The AlumNUS Apr-Jun 2019 by NUS Alumni Office

issue

#117

APR-JUN 2019

“The use of transformational technology is key to making our infrastructure more functional, elegant, and in harmony with the environment.” P R O F E S S O R Y O N G K W E T Y E W, N U S S E N I O R V I C E P R E S I D E N T ( C A M P U S I N F R A S T R U C T U R E )

DEBATING THE MERITS OF A TECH-DRIVEN TEMPLATE FOR TOMORROW

OF FINANCIAL STABILITY, UNIVERSITIES, AND THE FUTURE MR JOHN WILTON, NUS DEPUTY PRESIDENT (ADMINISTRATION AND FINANCE)

The Bread Winners MS PRANOTI NAGARKAR (ENGINEERING ’03) MR RISHI ISRANI (COMPUTING ’03)

S M A R T, S A F E, A N D S U S TA I N A B L E

A L O O K AT T H E E V O L U T I O N O F T H E N U S C A M P U S A N D T H E T H I N K I N G T H AT G U I D E S I T . T H E A L U M N I M A G A Z I N E O F T H E N AT I O N A L U N I V E R S I T Y O F S I N G A P O R E

nus.edu.sg/alumnet

A DA VD EV RE TROT RO I RAI LA L A DA VD EV RE TROT RO I RAI LA L A DA VD EV RE TROT RO I RAI LA L

A GIFT FOR A HIGHER CAUSE A GIFT FOR A HIGHER CAUSE A A GIFT GIFT FOR FOR A A HIGHER HIGHER CAUSE CAUSE AA GIFT GIFT FOR FOR AA HIGHER HIGHER CAUSE CAUSE

Born Bangalore, India, Gnanapragasam Louis came Singapore carve out a living Born in in Bangalore, India, MrMr Gnanapragasam Louis came toto Singapore toto carve out a living forfor Born Born in in Bangalore, Bangalore, India, India, MrMr Gnanapragasam Gnanapragasam Louis Louis came came toto Singapore Singapore toto carve carve out out a living a living forfor himself and family. was a self-taught builder working under the British Army eventually himself and hishis family. HeHe was aGnanapragasam self-taught builder working under the British Army and Born Born in in Bangalore, Bangalore, India, India, Mr Mr Gnanapragasam Louis Louis came came toto Singapore Singapore to to carve carve out out aand living a eventually living forfor setset himself himself and and hishis family. family. HeHe was was a self-taught a self-taught builder builder working working under under the the British British Army Army and and eventually eventually setset out on his own as a building contractor. He constructed several iconic buildings in Singapore andsetset out on his own as a building contractor. He constructed several iconic buildings in Singapore and himself himself and and hishis family. family. HeHe was was a self-taught a self-taught builder builder working working under under the the British British Army Army and and eventually eventually out out onon hishis own own asas a building a building contractor. contractor. HeHe constructed constructed several several iconic iconic buildings buildings in in Singapore Singapore and and Malaysia, such Novena Church and the Assunta Hospital in Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia, such as the Church in in 1950 and the Assunta Hospital inbuildings Petaling Jaya, Selangor, out out onon hishis own own asas as a the building a Novena building contractor. contractor. He1950 He constructed constructed several several iconic iconic buildings in in Singapore Singapore and and Malaysia, Malaysia, such such asas the the Novena Novena Church Church in in 1950 1950 and and the the Assunta Assunta Hospital Hospital in in Petaling Petaling Jaya, Jaya, Selangor, Selangor, Malaysia in 1956. Through hard work and judicious investments in property, he made his fortune and Malaysia in 1956. Through hard work and judicious investments in property, he made his fortune and Malaysia, Malaysia, such such asas the the Novena Novena Church Church in in 1950 1950 and and the the Assunta Assunta Hospital Hospital in in Petaling Petaling Jaya, Jaya, Selangor, Selangor, Malaysia Malaysia in in 1956. 1956. Through Through hard hard work work and and judicious judicious investments investments in in property, property, hehe made made hishis fortune fortune and and supported his children's local and overseas education, well as the education of relatives supported children's local and overseas education, asas well asin the education ofmade hishis relatives in in Malaysia Malaysia inhis in 1956. 1956. Through Through hard hard work work and and judicious judicious investments investments in property, property, hehe made his his fortune fortune and and supported supported hishis children's children's local local and and overseas overseas education, education, asas well well asas the the education education ofof hishis relatives relatives in in India. India. supported supported hishis children's children's local local and and overseas overseas education, education, asas well well asas the the education education ofof hishis relatives relatives in in India. India. India. India. “My father held a firm belief that education critical enabling one find her place the “My father held a firm belief that education is is critical in in enabling one toto find hishis oror her place in in the “My “My father father held held a firm a firm belief belief that that education education is is critical critical in in enabling enabling one one toto find find hishis oror her her place place in in the the world. taught and our relatives embrace the gift of education to reach full potential,” world. HeHe taught and our relatives toto embrace the gift of education reach our full potential,” “My “My father father held held aus firm aus firm belief belief that that education education is is critical critical in in enabling enabling one one toto to find find hishis orour or her her place place in in the the world. world. HeHe taught taught usus and and our our relatives relatives toto embrace embrace the the gift gift ofof education education toto reach reach our our full full potential,” potential,” shared Ms Wendy Marilyn Louis. shared Ms Wendy Louis. world. world. He He taught taught usMarilyn us and and our our relatives relatives toto embrace embrace the the gift gift ofof education education toto reach reach our our full full potential,” potential,” shared shared MsMs Wendy Wendy Marilyn Marilyn Louis. Louis. shared shared MsMs Wendy Wendy Marilyn Marilyn Louis. Louis. honour him, wife and daughter, Mrs Ellen Louis and Wendy Marilyn Louis respectively, ToTo honour him, hishis wife and daughter, Mrs Ellen GG Louis and MsMs Wendy Marilyn Louis respectively, ToTo honour honour him, him, hishis wife wife and and daughter, daughter, Mrs Mrs Ellen Ellen GG Louis Louis and and MsMs Wendy Wendy Marilyn Marilyn Louis Louis respectively, respectively, made a bequest to the National University Singapore’s Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences have made a him, bequest toand the National University of Singapore’s Faculty ofMarilyn Arts and Social Sciences toto Tohave To honour honour him, hishis wife wife and daughter, daughter, Mrs Mrs Ellen Ellen Gof G Louis Louis and and MsMs Wendy Wendy Marilyn Louis Louis respectively, respectively, have have made made a bequest a bequest toto the the National National University University ofof Singapore’s Singapore’s Faculty Faculty ofof Arts Arts and and Social Social Sciences Sciences toto establish the GL Louis Programme in Religious Studies. The programme will explore the establish the GL Louis Programme in Religious Studies. The programme will explore the have have made made a bequest a bequest toto the the National National University University ofof Singapore’s Singapore’s Faculty Faculty ofof Arts Arts and and Social Social Sciences Sciences toto establish establish the the GLGL Louis Louis Programme Programme in in Religious Religious Studies. Studies. The The programme programme will will explore explore the the phenomenon of religions through a professorship, PhD scholarships and events such as lectures, phenomenon of religions through a professorship, PhD scholarships and events such as lectures, establish establish the the GLGL Louis Louis Programme Programme in in Religious Religious Studies. Studies. The The programme programme will will explore explore the the phenomenon phenomenon ofof religions religions through through a professorship, a professorship, PhD PhD scholarships scholarships and and events events such such asas lectures, lectures, conferences, and workshops. conferences, seminars and workshops. phenomenon phenomenon ofseminars of religions religions through through a professorship, a professorship, PhD PhD scholarships scholarships and and events events such such asas lectures, lectures, conferences, conferences, seminars seminars and and workshops. workshops. conferences, conferences, seminars seminars and and workshops. workshops.

“Myhusband husbandalways alwaysfelt feltthat thatititisisimpossible impossibletotounderstand understandour our “My “My “Myhusband husbandalways alwaysfelt feltthat thatititisisimpossible impossibletotounderstand understandour our “My “Myhusband husband always always felt felt that thatititisisimpossible impossible totounderstand understand our our neighbours without fully understanding thereligions religions thatinform inform neighbours without fully understanding the that neighbours neighbourswithout withoutfully fullyunderstanding understandingthe thereligions religionsthat thatinform inform neighbours neighbours without without fully fully understanding understanding the the that thatinform inform theirworld world views. hope thisgift giftcan can bereligions astep stepforward forward their views. I Ihope this be areligions inin their theirworld worldviews. views.I Ihope hopethis thisgift giftcan canbebeaastep stepforward forwardinin their theirworld world views. views. I Ihope hopethis thisgift gift can can bebeaastep step forward forward inin fostering greater understanding and harmony thedifferent different fostering aagreater understanding and harmony ofof the fostering fosteringaagreater greaterunderstanding understandingand andharmony harmonyofofthe thedifferent different fostering fostering aagreater greater understanding understanding and and harmony harmony the thedifferent different religions between people,”said said Mrs Ellenof GLouis. Louis. religions between people,” Mrs Ellen Gof religions religionsbetween betweenpeople,” people,”said saidMrs MrsEllen EllenGGLouis. Louis. religions religionsbetween betweenpeople,” people,”said saidMrs MrsEllen EllenGGLouis. Louis. If you would like know more about making NUS a beneficiary your CPF, If you would like to to know more about making NUS a beneficiary of of your CPF, If you If like like tolike to know know more more about about making making a beneficiary a beneficiary ofUniversity, of your your CPF, CPF, or ifwould you would like enquire about making a NUS legacy gift oryou ifwould you would enquire about making a NUS legacy gift to to thethe University, If email you If you would like like tolike to know know more more about about making making aorbeneficiary a beneficiary ofUniversity, of your your CPF, CPF, oremail or ifwould you if you would would like enquire enquire about about making making a NUS legacy a NUS legacy gift gift towww.giving.nus.edu.sg to the the University, please legacygift@nus.edu.sg, call +65 6516-6529 or visit www.giving.nus.edu.sg please legacygift@nus.edu.sg, call +65 6516-6529 visit oremail or if you if you would would like like enquire enquire about about making making a legacy a legacy gift towww.giving.nus.edu.sg to the the University, University, please please email legacygift@nus.edu.sg, legacygift@nus.edu.sg, call call +65 +65 6516-6529 6516-6529 orgift or visit visit www.giving.nus.edu.sg please please email email legacygift@nus.edu.sg, legacygift@nus.edu.sg, call call +65 +65 6516-6529 6516-6529 or or visit visit www.giving.nus.edu.sg www.giving.nus.edu.sg

APR – JUN 2019

16 FOCUS

Built to Last

24 FORUM

Smart Nation: Too Clever for its Own Good?

28 PA N O R A M A

Strategy, Dollars and Sense Mr John Wilton

ALUMNI

Mr David Wang (Business ’08)

CONTENTS 34

C A M P U S U P D AT E S

02 NUS is Asia’s Top Institution for AAAI Conference 03 NUS Appoints Three New Pro-Chancellors 04 A New Deputy President (Innovation & Enterprise) for NUS 06 NUS Launches its Global Mentorship Programme

PH OTO OF S DE 4 ON C OV ER : R OR Y GA RDI N E R

OFFICE OF ALUMNI RELATIONS 11 Kent Ridge Drive #05-01 Shaw Foundation Alumni House Singapore 119244 Tel: (65) 6516-5775 Fax: (65) 6777-2065

Lighting Up Lives

Mr Fairoz Ahmad (Arts and Social Sciences + USP ’06)

34 SPOTLIGHT

Social Studies

Mr Stefen Chow (Engineering ’03) Ms Lin Huiyi (Arts and Social Sciences ’03)

PURSUIT OF EXCELLENCE

The Bread Winners

Ms Pranoti Nagarkar (Engineering ’03) Mr Rishi Israni (Computing ’03)

08 Tech Talk: For the Love of RobotsTM 10 Chinese New Year Appreciation Dinner / Book Corner: Las Vegas in Singapore 11 NUS’ Celebration of Love and Appreciation Dinner / NUS Alumni Manila Networking Dinner 12 Feature FIlms / Thirsty Thursdays / SkillsFuture Advice Workshop 13 Breakfast Dialogues

FRONTIERS

Making a Material Impact Professor Aaron Thean Professor Richard Wong

40 ALUMNI

HAPPENINGS

48 T H E PAT H LESS TRAVELLED

CALENDAR OF ALUM NI EVENTS

Fo r m o re i n fo r m at i o n o r t o re a d T h e A l u m N U S o n l i n e , please visit nus.e du.sg/alumnet/the alumnus.

CHANGEMAKER

OAR HIGHLIGHTS

GIVING

Hands on, and All Heart

Kitty Pursuits

Mr Jefferson Soh (Engineering ’09)

S TAY C O N N E C T E D :

@NUS_Alumni

Advisor MR BERNARD TOH (Architecture ’84) Editor MS YEAP SU PHING (Arts and Social Sciences ’06) Assistant Editor MS TAN LING ING Production Assistant MS NOREEN KWAN Publishing Consultant MEDIACORP PTE LTD

NUS Alumni

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The AlumNUS is published quarterly by the NUS Office of Alumni Relations. The views and opinions expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the NUS Office of Alumni Relations or the National University of Singapore. Copyright 2019 by the National University of Singapore. All rights reserved. Printed in Singapore by KHL Printing Co Pte Ltd.

C A M P U S U P D AT E S

NU S IS ASIA’ S TO P IN STI TU TIO N F O R A AAI C ONFE RE NCE

NUS was found to be the top performing institution in Asia at world-renowned AI conference.

A RECENT STUDY conducted by Microsoft has revealed that NUS is among the top-performing institutions at one of the world’s most prestigious artificial intelligence (AI) conferences. The conference is hosted by The Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence (AAAI), and is held annually with the purpose of promoting innovative research in AI and the free exchange of ideas between authorities in the field. Founded 40 years ago, the AAAI is an international, nonprofit, scientific society with over 4,000 members of the most prolific experts in AI, with several members being recipients of the coveted Turing Award which is often described as the ‘Nobel Prize of computing’. On 18 January, Microsoft published the results of an investigation into the institutional trends of AAAI conferences over the last 25 years and it was discovered that NUS ranked 13th worldwide based on all accepted papers by the AAAI. NUS has had 146 papers accepted since 1994 (21 papers in 2019), outdoing other esteemed Ivy League universities such as Cornell and Brown, and ranking as the highest Asian academic institution (as of 12 February). NUS also ranked 13th for the number of citations attributed to AAAI papers, with its papers being referenced in over 2,609 academic publications, again making it the top-performing Asian institution in this study. Professor Ho Teck Hua (Engineering ’85), NUS Senior Deputy President and Provost and Executive Chairman of AI Singapore, a national programme to boost Singapore’s AI capabilities, was heartened by the findings. “With the digital revolution changing the way we live, work and play, results such as these affirm the University’s international reputation in leading the charge for AI innovation. Ultimately, the cutting-edge work being undertaken by our researchers and shared at conferences like AAAI is helping to address important societal challenges and empowering people both locally and abroad to thrive in the future digital economy,” he said. The 33rd AAAI conference took place from 27 January to 1 February in Honolulu, Hawaii. This article was first published on 12 February in NUS News at news.nus.edu.sg/highlights/ nus-asias-topinstitution-aaai-conference, and has been edited for The AlumNUS.

