TECH EXPERTS

Dr Chew Fook Tim is the vice dean at the Faculty of Science, National University of Singapore (NUS), and principal investigator of the Molecular Breeding and Allergy & Immunology Laboratories at the Department of Biological Sciences, NUS. Dr Chew teaches graduate and undergraduate level molecular & population genetics, immunology, human physiology, engineering design in biotechnology, urban agriculture and crop biotechnology, food- & agri-science. His laboratories work in the field of epidemiology, genetics & immunology of Aalergic, respiratory & skin diseases, skin ageing & beauty, allergen characterization, and in food- & agri-science, and molecular breeding and crop biotechnology. Dr Chew was the chairman of Academic Advisory Board, School of Life Sciences, Management Development Institute of Singapore.He also served as the Chair of the Governing Board, Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study & Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization, Southeast Asian Regional Centre for Tropical Biology (BIOTROP). Dr Chew has conducted various scientific projects with Eu Yan Sang, Stallergene, US Food & Drug Administration (FDA)–Center for Biologics Evaluation & Research, Singapore Food Agency (SFA), multiple Allergenicity Assessments ; Danone-Nutricia Research, Nestle-Galderma, Procter & Gamble, Syngenta, Hyphens Pharma, etc.  

Dr Goh Chee Keong is a Conexus Senior Manager at Republic Polytechnic’s (RP) Environmental Technology Centre. Dr Goh has more than 14 years of experience in leading research groups with extensive works in materials, energy and environmental applications. He is also author of numerous research publications on catalytic materials and environmental technologies. Dr Goh specialises in research, development, formulation and characterisation of functional materials for waste management solutions, petrochemical processing, renewable energy applications, aquaculture, agriculture and water treatment. He has secured high impact projects funded by various agencies including Ministry of Education (MOE) Translational R&D and Innovation Fund (TIF), National Environment Agency’s (NEA) Environment Technology Research Programme (ETRP) and Closing The Waste Loop (CTWL) initiatives and Tote Board. He also leads academic staff to propose, execute and facilitate the participation in multi-disciplinary technology development projects across the schools within RP.  Dr Goh currently focus on building close collaborative relationships with enterprises, research institutes and institute of higher learning for joint development projects. He is also active in providing technology consultancy services for local companies. He has been awarded the Outstanding Innovator Award at the MOE Innergy Award 2019 and Exemplary Innovator Award at the Public Sector Transformation (PST) Awards 2020.

Dr Lily Ganda is currently a lecturer supporting various environmental science and management diploma programmes at Republic Polytechnic (RP) while she continues to be active in applied research for wastewater treatment and waste management. In a latest project, Lily led a sustainability project funded by Mandai Research Fund to search on a closed loop sustainable approach to manage wildlife waste. The project aimed to set up a feasible waste management solution to manage wildlife waste using black soldier fly, which is a first of its kind in the world. Her research findings were featured in various national media, such as The Strait Times, Today, Lianhe Zaobao, Channel NewsAsia, Berita Mediacorp, Channel 8 and CNA938. This project also clinched RP’s Most Innovative Project and Gold Award at the Ministry of Education (MOE) Innergy Award in 2020. Apart from the Mandai Research Fund, her research work is also supported by MOE Translational R&D and Innovation Fund for another eco-project on biofuel production. In addition, Lily has been actively collaborating with various industrial partners through consultancy projects. Lily attained her PhD in Environmental Engineering from Nanyang Technological University. She was a recipient of the National Research Foundation (Environmental and Water Technology) PhD Scholarship in 2009.

Dr Sun Xiaolong is the Founder and Managing Director of Zerowaste Asia (ZA). He has more than 20 years of research and industrial experience in waste, wastewater, and materials science. He is proficient in waste and wastewater treatment, waste-to-resource management, environmental impact assessment, green construction materials, and materials science. Together with his team in ZA, he has completed numerous industrial, research and development, and consultancy projects in waste and wastewater treatment as well as waste-to-resource management. His team collaborated with NEA to conduct Singapore's first comprehensive study on incineration bottom ash (IBA) utilisation in 2012 and was contracted by NEA to treat IBA into NEWSand. Dr Sun has provided solutions to challenging waste and wastewater treatment for various industries with pollutants including heavy metals, organic pollutants, fluoride, cyanide, phenolic compounds, chemical oxygen demand (COD), total suspended solids (TSS), colour, ammonia nitrogen, etc. Dr Sun obtained his PhD in Materials Science and Engineering from NTU. He is the inventor of 14 patents and author of numerous research publications on environmental technologies. He is familiar with toxicity characteristic leaching procedure (TCLP), as well as environmental standards in Singapore, China and the European Union.

