr Nikolay Korolev - Research Fellow

President’s OfficeMiss Lai Li Fah - Management Support Officer (Grade IV)

We congratulate our colleagues on their recent promotion.

To Full ProfessorGraduate Programmes & Research, NIE: Assoc Prof Lee Sing Kong

To Associate ProfessorCEE: Asst Prof Karina Gin Yew-Hoong, Asst Prof Ashraf Mohamed Hefny,Asst Prof Li Bing, Asst Prof Stephen Tay Tiong Lee, Asst Prof Wang Jing-Yuan, Asst Prof Kevin Wong Kai Fai; EEE: Asst Prof Martin David Adams,Asst Prof Cheah Chien Chern, Asst Prof Chua Chin Seng, Asst Prof Rusli, AsstProf Wijerupage Sardha Wijesoma, Asst Prof Shum Ping, Asst Prof YuanXiaocong; MPE: Asst Prof Lim Chu-Seng, Asst Prof Miao Jianmin, Asst ProfVassili Borisovich Novozhilov, Asst Prof Rajesh Piplani, Asst Prof Tai Kang,Asst Prof Xu Daolin; SCE: Asst Prof Clement Chia Liang Tien, Asst Prof NgWee Keong, Asst Prof Michel B Pasquier; SME: Asst Prof Chen Zhong; NBS:Asst Prof Amit Das, Asst Prof Rohit Bhatnagar, Asst Prof Joan C Henderson,Asst Prof Low Buen Sin, Asst Prof Tan Joo Seng, Asst Prof Harry Tan SooKiat; SCI: Asst Prof Indrajit Banerjee, Asst Prof Sharen Liu Min Kune, AsstProf M Shaheen Majid; Centre for Chinese Language & Culture: Asst ProfCrossland-Guo Shuyun, Asst Prof Lee Guan Kin

To Senior Officer (Special Grade)Office of Academic Services: Mrs Lim-Lim Paik Suan; Student Affairs Office:Mrs Seah-Poon Wai Choo

To Senior Officer (Grade 1) or equivalentOffice of Academic Services: Mr Tai Kian Heng; Internal Audit Office: MissMow Yee Hun; Centre for Educational Development: Mr Lee Chye Seng

To Senior Officer (Grade 2) or equivalentPublic Relations Office: Mrs Judy Neo-Seah Bee Woon; Library: Miss ChngChor Noy; Centre for IT Services: Mr Loh Koah Fong, Mr Nazri Bin Ibrahim,Miss Lily Seah Leng Hiang, Mr Shafarudin Bin Ibrahim, Mr SrirenganSundaresan

To Senior Officer [IT] (Grade 3)Centre for IT Services: Mr Lee Beng Koon

To Senior Officer (Grade 4) or equivalentDeputy Presidents’ Office: Mdm Tan Kia He; Office of Academic Services: MissChen Wan Ling, Miss Chan Siew Mui, Miss Ong Hue Sien; Student AffairsOffice: Mrs Tan-Ong Siew Kuan; Public Relations Office: Mrs Eileen Khoo-Tan Leng Hwee; Centre for Continuing Education: Mrs Suah-Chu Pei Ling;EEE: Mrs Chua-Goh Wei Jiuan, Mrs Lee-Yap Hew @ Yap Siew; Library: MdmKoh Ping Hoon; NBS: Mr Ho Chee Wee; SCI: Mr Teo Hee Kwang

To Senior Officer [Lab] (Grade 3)CEE: Mr Lee Yoong Chew

To Senior Officer [Lab] (Grade 4)MPE: Mr Koh Hong Lee

To Management Support Officer (Grade II)President’s Office: Mrs Susie Chia-Chan Hiang Jee

Welcome Office of FinanceMdm Goh Hwee Oon - Senior Officer (Grade 3)

Student Affairs OfficeMr Kee Ying Hwa - Senior Officer (Grade 5A)Mdm Ng Ai Suan, Ervina - Senior Officer (Grade 5A)Mr Quek Wee Lun - Senior Officer (Grade 5A)Miss Tng Ee Hwei - Hostel Management Officer (Grade IV)

Centre for IT ServicesMr Goh Koon Ngee - Senior Officer [IT] (Grade 5)

NIESpecial ProgrammesMiss Lim Puay Yin - Senior Officer

Policy & Management StudiesMr Hairon Salleh - Lecturer

Instructional ScienceMrs Jarina Peer - Teaching Fellow

Physical Education & Sports ScienceAsst Prof Ch’ng Teck Heong, Alan - Assistant Professor

Natural SciencesAsst Prof Kwok Yien Chian - Assistant ProfessorDr Huang Shiyong - Research Fellow

Public & International Relations DepartmentMdm Lee Phing Phing - Head

Promotions

16

NTU News

25 Oct Prof Nguyen Van Nam, Chairman, Trade Institute,Ministry of Trade, Vietnam

15 Nov Mr Nie Shaomin, Party Secretary-General, Chairmanof School Affairs Administration Committee, YanshanUniversity, PRC

22 Nov Dr Peter George, President & Vice-Chancellor,McMaster University, Canada

18 Dec Prof Zhuang Huajie, Vice President, ZhejiangUniversity City College, PRC

Visitors

Published by Public Relations Office, Nanyang Technological University, Nanyang Avenue, Singapore 639798. Tel: (65) 67911744. Website: http://www.ntu.edu.sg

According to the IAAP, a group oftwelve distinguished academic and industryleaders from around the world, NTUhas achieved a great deal in teaching,research, and personnel management in thelast two years.

The proposal to add three schools offeringphysical sciences, humanities and socialsciences, and design and media is a good one,as it would allow NTU to offer a morecomprehensive undergraduate education, thepanel said.

Convening for the fourth time inSingapore from 13 – 16 January 2003,the panel deliberated on the preliminaryrecommendations of the Committeeto Review the University Sector andGraduate Manpower Planning, one of whichis to expand NTU into a full-fledgeduniversity. The panel last met in January2001.

Prof Xu Zhihong, President of BeijingUniversity, said that as a comprehensiveuniversity, NTU could nurture top talent forSingapore as well as be a magnet foroverseas talent.

The IAAP was established by the Ministryof Education in April 1997 to help theuniversities in Singapore develop into world-class centres of excellence in scholarship andresearch. ■

Distinguished chiefs visitThe International AcademicAdvisory Panel (IAAP),which visited NTU on14 January, supports theproposal to turn NTU intoa comprehensive universityby 2005

30 Dec Dr Ng Eng Hen, Minister of State (Education andManpower), Singapore

During this period, the University also received visitingdelegations from University of Copenhagen, Denmark; KhonKaen University and University of the Thai Chamber ofCommerce, Thailand; Saigon Centre of Technique &Technology and The National Assembly Committee, Vietnam;International Islamic University Malaysia; Kun-Shan Universityof Technology, Taiwan, Republic of China; Jiangxi ProvincialEducation Bureau and Tianjin University, PRC; and theScientific Advisory Board of the Institute for MathematicalSciences. ■

During the period October to December2002, the University received the followingdistinguished visitors:

IAAP members taking a break outside the Chinese Heritage Centre

Tracing a distinguished lineage: NTU President Prof Su Guaning (right) and Prof Xu Zhihong, President ofBeijing University, viewing archival photographs of Nanyang University