SEMINARS AND

PROGRAMMEINFORMATION

PROGRAMME INFORMATION

School of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering (SCBE)

Synopsis / SpeakerThis talk will give a brief overview of the evolution of chemical engineering, as an independent discipline. When we talk about chemical engineering, we start thinking about a chemical plant which has some giant reactors, interconnected with complex piping and valves, and smoke coming out of heighted towers. However, designing and running these “macroscopic” equipment may not be possible without having a “microscopic” (or at times even at molecular level) understanding of the phenomena occurring inside those equipment. Understanding physico-chemical interactions at “microscopic” level becomes even more important when we are trying to develop novel processes and materials for alternate energy (hydrogen, fuel cells, biomass, etc.).

In the talk, we will discuss some recent examples in chemical engineering science where research and investigations at a “microscopic” level have led to the discovery and development of novel and efficient processes and materials at a “macroscopic” (industrial) level.

Speaker: Prof Samir Hemant Mushrif

We endeavour to ‘rescue’ injured or worn-out knees by rebuilding damaged cartilage in the joints.

To this end, brand new pieces of man-made living cartilage are created as grafts in test tubes by mixing voluntary cartilage cells with seaweed derived gels. Myriads of small pores that are pre-installed in the gels provide accommodation for the cells to grow inside and develop into myriad pieces of tiny “cartilage tissue islets” suspend-ing side by side in the gel bulk. Further growth of each islet rapidly reaches each other and clusters together, forming one integrated network coiling with the gel materials.

Finally, the seaweed gel is washed off and the buried network of living tissue is exposed, in whole, as a tangible piece of pure cartilage sponge. This man-made cartilage graft is implanted into defective rabbit knees. A sound recovery is witnessed in joint cartilage by three months. This invention may ignite great hopes in the mission of cartilage repair.

Speaker: Prof Wang Dongan

Many chemical engineering processes involve multiple phases. The relations between the gas, liquid and solid phases can be very complex and interesting. Knowledge of the interactions between the phases can be helpful in design and optimisation purposes.

This talk will focus on a number of problems in multiphase flow that span across chemical, environmental and pharmaceutical applications.

Speaker: Prof Lau Wai Man, Raymond

Cells interact with its microenvironment. Physical signals like substrate topography, matrix compliance and biochemical cues play significant roles in dictating cell fate.

This talk will highlight the roles of extracellular matrix in directing and enhancing cellular response for improved tissue regeneration.

Speaker: Prof Chew Sing Yian

Code Title SCBE/1 Chemical Engineering Science: From “Macro” to “Micro”

SCBE/2 Growing Qualified Living Cartilage Graft out of Seaweed Gels for Arthritic Treatment

SCBE/3 Multiphase Interactions and its Impact on Chemical Engineering Processes

SCBE/4 Regenerative Medicine – The Role of Cellular Response

PROGRAMME INFORMATION

School of Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE)

Code Title CEE/1 Air Pollution and Global Warming

CEE/2 Digging a Hole in the Ground – Engineering Geological Aspects of Creating Underground Space

Synopsis / SpeakerThis talk will introduce to students why scientists believe that air pollution, as a result of the urbanisation process, contributes to global warming and why there is a need to advance international efforts to stop the trend of potential climate change.

This talk will also include examples of the efforts that have been put forward by the local government and regional international associations.

Speaker: Prof Chang Wei-Chung, Victor

To expand the long-term land capacity of Singapore to meet various development needs, making use of underground space is an attractive option. However, it is more than digging a hole in the ground.

The talk will first discuss the geological setting of Singapore. The fundamentals of different underground space construction processes, ranging from site investigation, design and construction, will be briefly introduced in the context of engineering geology.

Speaker: Prof Wong Ngai Yuen, Louis

PROGRAMME INFORMATION

School of Computer Engineering (SCE)

Code Title SCE/1 Brain Computer Interface for Communication and Control

SCE/2 Immersive Learning in Virtual World

SCE/3 The Cloud is All Around Us: Applications, Systems, and Perspectives

SCE/4 Urban Crowd Sensing: You Help All, All Help You

Synopsis / SpeakerBrain Computer Interface (BCI) is a new communication technology between the brain and the computer, which does not depend on the brain’s normal communica-tion pathway of peripheral nerves and muscles. This system can be used for capturing brain signals and translating them into commands that allow humans to control (just by thinking) computers, wheel chairs and rehabilitation robots.