Dr Olivier Lefebvre is Assistant Professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at National University of Singapore (NUS). He specialises in electrochemical technologies, advanced oxidation processes, industrial wastewater treatment, water reuse and technology transfer. He is also Adjunct Professor at the Research Institute of Mines and Environment of the University of Quebec in Abitibi-Témiscamingue (UQAT) and a management committee member of the specialist group on water reuse, within the International Water Association. He has helped many companies in the pharmaceutical and semiconductor industry deal with hard to treat industrial wastewaters. An agronomic engineer by formation, Olivier obtained his PhD from Supagro Montpellier in 2005, on a collaborative work between Narbonne Laboratory of the French National Research Institute for Agricultural Research (INRA) and Anna University in Chennai, India.

Prof Ng Wun Jern is currently a Professor at Nanyang Technology University (NTU) School of Civil & Environmental Engineering and Principal Lead for the Environmental Bio-innovations Group (EBiG). His research and professional interests are in the areas of water, wastewater and waste management, and soil remediation. He is familiar with research, translation and development, and project implementation issues. He has been deeply involved in collaborations with the industry, having channeled his research into some 250 case studies of which 130 led to the design and implementation of full-scale wastewater treatment facilities. In addition to technology licensing and having founded and exited two spin-off companies, he continues to provide technical advice to public listed companies, SMEs, start-ups, and government agencies in the chemicals, food and beverage, marine engineering, water, wastewater and waste domains. Prof Ng also provides support to private equity funds and accelerators to assess projects and start-up companies in terms of founding team capabilities, financial models, technologies, and markets. Prof Ng founded and led the Nanyang Environment & Water Research Institute (NEWRI) for 10 years. Previously, he had also served as Dean, Faculty of Engineering, National University of Singapore and at the College of Engineering, Nanyang Technological University. His research output may be found in some 600 publications - including journal papers and patents.

Dr Li Xiaodong has been a Research Scientist in Advanced Materials Technology Centre (AMTC), Singapore Polytechnic since 2011. He has more than 10 years of research experience in solar cells, PV module recycling and solid waste management. In AMTC, he leads a technical group that focuses on clean technology and materials recycling research projects. As a Principal Investigator, he supported local SMEs and MNCs in carrying out multiple R&D and industry projects, and actively involved in prototype development. Dr Li specialises in solid waste recycling (photovoltaic (PV) modules, Li-ion battery, e-waste and incineration bottom ash); building materials development from recycled materials (silica aerogel from incineration bottom ash as thermal and acoustic insulator, sand substitute from plastic waste); functional coatings development (thermal insulation, fireproofing and waterproofing paints); and pilot scale process development (PV module recycling plant, aerogel fabrication plant). Dr Li obtained his PhD in Materials Science and MSc in Materials Engineering from the East China Normal University in Shanghai, China.

Dr Song Sung Do has over 18 years of experience in senior management leadership, strategic development, business development, consulting, as well as sales and marketing. Dr Song has managed research, technology commercialisation and innovation in the agriculture, environmental sciences and chemical technology industries. Dr Song has 30 years of experience in crop science, and 20 years of experience in agriculture, horticulture and phytochemical ingredient science and technology. In addition, he has extensive knowledge in food production and process of agribusiness and environment - soil, weather and water - in both chemical and biological technology applications. Backed by comprehensive and practical working knowledge of Asia Pacific agriculture, bioenergy markets and industry trends, as well as a keen interest in a sustainable bio-based economy, Dr Song has successfully completed projects in agronomic, agro-ecological and land evaluation, farm construction, field evaluation, plant cultivation and optimisation for urban farming around South East Asia and China. Dr Song has a PhD in Agriculture and Environmental Sciences from Yeungnam University, Master of Science in Agronomy from Seoul National University, and an MBA from National University of Singapore.

Dr Palaniswamy Suresh Kumar is a Research & Development Scientist in Environmental and Water Technology Centre of Innovation (EWTCOI), Ngee Ann Polytechnic, Singapore. Prior to that, Dr Suresh has spent 3 years as a Research Fellow in the School of Materials Science and Engineering (MSE) and Energy Research Institute (ERI@N), Nanyang Technological University (NTU). Dr Suresh has more than 10 years of research experience in energy and environmental applications. Currently, he is providing technology consultancy for CleanTech companies. As a Principal Investigator, he secured high impact projects funded by National Research Fund and Ministry of Education, and industrial projects (POC/POV) in collaboration with local SMEs, large organisations, and MNCs. He has published more than 65 peer-reviewed international publications (journal papers, review articles, and book chapter). His publications have been cited more than 3800 times with an h-index of 35. His current research focuses on development of electrospun nanofibers based filter for air filtration application; prototype design, testing and performance evaluation of active and passive air purification systems; multifunctional nanocoatings (e.g. self-cleaning, antibacterial and photocatalytic) and polymer coating for membranes; and optical sensor development.