2 4. .TA HLEUA MLN UU MSN U S

IL L U S T R A T IO N : G ET T Y IM AG ES

The University has established itself as one of the world’s leading research institutions in the field of artificial intelligence.

NUS APPOINTS THREE NEW PRO-CHANCELLORS These distinguished individuals will lend their experience when presiding over University matters and events.

From left: Mr Banerjee, Mrs Foo and Mr Teo have been appointed as NUS Pro-Chancellors from 1 January.

THE UNIVERSITY HAS ANNOUNCED the appointment of three new NUS Pro-Chancellors — Mr Gautam Banerjee, Chairman of Blackstone Singapore; Mrs Theresa Foo, Chairman of Singapore Business Federation Foundation; and Mr Teo Siong Seng, Chairman of Singapore Business Federation. The appointment, made by Singapore President and NUS Chancellor Madam Halimah Yacob (Law ’78), took effect from 1 January 2019 for a term of three years. Pro-Chancellors act on behalf of the Chancellor during the Chancellor’s absence from the University, and preside at the annual Commencement ceremonies. Mr Banerjee, Mrs Foo and Mr Teo will join Dr Chan Sek Keong (Law ’61) — who was appointed in 2015 — and Mr Po’ad Mattar (Accountancy ’71) — who was appointed in 2012 — in the University’s Chancellery. “We welcome Mr Gautam Banerjee, Mrs Theresa Foo and Mr Teo Siong Seng to NUS as Pro-Chancellors. They are all leaders in their respective fields who have contributed significantly to the Singapore community. I look forward to their support in Chancellery matters, and their participation at NUS events,” said Mdm Halimah. A Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants, England and Wales and the Institute of Certified Public Accountants in Singapore, Mr Banerjee is currently Chairman of asset management firm Blackstone Singapore. He holds appointments as Chairman of the

Singapore Centre of Social Enterprise Ltd, member of the Yale-NUS College Governing Board and Singapore Legal Service Commission, and term trustee of the Singapore Indian Development Association. He also serves on various Boards, including Singapore Airlines Limited and Singapore Telecommunications Limited. Mrs Foo is the first female Pro-Chancellor at NUS. She currently serves as the Chairman of Singapore Business Federation Foundation, where she works closely with the business community to build an inclusive Singapore by encouraging, enabling and enhancing the contributions of businesses to the social, vocational and educational uplifting of Singaporeans in need of assistance. An international leader in the world of finance, she made history in 1977 as the first woman in the Bank of America’s local operations to become Vice President, and again in 1994 when she became Standard Chartered Bank’s first Asian female chief executive. Mr Teo, Executive Chairman/Managing Director of Pacific International Lines (Pte) Ltd (PIL) — one of the largest ship owners and operators in Southeast Asia — is concurrently Chairman of the Singapore Business Federation, as well as Chairman and CEO of PIL’s listed subsidiary Singamas Container Holdings Ltd, Hongkong. He is also the Honorary President of the Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce & Industry and a former Nominated Member of Parliament. In 2010, Mr Teo was awarded the Public Service Medal. The University also announced that Mr Ngiam Tong Dow (Arts ’59) and Dr Cheong Siew Keong (Doctor of Letters ’82) have stepped down, after serving as Pro-Chancellors since 2000. Mr Stephen Lee Ching Yen had earlier stepped down to assume a new appointment at another local university. “We would like to thank Mr Ngiam Tong Dow and Dr Cheong Siew Keong for their dedicated service to NUS as our Pro-Chancellors for close to two decades. Their advice and guidance have been invaluable. We would also like to thank Mr Stephen Lee and wish him all the best in his new appointment,” said NUS President Professor Tan Eng Chye (Science ’85).

This article was first published on 25 February in NUS News at news.nus.edu.sg/highlights/ nus-appoints-three-new-pro-chancellors, and has been edited for The AlumNUS.

APR—JUN 2019 . 3

C A M P U S U P D AT E S

A new Deputy President (Innovation & Enterprise) for NUS A champion of translational research, Professor Freddy Boey is also a highly successful academic and entrepreneur.

PROFESSOR FREDDY BOEY (ENGINEERING ’87), Senior Vice President (Graduate Education & Research Translation) is appointed as Deputy President (Innovation & Enterprise) from 1 April 2019. Prof Boey will be responsible for the University’s initiatives and activities in the areas of innovation, entrepreneurship and research translation, as well as graduate studies in this new role. As part of this appointment, Prof Boey has also assumed leadership of NUS Enterprise when Dr Lily Chan, CEO of NUS Enterprise, stepped down at the end of March 2019. Dr Chan continues on in an advisory capacity from 1 April 2019. As NUS Senior Vice President (Graduate Education & Research Translation), Prof Boey has oversight over all graduate education initiatives and the NUS Industry Liaison Office, which connects and partners with industry

In his new role, Prof Boey will oversee the areas of innovation, entrepreneurship and research translation, as well as graduate studies, and will also assume leadership of NUS Enterprise.

to commercialise the University’s innovations. He launched the Graduate Research Innovation Programme within a short timeframe to rapidly increase the University’s research translation efforts. Said NUS President Professor Tan Eng Chye (Science ’85), “Professor Freddy Boey is known to many of us here and overseas as a translational research champion who is also a highly successful academic and entrepreneur. Freddy’s deep experience in research translation and entrepreneurship will bring our efforts in these two pillars to new heights. We look forward to working with Freddy in our efforts to grow the NUS Innovation and Enterprise network.” “We believe that NUS faculty, students as well as start-ups, alumni and partners in our global and local ecosystems will benefit greatly from Freddy’s experience and mentorship. He is a prolific researcher, inventor and entrepreneur who puts NUS and Singapore first. We’re very pleased that Freddy is taking on this new role,” said Senior Deputy President and Provost Professor Ho Teck Hua (Engineering ’85), who has oversight over education, research and entrepreneurship at the University. Prof Boey holds more than 100 patents and is the founder of several spin-offs. He has also helped to raise Singapore’s profile globally as a hub for medical device innovation. Said Prof Boey, “I am grateful for the opportunity to contribute to NUS’ leadership in entrepreneurship, research translation and graduate studies. I look forward to working with my talented colleagues, students and alumni, as well as our many partners

Freddy’s deep experience in research translation and entrepreneurship will bring our efforts in these two pillars to new heights. Professor Tan Eng Chye, NUS President

and friends in Singapore and overseas to build on the strong foundation, laid by Dr Lily Chan, in the exciting years ahead.” DR LILY CHAN TAKES ON ADVISORY ROLE Dr Chan, who joined NUS in February 2006, now takes on an advisory role to Senior Deputy President and Provost Prof Ho. During her tenure as CEO of NUS Enterprise, Dr Chan transformed the University’s enterprise division into one of the most admired and respected higher education entrepreneurial

4 . THE ALUM NUS

Dr Chan was instrumental in transforming the University’s enterprise division into one of the most admired and respected higher education entrepreneurial ecosystems.

ecosystems. She nurtured hundreds of entrepreneurs and start-ups, architecting a comprehensive support platform that has extended off-campus and overseas. Under her stewardship, the NUS Overseas Colleges (NOC) programme — a first-of-its-kind initiative that has enabled more than 2,800 students to intern at overseas start-ups while taking classes at top partner universities – grew steadily from its initial location in Silicon Valley to 12 current locations across Asia, Europe, the Middle

East and North America. NOC alumni have founded over 370 companies, leading Singapore’s broadsheet The Straits Times to call the programme “the single most important development to boost the start-up movement [in Singapore].” Said Dr Chan, “Creating the foremost comprehensive innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem for the University requires the efforts of many. I am thankful to my team, our students, alumni, partners and friends for their support in making NUS Enterprise the Innovation & Enterprise thought leader and community developer in Singapore and the region. I look forward to hearing about more successes from our students and start-ups, and for Prof Freddy Boey to take it to the next level.” Said NUS President Prof Tan, “We extend our deep gratitude and appreciation to Dr Lily Chan, who has led NUS Enterprise with great passion and dedication over the last 13 years. Lily leaves behind a flourishing global and local start-up ecosystem that is a proud testament to the efforts of Lily and her team. We thank Lily for her many contributions to NUS and Singapore.”

This article was first published on 22 February in NUS News at news.nus.edu.sg/highlights/ freddy-boey-appointed-deputy-president-innovation-enterprise, and has been edited for The AlumNUS.

C A M P U S U P D AT E S

NUS LAUN C HE S ITS GLO BAL M E NTORSH IP PRO GRAMME The initiative is part of the University’s plan to have every student gain overseas exposure by the time they graduate, and thus develop a competitive advantage in a highly-disruptive economic landscape.

THE NUS CAREER FEST attracted more than 300 employers offering over 4,000 job opportunities in 20 industries.

6 . THE ALUM NUS

NUS students learned how to ask the right questions and spark conversations with employers at a talk held at the NUS Career Fest 2019.

THE CENTRE FOR FUTURE-READY GRADUATES at NUS has launched a Global Mentorship Programme designed to help students develop a global executive mindset. This was announced by NUS President Professor Tan Eng Chye (Science ’85) at the opening ceremony of the NUS Career Fest on 29 January. Featuring over 30 mentors from a diverse range of sectors such as finance, technology, engineering and education, this new initiative aims to connect students who are interested in a global career to industry leaders who are either based overseas, have experience working abroad or hold a regional role. The pilot will involve 50 students who will each be paired with an appropriate mentor, who will offer advice, share their experiences and provide guidance on career development. NUS undergraduates

across all faculties are eligible to apply for the programme by 31 March. “Companies increasing their global footprint value employees who can understand cultural sensitivities, build relationships across different markets and work effectively in a diverse international team. Many are also looking to expand into Southeast Asia, a culturally-diverse region that collectively makes up the world’s fifth-largest economy. It is therefore vital for our students to think global, be nimble and seize the opportunities before them,” said Prof Tan. Mr Michele Lai Chin’s career as a key account manager with Qvest Media, a global systems architect firm, has taken him to many countries across Asia and Europe. On why he chose to be a Global Mentor, he said, “Working professionals have the responsibility to nurture the next generation to

The Human Library, where industry experts were “on loan” to participants seeking career advice.

To speak to the NUS Centre for Futureready Graduates about mentoring, write to careers@nus.edu.sg.

ensure society will continue to prosper, and the NUS Global Mentorship Programme gives us the opportunity to share our experience and takeaways with talented students who will soon enter the workforce.” Year 1 NUS Arts and Social Sciences student Mr Felix Tan is part of a two-man team developing Skillo, an app that serves as a personal development network to facilitate the growth of essential soft skills. He is considering joining the Global Mentorship Programme to find someone with the knowledge and experience to help him through the process of getting the Skillo app into the market. “I’m looking out for mentors who are able to give me the insights to help me build my business faster, to maybe scale across different regions. If you’re

trying to run a start-up, there are a lot of problems and uncertainties, and I think having a mentor would really help to fast-track the learning and make sure that we do not step into the traps that a lot of entrepreneurs fall into,” he said. The Global Mentorship Programme is part of the University’s broader plan to have every student gain overseas exposure by the time they graduate, and fits into one of the major themes for Career Fest 2019: ‘Go Global’. More than two-thirds of undergraduates go abroad at least once in their four years at NUS. Year 4 NUS Law student Ms G Kethlyn Gayathri interned at the Scalabrini Centre of Cape Town, a South African non-governmental organisation, in 2018 as part of the NUS Global Internship Programme. “If you’re someone who wants to push yourself outside of your comfort zone, or want to discover who you are as a person, find out what you’re passionate about, things you’re good at or what you’re weak in, an overseas internship is something that you should definitely try,” she said.

This article was first published on 10 January in NUS News under the title of ‘Mentorship programme a highlight at Career Fest’ at news.nus.edu.sg/highlights/mentorship-programme-highlight-career-fest, and has been edited for The AlumNUS.

MEXICAN F I L M F E S T I VA L IN

SINGAPORE

10 – 12 June, 7.30pm Event Partner:

2019 Shaw Foundation Alumni House alumnet.events/MFF19

OAR HIGHLIGHTS

reference addressed this elephant in the room, and then moved right along.

FOR THE LOVE TM OF ROBOTS Veteran enterprise technology adoption expert Ms Janneke Ritchie invited Singapore to consider the possibilities of living and working with smart machines. “ROBOTS ARE NOT FOR EVERYONE…” — These are not the words you expect to hear at a talk called For the Love of RobotsTM, much less see flashing on a presentation slide the disquieting image of a Terminator-like machine, which evokes a dystopian future where smart computers take over the world. Once she got the audience’s attention however, speaker Ms Janneke Ritchie — who has more than 20 years of experience in enterprise technology adoption — proceeded to dispel such fears and commonplace myths and also tackle the approaching reality of robots as co-workers. Organised by NUS Alumni Relations as part of its Tech Talk series — in partnership with the High Commission of Canada in Singapore — Ms Ritchie’s address on 20 February at Shaw Foundation Alumni House was certainly well-timed. After all, robots and artificial intelligence (AI) have been making the news fairly regularly, often reflecting our collective unease about both; Ms Ritchie’s Terminator

8 . THE ALUM NUS

JOINING THE TEAM 39.5

MILLION household robots will enter the workforce between now and 2021.

COMING SOON EVERYWHERE In Ms Ritchie’s view, relationships are key to creating fruitful work environments where humans and robots interact — and appearances count in this respect. She used examples of robots that had to interact with people in a service environment, or in the home, which were often designed with a bent towards cuteness so as to appear non-threatening and more familiar. Ms Ritchie’s company, Orange Gate Consulting, looks at this emerging phenomenon because she says it is now the “deployment phase for robots in the wild.” Citing an estimate by the International Federation of Robotics in 2018, Ms Ritchie stated that 39.5 million household robots will enter the workforce between then and 2021. Companies like Orange Gate are tracking how and where these robots pop up, and its website even features a robot-spotting blog, that highlights robot co-workers — in different work environments — that are significant for their originality, impact and business value. Ms Ritchie is convinced that robots are today approximately at the same stage mobile phones were between the debut of Motorola’s Razr in 2004 and when Blackberry burst upon the scene a year later. Just as these

PH OT O O F ROB OT P EP PE R: HU MB ER RI V ER HO SP IT AL F OUN DAT IO N

T ECH TALK

A HELPING HAND AT HOME As a professional with a passion for robots, Ms Ritchie believes these machines will support and augment the work of human beings, along with mostly doing the sort of labour that humans do not want to do or are ill-suited to doing. Ms Ritchie revealed in a slide the number of countries and cities where robots have joined the workforce and are interacting with people. Besides the sheer number of robots at work currently, what was perhaps even more impressive about the findings highlighted in the slide is the fact that none of these are in heavy industry. So, where can we find these robot workers then? One specific area that Ms Ritchie zoomed in on was eldercare, and how robots might be usefully deployed in supporting roles. The example she used was that of Japan, where the humanoid robot Pepper famously leads senior citizens in exercise programmes. The Japanese government, which is dealing with a problem of managing an ageing population, is going even further, according to the Reuters report cited by Ms Ritchie. Authorities in Tokyo have financed the development of eldercare robots to help fill a projected shortfall of 380,000 specialised workers by 2025 — a scenario that might take place here in Singapore as well.

devices paved the way for our current reality, where every human being is likely to have a personal computer on hand at all times, Ms Ritchie thinks we are just 12 to 15 years away from the prospect of robots being a fixture of our everyday lives. She advised that we should be prepared. As far as challenges in the world of robotics are concerned, Ms Ritchie acknowledged that security remains a major concern – but one that will continue to be improved upon, and ultimately solved, in the near Above: Pepper, the friendly humanoid future. Of course, the issue has to do with hacking, which one robot, represents the cannot escape if robots are connected to the Internet, via IoT for way forward in using example. Ms Ritchie estimated that the security question might robotics to address not have a firm answer till at least 2025. manpower needs in In the question-and-answer session that followed the talk, the service sector. Ms Ritchie further addressed queries from the audience on what jobs might be lost to robots as well as the pace of AI TechTalk_22may19_v2.pdf 1 12/3/2019 5:00:28 PM development. She emphasised that her main area of interest

is in proper robots, not necessarily automation, and how these machines will interface with human beings in real life. In other words, Ms Ritchie is interested in what happens when we have “cobots” as well as co-workers, because robots will be working with us. On the AI front, Ms Ritchie clarified that despite what we might encounter in Hollywood-produced shows, no one is anywhere near creating anything like general AI or self-aware machines.