In this talk, the speaker will be presenting an introduction on BCI, its basic principles and applications in engineering.

Speaker: Prof Vinod A. Prasad

A recent paradigm shift in the educational research field placing more emphasis on students’ learning experience has motivated researchers to investigate the possibility of harnessing the power of virtual worlds. This aims to form virtual learning environments which offer learners a highly immersive learning experience. Studies have shown that immersion in a virtual world environment can enhance learning in at least three ways: by allowing multiple perspectives, creating situated learning, and by encouraging transfer to occur.

This talk presents the NRF-MOE-IDM granted research project on intelligent agent augmented immersive virtual learning environment. Experiments have revealed that students greatly enjoyed their learning experiences through exploring, playing and collaborating in immersive virtual worlds.

Speaker: Prof Miao Chun Yan

Cloud computing has become a very hot area in computer science. It has enabled various kinds of services that have impacted everybody’s daily lives.

In this talk, the speaker will first show the applications of cloud computing to illustrate how this can be done. Next, the representative systems and key techniques in cloud computing will be presented, and some trends on where it will go in the foreseeable future will be outlined.

Speaker: Prof He Bingsheng

With the proliferation of palm-size mobile devices (smart phones, PDAs, etc.), we have a new tool for pervasive (urban scale) information collection, sharing, and exploration. For those information that traditionally require specific (possible very expensive) instruments or devices to gather, they can now be outsourced to human crowds (you, me, and others).

Recently, there has been an emergence of numerous systems based on this idea across a wide variety of research and application domains, such as healthcare, (vehicle) traffic monitoring/prediction, parking space allocation/searching, and ambient (e.g. dust level) surveillance.

We will introduce these developments and the key technologies hidden behind, in the hope of inspiring all of you to join this revolutionary venture.

Speaker: Prof Luo Jun

PROGRAMME INFORMATION

School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering (EEE)

Code Title EEE/1 How to Make Your iPod Battery Last Two Times Longer

EEE/2 Launching a Satellite to Reach the Stars

EEE/3 Smart Energy Distribution Systems for a Sustainable Future

EEE/4 Touch Interfaces - How They Work and Their Future

Synopsis / SpeakerEver wondered how and why the battery lifespan of your more recent MP3 music players lasts so long – even when the players get ever slimmer and the rechargea-ble battery therein is likewise ever slimmer?

Guess what – one of the reasons for the increased lifespan is the new digital-like analogue switching amplifier that is highly power-efficient.

This talk will discuss how such high power-efficient amplifiers are designed.

Speaker: Prof Joseph Chang

Are you curious to find out how weather is predicted? And how hot spots and haze are detected? Well, one of the ways is by observing the earth from space - using satellites.

Singapore launched her first locally-built satellite, the X-SAT, into the orbit on 20 April 2011. Built entirely at the Satellite Research Centre (SaRC) in Nanyang Technological University (NTU), the X-SAT is a joint collaboration between NTU and DSO National Laboratories.

Currently being built are very small satellites called VELOX-P and VELOX-I which weigh only 1.3kg to 4.5kg. These small satellites will orbit at 600km above the Earth at 25,000 km/h, collecting data as they go around the earth once every 100 minutes.

In this talk, through videos and pictures, we will show you what are in these satellites, as well as how tests simulating space environment are conducted.

Speaker: Prof Low Kay Soon

This talk will reveal how technology enhances the energy supply system’s efficiency. It will also present the status of the Singapore energy distribution system, Singapore power market and the smart metre project initiated by Energy Market Authority (EMA) to introduce some intelligence in the system.

Furthermore, research works conducted at A*STAR and NTU will also be reported. Specifically, the setup and benefits of microgrid energy management systems will be discussed.

Speaker: Prof Gooi Hoay Beng

Over the past few decades, touch screens have changed the way humans interact with machines. While touch screens have become an important part of human’s lives, many people may not understand the working principles behind such technology.