The Tech Talk series sees experienced industry experts speaking on emerging technological trends. There will be four Tech Talks a year.

UPCOMING EVENT How Conversational AI Transforms The Way We Work Tech Talk 22 May, 7.30pm Register at alumnet.events/TSmay19

Speaker:

Mr Wong Hong Ting (Science ’10) Founder and Director, Botbot.AI

22 May 2019 (Wednesday) 7.30pm Coriander, Shaw Foundation Alumni House Register at alumnet.events/TSmay19

How conversational AI transforms the way we work Augmenting business workflows with conversational AI/Chatbot and machine learning brings unprecedented productivity gains. By removing the low value, menial, repetitive and transactional tasks, and moving the workforce to high-cognition tasks, like those that require critical and creative thinking, real value and impact is achieved. Find out how enterprises and organisations have witnessed conversational AI freeing up human time and reducing manual operation costs by up to 85%.

OAR HIGHLIGHTS

BOOK CORNER

NUS President Prof Tan Eng Chye (right) and NUS Alumni Relations Director Mr Bernard Toh received the Chinese New Year couplets from the NUS Lion Diance troupe.

LAS VEGAS IN SINGAPORE by Dr Lee Kah-Wee (Design and Environment ’07)

Dr Lee Kah-Wee’s first publication looks at the collision of the histories of Singapore and Las Vegas in the form of Marina Bay Sands, one of Singapore’s two Integrated Resorts. Dr Lee argues that the historical project of the control of vice is also about the control of space and capital. The result is an uneven landscape where the legal and moral status of gambling is contingent on where it is located. As the current wave of casino expansion spreads across Asia, he warns that these developments should not be seen as liberalisation but instead as a continuation of the project of concentrating power by modern states and corporations.

Available from Kinokuniya, NUS BookHaven, NUS Coop and via nuspress.nus.edu.sg.

10 . THE ALUM NUS

Chinese New Year Appreciation Dinner THE ANNUAL APPRECIATION DINNER hosted by NUS President and NUS Alumni Relations for alumni leaders, volunteers, partners and staff was held on 12 February. More than 200 guests attended the event, including NUS Pro-Chancellors Dr Chan Sek Keong (Law ’61) and Mr Po’ad Mattar (Accountancy ’71); NUS Board of Trustees Members Mr Phillip Tan and Dr Noeleen Heyzer (Arts and Social Sciences ’71); as well as Her Excellency Lynn McDonald, High Commissioner of Canada to Singapore. An energetic lion dance by NUS Lion Dance welcomed guests at Shaw Foundation Alumni House, before they proceeded to NUS Society Kent Ridge Guild House for a festive lo hei dinner and performances by NUS Chinese Orchestra and The Outside Edition (an a cappella group comprising NUS alumni).

NUS Chinese Orchestra added a classical touch to the evening.

The Outside Edition entertained guests with a cappella versions of Chinese New Year songs and popular hits.

FR OM THE HE ART

NUS alumni spread the love, with over $374,000 raised to support undergraduates.

ALUMNI AND FRIENDS OF NUS have raised over $374,000 for undergraduates of the University. The NUS’ Celebration of Love and Appreciation Dinner was held on 21 February to celebrate the continual support from the NUS alumni community. The fundraising activity was spearheaded by the NUS Alumni Students Advancement Committee (ASAC) established by the NUS Alumni Advisory Board. “The ASAC was formed in 2013 and led by our very own NUS Alumni, to develop and nurture initiatives that support bursaries for underprivileged students in NUS. This effort is one of the many ongoing fundraising activities organised by the committee for

NUS ALUMNI MANILA NETWORKING DINNER

the alumni to give back to the NUS community in the spirit of love,” said Mr Johnny Tan (Science ’82), Co-Chairman of the NUS Alumni Advisory Board, who also chairs ASAC. The total donations raised by the ASAC through this latest fundraising activity could potentially support awards to benefit almost 40 undergraduates from various NUS faculties. The dinner event was organised by NUS Alumni Relations, NUS Development Office and NUS Campus Couples Alumni. Close to 250 NUS alumni donors and friends of the University engaged and reconnected with the NUS community at the appreciation dinner.

MORE THAN 70 ALUMNI attended the NUS Alumni Manila Networking Dinner on 19 February hosted by NUS Alumni Relations. The event was graced by NUS President Professor Tan Eng Chye (Science ’85), who shared with alumni key developments at the University. This included his strategic plan to forge and strengthen partnerships with universities in Southeast Asia, with the aim for NUS to build and link the innovation and enterprise ecosystem within Southeast Asia, with NUS as a key node. NUS Alumni Relations Director Mr Bernard Toh (Architecture ’84) also announced that it was an opportune time to establish the NUS Alumni Manila Chapter. The Chapter will provide a more meaningful and strategic platform for alumni in Manila to stay connected with one another and with NUS.

Prof Tan (4th from left) and Mr Toh (3rd from right) with alumni in Manila.

A P R — J U N 2 0 1 9 . 11

OAR HIGHLIGHTS

F E AT U R E F I L M S

SKILLSFUT URE ADVICE WORKSHOP

THE AUDITORIUM AT SHAW FOUNDATION ALUMNI HOUSE packed to almost a full house with the screening of Crazy Rich Asians, a Hollywood movie with an all-Asian cast. Ms Janice Koh (Arts and Social Sciences ’95), who played the part of ‘Felicity Leong’, specially recorded a video message for the audience that was shown before the film. Through the video, Ms Koh shared how NUS has provided her with a strong foundation for her career, how she prepared for her role of Felicity, and offered advice for students and alumni interested in pursuing a career in the entertainment industry.

TH IRST Y THURSDAYS

Sabai Sabai AS THE END OF THE WORKWEEK drew near, close to 100 young alumni got together for Thirsty Thursdays on 7 March at Patara Fine Thai Cuisine to Sabai Sabai (“chill and relax” in Thai). In addition to catching up with friends and making new ones, guests also enjoyed a ‘live’ performance of popular Thai and English songs by NUS student band ‘Nguu Nguu Plaa Plaa’ (the Thai equivalent of the Singlish term “anyhow”).

CLOSE TO 80 ALUMNI gained some insights into the various industrial revolutions and what ‘Industry 4.0’ is from the speaker of this workshop, Associate Professor Goh Puay Guan from NUS School of Continuing and Lifelong Education (NUS SCALE) and Department of Analytics & Operations, NUS Business School. They also learned about the opportunities and challenges presented by technological innovation that are blurring the lines between industries, as well as case studies from recent business history and developments. This series of workshops is organised by NUS Alumni Relations, in partnership with NUS SCALE and SkillsFuture Engage Office.

Assoc Prof Titima (middle) and her colleagues shared with alumni the courses available at CLS.

Alumni also found out more about opportunities to learn a new language at the NUS Centre for Language Studies (CLS) from CLS Director Associate Professor Titima Suthiawan and her colleagues.

UPCOMING EVENT Taste of Taiwan Thirsty Thursdays 6 Jun, 6.30pm Register at alumnet.events/TTjun19

1224 .. TAHLEU M A LNUUM S NUS

INDUS T R Y 4. 0 : H IS T O R ICA L O VE R VIE W & CUR R E NT T R ENDS

UPCOMING EVENT Applying Data Analytics to Human Resource Management SkillsFuture Advice Workshop 16 Apr, 7.30pm Register at alumnet.events/SFapr19

B R E AK FAS T D I A L O G U E S

IN THE NEWS

Mr Martino Tan highlighted the importance of openness and the need to respect diversity in opinion in this era of fake news.

AT THE BREAKFAST DIALOGUE held on 25 January at the NUS Society Suntec City Guild House, alumni and guests were treated to an insightful and engaging session with the Deputy Managing Director and Managing Editor of popular news and lifestyle website mothership.sg, Mr Martino Tan (Public Policy ’09). Mr Tan candidly shared with the audience how mothership.sg was started by “three guys with no practical journalistic experience” and its journey to becoming the third most-popular local online news platform in Singapore. In this era of fake news, Mr Tan emphasised that it is important to be open and pragmatic, foster unity while respecting diversity, and let readers arrive at their own conclusions. The session was moderated by former NUSSU President Mr Soh Yi Da (Arts and Social Sciences ’14).

UPCOMING EVENT How to Cope Thrive Lunch Dialogues 26 Apr, 11.45am Register at alumnet.events/LDapr19

Dr Jade Kua (Medicine

03)

Consultant, KK Women’s & Children’s Hospital

How to C Cope ope Thrive 26 April 2019 (Friday) 11.45am, NUSS Mandalay Guild House, 2 Mandalay Road, Singapore 308206 Registration fee: $20 (Alumnus) $25 (Guest) Register at: alumnet.events/LDapr19

PROGRAMME 11.45am

Lunch & Networking

12.30pm

Sharing by Dr Jade Kua

1.00pm

Q&A Session

1.30pm

End of Programme

Work-life balance is a tricky equilibrium and it is trickier when there are so many variables involved. We know physical and mental well-being are important but how do we achieve it? Dr Jade Kua is a paediatric emergency specialist at KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital. She is the programme director for DARE (Dispatcher-Assisted First Responder), a national community CPR education campaign launched to provide information for users to act when they encounter someone suffering a heart attack. She also blogs frequently about family life and health education, and is a published author of How to Save a Life. At home, she is mum to many and loves her rescued dogs dearly. Hear how she achieves work-life balance by juggling between multiple roles as a wife, mother and career woman.

CALENDAR OF ALUMNI EVENTS

nus.edu.sg/alumnet/events

A P R . M AY. J U N

A P R I L

Applying Data Analytics to Human Resource Management SkillsFuture Advice Workshop Speaker: Mr David Hufton, Adjunct Lecturer, Institute of Systems Science at NUS.

APR

Shaw Foundation Alumni House, Tue, 7.30pm

Bohemian Rhapsody (M18) Movies On The House A foot-stomping celebration of rock band Queen, their music and their extraordinary lead singer Freddie Mercury – from the start of their career to their now-legendary 1985 performance at the Live Aid concert in Wembley Stadium.

APR

Shaw Foundation Alumni House, Thu, 7.30pm

14 . T H E A L U M N U S

10 -12

JUN MEXICAN F I L M F E S T I VA L Jointly presented by the Embassy of Mexico in Singapore and NUS Alumni Relations, the Mexican Film Festival brings to you the very best of Mexican Films. (Film titles to be announced)

Get an overview of the tools and techniques which can be applied to various Human Resource (HR) functions, new data analytic methods which may be applied in the future, as well as common issues and problems that occur in HR data analysis.

10 – 12 June 2019 Mon – Wed Shaw Foundation Alumni House, 7.30pm Register: alumnet.events/MFF19 Contact: Mr Roystonn Loh roystonn.loh@nus.edu.sg

How to Cope Thrive Lunch Dialogues Speaker: Dr Jade Kua (Medicine ’03), Consultant, KK Women’s & Children’s Hospital

APR

NUSS Mandalay Guild House, Fri, 11.45am

Ticket Price: $20 (Alumnus/Staff/Student), $25 (Guest) Register: alumnet.events/LDapr19 Contact: Ms Cassandra Lua cassandraluaqy@nus.edu.sg

Alumni Weekends

Spend a Saturday back on campus to learn more about lifelong learning initiatives and take part in fun-filled activities with your family.

M AY

The Terrace and Shaw Foundation Alumni House, Sat, 10am

J U N E

Taste of Taiwan Thirsty Thursdays A dedicated networking session for young alumni aged 40 and below. This gathering of young minds often sparks interesting conversations, friendships and business partnerships. Typhoon Café, Plaza Singapura, 68 Orchad Road #04-63/67 Singapore 238839 Thu, 6.30pm Ticket Price: $10 Register: alumnet.events/TTjun19 Contact: Ms Cassandra Lua cassandraluaqy@nus.edu.sg

JUN

Health and Wellness Speaker: Dr Christelle Tan (Medicine ’10), Paediatrician, Raffles Medical Group.

Understand common medical conditions, unravel jargon and debunk myths behind complicated diseases.

JUN

How Conversational AI Transforms the Way We Work

All information is correct at time of print and is subject to change without prior notice.

Tech Talk Speaker: Mr Wong Hong Ting (Science ’10), Founder and Director, Botbot.AI Find out how enterprises and organisations have witnessed conversational AI free up human time and reduce manual operation costs by up to 85%.

M AY

Shaw Foundation Alumni House, Wed, 7.30pm

Aquaman (PG13) Movies On The House Aquaman, the human-born heir to the underwater kingdom of Atlantis, goes on a quest to prevent a war between the worlds of ocean and land.

M AY

Shaw Foundation Alumni House, Thu, 7.30pm

Shaw Foundation Alumni House, Fri, 7.30pm

Mystical Myanmar 2019 NUS Alumni Travel Programme NUS Alumni Travel takes you on a 5-day, 4-night learning journey to explore the mystical aspects of Myanmar. Learn about the country’s rich history and culture with fellow NUS alumni companions. 8 -12 JUN

Myanmar, Sat-Wed

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (PG) Movies On The House Introduces Brooklyn teen Miles Morales, and the limitless possibilities of the Spider-Verse, where more than one can wear the mask.

JUN

Shaw Foundation Alumni House, Thu, 7.30pm

M AY

A P R — J U N 2 0 1 9 . 15

F O C U S

A view from the School of Design and Environmentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s SDE4 building, a significant example of sustainable design here. Singaporeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first new-build net-zero energy building, it functions as a living laboratory to showcase and testbed innovative solutions in sustainable development.

16 . THE ALUM NUS

PH OT O: RO RY GA RD INE R

LAST

As NUS strives to create a smarter, safer and more sustainable campus, The Alum NUS looks at the thinking behind the spirit of continuous evolution on Kent Ridge and speaks to some of those who are helping to make this happen.

TEXT BY WANDA TAN

OWADAYS, THE IDEA OF HAVING A DRIVERLESS SHUTTLE BUS ON THE ROAD is not a matter of ‘if’ but ‘when’. At NUS, that moment may come as soon as this May. The University is partnering transport company ComfortDelGro in a year-long trial of an autonomous shuttle bus, which will travel along a 1.6km route between Heng Mui Keng Terrace and Business Link at the main Kent Ridge campus. Powered by artificial intelligence, the self-driving shuttle bus is an excellent example of how smart technologies are revolutionising transport. The autonomous vehicle will initially focus on collecting data for its mapping and navigation systems, and will start taking passengers only after it is deemed safe. Because it runs entirely on electricity, the shuttle — which may eventually be rolled out as a commercial service — could also substantially reduce carbon emissions and improve environmental sustainability. The soon-to-be-introduced autonomous shuttle bus is but one small indication of the changes that have taken place at NUS during the 2010s, as it inches closer to becoming a ‘Smart, Safe and Sustainable (S3) Campus’. This is the most recent phase of a transformation journey that began back in 1973, when NUS first commenced construction work at the Kent Ridge site. Guided by its S3 Campus mission, the University is modernising its infrastructure, physical and otherwise — and in turn, engaging and empowering the NUS community.

THE TESTBED OF CHANGE Many of the changes currently happening at NUS’ Kent Ridge campus were birthed in the adjacent University Town (UTown), which welcomed its pioneer batch of residents in August 2011. “UTown gave us an opportunity to create an integrated campus that combines learning and living, and to test new pedagogical methods like discovery-based learning and the flipped classroom approach,” says Professor Yong Kwet Yew, Senior Vice President (Campus Infrastructure) of NUS. “Our tagline was, ‘Our classrooms are everywhere.’” Mr Koh Yan Leng (Engineering ’99), Associate Vice President (Campus Life) of NUS, adds that UTown’s distinctive learning-and-living model reflects A P R — J U N 2 0 1 9 . 17

F O C U S

Prof Yong Kwet Yew, Senior Vice President (Campus Infrastructure), NUS

18 . THE ALUM NUS

the shifting expectations students have about residential life. “Today, the majority of students staying on campus are locals rather than foreigners. They are drawn here not because they are simply looking for accommodation, but out of a desire for a fuller campus experience. They want to be part of a ‘home’ or community at NUS, where they can connect with other students and build their leadership and networking skills.” This community vibe is evident throughout UTown. Within the residential colleges, students congregate in common lounges and multi-purpose halls for formal learning activities, casual chats, parties and other events. Located near the residential colleges are a variety of learning and recreational amenities. The Education Resource Centre offers a 24/7 collaborative space for project teams at the Computer Commons, as well as seminar rooms with modular furniture to facilitate small-group discussions. Outside, the Town Green attracts students taking a break from their studies to relax with friends.

UTown also presented an opportunity for NUS to apply novel, environmentally-sustainable design principles for the first time. The development is built around existing trees, most notably the Margaritaria indica tree at Yale-NUS College that has been gazetted as a Heritage Tree by the National Parks Board. To improve natural ventilation in buildings, large ceiling fans were installed and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modelling was used for wind-flow simulations. Due to these and other environmentally-friendly practices, UTown has won several Building and Construction Authority (BCA) Green Mark awards, including the inaugural BCA Green Mark for Districts award, as well as international architectural design awards.

A C A M P U S - W I D E R E VA M P Taking a leaf out of UTown’s book, the University has been implementing these same measures to rejuvenate its Kent Ridge campus. “When Kent Ridge was first established in the 1970s, the various NUS faculties

P HOT O: KE VIN L AU

UTown gave us an opportunity to create an integrated campus that combines learning and living, and to test new pedagogical methods like discovery-based learning and the flipped classroom approach.

PHOTO: KEVIN LAU

Top to bottom: UTown’s Education Resource Centre (ERC) overlooking the Town Green; the Computer Commons located at the ERC, where students can work on presentations individually or in groups using highend computers; the Town Green, a popular hangout spot among students.

On 23 November 2018, NUS launched its “Planting 10,000 Trees” initiative. A total of 10,000 trees will be planted throughout the campus. The trees are expected to lower the surrounding temperatures by

1°C

, as well as sequester

220

tonnes of carbon dioxide and produce nearly

1,200

tonnes of oxygen annually.

Top: The Hangar at iCube. Above: the revamped Frontier canteen.

Yale-NUS’ biofiltration pond has received PUB’s Active, Beautiful, Clean Waters (ABC Waters) certification, and adds to the greenery and aesthetics of the campus. Overlooking the pond on the right-hand side of the photo is the Margaritaria indica tree, the only mature one of its kind in Singapore.

A P R — J U N 2 0 1 9 . 19

PH OTO : Y AL E- NUS C OLL EGE

DID YOU KNOW?

— hitherto scattered across four sites island-wide — were re-located to one campus, but they remained in separate, entrenched silos. We are now redeveloping Kent Ridge into a well-integrated, greener campus,” explains Prof Yong. Some of these projects have already been completed. Launched in 2014, the Ventus building (occupied by University Campus Infrastructure staff), for instance, is built around existing Tembusu and rain trees, and has a green roof and walls. In 2016, NUS Enterprise opened a start-up facility called The Hangar at iCube, which is within walking distance of ENterprise House, an entrepreneurial-themed residence. At the revamped Science canteen, Frontier, which started operations in 2017, a mix of dining options, study clusters, student club offices as well as interactive spaces allow students to eat, learn and mingle — all in the same spot. Similar plans are in the works at the NUS Engineering canteen, which is currently being redeveloped, while the Business and Computing canteen is also slated for redevelopment (together with a new School of Computing building). Among the design options being considered for the latter are multimedia-equipped discussion pods where students can work on their presentations, as well as a central stage with a big screen for hosting e-sports competitions, concerts and other events. “We intend to make a bold change to the traditional canteen

F O C U S

ABOUT THE RIDGE This spotted wood owl, recognised as a ‘critically endangered’ species in Singapore, was sighted at the Kent Ridge campus in March 2015. The photo appears in Kent Ridge: An Untold Story (NUS Press, 2019), an edited volume by NUS Law Adjunct Professor Kevin Tan (Law ’86). It traces the history of Kent Ridge back to the early 19th century, during which the land changed hands several times before it was finally secured by the University in 1968. The book also features the rich flora and fauna that can be found here.

2 0 . THE ALUM NUS

enhancing native biodiversity. “We should preserve what is important to the heritage of our country, including animal and plant species that are indigenous to Singapore.”

ON SMART GROUND Next in line for a makeover at NUS is the Science– Medicine precinct. A brand new Wet Science Building is set to open by the end of this year, bringing together all wet laboratory researchers under one roof for cutting-edge biomedical research on nanoparticles, graphene sheets and other materials. The building will link up with Frontier to frame an Academic Green — not unlike the Town Green at UTown — to encourage interactions and create breathing space in the heavilycongested area. To help visualise the new Science–Medicine precinct, University planners are turning to a smart technology called Virtual NUS, a 3D digital twin of the Kent Ridge campus. Developed in-house using drone imagery and data, the virtual model can do more than run simulations to test design ideas for future buildings — it collects real-time data from campus WiFi hotspots (including shuttle buses), thus enabling users to conduct data analytics and make more judicious decisions about campus infrastructure. For example, the 3D model can estimate the solar potential of building rooftops and perform

PH OTO S OF VE NTU S: A IK CH EN

concept and make the space more usable all day long, not just during lunchtime,” says Mr Koh. One of the most striking buildings at Kent Ridge is the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum, which was officially opened in 2015. Its boulder-like structure and vertical greenery convey a sense of the natural world. According to the Museum Head Professor Peter Ng (Science ’83), the campus-wide ‘greening’ push is a way of making the area more beautiful and pleasant, as well as restoring our lost natural heritage. “Because of NUS’ hilly terrain, parts of the campus are difficult to build on, so those areas have been left untouched,” says Prof Ng, a conservation biologist. He is especially heartened by the University’s focus on

PHOTO COURTESY OF DR TAN HEOK HUI

Above: Large ceiling fans at Ventus enhance natural ventilation in open spaces and generate thermal comfort for building occupants. Above right: Ventus is built around the existing rain tree.

Technology can change the way we live, learn, work and play. At NUS, we offer a playground for people to see and build upon these possibilities, which will lead to more productive, happier lives. Prof Andrew Lim, Head, Department of Industrial Systems Engineering and Management, NUS

Below: NUS’ Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum.

APP-TASTIC! Artist’s impression of the Wet Science Building.

computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations of wind flow, so as to improve the energy-efficiency of buildings. Virtual NUS’ crowd-sensing capability can help users determine which lecture theatres are under-utilised, and hence suitable for repurposing into modern learning environments such as smaller tutorial rooms, makerspaces or social hubs. It can also track the number of commuters on shuttle buses to optimise bus schedules and routes. Professor Andrew Lim, Head of NUS’ Department of Industrial Systems Engineering and Management, is the Director of Virtual NUS. This programme falls under the NUS Smart Nation Research Cluster and is housed in the Innovation4.0 building, which opened its doors in September 2018. Indeed, NUS is particularly wellsuited to carry out such innovative projects and support Singapore’s Smart Nation agenda. “With more than 200 buildings and some 50,000 students and staff, the NUS community is sizeable yet self-contained. That makes us a safe testbed or ‘sandbox’ to experiment with cutting-

Here are some mobile apps that have made life easier for those studying and working at the University:

NUS NextBus Users can get up-to-theminute bus schedules, along with detailed maps of bus stop locations and their current location on campus.

NUSmart Dining Currently being trialled at Frontier, it helps diners avoid long queues by letting them pre-order their food and notifying them when it is ready for pick-up. They can also pay using their preferred e-wallet.

NUS Maps This app offers 3D outdoor and indoor (room-to-room) navigation to help users find their way around Kent Ridge and UTown.

NUS Alert As NUS’ emergency mass notification system, it provides immediate and vital emergency information, as well as urgent advisories, about NUS.

NUS Suite With a single log-in, this all-in-one platform allows users to customise and access all NUS apps submitted by third-party developers (including students).

A P R — J U N 2 0 1 9 . 21

F O C U S

edge technologies, as we can resolve any problems before the impacts are felt by the public,” explains Prof Lim, who adds that researchers are not the only ones pushing the technology envelope. “Students can create and test their mobile apps within NUS. If feasible, they can then roll out their ideas into the bigger marketplace.” Ultimately, he believes that all Singaporeans stand to benefit from the smart initiatives being piloted at NUS. “Technology can change the way we live, learn, work and play. At NUS, we offer a playground for people to see and build upon these possibilities, which will lead to more productive, happier lives.”

SAFETY FIRST Another aspect of campus operations that is being transformed by Virtual NUS is campus safety and security. The old approach of staring at monitors and responding to incidents will soon become outdated, as the NUS Office of Campus Security (OCS) gets ready to open its new Command Centre in the next few months. “It will be a ‘smart’ nerve centre that pulls together information from all of our security measures — campus patrol officers, CCTV cameras, access control systems, etc. — to help us do our job more effectively and efficiently,” says Mr Keith It (Business ’98), Director Designate of OCS. Integrating these subsystems onto a common platform will give OCS staff a visual appreciation of site plans and building layouts, so they can figure out where best to position CCTV cameras, bollards, thick shrubs as natural deterrents, and the like. Real-time data will also be useful in improving resource

PH OTO S OF SD E4: R OR Y G AR DIN ER

GOING GREEN The newest building at Kent Ridge is the NUS School of Design and Environment’s SDE4, which was unveiled on 30 January. Widely acclaimed as Singapore’s first new-build net-zero energy building, SDE4 is designed to consume only as much energy as it creates. This is achieved through myriad green architecture elements including rooftop solar panels, a hybrid cooling system which employs airconditioning units and ceiling fans, and a large overhanging roof to shade occupants from the tropical sun, as well as other methods to optimise natural ventilation and lighting. SDE4 functions as a living laboratory to showcase and testbed innovative solutions in sustainable development. For example, located within SDE4 is the NUS–CDL Smart Green Home, where emerging big data technologies will be explored for their eventual use in residential developments in Singapore. Sections of the building façade can even be dismantled and replaced with new wall prototypes to analyse their performance. Dr Christopher Lee (Architecture ’95), co-founder and Principal of Serie Architects, served as the lead architect of the SDE4 project, thus adding an extra dose of pride to this feat. “SDE is one of the rare examples where the architecture school ‘walks the talk’,” says Dr Lee. “The conceptualisation and construction of a new faculty building offers an opportunity to test existing theoretical knowledge within the school, as well as generate new knowledge at the end of the process. In this way, the architecture of the new building is both pedagogical and demonstrative.” One of SDE4’s most telling contributions is that it advances a new way of thinking about sustainability and well-being. “In the past, discussions have been overwhelmingly technical and preoccupied with indoor air quality,”

says SDE’s Associate Professor Nirmal Tulsidas Kishnani (Architecture ’88). “SDE4 has expanded the discussion to encompass biophilic design, a humancentric concept emphasising connectivity to nature. Instead of being cooped up in a glass box, SDE4 users are encouraged to step outdoors and be a part of the landscape.” Thanks partly to SDE4’s sustainable design practices, the University is on track to reaching the targets laid out in its Sustainability Strategic Plan 2017–2020. This ambitious roadmap involves the whole community — from campus planners in charge of NUS’ physical infrastructure, to students taking sustainability-related modules and joining environmental CCAs. “We want to be a responsible and progressive university that minimises its carbon footprint, while still fulfilling our research, educational and public service goals,” says Ms Amy Ho (Business ’06), Director of the NUS Office of Environmental Sustainability. “Hopefully, what we do on campus will plant the seeds for the NUS community to embark on their own sustainability initiatives.”

The Innovation4.0 building.

22 . THE ALUM NUS

By embracing this mentality [of taking individual ownership of safety and health], our students can in turn exert a positive influence on other people once they join the workforce. Dr Peck Thian Guan, Director of OSHE, NUS

PHOTO: AIK CHEN

deployment, and to identify the exact location of security officers so as to dispatch the closest one to the scene. However, Mr It stresses that maintaining campus security is the responsibility of the entire NUS community, although many often take it for granted. “While our work is focused on ensuring a safe campus, we don’t want the community to be complacent either. We will work with them because everyone has a part to play in campus security.” Spurred by the launch of the national SGSecure movement in 2016, emphasis is now being placed on community preparedness to fend off terrorism — and University students are taking the lead on this, not just within NUS but across the island. The NUS Civil Defence Lionhearter Club is a student interest group whose members are trained by the Singapore Civil Defence Force in basic first aid, basic firefighting, as well as cardiopulmonary resuscitation and automated external defibrillator procedures. They impart these life-saving skills to others at events held on campus and in the heartlands. These student-led efforts supplement the work done by the NUS Office of Safety, Health and

STICKING TO THE PLAN Under the NUS Sustainability Strategic Plan 2017–2020, the University aims to achieve the following by 2020 (using 2012 as the baseline, except for carbon emissions): Reduce carbon emissions by 23% below business-as-usual levels (compared to 2008) Reduce energy use intensity by 20% Improve the water efficiency index by 20% Increase the overall recycling rate to 25% Increase the number of BCA Green Mark–certified buildings to 40 Increase the area of green spaces (in buildings) to 45,000m2 Mr Chew Chin Huat (Engineering ’90), Senior Director (Campus Operations and Maintenance) of NUS, who heads the NUS Energy Task Force, discloses: “In the last two financial years, NUS reduced its electricity consumption by 7 million kWh ($1.12 million), despite an increase in gross floor area of over 40,000 m2. Chiller plant and air change optimisation in laboratories have been the major energy-saving projects implemented during this period.”

From the University Campus Infrastructure offices (left to right): Dr Peck Thian Guan, Prof Yong Kwet Yew, Ms Amy Ho, Mr Koh Yan Leng, and Mr Keith It.