In this talk, the following sub-topics will be covered:1) The history of touch screens2) The technology of conventional touch screens (resistive, capacitive) 3) Current and future trend (optical based, surface-wave based, graphene) 4) Market trend and future of touch technology (touch for everyday objects)

Speaker: Prof Andy Khong

PROGRAMME INFORMATION

School of Materials Science and Engineering (MSE)

Code Title MSE/1 Biomaterials for Body-building and Repair

MSE/2 Materials for Defence

MSE/3 New Technological Trends & Opportunities in Nanotech & Materials Science

Synopsis / SpeakerIn the current age of biomedical science, biomaterials engineers and clinicians are working hand-in-hand to realise a dream – the ability to design off-the-shelf replacement parts for the body. We have also come a long way in creating new technologies to fight against terminal diseases. With the use of biomaterials, we are now a step closer to achieving our dreams: to build and defend the bionic man.

Speaker: Prof Ng Kee Woei

This talk highlights the critical roles played by advanced materials for defence and homeland security. One aspect is to give an overview on how advances in materials science and engineering enabled various aspects of defence capacities.

Examples to illustrate the main points may include the following:(1) New prospects of designing armour and protection materials,(2) Low observable materials across electromagnetic and acoustic spectrum,(3) High temperature resistant and lightweight materials, and(4) Nanomaterials for the ever increasing demands in defence and security.

Speaker: Prof Hu Xiao

This talk looks into the various new applications that materials technology and science have enabled in the marketplace as well as looks into how nanotechnology is shaping the future of these applications. It aims to challenge the audience to see possibilities in applications that are currently not possible.

Speaker: Prof Alfred Tok

PROGRAMME INFORMATION

School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering (MAE)

Code Title MAE/1 Printing the World Around Us

MAE/2 Speed. The one thing mankind has always wanted more of ever since he could walk on his own 2 feet!

MAE/3 Master of the Chilli Crabs

Synopsis / SpeakerImagine a world where your shopping cart items won’t take days to reach you but be created right in your living room in a matter of hours.

3D printing or additive manufacturing has made this science fiction a reality and it’s got the whole world buzzing. With the elimination of shipping costs and buffer inventories, it has created a revolution where products can be highly customised at a more affordable cost. Find out more about the advantages and the constraints of 3D printing and how it’s taking the world by storm in both consumer and industrial sectors as well.

Discover how MAE had helped doctors in Singapore to physically simulate operating on twins and carry out a successful reproduction of their approach.

Speaker: Prof Yeong Wai Yee

At the school of MAE, we focus on creating more efficient and reliable airframes that would get millions of travellers worldwide to their destinations as safely as possible. But just an airframe alone won’t get you anywhere, Prof New would share his experiences on a revolutionary propulsion system that can get jet fighters to reach speeds of up to 2500m per second.

Pulsed detonation engines utilise the power of controlled explosions to reach maximum power and efficiency. This was the same technology portrayed in the futuristic unmanned fighter jet movie “Stealth, 2009”. Speaking of stealth, Prof New will also be sharing how stealth fighters achieve air superiority during combat situations.

Speaker: Prof Daniel New Tze How

Robots are a common sight in our everyday lives. From simplifying our daily tasks to saving lives, the field of robotics is paramount to the many wonderful innovations we see today.

Being highly repeatable, dexterous and steady, robots have found their way into operating theatres, helping doctors perform highly complex operating procedures. Imagine a surgery with no holes in the body, no scarring and recovery time so fast you could go for surgery in the morning and still make it in time for your dinner appointment.

This talk focuses on a medical innovation that is so far ahead into the future it won the highly prestigious President’s Technology Award in 2012. Discover how our favourite dish, the chilli crab became the inspiration behind this stellar innovation.

Speaker: Prof Louis Phee Soo Jay

REPLY SLIP

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Email: outreach-coe@ntu.edu.sg

SEMINAR APPLICATION(Please tick the appropriate circle(s)):

SCBE/ 1 2 3 4

CEE/ 1 2

SCE/ 1 2 3 4

EEE/ 1 2 3 4

MSE/ 1 2 3

MAE/ 1 2 3

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