Environment (OSHE) to promote total workplace safety and health. OSHE staff engage the various faculties, halls and residential colleges all year round through lab safety training workshops, safety and health advisories and consultations, inspections, vetting of student-drawn safety and crisis management plans for co-curricular activities (CCAs), simulated terror attacks and fire drills, as well as faculty-specific Safety Day events. “We want to grow a safety and health culture among the NUS community, and encourage individual ownership of safety and health. By embracing this mentality, our students can in turn exert a positive influence on other people once they join the workforce,” says Dr Peck Thian Guan (Science ’87), Director of OSHE.

RAISE YOUR VOICE NUS, like all universities, is a living, breathing entity. There is no telling what the Kent Ridge of tomorrow will look like. However, Prof Yong has a rough idea: “While upgrading our infrastructure, we should still preserve some old buildings to showcase how our campus architecture has changed over the years. We have to learn from the past in order to build for the future.” In this endeavour, NUS alumni can provide the most valuable input. “We hope to continue to do more with and for alumni, by getting them to share their memories of what they miss about the University. Preserving buildings and spaces that hold special meaning for our alumni will make them want to keep coming back, and also help future generations remember the University’s history,” says Prof Yong. Special thanks to Ms Geraldine Lee, Director, Community Engagement & Development, NUS Campus Infrastructure, for her inputs and assistance in the writing of this article.

A P R — J U N 2 0 1 9 . 23

forum

TECH IT TO THE LIMIT Launched by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong in November 2014, Smart Nation is a Singapore Government-led initiative to harness infocomm technologies, networks and big data to develop people-centric solutions to address everyday challenges and increase efficiency.

24 . THE ALUM NUS

SMART NATION

TOO CLEVER FOR ITS OWN GOOD?

TEXT BY KOH YUEN LIN . PHOTOS BY MARK LEE

NUS alumni debate on the advantages and pitfalls of the nation’s ongoing move towards hyper-connectivity and the adoption of next-gen technology in everyday life. What is your personal understanding of the Smart Nation initiative?

SEBASTIAN: It is an initiative that makes use of non-intrusive technology that one can opt-in to, in order to lubricate day-to-day activities and government decisions. ALFRED: It is the Internet of Things (IoT) on a national level. While there are clusters of activities — such as government agencies utilising big data analytics to solve traffic congestion problems — I don’t see a big concerted effort to bring it to the household level and move everybody in the same direction yet. TANCY: It is about putting emerging technology into our everyday lives, such that it will help everyone – the government, companies and individuals – make wiser decisions. I do see a concerted effort to push this initiative to the lay person – the government disseminates a lot of information over the news channels. For example, the Sunday news on Channel 8 now has a segment on technology. The SkillsFuture app also has a lot of resources for everybody. There is a strong infrastructure and activity – our citizens just need to tap into it. Coming from the finance sector, I also see the government’s efforts in nurturing the ecosystem for fintech services – and there is a very active community here. CHEE CHIU: It is still in its early stages and the government is taking cautious steps before aggressively pushing out the whole chain of changes. LAURENCE: While government agencies are taking small steps with initiatives like SingPass and the Parking.Sg app, you find that companies such as Singapore Power and Temasek Holdings are being progressive with their digitisation plans. I see this as an attempt to seed the initial momentum through government agencies and moving the bigger bets to the private sector. Do you think the man on the street is aware of these developments, and embracing these new apps and technology?

CHEE CHIU: For the people, the uptake is largely dependent on the usefulness of the app or technology. The Parking.Sg app is incredibly useful, and so many people use it. The ‘use case’ has to be sound before you even start talking about the technology.

SIHUI: While some people might not be aware that certain things – such as Moments of Life app for parents to register their child’s name online, or find a preschool near them – are part of the Smart Nation movement, these already impact them when they use the app. And the government has taken a lot of effort in marketing the technology and making people more comfortable with adopting it. However, I feel that there is an over-emphasis on the high technology – the “sexy stuff” – but not enough on the actual business applications. TANCY: This is where the professionals have to come forward and lend their expertise. There is always a learning curve involved in the adoption of new technologies — and if there is support given at the initial phase, this would help individuals to master the features and get started on their selflearning journeys. LAURENCE: This is also where the SkillsFuture push comes in: the government now wants to move towards having talent with cross-disciplinary experience, such as engineers with business operations know-how, and vice versa.

O U R PA N E L

MR SEBASTIAN SHEN (DESIGN AND ENVIRONMENT’ 14), 30 LOGISTICS AND TECHNOLOGY ENTREPRENEUR

MR ALFRED GOH (DESIGN AND ENVIRONMENT ’99), 43 BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT FOR IT SECURITY COMPANY

MS LI SIHUI (ARTS AND SOCIAL SCIENCES ‘10), 32 EVENTS AND PROGRAMME MANAGER

Given that different demographic groups have different levels of acceptance towards technology, do you think this will widen differences further?

ALFRED: I actually see the move towards Smart Nation as an opportunity for communication between different generations – such as when youngsters teach seniors how to use their phones or certain new technologies. LAURENCE: Just yesterday I had to teach my dad how to file taxes online!

I see Smart Nation as providing opportunities for communication between generations — such as when youngsters teach seniors how to use their phones or certain new technologies. - MR ALFRED GOH

MR LAURENCE PUTRA FRANSLAY (COMPUTING ’13), 29 SOFTWARE ENGINEER

MR NG CHEE CHIU (COMPUTING ‘04), 39 CEO, WEBSPARKS

MS TANCY TAN (COMPUTING + USP ‘03), 39 DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION, J.P. MORGAN

A P R — J U N 2 0 1 9 . 25

forum

WHAT’S APP-ENING Some notable Smart Nation apps

BEELI NE Beeline crowdsources requests and utilises anonymised public transport data to come up with new options for commuters.

HEALTHHUB Access your family’s health records via this one-stop portal. It also offers health and wellness content, deals, rewards and e-services.

M O M EN TS OF LI FE (FAMI LI ES) Provides information needed by the parents and caregivers of young children.

S GSECURE Use this app to report suspicious sightings, get alerts of emergencies and send information to the authorities should a major situation happen near you.

ON EHMAP An open geo-historical map platform that crowdsources photos to help trace the evolution of Singapore’s landscape. Available on Google Play / App Store

2 6 . THE ALUM NUS

TANCY: When we look at disparity, we look at benefits, and in a digital economy, the benefits to all are the same. To give an example, my aunt is ‘nondigital’, but she benefits just the same when I order groceries online for her. In that sense, it doesn’t widen differences. SIHUI: It will only widen differences when you live in an environment where you need technology in order to have certain access to things in life. And actually, I hear more stories about seniors adopting technology rather than not – be it in using WhatsApp to stay connected or using Netflix to watch Korean dramas. What about the potential negative impacts this movement could have?

LAURENCE: My mother discovered YouTube and my data bills went through the roof! Jokes aside: Cleaners at foodcourts have told me off when I return used cutlery and bowls to the collection points – they feel that what I do will put them out of their jobs. Now, there are robots collecting plates. SEBASTIAN: There will be, and already are, many disruptions. SkillsFuture is one thing, but for the older folks – especially those who have been doing

Better awareness will drive people and organisations alike to demand for better data security, and in turn drive developers and companies to take the issue more seriously. - M S T A N C Y T A N the same thing for the last 30 or 40 years – the idea that technology is taking the jobs away from them is very scary. ALFRED: Nobody is telling them that there are other ways of looking at this — that the machine is actually there to help them do their job better and faster. TANCY: That is true. My job in the bank is to roll out robotics, so you can be sure that I am not the most popular person in the office! But really, the purpose of introducing robotics is not to take away jobs but to improve systems and processes. The real pitfall I see is information overload and the spreading of falsehoods. When the information flow is so fast,

you don’t really have the capacity to decipher the truth. Also, while there is now all manner of information available out there, what is fed to us is already curated based on our consumption profile. LAURENCE: This is especially so when you look at the political space, where those who support opposing groups interact only within their own community, thus mutually reinforcing their own beliefs and biases to the point where it cannot be broken down anymore. I also see another danger of a wired world: everything is hackable. This is why, as a software developer, I do not have any smart devices in my home. Speaking of security, do you find that concerns about data protection can get in the way of people adopting ‘smart tech’?

ALFRED: Security is often an afterthought and a lot of times, security measures are stop-gap at best. It is important to reference all your technology and have the security systems architected right from the start – unfortunately, that is rarely the case. SEBASTIAN: Also, a lot of white goods makers are not software companies – they don’t cover security loopholes. So, the general rule is: white goods + smart = don’t buy it! TANCY: In a larger corporation, there are many stakeholders within the ecosystem that offer checks and balances. However, for a software engineer running his own start-up to think about this spectrum of topics would be

impossible. This is where government and regulators come into place to impose standards on discipline, control and governance. Products should come with security labels that indicate the level of security they provide – just like foods with the “healthier choice” labels or appliances with the stickers that tell you about its energy efficiency. CHEE CHIU: However, technology advances at such a fast speed that any regulation would quickly become irrelevant. Education about security – and that it shouldn’t be an afterthought – is more critical. LAURENCE: There needs to be education on the morality of what tech people do. Software engineers need to know that what they do has an impact on the lives of others. TANCY: There is also effort from the government to educate the public – for example, Crimewatch often highlights cybersecurity cases these days. Greater awareness will drive people and organisations alike to demand for better data security, and in turn encourage developers and companies to take the issue more seriously. All things considered, are you in favour of, or against, the Smart Nation transformation?

SEBASTIAN: The technology space is one where Singapore can grow in international prominence way beyond the confines of its physical size. So, the Smart Nation agenda is something that I support. ALFRED: If it is ethically executed, then it can be good. But data collection in itself is a contentious topic. TANCY: From the standpoint of a commoner, Smart Nation has helped a lot in terms of getting hold of your own information, and also in our day-to-day interaction with the government agencies. Considering the convenience it has provided, I would say that we should continue with this initiative. SIHUI: There will be a point where there isn’t an option for a country to be a “non-smart” nation, so basically we are just getting everybody up to speed – otherwise we will become the Luddites of a wired world. We just need to decide as a nation what it is that benefits everybody. CHEE CHIU: I think it is a beneficial thing as long as the people are in control of the information they share. It is about balancing between the convenience you want to enjoy and the risk you are willing to bear. As the country moves towards becoming a Smart Nation, we as individuals need to make smarter decisions for ourselves too.

If you’d like to join our Forum panel, do write to us at OARconnect@nus.edu.sg to express your interest and pick from our list of future discussion topics that you may want to be part of.

A P R — J U N 2 0 1 9 . 27

panorama

OME WEEKS AGO, I was approached by the editors of The AlumNUS magazine, who asked if I would be open to the idea of contributing something for this issue, the main theme of which centres on the evolving campus and issues related to environmental sustainability. Given my job at NUS, this led me to think about questions related to “financial sustainability”, including how we pay for our buildings and campus infrastructure now and in the future. But let me first set some context. I have spent a lot of my past career (at the World Bank, in a private sector investment firm and lastly at UC Berkeley) focused on “macro” financial issues and how the financial dynamics of a country or an institution are likely to evolve, and how in turn these financial facts interact with the entities’ strategic objectives. One thing I have learnt is that the link between strategy and finance is not always very clear. Strategies are often aspirational in nature, designed to help a country or an institution meet the varied challenges they confront, whereas budgets are constrained and shaped by day-to-day reality. Thinking through how to make the two compatible is something I find to be an exciting challenge. Simply put, a strategy that is not financially sustainable is not a strategy — it is wishful thinking. Unfortunately, wishful thinking is very attractive. Many of us would like free services and goods — perhaps combined with universal access — but there has to be an economic model to fund the resources used. In addition, wishful thinking can do real harm as it may be possible to pursue an unsustainable path in the short-to-mediumterm, by borrowing or using funds already pledged for other future uses. But the underlying financial issues will inevitably surface and the entity will be in a deeper hole than it need be. Being forced to address difficult issues

NUS Deputy President (Administration and Finance) Mr John Wilton weighs in on why financial sustainability matters if universities hope to evolve — or even survive — in the long run.

2 8 . THE ALUM NUS

A C A S E F O R F O R WA R D L O G I C Given these realities, a strategy and its stated objectives have to be compatible with the “financial dynamics” of the institution. This does not mean that finance determines strategy. In fact, in well-run institutions, companies or countries it is the reverse. The budget is shaped to serve the strategy, which — given limited resources — requires difficult strategic decisions to be made around resource allocation. For example, if a university’s strategic objective is to expand the number of graduates in discipline X, then the budget has to be redirected to achieve this goal. The sticking point is that this usually requires less resources going to something else. This is where wishful thinking comes in handy, as it appears to be a painless way out of the box. An alternative viable solution is to generate new additional resources instead of making cuts. But one has to be careful to ensure that the

IL L U S T R A T IO N : G ET T Y IM A G ES

Strategy, Dollars and Sense

at a time of crisis is no fun; ask any Minister of Finance that has had to implement an IMF/World Bank adjustment programme! It’s a lot better to get ahead of challenges, not least because one remains in control of the solutions and has time to adjust.

A strategy and its objectives have to be compatible with the “financial dynamics” of the institution. This does not mean that finance determines strategy. In fact, in well-run institutions, it is the reverse.

and unsustainable deficit. It has since dug itself out via a painful adjustment process that could have been avoided if corrective steps had been taken earlier. Turning to NUS, it is clear that it has been very wellresourced and stands on a solid financial foundation. The government has provided significant support for both the operating budget via “capitation” (that significantly reduces the cost of tuition to students) and, very importantly, the capital budget by funding much of the infrastructure and buildings that currently comprise our wonderful campus. As the ex-Chancellor of Berkeley used to say, “One cannot do 21st century research in 19th century buildings”! In addition, the government has committed to provide resources to fund the maintenance and eventual replacement of many of the current buildings. And, where this is not the case, NUS management has done its best to create “sinking funds” to ensure that the campus infrastructure can be maintained. This type of forward financial planning is unusual, but it is essential to support the aspirational goals discussed elsewhere in this issue.

MEETING REALITIES HEAD-ON

new activity fully covers its costs and, therefore, leads to an increase in “net”, not just “gross”, revenue. To take an example, shortly before I joined UC Berkeley, the Californian state government cut the amount of funding it provided to the university by around 30% in the wake of the 2007/8 financial crisis. In addition, the controlling Board froze tuition fees (in the mistaken belief that this helped low-income students, when in reality it harmed them due to the way the financial aid system worked) and eventually capped the number of higher-paying “out-of-state” students (due to the belief that California tax payers were funding the university and thus should be allocated a certain number of places, whereas in fact the State had reduced its share of total revenue to 12% and out-of-state students subsidised in-state students). The Board also set higher admission targets for in-state students, even though the average cost of providing an undergraduate education at Berkeley exceeded tuition. While one can understand the political/social motivation behind some of these decisions, the end result was a financial crisis with the campus recording a significant

Looking ahead, there are some important changes that NUS will need to confront if it is to remain financially strong and well-positioned to achieve its strategic objectives. First, the demographic trend in Singapore will lead to a decline in the number of junior college and polytechnic graduates. If the proportion of this cohort that proceeds on to university is held constant then, by definition, the number of undergraduates entering the university system as a whole will decline. In addition, the government is gradually reducing the tuition support it provides via “capitation” and there is a cap on the number of foreign students. These trends will produce financial challenges over the medium term unless alternative sources of revenue are identified. Second, in 2016 the government decided to reduce its funding of new buildings at NUS. For those buildings that are for an academic purpose and are approved by the MOE, it will now provide about 75% of the costs (via a mix of grants and debt). It will provide no funding for new student or faculty accommodation as it believes current capacity is sufficient, with the consequence that if increased campus accommodation is to be provided it may have to be funded using our own balance sheet. Nor will the MOE fund academic or research buildings that are not submitted for its approval or it does not approve. Thus, NUS must look to A P R — J U N 2 0 1 9 . 29

panorama

While endowments take a long time to build, they are an essential part of the financial architecture of modern first-class universities. NUS is no exception, and thus donor financial assistance will be increasingly important.

independent research funding agencies and donors, or fund them from our own resources. Third, fundamental and translational research is essential for a worldclass university such as NUS. It provides synergies with undergraduate teaching, enables us to attract top academic talent and, importantly, leads to a multitude of positive externalities for Singapore – for example, by ensuring that Singapore is a leader in many of the innovative new industries that characterise the new digital economy. NUS has been very successful in attracting research grants due to the calibre of its faculty and its facilities. However, funding the faculty, facilities and the necessary “back office” support is expensive, which requires that the providers of research funding acknowledge the associated “full” costs. If not, the

university has to subsidise the activity by drawing resources away from something else. There is no free lunch. Fourth, one of the shared objectives of the government and NUS is to ramp up the provision of “lifelong learning”. The strategic goal is clear and well-founded: Singapore is dependent on maintaining its competitive edge in terms of having a well-educated and motivated labour force. Given the rapid pace of technological change, people need to continually upgrade their skills. While many governments and universities have made this case, what sets Singapore apart is that the government did not just state an “aspirational goal” but it also provided the resources to make it happen. Thus, the government committed to meet about 70% of the costs of providing mid-career training. This is a clear example of marrying a strategic objective with a financial plan to make it sustainable and NUS has responded correspondingly. Fifth, the government continues to incentivise donors to support NUS via a generous matching grant. The objective is to help NUS build an endowment that is large enough to generate a steady source of income into perpetuity. Once again, the government is backing its strategic goal with financial incentives. Most of the internationally-competitive top-tier universities have built sizable endowments to provide them with the financial capacity to pursue their strategic objectives. For example, I once calculated that the annual “pay-out” from Princeton’s endowment yields about US $100,000 per undergraduate per year, which was about 24 times the amount at UC Berkeley. While endowments take a long time to build, they are an essential part of the financial architecture of modern first-class universities. NUS is no exception, and thus donor financial assistance will be increasingly important. In conclusion, NUS has a solid financial base that has allowed it to achieve its current place among the best universities in the world, which in turn has helped provide Singapore with the educated and innovative labour force it needs to compete globally. However, we are going through a transition to a new funding model and thus we must remain vigilant and forward-looking to ensure that we can meet or sustain the goals that others have laid out in this issue’s main feature. As NUS President Tan Eng Chye (Science ’85) has said many times, “If we all work together as ‘One NUS’ we can achieve our strategic goals”. This includes ensuring that we all work together to ensure our continued financial strength.

Mr John Wilton has extensive experience in both the public and private sectors. Previously he was a Senior Advisor to McKinsey & Company in San Francisco, USA; Vice Chancellor for Administration and Finance at the University of California, Berkeley; and was a Managing Director at Farallon Capital in San Francisco. Mr Wilton worked at the World Bank from 1983 to 2006, in Africa, Asia and Eastern Europe, as well as in its Economic Research and Treasury departments, and was appointed the bank’s Vice President for Strategy, Finance and Risk and Chief Financial Officer in 2004.

3 0 . THE ALUM NUS

alumni giving

A passion for developing the potential of youths has spurred Mr David Wang (Business ‘08) to establish the 33 Capital Student Exchange Award.

HE VERY ARCHETYPE of the dynamic entrepreneur, Mr David Wang is a hands-on kind of guy — even when it comes to the award that he has established, which provides cash assistance to students who go on overseas exchange. “I believe that in everything I do, I must be involved, if not there is no meaning,” says Mr Wang, co-founder of venture capital and tech advisory firm 33 Capital. “I did this not for branding, but because I want to help the kids. They only have to thank me by doing well.” Mr Wang, who made waves last year with the establishment of fin-tech start-up Helicap, reveals that at 36, NUS told him that they seldom see such a young donor. Also surprising was his desire to be closely involved with the students selected to receive the cash assistance. “I suggested that we have a WhatsApp group (involving the selected students), as I insisted on getting to know them. I wanted their CVs, I wanted reports,” says Mr Wang.

THE BEST-CASE S CENARIO At the time The AlumNUS caught up with Mr Wang, he was gearing up to take on a higher profile in his business ventures. Prior to this, he had not even attempted to boost 33 Capital’s CSR plaudits by trumpeting the award he established at NUS. A quick scan of the 33 Capital website reveals that Mr Wang has indeed not publicised the bursary at all. “I always tell my (interns), you want to improve yourselves by extracting value out of others… (Instead) why don’t you try to mentor someone else? Maybe volunteer and help a junior? When you help one person level up, it has a compounding effect,” says Mr Wang, explaining his rationale for establishing a bursary at such a young age. As for why he chose overseas exchange as the focus of 33 Capital Student Exchange Award, he recalled that it was an overseas exchange that put him on the path to becoming an entrepreneur in the first place. While still a student at the NUS Business School, Mr Wang spent a semester at the USC Marshall School of Business in the USA. While there, not only did he discover an entrepreneurial culture among the students, but he also found a personal passion for case competitions. Upon returning to Singapore, Mr Wang persuaded his Business School professors in charge of the case programme that he should be on the team, despite his self-professed “lousy academic record”. Although he was not immediately successful at case competitions, his persistence eventually paid off. “When (my team) finally won a case competition, it was the first time I won something; I had won prizes before but never outright placed first. That was the turning point for me. Honestly, it has been pretty smooth sailing from that point, and I can attribute it all to watching that first case competition (when I was on overseas exchange),” says Mr Wang.

GEARING UP FOR GOOD Mr Wang graduated from NUS in 2008 and went right into Morgan Stanley, which offered him a job as an analyst even before he graduated. He stayed with the firm for eight years, before blazing his own path in 2016. Mr Wang confesses that it was challenging in the first year, when he was adapting to the realities of working alone. Things are on the up now though, with a strong young team behind him, including up to 15 interns a year. “Kids come into our business from NUS, because I’m from there so I recognise the quality and rigour of the system! We can see them change in six months, and we push them really hard,” says Mr Wang. While Mr Wang is not publicising the bursary he established, he said this may change soon. This is largely due to the Helicap venture, which has drawn press attention thanks to the involvement of Mr Teo Ser Luck, Singapore’s former Minister of State and current Chairman of Nufin Data. At present, two of the three students who have benefitted from the 33 Capital Student Exchange Award have expressed an interest in internships with Helicap. They are certainly in for an interesting time. “I enjoy nurturing people, trying to make them better – at least to help them understand their place in this scary world,” says Mr Wang. “We track every intern – we have a file on each one – and I try to monitor what happens to them in five years.” For information on making a gift to NUS, contact 1800-DEVELOP (1800-338-3567) or email askdvo@nus.edu.sg.

A P R — J U N 2 0 1 9 . 31

TEXT BY ASHOK SOMAN . PHOTO BY EALBERT HO

HANDS ON, AND ALL HEART

“This is not because I care what they do with the money, but because I want to know that there is an impact. Even if it is just about them being able to call me sometime in the year and ask for my advice, that’s good enough. That conversation might be worth more than the $5,000 I give (to each of the three students).”

changemaker

WHO IS HE? Mr Fairoz Ahmad is the founder of Chapter W, a non-profit organisation that seeks to uplift the lives of rural women in Indonesia. Chapter W was named one of 50 Ideas To Change The World by The Straits Times, and Mr Fairoz was presented the NUS Outstanding Young Alumni Award in 2017 for his work.

R FAIROZ AHMAD, 37, was studying Sociology at the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences when — as an undergraduate in the University Scholars Programme (USP) — he had to make a trip to Aceh, Indonesia, less than two months after the 2004 Boxing Day tsunami hit. “I was there because USP was facilitating a request from the theatre group, The Necessary Stage (TNS), for volunteers to visit the province and interview the survivors for a play called Boxing Day,” he says. “The play was meant to raise funds for relief efforts.” That venture into a disaster-hit area left a life-changing mark on Mr Fairoz. The impact was so profound, he says, that he came home and “changed completely the direction of my thesis in my final year! Originally, I was focusing on the topic of race in Singapore, but after Aceh, I changed to the sociology of disaster.” Mr Fairoz went on to found what is today Chapter W, a non-profit organisation that ultimately launched the Mothers of Light programme, which trains and equips women in rural Indonesia to become entrepreneurs through the sale of solar lamps. Most villages rely on kerosene lamps, which cause serious health problems — the smoke inhaled by a child sleeping near a kerosene lamp is equivalent to that inhaled by a two-packs-a-day smoker. Solar lamps are a healthy, clean and inexpensive alternative. The programme allows women to thus earn an income and keep their families in better health. Today, Mr Fairoz, who is a lecturer, is the Executive Director of Chapter W on a pro bono basis — committing certain hours each week, being responsible for formal reporting requirements and travelling to Indonesia every month (without drawing a salary). He talks to The AlumNUS about the patience, perseverance and preparation it takes to effect a powerful change in parts of rural Indonesia.

What was your experience of post-tsunami Aceh like?

I was there with fellow USP classmate Ms Gloria Arlini (Arts and Social Sciences ’07) (who would go on to co-found Chapter W with him). When we arrived, rescuers were still trying to move the dead and bury them; thousands of families

Lighting Up Lives Mr Fairoz Ahmad (Arts and Social Sciences + USP ‘06) let an experience from a trip to Aceh, Indonesia, after the Boxing Day tsunami transform him into a changemaker that — through his organisation Chapter W — empowers rural Indonesian women to become entrepreneurs.

32 . THE ALUM NUS

TEXT BY THERESA TAN

had been separated. WiFi access was virtually non-existent in remote areas and mobile phones were still very expensive for the rural poor, thus it was not easy for them to contact each other.

How did you get the people’s buy-in to this idea?

How did you come to start Chapter W (first named Nusantara Development Initiative)?

After I completed my undergrad degree, I was in the civil service for a couple of years, before returning to NUS to do a Masters in Sociology. I met some Indonesian students from various universities in Singapore who wanted to do rural development work in Indonesia, and I jumped on the opportunity. This was around 2011. One of the first Indonesian members called the initiative NDI — Nusantara Development Initiative, a very typical, almost nationalistic-sounding name! What were your dreams for NDI and how did you make them come true?

A few of us decided that NDI was going to be different from the majority of student-run volunteer groups that did one-off projects. We would behave as a professionally-run non-governmental organisation (NGO) with programmes that could measure social impact and withstand scrutiny. All this was immensely difficult to achieve. Many members left because they could not commit to this level of professionalism. We were students, and none were getting paid. It took almost three years — with me juggling full-time work, and many false starts and headaches — before we crafted what would become our defining programme, Mothers of Light. From a voluntary universitylevel effort, we are now a formalised NGO with full-time staff, and a legal entity in Singapore and Indonesia. As we grew, we decided to change our brand name to Chapter W — the W refers to “women” — we are helping these women write their own stories, their own chapters in life.

IMPACT OF MOTHERS OF LIGHT

200

WOMEN empowered to become solar lamp entrepreneurs

Helped women across

15 AREAS in Indonesia Solar lights sold have benefitted over

28,000

RURAL POOR About

1,500 TONNES OF C02

removed from the atmosphere

Tell us about this programme and how it grew.

I came to realise that the rural poor actually are the complete opposite of how we think they should be. They are just like us, with aspirations, dreams, hopes and skills. The image of them as passive and dependent is an expression of the ‘saviour mentality’ that many of us are guilty of, reflecting the misunderstanding of the lived realities of the poor. Mothers of Light is a complex development project that integrates technology, community mobilisation, rural supply chain, financing, revenue-sharing, monitoring mechanisms and entrepreneurship. We did our pilot in a sea village in the Riau Islands; it succeeded wildly. We then had the confidence to pitch our idea at start-up competitions, and won a couple of them. We received funding from foundations and companies who believed in our cause. Eventually, we met advisors in the social impact space who helped us transition to a formally-registered social enterprise. In 2016, we moved our office from Singapore to Jakarta (and now Jogjakarta), so that we could hire local full-time staff — we now have four — to run the projects.

Below: The solar lamps have the potential to bring about positive changes to the lives of Indonesia’s rural poor. Below right: Mr Fairoz in the field conducting an inspection of the lamps to be distributed.

It was by getting to know the communities, and understanding their world view, and the competitiveness of the idea. They were mostly using kerosene lamps and thus had to buy kerosene every week. Understanding their habits, expenses and pain points helped us design a programme that fits their needs. For example, we teach the women to sell the solar lights on a weekly installment basis, at a price that is lower than the weekly spend on kerosene. This helped many people to make the switch to solar lights. Were there any role models at NUS who inspired you to think of being an agent of social change?

I never thought of myself back in NUS as someone who would be involved in the areas I am in now, but the opportunity to go to Aceh was one defining moment. Another factor was the encouragement from, and conversations with, Professor Albert Teo (Arts and Social Sciences ’86), a former Deputy Director in USP. He was very passionate in the area of community development and social impact. You are a USP alumnus. How did the USP shape you into the person you are today?

In USP, I was exposed to different fields and knowledge, and to very different kinds of students and professors. I got a sense of a broader world, realising there are many ways to overcome a problem. This indirectly influenced my early work in Chapter W, where the system we designed was influenced by insights from various fields — sociology, economics, business, engineering and psychology. What is Chapter W’s ultimate goal, in your view?

The ultimate purpose of development, borrowing from the economist Amartya Sen’s words, is to expand freedom — what one can actually do and be. Poverty limits freedom. So, instead of just asking “Do you have money” we should also ask, “What can you actually do and be?” One day, the Mothers of Light programme will end, because those who need light will have it. We hope that the women we have empowered can use the money, skills, confidence and knowledge they have gained through the programme as a stepping stone to be what they can be, and to do what they seek to do.

A P R — J U N 2 0 1 9 . 33

spotlight

Social Studies

Artist duo Chow and Lin – Mr Stefen Chow (Engineering ‘03) and Ms Lin Huiyi (Arts and Social Sciences ‘03) – marry their abilities to draw attention to global issues. HE IS THE BOOKISH-LOOKING SENIOR DIRECTOR for an agricultural and animal health marketing consultancy; he is the globe-trotting photographer and film director with a perpetual five o’clock shadow. She speaks the language of numbers; he, that of images. They might seem like chalk and cheese, but together, married couple Ms Lin Huiyi, 38, and Mr Stefen Chow, 39, have forged a unique expression that has captured the world’s attention. Their seminal work The Poverty Line appears to the untrained eye as a series of food items from different places around the world, shot on a background of a local broadsheet. Two banana blossoms from Phnom Penh. Five strawberries bought in Beijing. Thirty portions of dried pasta purchased in Geneva. Yet, a picture paints a thousand words. Created on the foundation of hard data on poverty as defined within each country, each image depicts what those living on the poverty line in the respective territories can afford for food each day. The photographs might not stir your emotions like that of a portrait of a starving child. In fact, they are not tinted with emotion, simply directed by the data gathered through research. Yet, they are powerful expressions that provoke thought about social issues, and inspire self-reflection. The project, which started in 2010 and took eight years to complete, was referenced by the World Bank and exhibited around the world, including at Pavillon Carré de Baudouin in Paris and PMQ in Hong Kong. It is currently in the permanent

The Fish Equivalence on display at the Getxo Photo Festival in Spain in 2018.

34 . THE ALUM NUS

collection of Chicago’s Museum of Contemporary Photography, and Beijing’s Central Academy of Fine Art Museum. Since then, the couple has embarked on three more projects, with their latest installation Homeless on display at the NUS Museum until 27 April. “We honestly didn’t (foresee our work having such a global impact),” shares the Beijing-based duo in an email interview. “When we started on our first collaborative project nearly ten years ago, it was more of a one-off thing. We didn’t expect the huge response that came with it, and felt that perhaps there is something to this.” They thus went on to self-fund further projects: “This is bigger than the sum of the two of us.” How are the topics for your works decided upon?

STEFEN CHOW (SC) & LIN HUIYI (LHY): We are concerned with global tipping points, and these are all human-inflicted conditions. The topics range from poverty, consumption and forced migration to inequality. Our first project, The Poverty Line , started in 2010 because it was the topic closest to our hearts. Incidentally, both of us were born into rather well-to-do families, only for our fathers to lose everything in business before we were old enough to go to school. We had discusssed this project ever since we started dating in our freshman year in NUS. Other topics were also explored, and they sometimes pop up in our conversations with other academics, some of whom have become good friends. We keep an open and inquisitive mind, as we don’t see ourselves as experts in these fields, but rather as an artist duo with an interest in issues that affect our current generation and the future.

TEXT BY KOH YUEN LIN

We keep an open and inquisitive mind, as we don’t see ourselves as experts in these fields, but rather as an artist duo with an innate interest in issues that affect our current generation and the future. Do tell us about your current exhibit at NUS Museum.

SC & LHY: We were approached by NUS Museum’s curatorial department two years ago to discuss how we could plan for an exhibition together. The project probes into Big Data that reduces individuals and societies into data points by problematising issues in society. As we researched the topic, we came to realise that global inequality and the refugee crisis are at unprecedented levels. Privacy issues have also been exposed through social media, and we see the world tipping off its balance. Our hope is that more people can see our work and have rigorous conversations about it. Some professors have arranged modules and tutorials around our projects, and we are very excited about it. Who are the people who shaped you into who you are today?

PH OTO OF S TE FE N C HOW A ND LI N HUI YI BY HO ONG W EI L ONG FO R NU S M U S E U M

Please illustrate your work process, citing an example.

SC & LHY: Our work takes a closer look at issues, to unearth truths that are out there but often overlooked. We start by asking experts in the topic lots of questions to uncover facts. For Equivalence - Fish, we worked with scientists and fish experts along with Greenpeace to look at the environmental impact of what we eat. The yellow croaker is China’s most widely-consumed fish, but is severely overfished. It is farmed today, and sold in markets, which seems like a good thing to the consumer – the prices don’t fluctuate wildly, and the supply is available all year round. However, we realised that the same fishermen who used to catch the yellow croaker now resort to catching smaller fish and by-catch, which is used to feed the farmed fish. Their nets have become more tightly knit to catch these smaller fish, and they end up hauling fish indiscriminately and in excessive volumes. This creates a catastrophic effect on the marine ecosystem. To illustrate our findings, we created a visual map of the food chain: a 14m x 2m installation that shows the sheer amount of small fish it ‘costs’ to raise a 1kg farmed yellow croaker.

LHY: My parents. From my father, the concept of “饮水思源”, which is a drive to contribute to society and remember my roots. From my mother, the courage to face challenges and do my best. SC: My father, who taught me what it is to fall again and again only to pick yourself up. I witnessed it myself growing up, and he brings with him a sense of humility and openness that I admire till this day. Stefen, you summited Mount Everest in 2005, as part of an NUS team. How did that impact you?

SC: Climbing Everest with the NUS Centennial Team remains a cornerstone to my life. It convinced me that hard work – and having Lady Luck on your side – allows you to fulfil impossible dreams. I learnt this when I was 25, and it still guides me in my life and work. What values do you wish to pass on to your two children?

LHY: Treating others with respect and empathy, speaking up for what is right, and believing that each one of us can be an agent for change. I try to use actual life incidents to explain our values and how they define who we are and want to be.

What role do each of you play in the process?

SC & LHY: Lin is the brains, while Chow is the eyes and the mouthpiece. It helps that we were in a relationship before we had any inkling to be artists, and we communicate deeply and freely about everything. We influence each other, and there are overlaps in our roles. That is the beauty of Chow and Lin – it is the combination of us both, and these works wouldn’t be possible with the absence of either one.

How would you define a life well-lived?

LHY: To have created a positive impact on society, built relationships based on love and respect, and grown to be a more “complete” person. SC: To look back and realise that your dreams have become your reality, that you don’t regret much in life. If you have laughed more than you cried, you are doing okay. A P R — J U N 2 0 1 9 . 35

pursuit of excellence

WHO ARE THEY? Ms Pranoti Nagarkar and Mr Rishi Israni are the inventors of Rotimatic, an automated kitchen appliance that makes flatbread. Their company, Zimplistic Pte Ltd., was incubated in Singapore. Rotimatic is Zimplistic’s flagship product, and the company is headquartered in Mountain View, California.

The Bread Winners 3 6 . THE ALUM NUS

IG THINGS OFTEN HAVE SMALL BEGINNINGS — and we need not only look to Hollywood (Prometheus, anyone?) for examples of that. “The idea came to us during a dinner conversation when Rishi and I were not happy with the food we were eating after a long day at work. Despite all our modern comforts, we still didn’t have a solution to help us get fresh homemade rotis, a staple for South Asians,” says Ms Pranoti Nagarkar, 36, Chief Technology Officer at Zimplistic Pte Ltd. Together with her husband, Zimplistic’s Chief Executive Officer Mr Rishi Israni, also 36, she invented Rotimatic, the world’s first machine that employs artificial intelligence (AI) to produce rotis, or flatbreads, in a matter of seconds. This is no small feat, seeing that making fresh chapatis by hand requires a lot of time, effort and skill. “I had to find a solution as hundreds of millions of human hours go into making five billion rotis for daily consumption,” says Ms Nagarkar. “This is the bigger purpose which has been the glue that kept us motivated throughout the journey. If we stopped, the problem would not have been solved — this is what kept us going through all the ups and downs.” Now both Singapore Citizens, the couple originally hail from India: Ms Nagarkar from Pune, Maharashtra, and Mr Israni from Lucknow. Both attended NUS and met through club activities there. They have a five-year-old son, Orit, and at the time of this interview, are expecting their second child in April. Ms Nagarkar always had the drive of an inventor. “I majored in Mechanical Engineering and the biggest contributor to my Rotimatic journey was the one-year-long design project I did as a student where I built an automatic ironing machine for shirts. It involved using all the theory I had studied, as well as being hands-on in building the prototype from actual physical materials. It exposed me to the realities of product design — from technical constraints to the needs of the user, and how to think about pricing it. It was this experience that instilled in me the confidence of inventing, creating and building products that can solve human problems.” In 2008, after two years as a product design engineer for Amtek Innovation Design Centre, she set about turning her dream of building a roti machine into reality. Zimplistic — she had wanted “Simplistic” but the name was taken — was registered and operated out of NUS Enterprise’s startup hub, BLOCK71. “I started working on it first, conceptualising in detail and kicked off prototyping,” says Ms Nagarkar, who wrote eight patents

Partners in life and in business, Ms Pranoti Nagarkar (Engineering ‘03) and Mr Rishi Israni (Computing ‘03) turned a dinner conversation into the world’s first flatbread-making robot, Rotimatic.

TEXT BY THERESA TAN

for Rotimatic in the process. In 2009, Zimplistic won the Start-Up@Singapore business plan competition. Mr Israni, at that point, was the co-founder and CTO of mobile security startup, tenCube. When the company was acquired by McAfee in 2010, he became its Director for Consumer Mobile Technology. In 2011, he joined his wife as the CEO of Zimplistic. “Rotimatic’s mechanical system worked but it was not very reliable, given the variations in a mechanical system,” he explains. “It became clear that we would need to build intelligence into the machine. That’s why Pranoti hired me.” He introduced AI and IoT capabilities to the machine, writing the software and authoring six patents. Despite initial adjustments they needed to make to accommodate each other’s working styles, their different strengths

I believe that we all have equal capabilities, but the difference in the pursuit of excellence stems from the standards one sets for himself or herself. - M R R I S H I I S R A N I and expertise proved to be a marriage made in heaven. “That combination became the secret sauce as we could combine the best of both worlds seamlessly to solve challenges we faced in building Rotimatic.”

FLOUR P OWER Rotimatic was introduced to the world in 2015, and its initial 8,500 machines were sold out within weeks. Right on the IoT trend, Rotimatic is a “smart” machine that is powered with AI. Once connected to WiFi, the machine’s software is updated automatically and remote troubleshooting is possible. The machine measures, mixes, kneads, rolls, cooks and puffs a roti in 90 seconds; users can even customise the thickness and roast level of their flatbreads. Rotimatic even mimics human judgment to adjust the proportion of flour to water to ensure consistency. The result is a goldenbrown chapati that is soft and fluffy on the inside, every time. All the user needs to do is fill up the water tank and the flour dispenser, and press a button. The machine is even easy to clean. Not surprisingly, Rotimatic’s launch sparked huge interest worldwide, with the Wall Street Journal blogging it to be “the best thing since sliced bread” and Fortune doing a show-and-tell demo video of the device featuring Ms Nagarkar on its website. Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong only added to its popularity by praising Zimplistic and its invention in his 2016 National Day speech. Mr Israni, however, is quick to point out that improvement and innovation are a continual process for Zimplistic. “Every product is

ROTIMATIC IN NUMBERS

50,000 MACHINES SOLD

COUNTRIES

45 MILLION ROTIS MADE

PAT ENTS

different and all insights about the process are the benefit of hindsight,” he says, referring to a picture on his office wall that shows the creation process is not at all a straight line but a tornado of multidirectional squiggles and complexities. “You hope to reach a certain outcome, but constantly fail and iterate. You keep a strong grasp of the core principles and keep a clear sight of the big objective — the rest is that meandering journey.” The “core principles” which Mr Israni talks about definitely are in sync with Ms Nagarkar’s criteria for success, which, for the first generation of Rotimatic, was “for it to be a great choice for a family which wants to eat healthy homemade rotis. So we had a clear picture of the user-experience,” she says. “We knew the size it had to be, the price point, the ease of operation as well as cleaning afterwards — the end-to-end automation to enable fresh homemade eating.”

ROLLING IN THE DOUGH Zimplistic made $20 million in its first year, but what is more impressive is their vision to scale up the machine and the business — already, since launching, the company has been adding features and software updates for users to continue discovering new ways to enjoy their Rotimatics. Besides roti, one can make pizza bases and puri discs, and soon tortillas and gluten-free flatbreads. Zimplistic successfully raised $39 million last year to fund expansion. “Our first platform has done really well. We are working on the next generation of Rotimatic which is better on all parameters — it’s the one which is going to give us real scale and reach the millions who eat flatbread daily,” says Mr Israni. Their aim is to convert 25 per cent of the world’s flatbread-eating population to Rotimatic users. “I believe that we all have equal capabilities, but the difference in the pursuit of excellence stems from the standards one sets for himself or herself,” he adds. “These standards are a result of one’s exposure, ambitions and awareness. When someone sets their eyes on the right problem and pursues with a mindset of only accepting the most excellent solution, it naturally drives the individual to keep trying, despite setbacks and temporary failures.”

THE COMPUTING CONNECTION A graduate from the School of Computing in NUS, Mr Israni credits his time at the faculty with shaping the way he thought about robotising Rotimatic. “I remember a Data Structure module I took. At the end of every week or two, there was a practical quiz for the cohort, an automated examination system that would automatically check for plagiarism and rate your solution against others’. As a young Computer Science student, I found it fascinating and ahead of its time. It certainly triggered my love for building innovative applications with technology. A few semesters down the road, I took an AI module where we explored the possibilities of bringing intelligence to machines. It planted a seed in my mind which came full circle when I encountered the problem while working on Rotimatic. At NUS, I also did a project which involved building contactless mobile payment systems — which was a huge leap at the time. So many such experiences and instances of exposure at the School of Computing laid the foundation for the technology entrepreneurship career I pursued after graduation.”

A P R — J U N 2 0 1 9 . 37

frontiers

P O W E R PA I R I N G Officially launched on 25 October last year, the Applied Materials-NUS Advanced Materials Corporate Lab combines Applied Materials’ expertise in materials engineering and semiconductor technologies with NUS’ multidisciplinary research capabilities that span applied chemistry, materials science and microelectronics process engineering.

Making a Material Impact A new Corporate Laboratory has been set up at NUS to research next-generation semiconductor manufacturing processes — essentially doing precision engineering at an atomic level.

Professor Richard Wong (left) and Professor Aaron Thean in their new state-of-the-art lab.

38 . THE ALUM NUS

The relentless race to the atomic realm drives the global semiconductor industry, which generated more than US$460 billion in revenue last year. In order to steal a march over its competitors, Applied Materials — a leading semiconductor equipment manufacturer — has collaborated with NUS to set up a new corporate lab to develop next-generation semiconductor manufacturing processes that will realise upcoming nanometre-scale technologies. The problems that may arise in these processes will require interdisciplinary expertise, that spans chemistry, material science, and electronic engineering, to solve. The Applied Materials-NUS Advanced Materials Corporate Laboratory is one of just five corporate labs in NUS and was launched on 25 October last year. This $70 million facility will tap on the expertise of staff from both the NUS Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering and the NUS Department of Chemistry. According to Prof Thean, the collaboration came about because Applied Materials was looking for a university to do “out-of-the-box innovation,” to find completely new ways to engineer material starting from the very fundamentals of chemistry – and NUS embodies all those capabilities. The lab will leverage on NUS’ scientific knowledge in advanced materials built up over more than 20 years. Because the scale of manufacturing these chips is now at the deep-nanometre level, the lab will be doing

PH OTO OF P RO F A AR ON TH EAN A ND PR OF RI CH A RD WON G: EA L BER T HO

IZE DOES MATTER, though perhaps not in the way most people think. Over the last few decades, computing has become pervasive in everyday life, and this has been possible because computer chips have become more powerful over the years. The increasing power comes from advances in semiconductor manufacturing, specifically the ability to squeeze more and more transistors (which are semiconductor switches) on a computer chip, thus increasing its processing power. Those transistors have been shrinking to the point where Apple’s latest iPhone uses a chip that is made using a 7-nanometre process (a nanometre being a billionth of a metre) with close to 7 billion transistors on a 9mm2 x 9mm2 chip. “The average size of these miniscule switches is already a thousand times smaller than the cells in our body. By 2020, the number of transistors may be in excess of 12 billion on a 5-nanometreprocessed 9x9mm2 chip found in our next smartphone,” says Professor Aaron Thean, the co-director of the lab. “The transistor count per chip will far exceed the total human population on Earth.”

TEXT BY JIMMY YAP

manufacturing which uses chemicals to remove layers from the surface of the wafer. As part of this process, some areas have to be masked off so that the unwanted exposed layers can be removed. Currently, etching is done using a process known as photoresist but the new lab is looking at using an atomic layer of carbon to mask areas instead. This would result in a much thinner mask than the current process. “The lab is looking at the ability to deposit the carbon layer as a mask reliably and accurately,” says Prof Thean. Another research project is looking at improving the wafer fabrication process by using graphene, a type of carbon that is ultra-strong, as a diffusion barrier. In computer chips, barriers are needed to chemically isolate semiconductors from the soft metals used to electrically interconnect them. In a modern computer chip, for example, all the copper used to conduct electricity must be surrounded by a barrier to prevent the copper from diffusing into the surrounding materials. Currently, tantalum nitride, an inorganic chemical compound, is used as the barrier. Graphene, which consists of a single layer of carbon atoms, would result in a much thinner, stronger barrier. “Ultimately, to build the next big technology we will start from the tiniest of parts, and this requires us to innovate at the atomic level for industrial scale,” adds Prof Thean.

A MEETING OF MINDS

“precision engineering at the atomic scale”, as Prof Thean describes it. Prof Thean, a prolific inventor with more than 50 US patents in advanced electronics, is the Director of NUS’ new Nanofabrication Facility, E6Nanofab.

“NANO”-MANAGEMENT 101 Working at the atomic level has numerous challenges. Among other things, materials behave differently when they are this size. In addition, the materials are so small that their surfaces and interfaces must be carefully engineered for the best performance. In addition, multiple thin nano-scale materials are being stacked together so that they can work as a single entity. All this requires fundamental understanding and innovative research into new materials and their behaviour at an atomic level. If successful, these research projects will lead to smaller and more power-efficient transistors — and thus more powerful computer chips. This can translate to greater storage capacity for USB drives, and faster chips in smartphones, laptops and servers. It will also lead to more computing power to handle the needs of processor-intensive applications like artificial intelligence and storage, processing and analytics. One of the projects, for example, is looking at a completely new way of etching a semiconductor wafer. Etching is the process during semiconductor

SEMICONDUCTORS: T H E S I M P L E FA C T S A semiconductor is a solid substance that has a conductivity between that of an insulator and that of most metals. Devices made of semiconductors, such as silicon, are essential components of most electronic circuits. Semiconductor industry sales in 2018 reached US$463.41 billion globally.* The world’s largest semiconductor chipmaker is Samsung Electronics.*

According to Professor Richard Wong, the Head of NUS Department of Chemistry and a co-director of the lab, the departments will be looking at developing ways to create the new processes needed to work at the atomic level. The project looking at graphene as a barrier, for example, will call on the expertise of groups in the Chemistry department in graphene chemistry, says Prof Wong, who was awarded the 2018 Fukui Medal in recognition for his outstanding contributions to the application of computational chemistry to physical organic chemistry. About 30 people have been hired for these projects so far, and the lab hopes to eventually hire 50 engineers, researchers and post-doctorates. According to Prof Thean, ideas are already being generated now that will lead to patents. The hope is that in five to 10 years’ time, the lab will be able to develop new processes that Applied Materials can commercialise and use. Speaking at the official launch of the lab on 25 October 2018, Finance Minister Mr Heng Swee Keat noted that the lab will also “reinforce NUS’ efforts in building research capabilities to ride the new waves of technological shifts in artificial intelligence, semiconductor technology and the Internet of Things, which can then be applied in areas like autonomous vehicles, robotics and many others.” The research being done in the lab also fits into Singapore’s economic strategy, as electronics is a key part of Singapore’s manufacturing sector. Singapore is among the top locations in the world for advanced semiconductor manufacturing, Mr Heng pointed out, and currently, more than half of the world’s semiconductor companies do research and development, as well as manufacturing here. *Source: businesstimes.com.sg

A P R — J U N 2 0 1 9 . 39

ALUMNI HAPPENINGS

EVENTS

NUS Business School Mandarin Alumni

90 participants including professors and alumni gathered at the NUS Society Kent Ridge Guild House on 16 February for their

annual Lunar New Year celebration. Dean of NUS Business School Professor Bernard Yeung, President of NUS Business School Mandarin

Alumni Mr Sun Xiushun (’12), and committee members presented their greetings and a song performance of ‘Gong Xi Gong Xi’. Guests

also tossed yu sheng at the luncheon for greater prosperity and vigour for the New Year. bizedpa@nus.edu.sg

SDE Fun Day More than 40 alumni, staff and students from the NUS School of Design and Environment (SDE) gathered on 16 February at West Bowl for a funfilled morning. In a bid to reminisce fond memories of the past (SDE staff and alumni used to organise yearly bowling sessions), SDE organised a bowling tournament for alumni, staff and students as part of SDE’s 50th anniversary celebration activities. Dean of SDE Professor Lam Khee Poh kicked off the event with a speech to encourage all alumni to stay engaged with SDE and took the chance to invite alumni to the SDE 50th Gala Dinner that will be held on 2 October at Resorts World Sentosa. Prof Lam also presented an exclusive SDE50 medal to the top three teams and top male and female individual bowlers. “Bowling is a good sport activity as it is suitable for team communication and does not require pre-requisites for participation,” said Ms Zhou Xuefeng (’06), who joined the SDE Fun Day with three fellow alumni. The Research Associate at the Institute of Real Estate and Urban Studies also took the chance to reconnect with friends and course sdelink@nus.edu.sg mates, and to make new friends among the crowd. facebook.com/sde.nus instagram.com/sde.nus

42 40 . A TH LU EM AN LUM S NUS

UPCOMING EVENT SDE50 Charity Golf 25 July 2019

Orchid Country Club Bookmark SDE’s 50th anniversary microsite sde.nus.edu.sg/SDE50 for updates!

NOC Alumni Startup Ecosystem CNY Lo Hei 2019

DO YOU KNOW? NOC alumni have founded over

370

start-ups!

NOC alumni got together on 15 February for a reunion, and it was also a great opportunity to get to know more fellow alumni, share experiences and celebrate their lifelong connection with NUS Overseas Colleges, NUS Enterprise and the thriving start-up ecosystem.

ask@nocalumni.org facebook.com/NUSOverseasColleges instagram.com/nusoverseascolleges

25 April (M18)

30 May (PG13)

27 June (PG)

THURSDAY, 7.30PM Auditorium, Shaw Foundation Alumni House

alumnet.events/upcoming

NUS Alumni Relations organises regular movie screenings for members of the NUS community, ranging from all-time classics to family favourites. Join us for Movies On The House, friends and family members are welcome too!

ALUMNI HAPPENINGS

EVENTS

NUSS Professorship Lecture with Professor George Dimopoulos Over 60 members and guests attended the first NUSS (National University of Singapore Society) Professorship Lecture of the year on 24 January at Kent Ridge Guild House. Associate Professor George Dimopoulos, from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health’s Molecular Microbiology and Immunology department, shared his insights on curing mosquito vectors of human diseases. Prof Dimopoulos explained that the mosquito’s innate immune system and microbiome play important roles in regulating vector competence, and can thereby be utilised for the development of genetic and ecologically-sound disease-control strategies. The Lecture, which was open to NUSS members and the public, was attended by Professor Shen Zuowei, Dean of NUS Faculty of Science (FoS); Professor Yu Hao (Science ’01), Head of Department of Biological Sciences, FoS; Associate Professor Liou Yih Cherng, Deputy Head of Department

Thirsty

THURSDAYS NUS YOUNG ALUMNI MEETUP 6 JUNE 2019 6.30PM - 9.00PM

Assoc Prof Liou, Prof Yu, NUSS Chairperson (Cultural) Ms Chen Teck Shing (Arts and Social Sciences ’72), Prof Dimopolous, NUSS CEO Mr Roy Higgs (Science ’73), Prof Shen and Mr Sardar Aslam, NUSS Intellectual Pursuit Sub-Committee Member and emcee for the lecture.

of Biological Sciences, FoS; and many NUS undergraduates and postgraduates. The NUSS Professorship Lecture was established in 1995 with an endowment of $1.5 million to fund eminent professors from different disciplines to share their knowledge. The professorship is part of NUSS’ efforts to contribute to the development of meaningful interactions with its alma mater nuss.org.sg facebook.com/NUSSociety through academic pursuits.

Taste of Taiwan Registration fee: $10

Venue: Typhoon Café, Plaza Singapura 68 Orchard Road, #04-63/67, Singapore 238839 Register at: alumnet.events/TTjun19

NUSS-NUS LO HEI DINNER The National University of Singapore Society (NUSS) held its annual Lo Hei dinner with NUS on 11 February at NUSS’s Mandalay Guild House – the Society’s latest clubhouse. The dinner, which

Standing (from left): Spouse of NUS President Ms Ng Lo Mun (Science ’85), NUSS Vice-President Mr Tong Hsien-Hui (Engineering ’98), Mr Hsieh, Mr Lee, and Prof Tan. Seated: (Centre) ESM Goh and Mrs Goh with NUS Pro-Chancellor Dr Chan Sek Keong (Law ’61) on the left and Mrs Elizabeth Chan (spouse of Dr Chan) on the right.

Thirsty

THURSDAYS

NUS Alumni Travel takes you on a journey to explore the wonders of Myanmar. Learn about the rich history NUS YOUNG ALUMNI and culture with fellow NUS MEETUP alumni companions. 6 JUNE 2019

6.30PM - 9.00PM

(From left) NUSS Chairperson (Strategy & Special Projects) and Chairman of NUS Alumni Students Advancement Committee Mr Johnny Tan (Science ’82), Mr Lee, Prof Tan and Mr Hsieh.

celebrated the warm friendship between NUSS and NUS, was attended by Emeritus Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong (Arts ’64), Chairman of NUS Board of Trustees Mr Hsieh Fu Hua (Business ’74), NUS President Professor Tan Eng Chye (Science ’85), as well as NUS senior management and the NUSS Management Committee.

Guests enjoyed the sumptuous dinner accompanied by pipa and dizi performances. NUSS President Mr Eddie Lee (Law ’81) also presented a cheque of $250,000 to Prof Tan, in support of the NUS Alumni Bursary Fund (ABF). Since its launch in 2013, NUSS has raised $1.5 million towards the ABF.

nuss.org.sg facebook.com/NUSSociety

Taste of Taiwan Registration fee: $10

Venue: Typhoon Café, Plaza Singapura 68 Orchard Road, #04-63/67, Singapore 238839 Register at: alumnet.events/TTjun19

ALUMNI HAPPENINGS

EVENTS

SCHOLARS PROGRAMME ALUMNI NETWORK GET-TOGETHER 2019

USP alumni with Assoc Prof Barbara Ryan. Ms Zhang Xintian (quoted in the article) is in brown. Attendees with Cinnamon College (USP) in the background (the tall building in the middle).

The annual Scholars Programme Alumni Network (SPAN) Get-Together organised by the University Scholars Programme (USP) was held on 16 February. Set up to be a cozy affair, about 60 USP alumni, students, faculty and staff came together for an evening of memories and great

Lohei

company at the rooftop of the Education Resource Centre in University Town. USP Director Associate Professor Kang Hway Chuan gave a welcome address and expressed his gratitude to the alumni for taking time out during the Lunar New Year season to reconnect with their alma mater. Alumni also learned about USP’s new initiatives to bring together alumni and current students. Apart from organising talks and events, USP has also recently started its LinkedIn page and group. The group aims to be an informal platform for students

to connect with alumni with similar interests, and for alumni to provide job opportunities to students or fellow alumni. “It’s so amazing to see old friends back in University Town, as nothing has changed. We crowded around Associate Professor Barbara Ryan, and a five-minute catch up became an hour-long discussion! How much I’ve missed all these ...”, said Ms Zhang Xintian (Arts and Social Sciences + USP ’15). Overall, it was a great evening of reminiscence, laughter and catching-up.

NEWLY LAUNCHED: linkedin.com/school/nus-university-scholars-programme

42 4 . A TH LU EM AN LUM S NUS

Nostalgia 1929 Geography@90 Gala Dinner On 18 January 2019, the NUS Department of Geography, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, celebrated its 90th anniversary by taking a walk down nostalgia lane with nearly 200 alumni, students, faculty members and staff. A gala dinner was held at the hotel ballroom of Novotel Singapore on Stevens with Guests-of-Honour, Mr Ang Hin Kee (’91), Assistant DirectorGeneral of the National Trades Union Congress and Member of Parliament for the Ang Mo Kio Group Representation Constituency, and his wife, Ms Caroline Seah (’90) (Director, URA

Academy, Professional and Industry Development Department). The event also marked the twin launch of the Tan Huat Neo Prize and Medal, contributed by former ViceProvost and geographer, Professor Lily Kong (’85); as well as the Department’s Geography Development Fund,

established to encourage voluntary donations that would support the development of the department.

fas.nus.edu.sg/geog geosec@nus.edu.sg facebook.com/NUSGeographyAlumni

The AlumNUS thanks all contributors for the articles and photos in Alumni Happenings, showcasing our vibrant alumni community. Please submit your articles to nus.edu.sg/alumnet/thealumnus/submit-alumni-happenings.

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the path less travelled

KITTY PURSUITS

WHAT DO YOU DO when you really love cats and coffee? You set up a café with 15 felines, and which serves freshly-brewed coffee, naturally — or at least that is what NUS alumnus Jefferson Soh decided to do with his wife after being inspired by a café of a similar nature in Taiwan. Providing a clean and safe environment where customers can interact with cats over coffee and pastries, TheCatCafe, as theirs is named, officially opened in May 2014. It was a jarring departure for Mr Soh, then 30, who was an IT project manager working on mobile and web apps. “My wife and I are café-hopping cat-lovers ourselves so it made sense to us to bring this idea to Singapore,” says Mr Soh, an Industrial & Systems Engineering major. The café’s 15 cats have all been rescued from animal shelters, which means they were once strays or abandoned breeder cats. Being a small enterprise, a typical day at work can be rather hectic. Mr Soh is involved in every aspect of running the business from managing human resources and putting in place an IT system to caring for the cats and tending to customers, which, he confesses, is his

‘CAT WHISPERER’ INSIGHTS “Cats have very selective tastebuds. They won’t eat just any type of cat food that you give them. Sometimes they get sick of their usual food and we have to change their entire diet!”

48 . THE ALUM NUS

BY FAIROZA MANSOR

“Be prepared — financially, emotionally, mentally — knowing that it will be a tough journey ahead and whatever might go wrong, could go wrong.” Co-founder of TheCatCafé Mr Jefferson Soh’s advice to aspiring business owners

biggest challenge. “There’s a wide spectrum of customers with various levels of needs,” says Mr Soh, a father of a two-year-old boy. “This key soft skill has to be imparted to the café’s crew as well, so we have to ensure that our staff are trained to recognise and address these requirements.” The knowledge gained in his time at NUS has put Mr Soh in good stead when faced with obstacles however. “Engineering laid down the foundation for critical-thinking and business planning,” says Mr Soh, whose participation in the NUS Overseas Colleges programme also gave him the opportunity to work in a local start-up. He says, “I’m glad I took the plunge into the unknown in setting up this cafe. If I had not, I would always be wondering ‘what if’.”

NOW MEOWING TheCatCafé (241B Victoria Street Level 3) supports the adoption of cats over buying them from breeders or pet shops. As such, from time to time, selected cats in the café will be put up for adoption.

For more information, go to thecatcafe.sg.

P HOT O OF JE FF ER SON S OH: COU RT ES Y OF YEL L OW PA GES

IT project manager-turned-cat café owner Mr Jefferson Soh (Engineering ‘09) has no regrets since taking a career leap of faith.

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